Author Topic: Countering NPC Resurrection  (Read 3520 times)

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RealMarkP

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Countering NPC Resurrection
« on: October 30, 2010, 11:08:36 AM »
I have a cloak-and-dagger type of story lined up where the PCs are asked to solve a number of murders. The PCs are roughly level 13. The resident cleric has the ability to Resurrect which causes a problem when I want the NPCs to stay dead. Any ideas on How I can counter this? Perhaps a curse on the body that auto-dispels any attempt to resurrect?

RobbyPants

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Re: Countering NPC Resurrection
« Reply #1 on: October 30, 2010, 11:41:37 AM »
Can't you just hide/destroy the bodies?
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Quote from: StormKnight
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I suggest carving "Don't be a dick" into him with a knife.  A dull, rusty knife.  A dull, rusty, bent, flaming knife.
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Steve: You underestimate my power!
Fluffy: Don't try it, Steve!
Steve: *charges*
Fluffy: *three critical strikes*
Steve: ****
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I don't even stat out commoners. Commoner = corpse that just isn't a zombie. Yet.
Quote from: CryoSilver
When I think "Old Testament Boots of Peace" I think of a paladin curb-stomping an orc and screaming "Your death brings peace to this land!"
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[/spoiler]

betrayor

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Re: Countering NPC Resurrection
« Reply #2 on: October 30, 2010, 11:51:21 AM »
Or whoever killed them used soul bind on the bodies so they can't be ressurected unless the gem is broken....

wotmaniac

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Re: Countering NPC Resurrection
« Reply #3 on: October 30, 2010, 12:28:19 PM »
Or whoever killed them used soul bind on the bodies so they can't be ressurected unless the gem is broken....
... or trap the soul :p


Necrotic Termination is especially devious. (of course, then the party will probably have to hunt down all of the resulting skulking cysts -- hey, I think I'm running that campaign right now)

[spoiler]
If you stop ignoring 289 pages telling what the intent is to stretch "more power" in your own god complexion of your interpretation trumps all to cover ability adjustments from aging then I will ignore a quarter page of rules that exist within a sidebar.
I think in this case the grammar is less important than whether the Str and Dex bonus provided to your created undead scales.

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betrayor

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Re: Countering NPC Resurrection
« Reply #4 on: October 30, 2010, 12:44:39 PM »
Another good idea would be to animate the victims us undead,preferably intelligent so that the players have to kill them again before solving their murderrs....

telehax

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Re: Countering NPC Resurrection
« Reply #5 on: October 30, 2010, 02:56:52 PM »
soul is not willing

Sinfire Titan

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Re: Countering NPC Resurrection
« Reply #6 on: October 30, 2010, 09:54:47 PM »
And, when all else fails, there's a metal in Complete Warrior that traps people's souls. Arrows make it nice and easy to use.


[spoiler][/spoiler]

The_Mad_Linguist

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Re: Countering NPC Resurrection
« Reply #7 on: October 31, 2010, 12:18:32 AM »
Bodak. 

Bestow curse is vague enough with additional effects that it could do it too. 
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PhaedrusXY

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Re: Countering NPC Resurrection
« Reply #8 on: October 31, 2010, 12:26:29 AM »
And, when all else fails, there's a metal in Complete Warrior that traps people's souls. Arrows make it nice and easy to use.
Thinuan. It ain't cheap, but it works.
[spoiler]
A couple of water benders, a dike, a flaming arrow, and a few barrels of blasting jelly?

Sounds like the makings of a gay porn film.
...thanks
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RobbyPants

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Re: Countering NPC Resurrection
« Reply #9 on: October 31, 2010, 10:21:16 AM »
I guess a barghest could work, too.
My balancing 3.5 compendium
Elemental mage test game

Quotes
[spoiler]
Quote from: Cafiend
It is a shame stupidity isn't painful.
Quote from: StormKnight
Totally true.  Historians believe that most past civilizations would have endured for centuries longer if they had successfully determined Batman's alignment.
Quote from: Grand Theft Otto
Why are so many posts on the board the equivalent of " Dear Dr. Crotch, I keep punching myself in the crotch, and my groin hurts... what should I do? How can I make my groin stop hurting?"
Quote from: CryoSilver
I suggest carving "Don't be a dick" into him with a knife.  A dull, rusty knife.  A dull, rusty, bent, flaming knife.
Quote from: Seerow
Fluffy: It's over Steve! I've got the high ground!
Steve: You underestimate my power!
Fluffy: Don't try it, Steve!
Steve: *charges*
Fluffy: *three critical strikes*
Steve: ****
Quote from: claypigeons
I don't even stat out commoners. Commoner = corpse that just isn't a zombie. Yet.
Quote from: CryoSilver
When I think "Old Testament Boots of Peace" I think of a paladin curb-stomping an orc and screaming "Your death brings peace to this land!"
Quote from: Orville_Oaksong
Buy a small country. Or Pelor. Both are good investments.
[/spoiler]

veekie

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Re: Countering NPC Resurrection
« Reply #10 on: November 01, 2010, 04:53:56 AM »
Another option is to disable them then permanently transform them into something else.
Can't rez someone who isn't dead.
The mind transcends the body.
It's also a little cold because of that.
Please get it a blanket.

