So.... my players kind of backed themselves into a corner. My four 2nd-level players (a paladin, rogue, bardbarian, and ranger) happened to find themselves in the Tower of Skulls (a place they aren't meant to be until 9th level.) They went into the first room, and encountered a Glabrezu, which they are now locked in combat against. I ended the session there as a cliffhanger, but I'm not sure how to approach this problem. Is there any chance the party makes it out without losing a member? Could they even win?
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Former Spider Queen of the Spider Guild, and friendly neighborhood scheming creature.
"Made by spiders, for spiders, of spiders."
My pronouns are she/her.
Web Weaver of Everlasting Narrative! (title bestowed by Drummer)
So.... my players kind of backed themselves into a corner. My four 2nd-level players (a paladin, rogue, bardbarian, and ranger) happened to find themselves in the Tower of Skulls (a place they aren't meant to be until 9th level.) They went into the first room, and encountered a Glabrezu, which they are now locked in combat against. I ended the session there as a cliffhanger, but I'm not sure how to approach this problem. Is there any chance the party makes it out without losing a member? Could they even win?
The quick answer is that the entire party is dead.
The Glabrezu casts darkness then executes 2 attacks against two creatures with advantage. Each attack is 2d10+5 - average 16 - with +9 to hit - if hit the target is grappled - so the creature grabs two of them to start. It can then attack the grappled creatures with its pincers each turn while pummeling anything else with its fists.
The creature has 157 hit points and AC17. With disadvantage to hit due to the darkness the party won't be hitting much at all and likely only has 4 attacks anyway.
The Glabrezu has a 19 int - it isn't making any mistakes.
The only way out is for the DM to decide that the Glabrezu has some service that the characters can perform and some way to make them do it. Or maybe the demon knocks them all unconscious and then implants something inside them that will grow to be another demon and then lets them go ... while the Glabrezu laughs as the embedded creature consumes the characters from the inside. (Demons are not pleasant creatures). Up to the DM how they want to handle it but if it comes to combat it is a TPK.
If a character with high initiative runs back outside (if that is possible) and the demon can't follow for some reason then they might survive but remember that the Glabrezu will get an op attack at least with their fists if a creature is within 5' when it moves away. The Glabrezu is likely to move right on top of the characters after the Darkness is up since it can see with Truesight and the characters can't see in the Darkness.
P.S. The DM needs to do a bit more foreshadowing of this kind of place if they want to avoid their low level characters walking into high level encounters. NPCs warning of the dangers. High level parties going in but never being seen again. However, the DM also needs to make it clear to the players from the beginning that it is a world that contains dangers that the characters may not be able to deal with. (Some players think that if the DM mentions something then it is meant for them to go investigate it NOW rather than just world information that comes to them naturally - the DM needs to make it clear to the players how the world is being run so that they do not interpret every piece of information as an immediate plot hook - which is honestly a very common reaction).
They will be wiped out. There's almost no chance of them surving a direct battle as it will cast confusion or power word: stun and then make 2 claw attacks, each of which can down a character on a decent damage roll. With its resistance to nonmagical weapons and cold, fire and lightning, they will barely be able to damage it.
The real question is: is it the PC's fault they are in this pickle, or did you mess up?
Did the PCs go there following guidance from an NPC, a plot hook, or for another sensible reason? They "happened" to find themselves there. As DM, it's your responsibility to only give access to hostile creatures well beyond the PC's level when there are other outs (e.g. lowbie PCs see a dragon overhead = time to hide, the vampire finds you amusing etc.) so if they just blundered into it with no way of knowing then I think you need to fix the area. I suggest you just change the entire area to be level appropriate - perhaps the Glabrezu is just a Programmed Illusion or some such. I had this situation myself as a player once, with our 6th level party being led by a friendly NPC to fight a CR11 monster, a CR16 spellcaster and 4 CR1 minions, and naturally it was a TPK in which we stood no chance. The DM shouldn't lure you in to the encounter (or even make it easily accessible).
