Players sometimes try to figure out what their DM has planned for them. Their overactive imaginations often think of worse consequences to their own actions than you as the DM can produce. I will illustrate this point by describing how this happened in an adventure I recently ran.
One of the players decided to throw a fireball into a small cavern that was filled with fumes created by bat guano. This action coincided with another player opening a dimensional door to an area 300 yards away. My first thought was to give them a save to see if they made it through the door with half or full damage from the fireball. Without explanation, I asked the players to roll a savings throw. I have a quick reference chart with all of their savings throws behind my DM screen which allows me to overrule a result without the players thinking I am turning into a soft Dungeon Master.
One player blurts out, “Ooooh my god it’s a back draft created by the change in airflow due to the dimensional door!”. What a great idea! My eyebrow quirked as I gave the players a sly smile and quickly thought the matter over while I consulted the savings throw charts behind my screen. I asked one player to explain how his ac got to the number it was just to stall for time. I already knew the answer but it bought me some time to consider the back draft that was mentioned. Once he finished his explanation of his AC and was beginning to really worry about why I had asked for that, I gave them the details of the horror of their situation. Of course by this time they were on the edge of their seats because of suspense.
Not only did the fireball and dimensional door cause a back draft that doubled the fireballs damage dice but all of their clothing was aflame as well. One player character died as a result of his massive injuries. The rest of the party, while being severely injured themselves, transported their dead comrade to a temple near by for raising and healing.
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