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View Full Version : I would like to vicariously enjoy this idea through some other DM using it..



begooler
2012-06-04, 02:40 AM
Ok, I'm sure this has been done before, and I believe I've read of a similar set up as a trap. Anyway, here's an idea I had to keep players on their toes, but I had it too late to use it.

What the players encountered in a session last week:
The players enter a wheat field at the edge of a small town. (The town has recently been abandoned, and is cursed with an extremely persistent illusion that makes it appear that there's nothing wrong with it. Monsters also lurk about, but to the weak willed they appear to be harmless friendly creatures.) While traversing the wheat field, some characters see the wheat as healthy and well maintained, others (who make their will saves) see it overgrown and abandoned. Soon they discuss the differences that they see (one of the more amusing moments of which involved the frustrated urban ranger thrashing about a fistful of weeds, and asking "Does this LOOK like normal wheat!?" to which the characters that failed the will saves respond "Do you not know what ordinary wheat looks like? Maybe you're just not cut out to be a farmer." The ranger then tries to smack them with the weeds to prove he is right.
Anyway, after some discussion, they come to the conclusion that what the people with the higher will saves are seeing is the truth. (Part meta-gaming, part common sense as they know that the casters are better at seeing through illusions than the barbarian.) Decent illusion encounter, but not unpredictable.

What I should have done.
The players enter the field. As in the first scenario, there's an illusion. But, this time its not caused by illusion magic that allows a will save: there's something in the air (vapor, pollen, etc) which is poison with a fort save vs. hallucinations. In the hallucinations, nothing seems 'out of place.' (Characters with wildly different backgrounds might see different things, but for the most part what they expect to see in the location should be about the same from character to character.)
So, at the point where the party sits down to figure out who's seeing the right thing, they go with what the wizard says. They're surprised when they later realized the barbarian had it right all along!

Ok. That is all. Simple idea that I can't pull now because it would be cheap to do with my group after having already run the former encounter. Hope this is a good idea for someone else' session.

Further discussion: post a similar request for someone to use an idea you had but can't for whatever reason implement.

Malachei
2012-06-04, 07:02 AM
Depending on the level you're playing, the difference could be as low as +2. On a Will save vs. DC 15, this means the wizard (Wis 10) will succeed 40% of the time, and the barbarian (Wis 10) will succeed 30% of the time.

The cleric, on the other hand (Wis 16), will succeed 55% of the time.

Which teaches us what?

(1) Bad luck, and the wizard and the barbarian are both wrong.

(2) When in doubt, listen to the cleric.

:smallbiggrin:

Binks
2012-06-04, 09:19 AM
Ohh...I'll borrow this idea, great way to throw semi metagaming players for a loop. Won't be able to use it for a few weeks but thanks for the idea. :smallbiggrin:

Sudain
2012-06-04, 12:17 PM
Love it. I espcially love the use of the wheat field.