Nudge, Fudge, or Sludge?

[Grimstaff]

I'm sure most DM's have run into this situation at one time or another. You run an adventure, you think you have the party headed in the right direction, yet all of a sudden they take a blind curve on you that will almost certainly result in their horrifying demise. For example, maybe they accidentally head strait for the BBEG without picking up one of the three or so items you have planted elsewhere to help them out (like a sword of Giantslaying, etc) or maybe its a time-running-out adventure and their wrong turn will certainly waste far more time than they have to do what needs doing.
So the question is one of your style of handling this situation. Do you "nudge" them back in the right direction by dropping some possibly not-so-subtle hints, "fudge" the adventure by changing a couple of things on the fly to prevent the disaster, or just let the dice fall where they may and chuckle qiuetly to yourself as the PCs are ground into "sludge"?
And maybe anecdotes showing how your technique worked and/or backfired?

 

[Hjorimir]

I don't mean to be critical, but what you're describing is poor design on the part of the DM. Unless the DM is perfectly happy with dead PCs, which I wouldn't fault you for.

 

[Crothian]

So, my parties 3rd level at the time and they are at the first real crossroad of the campaign. I lay out three attractive directions, letting them know they can come up with a 4th or 5th and do pretty much what they want. One of the options is to go after hillgiants which the dwarf wants to do. So, he suggests it thinking the other players will call him crazy. Well, they don't. So, my third level party (they got to 4th before encountering a giant) goes after giants. And not a few giants either, they are (at the time) planning to assualt the home of the giants. I didn't fudge a thing. 2 PCs died though one was able to be brough t back at a cost to him and another player. THey are still fighting the giants and the situation looks more dire each week. But its what they choose to do and I'm not going to not allow the players to do what they want and at the same time I'm not going to save them if they go off and get in over their head. But its been a lot of fun!!

 

[Grimstaff]

I don't mean to be critical, but what you're describing is poor design on the part of the DM. Unless the DM is perfectly happy with dead PCs, which I wouldn't fault you for.

I'm not referring to design issues (though those can certainly occur, it would be the subject of another discussion) but rather to occasions when, against all odds, the PCs make the worst possible choices they could possibly make. Unless you think all adventures should be completely linear, like a video game, where the players don't have the option to make choices, this is going to occur every once in a while.

 

[NCSUCodeMonkey]

I don't mean to be critical, but what you're describing is poor design on the part of the DM. Unless the DM is perfectly happy with dead PCs, which I wouldn't fault you for.

That's true, to a certain extent, but the DM is not perfect and the players are not predictable. Like, in my last session the players walked right into a planned encounter (getting ambushed by some cultists) and did a perfectly reasonable thing: they captured the cultists and took them to the authorities. The only problem with that is that, for whatever idiotic reason, I never considered the possibility when I was laying out the adventure. Now the authorities of the town know the cultists are a real danger, but my adventure as written depends on the authorities being reluctant to help the PCs.

In this case I don't really need to fudge, nudge, etc. because I know the motiviations and influence of the cultists and they'll just change their plans according to the situation, as it should be.

In the case that Grimstaff presents, I'd probably fudge the adventure. It's almost always better to alter elements in the background that the PCs have never encountered than to try and nudge (i.e. railroad?) them back onto the beaten path. Change what the lair actually is, or have the BBEG spare them so that he becomes a recurring enemy that they love to hate.

NCSUCodeMonkey.

 

[NCSUCodeMonkey]

But its what they choose to do and I'm not going to not allow the players to do what they want and at the same time I'm not going to save them if they go off and get in over their head. But its been a lot of fun!!

Yeah, if they dig their own grave, they're on their own.

NCSUCodeMonkey

 

[Crothian]

Yeah, if they dig their own grave, they're on their own.

aCtually, no matter what they do they aer on thier own. And its great when players dig their own graves, but manage to climb out of it. Naked and on Fire!!!

 

[Evilhalfling]

Depends on how much warning they have had, If they decide to go after giants then it is on their head, If they go slightly off track I may fudge an escape route for them, or improvise a reason for the BBEG not to kill them out of hand.
TPKs really screw up the ongoing plots, and each death means a new introduction and having to work out new plots, and then integrating them to the group.

 

[Hjorimir]

I'm not referring to design issues (though those can certainly occur, it would be the subject of another discussion) but rather to occasions when, against all odds, the PCs make the worst possible choices they could possibly make. Unless you think all adventures should be completely linear, like a video game, where the players don't have the option to make choices, this is going to occur every once in a while.

Quite the opposite, actually. But if the players make poor choices and it points them to their own demise so be it. Decision making is one of the most wonderful aspects of the game. But with the potential for greatness comes the potential for disaster. I would never advocate protecting the players from themselves.

 

[sinecure]

Sludge is the one true method.

But I must admit certain aspects of an adventure are possible to nudge without redesigning everything. Walking up to the BBEG is almost never simple as it would protect itself. So you would normally roll for wandering monsters, call for spot checks, describe recent hints of creatures who passed along the route the PCs are heading, etc.

I wouldn't let the PCs walk into a "sludge" situation without giving them some hints along the way.