D&D 5E Campaign Idea: Very Rare Magic Items at Lv. 1

[Mort]

This was covered in the OP, the characters who refuse are instantly disintegrated

That will likely go over really, really poorly.

If you're going to have an initial encounter where the outcome is predetermined - better to just have a cut scene where you dictate the scene to the players. At least this way, there's no confusion as to the pc's having input.

 

[Maxperson]

That’s a great area for development! One idea is that the BBEG was an adventurer once, a BBGG. But then, his family was murdered by a Very Rare Magic Item. When he finds out there’s a whole party of people with items like that ironically pursuing the adventuring life that killed those he loved, he destroys them out of a misplaced sense of cosmic justice

Here's the thing. You don't have to actually destroy them to have the goals you are saying exist. Capture them like I said before. Take the items with the intent to destroy them, but...

Plot twist! One of his guards had his family heirloom magic item taken away and destroyed by the BBEG. He offers to let the party go in time to recover their magic items if they promise to come back and kill the BBEG.

Edit: Oh, and have an NPC be captured with the PCs and refuse to hand over his item before any player can refuse. Instantly cast disintegration on the NPC so that you don't have a PC die here.

 

[Grantypants]

I think it's mostly fine. Retrieving powerful McGuffins is a time-honored campaign premise, and letting the PCs select and use the items in Session 1 will just make the PCs more attached and madder when your BBEG steals the items away.

However, if the PCs can't do anything to stop the BBEG from stealing their items, don't present it as a choice the PCs have to make. Use a wand of paralysis or something if you have to have a scene where the BBEG delivers his villain monologue and then takes the magic items from the PCs' helpless bodies. When the players know they don't have a choice, it's extremely unsatisfying to pretend to have one.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

This was covered in the OP, the characters who refuse are instantly disintegrated

no what if they all do... then what... how does your game continue once all disintegrated?

 

[Maxperson]

Use a wand of paralysis or something if you have to have a scene where the BBEG delivers his villain monologue and then takes the magic items from the PCs' helpless bodies. When the players know they don't have a choice, it's extremely unsatisfying to pretend to have one.

And the understatement of the year award goes to...

 

[Mort]

I think it's mostly fine. Retrieving powerful McGuffins is a time-honored campaign premise, and letting the PCs select and use the items in Session 1 will just make the PCs more attached and madder when your BBEG steals the items away.

True, but part of the OP plot twist is that the PCs can't ever actually get the items back.

I don't think having the itrems stolen will go over well (especially as using them was part of the campaign hook).

I KNOW, finding out the items are actually irrevocably lost will go over VERY poorly. As someone said upthread, it's a suckerpunch.

However, if the PCs can't do anything to stop the BBEG from stealing their items, don't present it as a choice the PCs have to make. Use a wand of paralysis or something if you have to have a scene where the BBEG delivers his villain monologue and then takes the magic items from the PCs' helpless bodies. When the players know they don't have a choice, it's extremely unsatisfying to pretend to have one.

So, I think the premise is not ok, but if going forward anyway? I agree, do not present it as some kind of choice. Just have the items stolen/taken and have done.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

True, but part of the OP plot twist is that the PCs can't ever actually get the items back.

I don't think having the items stolen will go over well (especially as using them was part of the campaign hook).

I KNOW, finding out the items are actually irrevocably lost will go over VERY poorly. As someone said upthread, it's a suckerpunch.

Yeah teh whole thing reaks of "DM EVIL LAUGH" and the DM putting there fun not with but at the expense of the players/

 

[Mort]

@doppelgangerstudios, help me understand.

How is the OP premise fun for the players?

I can see how it could possibly be "fun" for the DM (though I'm having a very hard time seeing how it's not a mean spirited fun!)

But where's the fun for the players?

 

[CleverNickName]

Thank you for the welcome! I’m thinking this one over. I think the one confusing thing is, I wouldn’t be taking the item, it would be the BBEG. The players will have an opportunity early along to slay him for what he’s done. They’ll just also see the damage has already been done. The NPCs wasting their time are similiarly vulnerable to attack—they’ll learn that certain problems though can’t be undone solely through violence

Well it's your game, you should play it however you like. You asked what I thought, and I don't think this is going to go over very well. Even after reading through the subsequent posts about it, I still stand by my original advice.

Best of luck in your new campaign! Whatever you decide to do, be sure to drop in after the game and let us know how it went.

 

[GMforPowergamers]

@doppelgangerstudios, help me understand.

How is the OP premise fun for the players?

I can see how it could possibly be "fun" for the DM (though I'm having a very hard time not seeing how it's not a mean spirited fun!)

But where's the fun for the players?

it is mean spirited, but I think he thinks the players will be blown away by the surprises... but none of it is a surprise that seems worth it to me.

I ran a game where the PCs had a ton of gear (like this was 2e and using high level campaigns so like level 22+) and I hit them with a Mordicains disjunction... and blew up 1/3 of the items, then had the lich run. They not only had gotten warrnings he like to destroy items, but I had already placed clues to were there were epic level treasure they could go get...

that went badly. No one wanted to go get new cool things they were too mad they lost the old cool things