Re: [HoE] Some Thoughts on Doug's Thoughts on My Messed-Up Campaign (wasMy players derailing the campaign yet again

[Doug Stalker <dougs@technologist.com>]

Ralph Dula wrote:

>
> >They got to Burkes home and *didn't* get the key?  What did they do, attack
> >him?
> >
>
> No, they got past the puzzles and into Burke's home.  Burke gave his
> brusque hello, and the posse's Templar said "We're looking for Ellior
> Ritter, my fellow Templar."  Burke said "Ritter?  Haven't seen him since he
> left for Rock Springs."  As soon as he said that my posse left his home and
> started checking their maps for Rock Springs.
>

LOL!  Perhaps as a hangover from computer adventure games, our posse tends to ask
lots of different questions of NPCs.

> But that would result in either the destruction of a good and noble posse,
> or the death of my Liquid Satan-ingestin' posse, and if the latter occured
> I'm pretty certain my players would just create another band of no-goodnicks.

Let them be cyborgs on the condition they take AI commands like "can't refuse
requests for help from civilians"

Or just ask them about being heroic for a change... a new posses, that has to
clean up the mess left by the old ones.



>
> And finally Doug said:
>
> >And now they have a powerful artifact they cant use... It's locked in that
> >junker made box.>>
>
> Oh, I'm afraid you've given too much credit to my posse; remember they left
> Burke's house before they found out the box was booby-trapped.  They
> decided to smash open the box, detonating the explosive.  The damage I
> rolled on 4d20 was so pathetic that not one of the posse was seriously
> hurt, much less killed.
>

I've noticed PCs usually get off very lightly when confronted with massive
damage.  A solution to this would be reduce effectivness of armor... kevler
probably isn't much help from an explosion.  (It would help with shrapnel though)

Any one else got any thought on this?


>
> You know I've been thinking.  There's exactly four characters in my player
> posse.  Maybe each one is a servitor of one of the Horsemen, and just
> doesn't realize it.  It's as good an explanation as any for all the harm
> they've done in the Wasted West.

You could start giving them servitor powers, without letting them know where they
are coming from.  Then start in with the mutations...  See if they say "Oh! look
at what we have done!  we must make ammends!" or "Wow!  working for the ultimate
evil! how cool is that!"