How do you deal with captured PCs?

[Calico_Jack73]

It's funny... whenever there are captured PC's inevitably someone starts to bemoan their character and wishes that they had played a Monk instead.

 

[Templeton580]

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[Eric Tolle]

Losing ones gear is an opportunity to test out new gear and different magic items. Its an opportunity to actually look at their raw stats, skills, and feats and see what those have to offer. The character SHOULD be more than a chassi to hang cool crap from afterall.

Or, if I'm playing a mage, it's an opportunity to be a commoner for the next dozen sessions or so, while the GM hems and haws and explains that it would be unfair to replace the 10,000+ GP invested in the spellbook. But if I'm nice, it's a chance to start buying spells from scratch. With no money.

Bottom line is, if I'm playing a mage, it's almost always less trouble to simply start a new character after the spellbook's been taken away.

 

[Glyfair]

Bottom line is, if I'm playing a mage, it's almost always less trouble to simply start a new character after the spellbook's been taken away.

There is a difference between having a spellbook taken away and having it destroyed. Destroying a wizard's spellbook is tantamount to killing him in most games, as far as playability. Taking it away gives him something to go after and a big handicap for a session or two (requiring that is unfair except in the most roleplay heavy games). Spellbooks are valuable, few will destroy them (1E barbarians and the like might).

Plus, going into a campaign knowing that might lose your spellbook means that the Spell Mastery feat might actually be used. I'm pretty sure the purpose of it was to allow wizards to operate during periods when they don't have their spellbooks.

 

[Templeton580]

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[Flexor the Mighty!]

Or, if you're playing a mage, you could invest in a traveling spellbook. Or has that concept been dropped from the current edition?

I dunno...some of the best adventures I can remember from the "old days" of 2e involved having the spellbook taken away. My character made extensive use of Magic Jar, which of course was broken, but the downside was that I was always getting trapped in some other body without my stuff around. Forces one to be resourceful. (And eventually my original body got destroyed too. You think it's tough playing with no book? try playing with no corporeal form! )

Since conflict (i.e. "trouble") is the basis of all good stories, and, arguably, good RPG sessions, I never quite understand why people want to avoid trouble. To each his own; I only play if there's risk, and I certainly don't retire characters when they lose their stuff.

But then again, "stuff" is pretty hardwired into the current edition, so there you go.

You will probably get bashed but I agree totally.

I had my mage have his horse eaten by a Bullette and the traveling spellbook was eaten along with it. I had a full compliment of memorized spells but I had to make due until I could get the chance to get my full spellbook from the keep a session or two later. I still did fine and was able to contribute plenty though I had to pick my spots and gameplan not just fire spells willy nilly.

 

[Glyfair]

Or, if you're playing a mage, you could invest in a traveling spellbook. Or has that concept been dropped from the current edition?

Pretty much, given the huge expense of copying spells again into the book.

Boccob's Blessed Book and it's more economical cousin, Aureon's Spellshard, sometimes fill the role. Still, they typically become the main spellbook because it completely gets around the "scribe spells" cost (and wizards don't pay to scribe a spell into their regular book when it's free to put it in one of the above items).

 

[dagger]

One time the DM told me ahead of time that he was going to try and capture the party.

Being a veteran player, I went along with it when the time came. I helped convince the rest of the party that they should not fight to the death.

Other than that one time, players will always run and/or fight to the death. I know plenty of players would rather just fight to the death and roll up something new.

 

[KrazyHades]

Though there are many options that allow for an adventure centered around escaping, my favorite is to have the PCs split into 2 teams and set to fight one another, gladiator-style. The surviving team can escape. Inevitably, the players decide to work together to overcome the guards, slaughter some of the bloodthirsty fans watching, and dramatically free a veritable army of other gladiators out of the dungeon/arena/place.

To help me expand adventure possibilities and contacts later in the game, I have the escaped people form some sort of secret society whose goal is to find other such institutions and destroy them, recruiting the rescued pit fighters. The few "fleshed out" NPCs from among the gladiators become the leaders, as well as becoming dependable contacts who can help supply the players with discount weaponry or some allied warriors.

Take every situation that is thrown at you and use it to give yourself more plot opportunities, more adventures, and more contacts. As the PCs experience more and more of the world, their network of contacts and the stories of their exploits expand, making them become a real force in the world (eventually). There's nothing that a PC loves than to have more than a young warrior from the society come up to them, eyes filled with awe, and say "You...you were the ones who led the First Escape!" kind of thing. No matter what, every situation the PCs get into is a boon to the DM.

 

[Oryan77]

Maybe you guys who would rather have their PCs die than lose their loot (or even spellbook) haven't played enough MMORPGs with PVP features turned on You'll get used to losing all your stuff pretty quickly.

Cause I just don't get that attitude. During my first time playing D&D (I was 17), I lost all of my characters possessions 3 times throughout that campaigns first year due to being captured by the enemy. For me, I enjoyed escaping captivity and trying to get my PC back on his feet. My best D&D stories are about escaping and getting revenge.

I'll just chalk it up to play styles. I prefer to play a PC as a real person and see what life has in store for him rather than just a character with stats who needs to hit level 20 ASAP.