Stripped of gear [Archive] - Wizards Community

Stripped of gear [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Hellsbells
10-21-07, 07:16 PM Is their any rules on determining CR/ECL/what ever if the players have no gear?
vorpo
10-21-07, 08:11 PM It's hard to say. While it's terrible for warrior/barbs/rogues without gears, the same doesn't hold AS TRUE for the likes of monk/warlock/sorc types. So it's really up to the DM basing on the party composition
Fireclave
10-21-07, 08:18 PM In a word: Nope.

How much tougher an encounter is when the PCs are stripped of their gear will require a DM judgement call. Keep in mind that, while CR assumes characters are geared appropriately for their level, some characters are hurt much more by the loss of their gear than others. Spellcasters usually don't lose much effectiveness without their equipment, while martial characters like fighters are generally hosed.

The difference in power also varies highly by level. At 20th, the difference in power between you and your +5 Holy Frost Evil Outsider Bane Spellstoring Greatsword, and you without, is probably utter death. At 1st, the difference in power between you with your Greatsword, and you without, is a walk to the nearest tree to improvise a great club.
runestar
10-21-07, 10:02 PM It is tricky, because magic can to some extent mitigate the drawbacks of having substandard eq.

For example, magic vestments to replicate magic armour/shields, greater magic weapon for weapons, buff spells for stat-boosting gear, protective spells like stoneskin and haste to flavour etc...

Still, this will necessitate the expenditure of more resources, so maybe an ad-hoc xp bonus instead.:)
Erk_
10-22-07, 03:50 AM It can hold as true or more if the wizard has been stripped of his spell book, or the cleric his holy symbol ;) (assuming you rule that he needs that to pray for his spells). Depending on the situation, if the warriors were stripped of their weapons and armour but didn't have the baddies steal the casters' critical goods, it's not a particularly fair situation. Of course, it is hard to strip a sorceror or druid (and to a lesser degree a cleric) completely.

I would hazard a guess that being completely stripped of gear essentially halves the character level of combat characters, and has little effect (maybe 1 or 2 levels lost) on spellcasters who maintain their casting. Of course, a wizard who loses his spellbook is pretty much a commoner of equal level, and a cleric without his magic is more or less a warrior, and it is a bit more complicated for combat chars with limited casting like Rangers or Paladins.
trapspringer
10-25-07, 07:47 PM The effect is going to in proportion to the level of the character. At lower levels I'm thinkin' -1/2, round up.
pigknight
10-30-07, 09:07 PM How were they striped of their gear? Usually in jail breaks your gear is actually like 20ft away, and your wizard/sorcerer should have mage hand.
Hellsbells
11-03-07, 11:18 PM it was just hypothetical
Valoy_Muniz
11-07-07, 11:33 AM In my next game I am starting my players off something like that. They will only have starting quipment of what they would find in a small fishing boat.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Hellsbells 10-21-07, 07:16 PM	Is their any rules on determining CR/ECL/what ever if the players have no gear?
vorpo 10-21-07, 08:11 PM	It's hard to say. While it's terrible for warrior/barbs/rogues without gears, the same doesn't hold AS TRUE for the likes of monk/warlock/sorc types. So it's really up to the DM basing on the party composition
Fireclave 10-21-07, 08:18 PM	In a word: Nope. How much tougher an encounter is when the PCs are stripped of their gear will require a DM judgement call. Keep in mind that, while CR assumes characters are geared appropriately for their level, some characters are hurt much more by the loss of their gear than others. Spellcasters usually don't lose much effectiveness without their equipment, while martial characters like fighters are generally hosed. The difference in power also varies highly by level. At 20th, the difference in power between you and your +5 Holy Frost Evil Outsider Bane Spellstoring Greatsword, and you without, is probably utter death. At 1st, the difference in power between you with your Greatsword, and you without, is a walk to the nearest tree to improvise a great club.
runestar 10-21-07, 10:02 PM	It is tricky, because magic can to some extent mitigate the drawbacks of having substandard eq. For example, magic vestments to replicate magic armour/shields, greater magic weapon for weapons, buff spells for stat-boosting gear, protective spells like stoneskin and haste to flavour etc... Still, this will necessitate the expenditure of more resources, so maybe an ad-hoc xp bonus instead.:)
Erk_ 10-22-07, 03:50 AM	It can hold as true or more if the wizard has been stripped of his spell book, or the cleric his holy symbol ;) (assuming you rule that he needs that to pray for his spells). Depending on the situation, if the warriors were stripped of their weapons and armour but didn't have the baddies steal the casters' critical goods, it's not a particularly fair situation. Of course, it is hard to strip a sorceror or druid (and to a lesser degree a cleric) completely. I would hazard a guess that being completely stripped of gear essentially halves the character level of combat characters, and has little effect (maybe 1 or 2 levels lost) on spellcasters who maintain their casting. Of course, a wizard who loses his spellbook is pretty much a commoner of equal level, and a cleric without his magic is more or less a warrior, and it is a bit more complicated for combat chars with limited casting like Rangers or Paladins.
trapspringer 10-25-07, 07:47 PM	The effect is going to in proportion to the level of the character. At lower levels I'm thinkin' -1/2, round up.
pigknight 10-30-07, 09:07 PM	How were they striped of their gear? Usually in jail breaks your gear is actually like 20ft away, and your wizard/sorcerer should have mage hand.
Hellsbells 11-03-07, 11:18 PM	it was just hypothetical
Valoy_Muniz 11-07-07, 11:33 AM	In my next game I am starting my players off something like that. They will only have starting quipment of what they would find in a small fishing boat.