I've been running a campaign for a while, and my Players are very getting close to the end. However, there is a specific potential issue that I have been ignoring (to deal with later). I plan on having my Players be chased by an NPC throughout the city as they either attempt to escape and/or save another NPC I will give a very brief and simple explanation of this NPC (ignoring his backstory).
This NPC is an evil king of a corrupt nation. Now, the King has gone rogue and turned on his own people; this King NPC owns an army of robots instead of regular soldiers. This NPC has the robot attack everyone and everything in sight; capturing as many creatures as possible. It will be made very well known that there is a powerful robot until the King's control that the Party should not fight. (For context, this robot's challenge rating is 30.)
My goal is to somehow bring the Party onto an elevated railway that runs throughout the city. Afterward, they will be spotted by this powerful *small* robot. This robot will chase the Party across the elevated railway until they reach their destination.
With all that out of the way, what should I do if they want to fight it? What would be the best way to subtlety signify that they need to run? Another thing to keep in mind is that the Party never "ran" from an enemy until this point.
Your mistake is in designing an encounter where there is only one, correct way for the characters to respond. They will, always, find a way to do what they want, not what you want them to do. Though I do applaud you for putting your railroad on a literal railroad. And from what you describe, it seems more a situation of what to do when the party fights, not if. It leaves you with 3 choices, power down the robot so the characters can win (which does leave the option that they run), tpk, or take them prisoner.
Based on how the story is and how the NPC is, it would be kind of hard to pick one of those three.
I will say that the Party is very new to D&D, as in, this campaign is their first campaign. I also designed the scenario to be completely hidden and transferable (like a cut-and-paste style). So even if they don't go onto the railway, they can still encounter it. They will simply need to be in a long area like a road.
For more context with the encounter, there is technically more than one way to deal with it. It boils down to the Party being chased, only one getting captured, then everyone fighting the BBEG. Moreover, I could have another NPC travel with them be the main target instead (kind of)? I could use a fond NPC that the Party wouldn't mind traveling with. For more context, the Party watched and let another city burn to the ground once this NPC was safe. This city was attacked by the same Evil NPC too.
For more context with the encounter, there is technically more than one way to deal with it. It boils down to the Party being chased, only one getting captured, then everyone fighting the BBEG. Moreover, I could have another NPC travel with them be the main target instead (kind of)? I could use a fond NPC that the Party wouldn't mind traveling with. For more context, the Party watched and let another city burn to the ground once this NPC was safe. This city was attacked by the same Evil NPC too.
Of the party has to be chased (and one PC captured!?! ) then there is only one way. No matter how many hints you drop about the robot being unbeatable, what they’ll hear is: Unbeatable by normal people. We’re the heroes of this story, we’ll win where everyone else has failed. The game is a hero fantasy, not a run from danger fantasy. Throw a n an NPC, and the party will think they are meant to protect that NPC or die trying.
Just fyi, no one likes or even really allows their character to be captured. They will fight to the death, but in general, players will not flee or surrender. So, yeah, back to those three original choices.
So, what I understand is that if someone were to be captured, it should be an NPC?
Also, I am unsure if this will help in the decision-making. If the PCs are not chased (or don't take the bait) and decide to fight the robot, they can quickstart a final fight that was intended to be an hour or so later. I can have the BBEG appear, as the robot can 'send an alert' that the target was spotted and it is engaging in a fight. Would this be better?
In what little experience I have in this, I feel that the party is much more likely to run by drawing their own conclusions, rather than hints.
I would drop the CR of the robot down to "Oh damn that was a hard fight". Have them chased by one, and if they run, brilliant. If (when) they fight, have it take a lot of resources to knock down. Have them feel like this was the boss fight of the session.
Then have a further 5 robots emerge from one direction, and 5 from another, looking identical, a quarter of a mile away, advancing on their position. Then the party will decide to run (or hide). When they are making their decisions, interject with facts like "It almost killed you to take one down, 10 would be impossible".
This way it feels like a tactical retreat, rather than bravely running away-away.
If they linger, have the downed robot start showing signs of reanimating.
Based on how the story is and how the NPC is, it would be kind of hard to pick one of those three.
