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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Woas" data-source="post: 4671235" data-attributes="member: 16317">I don't really see the situation as roleplay vs. combat. After setting up the plan to capture the masked villain in this scenario, the GM having the villain fight back is just added roleplay. "You'll never take me alive! Have at thee!" Given the scenario at hand (and I realize it's just an on the fly scenario) the players should probably have some idea of what they are getting into. If the target is a murderer, then they players and characters know the target is likely to be hostile when confronted...Now, setting aside any "bad GM" issues (assuming the GM isn't a rookie or on a power trip to 'kill characters', etc), the GM in this scenario has thrown a metagame Scissor ("you may have found my secret plan, but you'll have to trump this last trick I have up my sleeve"). The player's have to roleplay and think of a way to throw a metagame Rock (get him alive, or subdue him without killing) and deal with it - obviously the GM is presenting the enemy as dangerous and someone/thing who is willing to risk his/her life in armed conflict. It is the player's choice to meet that threat head on by whatever means they feel necessary which is all part of roleplaying.I'll give an example from a recent game I was running, because it's actually very similar to the one you present. The short of it is that the player characters are all bounty hunters and do their legwork to figure out who the bounty is... where he's going... what;s his history... much like the example scenario of the characters (and players) doing the detective. The villain doesn't want to be caught and willing to risk his life to escape. So after the detective work the players finally find the bounty. I know as the GM that they want to take him alive so to throw them a final loop, I make the bounty unwilling to go alive and pull a gun and wave it around threateningly. I've done exactly what you describe, forced the players into combat. It's the bounty's final 'trump' or scissors to the characters legwork or paper. So the players have to figure out (and roleplay) how to overcome this last challenge and throw a rock. In reality I'm not doing it to force them into combat and out of roleplaying. The players could do any number of things: a) Talk him down through intimidation/persuasion, b) use nonlethal force but risk one of the player characters getting shot, c) lose the bounty payment and turn all their info to the local police to deal with it, d) figure out who his friends/loved ones are and put pressure on them to reign him in... and so forth. Above all though they need to still roleplay!So in essence like I said earlier I don't really believe a GM can necessarily force combat OR roleplaying, short of having 'bad GM' issues. If bad GM issues are the case, say the GM stops the game mid-stream and bluntly declare to the group, "listen despite all the past work and any future decision by the characters, I really just want to have combat and kill a character ok?" Then well, I guess I'd find a new game! <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/erm.png"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":erm:" title="Erm    :erm:" data-shortname=":erm:" /></blockquote>

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