Rocks Fall, Everyone Dies: Difference between revisions

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Regardless of the cause, if the GM goes as far as Rocks Fall Everyone Dies, [[Jumping the Shark|the campaign has failed]] on a [[Epic Fail|grand scale]]. Maybe it's time to stop the metagaming, time to let somebody else GM, or just to find a new gaming group altogether.

A lesser form of this trope can target just one particularly annoying player, [[Bolt of Divine Retribution|often with a bolt of lightning]]. Since the GM is the local god, this works even if the target character is underground, in a Faraday cage and wearing a static discharge bracelet. Merely threatening players with lightning can also be effective in controlling players. The first edition Advanced [[Dungeons & Dragons]] Dungeon Masters' Guide even suggested using "blue bolts from the heavens" and "ethereal mummies" on [[PC]]s to keep their players in line.

A lesser form of this trope can target just one particularly annoying player, [[Bolt of Divine Retribution|often with a bolt of lightning]]. Since the GM is the local god, this works even if the target character is underground, in a Faraday cage and wearing a static discharge bracelet. Merely threatening players with lightning can also be effective in controlling players. The first edition Advanced [[Dungeons & Dragons]] Dungeon Masters' Guide even suggested using "blue bolts from the heavens" and "ethereal mummies" on [[Player Character|PC]]s to keep their players in line.

The webcomic [[Something*Positive]] is generally credited with bringing the phrase to the public conciousness in [https://web.archive.org/web/20131018031908/http://www.somethingpositive.net/sp05032002.shtml this strip]. The underlying concept is rather [[Older Than They Think|older]], having been seen in the extremely deadly AD&D adventure ''[[Tomb of Horrors]]'' in 1975 (and quite likely used by individual DMs even before that). This ending is a [[Tabletop Games]] form of [[Shoot the Shaggy Dog]], or [[Kill'Em All]] when premeditated. A subtrope of [[Total Party Kill]]. When the players decide to detonate the game instead of the GM, it's [[Off the Rails]]. A nigh-unbeatable [[Beef Gate]] used this way is sometimes referred to as a "Grudge Monster" or "Grudge NPC."