I will say that the Party is very new to D&D, as in, this campaign is their first campaign. I also designed the scenario to be completely hidden and transferable (like a cut-and-paste style). So even if they don't go onto the railway, they can still encounter it. They will simply need to be in a long area like a road.
For more context with the encounter, there is technically more than one way to deal with it. It boils down to the Party being chased, only one getting captured, then everyone fighting the BBEG. Moreover, I could have another NPC travel with them be the main target instead (kind of)? I could use a fond NPC that the Party wouldn't mind traveling with. For more context, the Party watched and let another city burn to the ground once this NPC was safe. This city was attacked by the same Evil NPC too.
I second everything Xalthu said, but I'll also add that if you do really, really want this to become a chase scene, you aren't giving the party a whole lot of incentive to go that route
Think about every good chase you've ever seen in a TV show or movie. Did they take place on a long straight road/track with no obstacles in the way? Or did they take place in winding, narrow city streets, with carts and clotheslines and barrels and pedestrians to get in the way?
If you want the players to buy into a chase scenario, give them reason to think they might actually be able to get away. Sell it like the One Jump Ahead scene in Aladdin, or the highway sequence in Matrix Reloaded, or whatever your favorite chase is -- lots of options for your players to change levels, duck through buildings, grab things to throw in the enemy's way, and generally use the environment to their advantage. (That kind of chaos also creates more opportunities for the party to get separated a bit and make it easier for you to do the "one of them gets captured" thing you have in mind, without it feeling really forced)
Nothing but empty road or track ahead of them just makes it a footrace, and unless it's a party full of monks and rogues, they aren't likely to think they'll win that against a robit
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
I had another thought that if you really want to force a chase scene, have it be the PCs who are doing the chasing. Maybe that NPC was captured, and the party is trying to find and help them. Then you’ve got your chase, and it’s still heroic, instead of them fleeing.
Talk to your players and let them know it's a chase scene and the Skill Challenge will help decide if they escape, how they can put obstacles in front of the pursuit to slow it down, and what the combat would look like if they decide to prep for that and go aggro on the encounter. Be transparent that you are treating this as a chase scene and will reward XP for successfully getting away - but they can still do as they please to direct their character actions in the skill challenge.
This, on top of what the others said, can help show what you are ready for as the DM and still celebrate their characters and the character abilities. Plus it involves dice and everyone loves dice! :)
Okay, I actually really like everyone's ideas, especially the Skill Challenge idea. I can add some obstacles on the railway (like Handcars, turned-over trains or other train cars, railway blockers, or anything else that could make sense for the Party to potentially use) if the Party sticks to the railway. If they decide to dip into the streets, the same can occur.
This chase can take place either in the streets or on the railways. However, depending on where the Party does this will slightly alter the Skill Challenge. If I were to go down the Skill Challenge, would the following make sense?
I plan on having this robot literally speak about what type of program or function it is running. As an example, it would say things like "Prime Directive: Capture All. Terminate by all means necessary" or "Detecting resistant from Target. Activating Parent Protocol: Seek and Destroy; Turn to Feed. Lethal force is authorized." With this in mind, around the halfway point of the Party's successes in the Skill Challenge, I plan on having the Robot back off after stating the following, ("Target escalating current chase. Rerouting combat strategy.......Alternative methods authorized. Detecting backup arrival. Making temporary retreat.") This will give those Player who is paying attention too that something is up. The main BBEG will show up with a few smaller/weaker-looking robots to continue the chase.
Now, I plan on having this NPC literally distract the Players by monologing while they are still attempting their Skill Checks. The NPC will attempt to keep them in the chase for as much as possible. Around the halfway point of this, I was thinking that everyone would need to make a Perception Skill Check. Now depending on where the Party is, it will change what they notice. If they are running in the streets or on some rooftops, those who pass the Perception Check will notice the same strong robot from before speeding ahead of everyone on a neighboring street or up in the sky. If they are on the railway, they will hear a low rumbling from under the rail system. Like something is traveling under them.
If the Party succeeds in the Skill Challenge, they will successfully escape the BBEG, however, the powerful robot from before will intercept/surprise them to take either an NPC or PC. (As this robot flew ahead of everyone to turn around and catch them off guard). Then it will be up to the Party if they want to continue the chase. (As the tables will be turned.)
