Need a way to do this

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Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

So my son decided he wants to play a wizard in a one on one adventure. I
finally came up with an idea. It starts when his 1st level wizard is the
sole survivor of an ambushed caravan. One of the first encounters will be
to rescue a (I think) gnome bard. This is another survivor that managed to
escape the ambush but was injured and captured by a couple of orcs. If the
wizard plays his cards right, he should be able to pull this off. I expect
they will be traveling together to their destination. My problem is that I
want to make the bard several levels higher than the wizard. I have at
least a couple more encounters planned until they make it to safety. My
problem is that I have to somehow neutralize the bards power so it doesn't
end up being a dmpc that steals the spotlight. I am planning one encounter
that the wizard just needs to manage to stay alive for a few rounds till
the bard can kill his opponents and come to his aid. I can deal with this
for one battle. The rest of the time I want the wizard to pull his own
weight but am having a hard time figuring out how. I could temperarily nerf
the gnome with poison or some such or disable him in a trap but am not sure
how I can implement it. I guess I could just kill him but I want him to be
a future source of information. Maybe they can just get seperated. I don't
know. Do any of you people have any better ideas?

The story line is that the wizards caravan was going to supply a KOTBlands
style outpost and someone sent the orcs to make sure it didn't get there. I
am hoping I can put enough encounters in his way before he reaches his
destination that he can make 2nd level.

-phy

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

phy wrote:
> So my son decided he wants to play a wizard in a one on one
adventure. I
> finally came up with an idea. It starts when his 1st level wizard is
the
> sole survivor of an ambushed caravan. One of the first encounters
will be
> to rescue a (I think) gnome bard. This is another survivor that
managed to
> escape the ambush but was injured and captured by a couple of orcs.
If the
> wizard plays his cards right, he should be able to pull this off. I
expect
> they will be traveling together to their destination. My problem is
that I
> want to make the bard several levels higher than the wizard. I have
at
> least a couple more encounters planned until they make it to safety.
My
> problem is that I have to somehow neutralize the bards power so it
doesn't
> end up being a dmpc that steals the spotlight.

Well, do you need him to have lots of power later? Why not just give
him a low charisma? then he's got some reasonable fighting abilities,
some mediochre rogue-like skills and bardic music to fall back on, but
no spells to outshine the budding wizard.

Alternatively, you have the option to just require that bards use
spellbooks (an easy fix to make) and then just not give him onew. or
say the orcs burned it. And he can learn spells from the young wizard
and his contacts.

Another good option is to not make him a bard at all, but a synthesis:
a multiclassed fighter/rogue/wizard. And just say that he's not a
wizard yet, but wants to learn. then the young wizard can be his
mentor in magic and help him out. Provided he takes a different
magical path than the PC it shouldn't be a problem. Just make sure he
has the proper abilities and information. if you are really that
concerned about bardic knowledge, just give it to him. he's an NPC, it
won't kill anyone. or have him spend a feat for it. It's your game.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

On Wed, 23 Feb 2005 15:04:10 +0000, phy wrote:

> So my son decided he wants to play a wizard in a one on one adventure. I
> finally came up with an idea. It starts when his 1st level wizard is the
> sole survivor of an ambushed caravan. One of the first encounters will be
> to rescue a (I think) gnome bard. This is another survivor that managed to
> escape the ambush but was injured and captured by a couple of orcs. If the
> wizard plays his cards right, he should be able to pull this off. I expect
> they will be traveling together to their destination. My problem is that I
> want to make the bard several levels higher than the wizard. I have at
> least a couple more encounters planned until they make it to safety. My
> problem is that I have to somehow neutralize the bards power so it doesn't
> end up being a dmpc that steals the spotlight. I am planning one encounter
> that the wizard just needs to manage to stay alive for a few rounds till
> the bard can kill his opponents and come to his aid. I can deal with this
> for one battle. The rest of the time I want the wizard to pull his own
> weight but am having a hard time figuring out how. I could temperarily nerf
> the gnome with poison or some such or disable him in a trap but am not sure
> how I can implement it.

Maybe he ate or was forced to eat some orc-spoiled food and gets ill after
the first battle. You could use the nauseated condition for this.
The gnome hides somewhere until he recovers and the mage is on his own
again.

> I guess I could just kill him but I want him to be
> a future source of information. Maybe they can just get seperated. I don't
> know. Do any of you people have any better ideas?

Steal from LotR! The orcs take captives and flee. The gnome wants to 'hunt some
orc' and the mage goes to 'raise the alarm' or whatever you planned for him.

