"It's all a tourist trap"

[SangoProduction]

I've got this game going where the basic premise is that the game's region basically overthrew the local regime, and is trying to legitimize itself. So, the local regime sent out a lottery system to "pick brave, worthy souls to try their super hero formulae, and save the isles from the [BBEG]." With, of course, the incentive of being allowed to take their super powers back home with them. The idea being to spread the practice of super hero practice rather than the traditional magics, giving the region legitimacy on the world stage.

Relatively silly concept for a game, yes. And I should probably stop trying to be so "whacky" with game concepts. A game doesn't need to be entirely novel to be fun.

But much of the nonsense I'm thinking of with the "evil group," is rather... more annoying than evil. Which makes sense because they aren't supposed to actually harm people. But even in a short game, I feel like it might feel a bit... inconsequential.

Of course that could always be my overly critical mind going again. My players certainly have not seemed to mind.

Regardless, I could use some ideas for "bad guy acts" that aren't actually that dangerous, but seem much more dangerous than they are.

[Beni-Kujaku]

They'll be irresistibly drawn to large cities where they'll back up plumbing, reverse street signs, and steal everyone's left shoe.

Also, kidnapping, but people are not harmed, simply stealing some theoretically dangerous artifacts, but they don't have the power to use them, or summon swarms of moderately dangerous but pretty slow creatures so anyone can outrun them.

[SangoProduction]

They'll be irresistibly drawn to large cities where they'll back up plumbing, reverse street signs, and steal everyone's left shoe.

Also, kidnapping, but people are not harmed, simply stealing some theoretically dangerous artifacts, but they don't have the power to use them, or summon swarms of moderately dangerous but pretty slow creatures so anyone can outrun them.

Those are good.

[bean illus]

Hmmm.
The bad guy is a media master, and post flyers of their face all over the city. The fliers are wacky, and have various messages. Some claim bbeg is really the hero. Some claim authorship of the most recent popular love songs. Others announce that he's single, rich, and hoping to marry.

Then bbeg actually announces where and when his/her next crime will be enacted, and a mob of girls shows up screaming like Beatlemania.

The good guys can't attack because of the mob of virgins, debutants and princesses. They may even get attacked by the fans.

Or, maybe bbeg kidnaps the queen's lapdog, or has a fetish for burglaring socks.

[Jervis]

SET FIRE TO THE SUN, steal all of a lake’s zink, melt a glacier to raise the sea level by 2 feet and make their house beach side property, make a magical cowboy hat that lets them control people’s mind with country western music. Stuff like that?

[SangoProduction]

SET FIRE TO THE SUN, steal all of a lake’s zink, melt a glacier to raise the sea level by 2 feet and make their house beach side property, make a magical cowboy hat that lets them control people’s mind with country western music. Stuff like that?

A little less zany. More of a "looks threatening, but isn't" than that.

But man, I hate commenting on my own threads. Feels like I'm implicitly saying something by responding to some people but not others. But if I don't have anything unique to say, it's like... pretty pointless to make the comment.
I don't know why I have made myself feel so stressed about forum threads. It really doesn't make sense.
It feels like what people described as the pointless high school stress of thinking everyone gives a flying frack about what you do and don't do. No one does. Why is my brain doing this?

[Max Caysey]

I've got this game going where the basic premise is that the game's region basically overthrew the local regime, and is trying to legitimize itself. So, the local regime sent out a lottery system to "pick brave, worthy souls to try their super hero formulae, and save the isles from the [BBEG]." With, of course, the incentive of being allowed to take their super powers back home with them. The idea being to spread the practice of super hero practice rather than the traditional magics, giving the region legitimacy on the world stage.

Relatively silly concept for a game, yes. And I should probably stop trying to be so "whacky" with game concepts. A game doesn't need to be entirely novel to be fun.

But much of the nonsense I'm thinking of with the "evil group," is rather... more annoying than evil. Which makes sense because they aren't supposed to actually harm people. But even in a short game, I feel like it might feel a bit... inconsequential.

Of course that could always be my overly critical mind going again. My players certainly have not seemed to mind.

Regardless, I could use some ideas for "bad guy acts" that aren't actually that dangerous, but seem much more dangerous than they are.

