So, you’ve read part 1and part 2 of this series, and you’re ready for more. In part 3, we look at planning the attack and the immediate aftermath.
Describe the Scene
You have no need for initiative or battlemats yet. Give a brief overview of the encounter location and what’s going on. Make your description brief. Too much detail might alert players that something else is going on other than their main purpose in visiting this location.
You might also add a few unrelated and unnecessary details to mislead the group. You have two choices here: describe something static or describe an action.
Your best bet involves something static because perceptive players with good memories will feel less manipulated after the encounter (if they put the pieces together at all). For example, you can throw in mention of an exotic plant and a nice mural.
Describing an action can feel like GM manipulation, but it can be more effective at hooking players, so use this if you need a stronger diversion. Just use it sparingly, and make it work for two purposes: diversion and world-building.
For example, a hooded figure stares at the PCs from a shadowed doorway, or a child thief attempts to steal a rat on a stick from a cleaver-wielding merchant. These hooks can draw the PCs into interactions, though after the encounter, sharp players might accuse you of putting these elements in there to trick them.
If this happens too often, you might find that these diversions stop working or characters get more chaotic. However, who can resist checking out the mysterious stranger or trying to stop a homeless child from being cleaved? It works if you need that much attention elsewhere, plus you can use these diversions to lead your adventurers into a new part of your ongoing campaign once you’re done with the assassination.
Give the PCs One More Action
Take a leap of faith here and let the PCs take at least one action before the assassination triggers. This gives them a sense of control and a feeling that the game is fair, because they could have tried sensing other things, asked you questions to get more information, taken cover, and so on. Any of these things can still foil the assassination, and that could lead to more fun in terms of fallout from the failed plot.
The leap of faith comes in because only the players know what the characters will do. They might investigate the fake details you planted or continue with their main purpose. However, the wizard might also cast detect invisibility and aim it right at the plant where the assassin hides. This is the beauty of the game. Enjoy that moment, have a good laugh, and reward a successful player with information about what they perceive.
If something foils your plan, you might be tempted to move the assassin, plant another one nearby, or try to make the encounter go off as planned. You can do that, but don’t do it out of spite.
You can get away with these reactive changes, but ask yourself if that’s what you should do. An assassination encounter is charged with danger and emotion. Consider this: Could your little change have been foiled by the various perceptions that characters have? Do you really want to take away the sense of accomplishment that the players gain by foiling an assassination attempt? You risk getting into the same mess you would when you attempt to direct PC actions. If you make a sudden change to this encounter, avoid railroading the players (and their characters).
Now, the Attack
You’ve set the scene. You gave everybody a moment to react, inquire, and take action. Now is the time you have been waiting for. If the assassin has surprise, launch the attack. If not, roll for initiative and look at your paper with the four cases on it for tactical inspiration.
Congratulations
Following the path of assassination in your game takes time. You need to plan beforehand (as an assassin would) and give everyone a fair chance (as a GM would). This gives you an assassin with the best possible chance to carry out the mission and survive it based on all the elements in play.
If things go awry, don’t beat yourself up. Learn from your mistakes and plan another assassination when the campaign calls for it. If things went well, then congratulations! Your players will talk about this encounter for some time to come.
About the Author
Johnn Four helps GMs have more fun at every game. He wants your players to shake in fear, beg for mercy, and declare you Best GM Ever next time you run an assassin encounter. For more GMing advice, check out his Roleplaying Tips website.
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