Sacrificial Bunnies (Warlock curse question)

[Wotansman]

What if you are teaching your bunnies to summon Orcus with a nose wiggle, THEN you have a legitimate threat!

Note: this has been said in humor, I hope it can be seen that way.

 

[Obryn]

I have been unsuccessfully looking through the forums for the past couple weeks to try and find the answer to a question about the warlock curse, and using it in a combo I like to call sacrificial bunnies.

I still think that it had to have been discussed somewhere and if someone can direct me to a link I would be happy.

The question is about using the warlock curse on an innocent bystander, or some arbitrary and easy to kill target (in my example it will be a bunny) then kill the target to activate the pact boon, or later the paragon effects.

An example of a use would be to have a cage that a medium humanoid could fit, put a bunny in it, curse then kill said bunny then twilight teleport bad guy into the cage. A way to imprison an enemy without having to worry about such silly things as hitting. Or do it to a goldfish in a tank and have someone close and lock the lid.

A life stealer could alternately (sticking with bunnies) use this to keep life spark healing on him.

I do not see any neat things the star pact could do with it.

Overall, this does not seem game breaking, but someone please tell me what I overlooked, and why it does not work. Otherwise my warlock may start carrying a sack of bunnies around for easy misty step (bunnies chosen for speed of reproduction of course.)

No, you can't do this unless your DM is crazy and/or a pushover.

You need a credible threat for powers like this to work. And no, captured monsters & kobold henchmen don't qualify.

More than 3e, 4e requires a DM to use common sense and have a backbone.

-O

 

[Bolongo]

No more bang, just a whimper...

[Derren apparently being immune to divine retribution, he instead goes on my Ignore list.]

 

[Derren]

More than 3e, 4e requires a DM to use common sense and have a backbone.

Its common sense that abilities don't work because of an arbitrary metagame factor? Hardly. By common sense, this would work.

 

[Wotansman]

Exploitation does not common sense make. I just think it's far to burdensome to have to deal with it, there is no way one would have large enough resources to do this.
Also, In my OH so humble opinon players should be able to trust the DM, and vice versa, this is an obvious attempt to exploit the rules, by my eyes. So that trust boundary is in question, and starts a downward spiral, of one-up's-manship.
So it'll be more fun to look for more traditional ways to utilize the power, as opposed to attempt to milk it.

 

[Byronic]

What if you are teaching your bunnies to summon Orcus with a nose wiggle, THEN you have a legitimate threat!

Note: this has been said in humor, I hope it can be seen that way.

In medieval days they dealt with such people by either burning them at the stake or drilling holes in their skull to "let the demons out".

Having said that, while it's against the rules I'd allow it if it was done thematically. Bunnies wouldn't do it, but I think it would be thematic for an evil warlock to sacrifice a sentient humanoid in order for it to work.

So yes, I would allow your 5 level lower henchmen (who could hardly hit you even if you were asleep and tied up) to be used as sacrifices to cross the gorge before the horde of Orcs come to kill you.

Mind you, I think that that would be a rare occasion at best. Except perhaps if you were a Drow Warlock, in which case it might be something you do every Sunday.

 

[Lurker37]

Its common sense that abilities don't work because of an arbitrary metagame factor? Hardly. By common sense, this would work.

No, it would not.

There are rules in the DMG to explicitly prohibit this sort of rort, and trying to move the goalposts a few inches doesn't get around it.

And unless you have full-text listings of every single clause agreed to in these pacts in-game (which we don't have because this isn't Lawyers and Lawsuits) , then 'metagame' is meaningless. The bunnies don't work because the pact demands a minimum quality of foe.

 

[Zaruthustran]

Its common sense that abilities don't work because of an arbitrary metagame factor? Hardly. By common sense, this would work.

No.

That's what the credible threat rule is for. No cleaving with a bag of snails. No using Healing Strike on the ground to grant a surge.

4E, more than other editions, recognizes that stupid loopholes exist and simply asks the players (DM included) to be cool.

 

[On Puget Sound]

Alternate solution: The terrifying beings whose Pact grants you your powers are amused by your presumption in trying to use bunnies as a worthy foe, and decide to make your imaginings come true. With a loud clang, the cage pops open and ravenous rabbits with huge teeth leap out and attack the party. See Monty Python for stat blocks.

 

[Wormwood]

4E, more than other editions, recognizes that stupid loopholes exist and simply asks the players (DM included) to be cool.

In other words: the more rules, the more rule lawyers.

My Rule Zero? Don't be a . It's never let me down.