D&D General Am I crazy (BBEG idea)

[Committed Hero]

I'm gonna run a 3-5 session game for some newbies and I think I know who the villain is. A centaur game warden for the royal forest. However, he is cursed with lycanthropy and becomes a nightmare on the full moon.

Is this an idea worth the number crunching?

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

I don't know what numbers there are too crunch, are there rules for creating custom were-creatures?
I'd say the idea might have some merit. Though: Is lycantrophy really "needed" here? I assume there are rules for dealing with lycantrophy, but maybe it would work just as well if it's a unique curse you could build your own story and avenues for resolution around.

 

[Tonguez]

I love the idea, the Royal Warden of the Greenway, is respected by the court, feared by poachers, and whispered about by the forest’s folk, especially now that travellers and woodcutters have started to go missing.

its mythic and tragic and if you can play the centaur as a good guy who the PCs get to know while they search for clues you get a nice emotional hit too, once the horror reveal happens

 

[AlViking]

Just because I think it's a fun idea doesn't mean you're not crazy.

The centaur also does not need to have lycanthropy - it could easily be some other kind of curse. The big questions I would have is does the centaur know he's cursed, does he know he turns into a nightmare? I think it would be more interesting if he did not know but potentially has moments where he is struggling with the curse. In addition, there may be a way to break the curse without killing the dude - although oftentimes curses appear to be broken but really are not.

As far as design details we'd need to know more and I'm always hesitant to use solo monsters. If it is a curse and you want the cursed nightmare to have allies, you get the bonus benefit of an excuse to use killer bunnies. Depending on your GMing style, of course.

 

[MarkB]

I don't know what numbers there are too crunch, are there rules for creating custom were-creatures?
I'd say the idea might have some merit. Though: Is lycantrophy really "needed" here? I assume there are rules for dealing with lycantrophy, but maybe it would work just as well if it's a unique curse you could build your own story and avenues for resolution around.

That also allows for some playing with the concept - is he a centaur cursed to turn into a nightmare, or a nightmare cursed to think he is a centaur?

 

[Tonguez]

Just because I think it's a fun idea doesn't mean you're not crazy.

The centaur also does not need to have lycanthropy - it could easily be some other kind of curse. The big questions I would have is does the centaur know he's cursed, does he know he turns into a nightmare? I think it would be more interesting if he did not know but potentially has moments where he is struggling with the curse. In addition, there may be a way to break the curse without killing the dude - although oftentimes curses appear to be broken but really are not.

I think it would be more fun if the centaur does know that he's cursed (but only with vague memories of what happens), but he needs to keep it secret so as to avoid Royal embarrassment.
Make him a good guy, doing his job but burdened by a terrible secret he doesnt know how to deal with. He might even be working with a local apothecary to brew a salve that can help stave off the curse effects (which becomes a clue should the PCs investigate)

 

[Richards]

Are you crazy? Well, you are a "Committed" Hero, so....

In all seriousness, some other curse than lycanthropy might work better here - or are there werenightmares in your game world? There's also the (in my mind) problem with a lycanthrope with a "human" form being that of a centaur, an "animal" form being that of a nightmare, and a "hybrid" form being, what? A centaur with a horse's head and flaming hooves? I'd see that as looking more comical than fearsome.

Johnathan

 

[Committed Hero]

Are you crazy? Well, you are a "Committed" Hero, so....

LoL I've always meant the other kind of committed.

He's going to be the patron giving the PCs their initial mission. Maybe it does make to have him tragic as opposed to double crossing, though.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

In case he is an unwilling Nightmare, and you still want to avoid a solo combat against a single Nightmare, consider giving him some nightmare or (were)-friends that are attracted by his appearance and protect him. If it's a curse, maybe the Nightmares seek to make the effect permanent. Maybe they also enjoy that they have a powerful ally at their side during the full moon, but on other nights, they can give him terrible nightmares about this evil deeds. Maybe that's even the way to do it - drive his Centaur self to insanity, wrecked with fear or guilt.