Last session, I had an encounter lined up which wasn't intended to be a straight fight. The monsters were a bit hard for my third level party, and I was intending to run a tense chase scene through a dark, storm lashed night (good atmosphere, eh?).
I telegraphed the encounter with a scene of devastation, which did seem to worry the players, and had them spot the monsters with enough time to pack up and get going.
Of course they didn't. Like every other obstacle they've encountered so far in the AP, they've hit it straight on. Fortunately, the monsters weren't too smart, I staggered the attack to give the PCs a fighting chance, which they (especially the rogue) made the most of, and managed to survive (just). I reckon one bad round though and it would have been a TPK. And this has happened before - the last big fight I had to play the bad guys at their worst (completely within what was described in the AP) to compensate for PC tactics which are either thoughtless or arrogant.
Question is - how do you GMs out there get your parties to back off from a threat? To bravely run away?
I don't want to be telling them what to do, but I don't want to have to filter every encounter to make sure its winnable. They're in a sandbox environment, where some stuff is going to be too tough for them for quite a few levels yet.
But its a fun campaign, we are all enjoying it, and TPKs aren't my style.
I'm just about to start GMing Rivers Run Red for my group, so I've been running through some kingdom building trials so as to get a grip on the rules. For some reason Visiting Celebrity seemed to be a recurring Event, which got me thinking what sort of "celebrities" are likely to turn up in this backwater barony?
Who are people using as their Paris Hilton of the month?
I'm currently GMing for a group who are midway through the first Kingmaker instalment. We have four PCs: Fighter, Druid, Rogue and Bard, all just about to advance to 3rd level. The Bard player has been muttering about multiclassing into a more combat focussed role, and I'm wondering what advice I should give him.
His attributes are awesome (randomly rolled, but would work out at about 40pts if purchased), with Charisma of 18. Initially we were talking about Fighter, to pick up a few bonus feats, or Ranger to fit the wilderness environment. However, he has just realised that his Cha suits him for Paladin
Gives the weapon proficiencies he's after (ie: longbow)
Provides party support/buff abilities
Cool Cha based bonuses
Allows him to play a self righteous pain in the @$$ which could very well be the main selling point ;)
It also fits with the immediate situation, as they've just done a big favour for a LG priest
Spoiler:
brought the priest of Erastil to the Temple of the Elk
We're not too concerned about uber-optimization. However, I'd be interested to read what people think about the utility of this combination. Do a couple of Paladin levels complement a Bard, or vice-versa? Or does it just create an unholy mess of stunted abilities with no synergies to recommend it?
Two more sessions of play to report. Things are getting a bit bloody.
Session Four
From the diary of Carver...
10th Pharast
I am staying in bed. Wildy Man and Blondy have headed off to explore in the west.
11th Pharast
Feeling better. New folks arrive at Trading Post today. One is an older guy who talks to me but he sounds a bit funny in the head. I’m keeping my eye on him. May need to bash him later.
12th Pharast
Feeling good today. Feel better later on, when Blondy comes back with Wildy Man. They tell me they find lots of bear traps in the woods to the west. Wildy Man finds one by stepping in it. Nearly takes his leg off. His leg is still sore, even after Blondy’s magic makes him better.
Things are beginning to happen. It was going dark when Kesten calls out that someone is coming from the south. I am up on the wall with my bow right away but there is no fighting yet. Seems like the bandits are after a fight. They leave a prisoner, some trapper who they have hurt and blinded. He has a sign tied round his neck, saying the woods belong to the Stag Lord, and that anyone going there will be killed. They also say that they have Vekkel and another guy prisoner, and that they will be killed unless a ransom is paid.
We all know it is a trap. They don’t want any money. Well they do, ‘cause they is bandits. But they want us dead more. Me, Wildy and Blondy, since we is the ones who did for Happs and the other bandits two weeks ago. Which is fine by me, because I am all better now, and I haven’t bashed anyone in days. They are waiting at the radish patch for us.
Session Five
from the diary of Carver...
13th Pharast
We set off dead early. Wildy thinks we may be ambushed on the way there, so he is taking a sneaky route. He is more worried when his birdy starts acting funny. He says it can see in the dark and he thinks someone is out there. But his bird doesn’t seem too worried, so we carry on. We hobble horses in the woods and continue on foot as horses can be a pain to fight from.
...from here, the diary continues in a different, fancier script...
As my sturdy companion, the bold (and terrifyingly violent) Carver is somewhat discombobulated, I, Blondini the Erudite, hereby do him this small service by continuing his charming little account of our deeds in the Stolen Lands.
