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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Li Shenron" data-source="post: 6693611" data-attributes="member: 1465">You tell the players in advance.No, you can't use accidents, theft or other sudden ideas to take the mcguffins away from the players, because players will feel disappointed if they have been building plans for those mcguffins, and they also might lose confidence in the DM who seems to change her mind regularly.Let the players know before or when acquiring the mcguffin, that it won't be permanent and/or under their control, like with Frodo and the One Ring. You don't always have to reveal the details, you can keep them for later in the story (this is in-character stuff), but it's important you make the idea clear between the DM and the players (which is out-of-character stuff). Removing the idea that a mcguffin is forever is not the only one, you definitely don't have to do this with all mcguffins, as a matter of fact you can use it as rarely if you want. The key point is that it should be tied to the story, so use the principle only if you have a good idea related to the story! Something like "the holy Avenger you've found will help you against the demon horde, but you will need to leave it nailed into the BBEG's heart to make sure it stays dead". When you don't have a good story idea, don't force it.My other main idea is to remove or "jam" character's control of the mcguffin (since the start, not as an afterthought, and make it clear to the players!). For instance, instead of giving the PCs a standard Holy Avenger, make it a special one... make it intelligent, make it cursed, make it gradually diminishing, make it restricted to circumstances which are beyond characters' control. But once again, let the players know as soon as they find the item, or even before they do, even if their characters may realize it only gradually. Perhaps this staff of the magi is bound to where it was forged (location-restricted), or this robe of eyes gradually feeds on its wearer's sense of sight (cursed), or this rod of wonder works only when stars are aligned (circumstance-restricted), or this winged boots worn out with use and carry less and less (diminishing)...</blockquote>

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