CleverNickName
Limit Break Dancing
"Winning" doesn't have to mean "defeat in combat." I put extremely dangerous monsters in my dungeons and on my random encounter tables all the time, and my players know it. Whenever I tell them to roll initiative, there is always a very real possibility they might have to run, surrender, negotiate, barter, sneak, etc. to avoid being killed. It's a big, dangerous world out there.
I try not to be a jerk about it--I always provide at least two ways out of every tight spot, and I give them the benefit of the doubt when they try some wacky antics to escape, and I give them half (or even full) XP for getting past the monster whether they slay it or not. And I'll drop some pretty obvious hints (or even break character) to warn them about foes that are beyond their ability to slay. But if they don't take those warnings seriously, and insist on combat as the only solution, well...they have to own that choice.
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Rewriting Tolkien as D&D is too much fun.
"A Balrog...a demon of the Ancient World," Gandalf says grimly. "This foe is beyond any of you...run!"
"Nah. John Tolkien is a good DM, he wouldn't give us any monsters that we couldn't defeat," Legolas says smugly, pulling an arrow from his quiver. "I ready my longbow. Who's got the initiative?"
"But--" Gandalf says incredulously.
"Don't be such a coward, Gandalf." Aragorn draws his swords, not even looking at the wizard. "You're just an NPC anyway. Why do you hate fun?"
"I can't wait to level up!" Gimli says, kissing his bicep. "You've got a copy of my magic item wishlist, right John?"
Frodo pats Gandalf on the arm. "It's okay," the hobbit says with a sigh. "I always suspected that Sam and I would have to make it to Mordor without them. Race you to the Bridge of Kazhad Dum?"
I try not to be a jerk about it--I always provide at least two ways out of every tight spot, and I give them the benefit of the doubt when they try some wacky antics to escape, and I give them half (or even full) XP for getting past the monster whether they slay it or not. And I'll drop some pretty obvious hints (or even break character) to warn them about foes that are beyond their ability to slay. But if they don't take those warnings seriously, and insist on combat as the only solution, well...they have to own that choice.
-----
Rewriting Tolkien as D&D is too much fun.
"A Balrog...a demon of the Ancient World," Gandalf says grimly. "This foe is beyond any of you...run!"
"Nah. John Tolkien is a good DM, he wouldn't give us any monsters that we couldn't defeat," Legolas says smugly, pulling an arrow from his quiver. "I ready my longbow. Who's got the initiative?"
"But--" Gandalf says incredulously.
"Don't be such a coward, Gandalf." Aragorn draws his swords, not even looking at the wizard. "You're just an NPC anyway. Why do you hate fun?"
"I can't wait to level up!" Gimli says, kissing his bicep. "You've got a copy of my magic item wishlist, right John?"
Frodo pats Gandalf on the arm. "It's okay," the hobbit says with a sigh. "I always suspected that Sam and I would have to make it to Mordor without them. Race you to the Bridge of Kazhad Dum?"