How would you like this as a player...

[just__al]

Here's the scenario. The party is currently astrally projecting to the well... Astral Plane.

Allies are guarding their bodies.

The party made no efforts to disguise/misdirect their plans and efforts and assassin's are now attacking.


The next session starts with "Meanwhile back on the prime, your physical bodies are in danger"

I am printing out Character sheets for the allies and placing them face down on the table. Everybody grabs one and plays out the defense of the astral travellers.

This is the beginning of the final session of this campagin...

 

[C.W.Richeson]

I think it sounds fun, though at the very end of the campaign (last several session) I'd want to play my character rather than a pregenerated NPC.

 

[Crothian]

Sounds good to me.

 

[Piratecat]

Just be aware that by doing this, you will ensure that they will never use astral travel again. If you're okay with that, go for it.

 

[moritheil]

Just be aware that by doing this, you will ensure that they will never use astral travel again. If you're okay with that, go for it.

If they have the choice, you mean.

 

[Gold Roger]

As player I'd be all over this. If it wasn't on the last session.

In your stated scenario (this is at the start of the final session of the campaign) I'd be quite anyoed. I'd want to go straight for the finale.

I disagree with the kitty that this disencourages astral travel. It's a neat break from the routine and it shows them that they planned well on recrouting allies to protect them while astrally traveling (assuming it was the players plan).

So, I think it's a cool idea, but it suffers from bad timing.

 

[Woas]

It would be great in the following two cases:

It was the start of a new campaign where the newly rolled up characters are the body guards. Or if it was a one-shot Con/Gameday game... and one of the players was actually a mole.

OR

My memory on higher level spells is a little fuzzy cause I haven't played high level D&D in awhile but is there a spell where you create a duplicate of yourself instead of just a projection of yourself in the astral plane? Or maybe the spell does that already? If that was the case, then if the game revolved around playing the clone of your character and trying to find your way a) out of the astral plane to the material world and then b) hunted down your murderers.

 

[just__al]

I think it sounds fun, though at the very end of the campaign (last several session) I'd want to play my character rather than a pregenerated NPC.

We've set aside a 12 hour session instead of our normal 3 for next saturday.. This will be just a quick side trip of an encounter...

I don't think it will take too much away from everything..

 

[Wandering Star]

Sounds great. Good way to grab the player's attention straight off the bat.

As to whether the characters will ever use the spell again, i think 'too bad.' the spell description specifically mentions that it is a danger, and if players are going to assume that the DM wont catch themout on one of these things every now and then, they have it too easy. If they need to astral travel again, I'm sure they would use it. Ive known players (myself included) that have skimmed over entries like that in spell descriptions thinking that things like that at the DMs discretion will never be used so why worry.

 

[just__al]

Sounds great. Good way to grab the player's attention straight off the bat.

As to whether the characters will ever use the spell again, i think 'too bad.' the spell description specifically mentions that it is a danger, and if players are going to assume that the DM wont catch themout on one of these things every now and then, they have it too easy. If they need to astral travel again, I'm sure they would use it. Ive known players (myself included) that have skimmed over entries like that in spell descriptions thinking that things like that at the DMs discretion will never be used so why worry.

They've actually been interrupted once (and only once) having their heroes feast. So they know something like this could happen to them...

Besides, as long as one defender survives, the players are fine...