Let's post some ways of tricking players into fucking themselves.

1) I like giving one or two player characters special movement powers, like flight, because it encourages them to split up.

2) Give the party enough wealth that their reckless spending draws attention.

Call out the wandering monsters because they befriend a goblin.

3) Inconvenient Treasure. 10,000 copper pieces they have to wagon out of the mountains; Valuable evil items that can't be sold on the open market; honey from giant bees that they have to get through the werebear-infested forest.

I find the relationship of trust between players and GM is very important. So while it can be a great cinematic fun to screw with a character, as the sole window into the game world the GM has a responsibility not to mislead the players. But this is one area I do like Fate style Compels can really work.

I was running Icons yesterday. At one point I compelled one character's "Bonkers!" Aspect not to notice he was being followed back to the party's secret base. Later that session I Compelled another, super-genius character's "Patient" Aspect (I don't recall the exact how he'd phrased his Aspect) so that on entering what was clearly an ambush situation he'd let the thing play out.
With those two bits in place I was able to get the NPCs to mount a rather ruthless attack on the player characters.

This worked out well and I got a really dramatic sequence of events of this but the point to note are (a) I got the player's willing consent before screwing them over with the full understanding that they could have turned down these Compels and (b)  the dymanic of it makes it clear that the intention is of deceiving the character rather than the player.

I'm sure this approach is way too sanitaised and bland for some here but that's what works for me.

QuoteLet's post some ways of tricking players into fucking themselves.

Why would I want to do this?

Quote from: B.T.;492307Why would I want to do this?

Because fuck those guys, I guess.

Give them a extremely desirable & powerful cursed item that has a 1-85% chance of devouring their soul every time it's used - and let them know it.

They'll use it anyway.

Quote from: Blazing Donkey;492339Give them a extremely desirable & powerful cursed item that has a 1-85% chance of devouring their soul every time it's used - and let them know it.

They'll use it anyway.

I might hesitate the first or second time, but after it eats my soul... woo hoo!

(I'm using it first on the guys who chickened out!)

-E.

Quote from: Blazing Donkey;492339Give them a extremely desirable & powerful cursed item that has a 1-85% chance of devouring their soul every time it's used - and let them know it.

They'll use it anyway.

In my house game, I wrote up a number of anime style powers where they are harmed to use the power. I found that anytime a fight got hard, they would use it. Cinematic powers like that work best if they characters can tell when they need to use it.

To make it a proper fuck, they should only fight things they could take anyway while they have it, and see if they use it anyway.

Deck.  Of.  Many.  Things.

"What's the worst that could hap-"

Quote from: thedungeondelver;492363Deck.  Of.  Many.  Things.

"What's the worst that could hap-"

Whenever someone utters the phrase, "What's the worst that could happen?" they are automatically fucked.

This article comes to mind: How James Wallis Ruined My Character's Life

Be sure to read the response: Yes I Sank Your Barge

Quote from: Blackhand;492313Because fuck those guys, I guess.

It's to teach them a lesson!

#) NPC companions who are total screw ups... or sometimes evil. They'll want the follower, but the follower isn't worth a damn; actually makes things a lot worse for them.

For some reason only one PC in my games has ever come out and told their lackwit to go away.

Poop, that's awesome.