What are your favorite RBDM tricks?

[Nail]

Some people seem to be confusing the RBDM concept with a Psychopathic DM....

....snip....

A RBDM provides the rope with which the PC hangs himself, while the player applauds.

Exactly.

Being a RBDM doesn't mean you kill the PCs in horrible ways. It means you set up the players so that they have to make horrible choices. It's not about Death. It's about Dilemmas.

So - seriously people - let the "Monster of Immunity" and the "Trap of certain death" go. It's not RBDMing...heck, it's not even good DMing.

 

[Shape D.]

A personal favorite of mine is to have the players fight a large group of weaker monsters, Like 10 kobolds. And a short while later put them up against a smaller number of those creatures with levels, like 3 lvl 3 kobold Monks. (adjusted accordingly to partys level of course)

I don't know why, but there's always at least one person who charges in every time......


another favorite is to give weaker creatures, kobolds, goblins, etc, potions of false life. this is only really good at low levels though.


and one feat... Combat reflexes. It's amazing how often you hear players say, "he already used his attack of opportunity, so I'll move........" THWACK

(combat reflexes are also awesome when combined with reach.)

 

[mhensley]

Exactly.

Being a RBDM doesn't mean you kill the PCs in horrible ways. It means you set up the players so that they have to make horrible choices. It's not about Death. It's about Dilemmas.

So - seriously people - let the "Monster of Immunity" and the "Trap of certain death" go. It's not RBDMing...heck, it's not even good DMing.

Nope, I need these things to even begin to challenge my group. I inherited them from another DM who allowed them to use anything from the wotc splat books and they are the "Party of Immunity and Certain Death." These guys are at the point where if the opposition doesn't feature stuff with high SR's and/or lots o' immunities and/or insta-Death attacks, the fights are over in 1-2 rounds. And this is only at 11th level. I have to be a bastard in order to give them a run for their money and every time I think I've gone over the top and tpk'd them, they survive. They're very effective power-gamers. I'll give them that.

I also heartily endorse the Dungeonscape book as a font of RBDM'ing evilness. It even has sharks that swim in acid*! The next Purple Worm I use will have a couple of those bad boys living in it's stomach. har har har!


*yes, i do realize this is retarded

 

[mhensley]

Remember, it has to be a sonic or non-elemental AOE spell. A single target spell won't work. Sadly, Flame Strike would fit the bill. At 30 hp, they're not exactly all that beefy.

Nope, your serious munchkins all use the Energy Substitution feat and make ALL of their spells sonic. Sonic Fireballs, Sonic Lightning Bolts, Sonic Flame Strike, etc. It's totally broken and I hate it. Thanks WOTC.

 

[Wednesday Boy]

My favorite RBDM trick? Listen to them. When they are really scared and the discussion runs hot what next evil trick awaits them... Enjoy the ideas, enhance them, exagerate them .... disguise them and use them.

The players will be shocked and motivated because they "have been soooo close!".

That is sheer genius Darklone! It makes me wonder if my GMs ever pulled that on me. Because I would definitely fall for it!

 

[Nail]

They're very effective power-gamers. I'll give them that.

There are solutions to that. ...and these solutions have nothing to do with being a RBDM.

I salute your patience with the former DM!

 

[Nail]

Nope, your serious munchkins all use the Energy Substitution feat and make ALL of their spells sonic. Sonic Fireballs, Sonic Lightning Bolts, Sonic Flame Strike, etc. It's totally broken and I hate it. Thanks WOTC.

Good thing the updated version of Energy Substitution does NOT allow sonic then, eh?

Check out Complete Arcane. Let your Players do the same, then have them switch out their illegal energy type for a legal one.

 

[Eldragon]

We let Bards use Energy Substitution (Sonic), but they still suck.

I like to create NPCs that the players see as a trusted friend and ally, who then turns on them. After a few campaigns, the players don't trust anyone. On one occasion they killed paladins in their sleep, convinced they are evil.

a Specific instance that started it all, 8 years ago: An NPC gives magical items as gifts to the PCs (from a quest reward). That NPC then turns on the PCs in the next session and speaks the command word making all those gifted magical items cursed.

 

[kigmatzomat]

RBDM things I've done that my players find funny, at least after the fact:

*a basilisk that has been illusioned to appear to be a giant lizard or maybe a drake.

*ghouls armed with slings and rot grubs

*liches who masquerade as skeletons/zombies/ghouls

*semi-cursed robe of blending, 3-speeds.

*foes in ethereal combat that take advantage of the "can see the material plane within 60ft" rule to provide 100% concealment that only works 1-way

*shocker lizard colonies

*cryohydras that turn knee-deep swamp water into shackles

*things with fairly high DR incorporating falling damage into pounce/ambushes

 

[mhensley]

There are solutions to that. ...and these solutions have nothing to do with being a RBDM.

One of my problems is that the players have access to more books than I do so they have a lot more options available to them. My solution to their munchkin pc builds has been to carefully track encounters so that I can determine their real effective character level. I can safely say that they are 2 levels above in real power compared to what's printed on their character sheet. Knowing that, I have been able to challenge them again. For example, our last game had their level 11 pc's go thru 4 CR 13 encounters. They were tough but nobody died (at least not permanently).

Good thing the updated version of Energy Substitution does NOT allow sonic then, eh?

Check out Complete Arcane. Let your Players do the same, then have them switch out their illegal energy type for a legal one.

They've been playing with the earlier form of energy substitution (i guess) for over a year now so I don't really want to make them change the way they play so far into the campaign.