Hi all,
Looking for some suggestions from this august group. Background (confusing, bear with me): I've got a PC with 2 levels of Half-fiend, 3 levels in sorceror and 3 levels in tainted spell caster. Basically, he was "created" to be sacrificed for a cult to gain power via spilling his demonic blood, but, he was rescued as an infant. Via a ritual, the "demon side" was harnessed for a time, but started to manifest as he got older (and leveled up). This is the short version. It's way more complicated, but basically it's time to set up "the confrontation" where the two sides of his personality must be resolved.
The plan:
Via a ritual enacted by a high ranking cleric, he, and any members of his party will be transported to a "spiritual battleground/holding area/demi-plane" where he can confront essentially himself and resolve his future.
The trick:
Since the battle ground is basically within his soul, physical prowess on the material plane means nothing. I want to turn the mechanics upside down on this one. My thought: AC is based upon 10+Wis bonus. Attacks are d20 + Wis bonus to hit, 1-4 + Cha Bonus (force of personality) for damage. Htps will range from 1-4/HD for fighters and rogues (i.e. less "spiritual" characters) to 1d10 or 1d12 for Clerics/Paladins "more spiritual". Only magic items that will alter need to have some "soul power" to be relevant, for instance, my dwarven warrior will be in for a major shock, however, his Dwarven Waraxe is a family heirloom and was his Grandpappys (yep, weapon of legacy, but he doesn't know this yet) so it will do some damage still.
Trick part deux:
Since the battleground is essentially a demiplane created to hold part of his soul, he is basically fighting himself. The demonside will be allied with Hate, Greed, Envy, Jealousy, Rage, etc. on his side. I'm thinking as/if these start being defeated, he will get weaker, as these are still part of him. The trick will be to realize what is happening and either summon his better traits (Love, Generosity, Humility, etc) OR to subdue and assimilate, maybe via grapple or something the parts of his whole.
If he loses, he gains two levels of half-fiend and becomes evil NPC in all likelihood.
Okay, thoughts, critique, etc?
Looking over the situation you have set up it looks like a fun step in the development of the character. I worry that with all his friends coming with him that the demon aspect of him could be seriously outmatched and they could just gang-splat him--which in some ways seems like cheating since really this is the half-demon guy's fight and its about the destiny of HIS soul.
Perhaps the group gets split up when they go in, each having to resolve their own issues before being able to help out on the big battlefield. That will at least beat them up a bit before going up against a fresh demonic version of the PC.
Or perhaps the other characters can't fight his double directly, but by trying to understand their friend they can summon forth elements of his duplicate that are part of them as well--like greed or hate or despair--and do battle with that part of the demony guy, each doing their part to weaken him by defeating some part of the main guy they relate to.
The big trick to the kind of "figure out how to fight him bad guys" is that players can tend to run out of ideas and get frustrated quickly when they can't solve the puzzle and are getting whupped on the whole time. I'd definitely recommend against NPCing the guy if he loses, particularly if he loses because he couldn't figure out how to hurt his double in time. Remember the rules you're imposing on soul battles and the spirit realm are ones you've come up with, and the players probably aren't going to have the same assumptions you do. Maybe if he loses you could just mutate him, make him look more demon-like, have a harder time resisting his darker impulses, perhaps discovering a psychic bond between him and his demon lord parent who whispers in his mind with a sulfurous hiss.
Also it'd be nice to give them some way to withdraw from the battlefield if things are going against them. Somewhere to regroup and think will allow them more time to try to understand where you're coming from and the nature of the battleground they find themselves in without having to dodge fireballs and battleaxes at the same time.
As far as a good idea for rules on fighting in an incorporeal form, there's a good section in the DMG on creatures with incorporeal status. It might give you some neat ideas for mechanics that you can actually point to if players get frustrated and ask what's going on.
Anyway best of luck to you. Sounds cool.
This does indeed sound really cool. I highly suggest, however, that you make copies of their character sheets for yourself with the modifications you listed and run one or two mock battles to see how it goes.
I do second Grimcleaver on the NPC issue. Unless the player is aware and okay with the potential for his character to become an NPC, you'd probably be best to have the character become more "fiendish" rather than become an NPC. Perhaps if he wins, convert his tainted caster levels into a purified form, and if he loses all his caster levels become tainted.
Report back after you've run it, and I may just yoink this idea for my own use... ^^
TK
Wow! Thanks for the responses, and good thoughts all.
A bit more background, the Player is the one who suggested, and still toys with "going demonic" and wouldn't really mind becoming the party's nemisis in NPC form (he's really getting into the duality thing right now, just requested to stealthily buy some sleeping poison and antidote unbeknowndst to the rest of his party "just for fun").
I'm also toying with degrees of success, i.e. if they just rock through it, he gets total control and total choice of his character, able to display or hide demonic traits, free will, etc., just mediocre or scrape by means he again gains more control, but will still look like a cambion, with accompanying stigma and if he loses, well, we know how that goes.....
Grimcleaver:
Thanks for the DMG hint, I'll check it out. RE: withdrawal options, good point, since a cleric is performing the ritual, he might be able to yank them out if it gets too hairy also....
I like the bit about not fighting his double directly, perhaps only he can fight his double and they end up trying to deal with his evil aspects ....
Thanis:
Yep, I'm on the converted character sheets, just so we don't bog down. Also like the all levels become tainted levels if he loses....extends the mechanics and lets him have more fun w/ journey to NPC nemesis status, which he is having a ball toying with... (almost scary).
Avenger:
Test run - good idea. I was actually trying to help them a bit on the Cha side, I don't think any of them are high Int, but at least some have good Cha, but I see your point.
All:
I'll try to report back on Friday or Saturday after we run it.
Thanks again.
I agree with everyone that this idea is pretty cool.
For the character turning into an NPC problem, I suggest preparing a senario whether he wins or looses.
If he wins; It turns the player was playing his good side, and vanquished the evil within him.
If he looses; It turns out that the player was playing his dark side and his good side won (in other words, he HAD to lose).
Or along those lines... Get my drift? You make the player think it's an "ALL IN" fight, but you make it so he survives either way. (Tons of stress - no actual danger).
Ultradan
Actually, I think he kinda wants to "lose" but you guys do raise a doubt in my mind about whether or not he truly wants it resolved. I think he's having more fun with the tension. Of course the rest of the party is contemplating killing him.........
ARGGGGH. Must resolve and have gameplan by tomorrow night....ohhhh the burden of the DM!!!!!