|
Hey all, I'm very new to GMing (well, GMing decently, anyway), and will be hosting a game soon with some buddies from work. One of the PCs, a guy intent on playing a Ninja, says he can't wait to play because he's looking forward to playing a character who gets his jollies by stealing anything not nailed down from shops.
To any other GMs out there, how would you (or how have you) handle this type of thing? Obviously if he cleans out a store's inventory it'll really throw the treasure totals out of whack, even more so if he doesn't share with the rest of the party. I feel bad about just taking him aside and saying "No" with a proverbial rolled-up newspaper. Are there any graceful in-game ways to make it realistically not worth his while to behave this way? Law enforcement involvement, imprisonment, being banned from town, bounty hunters, and cursed items all come to mind, but these are things that can be worked around (and in some cases, spawn additional fun when circumventing these repercussions).
No magic shops.
I always run that magic items are so specialised that they have to be made-to-order. They are also so expensive that getting them tracked down if they are stolen is a given (locate object is a cheap spell compared to a missing +2 sword).
Those few places that have items that are stocked (potions and scrolls or a few merchants that have stocks of random items) have them kept locked away: You declare what you want, pay the shopkeeper and he has someone bring it from the strongroom.
Therefore, do not worry about such problems. Simply do not give him the opportunity save where it is important to the plot.
track encumbrance. all those stolen mundane and masterwork goods will eventually add up.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
There is always the risk of getting caught -- don't hold back on that or the consequences. How great the risk is would be based on the value of the goods sold -- assume that any shop has defenses of a level suitable to the level of crafter that would be required to make the items that the store carries. Thus, a grocery store that sells only cheap foodstuffs would have few defenses and be relatively easy to steal from -- but you would have to steal a lot of stuff for it to matter much for treasure by level purposes. On the other hand, if a shop sells magic items, just think of what sorts of magical traps could be created by a spellcaster of sufficient level to make the items sold there -- and assume that the shop is well protected by such traps.
A low level character would have little chance to overcome such traps, even if the shopkeeper provides the warning that the recently added statue and caged bird are shoplifters that he caught...
Magic shops have magic defenses against theft. You, as the GM, are able to define those defenses however you like. Here are some ways to prevent theft.
1. All magic items visible in the store are illusory versions of the real thing and the real thing is only fetched after payment.
2. All magic items of any significant value have a pre-emptive curse placed on them which can only be canceled by the store owner using a specil curse-removal magic device that is keyed to the owner only. If someone attempts to use the cursed item it instantly teleports them into a holding cell and returns the item to the store.
3. All magic items of any significant value have arcane marks on them which allow them to be located at will. Potentially the store has a special "recall item" spell which can instantly return an item to the store.
4. All magic stores are patrolled by invisible servants who monitor the store's customers and sound the alarm if anything is stolen.
5. All magic stores are tucked into inaccessible pocket dimensions as part of their closing routine, and are impossible to reach without a special keyword or individually attuned item.
Etc. etc. etc...
If you want to give him a freebie to explore his larcenous ways, you can relax these rules enough that he can five-finger discount low level potions, wands, etc. Perhaps you can allow him just enough rope to hang himself.
|
|
You might want to also consider giving him the opportunity to steal, but only when you want him to and when you know the items will not be of significant value, give the baby his bottle, but fill it with water ^^
I often make it known at the start of the game that places like weapons shops and armouries are well guarded, especially with magic. I don't stop the players from trying to steal from them but I make sure it will require a great deal of planning, magical aid and sheer luck to pull it off. It's not like shop keeps leave +5 swords just lying around, anything worth more than a hundred gold at best is kept under tight lock and key, usually a magical lock.
It's hard to balance but if he finds stealing and pick pocketing fun let him at least try, just make sure that when he goes for the real big ticket items he has a very hard time getting away with it, and like you suggested a cursed item is a great way to make him think twice before he raids the royal treasury again :)
Some great suggestions in here.
One more thing I would like to point out: assuming he's not picking up magic weapons and armor, the goods aren't going to be too terribly immediately useful. So, in order to turn them into true wealth and not just deadweight (character) or paper wealth (player), he's going to have to fence them. That could make some great roleplay opportunities in and of itself.
Remember, you, as the GM, are in control of what he has access to. I wouldn't keep him completely caged in. Allow him to steal some things that appear to have quite a lot of value, but are very hard to turn liquid.
Say...a nice magical sword that no one in the party is proficient with that has some very distinctive markings...
You can totally deal with this. Have him roll stealth and pickpocket equivalent checks, give him a chance to get caught. If he stays in a town for an extended length of time have security increased in the shops. (Have the security officer be at least a level higher than the ninja wannabe.) It will just be a matter of time until he gets caught.
When he does get caught take appropriate action. Have him thrown into a jail, chained into a dungeon, or if there is a more barbaric society cut off the offending hand and send him on his way.
If it is a magic shop, have a guard that is a Golem.
Rich dandies often have the wit and means to pull this. See if anyone remembers:
Upon lifting the purse, the thief absconds to a safe point and opens the pouch. upon widening the mouth of the pouch, it becomes animated, giving a stodgy "*cough*ahem*cough. LET IT BE KNOWN THAT THE SNATCHER OF THIS PURSE IS AN ASS!"
After panicking and dropping the bag about shouting item, the thief looks to the left and right, seeing no overt reaction. Having gotten away once again, the thief smells a tantalizing aroma coming from a nearby barn, and clip-clops into the cozy darkness to eat some fresh hay.