The Root Of All Evil
First Post
Marimmar said:
THAT ONE is great - PCs ALWAYS nervously debate how many cards to draw and ALWAYS draw too many!
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One Thousand Ways to Freak Out Your Players
- Thread starter HalfElfSorcerer
- Start date
THAT ONE is great - PCs ALWAYS nervously debate how many cards to draw and ALWAYS draw too many!
Marimmar
First Post
The Root Of All Evil said:
The deck of many things appeared twice in our games and it almost ended one adventure - the PCs were in Lolth's domain when one of two fighters drew the imprisonment card - and ended a quest for a holy avenger sword when the party's paladin drew 'the void' and was catatonic from that point on.
For the record:
344) Have your mom frequently enter the room and let her ask if she can serve some lemonade or cookies.
345) Having a player that insists on watching his/her daily soap while in the midst of an adventure/fight.
346) Having a player that insists on ironing his shirts during the role playing intensive moments of the adventure.
...still all that happened in one of our group's campaigns.
These are actually things that I have had a PC/NPC illusionist named Garith do.
347. cast Nystals Magic Aura on normal items. This worked very well when he was with a low level party.
348. Garith had a raccoon familiar with the familiar buffing spells from 2nd edition named MARC (Magically Augumented Raccoon Companion). He used to have MARC attach himself to one of the PCs and play and being a talking pet for that PC.
349. When he was low level, he used to cast illusion spells to make him seem even more powerful.
350. Use illusion to disquise himself as a fighter, then have him cast spells in what appears to be full plate armor.
351. Hang around the party invisible (improved) and randomly cast illusions. Since the party did not know he was there to begin with, they didnt know they were illusions.
352. He devised a cantrip that allow him to set up a very small electrical charge around his body. He would cast it, touch a female PC and explain it was "chemistry".
347. cast Nystals Magic Aura on normal items. This worked very well when he was with a low level party.
348. Garith had a raccoon familiar with the familiar buffing spells from 2nd edition named MARC (Magically Augumented Raccoon Companion). He used to have MARC attach himself to one of the PCs and play and being a talking pet for that PC.
349. When he was low level, he used to cast illusion spells to make him seem even more powerful.
350. Use illusion to disquise himself as a fighter, then have him cast spells in what appears to be full plate armor.
351. Hang around the party invisible (improved) and randomly cast illusions. Since the party did not know he was there to begin with, they didnt know they were illusions.
352. He devised a cantrip that allow him to set up a very small electrical charge around his body. He would cast it, touch a female PC and explain it was "chemistry".
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Clear Dragon
First Post
353: Have them polymorphed into dairy cows as punishment for some minor crime, after a month of forced grazing and milking maybe they will learn not to start tavern brawls.
354: Have some side effects carry over from the above, fondness for chewing their food for a long time, tender "udders". and so forth.
354: Have some side effects carry over from the above, fondness for chewing their food for a long time, tender "udders". and so forth.
Kargin el Tomath
First Post
I have no idea what the number is now so who ever is next count these five also...
If the party is mainly composed of Fighters and Rogues stick them on a ship lost at sea with no food or fresh water.
Kill all of the gods (not only will this completely freak out the players because it will cause them to wonder who killed the gods but it will also set up a cool storyline for them. Also it will make that 17th Level Cleric/Divine Disciple have to work all that much harder.)
Have them fight a Dragon with a breath weapon of acid. Then make them roll saving throws for every item they have.
Every day there character doesn't use the bathroom, make them lose 1 temporary Charisma point for pissing in their armor and reaking like a baby's diaper. (I actually do this one. Now every one of my players make it a point to state they are using the bathroom.)
Force them to cross an ocean that was turned into one giagantic Pool of Radience.
If the party is mainly composed of Fighters and Rogues stick them on a ship lost at sea with no food or fresh water.
Kill all of the gods (not only will this completely freak out the players because it will cause them to wonder who killed the gods but it will also set up a cool storyline for them. Also it will make that 17th Level Cleric/Divine Disciple have to work all that much harder.)
Have them fight a Dragon with a breath weapon of acid. Then make them roll saving throws for every item they have.
Every day there character doesn't use the bathroom, make them lose 1 temporary Charisma point for pissing in their armor and reaking like a baby's diaper. (I actually do this one. Now every one of my players make it a point to state they are using the bathroom.)
