One Shot Plan: Capture the Ioun [PEACH]

[GreatWyrmGold]

I'm sorta-co-DMing* a game at the local game shop,† due to both knowing the DM and being pretty much the only consistent player who knows much about 5e. The DM has other commitments during next week's scheduled session, so I wanted to throw together a little one-shot. The session only lasts an hour and a half, and I don't know of any dungeons short enough to finish that quickly and also interesting enough to bother with.
Previous groups have dealt with things like this by running deathmatches, but there are some problems with that. Obviously, some characters will do way better than others; squishy characters relying on support and ones focused on supporting others will tend to do worse than solo combat monsters (one of the few times casters are at a disadvantage). Also, the other players are going a bit murderhobo, and I'm trying to discourage that.

My idea is basically a D&D spin on Capture the Flag, except that instead of flags it's ioun stones.
The players start in an arena (probably with fun features like moats and raised platforms), with one ioun stone orbiting their head. If they have a free hand (unlikely for most warrior-types), can try to take an ioun stone with a Dexterity check (save?) against...I'm not sure what the DC should be, or maybe it should be an opposed Dex save or something. Anyways, grabbing an ioun stone triggers attacks of opportunity.
Also, they can kill each other. Killed characters respawn at the end of their next turn, because consequences matter but being knocked from the game for the rest of the session sucks. Their ioun stones stay where they were killed, or maybe drift slowly towards them (I'm not sure); free-floating ioun stones are easier to grab, but still provoke AoOs.
Oh, and of course players can get creative with special abilities. I sure hope they do...

I'm posting about this to get some feedback and ideas about how to refine this into something that should be unique and enjoyable, with a semblance of balance and a variety of valid options available. Do you have any ideas?

*I basically draw the maps and help players with character creation and whatnot while the DM does other stuff (like combat).
†Don't know where else to put this, but the party members are all 1st or 2nd level.

[Corran]

Capture the flag is nice as an idea, but I think it will be poor in practice, as it will be hard to incorporate the elements that make dnd what it is. Here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTD2RZz6mlo) is an idea.
It has combat (maybe reduce the encounters by 1 to speed it up), a trap, a riddle, and a secret door leading to treasure. So all the basic dnd stuff you would expect from a quick dnd dungeon crawl.

[GreatWyrmGold]

I said I wanted to provide a non-murderhobo experience. You basically say "Yeah...but there's no combat in there, so it's a bad idea"?

What essential spirit of D&D am I violating here that wouldn't be equally-violated in any unimportant DM-is-gone filler session?

[Corran]

I said I wanted to provide a non-murderhobo experience. You basically say "Yeah...but there's no combat in there, so it's a bad idea"?

What essential spirit of D&D am I violating here that wouldn't be equally-violated in any unimportant DM-is-gone filler session?
I probably read the op in a hurry, missing some vital parts, because the impression I got was that you were going to run a free-for-all type of deathmatch. Apologies.

[GreyBlack]

I'm sorta-co-DMing* a game at the local game shop,† due to both knowing the DM and being pretty much the only consistent player who knows much about 5e. The DM has other commitments during next week's scheduled session, so I wanted to throw together a little one-shot. The session only lasts an hour and a half, and I don't know of any dungeons short enough to finish that quickly and also interesting enough to bother with.
Previous groups have dealt with things like this by running deathmatches, but there are some problems with that. Obviously, some characters will do way better than others; squishy characters relying on support and ones focused on supporting others will tend to do worse than solo combat monsters (one of the few times casters are at a disadvantage). Also, the other players are going a bit murderhobo, and I'm trying to discourage that.

My idea is basically a D&D spin on Capture the Flag, except that instead of flags it's ioun stones.
The players start in an arena (probably with fun features like moats and raised platforms), with one ioun stone orbiting their head. If they have a free hand (unlikely for most warrior-types), can try to take an ioun stone with a Dexterity check (save?) against...I'm not sure what the DC should be, or maybe it should be an opposed Dex save or something. Anyways, grabbing an ioun stone triggers attacks of opportunity.
Also, they can kill each other. Killed characters respawn at the end of their next turn, because consequences matter but being knocked from the game for the rest of the session sucks. Their ioun stones stay where they were killed, or maybe drift slowly towards them (I'm not sure); free-floating ioun stones are easier to grab, but still provoke AoOs.
Oh, and of course players can get creative with special abilities. I sure hope they do...

