When I see a posts by people upset at the min/maxing of groups I empathize. I really do. Mostly for the other players because they might feel weak and ineffective.
Since I mostly (only?) DM I consider the min/max player a challenge to my own creativity. To counter this I must create complexity extending beyond (though complimenting) the NPC tables. These mechanics are great for providing inspiration to any player who fights tactfully or as often the case; selflessly.
These are some ideas. Specific things I remember get a sub (a) to help explain.
1. Two monsters in two rooms must be killed at the same time. Popular MMO boss mechanic.
2. Rescue/Destroy the _______ in "X" turns (you don't have to tell them how many)
2a. The priestess is consummating her ...devotion(?) to a statue of her God or a Demon Prince. Get there in time before it comes alive, rips her into pieces (or morphs into her freaky-like) and turns his baleful gaze on you!
3. Share/Transfer power between minions and monsters. Hurting one makes the other more powerful.
3a. When a Meltdown died, Vitaly Chernobyl grew in power. When the party killed Vitaly, the remaining Meltdowns went Nova. The poor level 4 standing next to one of them was incinerated. Yes I borrowed the names from the book "Snow Crash".
3b. Ever see Big Trouble in Little China? It's basically a dungeon crawl with Uzi's and evil Raiden
before there was Mortal Kombat. *Spoiler* Evil Raiden gets fat.
4. Chase rules + Dragon Egg(s) rugby match! Don't scramble your huevos!
4a. Due to a freak poly-morph accident the wand broke and the rogue was turned permanently into a T-rex with 2 int. She took the egg out into the city and caused a ruckus with various factions (including the actual parent) gunning for the egg. This worked for level 5's because the dragon couldn't breath with the egg in his mouth!
5. The NPC is wearing something that needs to be removed before it is vulnerable.
5a. In the second(?) Conan movie they fought a god at the end. He was invincible until someone ripped the bedazzled horn off his head.
5b. The bruisers whaled on the knight with little avail. The casters started taking hits from the swarm insects he summoned. Once they cleared the last of the swarm insects began to pour forth from the armor until it collapsed in a heap.
5c. The Movie Kung-Pow. Keep an eye out for the pyramids.
6. "Activate" the terrain and require skill checks based off something an NPC can do.
6a. Giant frogs jumping onto skiffs in a swamp. Anything with less than 4 legs needs a dex/acrobatics check to stay standing. On a "1" they go overboard.
7. Doppelgangers! As the DM you should always have a a semi-current copy of your player's character sheets at hand. As one person you'll be a little bit coordinated so tone it down a little. Try to get as many players squaring off against their copy as you can.
8. A natural disaster! Do I kill the lowly goblin or risk an attack of opportunity while the cave collapses? Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Waterspouts, Sinkholes, Flash Floods, Hail, Lightning, Dirt Hill + Rain = Mudslide!
9. Protect an ally PC skill checking!
9a. An ally PC was focusing on the runes to a teleport circle to learn it's origins. The PC rolled Arcana and deciphered some of the runes but was only a quarter done when suddenly demons erupted from the portal! This startled the PC who lost concentration. They had to start all over and maintain concentration while their allies protected them! Arcana check every round until 4 success without breaking concentration. Demons should not swarm the PC nor really try to kill them. They should be making attempts to lash out and break his concentration.
10. Players are chained to something (or each other!).
10a. Ensure a description that they can't just break out / pick locks. The key is to have them coordinate their moves. If they reach half HP then a mighty blow from an NPC may break the bonds. It depends on how you set it up.
11. DOMINATION! This common multiplayer FPS game mode contains areas on a map that are considered "key objectives". Staying within the objective accrues points towards capturing the objective. The team with the most objectives or most points at the end of a specific time frame wins the match. To mix it up consider multiple domination objectives & objectives that are more than 1 square in size.
More to come...
Since I mostly (only?) DM I consider the min/max player a challenge to my own creativity. To counter this I must create complexity extending beyond (though complimenting) the NPC tables. These mechanics are great for providing inspiration to any player who fights tactfully or as often the case; selflessly.
These are some ideas. Specific things I remember get a sub (a) to help explain.
1. Two monsters in two rooms must be killed at the same time. Popular MMO boss mechanic.
2. Rescue/Destroy the _______ in "X" turns (you don't have to tell them how many)
2a. The priestess is consummating her ...devotion(?) to a statue of her God or a Demon Prince. Get there in time before it comes alive, rips her into pieces (or morphs into her freaky-like) and turns his baleful gaze on you!
3. Share/Transfer power between minions and monsters. Hurting one makes the other more powerful.
3a. When a Meltdown died, Vitaly Chernobyl grew in power. When the party killed Vitaly, the remaining Meltdowns went Nova. The poor level 4 standing next to one of them was incinerated. Yes I borrowed the names from the book "Snow Crash".
3b. Ever see Big Trouble in Little China? It's basically a dungeon crawl with Uzi's and evil Raiden
before there was Mortal Kombat. *Spoiler* Evil Raiden gets fat.
4. Chase rules + Dragon Egg(s) rugby match! Don't scramble your huevos!
4a. Due to a freak poly-morph accident the wand broke and the rogue was turned permanently into a T-rex with 2 int. She took the egg out into the city and caused a ruckus with various factions (including the actual parent) gunning for the egg. This worked for level 5's because the dragon couldn't breath with the egg in his mouth!
5. The NPC is wearing something that needs to be removed before it is vulnerable.
5a. In the second(?) Conan movie they fought a god at the end. He was invincible until someone ripped the bedazzled horn off his head.
5b. The bruisers whaled on the knight with little avail. The casters started taking hits from the swarm insects he summoned. Once they cleared the last of the swarm insects began to pour forth from the armor until it collapsed in a heap.
5c. The Movie Kung-Pow. Keep an eye out for the pyramids.
6. "Activate" the terrain and require skill checks based off something an NPC can do.
6a. Giant frogs jumping onto skiffs in a swamp. Anything with less than 4 legs needs a dex/acrobatics check to stay standing. On a "1" they go overboard.
7. Doppelgangers! As the DM you should always have a a semi-current copy of your player's character sheets at hand. As one person you'll be a little bit coordinated so tone it down a little. Try to get as many players squaring off against their copy as you can.
8. A natural disaster! Do I kill the lowly goblin or risk an attack of opportunity while the cave collapses? Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Waterspouts, Sinkholes, Flash Floods, Hail, Lightning, Dirt Hill + Rain = Mudslide!
9. Protect an ally PC skill checking!
9a. An ally PC was focusing on the runes to a teleport circle to learn it's origins. The PC rolled Arcana and deciphered some of the runes but was only a quarter done when suddenly demons erupted from the portal! This startled the PC who lost concentration. They had to start all over and maintain concentration while their allies protected them! Arcana check every round until 4 success without breaking concentration. Demons should not swarm the PC nor really try to kill them. They should be making attempts to lash out and break his concentration.
10. Players are chained to something (or each other!).
10a. Ensure a description that they can't just break out / pick locks. The key is to have them coordinate their moves. If they reach half HP then a mighty blow from an NPC may break the bonds. It depends on how you set it up.
11. DOMINATION! This common multiplayer FPS game mode contains areas on a map that are considered "key objectives". Staying within the objective accrues points towards capturing the objective. The team with the most objectives or most points at the end of a specific time frame wins the match. To mix it up consider multiple domination objectives & objectives that are more than 1 square in size.
More to come...
Last edited:
