quick ideas for larcenous PCs


Advice


So I'm running an evil campaign, so naturally the PC's often elect to steal rather than purchase. What I could use are some quick ideas that I can throw out to make the larceny fun and interesting with out taking up hours of time or derailing the story line. Especially when only one party member is doing the thievery and everyone else is waiting.

I've used magic mouth and alarm spell traps. Money or small items might be in puzzle boxes / safes. Guard dog, animals, homunculous, or small pet monsters I have not used yet but can.

A surprise chance encounter of another burglar robbing the same joint at the same time might be entertaining once (actually thats how I met my wife.)

Any other ideas? Small interesting obstacles that add risk but can be resolved quickly would be appreciated.

If there was a trap that cast a wizard mark on the infiltrator, would it be hidden by a hat of disguise?


All I can say is make it logical; not impossible, not a cake walk, but logical.

Granted it is a fantasy world, but not every shop is going to have access to layers of both mundane and magical protection and not all shopkeeps are going to have the gold to pay for those layers unless the value of the goods REALLY deserves it (or unless your world is magic-rich.)

Encroaching on someone else's turf, or better yet, robbing a shop that has already paid its "protection" money can cause problems after the fact. Having the more expensive pieces scribed with Arcane Mark is good for proving possession of stolen goods and maybe giving them pause before actual theft.


I would not have a Hat of Disguise cover the Arcane Mark under Detect Magic's scrutiny (at which point the NPC gets a will save against the puny DC 11), but it can probably cover the obvious visible one. Makes for a good follow-up, too- city watch mages moving slowly through the crowd, repeatedly casting Detect Magic.

Remember, the hat must be activated every ten minutes- risky to do in public with the guards on the lookout.


Someone's got to have some fun ideas... anyone?


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There are some good curses that only spring when someone takes something.

Counterfeit money or gems- appraise check to spot, both for them and the merchants it's sold to.

The secure area contains instruments of worship for a banned deity (Norgorber is good), making for good blackmail material. Or uncover a stash of blackmail material for other people.

Summon swarm traps are the best. Swarms always result in full-scale PC panic.

A familiar who keeps watch over the goods while its master sleeps.

Easy houses without much of value. It's good to mix things up.

Illegal undead chained up in the secret room as guards.

Well-fed mimic that has an arrangement with the building's owner. Clues include lots of meat being ordered.

Also, you met your wife robbing the same place?


With all this larceny it sounds like someone might steal from the PCs occasionally. You might foreshadow this with surprisingly private information being easy to get from a network of beggars or urchins.

Perhaps some passer-by sees something and screams 'Fire!' rather than 'Burglars!', causing a panic. Or perhaps they saw a real fire.

There's all kinds of mundane nasty things which can be done to try to stop burglars. Broken glass set into the tops of walls, safes with sneezing powder in them which comes free if it's jiggled too much, I'm sure alchemy can do something to stain the hands of those who handle some object uninvited.


A swarm trap sounds really fun. The mimic I would have never thought of. Thanks, those are gold!


Melvin the Mediocre wrote:
A swarm trap sounds really fun. The mimic I would have never thought of. Thanks, those are gold!

Glad to help! You should post back here with how it goes.

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