I've got a one-shot space coming up with my gaming group and i've been thinking about what to run. I've decided on running WFRP and i've decided to go for an Evil Dead homage (hence the thread title!). I'll make it clear to the players that they will all likely end up dead, but there will be a 'winner', who will either be the last one left alive or the last one to get killed. This will probably result in the players trying to shaft one another though (which, i guess is a staple of some horror movies). How do i stop it descending into farce, where bugger all is done except players trying to avoid getting their characters killed in order to win? I guess i can put things in that only certain characters can achieve. Any other advice, or should i just leave it to them to sort out?

Since it's a one shot, make it a competition. Lets the fuckers compete amongst themselves who gets out alive. Never let the "action" drag. If you see any weakness - a pc gets attached to an npc or something - exploit it. I've run games like this before, one shots, where if you get in the frame of mind that you are the pcs adversary, the game turns out more fun for everyone

Regards,
David R

There's something to be said for that, but i'm reminded of a one shot someone else in my group ran once where we were a group of orcs on a mission. We were all looking to get browny points from the warlord on how we performed. Sadly, we ended up blowing the shit out of each other within an hour of the session starting. A bit too much competition methinks!

Hmm yeah gotta a point there...well maybe you could take a page from Saw 2, where each player has "something" that is needed to get out alive. So there's cooperation for a time before the daggers come out. As always, there will be blood.

Regards,
David R

You could also do something similar to one of the games in Pantheon, where you have a list of horror tropes that people get points for - stuff like being the first one to die, or going off on your own.  None of the players knows exactly what's on the list, just that it's full of b horror tropes.  Afterwards, add up everyone's points to see who won.  Just a thought.

Quote from: BrantaiYou could also do something similar to one of the games in Pantheon, where you have a list of horror tropes that people get points for - stuff like being the first one to die, or going off on your own.  None of the players knows exactly what's on the list, just that it's full of b horror tropes.  Afterwards, add up everyone's points to see who won.  Just a thought.

Ooh, i like that! Anyone got any horror cliches they want to add?

Quote from: One Horse TownOoh, i like that! Anyone got any horror cliches they want to add?

Assuming you killed the/a baddy.

Extremely ill-advised sex
"I'll be right back"
Bloodiest death
Death with the most poetic justice
Crack under pressure

... man, there's got to be people who know the B-horror genre better, and could just rattle these off like cutting the bottom out of an idea-bucket.

Quote from: One Horse TownOoh, i like that! Anyone got any horror cliches they want to add?

Cat.Jumping.Out.Of.Closet.  :haw:

some more cliches:

A creepy little girl.

A sudden, jump-out-of-your-skin threat that turns out to be innocuous, only to be followed by the real jump-out-of-your-skin threat seconds later.

Seeing things out of the corner of your eye, usually in the reflection of a mirror.

Weird yokels with cannibalistic tendencies.

The location is an entity unto itself.

A creepy grown woman crawling out of a well.

One of the pc's becomes possessed, everyone else finds out only when it's too late.

All paths away from the location inevitably lead back to where you started, even if you go in a straight line.

The sound of movement coming from empty rooms.

An infection that will slowly kill or possess everyone.

A faithful animal comapanion is the first to die.