> The story line is that the wizards caravan was going to supply a KOTBlands

What are KOTBlands?

LL

 

[Buser]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

KOTB would be the old Keep on the Borderlands. If you recognize the
title give yourself an old timer pat on the back.
--
"Take me to your leader?"
I think not!
From now on, I AM your leader.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

phy wrote:
> S. One of the first encounters will be
> to rescue a (I think) gnome bard. This is another survivor that managed to
> escape the ambush but was injured and captured by a couple of orcs. If the
> wizard plays his cards right, he should be able to pull this off. I expect
> they will be traveling together to their destination. My problem is that I
> want to make the bard several levels higher than the wizard. I have at
> least a couple more encounters planned until they make it to safety. My
> problem is that I have to somehow neutralize the bards power so it doesn't
> end up being a dmpc that steals the spotlight...

I want the wizard to pull his own
> weight but am having a hard time figuring out how. I could temperarily nerf
> the gnome with poison or some such or disable him in a trap but am not sure
> how I can implement it. I guess I could just kill him but I want him to be
> a future source of information. Maybe they can just get seperated. I don't
> know. Do any of you people have any better ideas?
>

>
> -phy

What I've found in my game is that the raw power of NPC allies is much
less important than their attitudes, as far as usurping spotlight time.
If you make a powerful NPC, but limit their ability for leadership
and decision-making, then their abilities are equivalent to a magic item
that the main character has temporarily, not a rival for their glory.

One way to do this is to make the NPC a specialist. For example, my
campaign started with the PCs travelling with two higher level
companions, about a level or two higher, on an exploration expedition on
the seas. One of the two companions was the navigator, a rogue/sailor
who always stayed on the boat, and so was only available if a fight
should happen on ship-board. The other was a bard explorer, who came
with the party on most incursions, acted as translator, and if the party
got into a fight, used bardic music to spur the PCs on and occasionally
healed one of them. The bard had lots of Know(geog.), spoke a lot
of languages, and could heal and use bardic music, so he was generally
useful, but he definitely didn't outshine the PCs and didn't put himself
forward. You could make this work in your example: The gnome bard is
a scholar who has studied the orc tribes of this area, but has little
first hand combat experience and mostly scholarly spells such as Read
Magic and Unseen Servant. He can use his perform ability to cheer the


The other way is to make the NPC a flake; either very passive, obviously
biased, or just exhibiting poor judgement. None of the NPCs suggestions
are at all
appealing to the PCs, and the PCs eventually order the NPC to only use
their abilities upon request. If the NPC takes independent action, it
only gets them into trouble. A DMPC is a channel for telling PCs which
plans will work. A flake NPC is a channel for telling PC's which plans
won't work.

Russell

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

Anivair wrote:

> phy wrote:
>
>>So my son decided he wants to play a wizard in a one on one
>
> adventure. I
>
>>finally came up with an idea. It starts when his 1st level wizard is
>
> the
>
>>sole survivor of an ambushed caravan. One of the first encounters
>
> will be
>
>>to rescue a (I think) gnome bard. This is another survivor that
>
> managed to
>
>>escape the ambush but was injured and captured by a couple of orcs.
>
> If the
>
>>wizard plays his cards right, he should be able to pull this off. I
>
> expect
>
>>they will be traveling together to their destination. My problem is
>
> that I
>
>>want to make the bard several levels higher than the wizard. I have
>
> at
>
>>least a couple more encounters planned until they make it to safety.
>
> My
>
>>problem is that I have to somehow neutralize the bards power so it
>
> doesn't
>
>>end up being a dmpc that steals the spotlight.
>
>
> Well, do you need him to have lots of power later? Why not just give
> him a low charisma? then he's got some reasonable fighting abilities,
> some mediochre rogue-like skills and bardic music to fall back on, but
> no spells to outshine the budding wizard.
>
> Alternatively, you have the option to just require that bards use
> spellbooks (an easy fix to make) and then just not give him onew. or
> say the orcs burned it. And he can learn spells from the young wizard
> and his contacts.

Orcs smashed his faggy lute over his head and laughed at him.

- Ron ^*^

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

On Wed, 23 Feb 2005 15:04:10 GMT, phy <phy00x@yahoo.com> scribed into the
ether:

>So my son decided he wants to play a wizard in a one on one adventure. I
>finally came up with an idea. It starts when his 1st level wizard is the
>sole survivor of an ambushed caravan. One of the first encounters will be
>to rescue a (I think) gnome bard. This is another survivor that managed to
>escape the ambush but was injured and captured by a couple of orcs. If the
>wizard plays his cards right, he should be able to pull this off. I expect
>they will be traveling together to their destination. My problem is that I
>want to make the bard several levels higher than the wizard. I have at
>least a couple more encounters planned until they make it to safety.