Did the PCs know how dangerous it was? If they did (informed strongly by NPCs, warning signs etc.), and they relentlessly tried to enter the Tower of Skulls despite warnings, hard to open doors etc. then it's on them and it's time to let the fight play out.
It's important to know the answer here, as if the answer is (1) and there's no way they could have known, then you've made an error. Wiping them will make the game like random death can spring from any corner. Even if the players don't quit your game after the session (I would), then they will behave as if every commoner could be a death dealing CR20 mega beast in disguise as there was no foreshadowing, and you don't want that.
If however the PCs recklessly ignored all good advice and somehow went straight for the enemy's throat, then if you retcon or change it then there's no real danger in the world.
It's a difficult balancing act - you need to provide them with challenges and dangers to overcome, and character death should be a possibility, but it's on you as the DM to ensure that they can make good choices about where they go and what they take on.
They will be wiped out. There's almost no chance of them surving a direct battle as it will cast confusion or power word: stun and then make 2 claw attacks, each of which can down a character on a decent damage roll. With its resistance to nonmagical weapons and cold, fire and lightning, they will barely be able to damage it.
The real question is: is it the PC's fault they are in this pickle, or did you mess up?
Did the PCs go there following guidance from an NPC, a plot hook, or for another sensible reason? They "happened" to find themselves there. As DM, it's your responsibility to only give access to hostile creatures well beyond the PC's level when there are other outs (e.g. lowbie PCs see a dragon overhead = time to hide, the vampire finds you amusing etc.) so if they just blundered into it with no way of knowing then I think you need to fix the area. I suggest you just change the entire area to be level appropriate - perhaps the Glabrezu is just a Programmed Illusion or some such. I had this situation myself as a player once, with our 6th level party being led by a friendly NPC to fight a CR11 monster, a CR16 spellcaster and 4 CR1 minions, and naturally it was a TPK in which we stood no chance. The DM shouldn't lure you in to the encounter (or even make it easily accessible).
Did the PCs know how dangerous it was? If they did (informed strongly by NPCs, warning signs etc.), and they relentlessly tried to enter the Tower of Skulls despite warnings, hard to open doors etc. then it's on them and it's time to let the fight play out.
It's important to know the answer here, as if the answer is (1) and there's no way they could have known, then you've made an error. Wiping them will make the game like random death can spring from any corner. Even if the players don't quit your game after the session (I would), then they will behave as if every commoner could be a death dealing CR20 mega beast in disguise as there was no foreshadowing, and you don't want that.
If however the PCs recklessly ignored all good advice and somehow went straight for the enemy's throat, then if you retcon or change it then there's no real danger in the world.
It's a difficult balancing act - you need to provide them with challenges and dangers to overcome, and character death should be a possibility, but it's on you as the DM to ensure that they can make good choices about where they go and what they take on.
I did tell them when they arrived at the dungeon that some challenges are not meant to be taken on immediately or are too difficult for them to take on at their level. I even had heads on spikes at the entrance! They went in entirely on their own.
Sooo.... what can I do to avoid a TPK? I don't want the party to feel bad because they died in an optional dungeon they aren't strong enough for.
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Former Spider Queen of the Spider Guild, and friendly neighborhood scheming creature.
"Made by spiders, for spiders, of spiders."
My pronouns are she/her.
Web Weaver of Everlasting Narrative! (title bestowed by Drummer)
The first line of the description says "A glabrezu takes great pleasure in destroying mortals through temptation, and these creatures are among the few demons to offer their service to creatures foolish enough to summon them."
It can offer them a deal (temptation) to save their lives (for the time being).
There's no reason for a TPK if the party are willing to talk to the thing (by "willing" of course I mean not get instantly wiped out by).
They will be wiped out. There's almost no chance of them surving a direct battle as it will cast confusion or power word: stun and then make 2 claw attacks, each of which can down a character on a decent damage roll. With its resistance to nonmagical weapons and cold, fire and lightning, they will barely be able to damage it.
