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Why can't I kill my pc's. Just once?
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<blockquote data-quote="CrusadeDave" data-source="post: 2072716" data-attributes="member: 6716"><p><self loathing></p><p>I am not a soft DM. I play for keeps. When in position for a Coup De Gras, I take it. My Villains always flank. Incorporeal undead, strike out from the walls. Dragons always buff with at least Shield, Mage Armor, and Shield of Faith,</p><p></p><p>I put the Elder Tojanida encounter in quicksand instead, to make it more difficult.</p><p></p><p>I raise the ceilings in the encounter with the Gargoyles, and give them all aerial combat feats.</p><p></p><p>I add/switch templates all over the place, moving the Half-Fiend Ogre Mage to a Half Dragon Ogre Mage. </p><p></p><p>The NPC's USE their scrolls, and expendable magic items against the PC's. 2 seesions ago a Silenced Boxed in Wizard used a scroll of Stilled and Silenced Passwall to get out of a death trap. It bought him 6 more seconds.</p><p></p><p>The PC's are constantly challenged over their CR, usually by 3-4 levels. Nothing touches them. Let's look at my last session:</p><p></p><p>Fiirst combat; Annis Rngr 5, Cleric 11 with a template that gives her DR 5/Law + Adamantine, Energy Resistance 15 (Fire, Cold, Acid, Electricity, Sonic), Fast Healing 1, SR 22, and a Spectre.</p><p></p><p>I put the Spectre inside the Cleric's Shield readying an action against the first PC to engage melee against the Cleric. </p><p></p><p>Round 1 of combat. </p><p>Annis Rngr 5 dies before acting,</p><p>Cohort of a PC attacks Cleric in Melee, misses, and eats 2 Negative Levels from Spectre.</p><p>Cleric off of script, casts defensively and HARMS Cohort for 110 points of damage. Cohort is unconsious.</p><p>PC's then heal Cohort, and drop Cleric before the Spectre can go again.</p><p>Spectre dies.</p><p></p><p>Try combat 2, the next day:</p><p></p><p>Okay, Young Adult Red Dragon's (Female) hoard has been looted by the PC's and she's very angry, waiting for them to cross the 250 foot long bridges she knows they will.</p><p></p><p>Buff Dragon with Mage Armor, +4 to AC.</p><p>Check.</p><p></p><p>Spot PC's crossing Bridge with Spot roll of a Natural 20.</p><p>Check.</p><p></p><p>Scare the Bejeezus out of the PC's by casting Enlarge Person on self, upping your size to Gargantuan, and looking like a CR 21 Red Dragon.</p><p>Check.</p><p></p><p>While flying towards PC's, Continue buffing by casting, Shield, Mirror Image and, Shield of Faith. AC is now 38 with 5 mirror Images.</p><p>Check.</p><p></p><p>Fly within 50 feet of the party, and Breathe 10d10 breath weapon, which the entire party fails the saving throw on and do 64 points of damage.</p><p>Check.</p><p></p><p>Frightful Presence causes the party Druid, Rogue, and a Cohort Fighter to become shaken.</p><p>Check.</p><p></p><p>Shrug off the attacks of 3 Spiritual Weapons (From items), 2 as they simply can't hit your armor, 1 as it fizzles against your SR.</p><p>Check.</p><p></p><p>Laugh as the Druid's Summoned Greater Air Elemental (With Augment Summoning) misses badly from first attack.</p><p>Check.</p><p></p><p>Fail Fortitude Save vs. Baleful Polymorph by roll a 3 from the Druid in the first round, get turned into an iguana, and die that round, before the Breath Weapon comes back.</p><p>Oops.</p><p></p><p>I feel so pathetic.</p><p></p><p>I haven't killed a PC since February 2004. The Cohort dropping to negatives was the first since then.</p><p></p><p>I need motivation. Why should I keep going on?</p><p></p><p>Should I just give up and turn into a Monty Haul DM?</p><p></p><p></self loathing></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="CrusadeDave, post: 2072716, member: 6716"] <self loathing> I am not a soft DM. I play for keeps. When in position for a Coup De Gras, I take it. My Villains always flank. Incorporeal undead, strike out from the walls. Dragons always buff with at least Shield, Mage Armor, and Shield of Faith, I put the Elder Tojanida encounter in quicksand instead, to make it more difficult. I raise the ceilings in the encounter with the Gargoyles, and give them all aerial combat feats. I add/switch templates all over the place, moving the Half-Fiend Ogre Mage to a Half Dragon Ogre Mage. The NPC's USE their scrolls, and expendable magic items against the PC's. 2 seesions ago a Silenced Boxed in Wizard used a scroll of Stilled and Silenced Passwall to get out of a death trap. It bought him 6 more seconds. The PC's are constantly challenged over their CR, usually by 3-4 levels. Nothing touches them. Let's look at my last session: Fiirst combat; Annis Rngr 5, Cleric 11 with a template that gives her DR 5/Law + Adamantine, Energy Resistance 15 (Fire, Cold, Acid, Electricity, Sonic), Fast Healing 1, SR 22, and a Spectre. I put the Spectre inside the Cleric's Shield readying an action against the first PC to engage melee against the Cleric. Round 1 of combat. Annis Rngr 5 dies before acting, Cohort of a PC attacks Cleric in Melee, misses, and eats 2 Negative Levels from Spectre. Cleric off of script, casts defensively and HARMS Cohort for 110 points of damage. Cohort is unconsious. PC's then heal Cohort, and drop Cleric before the Spectre can go again. Spectre dies. Try combat 2, the next day: Okay, Young Adult Red Dragon's (Female) hoard has been looted by the PC's and she's very angry, waiting for them to cross the 250 foot long bridges she knows they will. Buff Dragon with Mage Armor, +4 to AC. Check. Spot PC's crossing Bridge with Spot roll of a Natural 20. Check. Scare the Bejeezus out of the PC's by casting Enlarge Person on self, upping your size to Gargantuan, and looking like a CR 21 Red Dragon. Check. While flying towards PC's, Continue buffing by casting, Shield, Mirror Image and, Shield of Faith. AC is now 38 with 5 mirror Images. Check. Fly within 50 feet of the party, and Breathe 10d10 breath weapon, which the entire party fails the saving throw on and do 64 points of damage. Check. Frightful Presence causes the party Druid, Rogue, and a Cohort Fighter to become shaken. Check. Shrug off the attacks of 3 Spiritual Weapons (From items), 2 as they simply can't hit your armor, 1 as it fizzles against your SR. Check. Laugh as the Druid's Summoned Greater Air Elemental (With Augment Summoning) misses badly from first attack. Check. Fail Fortitude Save vs. Baleful Polymorph by roll a 3 from the Druid in the first round, get turned into an iguana, and die that round, before the Breath Weapon comes back. Oops. I feel so pathetic. I haven't killed a PC since February 2004. The Cohort dropping to negatives was the first since then. I need motivation. Why should I keep going on? Should I just give up and turn into a Monty Haul DM? </self loathing> [/QUOTE]
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