Well, a single wizard will level up with a great quickness facing CR1 orcs.
The XP tables assume that the XP will be divided amongst a party of 4. A
few encounters during the rescue process as well as a story reward for
accomplishing the rescue itself could easily see the wizard up to level 3
or so.

>. I could temperarily nerf
>the gnome with poison or some such or disable him in a trap but am not sure
>how I can implement it.

Tortured at the hands of the orcs while awaiting rescue, the bard starts
out with low HP and is unwilling to do anything really risky.

Alternately, he's been *really* tortured, and has had a hand severed or
something equally debilitating, so he's almost worthless in a fight. Have
him know a clerical friend who owes him a favor so that the injury can be
repaired when they get to civilization.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

Werebat <ranpoirier@cox.net> wrote in news:YG7Td.16032$755.692@lakeread05:

>
> Orcs smashed his faggy lute over his head and laughed at him.
>
> - Ron ^*^
>

This scene will definately add to the fun! Thanks.

-phy

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

phy wrote:
> Werebat <ranpoirier@cox.net> wrote in news:YG7Td.16032$755.692@lakeread05:
>
>
>>Orcs smashed his faggy lute over his head and laughed at him.
>>
>> - Ron ^*^
>>
>
>
> This scene will definately add to the fun! Thanks.

It'll also make him incapable of using some of his bardic abilities,
including (I think) his spells.

Hell hath no fury like a gnome bard scorned.

- Ron ^*^

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

> So my son decided he wants to play a wizard in a one on one adventure. I
> finally came up with an idea. It starts when his 1st level wizard is the
> sole survivor of an ambushed caravan. One of the first encounters will be
> to rescue a (I think) gnome bard. This is another survivor that managed to
> escape the ambush but was injured and captured by a couple of orcs. If the
> wizard plays his cards right, he should be able to pull this off. I expect
> they will be traveling together to their destination. My problem is that I
> want to make the bard several levels higher than the wizard. I have at
> least a couple more encounters planned until they make it to safety. My
> problem is that I have to somehow neutralize the bards power so it doesn't
> end up being a dmpc that steals the spotlight. I am planning one encounter
> that the wizard just needs to manage to stay alive for a few rounds till
> the bard can kill his opponents and come to his aid. I can deal with this
> for one battle. The rest of the time I want the wizard to pull his own
> weight but am having a hard time figuring out how. I could temperarily nerf
> the gnome with poison or some such or disable him in a trap but am not sure
> how I can implement it. I guess I could just kill him but I want him to be
> a future source of information. Maybe they can just get seperated. I don't
> know. Do any of you people have any better ideas?

Could give the Gnome Bard a cursed item that happers his ability.

The Gnome Bard could get stuck in an antimagic field but the Wizard stays
out of it.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

phy wrote:
[...]
> for one battle. The rest of the time I want the wizard to pull his own
> weight but am having a hard time figuring out how. I could temperarily nerf
> the gnome with poison or some such or disable him in a trap but am not sure
> how I can implement it. I guess I could just kill him but I want him to be
> a future source of information. Maybe they can just get seperated. I don't
> know. Do any of you people have any better ideas?

Re-think the whole scenario.

Do *not* have a powerful NPC at all. Have an NPC who is, at
most, as powerful as your son's character, and who can
mostly provide support (Cure Light Wounds spells, e.g.).
Obviously, to pull this off, you'll have to drastically
reduce the challenges encountered. You could also have your
son's PC find a few scrolls, ands maybe even a mostly
depleted wand.

Keep in mind that Wizards are *smart*. A well-constructed
starting Wizard has an INT of at least 15 (and I can't for
the life of me see anuy justification for not going straight
for INT 16 at 1st level). So get your son to play the
character as a smart type, thinking is way through some of
the problems, instead of shooting Magic Missiles.

--
Peter Knutsen
sagatafl.org

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

Matt Frisch wrote:
> Well, a single wizard will level up with a great quickness facing CR1 orcs.
> The XP tables assume that the XP will be divided amongst a party of 4. A
> few encounters during the rescue process as well as a story reward for
> accomplishing the rescue itself could easily see the wizard up to level 3
> or so.

Keep in mind that the player is a kid. Too rapid advancement
might overwhelm him (one level per session might be good,
but no more).