The real question is: is it the PC's fault they are in this pickle, or did you mess up?
Did the PCs go there following guidance from an NPC, a plot hook, or for another sensible reason? They "happened" to find themselves there. As DM, it's your responsibility to only give access to hostile creatures well beyond the PC's level when there are other outs (e.g. lowbie PCs see a dragon overhead = time to hide, the vampire finds you amusing etc.) so if they just blundered into it with no way of knowing then I think you need to fix the area. I suggest you just change the entire area to be level appropriate - perhaps the Glabrezu is just a Programmed Illusion or some such. I had this situation myself as a player once, with our 6th level party being led by a friendly NPC to fight a CR11 monster, a CR16 spellcaster and 4 CR1 minions, and naturally it was a TPK in which we stood no chance. The DM shouldn't lure you in to the encounter (or even make it easily accessible).
Did the PCs know how dangerous it was? If they did (informed strongly by NPCs, warning signs etc.), and they relentlessly tried to enter the Tower of Skulls despite warnings, hard to open doors etc. then it's on them and it's time to let the fight play out.
It's important to know the answer here, as if the answer is (1) and there's no way they could have known, then you've made an error. Wiping them will make the game like random death can spring from any corner. Even if the players don't quit your game after the session (I would), then they will behave as if every commoner could be a death dealing CR20 mega beast in disguise as there was no foreshadowing, and you don't want that.
If however the PCs recklessly ignored all good advice and somehow went straight for the enemy's throat, then if you retcon or change it then there's no real danger in the world.
It's a difficult balancing act - you need to provide them with challenges and dangers to overcome, and character death should be a possibility, but it's on you as the DM to ensure that they can make good choices about where they go and what they take on.
I did tell them when they arrived at the dungeon that some challenges are not meant to be taken on immediately or are too difficult for them to take on at their level. I even had heads on spikes at the entrance! They went in entirely on their own.
Sooo.... what can I do to avoid a TPK? I don't want the party to feel bad because they died in an optional dungeon they aren't strong enough for.
With D&D the ideal is to use a lock and key system, e.g. you cannot go into that over-levelled dungeon because you don't have the key. But you also need to outright tell the players that the area is beyond them which it sounds like you did, and if so (and it didn't seem just like you were dramatizing things!) then it's on them. Remember though, heads on spikes don't indicate anything - commoners and goblins can put heads on spikes too!
If they just ignored all those warnings and marched right in and you feel that they really did just feel that they were indestructible, then I'd say have the glabrezu kill one or two of them and have it force the others into a dark pact as others have described, if that matches the personality you've given it. The downside of this is that it will then influence the entirety of the campaign and escaping the pact will likely become the main focus of your story, which you may not want.
The characters are only level 2, so rerolling isn't that big of a deal. Personally, I'd just run the combat and hopefully some of them flee.
If they just ignored all those warnings and marched right in and you feel that they really did just feel that they were indestructible, then I'd say have the glabrezu kill one or two of them and have it force the others into a dark pact as others have described, if that matches the personality you've given it. The downside of this is that it will then influence the entirety of the campaign and escaping the pact will likely become the main focus of your story, which you may not want.
Well, the personality I gave the Glabrezu is that they like food and torturing others, and hate paladins. Maybe the Glabrezu will let the players go if the paladin stays with them, forced to be their personal chef for a while. Is that too easy on them?
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Former Spider Queen of the Spider Guild, and friendly neighborhood scheming creature.
"Made by spiders, for spiders, of spiders."
My pronouns are she/her.
Web Weaver of Everlasting Narrative! (title bestowed by Drummer)
Sure a CR 9 is way too deadly for a L2 party. Despite the warnings, they ventured there. Do they realised how dire the situation is?
What next to do? As a DM, i'd consider how they would react to a TPK, how deep they're invested in their characters and the story so far etc...
There's several ways to handle it. The party could be be killed, knocked out and left for dead or subdued and forced to do something for the Glabrezu. Or try to escape as other monsters show up during combat.
