Temporary lack of leader, beat up party in ambush

[Crazy Jerome]

I'd like some general advice, suggestions, comfirmations, or just have fun kibbitzing on the sidelines.

The deal is, 8th level party. Rotating cast of nine players/characters. Usually, because certain ones nearly always make it, we have a good mix. This week, we end up with no leader, but have a fighter, warden, barbarian, rogue, sorcerer, and wizard. They aren't optimized by any means, but aren't terribly gimped either. (I built them all as pregens.) And, we are just ready to start a fight with the party very beat up and ambushed--because they camped where they really should not have. On the plus side, the individual encounters aren't that awful. On the minus side, there are more than 4 per day in this particular adventure. Finally, because we "poof" in an out for convenience, the fighter isn't hurt at all. (She didn't attend last session.)

So I'm leaning several ways, and want to pick one, or a better suggestion if you have it:

• Have the Shaman that actually was there last session played as an an NPC, for one fight. Then he leaves.
• Have the Shaman played by the player who normally plays the fighter for that one fight, then she brings in her fighter. (We like some semi-plausible reason for the poof, if we can get it.)
• Hand out some extra healing potions in the treasure that they found, but didn't open yet (just tell them to look, as some time had passed).
• Let them retcon the attempt to rest here (see below).
• Let them try a skill challenge to realize that resting there was a bad idea before the ambush--failure leading to status quo.
• Make the ambush weaker. (Don't really like that. That's just taking up time, when we don't mind some metagaming. But include it for completeness.)

Now normally, I'm a bit of a hard case once the fight actually starts. OTOH, this particular incident occurred at the end of the session, with people very tired, kids running around, lots of distractions, etc. So it is entirely possible that the group did not get good information from me about the situation before they decided to rest here. The group likes to be pressed by the consequences of their decisions. So I'd just as soon not wipe out the consequence entirely. Ideally, then, would be something that makes them still feel pushed to the wall, but isn't as likely to be the TPK that the current situation is shaping up to be.

 

[Herschel]

Just go with it and don't go coup de jerk mode. Triggering someone's second wind at 8th level isn't too bad so long as they have some cover to hide behind when they do it. Maybe give a situational AC bonus if say the Warden stands in front of the crouched player (who gets the bonus) triggering someone's second wind if you feel it is needed.

 

[the Jester]

So I'm leaning several ways, and want to pick one, or a better suggestion if you have it:

• Have the Shaman that actually was there last session played as an an NPC, for one fight. Then he leaves.
• Have the Shaman played by the player who normally plays the fighter for that one fight, then she brings in her fighter. (We like some semi-plausible reason for the poof, if we can get it.)
• Hand out some extra healing potions in the treasure that they found, but didn't open yet (just tell them to look, as some time had passed).
• Let them retcon the attempt to rest here (see below).
• Let them try a skill challenge to realize that resting there was a bad idea before the ambush--failure leading to status quo.
• Make the ambush weaker. (Don't really like that. That's just taking up time, when we don't mind some metagaming. But include it for completeness.)

You completely left out "Let the pcs deal with the consequences of their actions as they stand," which not only would be my choice as a dm, but would be the ONLY choice I would enjoy if I were a player in this game (you stated they like to be pressed on the consequences of their choices, so why not do so?).

 

[[OMENRPG]Ben]

I have to agree with Jester. I would let the chips (or dice in this case) fall where they may.

 

[Crazy Jerome]

Normally, I would let them deal with it. However, because of the aforementioned distractions as we were closing up last session, I'm not sure that they had reasonable information, and might have felt unduly pushed to make a decision.

Plus, at the time they made the decision, they had a leader.

 

[Herschel]

Have the ambushers be aliens and capture them. Then when teh aliens say "Take us to your leader" they can snap back "Ha, the joke on you space freaks. We don't have one this week."

 

[Stumblewyk]

Is there any chance that the ambushers would be amenable to taking prisoners instead of killing the PCs outright? That way if some of them fall in the ambush, they can be rescued or attempt an escape. If they all fall, they can all escape.

To make this not feel like a complete cop-out, make it obvious that when/if a PC drops below 0 HP, the attacker doesn't kill them, just knocking them out, just like PCs can do.

If that's a viable option for you, I say let the chips fall where they lay. It gives the party the chance to see the consequences of their actions, and it doesn't result in a TPK.

 

[Crazy Jerome]

These particular monsters would definitely take prisoners. Not only is it in their generic nature anyway, but they have, in fact, already taken many prisoners. The PCs are very close to the point where they were going to get the chance to free some. It doesn't even have to seem cheesy, much less be that way, because the players know that a lot of people were captured, and they personally investigated a couple of prior ambushes and determined that prisoners were taken.

So that is very much an option.

OTOH, I'd probably have to be a bit lenient with the skill challenge to escape, because as written, these guys are not leaving many outs once they take prisoners. And they are sacrificing them on a fairly regular schedule.

I think as long as I used DM fiat to make sure that none of the PCs were selected for the sacrifice, until they had had time to take an extended rest, then it would work. Of course, if I do that, given the conditions of the prison, they aren't going to get all of their surges back ...

 

[Gryph]

How about running the fight straight, but make it clear early in the fight that the ambushers are willing to be bought off? Maybe a "stand and deliver" kind of ambush instead of an immediate ass kicking ambush?

 

[the Jester]

The group likes to be pressed by the consequences of their decisions.

I have to say, I still don't see much indication that you plan to respect this preference of theirs.

"At the time they made the decision they had a leader" should not enter into your consideration at all in a campaign where pcs poof in and out all the time.