NPCs with a neat escape method

[comareddin]

As a DM I have a certain thing. Any NPC with int 8 or more who is losing the fight against the PCs will try to escape, if it is a viable option. I usually like to do this in a cinematic and sure method. The ones I have used so far that come to my mind are:

- NPC wizard's stoneskin is about to expire (too much damage) He is cornered in his chamber. He makes a x4 dash for the corridor provoking AoOs. PCs shoot arrows. Wizard casts web to fill the corridor, leaves. PCs are left alone to dance with the zombies.

- Sahuagin warband leader, after half his party dies and he is pretty low on hp, jumps back into the water from the ship's deck where the sharks were eating the crew of the ship thrown into the water. (Sahuagin like to chat with sharks)

- The rogue guy, he is cornered and knows he is going to die in 10-20 seconds. The room is a high domed chamber with the only exit nicely covered by a PC. He activates a ring of jump, jumps really high and grabs the rope dangling from a man sized hole at the top. Mechanism activated, our rogue waves bye bye to the PCs as he rises into the escape chamber.

Can you come up with similar ideas like this? I really do not like my NPCs with sheets dying. I have a special connection to them just like players to their characters.

Com

 

[Janx]

Bear in mind, Players don't like it when EVERY villain escapes EVERY time, though I don't think that's what you're saying or doing.

I think it's definitely a good idea for any bad guy of int 12+ to have an "exit plan" for fights they expect to have.

Thus, if the bad guy knows, "I'm going to confront the party in the summoning room" then he should have an exit plan, for in case the fight goes poorly.

However, if the party bursts in on his bedroom unexpectedly, then he should not a have a well rounded escape plan (though he may have a general, if my castle is attacked, I'll escape through the cellar, plan).

Janx

 

[comareddin]

Bear in mind, Players don't like it when EVERY villain escapes EVERY time, though I don't think that's what you're saying or doing.

I think it's definitely a good idea for any bad guy of int 12+ to have an "exit plan" for fights they expect to have.

Thus, if the bad guy knows, "I'm going to confront the party in the summoning room" then he should have an exit plan, for in case the fight goes poorly.

However, if the party bursts in on his bedroom unexpectedly, then he should not a have a well rounded escape plan (though he may have a general, if my castle is attacked, I'll escape through the cellar, plan).

Janx

Oh well, it is the players' job to stop his escape attempt. I mean if I face certain death and I have a chance of salvation the other way, I will try the other way. Generally all my NPCs have an escape plan relevant to their level, be it a potion of invisibility or teleport or the methods I described above. Hmm I remember one more now

- The vampire is seriously hurt. He runs towards a corridor, activates the trap and the blades start spinning all along. He turns into gas flies through. My players were really pissed at that one, they were chasing him for a long time.

Com

 

[lastalas]

Oh well, it is the players' job to stop his escape attempt. I mean if I face certain death and I have a chance of salvation the other way, I will try the other way.
Com

Very true and reasonable in a strictly logical world. However, this is a fantasy realm of heroes and dragons. What I think Janx meant was that if the villan escapes every time, the party will get a sense of constant defeat, and risk sliding into "why bother"? The player's need to have some sense of accomplishment and need to feel heroic. Every villan outsmarting them every time is not conducive to that. It makes them feel like they can't win, and risks turning the game into us vs. the DM.

Perhaps, you can throw them a bone every now and again. Don't hand the villan over or make it easy. But, I would recommend giving them opportunity to learn of these plans. When they attempt to do "Gather Info" checks, maybe they hear a rumor that the villan had a trap door installed in room x; or, that the villain always has a potion of invisibility on them. Maybe, when entering the room they get a Spot check to see the rope in the ceiling, or to notice the trap switch on the wall. Just a thought....

A good one that might throw them for a loop (if they are a good party) is the surrender ruse. Maybe the villan has friends in government or henchman who can bust out of jail. Perhaps, when brought to the authorities he can turn the situation around on the PCs.

Villan: "I was sleeping soundly in my bedroom when these barbarians, burst in, and roughed me up."
Constable: "Is this true?"
Party: "Yes, but he is a master of great evil and was planning to release a great evil into the heart of the city."
Constable: "Uh huh, do you have any evidence to substantiate these accusations."
Party: "Ugh, no. We are the heroes though. We are the good guys."
Constable: "Sorry Mr x for the trouble. You 'heroes' let him go, and why don't you join me back at the station."

 

[comareddin]

Very true and reasonable in a strictly logical world. However, this is a fantasy realm of heroes and dragons. What I think Janx meant was that if the villan escapes every time, the party will get a sense of constant defeat, and risk sliding into "why bother"? The player's need to have some sense of accomplishment and need to feel heroic. Every villan outsmarting them every time is not conducive to that. It makes them feel like they can't win, and risks turning the game into us vs. the DM.

