Should an NPC bad guy get to coup de grace?

[reveal]

Here's something I ran into twice in my last session. The PCs were fighting an enemy and, in both cases, the enemy dropped the PC to below 0. In both cases, the NPC had plenty of time to CdG before a new PC is able to approach him.

However, I have not been doing it. I have the enemy, in the next round, move up to engage a new PC or do something else besides a CdG.

My question is; is that fair to the players? Is it fair to "fudge" the enemy like that when, in reality, the enemies motivations, in both of these instances, is simply to see the PCs dead. No more, no less. They want them dead and if I played up that aspect, the PCs would be deader than the proverbial doornail.

What do you think? If you were a PC and I did/did not CdG would you be upset? As a DM, how often has this come up and, when it has, how have you dealt with it?

 

[The Other Librarian]

Well think about risk assesment. If I drop the pc to zero and he's out of the fight, I may prefer to spend the next round dealing with his still standing buddies, or helping my allies. If the're dealing with me, there's a chance he may not stabalize and die anyway. When they were all taken care of, I could go round and mop up w/ cdg.

I probably wouldnt have mooks use cdg. Save it for the nastier villains.

 

[billd91]

My question is; is that fair to the players? Is it fair to "fudge" the enemy like that when, in reality, the enemies motivations, in both of these instances, is simply to see the PCs dead. No more, no less. They want them dead and if I played up that aspect, the PCs would be deader than the proverbial doornail.

What do you think? If you were a PC and I did/did not CdG would you be upset? As a DM, how often has this come up and, when it has, how have you dealt with it?

I don't think it's a fudge for the NPC to not coup de grace the helpless PC even if he wants them all dead dead dead. Once all of the PCs are dead, he can butch them at his leisure. Trying to take down another PC is a certainly valid tactic if he wants to defeat them all.
Let's look at it this way. Any round spent finally offing a helpless PC is one less round spent taking down his live-and-kicking friends, who pose an immediate danger to him even if they haven't gotten in reach yet.
Fudge? Not at all.

 

[shilsen]

If the enemy is smart enough and it is tactically the best choice, then sure, the NPC should CDG. And no, I don't think my PCs/players would ever be upset if an NPC didn't CDG them.

 

[Psion]

I used to have a DM that wouldn't hesitate to do it.

If it's personal, I could see it. Otherwise, if there are threats remaining, I would assume that the NPC would try to eliminate the other PC threats.

 

[was]

It's your call, but in all fairness I think that the BBEG should be able to do it if the pc's are allowed to.

 

[Mystery Man]

Well think about risk assesment. If I drop the pc to zero and he's out of the fight......

Plus CDG provokes and AoO if there are other enemies around that are within range they all get a whack at you.

 

[scruffygrognard]

Last game session a ghast CDG'ed a paralyzed PC. The player was miffed but I, as the DM, felt that the ghast would go for a quick kill when possible.

 

[Victim]

Well think about risk assesment. If I drop the pc to zero and he's out of the fight, I may prefer to spend the next round dealing with his still standing buddies, or helping my allies. If the're dealing with me, there's a chance he may not stabalize and die anyway. When they were all taken care of, I could go round and mop up w/ cdg.

I probably wouldnt have mooks use cdg. Save it for the nastier villains.

Of course, magical healing is another factor to consider. It sucks to beat someone into unconsciousness, then have him get back up.

 

[XO]

Even Break

We all like to give players an eve nbreak... errrr, well, some of us DMs do

The opponent may take the time to drink a potion, cast a spell, re-poison his weapon or other favorable tactics. If no such option ios available, he's not just going to stand there (so the PC becomes CdG dead, dead, dead).

By the same token, should you choose to spend time insulting the incoming PCs, it may be fair to impede the fallen PCs to combat from enforced disorientation and the like...