How can a Warlock be a prisoner?

FreeTheSlaves

Adventurer

• May 19, 2010

• #1

Hi all,

The character of a new player is a human Infernal Warlock (level 3, no equipment) who is a soon to be rescued prisoner of a more powerful Warlock.

The question is, how can you keep a Warlock prisoner when the game no longer has vocal, somatic & material components? It seems to me that this guy can eldritch blast even trussed up.

 

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C

cpendlet

First Post

• May 19, 2010

• #2

Because the shackels have a magical enchantment on them that cause any magic cast by the person wearing them to get hurt by their own spell. Also prevents any benificail magical effects from taking affect as well (teleports, spider climb, etc else would be useful for getting out of a prison).

 

Obryn

Hero

• May 19, 2010

• #3

They can do what you think they should be able to do. If you don't think a trussed-up warlock should be able to Blast, they can't. It's a perk of being the DM.

If you put a sack over their head, they can do even less.

Really, though, if you're serious about keeping anyone prisoner for any length of time, keep a priest on retainer for Raise Dead spells, and simply behead them.

-O

 

L

Larrin

Entropic Good

• May 19, 2010

• #4

I'm thinking its in the PHB1, where it mentions that there are times and situations that the DM can decide a character can't use his powers. Read over the POWERS section, its in there (i think, it might be somewhere else ). Basically it says that there is no precise method for 'casting' spells/prayers/exploits, but at times when it seems unlikely they could do it, the DM is allowed free to say they can't. Hopefully someone else can help you out with a page number or quote.

 

M

mneme

Explorer

• May 19, 2010

• #5

If you want to avoid any houserules at all:

The guy is blindfolded (cannot teleport, -5 to attacks, yields combat advantage) and restrained (-2 to attacks, cannot move or be moved, yields combat advantage). And there are guards. -sure- he can try to escape and start blasting through the walls, but it would likely end up with him dead.

Or he's in a solid box, with airholes at the top but no LoS or LoE outwards. 4e doesn't give hard and fast rules for breaking stuff, so it's entirely reasonable to rule that he can't blast through the stone walls or door with Eldritch blast -- he's stuck until someone can get him out.

With houserules, it's even easier -- add a martial practice that takes 10 minutes and lets someone bind a helpless target such that they cannot use powers. He's tied up with someone with that practice. Done.

Or rule that while there are no somatic, etc components, that it's entirely possible to tie someone up such that they cannot cast spells, just as you can tie someone up such that they cannot effectively punch someone; it just requires a helpless target and some time--that's not a houserule, just a reasonable GM ruling.

 

jgsugden

Legend

• May 19, 2010

• #6

Some options:

1.) Unconcious.
2.) The warlock is choosing to stay imprisoned because - if he flees - the evil captor will do something bad (kill another prisoner, etc...)
3.) Magic shackles that deal damage to creatures wearing them when they use arcane powers.
4.) The warlock is kept in a magically dark cell on an island surrounded by acid. The lack of line of sight prevents teleporting and the warlock has nothing to blast to set him free....
5.) Dominated/charmed.
6.) A ritual binds him to a spot, preventing him from going more than X feet from the spot until a predefined event occurs.
7.) Extradimensional prison cell.
8.) The guards are too strong for the prisoner to take... alone.

 

S

Squire James

First Post

• May 19, 2010

• #7

Generally, I would assume that a helpless PC cannot use powers regardless of the exact nature of the helplessness. Keeping someone bound and blind-folded in a non-combat situation (say, they had a "short rest" period to secure them) is probably good enough to keep them captured for a day or so (then they get to roll something).

 

Klaus

First Post

• May 19, 2010

• #8

A NPC abides by whatever limitation the DM imposes.

A PC could be malnourished and placed in uncomfortable conditions that prevent him from getting an extended rest. No encounter/dailies/healing surges that way.

 

ZzarkLinux

First Post

• May 19, 2010

• #9

Obryn said:

Really, though, if you're serious about keeping anyone prisoner for any length of time, keep a priest on retainer for Raise Dead spells, and simply behead them.

Click to expand...

+1

Also,

- Bag over head and arms chained to the floor. Perfect for Blinded and Restrained

- Special ritual circle. Warlock can only breathe while in the circle. Remember, monsters don't follow the same rules as PCs, so they can have any cool rituals that you desireu.

 

Anthraxus

Explorer

• May 19, 2010

• #10

How? Same as a fighter who's tied up. He can't.

Larrin has the right of it- in the Character Classes section of the PHB under Power types and usage it says that the DM might rule that you can't use powers in special circumstances "such as when your hands are tied."