Stat requirements

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

What level is Brak?

And are you certain that, when he dons the amulet, he doesn't immediately feel much healthier?

 

[Asmo]

And are you certain that, when he dons the amulet, he doesn't immediately feel much healthier?

Well, that would be the "feeling more alive" thing , but he doesn´t know if it´s the joy of getting a new shiny thing or if he´s hungry.

I´ve no idea what level Brak is, 4 perhaps? Is that ok for this example?

Asmo

 

[IcyCool]

Now either the DM avoids Dispel Magic or Anti-Magic situations or else it has a compounded affect on the risk taking character, which could be perceived as intentionally punishing a character for obtaining a feat/PrC this way.

"Sure you can take it, but you might lose some of your abilities to a Dispel Magic spell, and those are fairly common."

If that player takes the chance anyway, and winds up having some abilities negated to a somewhat common tactic, I'm picking on them?

Sorry, I don't see it.

 

[KarinsDad]

Heck, I find it difficult enough to prevent their PCs from dying at the best of times

No kidding.

My solution (for keeping players alive) is to give the PCs a few "items of power" (e.g. a Wand of Cure Moderate Wounds with 6 charges at second level).

Unfortunately, I cannot control the players, so they tend to not always make good decisions, regardless of how I assist them or how easy it is to succeed.

For example, last week the PCs were in an alternative dimension where the portal out was located in the middle of a river. The evil NPCs (who had been trapped in this dimension) were willing to sit back and watch to see if the PCs found a way out. So, the PCs made a small raft, attached it to both sides of the river with a rope, and let the PC Psion sit on the raft attempting a 24 hour Identify power. While doing this, another creature came through the portal (which generated a mist all over the area of the raft), opening the portal and sending the Psion through. Although the other players did not know that the Psion went through, they did know that a large mist formed whenever the portal opened. The NPC Evil Wizard hiding in the woods also knew this and started pelting the PCs with an Empowered Fireball spell (he wanted them to figure out the portal, but he didn't want them to escape either). The PC Wizard had a Dimension Door and a Teleport spell available. Instead of 'porting the group into the mist (which may or may not allow them to escape, but would at least allow them to hide from more spells), he 'ports them to the other side of the river which is still in Fireball range of the NPC Wizard (who although he did not have another Empowered Fireball left in his arsenal, did have a few normal Fireballs and other nastier long range spells left).

The player's reasoning for not porting into the mist that he gave later was because he could not see the raft and didn't want to dump the PCs into the river by mistake. These are 11th level characters with potent spells and abilities (like the Druid shapechanging into a dolphin in order to keep everyone in the mist). They can handle being dumped into a river. The party almost died because the NPCs were stronger (and the PCs knew this ahead of time) and this player was worried about getting wet.

It's like watching the Keystone Kops some days.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

Well, that would be the "feeling more alive" thing ,

For some reason, I completely missed that on my first pass.

but he doesn´t know if it´s the joy of getting a new shiny thing or if he´s hungry.

The pleasures of having a barbarian around ...

I´ve no idea what level Brak is, 4 perhaps? Is that ok for this example?

Sure! It's important because +2 to Con grants +1 current and max HP per level. Since he's got 1 HP left, if he was 1st-level, then taking off the amulet entirely causes him to get all kinds of dizzy (staggered at 0 HP). He can react enough to put the amulet back on.

If he's 4th-level, then taking off the amulet drops him to -3; he's unconscious, bleeding severely, and slightly dead (but slightly alive!). At this point, it's too late.

I'd probably do something similar to Plane Sailing: as he begins to take the amulet off, he notices that the scratch on his arm starts bleeding again, he starts to feel faint, and begins to get a nasty headache. If he takes it off anyway, well, then, see above.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

For example, last week the PCs were in an alternative dimension where ...

My God ... It's full of Green Day .... [/2001]

 

[Twowolves]

"Sure you can take it, but you might lose some of your abilities to a Dispel Magic spell, and those are fairly common."

If that player takes the chance anyway, and winds up having some abilities negated to a somewhat common tactic, I'm picking on them?

Sorry, I don't see it.

Which is why I said "could be perceived", not "would be perceived".

 

[Asmo]

Sure! It's important because +2 to Con grants +1 current and max HP per level. Since he's got 1 HP left, if he was 1st-level, then taking off the amulet entirely causes him to get all kinds of dizzy (staggered at 0 HP). He can react enough to put the amulet back on.

If he's 4th-level, then taking off the amulet drops him to -7; he's unconscious, bleeding severely, and mostly dead (but slightly alive!). At this point, it's too late.

I'd probably do something similar to Plane Sailing: as he begins to take the amulet off, he notices that the scratch on his arm starts bleeding again, he starts to feel faint, and begins to get a nasty headache. If he takes it off anyway, well, then, see above.

Does this reasoning apply to the wizard/bonusspell scenario. The bonusspells should go away, but I´m not sure so I´ve to ask.
Another Brak flashback: would he drop to -7 (and most likely die) if the he´s the victim of a targeted Dispel Magic? And the bonusspells would be gone for 1 d4 rounds?

Great thread, btw! Need to make up my mind how this works, since I´ve just started to dm again and needs to get on track. All new to 3.5 and all that jazz..

Asmo

 

[KarinsDad]

My God ... It's full of Green Day .... [/2001]

Sorry, I don't understand the reference.

 

[IcyCool]

Which is why I said "could be perceived", not "would be perceived".

So it could be perceived as 'picking on them.' If the individual who is taking this risk is prone to feeling like the DM is 'picking on them', the DM should probably just get rid of said player. Your example has, IMO, less to do with the fun of taking risks, and more to do with the lack of fun of dealing with a whiny player who wants to get their way.

Do you have a different example of how taking risks isn't fun?