PDA

View Full Version : What is SANE for an adventure?



Razanir
2012-01-02, 11:53 AM
I have a creative idea for part of a quest: the captain of the guard is an ancient copper dragon (CR 23) in disguise. When the PCs need info from him, he presents it as a game. MAKE HIM LAUGH. If he likes the joke, you get to ask him 3 questions (although he answers like the oracle). If he doesn't, he curses you appropriately (sexist joke -> POA you into a girl, rude joke -> lesser geas to make you learn the error of your ways, etc.)

Is it okay that he's a CR 23 NPC? He's CG so it SHOULD be fine... Is it really all in how I play him?

MagnusExultatio
2012-01-02, 12:01 PM
This sounds like an utterly awful idea and not even close to creative. This sounds like an extended game of "Mother May I" except with humor, which is extremely subjective, and the utter inability to simply leave without some "consequence" pulled out of a sphincter.

Orsen
2012-01-02, 12:03 PM
Well, in my experience it depends on the group. In my most frequent group, I've set up encounters before where there wasn't really meant to be a fight, but the PC's start fighting anyways (regardless of level). In another group I've DM'd on and off, they have a healthier respect for what can kill them and wouldn't think to attack a captain of the guard (especially at lower levels).
I assume you're not planning on turning him into some sort of DMPC or something and if he's played right, I bet it'll just be a fun RP encounter to think back on.

NikitaDarkstar
2012-01-02, 12:33 PM
I agree that it depends on the group, if they're into that sort of thing and there's no way it can turn into a fight the CR really shouldn't matter, just make sure that saves are allowed and the curses are only temporary and won't get in the way of actual combat. (Had something like that happen in a game once, some of the characters switched bodies with each other, which ended up being utterly hilarious, especially for the guy who woke up in the body of a cat-girl he had a crush on...) But I'd also be careful with this, it's very easy to screw it up and in my opinion there should only be consequences for utterly stupid and/or distasteful things, not for a simple "No, that really wasn't funny." since there's already a consequence to not amusing him, not getting any information from him.

DoctorGlock
2012-01-02, 12:43 PM
This sounds like an utterly awful idea and not even close to creative. This sounds like an extended game of "Mother May I" except with humor, which is extremely subjective, and the utter inability to simply leave without some "consequence" pulled out of a sphincter.

I am forced to agree with this. Put that down as a vote against, unless this is supposed to be for a utterly nonsensical one shot, and even then there are better things for nonsensical one shots.

Fiery Diamond
2012-01-02, 06:14 PM
I find myself in agreement with NikitaDarkstar, also known as She With The Awesome Avatar and Cool Name. It really does heavily depend on the group, and there should be some middle ground between "that was funny, now ask your questions" and "that wasn't funny, have a curse."

Lord.Sorasen
2012-01-02, 06:30 PM
Another thing to think about is the nature of your PCs in terms of responding incorrectly... Let us say, for instance, that one PC tells a joke the dragon finds offensive, and in response the dragon attempts to cast geas/quest like you had suggested. At least a few PCs aren't going to think it's ok to curse them. In which case they might initiate a fight.

Why is it you want it to be the captain of the guard in disguise? I can see this causing problems... A challenge like this is okay for a dragon, because a dragon is long lived, powerful, and above all mystical. A lot of people don't consider it necessarily wrong for a higher being to try to teach moral lessons to others... The captain of the guard is not a higher being. His desire to punish the PCs for telling a bad joke might not be seen as acceptable behavior.

One more issue... Telling a joke in character is actually pretty difficult role-playing. I remember at one point in a campaign I ran, someone diffused the arrival of a big bad by asking it "knock knock!" I took them by surprise by saying "Who's there?"... And then we all struggled for a while to think of what sort of joke would actually work in a world very much unlike our own. Gotta be careful with this sort of thing.

