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Aug 2, 2011 -- 2:03PM, MalakLightfoot wrote:

There are no rules for it because it is not supposed to happen.

Anything can and should be allowed to happen, it's the spirit of the game and all in how the DM handles it...

Aug 2, 2011 -- 2:03PM, MalakLightfoot wrote:

Both the DMG and the Player's Handbook place great stress on the fact that D&D is supposed to be a cooperative experience, and that the party is supposed to work together as a team to overcome obstacles.

Very true, and the group should be aware of this point.  Unless the group is a "long time together" group and has had similar experiences in the past where they have not reacted too negatively to a TPK

Aug 2, 2011 -- 2:03PM, MalakLightfoot wrote:

No extra XP.

It can depend on if the party took out the player who turned, or if the player escaped etc... for lack of a better option, find a foe of their level and tack it onto the XP of the encounter, assuming you didn't heavily modify the encounter to account for the change of heart (see below)

Aug 2, 2011 -- 2:03PM, MalakLightfoot wrote:

I would let the party wipe as a result of the betrayal and let the group know that similar acts will end future campaigns in a similar fashion.

This goes against the way 4e is supposed to be run.  The DM should never punish a player or the party.  You will quickly find yourself without players if you do that.  Remember, the purpose is to allow everyone to have fun, which may include having a player turn on the party to mix things up.

I would take this on as a challenge from a DMs perspective:

1. Some prep ahead of time with the player: 
   • Do you have an at risk player for turning on the party?  If so, talk to the player outside of a session, and see if you can determine his intentions.  If he can give you maybe a high level overview of when and why he might turn, then you can have your own story hook to either play along or trump it depending on the situation.
   • A key here is why the character will do it.  Has the character given the rest of the party enough story hooks or clues that something like this might happen?  Maybe if there have been enough clues, the party itself can prep somewhat for a potential turn?  Maybe the party can spend some resources into determining the characters intent through rituals or whatever other methods they brainstorm up, and play with the responses (make him roll bluffs or diplomacy's against the rest of the party) and then maybe the party buys rope and ties him up every night.
2. If the player pulls it on you without giving you any indication:
   • Ask him for justification of his actions on the spot.  Make sure he provides a proper roleplaying reason for the other players, otherwise they'll have a bad taste in their mouth and likely won't want to play with such a player in the future.  Feel free to bring up the characters alignment and have the party even give roleplaying reasons why the player shouldn't take such a drastic action.  In the end though, if the player insists on turning without logic or reason, never say no (cause the player is likely riding a ridiculous high at this point) and be ready to pull some DM magic (aka DM cheating - easier with a DM shield)
3. Assuming you are prepared, you may need to alleviate any concerns from other players.  
   1.  
      • The party has made it clear that the player who did the action is likely not welcome at the table if he is going to do that kind of thing
      • Let the party make the decision to start a new campaign if they choose not to continue with the challenge.  Don't force a new campaign on them, always leave them with the above decision.
   
   
   • Ask them for in character responses if they start meta-complaining. (remember talk is free!)
   • If they threaten to rage quit, ask them why.  The likely response will be that they will get killed.  To which you would respond that you still see a living character.
   • If the entire party rage quits, let them.  This give a clear message for a few things
4. Then finally make it happen with your preparations:
   • Have some story hooks or traps of your own, ready to spring at any time: 
     • First, if it's possible, let the player get off an attack or two and let him have a bit of fun before you make things return to their "normal path".  Have control, while making it look like the players have control.
     • Something as simple as a pit trap with foes at the bottom can keep the player busy.  Have things like immobilizes or stuns with "monster recharges" that conveniently recharge just when you need to shut him down again.
     • If you want to be more elaborate, build a massive arcing story hook where someone steps in and halts the battle.
     • Maybe the god they are all fighting to save comes in with a random power that blinds the turning player or retributes him in some fashion for the damage he's dealing.  
     • Maybe his own god will have a reason to play with him instead, with booming voices of dissappointment and "aura-auto-damage until he surrenders"
   • Get ready to scale the encounter to have the foes die off quicker.  Turn a few of them into minions or reduce their attacks effectiveness by "cheating some crit misses"
   • Make sure the party (plus or minus the turned player) survives.
5. Then you have the fallout.  Regardless of how it goes, the player will not likely be with the party anymore.
   •  
     • The party will tie the character up and leave him (player rerolls if he wishes to rejoin the adventure)
     • Turned Character escapes the battle during or after the foes are defeated.  Then after that battle, he is running away and triggers another ambush with impossible odds and is killed cause he "split the party"  
     • Character ends up taking on the rest of the party 4 vs 1.  Maybe let them fight it out, get ready to pull some more DM cheating magic (aka traps or story hooks) to make sure the party is successful.

• You then deal with this by making it sound like there was an ambush waiting the whole time, and the player is interfering with the ambush so they attack anyways.  They then concentrate fire on the guy standing/turning cause he's the current biggest threat.
• Only spring enough foes (maybe small amounts of foes in as many waves as necessary) for the player to make up his mind to either continue attacking "allies" (allies now awake, and turned character is now outnumbered / no longer has advantage) or fight the foes and end the encounter.
• Roleplaying ensues to deal with the turned character.

Aug 2, 2011 -- 1:35PM, kirbwarrior wrote:

anyone have a good idea on how to do this?

A PC would be about equivalent to an Elite creature of the same level.