From the many possibilities up to you, a TPK sounds like the less fun for all. As a DM, i always look for ways to push the story, and i'd definitly use this situation to do so. Perhaps the Glabrezu wants something outside it can't get by itself and need mortals to get it for him. Or it needs to deliver a message to someone, or have it killed etc...
One thing is sure, this can be a tragic moment they will forget about or this can be a memorable moment they will remember in the future as a pivotal event when they stumbled upon a Glabrezu demon in the Tower of Skulls and survived to tell the tale...
It could always beat the snot out of them and walk away, not bothering to finish them off. The old, you’re not worth my time.
Or there’s this in the description: Although glabrezus are devastating in combat, they prefer to tempt victims into ruin, using power or wealth as a lure. Engaging in guile, trickery, and evil bargains, a glabrezu hoards riches that it uses to fulfill promises to shortsighted summoners and weak-willed mortals.
So it makes them an offer and turns into a plot hook. If they turn it down it says something cryptic like: you’ll wish you’d taken me up on that. Then it just walks away.
You choices are TPK, or blatant deus ex machina ("it was all a dream" and everything after their last long rest never really happened, the glabrezu isn't really a glabrezu but an illusion of some kind, etc)
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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)
It could always beat the snot out of them and walk away, not bothering to finish them off. The old, you’re not worth my time.
Or there’s this in the description: Although glabrezus are devastating in combat, they prefer to tempt victims into ruin, using power or wealth as a lure. Engaging in guile, trickery, and evil bargains, a glabrezu hoards riches that it uses to fulfill promises to shortsighted summoners and weak-willed mortals.
So it makes them an offer and turns into a plot hook. If they turn it down it says something cryptic like: you’ll wish you’d taken me up on that. Then it just walks away.
These are both good ideas. Maybe the Glabrezu walks off saying something along the lines of "Come back when you're worth my time. If you proceed, I won't hesitate to kill you."
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Former Spider Queen of the Spider Guild, and friendly neighborhood scheming creature.
"Made by spiders, for spiders, of spiders."
My pronouns are she/her.
Web Weaver of Everlasting Narrative! (title bestowed by Drummer)
It could knock them out and then put them in some sort of fighting pit against creatures they are more likely to be able to defeat. Maybe it offers to let them go if they win - with the caveat that he will be watching them and will return when they are stronger since now they are just pathetic.
That way they take your next encounter more seriously (out of the game you can mention that the next time they do something stupid someone will die) and they can redeem themselves by going up against creatures in the fight ring. That can be one on one or a group melee. Encourage role play afterward where they talk about how they need to be more cautious.
It could knock them out and then put them in some sort of fighting pit against creatures they are more likely to be able to defeat. Maybe it offers to let them go if they win - with the caveat that he will be watching them and will return when they are stronger since now they are just pathetic.
That way they take your next encounter more seriously (out of the game you can mention that the next time they do something stupid someone will die) and they can redeem themselves by going up against creatures in the fight ring. That can be one on one or a group melee. Encourage role play afterward where they talk about how they need to be more cautious.
Great idea! But.... what would be in the fighting pit that's their level? The Tower of Skulls was meant to be a Level 9 dungeon, so I doubt there will be some other demon from the tower in there....
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Former Spider Queen of the Spider Guild, and friendly neighborhood scheming creature.
"Made by spiders, for spiders, of spiders."
My pronouns are she/her.
Web Weaver of Everlasting Narrative! (title bestowed by Drummer)
It could knock them out and then put them in some sort of fighting pit against creatures they are more likely to be able to defeat. Maybe it offers to let them go if they win - with the caveat that he will be watching them and will return when they are stronger since now they are just pathetic.
That way they take your next encounter more seriously (out of the game you can mention that the next time they do something stupid someone will die) and they can redeem themselves by going up against creatures in the fight ring. That can be one on one or a group melee. Encourage role play afterward where they talk about how they need to be more cautious.
