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Message: <blockquote data-quote="rushlight" data-source="post: 2223437" data-attributes="member: 3801">Such as a puzzle?  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f61b.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":p" title="Stick out tongue    :p"  data-smilie="7"data-shortname=":p" />  That all depends on the situation.  I've had games before when I could have killed off every player, but didn't.  Usually, I'll try to find a solution that makes sense.  In the end though, if a TPK isn't possible, then the combat system has lost it's purpose. An example: I had a group of 23rd level PCs.  They ventured into a cavern from which they knew they could not teleport out of.  They knew that inside were 9 powerful dragons, and whatever army they were building.   They managed to kill one dragon.  Then they found the army.  A room of iron golems.  Hundereds of them - guarded by a mithril golem.  They got whooped, but figured out the danger quick, and made their focus escape.   Later in the same dungeon, they encountered a green dragon, with guardians.  Foolishly, they split up - and the dragon managed to get the drop on the party.  Before long, three of the five were dead - and the other two were far into the cavern, while the dragon was at the only exit.   At this point, I had to make a decision.  The dragon could easily have decided to kill the other two, and done so with ease.  However, that would have been a TPK, and likely the end of the campaign.  To make my decision, I based it on the actions of the players in previous situations.  If the players had an attitude of "we're players, so everything works out for us" I'd have just killed them.  They didn't feel that way though - they knew they were in danger, and were being very cautious.  It was just a small tactical mistake that lead to their downfall.  At the same time, I didn't want them to escape from their predicament unharmed, or without learning a lession.   So, since 3 of the 5 had already fallen, the dragon decided to make an offer.  I reasoned that a dragon is very intelligent - and knows when it has the advantage.  He decided to use this situation to his advantage, and agreed to let the last two leave on the condition that they not return, and that they reveal to him the location of a very valuable artifact.  Had they refused, he would have killed them - but I gave my players an "out".   In the end, they took it, although the price was high.  Not only did they need to resurrect three friends - they were not allowed to take the bodies with them from the cavern, or any of the possesions the dead had.  Also, they had to leave behind their weapons.  This set the party back an immense fortune - and also led to more stories involving the artifact, and keeping it away from the dragon.  To me it was a win-win situation, and much more preferable to "well, it kills you all.  Roll some stats." Basically, I'd say that the DM should look for alternate paths out of a TPK situation where at all possible.  Capture, forced service, monitary loss, or deaths of some PCs are all acceptable alternatives to a TPK - as long as your players aren't of the mind that they "deserve" to win.  Plus, those alternatives can lead to more storylines.  But if your players believe that they should conquer all because they're the players - then I say kill 'um!</blockquote>

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