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"Run away! Run away!" ... what if they don't?
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<blockquote data-quote="Imaculata" data-source="post: 7453747" data-attributes="member: 6801286"><p>I think the meanest thing I ever did as a DM was this: </p><p></p><p>I had an npc ghost-pirate hold a cutlass against the throat of some poor damsel, and threaten to slit her throat if the players came any closer. One of the players wanted to use a wand with a disarm spell, to disarm the pirate before he could kill her. So I said: <em>"You and the ghost-pirate both roll for initiative. If the ghost-pirate goes first, the girl dies. If you go first, the ghost-pirate gets a save versus the spell, and she might still die if he makes his save."</em></p><p><em></em></p><p><em><img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=70307&d=1442503340" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " style="" /></em></p><p></p><p>Then I ended the session, and told them that we would make our rolls at the start of the next session. The players all cried out in agony.</p><p></p><p>Clearly telling the players the outcome before they take their action, not only gives them an option to reconsider, but it can dramatically up the tension. Especially if the action could end really badly.</p><p></p><p>(Oh, and in case you were wondering. The player barely rolled higher than the ghost-pirate, and the damsel was saved. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /> )</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Imaculata, post: 7453747, member: 6801286"] I think the meanest thing I ever did as a DM was this: I had an npc ghost-pirate hold a cutlass against the throat of some poor damsel, and threaten to slit her throat if the players came any closer. One of the players wanted to use a wand with a disarm spell, to disarm the pirate before he could kill her. So I said: [I]"You and the ghost-pirate both roll for initiative. If the ghost-pirate goes first, the girl dies. If you go first, the ghost-pirate gets a save versus the spell, and she might still die if he makes his save." [IMG]http://www.enworld.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=70307&d=1442503340[/IMG][/I] Then I ended the session, and told them that we would make our rolls at the start of the next session. The players all cried out in agony. Clearly telling the players the outcome before they take their action, not only gives them an option to reconsider, but it can dramatically up the tension. Especially if the action could end really badly. (Oh, and in case you were wondering. The player barely rolled higher than the ghost-pirate, and the damsel was saved. :) ) [/QUOTE]
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"Run away! Run away!" ... what if they don't?
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