A philosophical question [Archive] - Wizards Community

A philosophical question [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
reapersedge
02-03-07, 09:16 AM I noticed in the DM's guide that one of the effects of a cursed item was changing the character's gender. This begs the question:

If a pregnent female picks up the item, and turns into a guy, what happens?

I know this probably NEVER comes up in real play, but it's one of those questions that just demands an answer.
bonethug0108
02-03-07, 09:20 AM I noticed in the DM's guide that one of the effects of a cursed item was changing the character's gender. This begs the question:

If a pregnent female picks up the item, and turns into a guy, what happens?

I know this probably NEVER comes up in real play, but it's one of those questions that just demands an answer.

:eek:

I would assume(and we all know what that does) that the change would cause the baby to disappear, as the man no longer has a womb. If you go the other way, the baby would bust some oragn or float around inside and probably mess up oragns that way.
Khael
02-03-07, 09:21 AM My guess: Ever see Junior with Danny Devito and Arnold Schwarzenegger? Yeah, that what I think will happen. But for their sake, don't. In the average D&D world where Cesarean might not exist... thats not good...

Or it goes the way of EGS: Such curses cannot affect a pregnant being... Which throws up the idea of a cursed individual having the baby, only to turn male immediately after...
pres_man
02-03-07, 09:21 AM Or if you prefer a less drastic result, you could say the item causes the baby's gender to change, and does not effect the mother.
bonethug0108
02-03-07, 09:23 AM My guess: Ever see Junior with Danny Devito and Arnold Schwarzenegger? Yeah, that what I think will happen. But for their sake, don't. In the average D&D world where Cesarean might not exist... thats not good...

But men don't have wombs, so that movie is a mute point. A man in no way could support an unborn child.
Khael
02-03-07, 09:30 AM But men don't have wombs, so that movie is a mute point. A man in no way could support an unborn child.

Yes, but a man cannot turn into a fully biological woman... and vise versa. Magic tends to throw this sort of thing up. If you like however, since the curse was not directed at the baby, a separate entity... the womb may remain as a result of the curse.

Or of course the cursed character becomes slightly hermaphroditic.
bonethug0108
02-03-07, 09:43 AM Yes, but a man cannot turn into a fully biological woman... and vise versa. Magic tends to throw this sort of thing up. If you like however, since the curse was not directed at the baby, a separate entity... the womb may remain as a result of the curse.

Or of course the cursed character becomes slightly hermaphroditic.

With a belt of gender change, they would biologically become a man, and vice versa. It's not a gender change operation, it's magic.

But the idea of having the womb remain is a good idea, and could make for some interesting complications.
a_psh
02-03-07, 10:37 AM The real answer is that it depends on the tone of your game. It can be anything from Junior-style slapstick to a grim-and-dirty fairy tale full of terrible, ugly deaths.

Just remember: D&D doesn't make any sense.
Rivelstraz
02-03-07, 11:06 AM This kind of questions give me headache, like female pregnant druids shapeshifting. Does the (unborn) baby shapeshift too?
Ocom
02-03-07, 11:14 AM The woman turn's into a man. The baby is not affected.
What happens if there is a half-formed baby in a man? No idea, i'm no doctor. But i guess it's nasty.

Anyways, you have to make the decision beacause the world works as the DM want's it to work. You know, the DM is always right :)
ae020704
02-03-07, 02:20 PM Or if you prefer a less drastic result, you could say the item causes the baby's gender to change, and does not effect the mother.

I second that, for a 'generic' DnD game, I.E. neither comedic nor Grim 'n' Gritty.
Whisper_Swiftblade
02-03-07, 02:44 PM I would just say that the baby was transfered to the nearest avalibly woman, preferibly one of simular race and phisical trates.

this could make for fun when the party's female BBEG just became the carryer of A good PCs child. You know you should kill her, but the baby...........
Solaris
02-03-07, 03:30 PM This begs the question No, it raises the question. Begging the question (http://begthequestion.info/) is something different.
VrecknidjX
02-03-07, 03:46 PM I noticed in the DM's guide that one of the effects of a cursed item was changing the character's gender. This begs the question:

If a pregnent female picks up the item, and turns into a guy, what happens?

I know this probably NEVER comes up in real play, but it's one of those questions that just demands an answer.Does the gender (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender) change, or the sex (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sex)? Changing gender might not be that difficult, and might leave the baby intact.

Changing sex would take something on the order of either amazing technological feats (i.e. hormones plus surgery) or powerful magic (i.e. a real whopper of a curse). I'd imagine that anything this powerful is also capable of dealing with the "problem" of pregnancy.

Let the DM decide.

Dave
Kapalen
02-03-07, 05:42 PM I would just say that the baby was transfered to the nearest avalibly woman, preferibly one of simular race and phisical trates.

this could make for fun when the party's female BBEG just became the carryer of A good PCs child. You know you should kill her, but the baby...........

Beastmaster anyone?
Whisper_Swiftblade
02-03-07, 05:44 PM Beastmaster anyone?

nothing says cool like two ferrits and a panther (or tiger depending on the movie)

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
reapersedge 02-03-07, 09:16 AM	I noticed in the DM's guide that one of the effects of a cursed item was changing the character's gender. This begs the question: If a pregnent female picks up the item, and turns into a guy, what happens? I know this probably NEVER comes up in real play, but it's one of those questions that just demands an answer.
bonethug0108 02-03-07, 09:20 AM	I noticed in the DM's guide that one of the effects of a cursed item was changing the character's gender. This begs the question: If a pregnent female picks up the item, and turns into a guy, what happens? I know this probably NEVER comes up in real play, but it's one of those questions that just demands an answer. :eek: I would assume(and we all know what that does) that the change would cause the baby to disappear, as the man no longer has a womb. If you go the other way, the baby would bust some oragn or float around inside and probably mess up oragns that way.
Khael 02-03-07, 09:21 AM	My guess: Ever see Junior with Danny Devito and Arnold Schwarzenegger? Yeah, that what I think will happen. But for their sake, don't. In the average D&D world where Cesarean might not exist... thats not good... Or it goes the way of EGS: Such curses cannot affect a pregnant being... Which throws up the idea of a cursed individual having the baby, only to turn male immediately after...
pres_man 02-03-07, 09:21 AM	Or if you prefer a less drastic result, you could say the item causes the baby's gender to change, and does not effect the mother.
bonethug0108 02-03-07, 09:23 AM	My guess: Ever see Junior with Danny Devito and Arnold Schwarzenegger? Yeah, that what I think will happen. But for their sake, don't. In the average D&D world where Cesarean might not exist... thats not good... But men don't have wombs, so that movie is a mute point. A man in no way could support an unborn child.
Khael 02-03-07, 09:30 AM	But men don't have wombs, so that movie is a mute point. A man in no way could support an unborn child. Yes, but a man cannot turn into a fully biological woman... and vise versa. Magic tends to throw this sort of thing up. If you like however, since the curse was not directed at the baby, a separate entity... the womb may remain as a result of the curse. Or of course the cursed character becomes slightly hermaphroditic.
bonethug0108 02-03-07, 09:43 AM	Yes, but a man cannot turn into a fully biological woman... and vise versa. Magic tends to throw this sort of thing up. If you like however, since the curse was not directed at the baby, a separate entity... the womb may remain as a result of the curse. Or of course the cursed character becomes slightly hermaphroditic. With a belt of gender change, they would biologically become a man, and vice versa. It's not a gender change operation, it's magic. But the idea of having the womb remain is a good idea, and could make for some interesting complications.
a_psh 02-03-07, 10:37 AM	The real answer is that it depends on the tone of your game. It can be anything from Junior-style slapstick to a grim-and-dirty fairy tale full of terrible, ugly deaths. Just remember: D&D doesn't make any sense.
Rivelstraz 02-03-07, 11:06 AM	This kind of questions give me headache, like female pregnant druids shapeshifting. Does the (unborn) baby shapeshift too?
Ocom 02-03-07, 11:14 AM	The woman turn's into a man. The baby is not affected. What happens if there is a half-formed baby in a man? No idea, i'm no doctor. But i guess it's nasty. Anyways, you have to make the decision beacause the world works as the DM want's it to work. You know, the DM is always right :)
ae020704 02-03-07, 02:20 PM	Or if you prefer a less drastic result, you could say the item causes the baby's gender to change, and does not effect the mother. I second that, for a 'generic' DnD game, I.E. neither comedic nor Grim 'n' Gritty.
Whisper_Swiftblade 02-03-07, 02:44 PM	I would just say that the baby was transfered to the nearest avalibly woman, preferibly one of simular race and phisical trates. this could make for fun when the party's female BBEG just became the carryer of A good PCs child. You know you should kill her, but the baby...........
Solaris 02-03-07, 03:30 PM	This begs the question No, it raises the question. Begging the question (http://begthequestion.info/) is something different.
VrecknidjX 02-03-07, 03:46 PM	I noticed in the DM's guide that one of the effects of a cursed item was changing the character's gender. This begs the question: If a pregnent female picks up the item, and turns into a guy, what happens? I know this probably NEVER comes up in real play, but it's one of those questions that just demands an answer.Does the gender (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender) change, or the sex (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sex)? Changing gender might not be that difficult, and might leave the baby intact. Changing sex would take something on the order of either amazing technological feats (i.e. hormones plus surgery) or powerful magic (i.e. a real whopper of a curse). I'd imagine that anything this powerful is also capable of dealing with the "problem" of pregnancy. Let the DM decide. Dave
Kapalen 02-03-07, 05:42 PM	I would just say that the baby was transfered to the nearest avalibly woman, preferibly one of simular race and phisical trates. this could make for fun when the party's female BBEG just became the carryer of A good PCs child. You know you should kill her, but the baby........... Beastmaster anyone?
Whisper_Swiftblade 02-03-07, 05:44 PM	Beastmaster anyone? nothing says cool like two ferrits and a panther (or tiger depending on the movie)