Are two heads better than one? [OotA spoilers]

In Out of the Abyss there is a ritual that a group of Derro are using to add an extra head to creatures or which may be used to graft a severed head onto a body. If players decipher this ritual and use it to have the Bard grow a second head is there any guidance as to what mechanical effects this act might have on this character?

Off the cuff we were thinking it might grant advantage on perception checks that rely on sight or sound and could stick him with an indefinite madness which does not resolve after a Greater Restoration.

Is there any official word on this?

In AL - it will grant whatever mechanical effects are specifically listed in the adventure. If there are no effects listed, don't add any. With that being said, seeing another living breathing head on your neck is call for a madness save. Possibly two if it starts to scream and/or can control any of your limbs (I would treat the head as an NPC myself).

kalani said:

In AL - it will grant whatever mechanical effects are specifically listed in the adventure. If there are no effects listed, don't add any. With that being said, seeing another living breathing head on your neck is call for a madness save. Possibly two if it starts to scream and/or can control any of your limbs (I would treat the head as an NPC myself).

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Similar topic. One of my players got infected with Wererat lycanthropy in Blingdenstone. He wants so badly to have the lycanthrope template. I genuinely believe its not an attempt to min-max. He's a bit autistic and seems to be really attached to the idea. I felt real bad informing him I couldnt give him any benefits for it. I told him I would 'ignore' the curse and let him role-play it however he wants. But if he ever ends up changing forms he'll effectively turn into an NPC until cured. I totally get why AL can't/shouldnt allow such shenanigans. But still...

Both the FAQ and the ALDMG (v4.0) state clearly that Lycanthropy has to be cured before the start of the next adventure / episode. Here is the quote from the ALDMG

Vampirism and Lycanthropy (ALDMG p3)
Vampires and lycanthropes are not included in the allowed rules for character creation or advancement (see the D&D Adventurers League Player’s Guide).

These conditions grant characters powers and abilities that are not suitable for organized play, and typically impose a restricted or prohibited alignment. As such, characters afflicted with vampirism or lycanthropy must have the affliction cured before the start of their next episode or adventure.

Afflicted characters have the following options:
• Lycanthropes can be cured with a remove curse spell. This spell is available as a spellcasting service for 90gp (though Jeny Greenteeth might have additional requirements; see “Spellcasting Services” later
in this guide).
• Vampires can be cured by a wish spell cast by a fellow player character (wish is not available as a spellcasting service). Alternatively, a vampire character can be slain and returned to life with raise dead, at
the normal cost of 1,250 gp. If a character chooses to end a vampiric curse in this manner, the Dark Powers do not offer a free raise dead, though Jeny Greenteeth might be willing to make a deal (see “Spellcasting Services” later in this guide).

An afflicted character who does not end his or her curse is retired from play until able to do so by one of the means above, or through the application of DM rewards to the character

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kalani said:

Both the FAQ and the ALDMG (v4.0) state clearly that Lycanthropy has to be cured before the start of the next adventure / episode. Here is the quote from the ALDMG

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I know Kalani. I explained as much. But like I said I was willing to look the other way and just let him do the role-playing without mechanical benefits. The season was almost over anyways so it wasnt any skin off my back. I let him be an honorary member of the Goldwhisker Clan.

Missed seeing the part about him being autistic. I think you handled it well in the circumstances, as being sensitive to someone's disability should come first IMO. Mechanically, he was "cured", but you let him have the roleplaying aspect of it at your table. At another DMs table however, they would have been under no obligation to honor the cosmetic lycanthropy.

Seems like a cosmetic change(more rat-like face, bushy hair grows slightly on face) for getting cured of the Lycanthropy, with no mechanical benefits, could be something you could add to the character- a good addition to personal quirks/flaws.

Barovian villagers might be more suspicious of the character, as well, if it were to happen in Curse of Strahd.

I recently had an elf lose their ears (they were cut off by the Lord of Hillsfar as a trophy after he headbutt him during interrogations) after the party botched 3-14 and was captured in the attempt. Both of the party elves were executed (and their bodies later recovered and revived with faction charity), while the other 3 PCs managed to convince the hillsfar contingent they weren't associated with the assassination plot. I didn't make it easy on them though - each of them had to tell a convincing story, then make an opposed deception check at disadvantage vs. insight (with advantage). An hour or two later the interrogator returned after fact checking their story and asked them to repeat it.....

I had the PCs repeat their story adding more details and asked for another check with disadvantage vs advantage was made to see if they messed up their stories. The PC pretending to be a camp harlot made the second check with advantage as they had played this role upon first entering the camp and it was fact-checked with the guards at the outpost. Finally, I had each of the two elves questioned as to who their "co-conspirators" were, as neither of the elves were seen near the tent, and so they knew that there were additional operatives in the camp. Had the elves ratted out the humans, the entire party would have been executed. Fortunately, such was not the case, so only the elves lost their lives that day.

Just posting a quick spell I made to address that if anyone is interested including OP. Madness penalty is pretty high so you could tweak it but it is an unholy ritual afterall. You could also have the second head less of a demonic taint and more of a split personality as long as the spell was supervised by some divine insight for the ritual!

Sprouting Mind of Madness
3rd-level enchantment (ritual)
Casting Time: 24 hours
Range: ∞
Components: V, S, M (An effigy in the likeness of the target, large handful of target's bodily material, pinch of manure, a drop of warm basilisk saliva, pinch of warm embers, a single seed)
Duration: Until dispelled
This spell causes a smaller but nearly identical second head to spawn from the base neck of any targeted creature, so long as it has one head to begin with. When completed the target of the ritual must succeed a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw or have the new head gain one indefinite state of madness. However, because of the taxing nature of the effect both heads must pass a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or else each gain 2 levels of madness.
All personality and memories are replicated in the second head including free-will and pre-existing madness. At the start of each day both heads must roll a Charisma (Persuasion) check, the higher roll gains control of the target's body.
Because of its two heads the target has advantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks and on saving throws against being blinded, charmed, deafened, frightened, stunned, and knocked unconscious. The cast time of this spell can be reduced in half per additional caster.

I used to have an autistic guy on my tables, but he struggled to get a game. I use Warhorn locally because player numbers can get a little crazy (its rare to turn up to my game and have a spot open) and this guy never used Warhorn or even told me he was turning up. Hed just bring his stuff, his lunch (why he never ate before the game is beyond me) and would plunk down his stuff. Half the time he was lucky and someone didnt show but the other half he had to pack up again and go because I had my full table of 7. Ive not seen him now for like 6 + months,