Giving a PC a flaw at every level..good idea or bad idea?

[Deuce Traveler]

This could work if done right, and is an intriguing idea. I'd have the player be on board for it, though, as it can end in an epic manner.

There was a 3.5 third party manual of some sorts that allowed for a party of liches. In this alternate rule set, liches were actually somewhat common and actually had their own city they ruled. As the lich leveled, however, he had to take up a mental flaw. So the PCs were powerful, but as they developed they would inevitably gather a host of mental disadvantages which would guarentee self-destruction at higher levels due to their increased insanity. I actually thought it would make for a dark, brief, and yet fun campaign.

 

[Blackbrrd]

Of course, this might cripple a PC, but that is the point. He made a deal with a demon. The fun factor begins when he realizes his mistake and tries to overcome this "curse". That's an adventure in itself. So it isn't as if he won't have the chance to "fix" his PC if he wanted to.

To start out, the flaw is very likely worth it, but when the flaws stack up, it just gets worse and worse, making the character brittle. Brittle isn't what you want a character to be if you want him to live.

This is just like a curse should work, and how it usually works out in literature. If you make a deal with the devil, you are not going to end up on top if you assume the devil plays fair.

Now, I think just as important as selecting good flaws is to think of several ways to lift the curse, and give the PC plenty of subtle hints about this. If the PC starts to investigate, don't make it too hard to get the relevant info.

(Slightly off-topic: I have found that giving out lots of hints really makes the game feel less rail-roady than few hints. Making up subtle hints if a player has a good idea also feels more natural and the game can get really dynamic. If you never respond to player ideas, they will soon stop making things up, since they know you are running a pre-set script that doesn't adjust to what the players do)

 

[Umbran]

Actually just 2 PCs, but the sorcerer could strike the deal for himself to save the other PC from the trouble if they wanted.

It isn't the flaws, but this, that I find more problematic. This gives one player the toys, and the story focus. Unless that PC was already short on spotlight-time, it creates an attention imbalance. You might want to be careful of that.

I think just using one flaw isn't so nasty. The penalty of the flaw may not even really be in the fiends favor compared to the feat chosen. Which is the enticing part for this PC.

As the pusher says, "First one's free!"

 

[Oryan77]

It isn't the flaws, but this, that I find more problematic. This gives one player the toys, and the story focus. Unless that PC was already short on spotlight-time, it creates an attention imbalance. You might want to be careful of that.

The entire point of this scenario is to give this exact PC some spotlight-time (or even both PCs if that is how it turns out). I'd like to implement this in order to avoid an attention imbalance.

As the pusher says, "First one's free!"

Good comparison. That's exactly what I'm trying to convey in this deal with a demon.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

I really like this idea. The PC still benefits, the choice to accept and choose feats is up to the player, the flaws are up to you, and the Demon becomes a reoccurring villain even when not present. Great gaming hook.

 

[Elf Witch]

If the player is on board this can be a great plot for them. As a Shadowrun player I really like disadds that have a real game effect. I never been satisfied with it in DnD because they are not really disadds. To make it worth the feat they should have a real impact on the character.

 

[Umbran]

The entire point of this scenario is to give this exact PC some spotlight-time (or even both PCs if that is how it turns out). I'd like to implement this in order to avoid an attention imbalance.

Excellent! Flavorful, and fills a need? What more can one ask for?

 

[Li Shenron]

I just chime in to say I like this too!
[MENTION=63962]Blackbrrd[/MENTION] gave excellent points. This can be a seed for a great story arc for the character and the whole party. Leave a door open for a way to undo the curse (erasing all flaws but also losing all corresponding feats of course), but don't guarantee success: it might also end up with the Sorcerer truly doomed.

The only difference in the way I'd do it, is that I would roll randomly for the flaws. After all, a Glabrezu is chaotic evil

 

[Oryan77]

Our session played out over the weekend and it couldn't have gone better. The fiend offered (or as Tanar'ri prefer to do...demanded) that they accept a deal from him if they wanted him to spare their lives. The choices were:

1. Give him their soul. This would have made it impossible for them to be resurrected and they would eventually end up as a Tanar'ri after they die.

2. He would grant them immortality, but they must serve him by spreading chaos. This would have slowly turned them each into a Dretch.

3. They could kill an enemy of his. This enemy would have been a lawful good celestial.

4. He told them that his favorite "offer" would be the following: Mastery of their most focused talent, be it, the arcane arts, or skills with a blade. In return, they will receive a personal flaw so that the chaos that comes from it will be influential on the reality around them. Then I explained out of game that this meant they could pick a feat related to their class abilities and they would receive a flaw in return."

They went with option #4. I gave them their flaw first and then let them pick their feat. They didn't respond much about the flaw, so I don't know if they thought they came out on top or not. But they may react more when they start realizing they are taking flaws every time they level and the flaw gets worse and worse each time.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

Our session played out over the weekend and it couldn't have gone better....

Sounds like you handled that masterfully. Gave options, nudged them a little (telling of a "favorite") but still gave the choice, and you're holding back the surprise "every level" thing reveal until later. Nice work!

Did this apply just to the Sorcerer PC, or to everyone? I was under the impression in your OP that this was to highlight one player. If multiple PCs, are you assigning different flaws to each of them?