PS: What if the PCs all tell really bad puns? In other words, what if there's no moral consequence but the joke just doesn't work? I have a feeling this is the most likely outcome.

Razanir
2012-01-03, 09:29 AM
1) I've decided it won't be for questions, but invites to a party. They want to get in, so they can stop a plot to kill the mayor

2) Sexist jokes -> PAO into a girl, OOTS-style Mark of Justice. Change back before 3 months is up, and you get a -2 to each physical stat for the rest of the time
Racist jokes -> Probably a lesser geas to go help race X
Most jokes -> A random bestow curse about as bad as the black chests from Paper Mario: Thousand-Year Door
SOME childish jokes -> He is intrigued. Tell a few more for a prize
Puns -> If they aren't horrifically bad, pun dragon likes them (A COPPER dragon as captain of the guard)
Knock knock jokes -> Randomly his favorite type

Psyren
2012-01-03, 11:17 AM
2) Sexist jokes -> PAO into a girl, OOTS-style Mark of Justice. Change back before 3 months is up, and you get a -2 to each physical stat for the rest of the time

This is ironically more sexist than any joke the PCs could tell.

Mando Knight
2012-01-03, 01:53 PM
The retribution for the sexist joke should just be a PAO into that sex.

hamishspence
2012-01-03, 01:57 PM
What if the character's telling a sexist joke about their own sex?

Vire
2012-01-04, 12:23 AM
Puns -> If they aren't horrifically bad, pun dragon likes them (A COPPER dragon as captain of the guard)



On the basis of this one line alone, you have convinced me that this is a great idea. In fact, I might appropriate it in some form for my game, if you'd be so kind as to permit it XD

Kenneth
2012-01-04, 12:29 AM
I see nothing wrong with this, Ive had something along these lines in the past in my own DMing. teh difference being it was riddles instead of jokes.

my groups never were the stab first then loot and forget about the question type of players, so not every single thing they met was there to fight, and they knew that.


but if you have players who are teh above type.. better just leave it alone.

Zeofar
2012-01-04, 12:45 AM
This is ironically more sexist than any joke the PCs could tell.

He did say girl, not woman. The same ability reductions could be applied to someone polymorphed into a boy.

Seharvepernfan
2012-01-04, 02:49 AM
I like this idea, and I think it would be okay. The thing is, coming to this guy should be an option, not a must.

Morph Bark
2012-01-04, 07:11 AM
1) I've decided it won't be for questions, but invites to a party. They want to get in, so they can stop a plot to kill the mayor

2) Sexist jokes -> PAO into a girl, OOTS-style Mark of Justice. Change back before 3 months is up, and you get a -2 to each physical stat for the rest of the time
Racist jokes -> Probably a lesser geas to go help race X
Most jokes -> A random bestow curse about as bad as the black chests from Paper Mario: Thousand-Year Door
SOME childish jokes -> He is intrigued. Tell a few more for a prize
Puns -> If they aren't horrifically bad, pun dragon likes them (A COPPER dragon as captain of the guard)
Knock knock jokes -> Randomly his favorite type

What if they make a sexist joke about males? Plus, PAO's into a girl and getting -2 on all physical stats for it sounds kind of sexist to me in the first place.

What about religious jokes?

Xiander
2012-01-04, 08:03 AM
What if they make a sexist joke about males? Plus, PAO's into a girl and getting -2 on all physical stats for it sounds kind of sexist to me in the first place.

What about religious jokes?

I think the stat penalties only happen if you try to stop being a girl before time.

Swooper
2012-01-04, 08:15 AM
Puns -> If they aren't horrifically bad, pun dragon likes them (A COPPER dragon as captain of the guard)
...I can't believe I didn't see that one before you pointed it out. Hat off to you, sir. Good one. :smallbiggrin:

The Glyphstone
2012-01-04, 09:51 AM
If female players (they exist, right?) were PAO into a man and also suffered -2 to physicals, it'd at least be fair.