D&D 5E Good disadvantage for missing heart?

[Spanambula]

New here (ish), apologies if this is the wrong forum.

So I'm running a campaign where our Human Warlock 1 has switched Archfey Patrons (because plot) and wound up with the Queen of Air and Darkness.
Planning his first visit to her court, at some point she's going to rip out his heart and keep it while he's serving her. This won't kill him, and eventually the party will have to try to get it back, but for now I'm trying to have a simple "Benefit/Flaw" of having your heart frozen somewhere outside your body.

I was thinking as the benefit, get advantage on saves against enchantments, but I'm having trouble thinking of a good downside that's significant but not crippling. Any suggestion appreciated.

 

[Caliban]

If you want to do something symbolic, say the heart is the seat of emotion and passion. Thus they now have reduced empathy and come off as cold and unfeeling, giving disadvantage on social checks, but advantage or immunity to being charmed.

"I am immune to the Siren's charms, as my heart belongs to another. No really, she keeps it in a small box."

 

[merwins]

Yep. [MENTION=284]Caliban[/MENTION] has it. If you're going the symbolic route.

If you're going the mechanical/physical route, the heart is simply the way your blood gets around.
Resistance to poison, advantage on poison saves
Vulnerability to cold, disadvantage on saves versus cold attacks.

I'd also suggest that not having a heart(beat) would freak out most animals. Disadvantage for Animal Handling.

Frau Blücher!

 

[FormerlyHemlock]

Ask the wizard Howl!

 

[Spanambula]

Thanks Caliban, I'm planning on going with your suggestion.

I warned my player that their PC was probably going to get a fairly permanent bonus/penalty in this weekend's session, and they were amenable, so we'll see how it goes.

 

[merwins]

You could also symbolically have the heart represent energy, or motivation, which could lend itself to a very strong benefit/drawback combo.

Benefit:
Undead fortitude as the Zombie ability (see MM)

Drawback:
Unmotivated: You must succeed at a DC 12 WIS check to take any reactions.
(Warning: this affects action economy, and I haven't really thought it through, but it seems on par with the benefit above)

From a narrative perspective, check out the Cold of Heart entry under Yuan-Ti (again MM)

 

[Quickleaf]

Thanks Caliban, I'm planning on going with your suggestion.

I warned my player that their PC was probably going to get a fairly permanent bonus/penalty in this weekend's session, and they were amenable, so we'll see how it goes.

Another or an additional option: Make it a flaw, and let the player gain Inspiration anytime they play it up to their PC's detriment.

Flaw: You're missing your heart, making you cold and emotionless.

For the Queen of Air and Darkness, I'm picturing her hiding his heart in a mimic with some version of the shadow dragon template applied, in a vast chamber with "monk jumping pillars" made of basalt or obsidian as the way to traverse to the "rock island" at the center where the mimic resides. Gusts of screaming wind that upburst from the floor (pocked with wind tunnels) threaten to toss jumpers through the air if a jump is mis-timed.

Within the mimic is the PC's heart as a dark glowing gem. They need to converse with the mimic to convince or trick it to release the heart-gem. Killing the mimic might threaten to destroy the heart if its not extracted quickly (e.g. using universal solvent) from the dissolving acidic goo of the mimic's corpse.

 

[Storyteller Hero]

You'd take necrotic damage in a dead magic zone or anti magic field since your body is essentially being sustained by magic.

Beholders would be that much scarier.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

Immunity to charm, fear, and inspiration; disadvantage to social skills.

 

[BookBarbarian]

I would do advantage on INT skill checks, because since your heart can't get in the way, you have reached a new analytical peak. Disadvantage on CHA checks, because others can see how cold and alien you have become.