Moments on the Edge

[ChaosEvoker]

We all love D&D. But we know that our favorite moments as the DM is when your PC sweat bullets. Those moments where it's the next 20 wins. Moments on the edge. We love these becuase it stretches our limits as DM and PC and it makes us as the DM proud of our PCs when they pull through by the skin of their teeth.

What's your favorite Moment on the Edge?

 

[ChaosEvoker]

<Mine Coming Soon>

 

[BSF]

Sheesh, where do I start?

In the current campaign, there was the time two of the PCs were captured by a warband of gnolls. They orchestrated an escape with the help of the other PCs and they saved 15 other captives. That one was good because they were a little creative and seized opportunities that they helped create for themselves.

In the last campaign, there was the time the PCs released a wraith that proceeded to drain every person in the town. All 100 NPCs. I was playing with the templates from Dragon and did 100 low strength wraiths. The PCs freaked out when they realized what they had inadvertently done. Then, instead of running, they consecrated the center of town and made a stand, determined to put all those souls to rest or die in the effort. They pulled it off!

Is that the sort of thing you are looking for or is there something more specific?

 

[MarkCsigs]

I had a campaign where from literally the first adventure, the PCs had a group of evil NPCs that dogged their every step. Every time the PCs got the upper hand, the NPCs would find a way to escape. They loved 'hit and run' tactics.

When it came time where we decided we were ending the campaign, I promised the players a locked-room showdown with the NPCs. No escapes, and no punches pulled.

It literally came down to just the two female wizards, completely exhausted of spells, single digit hit points, whacking each other with their staves for the fate of the whole party! LOL.

--Mark C'sigs

 

[ChaosEvoker]

Clarifications

I think MarkCsigs's story is more what I'm after, details are appreciated, stories we can step into and feeel as if we are experiencing them ourselves.

 

[BSF]

*laugh* OK, I am busy today and tonight so I won't be able to tell you about the PCs trying to assault the yuan-ti, but don't let me forget to write that one up.

 

[Blade of Desecration]

I had a campaign where from literally the first adventure, the PCs had a group of evil NPCs that dogged their every step. Every time the PCs got the upper hand, the NPCs would find a way to escape. They loved 'hit and run' tactics.

When it came time where we decided we were ending the campaign, I promised the players a locked-room showdown with the NPCs. No escapes, and no punches pulled.

It literally came down to just the two female wizards, completely exhausted of spells, single digit hit points, whacking each other with their staves for the fate of the whole party! LOL.

--Mark C'sigs

This is hilarious! Just watching to wizards slugging it out in melee is one of the funniest things that can happen!
Wizard 1: Become a wizard my parents said.*WHACK!* YOu'll learn powerful magic they said. And here I am, being whacked to death by my evil NPC counterpart, wihtout any of those oh-so-wonderful spells to save me.*BAP!* Why couldn't I have listened to my guidence counselor and at least taken a few levels in fighter?
Wizard 2: Why couldn't I have run away to the circus when I was a little girl?*SLAM!* Then I wouldn't be here!

 

[MarkCsigs]

Thanks for the good words, guys ...

Actually, while it sounds very heroic, remember these were two relatively powerful mages ... so while they had their defenses up, neither one was terribly proficient at combat, so it went more something like this:

Wizard 1: a 14 ...
DM: You miss. I get an 11, that's a miss.
Wizard 1: a 10 ...
DM: You miss. I've got a 16, that's a miss.
Barbarian PC: Am I still dead?!?
DM: Yes!
Wizard 1: I've got a two ...

The wizard PC finally ended things by mercifully rolling a 20, which I described as a lucky back-swipe that accidently cracked the NPC wizard upside the temple.

--Mark C'sigs

 

[LilMissKittyn]

Lol. Simply amazing.

 

[ChaosEvoker]

Ah the classic desperate mage staff fight. It funny just imagining it in my mind