Adventuring while pregnant

[Queen_Dopplepopolis]

Hmm, I can just imagine that conversation when the kid turns 16:

"Mom, I've decided to become a ranger."
"But Justin, I thought we'd agreed you'd become a paladin. Everyone knows rangers never amount to anything. I need a cohort who can detect evil and lay on hands!"
"STOP TRYING TO RUN MY LIFE!" [Slams bedroom door, begins to play loud music]

Oh man... THAT'S FUNNY!!! (D&D the Sitcom!)

 

[drothgery]

It's not a matter or a DM screwing over anybody-- it's a matter of accepting the consequences of a world with very unreliable birth control. And, if the DM says "so you and that character are having sex?" and the you say yes... there's only so much you can do... it's not a matter of deciding "I think my character should be pregnant"-- it's a fact of life.

And, more importantly, it's not up to the DM-- it's up to the dice! Boy oh boy, I love this game!

I don't think that events that are going to radically change a character (and becoming a parent is going to do that, even if your character has some place where she can leave the child with a reasonable assumption that it'll be safe and well cared for) should be up to the dice. It may be a little unrealistic, but real-life couples often spend years trying to have children together without success, so I don't think it's a big deal.

 

[Queen_Dopplepopolis]

I don't think that events that are going to radically change a character (and becoming a parent is going to do that, even if your character has some place where she can leave the child with a reasonable assumption that it'll be safe and well cared for) should be up to the dice. It may be a little unrealistic, but real-life couples often spend years trying to have children together without success, so I don't think it's a big deal.

In reality, I'm in a funk with my current character and so, in an attempt to de-funk, I was making a list of things that would radically change her... one of them happened to be pregnancy...

So, it's not just the DM's doing...

However, it is pretty easy to determine how statistically likely a woman is to based on what day she's in in her cycle... so, it is something that the dice can do with little problem.

Lastly, if we leave death up to the dice-- why not pregnancy?? (and really, what changes a character MORE than the reaper?)

 

[Ottergame]

It's not a matter or a DM screwing over anybody-- it's a matter of accepting the consequences of a world with very unreliable birth control. And, if the DM says "so you and that character are having sex?" and the you say yes... there's only so much you can do... it's not a matter of deciding "I think my character should be pregnant"-- it's a fact of life.

And, more importantly, it's not up to the DM-- it's up to the dice! Boy oh boy, I love this game!

Be gay! It's what I did, no chance of pregnacy then!

 

[Brain]

From my point of view, since pregnancy isn't really covered by the rules, you can get creative with how it would be handled in a world with magic. Female wizards and priests would certainly come up with new spells dealing with it, making it easier/safer etc. A visit to a temple of a fertility godess could solve your problems (or compound them).

Same goes for birth control... There could certainly be magical means to avoid getting pregnant or to help the process along. These things would have their own moral and magical implications, but a D&D world is not neccessarily one "with very unreliable birth control." It's just not a topic covered in the rules.

Basically what I'm saying is that if the DM wants to have pregnancy in the game, then think about how things would be different with magic available and adjust accordingly.

 

[Sir Elton]

Unless your playing in a Low Magic world, where magic is hard to come by. Of course, I'm one of those DMs that wouldn't allow a Labor Pain Saving Spell. Well, probably, but like demmerol, it would deaden the nerves involved and disconnect the mother from the birth.

 

[Queen_Dopplepopolis]

From my point of view, since pregnancy isn't really covered by the rules, you can get creative with how it would be handled in a world with magic.

Basically what I'm saying is that if the DM wants to have pregnancy in the game, then think about how things would be different with magic available and adjust accordingly.

That's what I'm looking for: someone who has done this before or has an idea as to how to work the rules in this situation.

(And, so far as magic goes-- there are some things that can be done... but, wizardry has been outlawed for a LONG time and so, our knowledge is really limited.)

 

[Tonguez]

Apparently my grandmother - who was a bit of the adventuring sort - went into labour whilst pighunting in the mountains on horseback. According to the 'legend' she had shot a pig and refused to leave it behind and thus hauled itup onto her horse and carried it out (all whilst in labour) and only managed to reach the porch of the nearest house (her uncle) where she had her child (my uncle)

So yeah it can be done

Of course there's all sorts of complications that can occur too - miscarriage, toximea (sp) to name but a few...

 

[Jolly Giant]

A female PC IMC recently had quadruplets, and she brings all four kids with her when adventuring!

Admittedly, she's a halfdragon and the father's a great wyrm... Acutally she's more than half, she's 3/4 dragon, making the kids 7/8. I told her to roll up the stats as though the babies were standard wyrmlings.

 

[Sir Elton]

A female PC IMC recently had quadruplets, and she brings all four kids with her when adventuring!

Admittedly, she's a halfdragon and the father's a great wyrm... Acutally she's more than half, she's 3/4 dragon, making the kids 7/8. I told her to roll up the stats as though the babies were standard wyrmlings.

Wow!!!!

Hey, wouldn't make her, for all intents and purposes, a full dragon with humanoid genes?