When a player returns ...

[the Jester]

Imho campaign consistency trumps player convenience.

In this particular case, how I handled it would prolly depend greatly on the way he dropped out of the group. Did he say he would be back? Did he just stop showing up? Was a hissy fit involved?

 

[Numion]

I'd give the stuff back. If it's so important to his enjoyment of the game .. roll with it.

 

[Zappo]

I'd let the party recover his old equipment with relative ease, due to some circumstances. Maybe it is being transported between two settlements and is poorly guarded, or someone is willing to help the party recover it, or whatever. Just let him get his stuff back in a few hours.

 

[Bront]

It's his equipment. The party didn't bother to recover any of the character's equipment, as they were in a bit of a rush to depart the mindflayer prison. So said player returns to a character without property. Unfortunately, this player tends to be a bit picky about his character's possessions, having gone to the trouble (and gold and XP) of crafting a number of unique magic items.

How long in game has he had? You can allow him to have recrafted many/all of his items, and simply assume any experience he had to spend on those was experience he earned at some point while NPCing. This keeps the continuity, and you can even play with it a bit by having some of his old items show up in the hands of other beasies that assosiate with those mind flayers.

 

[Wolf72]

This sounds like a great opportunity for a side quest. ...

side quest is the first thing that came to my mind as well,

or let him re-equip with mundane/MW items until new things are collected

 

[Cintra]

It's no fun joining a group and being penalized for not having been there all along.

The other PCs don't know what this guy has been up to while they've been adventuring. Use that fact. Just say that his character managed to get a different group together temporarily, went and retrieved his unique items plus enough cash and XPs to bring him in line with the other PCs, and now he's ready to rejoin this group.

 

[Wolf72]

It's no fun joining a group and being penalized for not having been there all along.

The other PCs don't know what this guy has been up to while they've been adventuring. Use that fact. Just say that his character managed to get a different group together temporarily, went and retrieved his unique items plus enough cash and XPs to bring him in line with the other PCs, and now he's ready to rejoin this group.

good point, my point of reference is with my brother and friends ... and when your character was gone or dead and you came up with new one you were a level lower and had very little in the way of magic ... then again we played a fairly magic item poor game so it wasn't that bad blow.

 

[Impeesa]

How long, game-time, has he been "off-camera?" Perhaps he organized a little expedition to recover his gear with some other allies after leaving the party.

--Impeesa--

 

[diaglo]

How long, game-time, has he been "off-camera?" Perhaps he organized a little expedition to recover his gear with some other allies after leaving the party.

--Impeesa--

to answer a few of the other questions on this thread and these in particular.

yes, the party does know what the PC is up to. and no, it hasn't been long enough for him to craft new items for himself. he is busy crafting items for an NPC and his clan.

yes, the player would be highly upset and would never have left his items in the prison. ever. they were his holy symbol and the best weapon the entire party owned. a hvy mace of disruption. plus many other smaller items. he had the most gps worth of magic at the time the player had to step aside.

his actual leaving was more... my work schedule has changed and it doesn't look like i can make it. but i'm up for gaming if and when i can make it.... Darian in the story hour in my sig.

which is what another player has done for the entire length of the campaign. Vlad in the story hour in my sig.


i would say he went back for the items plus perhaps he even recovered the bodak in the bag with a group from his church. and then came looking for the party.


it would also explain how he could level up to the catch up on the sessions he missed. and fill in more information on what's happening above and below ground.

we also did ... with me playing Darian as a side NPC... leave the option for him to come find us with his church. they were to scry on us and send aid when they thoutght it was feasible. plus my character did just use Lathander's gift.