I'm posting about this to get some feedback and ideas about how to refine this into something that should be unique and enjoyable, with a semblance of balance and a variety of valid options available. Do you have any ideas?

*I basically draw the maps and help players with character creation and whatnot while the DM does other stuff (like combat).
†Don't know where else to put this, but the party members are all 1st or 2nd level.

Are you familiar with Bloodbowl?

An idea that I might want to toy with is the idea that the characters are all the equivalent of sports stars involved in a group sport of some sort. Maybe they're the equivalent of an Olympic team for a given country?

Anyway, so they're going to have to do skill challenges, minimal "combat" (e.g. "Make a ranged attack to try and get the ball/baton to your teammate." "Make a grapple check to shove the competitor out of the way."), etc.

Of course, this all is a fantasy bent, so magic and such are legal, but it's illegal to cast spells that harm competitors. Doesn't mean they _can't_ cast them, but they're going to have to be subtle so as not to get caught by the referees.

Also, forgive my ignorance and I've seen this around, but what does PEACH mean?

[GreatWyrmGold]

Are you familiar with Bloodbowl?

An idea that I might want to toy with is the idea that the characters are all the equivalent of sports stars involved in a group sport of some sort. Maybe they're the equivalent of an Olympic team for a given country?

Anyway, so they're going to have to do skill challenges, minimal "combat" (e.g. "Make a ranged attack to try and get the ball/baton to your teammate." "Make a grapple check to shove the competitor out of the way."), etc.

Of course, this all is a fantasy bent, so magic and such are legal, but it's illegal to cast spells that harm competitors. Doesn't mean they _can't_ cast them, but they're going to have to be subtle so as not to get caught by the referees.
Not a bad idea if you're handing out pregen athletes to teach brand-new players the basic mechanics, aside from downplaying the importance of class abilities (especially magic), but not so great for a one-shot thing with pre-existing characters (including magic-users).


Also, forgive my ignorance and I've seen this around, but what does PEACH mean?
Please Examine And Critique Honestly.

[GreyBlack]

Not a bad idea if you're handing out pregen athletes to teach brand-new players the basic mechanics, aside from downplaying the importance of class abilities (especially magic), but not so great for a one-shot thing with pre-existing characters (including magic-users).

Ah must have missed the "pre-existing characters" clause.

Although, even such an environment, class abilities are still important. Barbarians raging get advantage on attack rolls and shoving people prone still nets their attack for rage, Rogue sneak attack is great for that underhanded "Go for the knee" type character (like I said: it's not that you can't attack, just that it's a penalty), fighters getting Action Surge means they can do all sorts of fun stuff, bardic inspiration has limitless opportunities... only one that might be tough is the Paladin. And, like I said, magic is still legal. Casting Guidance on the quarterback, Bless the field, throw down Grease, Daze the opposing quarterback as he's about to throw the ball...

I actually may want to write up rules on this now. Hmmmmm.....



Please Examine And Critique Honestly.

Thank you!

[GreatWyrmGold]

I'd still rather introduce the players to the game (past basic "this is how d20s work" level) with something that lets them use their full suite of abilities without any restrictions they won't face in play. There are ways to make that plausible, especially if you're willing to send the players headfirst into the antagonists' territory in the first session.

[GreyBlack]

I'd still rather introduce the players to the game (past basic "this is how d20s work" level) with something that lets them use their full suite of abilities without any restrictions they won't face in play. There are ways to make that plausible, especially if you're willing to send the players headfirst into the antagonists' territory in the first session.

Oh yeah, absolutely. I was just continuing off on my own tangent and thinking about a module I could make.

As far as yours goes.... Capture the Flag sounds like an interesting idea. I'd be curious how it works out.