PDA

View Full Version : Fun Things for Players with Imprisoned Character to Do



Kadzar
2012-06-08, 10:29 PM
It's not an immediate concern, but I know it's bound to come up eventually: what do you do with a player whose character is imprisoned while they wait for their teammates to get them out to keep them from being bored? Bonus points if it's something they can do without breaking more laws and thus making a lawful release unlikely.

Craft (Cheese)
2012-06-08, 10:48 PM
Take control of a minor NPC while they're in prison? That's the first thing I would let them do.

Dr.Epic
2012-06-08, 10:59 PM
Everything I learned about prison I learned from this video. (http://www.homestarrunner.com/jailcartoon.html)

newBlazingAngel
2012-06-08, 11:00 PM
Allow them things to do while imprisoned? You can give the main party some activity that takes a bit of them talking to each other and while they do that, you can roleplay out a prison scenario or two so that he feels like he/she feels they're at least a bit in control. Who knows, the party could find them about to beaten to death, or being fed grapes while sitting on a throne of terrified gnomes.

Send them to another room with a bag of cheetos and Halo: Reach

Have them become the DM's little helper?

Rorrik
2012-06-08, 11:22 PM
Trade shivs for cigarettes to make a smoke screen for other prisoners to escape, thus making his "good" behavior look even better when he stays behind.:smallbiggrin:

As Angel said, they can at least have a role playing moment or two, maybe gathering information necessary for their campaign, while imprisoned. If want them released lawfully then a prison break is over the top, but he could just as easily get in a fight with the prison tough, or be attacked by an assassin wanting to make it look like a prison death or a suicide. Otherwise, roleplaying and sniffing about among the shady characters for more information is always a good option,if your player is up to it.

newBlazingAngel
2012-06-08, 11:45 PM
You can use the prison thing as an excuse for a new BBEG at least if the imprisoned guy is evil.

Ah, I can see it now. A fight for the fate of the world just because you decided that someone would look better with an eyepatch. Looking forward to when I can force my players into a situation that is completely their fault. A wannabe DM can dream.

El Dorado
2012-06-09, 12:28 AM
You can play out little dramas between the PC and the (bribed) guards. Or have the PC plead his case in front of a (corrupt) judge. Have the PC fight other prisoners (jail yard style) or in a gladiatorial arena.

newBlazingAngel
2012-06-09, 01:02 AM
The DM's little helper suggestion, is essentially me saying that you could turn the imprisoned one into your personal elf. (Elf as in santa elf, not legolas elf)

He's the guy who's been fighting with the party and likely knows a weakness or two, so he can help customize an encounter or two for extra challenge.

Totally Guy
2012-06-09, 02:42 AM
Have a former villain there with ambitions of escape. Offer a team up. :p

Jay R
2012-06-09, 11:04 AM
1. Gather information from the other inmates or the guards.

2. Take over the other inmates, start a riot.

3. Examine the cell, and find or make a secret passage.

4. Make friends with a guttersnipe outside your window, to see if he can bring you a file.

5. tell the guard that you know where 1,000 gold pieces are buried. Don't tell him where it is. But tell all the other guards that you did tell him where it is. (It won't get you out, but it will provide lots of entertainment while you wait.)

6. Read a good, long book. The Count of Monte Cristo might be a good one.

Anxe
2012-06-09, 11:46 AM
Half my players take the leadership feat. When there main is in prison, they just use their cohort or someone else's cohort. Not sure if that'd work for your campaign, but it might.
You could also have the imprisoned player play the torchbearer!

aldeayeah
2012-06-11, 04:02 AM
Receive visits that push the main story. From anyone who could possibly be there, be it the BBEG, a local priest or a love interest.

Knight13
2012-06-11, 09:24 AM
Trade shivs for cigarettes to make a smoke screen for other prisoners to escape, thus making his "good" behavior look even better when he stays behind
Pulling a Xanatos are we? :smalltongue:


1) Make Perform (harmonica) checks.

2) Craft a masterwork shiv.

3) Make or obtain a poster of Sune, hang it on the wall and start digging a tunnel under it.

4) Hide your +3 Greatsword in a hollowed out book.

5) Write letters to the local government asking for funds to expand the prison's sourcebook collection.

6) Find out if there are any prison-based PrCs and start working on the prereqs.

Bouregard
2012-06-11, 11:55 AM
5) Write letters to the local government asking for funds to expand the prison's sourcebook collection.

6) Find out if there are any prison-based PrCs and start working on the prereqs.


mhm... are there rules for picking up soap? Or can we assume that noone in the dung age had soap in prison?

Knight13
2012-06-11, 12:32 PM
When's the last time you remember a PC bathing at all? In prison or otherwise?

newBlazingAngel
2012-06-11, 08:43 PM
As far as I know, greyhawk does not have gender specific prisons, so no matter how much soap you drop you're only appealing to a steryotype if you give more than an 80% chance of 'incident'. :smallbiggrin:

Kadzar
2012-06-12, 09:54 PM
Well this is in no way necessarily Greyhawk or even D&D. It might even be that the players are captured and taken aboard an enemy spaceship. I almost had that happen, but I let the player just get away, I think mostly or at least partially because I thought it felt mean-spirited to lock them away with nothing to do.