Disarming a character from powers?

[am181d]

First, starting the campaign in a prison is just starting a campaign in a dungeon with a plausible excuse for how you got there. It's better than starting a campaign in an inn, and it has the advantage of the adventure starting on page one rather than page 12 (or 30) as some even published adventures.

I think you'll find a lot of players who will disagree with this notion. If you're starting in medias res, you're really starting on page 12 (or 30) and skipping over all the introductory material (i.e. roleplaying) that many players prefer. It's also a bit like railroading on crack, because not only are you forcing your players to lose some confrontation and become captured, you're not even giving them the illusion of choice.

In many circles, starting players in prison is a text book *bad* way to start a campaign, and if I recall correctly, there's a classic module that takes some heat because it starts in this very way...

 

[Mort]

"The device strapped to your neck is called a compliance collar. Any sort of magic, arcane or divine, will cause it to shoot necrotic energy into your body. Even a cantrip will be extremely painfull, any sort of teleportation will be fatal."

It works, but unless the situation changes rapidly all of your divine and arcane characters are going to be really upset with you in short order.

All I can really say about this is the DM that pulls this better be prepared to duck as players through multiple dice and soda cans at him (hopefully no one at the table is drinking from a beer bottle).


Note BTW - the OP said nothing about starting in prison - but asked the general question of how do you restrain characters that have significant at will/per encounter powers that presumably require nothing to use?

The question of neutralization and capture is also problematic in 3.5 with warlocks, wizard's reserve feats and certain Bo9S powers.

Maybe the there's a direct answer in the PH or DMG (ala must have line of sight so blindfolding works, or must have hands free - so hancuffing, tying hands etc. works) if there isn't, and you want one, make up a condition and stick with it.

Alternatively, when the players get captured and stuck in a room, have the villains do nothing to them - no blindfolds, no gags, no restraints. If the villains have been smart to this point, smart players are going to be hesitant to try anything (why are we not restrained?). Whether there are any actual consequenses is up to you.

 

[Patlin]

All I can really say about this is the DM that pulls this better be prepared to duck as players through multiple dice and soda cans at him (hopefully no one at the table is drinking from a beer bottle).

Yes, it works better for an explanation of how you were being held prisoner prior to the game starting. If the kick off event for the game is a party member stealing the key to the device, there will be less throwing stuff.

Note BTW - the OP said nothing about starting in prison - but asked the general question of how do you restrain characters that have significant at will/per encounter powers that presumably require nothing to use?

If by OP you mean original post, that's true. However, if you mean Original Poster, he clarifies his question in post #3.

 

[erf_beto]

I wonder if you can use Feystep when you're chained to a spot. I could see this being a restriction as in "You can't Feystep when you're imobilized. Being tied down or chained to a spot imobilizes you".
I mean, you can't Feystep out of a grapple, can you? (I guess the answer is "we don't know )

I was going to say the exact same thing.
I know immobilized condition doesnt interfere with teleportation but there could be some exceptions regarding eladrins, like cold iron chains/shackles, a bucket/helmet over his head to prevent vision (thus negating the feystep - and dragonborn breath as well).
I'm shure we'll see something in the books regarding that...
There could even be more cruel or mystical aproaches, like pinning the eladrin's foot/hand to the ground (with cold iron, perhaps), or maybe just his shadow.

 

[AllisterH]

With regard to the OP's opening question and the subsequent "get out of jail" power of feystep, I think Bo9S would be a good idea of how it might be handled.

In Bo9S, there's a similar "teleport" tree of manoeuvers and the distance and recharge time are better than feystep.

However, that tree has significant limitations.

1. Like all Bo9S manoeuvers, you have to be able to move.
2. IT requires line of sight
3. IT requires line of effect.
4. You can't teleport out of your clothes which means that anything directly attached to you has to be under the weight limit (meaning, a chain tied to a wall will stop the teleport)

Given all these 4 restrictions, you really don't need anything like pseduo anti-feystep devices to stop it.