Great idea! But.... what would be in the fighting pit that's their level? The Tower of Skulls was meant to be a Level 9 dungeon, so I doubt there will be some other demon from the tower in there....
It doesn't have to be another demon or even something at a particularly high level. Maybe he's got a weird cult and they have to fight his followers (or follower if you want to go one on one), ogre zombies, ettercaps, dragon wyrmlings - just open up the Master Manual or Volos and see what looks interesting.
Most dungeons have minions and those don't have to be at a high level. Your demon could have captured another adventuring party and kept them just for fighting. That could set up your crew for a jail break if they win (maybe the demon goes back on his word to set them free). If you decide to have them fight as a group you can give them a higher level monster since the action economy will favor them - something scary but maybe not with spells. A Carrion Crawler once freaked out our three person low-level party. I almost TPKd a party with two Banshees.
I did tell them when they arrived at the dungeon that some challenges are not meant to be taken on immediately or are too difficult for them to take on at their level. I even had heads on spikes at the entrance! They went in entirely on their own.
There are some really good ideas here that are more fun and interesting than a TPK, but I think regardless of how this goes you need to sit back and think about the game you really want to run. Either you present a dangerous world where ignoring any warnings can get you killed, or you give them a world where every challenge they face is survivable. It sounds like you set up the game to be the former, but now you're balking when they have done a thing that really should result in a TPK.
If they survive this, it kind of sends a message that they can blunder around anywhere and things will work out. I'm not knocking that approach - I will admit that it's basically how I run games - but it sounds like this dungeon was built with a different expectation in mind and running it 'benevolently' may result in several more instances where you have to scramble to figure out how the party didn't just sign their own death warrants again. It will be a lot easier on you if the world you use aligns with your style of adjudication.
In this sort of (seemingly) non-linear environment where players can walk into such threats with quite clear in-universe signals that it's too powerful for them, I don't think you need to pull your punches. It's good to provide mercy once and make it clear to your players that the glabrezu exploding into a puff of glitter is you as a DM stepping in. After that, if your players act like silly buggers they should expect to be treated like such. Afterwards, ask them why they reached the conclusions they did and remind them of the kind of game you're running.
It's a difficult dilemma. Either you tell the players "I told you so" and you have to run a new adventure or start with new characters from the get-go, or they luck out in some way. One idea I like is politicking, and this is the perfect creature for it. Perhaps the glabrezu can offer knowledge of the safest route (i.e the way they were supposed to go) to treasure and something the glabrezu wants (even just the death of those who have the things the players want,) and seeing them with those items means they must've bested the monsters and his vengeance has been satisfied. Of course, this is a fiend, so they will likely also want to devour the adventurers upon showing off their triumph to this creature they think they can best.
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Zero is the most important number in D&D: Session Zero sets the boundaries and the tone; Rule Zero dictates the Dungeon Master (DM) is the final arbiter; and Zero D&D is better than Bad D&D.
"Let us speak plainly now, and in earnest, for words mean little without the weight of conviction."
If I were a Glabrezu guarding a Tower of Skulls, I'd mostly want to corrupt the paladin out of sheer boredom. I'd tell him where the DM wanted him to go, offering him gold and glory instead of meaningless death. I'd even give him some small magic item from my hoard to help him on his way and extract certain promises in return. Then, I'd do it again. And by the time they were 9th level, they'd all be my employees.
It wipes the party, but doesn’t kill them. They awake alone in an arena. Last character left alive in the arena leaves with a magical item. Turns out he runs a fight club for the locals. Backstory is he’s trapped on the material plane and bored out of his mind. If the party can figure out a way to entertain or even help it that is aside from the arena, some or all might survive. One of them is familiar with the breed and knows they like to toy with the mortals. Lots of choice for the party as long as you inform them outright they might be able to weasel their way out. At a cost…
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So.... my players kind of backed themselves into a corner. My four 2nd-level players (a paladin, rogue, bardbarian, and ranger) happened to find themselves in the Tower of Skulls (a place they aren't meant to be until 9th level.) They went into the first room, and encountered a Glabrezu, which they are now locked in combat against. I ended the session there as a cliffhanger, but I'm not sure how to approach this problem. Is there any chance the party makes it out without losing a member? Could they even win?
