Is this a fair gambit, or a rotten trick?

[Balok]

In an upcoming episode, my crew will be placed in a position where they have to rescue their captain, an NPC. She has been kidnapped by aliens who intend to use her as a vessel for their "god", an alien whose mind was imprisoned a few thousand years previously, by another of its kind.

Part of the episode will consist of the crew persuading the imprisoning alien, who is still alive, to assist them. Assuming they can do so, it will help them. At the end of the episode, the alien will advise the crew that it wishes to avoid a recurrence, and so, the captain must die, to forestall any chance that other aliens will attempt to use her in this fashion in the future. It produces a weapon and launches this at the captain...

The trick is that someone must attempt to sacrifice themselves to save the captain's life. If they do, the disc will smash harmlessly into them -- what the alien *really* wants to know is whether someone will sacrifice themselves to save another. This is a concept unknown to him; his people exist so independently that it's significant when any two of them meet.

If they don't make the attempt, the weapon will kill their captain -- and they will subsequently learn that it can't harm anyone else. I plan to give the players fifteen seconds to write down what they do, then I'll apply those actions according to a set of reaction rolls I'll have them make earlier in the game session.

I welcome advice from other GMs or players, especially (but not exclusively) advice that answers these questions:

1) Right now, I plan some very subtle foreshadowing. Should I, or should I count on my players to do what a starfleet officer is supposed to do?

2) If you were a player, would you consider this a rotten trick? Or a fair gambit?

Thanks in advance

[Spotts1701]

1) I would be very careful with the foreshadowing if you use it. It might give away too much and lead to an anti-climax.

2) Looking at it as a player, I would say it's OK, especially for any security officers. After all, they're the ones who are "supposed to take a bullet" for the captain. I would then give a decent explanation, including a passing mention that the captain would have died without the intervention of the player.
As a narrator, I don't know...this is relying on your group playing within the bounds of "Starfleet Officers". If they've played consistently within that framework, go for it. If not, you may hit a snag and have to either roleplay out of it or somehow finesse the outcome.

YMMV of course,

[strict31]

As a player, I've done this several times, never at any urging, subtle or otherwise from the GM. The time that springs to mind is during a D&D campaign when our high levels good guys were fighting a higher level Big Bad. My paladin was basically just adding a second sword to the fray, and little more than that. While the mage was preparing some big mojo to take the bastich down. The Big Bad catches on to this, and stops pummeling me and the other sword slinger, to go for the mage. I hurled my character in front of the mage, taking the hit. Since it killed me outright, I figured it would have turned the mage to a fine red mist.

At any rate, the sacrifice paid off.

As a GM, I've put the characters directly up against the promise of certain death with noble implications. Some have chosen to walk right into the fire, sticking true to their particular character concepts.

It's a fine line, however, because often times, as a player, the assumption is that certain death pretty much means certain death. Moreover, they are often well-informed in this respect. When I run a game, I try to avoid making problems with only one "right" solution, and that's basically what this situation is.

Also, your players might surprise you with an unanticipated solution...My suggestion is be flexible enough to allow them to be heroes...and to have fun without them majorly screwing up any shot mankind has



Strictly Speaking

[Phoenix]

1) As Spotts1701 said, be very careful with the foreshadowing. Players are, sometimes, very observant.

2) As a player of a security character, it's fair game. I have jumped in the way of attacks before, three to date (nausiccan with knife, pack of Klingons, and Gorn pirate both sides unarmed), so it's no real contest or stretch for me.
(In the words of Jonny Dangerously "I was hoping for a whole lot of misses")

[Tas II]

One word of caution:

Do the PCs have any 'feelings' of loyalty, friendship or possibly love for the captain? If he has been a right SOB, then the less mature players might just accidentally let him take the hit. Hopefully your PCs are playing to the right flavour of Trek then one of them should take the hit with no prompting. The real crux is.....how much do you 'trust' your PCs to make the right choice, and can you visualise them doing it?

Cheers

Tas

[Ineti]

How well do you know your players and their characters' tendencies? Do you think it fairly likely that at least one of them will be willing to die for the captain and take the bullet?

I don't like the idea of there being only one solution to this; were I a player, and were I to find out there was only one solution, I'd feel cheated somehow.

Definitely consider finessing the scene, and be flexible to come up with an alternate solution if the players prove to be more creative or more self-protective than you think.

[Mitchell]

If I was a player, first thing that would come to mind is either.

