Holding back Evil players


Advice


So I'm running an evil campaign and my players are going to be starting off in jail. They are level 11 and the jail will be manned by "Paladins" (warpriests and clerics etc. as well). I'm hoping to find a way to have them restrained magically. My first thought is magic circle against evil with the extensive precautions. I'm not wanting to put them in chains just because my players will just bang on their chains until there ain't chains no more. One of them is being a monk so I don't want her unarmed striking the chains to dust. I want them to be more creative. I'm looking for ideas and/or flaws with my current idea. Should I just 'create' my own spell?
I'm a pretty loose GM so I'm open to even farther out ideas.


Circle of lesser imprisonment?

Sovereign Court

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You could have them all beginning the campaign with a geas already placed upon them, worded in such a way to present a puzzle on how to escape w/o violating their geasa.


How about an antimagic field that encompasses the whole room exactly to the magical walls?

The players are naked and they have to deal with the gang that's already imprisoned in there.


Paladins are lawful good so they'd probably allow some clothing.

Scarab Sages

Dungeon Rings modified to include an repulsion to the exit of the prison.


I've always figured a permanent antimagic demiplane made one of the best jails. Only a single entrance/exit. Add some golem guards.


Manacles of Cooperation

Reserved for only the finest adventurer convicts who don't "play nice" in the chow hall.

Sorcerers get polymorphed into geese for the duration of their sentence. Misbehavior results in goose on the menu in the chow hall.


Owly wrote:
Manacles of Cooperation
Manacles of Cooperation wrote:
DC 11 Will saving throw
Original Poster wrote:
my players are going to be starting off in jail. They are level 11

I would also question the morals of any 'paladins' that use charm/compulsion spells. Depends on the god, I guess.


Yeah, I'm kinda at a loss too...


Personal

Metal jewelry that detects magic and when it detects gives a good non-lethal shock damage to those that can use magic.

While it's still possible for magic to be cast with these on, they'd have to make that nasty concentration check for taking damage.

As a safety precaution, any time these items take damage they also do a non-lethal shock damage AoE of 5'.

For racial types with Lightning resists, have a few with other type of damage.

Jail Cells
A simple magic mouth or other type of alarm that goes off when it detects something. magic going off, people where they shouldn't be, etc.


I'm actually not aware of any player being a spell caster. That being said one more person needs to finish their character.


Geas sounds like the best option, really.

DominusMegadeus wrote:


I would also question the morals of any 'paladins' that use charm/compulsion spells. Depends on the god, I guess.

Geas/Quest is a Domain spell for both the Honor and Nobility Domains.

Sounds Cleric tested, Paladin approved to me.

There are even a few Charm/Compulsion spells on the Pally list as well. Compel Hstility and Challenge Evil frex.


Well just how are they supposed to get out? Make it too hard and eventually they will just throw up their hands.


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Could be fun to do this:

Use Geas. Give them orders along the lines of "Carry out this quest, do not try to break this Geas" and maybe some other terms restricting their methods to ones the good guys can stomach them using.

Now your crew is the Suicide Squad.

After a few missions of having to be goody goody, have a malevolent benefactor break the curse (or replace it with her own) and let them take their revenge.


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DominusMegadeus wrote:
Owly wrote:
Manacles of Cooperation
Manacles of Cooperation wrote:
DC 11 Will saving throw
Original Poster wrote:
my players are going to be starting off in jail. They are level 11
I would also question the morals of any 'paladins' that use charm/compulsion spells. Depends on the god, I guess.

Why would a paladin have problems with using magic to compel a legally convicted criminal to behave properly? A paladin will have no problem enforcing a legally valid sentence, especially from a legitimate moral authority. If the prison employing the paladin is not a legitimate and moral authority he will not work for them. Casting a spell to compel someone from escaping is no more evil than locking them up. When a person is convicted of a crime many if not all of their rights are suspended.


Still, lvl11 are gonna walk outta those

The Exchange

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i just have to say something about Emmanuel Nouvellon-Pugh comment. i am so tired of people associating lawful good with a nice guy. there is nothing in lawful nor good that dictates you give a prisoner clothes that kind of stuff just irritates the crap out of me. alignment is not a restriction is a general way of being.
why is it people add extra invisible penalties on paladins constantly.

paladins wouldnt use that paladins wont do that. its rp DEATH. a CHARACTER would do what is in there repetoire. stop generalizing character actions by alignment. its this mentality that just ruins rp.


+1 for inescapable demi-planes &/ or geasa. Especially with constant 9th level "daylight" lighting to keep them from being able to utilize stealth. Aroden's Spellbane for dismissal, banishment, gate, & message also probably appropriate if you can arrange it.