Perhaps, you can throw them a bone every now and again. Don't hand the villan over or make it easy. But, I would recommend giving them opportunity to learn of these plans. When they attempt to do "Gather Info" checks, maybe they hear a rumor that the villan had a trap door installed in room x; or, that the villain always has a potion of invisibility on them. Maybe, when entering the room they get a Spot check to see the rope in the ceiling, or to notice the trap switch on the wall. Just a thought....

A good one that might throw them for a loop (if they are a good party) is the surrender ruse. Maybe the villan has friends in government or henchman who can bust out of jail. Perhaps, when brought to the authorities he can turn the situation around on the PCs.

Well, I run campaigns in such a way that everyone always tries to win. In the above vampire scenario for example the vampire escaped with his life and couldn't save his daughter. The PCs took out the daughter's coffin and later they traded it with the vampire for the return of a religious relic (which has its own story behind it)

So the PCs did not kill the villain but they thwarted his plans and finished another quest while doing so. The PCs had no idea that this necromantic relic was in the villain's hand but the vampire knew they were looking for it. So he sent an agent and offered a trade.

Sometimes I myself lose track of cross-referenced conspiracies going on in my campaign

Com

 

[lastalas]

So the PCs did not kill the villain but they thwarted his plans and finished another quest while doing so. The PCs had no idea that this necromantic relic was in the villain's hand but the vampire knew they were looking for it. So he sent an agent and offered a trade.

Sometimes I myself lose track of cross-referenced conspiracies going on in my campaign

Com

OOOOH! You are one of those evil DM's.....sounds like a campaign I would love.

When I run I try to make sure that the PCs are able to learn of the NPCs quirks and possible plans. If they never take advantage of it, or talk to the right people, or plan poorly, then that is there problem .

On that note, a good way to mess with your PCs heads....Perhaps, the PCs get a commission to take out a long time antagonist of theirs. The person offering the commission has explicit detail. Enough detail that they can actually stop him from getting away and end the villan's days. Only much later, they find out that the commission was actually provided by another of their most vile villans...they in effect became hit men for the bad guys. Maybe, the take out a few less interesting villans or something for a while before they realized what is going on....

or maybe, the villan who provided the commission has an "expert" tag along with them, and when it is all over, the PCs are arrested for murder. The authorities find all kinds of "detailed" information (provided by the villan) on the dead villan's home and habits (as if they had been stalking them) and a surprise eyewitness (the "expert") has just come forward with a very damning testimony.

So many birds with one stone...the PCs get to finally do in one of their nemesises (sp?), the villan giving the commission removes a rival and manages to screw the party over at the same time.......the beauty of orchestrated villany

 

[lukelightning]

Some DMs still subscribe to the old fashioned "if you don't kill the enemy you don't get xp" school of thought.

 

[comareddin]

Some DMs still subscribe to the old fashioned "if you don't kill the enemy you don't get xp" school of thought.

I always give the half XP appropriate for their levels. They get to fight the enemy several times, learn many of his tricks, prepare accordingly. And it is my experience that when in the end they kill such a guy, the player's really talk about it for a long time in character and OOC. I do not keep them depressed, in all situations where something gets away, they earn something as well.

Com

 

[Ovinomancer]

I always give the half XP appropriate for their levels. They get to fight the enemy several times, learn many of his tricks, prepare accordingly. And it is my experience that when in the end they kill such a guy, the player's really talk about it for a long time in character and OOC. I do not keep them depressed, in all situations where something gets away, they earn something as well.

Com

Why 1/2 XP? Did they not overcome the challenge? Did they somehow learn less from the experience? "We beat him soundly, overcame many and varied tactics that were used against us, but I feel that, due to his escape, only half of that sunk in." If you take away (albeit logically) the pleasure of gutting the villian and ending his tyranny until undeath claims him, why punish the player for it by halving thier XP?

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

As a DM I have a certain thing. Any NPC with int 8 or more who is losing the fight against the PCs will try to escape, if it is a viable option. I usually like to do this in a cinematic and sure method. The ones I have used so far that come to my mind are:

- NPC wizard's stoneskin is about to expire (too much damage) He is cornered in his chamber. He makes a x4 dash for the corridor provoking AoOs. PCs shoot arrows. Wizard casts web to fill the corridor, leaves. PCs are left alone to dance with the zombies.

Why would the PCs shoot arrows? You're using up two rounds to escape. Anything can happen in those two rounds. I know my wizard isn't above using dimension door to pursue bad guys. Web .... what web?

- Sahuagin warband leader, after half his party dies and he is pretty low on hp, jumps back into the water from the ship's deck where the sharks were eating the crew of the ship thrown into the water. (Sahuagin like to chat with sharks)

I like this one.

- The rogue guy, he is cornered and knows he is going to die in 10-20 seconds. The room is a high domed chamber with the only exit nicely covered by a PC. He activates a ring of jump, jumps really high and grabs the rope dangling from a man sized hole at the top. Mechanism activated, our rogue waves bye bye to the PCs as he rises into the escape chamber.

This one might not work, either. He's spending a move action getting up there, and could be shot while climbing.