1. Try to stun the alien, as he produces the weapon.

2. Try to shoot the weapon, and use Courage to succeed.

[Don Mappin]

Very cool idea. I'd go with the foreshadowing myself; have a token red shirt, or possibly notable NPC, lay down their life either in the adventure prior, or earlier in the adventure. Set the tone. The players will likely follow suit.

2) I'd do it. I have a level of trust in GMs not to penalize players for doing such actions. Consequences are fine, but taking one for the team? That's good stuff in my book.

Good luck!

[Ergi]

This might depend on your players. I noticed that mine aren't very heroic, when it comes to risking their lives. I was looking for volunteers willing to pilot a shuttle in order to lure a Jem'Hadar ship away from the crippled mothership, hopefully giving the crew enough time to repair the damaged systems.
Well, those cowards were willing to let a NCO do the job, which didn't really fit into my storyline. It probably would have made sense from a realistic point of view, but it wasn't very Star Trek-like.
I hope you'll let us know about your players' decisions.

[Balok]

So far, these players have been pretty good about upholding Starfleet and Federation ethical principles -- there's a telepath who's a little fast and loose reading people's minds, but other than that, they're okay.

If they take one for the team, the ideal outcome, it will be remembered by the Captain (and by me, in the form of a bit of extra experience). If they fail, then the Captain dies. While I try not to kill PCs without excellent, I'll abuse NPCs when that's necessary to the plot... If that happens, I intend to contrive things in such a way that the players will understand *they* were never in any real danger, so they will have to live with what they failed to do -- could be some real roleplaying opportunities there...

[Tar-Palantir]

Originally posted by Fesarius
If they take one for the team, the ideal outcome, it will be remembered by the Captain (and by me, in the form of a bit of extra experience). If they fail, then the Captain dies. While I try not to kill PCs without excellent, I'll abuse NPCs when that's necessary to the plot... If that happens, I intend to contrive things in such a way that the players will understand *they* were never in any real danger, so they will have to live with what they failed to do -- could be some real roleplaying opportunities there...

I think the plot is quite intriguing. The thing about expecting players to do this is that we are supposed to have fun, and players often (if the game is well run and the player serious about their character) get a sizable emotional investment in their character.

So allow me to play devil's advocate here....

So having the expectation that the player will let their character get killed (keep in mind they have no foreknowledge that you will actually spare their life) can be a bit of a stretch. I mean, if I was the player, I would be tempted to do the leap - it's so "in character," but if it seems a sure thing to die, what is the reward for the PLAYER (the character has his/her own reward - doing the right thing). But the player ultimately is the one who would suffer from the death - "back to square one, gotta roll up a new PC."

Now you say you would not actually let them die. Ok, so do this once and every time a sure-fire death situation comes up, won't the players be thinking that there's no risk involved?

I'm not trying to spoil your idea - my questions are not rhetorical! Any answers would interest me greatly!

[Mitchell]

Oh, one other thing.

I'd DEFINITELY allow them, if they want to do something else, to roll an Intellect roll to realize that it won't work, and there's only one option. (You know, in case they all try to do something, "clever.")

[Age of Toast]

I got the opportunity to work with the author Chuck Palahniuk (of Fight Club fame) last year, and he gave me some very valuable advice that applies not only to writing, but GMing as well.

He calls it 'the burried gun'

-and the point is to leave yourself with a way out if you paint yourself into the proverbial corner.

In your case, Fesarius, I would allow the Alien to resurrect your Captain, if things go horribly wrong, and no one comes to her aid. Judging by her friends' reactions to her death, It can see the value of her life, (and the value of the crew's own lives).

It's got a very TOS ending to it that way.

Then, you can allow the Captain to rib the other crew members for weeks and months about not coming to her aid, if you're good natured. Court Martial them if you're not. :eg:

~Toasty

[Pericles]

I guess I'm a tad lost on this one, you mean GMs AREN'T supposed to use rotten tricks? Looks back on 29 years (yes two-nine) and figures "Damn and to think I've been doing it wrong all this time."

[Commander Ramey]

Starfleet characters are supposed to be a better human race as a whole. They are supposed to completly embody all those things that make us great, including selfless sacrifice. Sounds like a great game idea and if your players are role playing their characters they will be ready to do what the plot calls for - the ultimate sacrifice...

Although you may find someone dissapointed by not getting themselves killed lol