How to stop a druid from wildshaping?

[SPoD]

Actually, if someone was going to kidnap a druid, they would hire a wizard and have him cast hold person on the druid. After that they clamp hi in irona nd toss him into the nearest dungeon.

Even if he can wildshap once he come to, he wont be able to get anywhere. Being bound he will not be able to cast spells such as stone to mud.

It would be trivially easy to wildshape into a chimpanzee or lemur, remove the now-loose irons from his hands and feet, then change back and cast whatever spells he wishes.

 

[Sitara]

Whoops. Yes, so they can have a guard keep checking up on him; and if it seems he is about to escape get in their and pound on him.

Eventualy he will loose all memorized spells, and once he does they don't let him sleep for 8 hours straight, so he can never renew them.

 

[Treebore]

For spells I believe they still need their "holy symbol", so strip them of their holy symbol and stick them in an iron maiden and your pretty safe.

 

[amethal]

The only problem with the metal armor bit is that if one interprets that restriction to be one of obedience and adherence to a taboo, there's room for the player to argue that his god (or Mother Nature) would know that the armor had been forcibly placed on him--and by that argument, he ought to lose his powers every time someone stabs him with a sword, because that's metal too. You're basically changing a spiritual vow into a physical allergy to metal.

I interpret it as a spiritual vow, as I prefer it to the "allergy" alternative.

I also think it would be funny if ignorant PCs or NPCs get it wrong. After all, druids have plenty of secrets; no reason everybody would know the exact reason why they don't wear metal armour.

 

[Nifft]

The only problem with the metal armor bit is that if one interprets that restriction to be one of obedience and adherence to a taboo, there's room for the player to argue that his god (or Mother Nature) would know that the armor had been forcibly placed on him--and by that arguement, he ought to lose his powers every time someone stabs him with a sword, because that's metal too. You're basically changing a spiritual vow into a physical allergy to metal.

At the very least, for internal consistency, you should have the villain use Suggestion to get the druid to put the armor on himself, rather than holding him down and strapping it on. That way, you can tell your player that his god feels he's supposed to have enough willpower to overcome such magic, and if he doesn't, well, sucks to be him for a day.

What vow are you talking about? All I see in the SRD is this:

Druids are proficient with light and medium armor but are prohibited from wearing metal armor; thus, they may wear only padded, leather, or hide armor. (A druid may also wear wooden armor that has been altered by the ironwood spell so that it functions as though it were steel. See the ironwood spell description) Druids are proficient with shields (except tower shields) but must use only wooden ones.

A druid who wears prohibited armor or carries a prohibited shield is unable to cast druid spells or use any of her supernatural or spell-like class abilities while doing so and for 24 hours thereafter.

There's no reason for the prohibition, nor is there an explanation for what kind of exceptions the rules would permit. Also, the 24 hour auto-reset is mechanically different from what we see in vow-based class restrictions.

Contrast this with the Paladin, for example: if he violates his vow-based class restrictions, he must atone to get them back. No 24 hour auto-reset for his class abilities.

Cheers, -- N

 

[fba827]

I feel like I read an abjuration that changes polymorph self, lycanthrope, and wildshaped cretaures back to true form and prevents them from changing for 10min/level.... or something like that.

but i have no clue where i saw it (or if it was all imagined in my sleep deprived mind.....)

but i thought i'd still mention it in case it jogged someone else's memory.

but having said all that....antimagic field -- it's the simplest way to go without making an obvious "we have this in our bag of tricks even though it serves no purpose other than stopping you from wildshaping" -- unless of course this is a BBEG that has studied the PCs and specifically knows this to be an ability of theirs... cause then you can antimagic field a whole combat area if the BBEG is purely martial build or otherwise exempt from it (just be sure to still have something the spellcasters could do otherwise they'd be bored without even a dagger to wield while waiting for the fighters to finish beating each other with sticks)

 

[Hypersmurf]

The only problem with the metal armor bit is that if one interprets that restriction to be one of obedience and adherence to a taboo, there's room for the player to argue that his god (or Mother Nature) would know that the armor had been forcibly placed on him--and by that arguement, he ought to lose his powers every time someone stabs him with a sword, because that's metal too.

The druid is allowed to use a sword with no ill effect. It's only the armor/shield that's prohibited.

-Hyp.

 

[Satori]

Actually, I think you'll have a pretty good response from your druid PC if you bring out a "Blade" style adamantine containment "suit".

i.e. Steve Buschemi's character from "Con Air" being wheeled out in full "Scary Prisoner" attire.

Not only will it keep the character imprisoned, but if you roleplay the guards/NPCs as truly terrified of the druid's potential, then it will also lend a sense of empowerment to your PC...making them not only open to imprisonment, but actually pleased with the portrayal.

Just a thought.

 

[Claudius Gaius]

Why get exotic? Dose him with opium to keep him asleep (or too confused to do much) or just hit him again every time he starts to wake up. If you want to keep him a long time, put a ring of sustanence on him or just assign someone to feeding him like a coma victim.

 

[jdrakeh]

There is a set of magical manacles (Shackles of Apathy) in Relics & Rituals that saps the wearer's will to escape.