Oh no! The DM has [BLANK]! Or: What strikes fear into the hearts of players?

[BLACKDIRGE]

My players weren't afraid of anything straight out of the books, although the phrase "I've tinkered with this monster a bit" would often cause loss of bladder control.

Blackdirge

 

[Faerl'Elghinn]

Hands down, it has to be A Portable Hole Full of Beer...

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

Not a book. Just kobolds. That's all it takes to scare my players. Just kobolds.

 

[Voadam]

I hear players fear Torn Asunder by Bastion Press, critical hits never felt so bad .

I got a pretty good reaction when the PCs went sliding through a field of cold cast by an archmage with unknown spells and I pulled out a Rolemaster book and rolled on the cold critical chart for the effects it had on them.

"What do you mean the bone in my leg snaps from the extreme cold? I didn't think you could get a broken leg in D&D."

"Most anything is possible with magic, deal with it."

"Man somebody get rid of that book before he casts his next spell."

 

[Vrecknidj]

WotC's own The Primal Order. I pulled it out last week and I about had two players shaking in anticipatory fear. Nothing like over-the-top, no-save-allowed deific blasts to spoil an afternoon.

Dave

 

[JDragon]

My players weren't afraid of anything straight out of the books, although the phrase "I've tinkered with this monster a bit" would often cause loss of bladder control.

Blackdirge

After reading some of the wicked things you have put together, I would have to wonder about a persons sanity if they did not get worried.

As for the ?.... my group from the Bay Area cringes any time a DM (We have 3 people that regularly run games) brings out the "Green Book" (IE. Monster Manual II) it is seen as the book of death in that circle.

 

[Bran Blackbyrd]

I don't have to bring anything to the table. The players always look rather uncomfortable. They obviously fear my DMing genius.

Honestly, I don't see what they're so nervous about; I'm the one who's DMing in the nude.

 

[Sammael]

Book of Vile Darkness gets a nice reaction, as does the Draconomicon, and Monster Manual II. They've begun dreading the Psychic's Handbook over the last few sessions, because of a duergar psychic/fighter BBEG I've been using.

 

[Greylock]

The Players Handook.

It can only mean one thing, the DM's been reading the rules!

Actually, I don't mind seeing the DM whip out something odd. He tries not to abuse us too much, but he likes keeping us on our toes, making the game challenging and interesting. Sometimes we'll see a monster we think we know (meta), but, heh-heh...we don't know what he did to it. ;p

 

[Pbz]

BoVD without a doubt. I managed two TPK with that book.