D&D 5E Good disadvantage for missing heart?

[merwins]

Excellent. I was trying to figure out a way to express that, but I kept going the skills route. Ability route is stronger.

 

[Warmaster Horus]

Disadvantage on Death Saves seems appropriate. It doesn't come up that often and should make the player a little less cavalier about risking their PC.

 

[merwins]

Disadvantage on Death Saves seems appropriate. It doesn't come up that often and should make the player a little less cavalier about risking their PC.

From a traditionalist viewpoint, I don't like this. Most fantasy tropes have separating things like the heart and the soul from the rest of a person to be more of an "insurance policy" when it comes to durability.

But as far as throwing the player for a loop, it could be interesting.

 

[Warmaster Horus]

From a traditionalist viewpoint, I don't like this. Most fantasy tropes have separating things like the heart and the soul from the rest of a person to be more of an "insurance policy" when it comes to durability...

So easier to kill ... but also easier to raise or circumvents some things that prevent raising?

 

[Spanambula]

You know, it might be interesting to have the benefit/drawback that the player knows about and a benefit drawback that they DON'T know about until it comes up in play. In which case a easier dead/ easier raised condition might go unnoticed for some time. Very interesting. *evil DM tented fingers*

 

[MarkB]

To turn it up a notch, maybe have the Queen put something there in place of the heart - something that will keep body and soul together until the heart is returned. A seed or bulb, perhaps.

The character could then lose certain human traits but gain Fey-like or plant-like ones that are useful in the Queen's service. But there's a catch - the seed, once planted, will begin to sprout, and the longer it is there, the more it will grow within his body, gradually wreaking further changes.

 

[Staccat0]

I think others nailed it. My instinct was to give them
Disadvantage on CHA saves and advantage on INT saves since they are fairly rare, but it was a boring instinct.

 

[SmokeyCriminal]

Maybe he doesn't have to and/or doesn't enjoy eating, drinking, sleeping (No more Dreams) anymore. And make a flaw for him to hook onto, something like 'Can't enjoy the finer things in life.' So it makes him act a little bitter.
Or better yet, go the opposite with the flaw, he still doesn't enjoy/needs to eat, drink, sleep, but hes compelled to drink and eat more because hes desperate to feel that satisfaction and the flaw is something like 'desperate yearning.' so it makes him a little manic.

 

[Spanambula]

That would be something like the Pirates of the Caribbean curse, then. Interesting idea.

 

[Leatherhead]

If you need a physical penalty, you could halve all magical healing received.