Former Spider Queen of the Spider Guild, and friendly neighborhood scheming creature.
"Made by spiders, for spiders, of spiders."
My pronouns are she/her.
Web Weaver of Everlasting Narrative! (title bestowed by Drummer)
The quick answer is that the entire party is dead.
The Glabrezu casts darkness then executes 2 attacks against two creatures with advantage. Each attack is 2d10+5 - average 16 - with +9 to hit - if hit the target is grappled - so the creature grabs two of them to start. It can then attack the grappled creatures with its pincers each turn while pummeling anything else with its fists.
The creature has 157 hit points and AC17. With disadvantage to hit due to the darkness the party won't be hitting much at all and likely only has 4 attacks anyway.
The Glabrezu has a 19 int - it isn't making any mistakes.
The only way out is for the DM to decide that the Glabrezu has some service that the characters can perform and some way to make them do it. Or maybe the demon knocks them all unconscious and then implants something inside them that will grow to be another demon and then lets them go ... while the Glabrezu laughs as the embedded creature consumes the characters from the inside. (Demons are not pleasant creatures). Up to the DM how they want to handle it but if it comes to combat it is a TPK.
If a character with high initiative runs back outside (if that is possible) and the demon can't follow for some reason then they might survive but remember that the Glabrezu will get an op attack at least with their fists if a creature is within 5' when it moves away. The Glabrezu is likely to move right on top of the characters after the Darkness is up since it can see with Truesight and the characters can't see in the Darkness.
P.S. The DM needs to do a bit more foreshadowing of this kind of place if they want to avoid their low level characters walking into high level encounters. NPCs warning of the dangers. High level parties going in but never being seen again. However, the DM also needs to make it clear to the players from the beginning that it is a world that contains dangers that the characters may not be able to deal with. (Some players think that if the DM mentions something then it is meant for them to go investigate it NOW rather than just world information that comes to them naturally - the DM needs to make it clear to the players how the world is being run so that they do not interpret every piece of information as an immediate plot hook - which is honestly a very common reaction).
They will be wiped out. There's almost no chance of them surving a direct battle as it will cast confusion or power word: stun and then make 2 claw attacks, each of which can down a character on a decent damage roll. With its resistance to nonmagical weapons and cold, fire and lightning, they will barely be able to damage it.
The real question is: is it the PC's fault they are in this pickle, or did you mess up?
It's important to know the answer here, as if the answer is (1) and there's no way they could have known, then you've made an error. Wiping them will make the game like random death can spring from any corner. Even if the players don't quit your game after the session (I would), then they will behave as if every commoner could be a death dealing CR20 mega beast in disguise as there was no foreshadowing, and you don't want that.
If however the PCs recklessly ignored all good advice and somehow went straight for the enemy's throat, then if you retcon or change it then there's no real danger in the world.
It's a difficult balancing act - you need to provide them with challenges and dangers to overcome, and character death should be a possibility, but it's on you as the DM to ensure that they can make good choices about where they go and what they take on.
I did tell them when they arrived at the dungeon that some challenges are not meant to be taken on immediately or are too difficult for them to take on at their level. I even had heads on spikes at the entrance! They went in entirely on their own.
Sooo.... what can I do to avoid a TPK? I don't want the party to feel bad because they died in an optional dungeon they aren't strong enough for.
Former Spider Queen of the Spider Guild, and friendly neighborhood scheming creature.
"Made by spiders, for spiders, of spiders."
My pronouns are she/her.
Web Weaver of Everlasting Narrative! (title bestowed by Drummer)
The first line of the description says "A glabrezu takes great pleasure in destroying mortals through temptation, and these creatures are among the few demons to offer their service to creatures foolish enough to summon them."
It can offer them a deal (temptation) to save their lives (for the time being).
