Good idea or goofy?

[Abstraction]

I got an idea for a side adventure to run a little later on for my group. The group consists a wizard/barbarian, druid, fighter/barbarian, cleric/ranger, warlock and ninja. The wizard has a familiar, the warlock took a feat and has a familiar also, the fighter started with a special mount (a bull), and the druid has a large snake animal companion. The ranger will be getting an animal companion as soon as he levels. That means that only the ninja (who just joined) will not have an animal with them.

I was thinking of putting them in a situation where their characters are helpless (paralyzed or petrified) and having the group play the animals who have to destroy the magic thingy to save their masters. The situation I am tossing in my head would be a tower that has powerful but fragile magic artifact A. This thingy turns people to stone, but has the side effect of making animals a little smarter. The tower is overrun with monkeys, who, because they are now smarter, are actively drawing in people and turning them to stone. After they turn the group to stone, their animals will get about a 3 point Int boost and can rescue them. The animals are a raven familiar, a weasel familiar, a bull and a large snake. I don't know what the ranger will be taking.

Good idea or bad idea? If a good idea, what to do about the player of the ninja?

 

[Mouseferatu]

I don't know if it's a good idea or a bad one, but I can tell it's very much like one I myself have had. So if it's bad, I'm right there with you.

I've never actually done it, though, so I can't say how well it would work.

 

[lukelightning]

This could be fun; it seems like you were reading my mind; in my campaign (all my players stop reading now!) I was thinking of afflicting the players with a mind-switch thing that puts their mind into animals or monsters...they'll have to play as the animals until they can reverse the process.

 

[Kahuna Burger]

I have a one shot I've run several times (some enworlders have played it) with pretty much that theme. I designed all the critters for marginal balance and "having something to do", so that made it a little easier to plan. Just remember - barbarian badger with power attack = scarey.

also:

"So can we tie him up or something?"

*kahuna gives player long look*

"Holy cow, none of us have opposable thumbs!"

 

[gamecat]

That is an awesome idea. Sounds like something straight out of a final fantasy.

 

[Richards]

Since this would essentially be a one-shot adventure, and since monkeys are the prime enemies, why not have one rogue monkey decide he doesn't want to go along with the rest of his troop, and actively work to stop the other monkeys? This would give your ninja's player somebody to run for that adventure, and monkeys at least have an opposable thumb so it would be a useful addition to the "animal party."

Johnathan

 

[Len]

[Exactly what I was thinking]

So yeah, that.

I think it's a good idea. I wouldn't mind playing it.

 

[Andor]

Good idea or bad idea? If a good idea, what to do about the player of the ninja?

Good idea. Sounds like a lot of fun. Either run it some night the ninja can't make it, or give him a one shot item to let him mind jar a monkey as he is petrified.

Beware the ninja monkey.

 

[EdL]

Definitely sounds like fun. As has been said, let the Ninja player play a monkey. One thing you have to be a little careful about in a tower is what to do with the bull. Great for bashing in doors, if he's got enough room to manouver. Otherwise he's got nothing much to do. (Most of the time, anyway.)

 

[Herobizkit]

I've played at least one adventure where the entire party has been changed into animals... it was no doubt one of the most memorable games I've ever played. I completely enjoyed it.