Creating the Snake Plissken Dilemna in D&D

[Dr Simon]

In the Chaosium adventure "Rogue Mistress", for Stormbringer, the PCs are implanted with demonic hearts by a chaotic sorceress in order to compel them to act for her. One side effect was "Demon Heart Attacks", caused (as I recall) by stress such as near-death experiences (in D&D you could assume in the Dying zone of HPs). This led to a random series of chaotic mutations affecting the characters. By the end of the mini-campaign they could be a complete mess.

It's a bit on the sledge-hammer side, though.

 

[Felon]

Experienced, mature players that trust their DM will have no problem with it so long as you play fair even if it is outside the RAW.

Trust is something you have to spend more time building up than cashing in. I build it up by coloring wtihin the lines whenever possible. Once in a while I cash it in to throw the players for a loop with something out of the left field that pushes the rules aside.

 

[Felon]

Dang, beat me too it.

The symbionts in FF have always seemed very Vancian to me; cf. especially the Cugel stories in which the main character is implanted with a creature that will know if Cugel strays.

LOL, that's exactly what I thinking of with regards to the necrotic cyst. Frix was the symbiont's name in Cugel the Clever, I believe.

But I thought the symbionts in FF were beneficial--basically like the fantasy equivalent of cybernetics. Are there any that serve the purpose I described?

 

[I'm A Banana]

Nyambe gave diseases an SR.

I've followed suit with some poisons and other effects. The "cure" significantly lowers this SR.

It's not fool-proof, but it makes things a bit tougher than a quick spell.

 

[Set]

Nyambe gave diseases an SR.

I've followed suit with some poisons and other effects. The "cure" significantly lowers this SR.

It's not fool-proof, but it makes things a bit tougher than a quick spell.

This is particularly suitable for a disease or toxin that is extraplanar in nature, or crafted from the essence of an extraplanar life-form that is spell-resistant. To make it hard for the PCs to get ahold of and use after the fact, have it be unable to survive outside of a host body in the material plane. The poison or contagion couldn't then be harvested to be used by the PCs, it has to be inflicted by the extraplanar creature it comes from, and cannot survive outside of a living host. Only the bad-guy knows the spell, having researched it himself, to summon the Far Realms beastie that inflicts said toxin / contagion, and only he knows the cure (which is to summon the same beastie, which has the power to re-absorb it's host-larvae / parasitic-spores / toxic-blood into itself, 'curing' those infected).

Specifically designed curses, perhaps from items, or spells to possess a person with a minor spirit that is capable of inflicting sickness when you go against it's wishes (or the wishes of the person who implanted it) also work (similar to the Symbiont idea, but using possessing spirits or fiends, instead of organisms).

Radiation, perhaps from some dull gray stone found only at a juncture between the planes of earth, fire and positive matter, could make for a debilitating effect that can't be removed as a Curse, Disease or Poison, only via a Heal spell or greater effect, and even then, only after the radioactive material is removed from the body of those afflicted (after being put there via grinding up and putting in food, or something).

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

Trust is something you have to spend more time building up than cashing in. I build it up by coloring wtihin the lines whenever possible. Once in a while I cash it in to throw the players for a loop with something out of the left field that pushes the rules aside.

Right. But this is a perfect example, I think, of when it's desirable to cash it in. And you're not really 'cashing it in' in the sense that you're going to lose their trust. You're not doing this to screw them over, it's just a plot hook. You're setting up a puzzle that has a reasonable in game solution, it's just one where metagame knowledge isn't going to help much.

 

[Aaron L]

D'oH.

I thought the dilemma you were referring to was about everyone saying to him "I thought you'd be taller."


Maybe a very high level Monk using Quivering Palm?

 

[Hawken]

What about a Mission Impossible 3-like plot device. An object is placed inside the PC's heads. If activated it releases a Shocking Grasp or similar spell directly to the PC's brain (instant death). Since the object cannot be seen directly, it cannot receive a targeted Dispel Magic and it would not be an active effect so just casting a Dispel Magic on the character would not stop it either.

 

[Land Outcast]

Eeeeeevil!

Overseer (Half Fiend Mind Leech)
Fine Outsider (Evil, Symbiont)
Hit Dice: 1d8+1 (5 hp)
Initiative: -2
Speed: 1 ft.
AC: 21 (+1 Natural, +8 Size, -2 Dex), Touch 16, Flat Footed 17
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-19
Attack: Bite +5 Melee (Attach)
Space/Reach: 1/2 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Attach, Darkness 3/day (CL 1), Mind Blast, Psionics, Smite Good
Special Qualities: A/C/E/F resistance 10, DR 5/magic, Darkvision 60 ft, Immunity to poison, symbiont traits, SR 11, telepathy
Saves: Fort +1, Ref -2, Will +6
Abilities: Str 5, Dex 7, Con 13, Int 20, Wis 14, Cha 18, Ego 23
Skills: Concentration +5, Hide +14, Knowledge (Any two) +9, Listen +6, Move Silently +6, Sense Motive +6, Spellcraft +9, Spot +6
Feats: Alertness (B), Iron Will, Spell penetration (B)
CR: 1 or base creature +3

Attach (Ex): If an overseer hits with its bite attack, it burrows into the target's flesh and makes its way to the brain stem. Since the bite deals no damage and the leech secretes an anesthetic, the host is often unaware it has been bitten until the overseer has established itself at the seat of the host's central nervous system.

Mind Blast (Su): This attack is a 60-foot cone. Anyone caught in this cone must make a Will save (DC 19) or be stunned for 1d4 rounds. Each time the overseer uses this ability, it deals 1 point of intelligence damage to the host. An overseer without a host cannot use this ability.

Psionics (Sp): At will - charm monster, detect thoughts, dominate person, and suggestion. These abilities are as the spells cast by a 10th-level sorcerer (Save DC 14 + spell level). Each time the overseer uses its charm monster or suggestion power it deals 1 point of intelligence damage to the host. Using its dominate person ability deals 2 points of intelligence damage to the host. An overseer without a host cannot use these abilities (though it can use detect thoughts).

Telepathy (Su): An overseer can communicate telepathically with its host, if it has a language.

Skills: An overseer has a +4 bonus on Move Silently checks.

*Ego: just like magic items (Will 23 or be controlled for a whole day)


Or just use a normal Mind Leech...

 

[VirgilCaine]

Quivering Palm.

If you're directly trying to duplicate Snake Plisken, it lasts 24 hours. You could also easily use a Limited Wish or a Wish or a custom spell to lengthen the time the vibration lasts...

D'oH.

I thought the dilemma you were referring to was about everyone saying to him "I thought you'd be taller."

Maybe a very high level Monk using Quivering Palm?

Damn you, you beat me to it!