There's no reason for a TPK if the party are willing to talk to the thing (by "willing" of course I mean not get instantly wiped out by).
With D&D the ideal is to use a lock and key system, e.g. you cannot go into that over-levelled dungeon because you don't have the key. But you also need to outright tell the players that the area is beyond them which it sounds like you did, and if so (and it didn't seem just like you were dramatizing things!) then it's on them. Remember though, heads on spikes don't indicate anything - commoners and goblins can put heads on spikes too!
If they just ignored all those warnings and marched right in and you feel that they really did just feel that they were indestructible, then I'd say have the glabrezu kill one or two of them and have it force the others into a dark pact as others have described, if that matches the personality you've given it. The downside of this is that it will then influence the entirety of the campaign and escaping the pact will likely become the main focus of your story, which you may not want.
The characters are only level 2, so rerolling isn't that big of a deal. Personally, I'd just run the combat and hopefully some of them flee.
Former Spider Queen of the Spider Guild, and friendly neighborhood scheming creature.
"Made by spiders, for spiders, of spiders."
My pronouns are she/her.
Web Weaver of Everlasting Narrative! (title bestowed by Drummer)
Sure a CR 9 is way too deadly for a L2 party. Despite the warnings, they ventured there. Do they realised how dire the situation is?
What next to do? As a DM, i'd consider how they would react to a TPK, how deep they're invested in their characters and the story so far etc...
There's several ways to handle it. The party could be be killed, knocked out and left for dead or subdued and forced to do something for the Glabrezu. Or try to escape as other monsters show up during combat.
From the many possibilities up to you, a TPK sounds like the less fun for all. As a DM, i always look for ways to push the story, and i'd definitly use this situation to do so. Perhaps the Glabrezu wants something outside it can't get by itself and need mortals to get it for him. Or it needs to deliver a message to someone, or have it killed etc...
One thing is sure, this can be a tragic moment they will forget about or this can be a memorable moment they will remember in the future as a pivotal event when they stumbled upon a Glabrezu demon in the Tower of Skulls and survived to tell the tale...
It could always beat the snot out of them and walk away, not bothering to finish them off. The old, you’re not worth my time.
Or there’s this in the description: Although glabrezus are devastating in combat, they prefer to tempt victims into ruin, using power or wealth as a lure. Engaging in guile, trickery, and evil bargains, a glabrezu hoards riches that it uses to fulfill promises to shortsighted summoners and weak-willed mortals.
So it makes them an offer and turns into a plot hook. If they turn it down it says something cryptic like: you’ll wish you’d taken me up on that. Then it just walks away.
You choices are TPK, or blatant deus ex machina ("it was all a dream" and everything after their last long rest never really happened, the glabrezu isn't really a glabrezu but an illusion of some kind, etc)
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)
These are both good ideas. Maybe the Glabrezu walks off saying something along the lines of "Come back when you're worth my time. If you proceed, I won't hesitate to kill you."
Former Spider Queen of the Spider Guild, and friendly neighborhood scheming creature.
"Made by spiders, for spiders, of spiders."
My pronouns are she/her.
Web Weaver of Everlasting Narrative! (title bestowed by Drummer)
Knock them all down to 0 HP and have them wake up as prisoners. Then see how they escape.
Professional computer geek
It could knock them out and then put them in some sort of fighting pit against creatures they are more likely to be able to defeat. Maybe it offers to let them go if they win - with the caveat that he will be watching them and will return when they are stronger since now they are just pathetic.
That way they take your next encounter more seriously (out of the game you can mention that the next time they do something stupid someone will die) and they can redeem themselves by going up against creatures in the fight ring. That can be one on one or a group melee. Encourage role play afterward where they talk about how they need to be more cautious.
Great idea! But.... what would be in the fighting pit that's their level? The Tower of Skulls was meant to be a Level 9 dungeon, so I doubt there will be some other demon from the tower in there....
Former Spider Queen of the Spider Guild, and friendly neighborhood scheming creature.