While leaving out most of the small details, what do you think? Seems alright, or should I rework it?
Just make sure you understand your PCs powers and abilities. If you have a tabaxi monk at a high enough level, they should be able to catch up to most anything they’re chasing. Or a rogue with their bonus action extra dash. Or someone who can cast dimension door. That kind of thing. That’s the trick with chases, there’s lots of powers that boost move speed or allow teleportation that can trivialize them.
Hello,
I've been running a campaign for a while, and my Players are very getting close to the end. However, there is a specific potential issue that I have been ignoring (to deal with later). I plan on having my Players be chased by an NPC throughout the city as they either attempt to escape and/or save another NPC I will give a very brief and simple explanation of this NPC (ignoring his backstory).
This NPC is an evil king of a corrupt nation. Now, the King has gone rogue and turned on his own people; this King NPC owns an army of robots instead of regular soldiers. This NPC has the robot attack everyone and everything in sight; capturing as many creatures as possible. It will be made very well known that there is a powerful robot until the King's control that the Party should not fight. (For context, this robot's challenge rating is 30.)
My goal is to somehow bring the Party onto an elevated railway that runs throughout the city. Afterward, they will be spotted by this powerful *small* robot. This robot will chase the Party across the elevated railway until they reach their destination.
With all that out of the way, what should I do if they want to fight it? What would be the best way to subtlety signify that they need to run? Another thing to keep in mind is that the Party never "ran" from an enemy until this point.
I appreciate any feedback given, thank you.
Your mistake is in designing an encounter where there is only one, correct way for the characters to respond. They will, always, find a way to do what they want, not what you want them to do. Though I do applaud you for putting your railroad on a literal railroad.
And from what you describe, it seems more a situation of what to do when the party fights, not if.
It leaves you with 3 choices, power down the robot so the characters can win (which does leave the option that they run), tpk, or take them prisoner.
Which of those will mess things up the least?
Based on how the story is and how the NPC is, it would be kind of hard to pick one of those three.
I will say that the Party is very new to D&D, as in, this campaign is their first campaign. I also designed the scenario to be completely hidden and transferable (like a cut-and-paste style). So even if they don't go onto the railway, they can still encounter it. They will simply need to be in a long area like a road.
For more context with the encounter, there is technically more than one way to deal with it. It boils down to the Party being chased, only one getting captured, then everyone fighting the BBEG. Moreover, I could have another NPC travel with them be the main target instead (kind of)? I could use a fond NPC that the Party wouldn't mind traveling with. For more context, the Party watched and let another city burn to the ground once this NPC was safe. This city was attacked by the same Evil NPC too.
Of the party has to be chased (and one PC captured!?! ) then there is only one way. No matter how many hints you drop about the robot being unbeatable, what they’ll hear is: Unbeatable by normal people. We’re the heroes of this story, we’ll win where everyone else has failed. The game is a hero fantasy, not a run from danger fantasy.
Throw a n an NPC, and the party will think they are meant to protect that NPC or die trying.
Just fyi, no one likes or even really allows their character to be captured. They will fight to the death, but in general, players will not flee or surrender. So, yeah, back to those three original choices.
So, what I understand is that if someone were to be captured, it should be an NPC?
Also, I am unsure if this will help in the decision-making. If the PCs are not chased (or don't take the bait) and decide to fight the robot, they can quickstart a final fight that was intended to be an hour or so later. I can have the BBEG appear, as the robot can 'send an alert' that the target was spotted and it is engaging in a fight. Would this be better?
In what little experience I have in this, I feel that the party is much more likely to run by drawing their own conclusions, rather than hints.
I would drop the CR of the robot down to "Oh damn that was a hard fight". Have them chased by one, and if they run, brilliant. If (when) they fight, have it take a lot of resources to knock down. Have them feel like this was the boss fight of the session.
Then have a further 5 robots emerge from one direction, and 5 from another, looking identical, a quarter of a mile away, advancing on their position. Then the party will decide to run (or hide). When they are making their decisions, interject with facts like "It almost killed you to take one down, 10 would be impossible".
This way it feels like a tactical retreat, rather than bravely running away-away.
If they linger, have the downed robot start showing signs of reanimating.