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RealMarkP

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Re: Countering NPC Resurrection
« Reply #11 on: November 03, 2010, 12:17:25 AM »
Another option is to disable them then permanently transform them into something else.
Can't rez someone who isn't dead.

Ah yes, the good old Flesh-To-Stone-and-Disintegrate-and-toss-resulting-dust-into-a-tornado trick. Good sugestions thus far, though the pet Barghest and Thinuan dagger ideas are win. They would be common things in a level 15 BBEG's arsenal, I would think.

Monotremeancer

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Re: Countering NPC Resurrection
« Reply #12 on: November 03, 2010, 04:25:03 PM »
How much have you carved in stone when it comes to their personalities? Can't the cleric or his god refuse to resurrect them with the motivation "Those fucks worked against the one thing/all things we stand for!" that could also help as a clue to people they hung out with, which could lead to an organisation, which might lead to potential enemies and so on
Who cares for realism when you can be awesome?

RealMarkP

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Re: Countering NPC Resurrection
« Reply #13 on: November 03, 2010, 07:07:04 PM »
How much have you carved in stone when it comes to their personalities? Can't the cleric or his god refuse to resurrect them with the motivation "Those fucks worked against the one thing/all things we stand for!" that could also help as a clue to people they hung out with, which could lead to an organisation, which might lead to potential enemies and so on

Well, I do have some stuff written in terms of personality and physical looks. Both of which are significant. The people that will be murdered are of nearly the same alignment as the cleric, so having the deity step in and decline the resurrection is a bit of a stretch.

Monotremeancer

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Re: Countering NPC Resurrection
« Reply #14 on: November 03, 2010, 07:39:46 PM »
How much have you carved in stone when it comes to their personalities? Can't the cleric or his god refuse to resurrect them with the motivation "Those fucks worked against the one thing/all things we stand for!" that could also help as a clue to people they hung out with, which could lead to an organisation, which might lead to potential enemies and so on

Well, I do have some stuff written in terms of personality and physical looks. Both of which are significant. The people that will be murdered are of nearly the same alignment as the cleric, so having the deity step in and decline the resurrection is a bit of a stretch.
That renders my suggestion quite useless, yes
Who cares for realism when you can be awesome?

The_Mad_Linguist

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Re: Countering NPC Resurrection
« Reply #15 on: November 03, 2010, 07:41:54 PM »
You can also have them decline the resurrection.

"He's together with his loving wife and daughter.  why would he come back?"
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Phrennzy

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Re: Countering NPC Resurrection
« Reply #16 on: November 04, 2010, 12:32:31 AM »
You can also have them decline the resurrection.

"He's together with his loving wife and daughter.  why would he come back?"

Coming back wouldn't be a difficult choice.  You have either the glorious, golden halls of Ysgard, where your every wish is fulfilled, and you can eat and drink and fornicate wildly for eternity. 

Or you can go back to a muddy shithole where some guy just stabbed you - not to mention you'll owe some other asshole 5k in diamonds. 

Your choice.

bearsarebrown

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Re: Countering NPC Resurrection
« Reply #17 on: November 04, 2010, 02:06:29 PM »
The main issue here seems to be a Cloak and Dagger game at level 13. Why aren't the Wizards just Divining and answering everything in seconds? Why aren't the Wizards just mindraping and answering everything in seconds?

Cloak and Dagger doesn't work at level 13 without huge workarounds.

RealMarkP

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Re: Countering NPC Resurrection
« Reply #18 on: November 04, 2010, 07:08:51 PM »
The main issue here seems to be a Cloak and Dagger game at level 13. Why aren't the Wizards just Divining and answering everything in seconds? Why aren't the Wizards just mindraping and answering everything in seconds?

Cloak and Dagger doesn't work at level 13 without huge workarounds.

The Huge work around is that the party does not have any Arcane casters. And the cleric is a healbot. This is why I thought a cloak and dagger would be feasible at this level.
« Last Edit: November 04, 2010, 07:16:09 PM by RealMarkP »

RobbyPants

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Re: Countering NPC Resurrection
« Reply #19 on: November 05, 2010, 10:31:38 AM »
Yeah, if they're willing to play ball, then you can probably make it work.
My balancing 3.5 compendium
Elemental mage test game

Quotes
[spoiler]
Quote from: Cafiend
It is a shame stupidity isn't painful.
Quote from: StormKnight
Totally true.  Historians believe that most past civilizations would have endured for centuries longer if they had successfully determined Batman's alignment.
Quote from: Grand Theft Otto
Why are so many posts on the board the equivalent of " Dear Dr. Crotch, I keep punching myself in the crotch, and my groin hurts... what should I do? How can I make my groin stop hurting?"
Quote from: CryoSilver
I suggest carving "Don't be a dick" into him with a knife.  A dull, rusty knife.  A dull, rusty, bent, flaming knife.
Quote from: Seerow
Fluffy: It's over Steve! I've got the high ground!
Steve: You underestimate my power!
Fluffy: Don't try it, Steve!
Steve: *charges*
Fluffy: *three critical strikes*
Steve: ****
Quote from: claypigeons
I don't even stat out commoners. Commoner = corpse that just isn't a zombie. Yet.
Quote from: CryoSilver
When I think "Old Testament Boots of Peace" I think of a paladin curb-stomping an orc and screaming "Your death brings peace to this land!"
Quote from: Orville_Oaksong
Buy a small country. Or Pelor. Both are good investments.
[/spoiler]