For additional fun, look at the rules for AI's in the tech guide on the PRD and tweak for magic / apply to constructs and animated objects - which can be hidden as most anything.

Really though, not knowing what you intend (are they supposed to eventually be able to break out on their own, are they organizing a prison break, will they have to try to agree to be "redeamed" to get out, etc. ?) does somewhat restrict helpful suggestions.

-TimD


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Pathfinder Adventure Path, Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
DominusMegadeus wrote:
Owly wrote:
Manacles of Cooperation
Manacles of Cooperation wrote:
DC 11 Will saving throw
Original Poster wrote:
my players are going to be starting off in jail. They are level 11
I would also question the morals of any 'paladins' that use charm/compulsion spells. Depends on the god, I guess.

Whether the DC 11 Will save matters depends on how you read that sentence. If it's (never attempts to escape) and (follows reasonable suggestions unless Will save) it's overpowered in the way Owly suggested. If it's ((never attempts escape and follows reasonable suggestions) unless DC 11 save) then they're pretty pointless.

Dark Archive

Nephril wrote:
i just have to say something about Emmanuel Nouvellon-Pugh comment. i am so tired of people associating lawful good with a nice guy. there is nothing in lawful nor good that dictates you give a prisoner clothes that kind of stuff just irritates the crap out of me. alignment is not a restriction is a general way of being.

Humiliating people is lawful & good?

Refusing people clothing, in a society where wearing them is normal, definitely falls under the heading of humiliation unless the prisoner has some special power to turn clothes into weapons that would excuse it. That definitely seems like something a Paladin who regardless of how you read alignment is supposed to be morally *better* than regular folks would strive to avoid.

As to the actual OP, it all depends on how easily you want them to escape or if you have a rescue planned etc. Even if rescued though they should have a definitive hand in things, otherwise you take all choice away from them. Organising a prison break might be the best idea, let them socialise in a limited way with other prisoners and make brief plans for what to do to break out, it could really turn into a great story with a lot of memorable moments I think.

Maybe their magical bonds *are* inescapable, but one of the other prisoners can nullify them, but *he* can't get out past the guards as hes physically fragile, etc. Have them work together with others and bring the whole place down :)


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If your players are evil and jail then I expect the guards and locks in our penitentiary system will suffice to keep them there. Escape from modern prisons is pretty low. However, there is a chance they will shiv you.


I am debating whether or not I want them to be in seperate cells and if other prisoners are with them.


Nephril wrote:

i just have to say something about Emmanuel Nouvellon-Pugh comment. i am so tired of people associating lawful good with a nice guy. there is nothing in lawful nor good that dictates you give a prisoner clothes that kind of stuff just irritates the crap out of me. alignment is not a restriction is a general way of being.

why is it people add extra invisible penalties on paladins constantly.

paladins wouldnt use that paladins wont do that. its rp DEATH. a CHARACTER would do what is in there repetoire. stop generalizing character actions by alignment. its this mentality that just ruins rp.

Hah! I am playing my paladin like this right now in my current group so no worries about the lawful good/nice debate here. That inquisitor torture argument went on forever.


You could completely incapacitate them including a gag. Unless they've got silent and still spells memorized they're unlikely to be much of a threat.

Of course there are also spellblights that are useful for this.


Holy Combination Locks on the doors, keyed to knowing the scripture of the day from whatever deity's holy book is relevant.

D6 damage to non-good to touch
No Disable Device check (since it is a puzzle)

How do they solve it? Either through observation or pretended conversation? Worst comes to worst, they memorize a combination and wait a year :o


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Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

I would SO play a sorcerer with Eschew Materials, Silent Spell, and Still Spell going into this.

(I would have done so anyways had I not known the starting premise, seeing as it's my favorite character combo.)

What's more, my character wouldn't let on that she possesses those abilities, having carried a spell component pouch. She sits in the prison only because she wants to, and only for as long as she chooses to.

Perhaps something like Hama, who most don't even recognized as a criminal, spellcaster, or a threat, much less a world-wrecking villain.

More on topic, I find the most effective prison for anyone is a flesh to stone spell, though I can see how that might not serve your purposes.

The Exchange

to suthainn no they are not. a lawful good character could do things others view as wrong so long as he has a reason to do so. try not to be so narrow minded in regards to alignment.


A planar prison could be a solution!


i say tied up by a high level grappler specialist who is also on site in case they escape. Lvl 13 tetori sound good? Also prison enchanted so they dont need to eat, and out of thier cell they cant sleep while inside the prison. If they break out of the cell they cant get back in, and start dealing with fatigue as the traps and puzzles are designed to take as much time as possible. I personally would add in mindfog+confusion trap combos for when the party gets together, but that might be a little much.

