Need something nasty to do to a scryer

[shilsen]

That is actually kind of the point of the post. Ideas for consequences. "You scry on the Lich? Well, then you're dead." is not really my style.

Or maybe I should just teleport a couple of Pit Fiends in on him while he is sitting on the crapper? Doesn't make for a good game, in my experience.

I'm not suggesting you do the "Bang! You're dead!" thing at all. I think that gradually his targets should become aware of him, use divinations and scry back, and then either turn up themselves or send a hit squad after him. I'd also think that they wouldn't automatically kill him but would capture him and want to know who this guys is and why he's spying on them.

By the way, Spatula's suggestion above is a good idea. Nightmare is a great spell for messing up arcane casters.

 

[Ferret]

On Icewindale a diviner try to scry a goblin camp and went into a delierious sleep. You can do loads of stuff.

 

[Ozmar]

(Eldragon - great post. I like your progression of consequences. Its going into my DMs folder of ideas.)

Here's another idea to consider: Give the player what he wants. I love it when my players cast scry, because I almost always use it to give them the information that I want them to have. (In fact, I frequently ignore the target's chance to notice the sensor if I reason that they are distracted and/or I want the player to see this.) I use it as an opportunity to present a "cut scene" and reveal some of the backstory of the game.

Just think of all the possibilities. What is the target actually doing at that moment? Maybe they're sleeping, eating breakfast, exercising, pouring over an ancient tome of magic, or doing something that is completely empty of useful information. Or maybe they are completing a negotiation with an ally, or writing in his journal, looking over his battle-plans, or giving key orders to one of his minions.

I usually use a scrying attempt as an opportunity to give the player information I want him to have. I give him clues that will direct him to the next adventure, or give him something that will lead him to move forward on his current task.

For example: The players are investigating the mysterious deaths in the city and they think it may be vampires or it may be mind flayers. Its really mind flayers, but they've had problems with vampires in the past, and know of a vampire queen and suspect she's the culprit. I want them to follow-up on some clues to go look for mind flayers in the sewers. So they scry on the vampire queen, and they see her talking to a group of minions. She demands to know what is going on in her city! She says the cattle are being culled by poachers, and she won't stand for it. One of her minions suggests that he's heard rumors of mind flayers. Another mentions a clue that he saw a tentacled beast near Plot Point Warehouse. The queen orders them to investigate and bring her any creatures alive for questioning. End scry.

This leads the players towards the intended adventure plot (and gives me ideas: maybe I'll include a band of vampire spawn at a certain encounter that helps/hinders the players), and it does so through their own efforts, so they are rewarded for using their skills. Also, it gives them more options to think outside the box. Maybe they'll survey the warehouse and let the vampires go in first to "soften up" the opposition? Or maybe they'll try to beat them there to rescue the human captives (whom the vampires would surely kill).

When players scry on their enemies (and when they use other divinations) they are basically begging for the DM to give them guidance. As a DM, you should give them what they want, and do it in a way that drives them towards whatever direction you want them to pursue.

Ozmar the Player-Herding DM

 

[Nail]

Easy problem to solve

....When players scry on their enemies (and when they use other divinations) they are basically begging for the DM to give them guidance.

This is excellent stuff, Ozmar.

As for this Brd 15:
He's got 4 scry spells per day.......so the fact that he's going to do this "all the time" is irrelevant. He can only do it 4 times (maybe 5) per day, total. That's at 4 hours of casting time, BTW; did you mention to him that means no item creation during those days?

As for the results: Considering each scry is for only a short period (15 minutes), it's rather unlikely that the Brd 15 will see anything useful. I mean, come on......if someone was only able to watch you for 15 minutes per day, determined essentially at random....how much would they learn about you and your plans? Not much.

And the risk? If he does this everyday on the same set of people, those people will eventually find out. (Heck, they should already have some sort of Detect Scry up, at the very least. A once per day magic item of detect scry, command word activated, should be about 10,000 gp.....or just have the royalty hire a wizard for this purpose.)

So, your problem condenses down to a simple one: In your campaign: What do rich, powerful people do when they find someone spying on them?

 

[Will]

Remember that scry is blocked by (checking) lead sheeting. Not too hard to set up safe rooms (bedroom?) to avoid detection. At higher levels, just about all buildings are likely to be protected, so you only detect when the guy is wandering outside protection (and not using a spell).