Making an encounter optional due to time issues?

[pjrogers]

I'm running

Spoiler:

The Golemworks Incident

in the not too distant future, and I'm very concerned about finishing it in the 6-10 pm time slot set for which it is scheduled. More specifically,

Spoiler:

I really love the last encounter, and I don't want to hurry it.

I gather optional encounters were not yet a thing during season

Spoiler:

4.

Would it be OK to make one of the encounters in the scenario an optional one? Specifically, I'm thinking of

Spoiler:

the fight against the Aspis agents in the above ground level of the Doll House.

Instead,

Spoiler:

the PCs would find the above ground level deserted as the Aspis agents have fled because Black's craziness has gotten too much for them.

I searched to see if this had been already discussed and didn't seem to find anything exactly on point. I guess it's partly a question of how much flexibility I have as a GM to make sure that a scenario is finished in the time available.

[GreySector]

That scenario does have an optional encounter.

Scenario:

Scenario p. 17 wrote:

OPTIONAL ENCOUNTER

Elements of encounter D1 are optional. If less than 90 minutes remain, remove the creatures from area D1 and allow the PCs to discover the journals and treasure contained here without harassment. The dolls and flesh golem then become simply obscene mementos of Black’s former life but otherwise inanimate objects.

[Hmm]

One thing that I find interesting about these optional encounters is how hard it is sometimes as a GM to notice that they are optional. Sometimes, that information is buried in a small box at the end of the encounter...

I have to read scenarios multiple times to figure these things out -- I wish that they were designated more clearly.

Hmm

[pauljathome]

If you end up not having enough time to run a scenario then clearly some encounter has to be cut or others somehow shortened.

And I agree, I'd prefer to make sure that the final encounter runs than some of the other encounters.

Personally, I'd try to run the non optional encounters quickly if at all possible and see if I could run everything. But if push comes to shove, yeah cut the encounter you're considering (together with the actual optional encounter, of course)

[pjrogers]

Michael Eshleman wrote:

That scenario does have an optional encounter.

** spoiler omitted **

I'll just be heading off to the glue factory now. It's been a nice run.

That said, I'd rather

Spoiler:

keep the dolls and flesh golem and lose the Aspis agents, because the former are much creepier and contribute more to the tone of the scenario.

However, I'll certainly respect the official option encounter rather than just make up one of my own.

And Hilary, thanks for making an effort to let me save a little face.

[Hmm]

No, no glue factory for you. We need our GMs, especially thoughtful ones that think to ask questions in advance.

TRUE STORY:

I had a recent table that lost 2 players, and so was running with the four person adjustment. I had prepped for 6, so I kept turning the page and then noticing the four player adjustment of removing two elementals from a fight...

Head / Desk

ME: [stares at 4 player adjustment for a moment] One of the elementals looks at his watch. 'Crap! Igni, we have no time for this fight! Sprays of Our Lives starts in two minutes. If we hurry, we can catch it in the bar!'

I had the two elementals hightail it off the map, while my players just burst out laughing.

Relax. It happens to ALL of us.

Hmm

[Pirate Rob]

Except me, I never ever make mistakes while GMing, except for my first 200 tables or so though. Next time will be perfect though.

[GinoA]

One of my biggest Pet Peeves with scenario-editing is the placement of 4-player adjustment blocks. I've seen them as far as five pages from the start of the stat-blocks for that encounter. Granted, in that case most of those pages were stat-blocks for that encounter. A custom critter and a spell-caster at each sub-tier can make for an epic stat-block set for a single encounter.