We proceeded through the woodland, newly emerged from the icy grip of winter, until we neared the clearing where we had but recently encountered the vile and gluttonous lizard creatures and their newly harvested prizes, the moonradishes. There, despite my best efforts to scout the area, we were spotted and rudely challenged by the brigands, who had indeed two prisoners, bound and helpless at their mercy.
There were three of them clearly visible in the clearing. As Carver strode forward with the “ransom”, in a box in which we had prepared an (admittedly over-elaborate) trap for the evildoers, I spied another in the trees, readying his bow. I would like to be able to recount how our cunning plan worked flawless, the bandits drawn out by the lure of gold, and made easy prey to spell and blade.
Instead Carver charged. Getafix, whom Carver colourfully calls the Wildy Man, sent forth his magic and the vegetation of the clearing erupted into grasping animation, wrapping itself around the brigand chief and his two henchmen. As Carver made short work of those before him, ignoring the arrows that flashed from the treeline, I saw that one of the rogues had hung back, and was preparing to do harm to the prisoners. I pierced him with an arrow, and then his doom was sealed as Getafix’s monstrous jay was upon him.
The others were dispatched in short order, save for one craven fellow who fled like a startled hind, into the wood. Some higher power watched over us. The darts and blades of our foes scarce marked us. Even the treacherous blow in the back, suffered by Getafix from a slippery fellow who had crept up behind him, did little more than annoy our good Druid.
After checking the prisoners were still alive, Getafix determined to track the one surviving brigand, while we escorted the rescued trappers back to our horses. Although they were in a bad way, they gladly took weapons from the fallen bandits, and I, for one, was glad they had. The one sour note of the affair was when Carver took his axe to the fallen bandits, those who still clung to life, threatening to “bash any fekker what gets in my way”. Perhaps his ferociousness had affected my wits, so I failed to perceive the peril into which we later stumbled.
We followed the trail back to our steeds, leading our prisoners and our fallen foes’ horses, laden with our booty and foolishly relieved that the day was ours. Carver strode into the clearing and a bear trap snapped about his leg, wounding him to the limit of his endurance. Even as this happened, a woman, armoured and bearing twin axes, stepped out from behind our horses, with a smile on her face that chilled my very soul.
I confess that, such was my terror I did not hear her words as I desperately uttered the charm of healing upon Carver. Bravely he raised himself up, still pinned by the trap, but she knocked aside his blow with ease, and struck him cruelly. I myself only just avoided her blows as I drew my sword, but before I could smite her, she struck once more, felling Carver and then disarming me with a cunning stroke.
I backed away, seeing my death in her eyes. But then, without warning, she cried out as an arrow bit deep into her shoulder. In an instant she had sprung away, and was lost in the trees, as Vekkel and his friend limped from the forest, arrows nocked. I had thought the two trappers had deserted us when that hellion attacked, but how harshly I misjudged them.
I hastened to Carver and used the last of my magic, but could do little more than stop him bleeding to death. Fortunately Vekkel was well used to this type of device, so at least we could free the fallen warrior, and place him gently on his steed.
We are back at Oleg’s Trading Post now. Getafix has returned safe, and with a fair idea of the location of the bandits camp. And ‘though I am loathe to face that woman again, we are decided that we must take the fight to her and her lackeys, once Carver is healed and ready once again for yet more rash and bloody deeds.
Spoiler:
My idea with the bandits was for Kressle to have set up one of her fellow (and rival) lieutenants to take on the adventurers head on, while she waited to finish off whoever was left standing. I wasn't sure this was going to work, as I wanted her to get away, setting up the attack on the Thorn River camp for a later session.
One thing I wanted to do in the fight was to use Combat Manoeuvers. Unfortunately, the Trip/Disarm fighter bandit with his flail was entangled by the Druid and then dropped by Carver with one blow.
I couldn't confirm a single critical, nor roll higher than a 1 on any damage die, so despite taking more than a few hits, the PCs had an easy fight of it. Even the sneak attack from the bandit Rogue did minimum 3 damage.
The encounter with Kressle could have killed off both Carver and Blondini. Carver was already wounded and the bear trap put him on 0 hp. Without Getafix and his bird they were well up the proverbial creek. Even the normally suicidally cocky Carver was screaming at the two NPC trappers to get back and fight, as they made themselves scarce in the shrubbery.
Kressle offered them the chance to surrender (she was going to rob them), but they didn't listen. With her favoured enemy bonus, she was very effective. After two rounds, Blondini threw down his sword (no, he wasn't disarmed as he claims in the journal) and began to beg for his life. I hadn't planned to have Vekkel save them, but it felt right for the situation, and the scene served its purpose. They know they have to get after her but they also know she is a very scary opponent.