You could have this person with clown makeup who goes around and does silly thing a that seem really dangerous… like laughing hysterically at weird things… preferably in purple clothes…

You could also have this guy always toss a coin to determine what he will do… have one side of his face be burned…for memes… lastly have a guy tell terribly poor quality riddles that makes no sense… but he’s simultaneously annoying…

Oh have this former buff warrior type turn alchemist, and focus on ice! Have him tell terrible one liners like: “cool off” or “Benedict, remember when I told you I would kill you last?… I lied!”

[Zaq]

Do the antagonists have any long-term goals? Maybe start from there and build outward.

[Biggus]

But man, I hate commenting on my own threads. Feels like I'm implicitly saying something by responding to some people but not others. But if I don't have anything unique to say, it's like... pretty pointless to make the comment.


You have totally put into words how I feel when replying to my own threads. Stupid brain.

Edit: to answer your actual question, enchantments and illusions seem like good ways to convince people scary things are happening without actually hurting them.

[Bonzai]

Lol. This thread gave me an idea. Have the power behind the Throne and ruler of the criminal underworld be known as "the tailor". He does in fact own the most successful and popular tailor shop in town. But everyone knows that this is just a front. Stories of the Tailors ruthlessness and atrocities are numerous and frequently told. From street vendors to nobility, he holds them all in a grip of terror.

What they don't know, is that he really is just a tailor. He is odd, flamboyant, with wierd and nonsensical sayings that tend to be misinterpreted. The real culprit is his assistant. He is a pathological liar. None of the stories are true, and the tailor wouldn't harm a fly. Yet his assistants tall tales are told so well, and so often that people began to believe them (maxed out bluff). Soon some less intelligent thugs started recognizing him as a boss, and it snowballed from there. When criminals began purchasing suits at triple the asking price, or leaving gifts in tribute, he obliviously thought it was in appreciation of his art. Potential rivals were brought down by other criminals who were anxious to curry favor.

So when the party tries to find indisputable proof of his crimes, they encounter a never ending stream of gossip, rumor, 4th and 5th hand accounts, and no way to substantiate any of it. The law doesn't dare move against him without an air tight case, and the fun is watching the party wracking their brains to come up with some.

Lol. Yeah... I am a bad DM like that.

[SangoProduction]

Lol. This thread gave me an idea. Have the power behind the Throne and ruler of the criminal underworld be known as "the tailor". He does in fact own the most successful and popular tailor shop in town. But everyone knows that this is just a front. Stories of the Tailors ruthlessness and atrocities are numerous and frequently told. From street vendors to nobility, he holds them all in a grip of terror.

What they don't know, is that he really is just a tailor. He is odd, flamboyant, with wierd and nonsensical sayings that tend to be misinterpreted. The real culprit is his assistant. He is a pathological liar. None of the stories are true, and the tailor wouldn't harm a fly. Yet his assistants tall tales are told so well, and so often that people began to believe them (maxed out bluff). Soon some less intelligent thugs started recognizing him as a boss, and it snowballed from there. When criminals began purchasing suits at triple the asking price, or leaving gifts in tribute, he obliviously thought it was in appreciation of his art. Potential rivals were brought down by other criminals who were anxious to curry favor.

So when the party tries to find indisputable proof of his crimes, they encounter a never ending stream of gossip, rumor, 4th and 5th hand accounts, and no way to substantiate any of it. The law doesn't dare move against him without an air tight case, and the fun is watching the party wracking their brains to come up with some.

Lol. Yeah... I am a bad DM like that.

Damn it. I can't run yet another game! lol. My schedule won't clear for another 3 months.

[Jurai]

I've got this game going where the basic premise is that the game's region basically overthrew the local regime, and is trying to legitimize itself. So, the local regime sent out a lottery system to "pick brave, worthy souls to try their super hero formulae, and save the isles from the [BBEG]." With, of course, the incentive of being allowed to take their super powers back home with them. The idea being to spread the practice of super hero practice rather than the traditional magics, giving the region legitimacy on the world stage.

Relatively silly concept for a game, yes. And I should probably stop trying to be so "whacky" with game concepts. A game doesn't need to be entirely novel to be fun.

But much of the nonsense I'm thinking of with the "evil group," is rather... more annoying than evil. Which makes sense because they aren't supposed to actually harm people. But even in a short game, I feel like it might feel a bit... inconsequential.

Of course that could always be my overly critical mind going again. My players certainly have not seemed to mind.

Regardless, I could use some ideas for "bad guy acts" that aren't actually that dangerous, but seem much more dangerous than they are.

They could ALWAYS do one of Mister Torgue's quests: BLOW UP THE OCEAN!!