Edit: out of the cell there is no food, and the magic stops feeding them.

Dark Archive

Adamantine chains, and remember attacks only do half damage against objects.

Dark Archive

Bobo D wrote:

i say tied up by a high level grappler specialist who is also on site in case they escape. Lvl 13 tetori sound good? Also prison enchanted so they dont need to eat, and out of thier cell they cant sleep while inside the prison. If they break out of the cell they cant get back in, and start dealing with fatigue as the traps and puzzles are designed to take as much time as possible. I personally would add in mindfog+confusion trap combos for when the party gets together, but that might be a little much.

Edit: out of the cell there is no food, and the magic stops feeding them.

Ring of Substenace enchantment on their chains?


also magically enhance the chains hardness and hp somehow, keep them on 7 hour sleep cycle, have a constantly going loud noise in the background so that concentration checks are harder, have none of the guards have the keys to the cells, make certain obstacles keyed to race so they have to get other prisoners of that race out of their cells to escape, and have these prisoners be equally dangerous as the traps. Also make sure that the hallways are all difficult terrain and that the guards have some sort of enhanced mobility built in so they can respond en masse and outmaneuver the prisoners. That enough?

Dark Archive

Add a sense of urgency as well as caution by having a failed escape attempt result in a collar of the true companion being placed on the individuals involved. Also invest in locks that are too advanced to be picked by the rogue taking 20.


Dieben wrote:
Add a sense of urgency as well as caution by having a failed escape attempt result in a collar of the true companion being placed on the individuals involved. Also invest in locks that are too advanced to be picked by the rogue taking 20.

Which feebleminds them... after a week.

The Exchange

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Well, having the prison surrounded on each side by forbiddance (two L-shaped zones to west/north and east/south, plus a third one for the floor below the dungeon just in case bright boys start to tunnel) can do wonders. I also had good results at one point with a bright villain who left a few small holes in the ceiling, and informed the prisoners that the room above held a cauldron of molten lead and a guard holding the dead-man switch that would keep that lead from pouring into the cell. (I will not confirm or deny the possibility that the villain made that up: I'll only admit that there were holes in the ceiling of the cell.)

Dark Archive

DominusMegadeus wrote:
Dieben wrote:
Add a sense of urgency as well as caution by having a failed escape attempt result in a collar of the true companion being placed on the individuals involved. Also invest in locks that are too advanced to be picked by the rogue taking 20.
Which feebleminds them... after a week.

I'd like to think that a prison escape is not something that can be easily executed in one day. It really comes down to how much planning, preparation, and role playing with NPC prisoners and guards you want.

My ideal prison break scenario very likely differs from yours. I like to encourage careful, thoughtful action in players at my table.

Scarab Sages

With lvl 11's you are really making it difficult on yourself. I am telling you, as an experienced GM, that players tend to do the one thing you didn't prepare for to keep them in jail longer than a day.

I am just saying, don't be surprised if all your hard work on this jail is undone within a couple hours of gaming. Ive seen it happen so many times...


Or he makes it flatly impossible by retroactively adding things whenever the players have an idea he didn't account for, but at that point he should just hang up his dice for good.

What REASON exactly do you have to want to keep them in jail for an amount of time? Keeping in mind that without at least something/someone to do or adventure there's kind of little point to be rolling up a character.


How much experience do you have running an evil party? How much experience does your party have playing evil characters? You're beginning at an awfully high level for this unless you're all experienced.


We've all been playing pathfinder for nearly 2 years. And the point is that they do break out.

The Exchange

just dont forget to leave a way out open. not just a super narrow path they need to happen upon


Im sending someone in to help break them out.


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If the story starts with them getting broken out by someone, I would in fact start the story there. Rather than role-play out the prison, have all of the prison stuff be in the campaign background and the curtain open on them having just escaped.

That will save you the issue of making sure your PCs can't escape, and keep the players from feeling frustrated by continually failing until an NPC comes along to save their characters.


Giridan wrote:
We've all been playing pathfinder for nearly 2 years. And the point is that they do break out.

What I'm getting at is that a serious campaign with powerful evil PCs can go to shit really quick, due to choices made by the players. Done right, an evil game is an absolute blast for the players. Done poorly, and the GM's hard work is continually underminded. I suggest starting at a lower level, but if that can't happen, then figure out why a group of thoroughly evil people would continue to work together after the jailbreak, and make sure they remember it too.

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