On a TPK, should the players roll for initiative before attacking the DM?
It depends.. did the DM make his perception check, or was there no surprise attack attempted..
On a TPK, should the players roll for initiative before attacking the DM?
Personally, as a DM myself, I can tell you that 80% of the time spent preparing adventurers is actually used to formulate escape plans.
Well, that or developing swarm-fighting techniques (for the badasses).
If those fail, cry mercy.
best advice: never intentionally TPK.
best advice: never intentionally TPK.
Or make damn sure before hand the players know A) this particular campaign is Norse themed and B) It also happens to occur near Ragnarok.
By the time they even THINK about rolling initiative I am in my car.
step 2) distract with pie
step 3) homicide
step 4) make fresh pie
Sweeny Todd style? That would take care of the "evidence".
imagination can be a horrible thing, isn't it? :evillaugh
"I know you wanted answers, but perhaps in the meantime, you'd settle for pie? Pie is usually better than answers. Pie doesn't disappoint."
I! Want! Soylent-Pie!
SOYLENT PIE IS PEOPLE!! It's people...
SOYLENT PIE IS PEOPLE!! It's people...
So... how is it?
So... how is it?
It needs more oregano and possibly a hint of cinnamon (you'd be amazed at what it does for meats...) but not bad, all things considered.
Hrm, here I thought it'd vary from person to person.
Yeah, clowns always tasted funny.
On a TPK, should the players roll for initiative before attacking the DM?
Typically, my initiative roll is whatever number comes up when I chuck my dice at the DM.:fight!:
On a TPK, should the players roll for initiative before attacking the DM?
As the DM, I have a +45 initiative modifier and an at-will Teleport of 100 squares. I go first, and I *always* escape.
On a TPK, should the players roll for initiative before attacking the DM?
No. If the players find it necessary to attack the DM in such a situation then he'd by-god better be dead by the end of the surprise round having got the jump on him from behind with overwhelming force. Initiative is then moot.
Don't be like me and get everyone's HP to negative bloodied HP.
On a TPK, should the players roll for initiative before attacking the DM?
If it's an intentional TPK, the DM will be prepared for the players. If it's an unintentional TPK, the DM will be surprised, therefore there won't be initiative.
Anyone who sits down at my table does so knowing that:
1) The world their character lives in is a harsh one & that "adventuring" is a dangerous, & often deadly, occupation.
2) I have no qualms about killing characters, letting the dice fall as they will, or letting things play out to terrible ends. I will not fudge or re-write things because maybe only 4/6 players showed up that night. I do not feel compelled make sure my story continues - because it's not mine, but rather that of the characters. And it could well be that it ends early for some of them....
Nor do my worlds magically scale with the party lv. If you're low lv & you go poking around in an area that's known to be the stomping grounds of something more powerfull? Well, guess what you may well encounter.
Wandering monsters do not generally know how powerfull you are. So you may be accosted by goblins that aren't a threat. Or strafed by a wyvern out to eat you & your horse....
3) Most importantly, despite my running deadly adventures & not pulling punches, most of the TPKs at my table have actually come about via player error.
They foolishly stand and fight when retreat would be the wisest action. They use only the most simplistic of plans/thinking. They do something really stupid that triggers further consequences....
So no, TPKs at my table shouldn't elicit surprise or hostility.
On a TPK, should the players roll for initiative before attacking the DM?
My answer would be this: The Players are free to attack a DM who deliberately states he is going to TPK them and then does so while cortling with laughter.
Otherwise, Players should recognize that adventuring is a very dangerous job and risk of death is always present. If they didn't ever want to die, then they would have:
A) Made plans just in case they end up annoying someone who can kick their butt.
B) Retreat or Run when things are going that badly.
C) Never gone adventuring in the first place.
Sometimes you just have to live and learn.
....
3) Most importantly, despite my running deadly adventures & not pulling punches, most of the TPKs at my table have actually come about via player error.
They foolishly stand and fight when retreat would be the wisest action. They use only the most simplistic of plans/thinking. They do something really stupid that triggers further consequences....
....
Stupid players always doing stupid stuff in a game.
Truly I never had a TPK. evben if I never fudge a die roll or change things to make it easier if my PCs start getting beat up. I just got to get tougher.
Once, I killed 5 out of 8 PCs in one encounters,
They use only the most simplistic of plans/thinking. They do something really stupid that triggers further consequences....
Stupid players.
Too the OP, A Dm should have improve initiative as a free Dm feat. If not then he is just stupid. Stupid DM!!!:P
:D
I know for a fact that retreating would of resulted in a TPK because that particular area would have swarmed with enemy reinforcements called from other rooms if we didn't take it over.
A later encounter resulted differently. I knew we were faced with insurmountable odds and my allies, pumped from our previous victories, charge in head strong. We would have won IF we fell back and took an extended rest to recharge our Paladin's lay of hands and everyone's Daily's. Not a TPK, just loss of consciousness forcing me to make heal checks and drag everyone out of harms way.
