What to do with a captured PC...

[Mr Fidgit]

i like the suggestion that the PC could be saved, but there's a time limit to do so. i would have this information come from an NPC, and then give the druid's player that character to play (it doesn't quite make sense to me for that player to roll up a new PC that just appears in this forest).

this NPC could be any character class with the abilities to sneak around and spy on the enemy (rogue, ranger or any spellcaster (other than druid) who could turn invisible or alter self), or someone who's infiltrated the enemy camp (half-orc, a character with the abilty to look like an orc with a really high bluff or disguise, a doppelganger).

IMHO

 

[Maraxle]

Have the PCs seen the bodies? Maybe the orcs are killing only the weak ones, and bringing the stronger ones to their shadowy cult leader, Rendart Clayleg, who polymorphs them into pretty, brightly-colored birds to add to his personal aviary.

 

[Maerdwyn]

The Party has discovered druid bodies before - even reincarnated a couple of them (There is an interesting 6th level druid whom they reincarnated as a badger during one session - he uses his wild shape to assume human form ) The orcs would be more interested in killing higher level druids, rather than less, so that out wouldn't work.

Would it be too rat-bastardly to just tell the party nothing (they have no scrying ability w/o the druid around)?

That would allow the party to go through with a rescue attempt in the vain hope that the druid is still alive. Reason: I'm thinking the orcs might use a lie ("The druid is being held captive at **** - he dies on the morrow") to set a trap for the surviving PCs, knowing full well the whole time that the Druid was executed on the spot.

 

[Maldur]

Let the druid die, but give the player an alternate char to use in a rescue attempt.

If they succeed in recapturing the body the druid can be reincarnated himself. If it fails he can play the new char.

Make the rescue attempt very hard. And make it obvious that the druid brought this upon the party.

Before handing the party info, see what they come up wityh. players are sometimes more inventive than you think.

 

[Astragoth]

The Party has discovered druid bodies before - even reincarnated a couple of them (There is an interesting 6th level druid whom they reincarnated as a badger during one session - he uses his wild shape to assume human form ) .

Unfortunately that is impossible... you cannot shapeshift into anything but a animal.

The best thing that can happen to a dead druid is being reincarnated as a centaur. This monstrous homanoid is indeed capable of spellcasting... horrendously strong and on top of that a woodland creature. If you and up as a badger you'll need the natural spell feat to be able to cast any spell.

 

[Maerdwyn]

Unfortunately that is impossible... you cannot shapeshift into anything but a animal.

The best thing that can happen to a dead druid is being reincarnated as a centaur. This monstrous homanoid is indeed capable of spellcasting... horrendously strong and on top of that a woodland creature. If you and up as a badger you'll need the natural spell feat to be able to cast any spell.

Oh well

He hasn't made any appearances since waddling off shortly after being reincarnation that first time, so no harm done.

 

[alsih2o]

Unfortunately that is impossible... you cannot shapeshift into anything but a animal.

'
i am curious here...humans ARE animals...i am just wondering if we ARE excluded in shapeshifting?

humans aren;t listed in the mm (unfortunately) but i find it slightly odd that they are seen as non-animals in game terms

 

[BlackMoria]

***Referee blows whistle***

Game Foul. Druid in eagle form is considered shapechanged (as the spell) in a limited form.

From Shapechange spell - "You also gain the type of the new form (for example, “dragon” or “magical beast”) in place of your own"

Therefore, the druid, while as a eagle, is considered to be creature type: Animal. The Hold Person does not work and fizzles.

Spell needed to be Hold Monster or Hold Animal.

Druid unaffected by spell.

Resume pursuit at time index - just after the Hold Person spell is cast.

Resume play. DM takes 5 yard penalty.

 

[Maraxle]

I dunno. I kind of like my pretty bird idea.

Actually, even if allowing the Hold Person was technically wrong, I wouldn't go back and revise history. I really liked your idea about the orcs using the druid to set a trap for the others. In plot terms, that's more fun than changing your ruling on the spell.

 

[Maerdwyn]

Nope- see errated wild shape ability in MotW, page 11, top of the right column:

"The druid retains her own Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores, level, class, hit points, ..., alignment, base attack bonus, and base save bonuses. ... The druid also retains her own type (for example, humanoid),...."

edit - even the non-errated version says to use the Polymorph self rules, which also don't change type


*After reviewing the play, there was no foul. Druid will be placed on the altar. The DM is not charged a timeout. First Doowwwn!*