Seriously, how tough would it be for a medieval jail to stop this?

 

[Nightchilde-2]

Not necessarily. According to the recent Powers excerpt powers with the Weapon tag could be used with unarmed attacks. Rogues and archery specialized rangers will obviously have a tougher time with those scenarios.

I just got this image in my head of a Ranger pulling a "Hawkeye" from one of the later issues of Ultimates 2. Namely, ripping out his own fingernails and throwing them all deadly-like...

 

[Rabbitbait]

I think you'll find a lot of players who will disagree with this notion. If you're starting in medias res, you're really starting on page 12 (or 30) and skipping over all the introductory material (i.e. roleplaying) that many players prefer. It's also a bit like railroading on crack, because not only are you forcing your players to lose some confrontation and become captured, you're not even giving them the illusion of choice.

In many circles, starting players in prison is a text book *bad* way to start a campaign, and if I recall correctly, there's a classic module that takes some heat because it starts in this very way...

I had a campaign where the characters met each other on a prison ship. However, before the campaign proper, I ran a solo adventure with each character which led to them being captured. It worked well as each player really got the feel of their characters before becoming part of a group. It also meant each character went into the campaign proper with secrets and agendas, and also knowing that the others also had secrets and agendas.

I find campaigns work well when the players don't completely trust each other.

 

[JohnSnow]

Personally, I think there should be a relatively easy ritual that can block access to other planes and minor magical effects. Off the top of my head, I plan to use some of the traditional "folk" theories for warding against magic or the fey. Since I study English folklore as a hobby, I know a fair number of them.

1) Iron (not "cold iron," just iron) is inimical to magic. The only downside of this is that it would mean wizards can't use magic while wearing conventional armor. On the other hand, I kinda like the notion that armored wizards tend to use materials other than steel (usually magical ones) for their armor.

2) Salt, especially circles of salt, tends to break magic. For that matter, circles of all kinds tend to be good for both casting magic spells and protecting against magic. This is a pretty typical trope of magic and it also fits in nicely with ritual casting (since drawing circles that will last more than a few seconds tends to take some time).

That's just a couple ideas off the top of my head. Coming up with a way of blocking access to blatantly supernatural powers shouldn't be THAT difficult.

 

[Celebrim]

I think you'll find a lot of players who will disagree with this notion.

Sure, I've met players that would be happier if combat never occurred and no dungeons were ever discovered. But that is hardly the point, and neglects that the entire prison escape might largely be roleplaying depending on how we worked the scenario and how the players wanted to approach it.

If you're starting in medias res...

All campaigns start in medias res, even those that start in inns. I guess in theory you could start a campaign with the creation of the world, with the characters in the roles of the universes first mortals, but even that is somewhat in the middle of things.

In many circles, starting players in prison is a text book *bad* way to start a campaign...

Maybe, but its still better than 'you all meet in an inn'.

 

[Rechan]

The question for me isn't their dailies but their at-will. Simply that how do you ask "Well why didn't you just unload your scorching blast every round while you were being walked to your cell, etc etc". I hadn't considered the Fey Step until Hong mentioned it.

But to the "That's unfair of the DM, how are they going to escape?" Well, I do want to run some contemporary feel. You know, PCs in the "mess hall" and "The Yard". Dealing with the other prisoners. Making deals. Fashioning shivs and make-shift tools for when they escape. Memorizing guard rotations and formulating a plan. For instance, if the Compliance Collar mentioned above were used, then one of the challenges would be getting it off before they break.

More "Oz" and "Prison Break", less "Count of Monte Cristo", even if the latter is more appropriate for the time period.

I want a lot of roleplaying, planning and ingenuity on the players part. I don't think it'd be As Fun if everyone is bound up like Hannibal Lector and stuffed in an isolated cell; that makes more sense, but this is about enjoyment.

With that in mind, there will likely be a lot of "home remedies vs. magic"; the aforementioned cold iron, salt and running water to defuse magic, etc.