"Made by spiders, for spiders, of spiders."
My pronouns are she/her.
Web Weaver of Everlasting Narrative! (title bestowed by Drummer)
It doesn't have to be another demon or even something at a particularly high level. Maybe he's got a weird cult and they have to fight his followers (or follower if you want to go one on one), ogre zombies, ettercaps, dragon wyrmlings - just open up the Master Manual or Volos and see what looks interesting.
Most dungeons have minions and those don't have to be at a high level. Your demon could have captured another adventuring party and kept them just for fighting. That could set up your crew for a jail break if they win (maybe the demon goes back on his word to set them free). If you decide to have them fight as a group you can give them a higher level monster since the action economy will favor them - something scary but maybe not with spells. A Carrion Crawler once freaked out our three person low-level party. I almost TPKd a party with two Banshees.
Carrion Crawler.... Good idea! Maybe the demons keep them around for food and amusement.
Former Spider Queen of the Spider Guild, and friendly neighborhood scheming creature.
"Made by spiders, for spiders, of spiders."
My pronouns are she/her.
Web Weaver of Everlasting Narrative! (title bestowed by Drummer)
There are some really good ideas here that are more fun and interesting than a TPK, but I think regardless of how this goes you need to sit back and think about the game you really want to run. Either you present a dangerous world where ignoring any warnings can get you killed, or you give them a world where every challenge they face is survivable. It sounds like you set up the game to be the former, but now you're balking when they have done a thing that really should result in a TPK.
If they survive this, it kind of sends a message that they can blunder around anywhere and things will work out. I'm not knocking that approach - I will admit that it's basically how I run games - but it sounds like this dungeon was built with a different expectation in mind and running it 'benevolently' may result in several more instances where you have to scramble to figure out how the party didn't just sign their own death warrants again. It will be a lot easier on you if the world you use aligns with your style of adjudication.
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm
In this sort of (seemingly) non-linear environment where players can walk into such threats with quite clear in-universe signals that it's too powerful for them, I don't think you need to pull your punches. It's good to provide mercy once and make it clear to your players that the glabrezu exploding into a puff of glitter is you as a DM stepping in. After that, if your players act like silly buggers they should expect to be treated like such. Afterwards, ask them why they reached the conclusions they did and remind them of the kind of game you're running.
It's a difficult dilemma. Either you tell the players "I told you so" and you have to run a new adventure or start with new characters from the get-go, or they luck out in some way. One idea I like is politicking, and this is the perfect creature for it. Perhaps the glabrezu can offer knowledge of the safest route (i.e the way they were supposed to go) to treasure and something the glabrezu wants (even just the death of those who have the things the players want,) and seeing them with those items means they must've bested the monsters and his vengeance has been satisfied. Of course, this is a fiend, so they will likely also want to devour the adventurers upon showing off their triumph to this creature they think they can best.
Zero is the most important number in D&D: Session Zero sets the boundaries and the tone; Rule Zero dictates the Dungeon Master (DM) is the final arbiter; and Zero D&D is better than Bad D&D.
"Let us speak plainly now, and in earnest, for words mean little without the weight of conviction."
- The Assemblage of Houses, World of Warcraft
If I were a Glabrezu guarding a Tower of Skulls, I'd mostly want to corrupt the paladin out of sheer boredom. I'd tell him where the DM wanted him to go, offering him gold and glory instead of meaningless death. I'd even give him some small magic item from my hoard to help him on his way and extract certain promises in return. Then, I'd do it again. And by the time they were 9th level, they'd all be my employees.
It wipes the party, but doesn’t kill them. They awake alone in an arena. Last character left alive in the arena leaves with a magical item. Turns out he runs a fight club for the locals. Backstory is he’s trapped on the material plane and bored out of his mind. If the party can figure out a way to entertain or even help it that is aside from the arena, some or all might survive. One of them is familiar with the breed and knows they like to toy with the mortals. Lots of choice for the party as long as you inform them outright they might be able to weasel their way out. At a cost…