PC's are in the process of killing an important story NPC, whats one to do?
- Thread starter Shyloc
- Start date
Dark Jezter
First Post
Let the NPC die. If you arbitrarily come up with ways for NPCs to escape just when the PCs are about to finish them off, it'll make the players feel like they're being railroaded.
There have been times in my own campiagns where the PCs killed off an NPC whom I didn't expect to die so soon, you just have to learn to improvise. Most evil overlords usually have subordinates or heirs who are willing to step up to the plate when their master is gone.
There have been times in my own campiagns where the PCs killed off an NPC whom I didn't expect to die so soon, you just have to learn to improvise. Most evil overlords usually have subordinates or heirs who are willing to step up to the plate when their master is gone.
IronWolf
blank
I agree, let the NPC die. Either work with other ways to keep the campaign on track or perhaps he held a key piece of information the PC's really needed to help solve the issue at hand. Now he's dead. Lots of interesting possibilities from there if the mind is open to the twists and turns the PCs always create during the course of a campaign.
It's long... But the short of it is... He was searching for a key, to start an engine. He has been searching for some time well over a hundred years. It is lost. The PC's have yet to find their need for this key.
I know all of this leave it all open ended for many other possibilities.
I know all of this leave it all open ended for many other possibilities.
<chorus> Let him die!
As an alternative, you can always pull the old "he looks dead" trick. Unless they actually take the time for a Heal check to verify (or more likely a coup-de-grace), he can always come back for vengeance later.
Heck, if he is dead, it's entirely possible one of his allies may get him raised anyway. Have to figure out some sort of profit motive behind this of course, these are thieves and crooks after all! How about this:
After his burial, one of the dood's rivals digs up his grave and steals his skull. He reanimates the skull (hey, don't ask me how, you're the DM!) to press it for some vital information only the head of the thieves guild posessed (important contacts, names of secret identities, the location of the treasury, etc.). Now there's a talking skull with vital information and his own agenda (getting reunited with his body, for starters). At some point, the PC's may come in posession of the skull. The dood-skull would obviously not be terribly inclined to help his former murderers, but he may try to manipulate them into getting his body back, or to go after this key you mentioned.
As an alternative, you can always pull the old "he looks dead" trick. Unless they actually take the time for a Heal check to verify (or more likely a coup-de-grace), he can always come back for vengeance later.
Heck, if he is dead, it's entirely possible one of his allies may get him raised anyway. Have to figure out some sort of profit motive behind this of course, these are thieves and crooks after all! How about this:
After his burial, one of the dood's rivals digs up his grave and steals his skull. He reanimates the skull (hey, don't ask me how, you're the DM!) to press it for some vital information only the head of the thieves guild posessed (important contacts, names of secret identities, the location of the treasury, etc.). Now there's a talking skull with vital information and his own agenda (getting reunited with his body, for starters). At some point, the PC's may come in posession of the skull. The dood-skull would obviously not be terribly inclined to help his former murderers, but he may try to manipulate them into getting his body back, or to go after this key you mentioned.
Squire James
Explorer
Your NPC is dead. Observe what the players do in reaction to this, and react to that reaction appropriately. If the leave the body intact, and the guild master has loyal allies, he gets Raised to continue his plot line. If the "unfinished business" is important enough, perhaps he rises as a ghost (a dangerous one since his task isn't tied to one location). Perhaps you should just let that plotline die with the NPC and go on.
Fudging the rules to save the NPC's life would belittle the PC's victory, and is a good example of how NOT to DM. Anything else is fair game, though.
As a side-note, I'd also study that called-shot mechanic and see if that isn't part of the problem. PC's are less likely to attack guild masters if they weren't so sure they could take him down in 1-2 rounds! Since I don't know what your called-shot rules are, I really can't accurately comment on them, except to say that I think normal D&D combat is essentially a bunch of people making called shots at each others' vitals!
Fudging the rules to save the NPC's life would belittle the PC's victory, and is a good example of how NOT to DM. Anything else is fair game, though.
As a side-note, I'd also study that called-shot mechanic and see if that isn't part of the problem. PC's are less likely to attack guild masters if they weren't so sure they could take him down in 1-2 rounds! Since I don't know what your called-shot rules are, I really can't accurately comment on them, except to say that I think normal D&D combat is essentially a bunch of people making called shots at each others' vitals!
I was just going to suggest having the NPC stabilize and maybe make threatening noises like a squad of city guardmen approach. If your PC's don't finish him off or don't check to see if he is dead the plot hooks are ready, with a little extra motivation for the bad guy. If your PC's do finish him off then you have other suggestion for how you can rearrange the plot hooks.
Saeviomagy
Adventurer
Replace him with something evil from planes beyond man's comprehension.
Or just make his second in command much more of a rat bastard.
Or... let your players win, and come up with someone else to do your plot.
Or just make his second in command much more of a rat bastard.
Or... let your players win, and come up with someone else to do your plot.
Arrellion
Explorer
If you feel the need to keep him alive and depending how strictly you follow the rules
set in the books, you could always give the bad guy a ring of regeneration say on his
left pinky toe. This works unless the party thoroughly searches him and takes the ring.
Otherwise, I must concur with the others to let him die.
Good Luck,
Arrel
set in the books, you could always give the bad guy a ring of regeneration say on his
left pinky toe. This works unless the party thoroughly searches him and takes the ring.
Otherwise, I must concur with the others to let him die.
Good Luck,
Arrel
Similar Threads
- Locked