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I second everything Xalthu said, but I'll also add that if you do really, really want this to become a chase scene, you aren't giving the party a whole lot of incentive to go that route
Think about every good chase you've ever seen in a TV show or movie. Did they take place on a long straight road/track with no obstacles in the way? Or did they take place in winding, narrow city streets, with carts and clotheslines and barrels and pedestrians to get in the way?
If you want the players to buy into a chase scenario, give them reason to think they might actually be able to get away. Sell it like the One Jump Ahead scene in Aladdin, or the highway sequence in Matrix Reloaded, or whatever your favorite chase is -- lots of options for your players to change levels, duck through buildings, grab things to throw in the enemy's way, and generally use the environment to their advantage. (That kind of chaos also creates more opportunities for the party to get separated a bit and make it easier for you to do the "one of them gets captured" thing you have in mind, without it feeling really forced)
Nothing but empty road or track ahead of them just makes it a footrace, and unless it's a party full of monks and rogues, they aren't likely to think they'll win that against a robit
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
I had another thought that if you really want to force a chase scene, have it be the PCs who are doing the chasing. Maybe that NPC was captured, and the party is trying to find and help them. Then you’ve got your chase, and it’s still heroic, instead of them fleeing.
This calls for a Skill Challenge!
Matt Colville has a great video on them: https://youtu.be/GvOeqDpkBm8
Talk to your players and let them know it's a chase scene and the Skill Challenge will help decide if they escape, how they can put obstacles in front of the pursuit to slow it down, and what the combat would look like if they decide to prep for that and go aggro on the encounter. Be transparent that you are treating this as a chase scene and will reward XP for successfully getting away - but they can still do as they please to direct their character actions in the skill challenge.
This, on top of what the others said, can help show what you are ready for as the DM and still celebrate their characters and the character abilities. Plus it involves dice and everyone loves dice! :)
Okay, I actually really like everyone's ideas, especially the Skill Challenge idea. I can add some obstacles on the railway (like Handcars, turned-over trains or other train cars, railway blockers, or anything else that could make sense for the Party to potentially use) if the Party sticks to the railway. If they decide to dip into the streets, the same can occur.
This chase can take place either in the streets or on the railways. However, depending on where the Party does this will slightly alter the Skill Challenge. If I were to go down the Skill Challenge, would the following make sense?
I plan on having this robot literally speak about what type of program or function it is running. As an example, it would say things like "Prime Directive: Capture All. Terminate by all means necessary" or "Detecting resistant from Target. Activating Parent Protocol: Seek and Destroy; Turn to Feed. Lethal force is authorized." With this in mind, around the halfway point of the Party's successes in the Skill Challenge, I plan on having the Robot back off after stating the following, ("Target escalating current chase. Rerouting combat strategy.......Alternative methods authorized. Detecting backup arrival. Making temporary retreat.") This will give those Player who is paying attention too that something is up. The main BBEG will show up with a few smaller/weaker-looking robots to continue the chase.
Now, I plan on having this NPC literally distract the Players by monologing while they are still attempting their Skill Checks. The NPC will attempt to keep them in the chase for as much as possible. Around the halfway point of this, I was thinking that everyone would need to make a Perception Skill Check. Now depending on where the Party is, it will change what they notice. If they are running in the streets or on some rooftops, those who pass the Perception Check will notice the same strong robot from before speeding ahead of everyone on a neighboring street or up in the sky. If they are on the railway, they will hear a low rumbling from under the rail system. Like something is traveling under them.
If the Party succeeds in the Skill Challenge, they will successfully escape the BBEG, however, the powerful robot from before will intercept/surprise them to take either an NPC or PC. (As this robot flew ahead of everyone to turn around and catch them off guard). Then it will be up to the Party if they want to continue the chase. (As the tables will be turned.)
While leaving out most of the small details, what do you think? Seems alright, or should I rework it?
Just make sure you understand your PCs powers and abilities. If you have a tabaxi monk at a high enough level, they should be able to catch up to most anything they’re chasing. Or a rogue with their bonus action extra dash. Or someone who can cast dimension door. That kind of thing. That’s the trick with chases, there’s lots of powers that boost move speed or allow teleportation that can trivialize them.
Yeah, I did keep that in mind. However, no one has anything that can increase their speed or allow for teleportation.