D&D 5E When an entire campaign comes down to one roll

[Sacrosanct]

And that roll is a 1

Dragon Heist spoilers:


Short version: playing dragon heist. Found the gold and the gold dragon. Did a whole bunch of dialog and being as persuasive as we could. He started to get angry with us so the bard plead our case.

DM called for a persuasion check

And that's when the 1 happened

Then it all fell apart. Thinking battle was imminent the drow rogue pulled back her bow and shot. Knowing us low level PCs wouldn't have a chance, I tried pleading one last time

DM asked me to make a persuasion check. I rolled a 1

Two rounds later, we all were dead except the fighter who fled, but died very shortly after when he ran into the cultists coming into the vault.

There you have it lol. The dice can be wicked sometimes lol

 

[Rabbitbait]

I love it. That's good DMing right there. The game isn't as fun if there isn't the chance of a TPK. I've run a game where all of the party were down except the cleric and there was only one enemy left. If the cleric hit he would kill the enemy and be able to restore his party. If he missed then it would be a TPK. The thrill when he rolled a good honest 16 was immense.

 

[atanakar]

In the late 80s our AD&D1e campaign came down to one roll. We were level 10 and had been slowly destroying an evil cult session after session. It was the final battle against the cult leader, a powerful cleric and his personal guards. We were all unconscious and dying, except for the fighter. He had a vorpal sword and was at 3 HPs. If he didn't hit we would die and the campaign would be over.

The player was not big on roleplaying but that day he stood up from his chair, raised his hands over his head as if holding a sword, and said «Excalibur, I'm calling forth your power!», he rolled and hit with a 20. He rolled on the Vorpal table and decapited the cleric! We were all standing screeming of joy. Even the DM was standing and couldn't believe it.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Sorry, but IMO this is a horrible example of good "DMing". Given your low level (if I understand it all correctly) and the efforts made by the party (the good and bad), this could have played out in a much more entertaining way that could have continued the adventure instead of being a TPK.

Now, I am not familiar with adventure so maybe in some respects I am out of line, but I am just going from the OP text.

And honestly, unless you house-rule it, a 1 on an ability check is no different than any other failure. If the DC was 15 say, and you had a +6, any two rolls of 8 or lower would have resulted in two failures by the bard.

 

[Oofta]

While it depends on the group and what type of game they want to play, much like @dnd4vr, I don't think this is a good outcome. Significant turning points do not rely on a single dice roll (or even 2). It's going to depend on a combination of decisions made previously, what the the PCs actually say, negotiation.

Can you get into a TPK situation because the group has made mistakes? Because they knowingly say the wrong things? Sure. There are a lot of reasons for the group to fail. Groups are allowed to fail, and they do now and then.

But based on rolling a "1" at the wrong time? Nope, no thanks.

 

[Swarmkeeper]

Based on the info provided, I would say this is fine DMing. If the PCs actions do not have consequences, then I’m not sure there is any dramatic tension in your campaign. In my mind, the outcome of a TPK had less to do with the 1s that were rolled and more to do with the low level Drow firing a shot at an angry gold dragon. I mean, what were they thinking? In the end, sounds like it was a fun session that will be talked about for a long time. That is a success right there.

 

[aco175]

If I'm a gold dragon and a drow shot at me, I might attack regardless of what level the party is. I might even eat the rest of the party since they are hanging out with drow attacking me.

That being said, being a DM and having players choose what race and class they want to play means that you sometimes need to accommodate them. I might give the players a chance to not attack by saying something about the dragon being offended, but is not acting threatening. It may tell them to leave. This gives the players a chance to flee or try and plead before being killed. If they do not get the hint, then they should die.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Based on the info provided, I would say this is fine DMing. If the PCs actions do not have consequences, then I’m not sure there is any dramatic tension in your campaign. In my mind, the outcome of a TPK had less to do with the 1s that were rolled and more to do with the low level Drow firing a shot at an angry gold dragon. I mean, what were they thinking? In the end, sounds like it was a fun session that will be talked about for a long time. That is a success right there.

I totally agree that if the session was fun, and the players happy with the outcome, no harm was done at all.

But, I challenge the DM as to the nature of the gold dragon. The drow shooting at it was a nuisance at best. It would be like being stung by a bee but your nature is kind, forgiving, and good. Would you swat the bee? Probably. Try to kill it? Maybe. Take it out on the rest of the bees who are far away and not annoying you? Hopefully not. Now, if this is an non-good dragon, then it could kill them without concern most likely and still sleep well at night.

The dragon could have had them captured or something else. He could have defeated them without killing them all. Any sort of resolution could have been possible without being a TPK. Maybe the dragon would attack once, showing its incredible superiority, and laugh at their pathetic attempt, allowing them to grovel and praise its might and mercy, etc. appealing to the dragon's ego and vanity?

Anyway, what is done is done.

 

[Krachek]

Rolling a 1 on a persuade check don’t transform your interlocutor into a chaotic evil being.

 

[HarbingerX]

Sounds like everyone had a good time and a lot of fun, so the DM did a good job. I love it when 1s have consequences and the drow was an idiot. All good fun.