On the other hand, it might be a better idea to *start* the
PC at 3rd level. After all, D&D3 isn't designed for solo
play at all, a single 1st level PC is pretty damn
vulnerable. And I've never liked the thought of starting at
1st level.

--
Peter Knutsen
sagatafl.org

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

Werebat wrote:
> phy wrote:
> > Werebat <ranpoirier@cox.net> wrote in
news:YG7Td.16032$755.692@lakeread05:
> >
> >
> >>Orcs smashed his faggy lute over his head and laughed at him.
> >>
> >> - Ron ^*^
> >>
> >
> >
> > This scene will definately add to the fun! Thanks.
>
> It'll also make him incapable of using some of his bardic abilities,
> including (I think) his spells.
>
> Hell hath no fury like a gnome bard scorned.

The general assumption is that all cards cast differently and that most
of their spells require singing, playing, or reciting. I think you can
make the broad assumption that all this particular bard's spells
require an instrument if you like.

It may even be that some of them would be better cast with a song or a
drum or something but he just hasn't figured that out or just refuses
to do it. Kind of sets him up as an accomplished adventurer but not a
really skilled bard (this is of course dependant on what level you want
him to be but if he's just four or so that's a fine way to go about
it).

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

phy wrote:

> Yes, I think I have decided that the bard has been captured by some
young
> orcs who werent really suppose to go on the raid but followed anyway.
They
> got lucky when they captured him. The pc will come upon them about
the time
> one of the orcs smashes the bard's lute over his head. As long as the
pc
> doesn't just charge in he will have a chance to win the encounter
because
> the orcs will start fighting over the gnomes stuff. Maybe one will
die and
> the other one will be injured. I will use the idea someone had about
the
> orcs cutting off the bard's sword hand so he will have a -4 penalty
or so
> to hit. That way he can help in battles but won't be so much more
powerful
> than the wizard player. Now to just think of a half dozen more
encounters
> they can face.

. . . of course cutting off his sword hand makes it impossible for him
to play the lute ever again. or the flute. Or most instruments.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

"Anivair" <anivair@gmail.com> wrote in
news:1109251275.530366.16420@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com:

> It may even be that some of them would be better cast with a song or a
> drum or something but he just hasn't figured that out or just refuses
> to do it. Kind of sets him up as an accomplished adventurer but not a
> really skilled bard (this is of course dependant on what level you want
> him to be but if he's just four or so that's a fine way to go about
> it).

Yes, I think I have decided that the bard has been captured by some young
orcs who werent really suppose to go on the raid but followed anyway. They
got lucky when they captured him. The pc will come upon them about the time
one of the orcs smashes the bard's lute over his head. As long as the pc
doesn't just charge in he will have a chance to win the encounter because
the orcs will start fighting over the gnomes stuff. Maybe one will die and
the other one will be injured. I will use the idea someone had about the
orcs cutting off the bard's sword hand so he will have a -4 penalty or so
to hit. That way he can help in battles but won't be so much more powerful
than the wizard player. Now to just think of a half dozen more encounters
they can face.

-phy

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

On Thu, 24 Feb 2005 06:48:21 -0800, Anivair wrote:

>
> phy wrote:
>
>> Yes, I think I have decided that the bard has been captured by some
> young
>> orcs who werent really suppose to go on the raid but followed anyway.
> They
>> got lucky when they captured him. The pc will come upon them about
> the time
>> one of the orcs smashes the bard's lute over his head. As long as the
> pc
>> doesn't just charge in he will have a chance to win the encounter
> because
>> the orcs will start fighting over the gnomes stuff. Maybe one will
> die and
>> the other one will be injured. I will use the idea someone had about
> the
>> orcs cutting off the bard's sword hand so he will have a -4 penalty
> or so
>> to hit. That way he can help in battles but won't be so much more
> powerful
>> than the wizard player. Now to just think of a half dozen more
> encounters
>> they can face.
>
> . . . of course cutting off his sword hand makes it impossible for him
> to play the lute ever again. or the flute. Or most instruments.

Nuke him from orbit, it's the only way to be sure.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.frp.dnd (More info?)

phy <phy00x@yahoo.com> wrote in
news:Xns96065B70EEE21phy00xyahoocom@69.28.186.121:

> My
> problem is that I have to somehow neutralize the bards power so
> it doesn't end up being a dmpc that steals the spotlight.

Make him cursed so he can't cast magic. He can teach it just fine, of
course. You might even consider having the wizard cast a higher level
spell than normal with the bard's assistance - but it comes off the
bard's spell allotment. 'Now remember, children, swish and *flick*'