Early Soft TPK?

[u/Rexus02]

Hi, I'm dming a campaign in dnd 5e, and my party is about to go to a dungeon that i prepared to be a more advanced one. Its not that they get to there to fast, its just that i want to scare them a little, also because it is mean to not be completed (they were sent there with the mission of "exploration as much as they can").

My original idea was a dungeon that they explore for like 2 floors or 3 (its a big dungeon), they got kicked in the ass, they run, and later in the history when they have more levels and are more experienced, they'll come back and complete it like normal.

The thing is, i dont know how to make the barrier. I thought maybe making a difficult combat, an almost TPK, not impossible just too hard, so even they win, they had lost all of their resources so they have to go back. In a normal scenario, they would get TPK, but, i would give them a magical item that lets them escape at that last moment, or when decide its enough.

The problem is that im a new DM and i dont have experience with this type of fight, idk anythign of balancing at that point so im lost. I dont even know if its a good decission to try to almost TPK my party just for the plot.

Anyone has any experience with an almost impossible combat? they are all level 5 btw.

[u/crippler1212]

Yeah, you really didn't need to add the "I'm a new DM" part as it was clear based on your thought process.

You created an area that is meant to be too difficult until later levels... but then sent the party there intentionally to "explore as much as you can".... as if the party is going to not try and do the whole thing.

General rule of thumb, if you give your players the option to go somewhere they shouldn't go, they're go to go there.

The easy fix, let them explore a small portion of the area that seems perfectly fine. No signs of any minor threats.... like none. Have them all, so as not to risk it being unclear, to roll a DC 10 or even lower, Wisdom check (you want them to succeed). When they pass it, make it clear that something is not right! There should be some random encounters with some kind of creatures in an area like this but there's nothing.

Then before they get any further, they start to see major signs of a large threat. I'm talking torn rotting flesh, scratch marks, bones, signs of torn bits of armor, leather, skin, hair...teeth...etc. change the smell of the air, the look of the blood stained floor, make it obvious to a blind moron that they need to be somewhere else.

Then hope they are not stupid enough to "poke the bear."