Force them to cross an ocean that was turned into one giagantic Pool of Radience.
Kargin el Tomath
First Post
363. Put an NPC Paladin in their group who will NOT lie at all. When they're confronted by the Dukes men about the Rogue in the party that stole froma shop he owned...well...let's just say the rest of the Party won't even consider being mad at the Rogue. They'll be too upset with the Paladin.
364. Let them find a nest. With about fifty small size Terrerasque hatchlings that have only 1 HP each. When the PC on your left says, "I thought there was only one in existance" you will then be able to reply, "No one knows where the terrerasque came from let alone how many there truly are." it's at this point that then realize the mother isn't far away at all.
365.Give each player an Arquebus but use 2E rules. A 505 chance for it to blow up in your face every time it's fired destroying not only the weapon but your face as well. And the kick to it. in order for them to get the weapon they have to give up their most valued possesion.
366.Invent Gnomish steam engine trains. Then watch the hit points crumble as they all try to hop on one.
367.If in Forgotten Realms apply the rule that most DMs forget. The rule of some areas being "dead" when it comes to magic. No spells can be cast then and magical items won't work.
364. Let them find a nest. With about fifty small size Terrerasque hatchlings that have only 1 HP each. When the PC on your left says, "I thought there was only one in existance" you will then be able to reply, "No one knows where the terrerasque came from let alone how many there truly are." it's at this point that then realize the mother isn't far away at all.
365.Give each player an Arquebus but use 2E rules. A 505 chance for it to blow up in your face every time it's fired destroying not only the weapon but your face as well. And the kick to it. in order for them to get the weapon they have to give up their most valued possesion.
366.Invent Gnomish steam engine trains. Then watch the hit points crumble as they all try to hop on one.
367.If in Forgotten Realms apply the rule that most DMs forget. The rule of some areas being "dead" when it comes to magic. No spells can be cast then and magical items won't work.
It seems like some of these suggestions are heading more toward "How to annoy your players" rather than "How to freak out your players." Anyway...
368.) Have the wizard's familiar begin sprouting tentacles at random times. Then have the wizard wake up one morning with an eye on the palm of his hand.
369.) Find a Wild Surge chart. Then have the party unknowingly walk into an area of wild magic, where every spell creates a surge. This works best when using the surge chart from the 2E Tome of Magic.
370.) While the party is away from home, have a player's mother slain by a demon, who then impersonates his mother and dominates his kid sister. The sister is commanded to lure lecherous men to their deaths by enticing them with forbidden pleasures. When the player returns, allow him to investigate the dissappearances of some dirty, powerful old men and come across clues of gruesome deaths. Find some excuse that prevents the character from meeting his mother. Then have his sister come find him because "Mommy wants to talk to you."
371.) Rig all of the lights in your room so that you can switch them off with a remote control switch. Then set up some very bright white lights (maybe something like a camera flash) behind the curtains, also controlled by remote switch. Put a tape with a booming crack of thunder in your stereo with surround sound, and crank it up. Make sure the players don't know about any of this. At some dramatic point in the session, turn off the lights in the room, then immediately hit play on the stereo and trigger the flash behind the curtains.
368.) Have the wizard's familiar begin sprouting tentacles at random times. Then have the wizard wake up one morning with an eye on the palm of his hand.
369.) Find a Wild Surge chart. Then have the party unknowingly walk into an area of wild magic, where every spell creates a surge. This works best when using the surge chart from the 2E Tome of Magic.
370.) While the party is away from home, have a player's mother slain by a demon, who then impersonates his mother and dominates his kid sister. The sister is commanded to lure lecherous men to their deaths by enticing them with forbidden pleasures. When the player returns, allow him to investigate the dissappearances of some dirty, powerful old men and come across clues of gruesome deaths. Find some excuse that prevents the character from meeting his mother. Then have his sister come find him because "Mommy wants to talk to you."
371.) Rig all of the lights in your room so that you can switch them off with a remote control switch. Then set up some very bright white lights (maybe something like a camera flash) behind the curtains, also controlled by remote switch. Put a tape with a booming crack of thunder in your stereo with surround sound, and crank it up. Make sure the players don't know about any of this. At some dramatic point in the session, turn off the lights in the room, then immediately hit play on the stereo and trigger the flash behind the curtains.
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