How to detain an Eladrin Rogue? ie, teleporting

[Lareth]

In my campaign world the Eladrin people believe no other race has the right to detain or imprison them. They go their own way and take care of their own criminals.

Non-Eladrin authorities might hold one temporarily with a pit, windowless room, bag over the head, etc., but long-term imprisonment is as like as not to bring a Ghaele of Winter down on their heads when word gets around.

Of course, in Eladrin cities they have magic circles, living stone cells, floating prisons, prisons of eternal slumber, astral entrapment and many more creative ways of dealing with transgressors.

 

[pallen]

I don't understand how this is such a major issue either. Go ahead and put the eladrin in a typical cell with a window in the door. When he teleports to the other side of the door, the guards beat the unarmed eladrin senseless and throw him back in. Or put him in a room with no windows, and bring several guards every time he's fed or has a visitor. Getting out of the cell is one thing, getting past a bunch of armed guards is another.

If he's capable enough to deal with the guards while he's unarmed, he's probably going to eventually escape, teleport or no.

And if the eladrin teleport power is so game-breaking for people, just house rule that they can't teleport through (for example) cold iron in your game. And every town has a jail cell with cold iron bars on the windows. Easy breezy.

 

[Spatula]

You know, this thread has got me thinking about Eladrin specific constructs. Buildings with no stairs or other means to reach the second floor. Rooms with transparent walls and no entrances.

You can't teleport through walls, transparent or not, as it blocks line of effect. EDIT: or not.

 

[Insignia]

You can't teleport through walls, transparent or not, as it blocks line of effect.

You don't need line of effect to teleport; only line of sight.

 

[Bayonet_Chris]

You can't teleport through walls, transparent or not, as it blocks line of effect.

PHB pg 286

No Line of Effect: You can teleport to a place you can see even if you don't have line of effect to it.

To block teleport you have to block line of sight (wall), deny line of sight (darkness), or block destination (squeeze or solid object).

 

[Spatula]

hm, missed that. Now that I think about it, that's how teleport has always worked in D&D.

 

[cthulhus_pinky]

I am surprised that no one has thought of drugs. It can be a very effective way to stun a character over a longer time. The PCs can be exposed to it over a time, so it can be sustained. You could rule that the PC can talk, but make no standard action or power, and is slowed.

And yes, I know that the mention of drugs is taboo, so call it sleepy poison or what ever... be creative. I really like the use of cold iron, that was mentioned above. It has a mythical ring to it.

Remember though, a Eladrin can teleport at first level, but Warlocks can use it at level 2, Wizards at level 6, not to mention the destructive powers of magic users.

 

[Baron Opal]

If you can forge shackles, you can forge a locking helmet. Don't let him see, he can't teleport.

Or, dig a three foot deep trench, put a door over it, pile rocks on the door.

Come back if he happens to be innocent.

 

[shadewest]

See, if it ever comes up in a game I DM, I'm going to let him get away with it once or twice. Then I'll have him thrown down an oubliette.

Literally.

"Feel that, witch? That's what it's gonna feel like every time you try to magic yourself out of there. So you might as well just settle down 'til we figure out what to do with you."

So now we're to the point where he needs to find other ways to escape. Just because an eladrin rogue can't fey step, doesn't mean he's not still a rogue. Let's face it, a good DM with captured PCs actually wants them to escape, if they make an effort.

 

[hong]

Cut off the eladrin's head. If he has no eyes, he can't see.