Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Pellanor 04-27-07, 12:50 PM	I'm looking on some advise for my next session. Here's the current situation. The PCs are currently sitting in a town that's just fallen under siege. They've determined that they local Thieves Guild has been bought out by the invading force, but have no evidence. The town is currently very much undermanned, so they aren't willing to give the PCs any extra man power unless they can get evidence. So for the majority of the last session, the PCs where running around trying to find some evidence, and not accomplishing much. In my notes, the invading force is just going to bombard the town with artillery until they get a signal from the thieves guild that many of the defenders have been knifed, or four days have passed, whichever comes first. I was just going to play it by ear to figure out which of the four nights the guild would attack on. Because the PCs aren't making nay kind of progress, and the players are getting rather frustrated, I decided that the Guild would act on the first night of the siege. Of course with about an hour left in the session, the PCs came up with a plan. They decided to attack the thieves guild head on. They know where the hide out is, so they're just going to run in and kick down the door. They were going to act early in the evening, so they would have hit the guild just hours before they were planning on sneaking out to start knifing people. Then the PCs got another idea. They remembered that there's an artificer who they have a line of credit with, and who could make them a wand of lesser vigor, as well as a few extra scrolls, free of charge. Sure they would have to delay their attack by a day, but the added survivability would be worth it. So now I'm trying to decided if I should alter the plans of the Guild. There's no real in game reason for them to attack on the first night, outside of me having arbitrarily deciding that they would. I'm just worried that the PCs will be disappointed that their plan won't work, or at least will need to be changed. That's actually a problem I've been having a lot lately. The PCs are out on patrol, find some info, and are heading back to town. On their way back they make a plan for what their going to do, often times spending an hour or more to do so, only to find that when they arrive back in town that something has changed, so their plans are no longer valid. Pros of changing my plan (delaying the guild's attack): - The PCs get to pull off their plan, and get the preemptive strike on the guild. Pros of sticking to the plan (Guild attacks on schedule): - The PCs get a chance to find out more about the guild, and measure their strength before attacking (The PCs don't know that the guild is full of were rats). - The Guild will be weakened after attacking both the PCs and other defenders, making the raid easier. The PCs may also be weakened, but they have access to better healing. - Makes a bit more in game sense for the Guild to follow this route. Any advise?
daggeroflath 04-27-07, 12:58 PM	The players waiting to get the resources they need is a smart move, but choices are meaningless if they don't have consequences. Hold to your guns and have the thieves attack the first night. It may seem mean, but I think a game where your choices have consequences is far more fun for everyone. When I play, it's good to know that what I do has an effect on the world. Besides, serves the town right for being so skeptical, eh? ;)
Another_Poet 04-27-07, 01:41 PM	I would agree with DaggerofFlath, if it weren't for this part: That's actually a problem I've been having a lot lately... [T]hey make a plan for what their going to do, often times spending an hour or more to do so, only to find that when they arrive back in town that something has changed, so their plans are no longer valid. Realistic or not, the game is about having fun. Frustrating the PC's once or twice with this kind of situation adds challenge, but doing it too often (even if it is by accident) is just a pain. Since your players don't know the thieves were planning to attack the first night, they won't know if you change the thieves' plan. And that way, they get to be heroes! Besides, if the thieves are smart they will wait till a later night anyway. If they wait till night 3, more of the soldiers will be dead from artillery, and the rest will be weaker (tired, and maybe hungry if provisions are running out). Maybe the head of the thieves' guild realises this and changes the plan, eh?
daggeroflath 04-27-07, 03:48 PM	weren't for this part: Missed that. Does change my view a little as well. Though you'd think they'd have learned by now. They're a group that spends an hour planning and doesn't make contingencies despite being caught out several times? Tsk tsk. I don't know. I'm all for everyone having fun and the players winning in the end, even if perhaps they got an invisible hand along the way from the DM... but... Ah whatever. Talk to your players. Ask them what they want you to do in general and this time in specific. Sure it ruins some of the surprise, but you need to know how your players feel. Not how I feel, because I guarantee you, they will be different.
Ekranoplan 04-27-07, 04:16 PM	Perhaps you can have both. Maybe the theives have learned of the PC plan, or atleast suspect it. The theives might decide to delay their plan for a day so they can 'disappear' the PCs and not have to worry about them anymore. An attack on the artificer would also be a good idea for the theives, assuming there is no glaringly obvious reason for them not to. This would certainly disrupt the PC plans, but not invalidate them. The PCs might just need to make a few alterations because they chose to wait. And ofcourse, if anyone makes some gather information checks between now and then they might get some small tip offs that something is going down soon.
Phrennzy 04-27-07, 04:37 PM	Since the players have been getting the bad beat foiled plans - AND the town doesn't believe them or won't help them against the Guild - I would definately have the theives planning to attack the same night the PCs raid. Perhaps they rush the guild just as they are finishing up plans for their own strike. This also makes it glaringly obvious to the townsfolk that the PCs were correct in their suspicions (assuming the PCs survive with the evidence.) Or split the decision - the artificer breathlessly arrives at the PC's door carrying a bundle of about half the stuff they wanted, telling them that he heard the guild plans to strike tonight - and that he only had time to make THIS stuff. That gives the PCS the option of when to attack. If they wait, the artificer can finish the gear, but the guild will have done damage.
Another_Poet 04-27-07, 04:37 PM	Though you'd think they'd have learned by now. That's true too. I was wondering about that. Btw Dagger, does the "flath" in your name refer to the Irish word for rulership? Or is it something else? Just curious. ap
Pellanor 04-27-07, 05:30 PM	I do like the idea of having the guild target the Artificer. Unfortunately they have no way to access him, since he lives in the next town over, and makes his deliveries via expeditious messenger. They might be able to ambush the PCs at the drop off point though. I think I'll arrange for the attack to happen the same night as the PCs raid. That way they might be able to prevent some of the face stabbing. I'll probably try to set it up that some bad stuff still happens, which they could have prevented had they attacked the previous night, but overall it should be pretty good fun. Thanks for the advise.