[RttToEE] Almost a TPK tonight...

[Pbartender]

So my party and I assaulted the Crater Ridge Mines through one the "back doors", the one to the Air Temple, we think.

We fought through the door guards fairly well, but one cultist fled. We expected her to eventually bring reinforcements, so our party quickly began to search the enemy dead (for Loot! of course). Meanwhile, my wizard and his familiar turned invisible to scout out the area (the party rogue had left the group some sessions earlier).

So, we have a level 5 Bard, a level 6 Cleric with few spells left, a level 7 Paladin and a level 6 Fighter. The Fighter and the Paladin had about 20 hps left each. I'm playing a Wizard 5/Guild Mage 1 who was with his Celestial Cat several rounds movement away and invisible.

The reinforcements return earlier than expected, and the Bard shouts an alarm, which my Wizard hears. By the end of the second round of combat, the Cleric is Paralyzed, the Fighter is Held, the Paladin has been Commanded to flee, and the Bard is down with -9 hps. My Wizard makes it back just in time to see the Paldin die on top of his three coup de graced companions. And outside of my cantrips, I only had a Melf's Acid Arrow, a Color Spray and a Magic Missile left.

The only reason it wasn't a TPK, is because I stayed invisible and snuck out... Not even a chance to recover their bodies or possessions.

Oof.

 

[Guilt Puppy]

Ouch.

I want to play in that game. A good killer DM is a tough thing to find (if he'd been a bad killer DM, the reinforcements would have had True Seeing )

 

[Kesh]

Yeowch. Quite the nasty rumble there.

 

[LGodamus]

sounds about par for rtttoee.

 

[David Argall]

next time...

The DM probably should have taken the PCs as prisoners. Dead is just dead. Prisoners that can be rescued is an additional theme for play. [Maybe our escaping mage hears them talking about the upcoming human sacrifice ceremony...]

Now there is the question of how long you had to loot and run. It is possible the DM took instant responce a little too literally. However, the text suggests you had about a turn, which is a little hard to argue with, at least without knowing the adventure better than you should.

However, what is this mage doing wandering that far from the rest of the party? As described, the party is fairly beat up and the only reasonable action is to flee [well, after grabbing goodies of course]. Splitting the party [routinely a bad idea] just delays the needed retreat. Possibly following the escapee might be useful, but just looking around was just asking for trouble.

 

[Plane Sailing]

Re: next time...

The DM probably should have taken the PCs as prisoners. Dead is just dead. Prisoners that can be rescued is an additional theme for play. [Maybe our escaping mage hears them talking about the upcoming human sacrifice ceremony...]

I agree, I think CDG of PC's is a pretty pointless tactic (unless the DM routinely allows people to create new replacement characters at higher levels, which leaves you with less ties to previous campaign events and IMO less interesting group dynamics).

Much better to have had them captured and used for sacrifice. After all, there is a nifty little altar somewhere in there...

Cheers

 

[Wee Jas]

I want to play in that game. A good killer DM is a tough thing to find (if he'd been a bad killer DM, the reinforcements would have had True Seeing )

Play with my DMs then ;o)

I agree that killing the characters is sometimes harsh but I'd rather play with a DM that kills then not. I've played with dms that don't and it really takes a lot of danger out of the combats. One low level PC charged a beholder with a sheet wrapped around him (so the rays wouldn't hit him) and lived.

 

[Numion]

Re: Re: next time...

I agree, I think CDG of PC's is a pretty pointless tactic (unless the DM routinely allows people to create new replacement characters at higher levels, which leaves you with less ties to previous campaign events and IMO less interesting group dynamics).

Much better to have had them captured and used for sacrifice. After all, there is a nifty little altar somewhere in there...

Whoah, there! To CDG or not to CDG PCs, now thats a topic for a thread of its own.

IMO the rules are same for the PCs and NPCs in combat. If they try to kill the PCs, then why not do it in the most efficient fashion? And if using the opposition to their fullest is too much for the PCs, why then not use less opposition in the first place? Remember that the paladin was still loose when the others were CDG'd - the guards wanted to play it safe, which was a fine tactic here.

 

[Iku Rex]

Oof.

Get used to it.

 

[maddman75]

I CDGed a PC the last game I ran. Of course, when you try to fight a ghast by yourself and you fail the save, its lunchtime.

And it sounds like the DM did just about right. The place isn't called 'Monte's Meatgrinder' for nothing. I personally would get bored out of my skull if I knew I didn't have to be on my toes...if the DM would make sure I lived no matter what.

Running a game and writing a novel are too different things. I want my character to face danger, and if he does something stupid, bites off more than he can chew, or just plain gets unlucky, I want him to have to pay the price.