A little help finding/establishing mechanics for a BBEG concept [Archive] - Wizards Community

A little help finding/establishing mechanics for a BBEG concept [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
ksbsnowowl
10-24-05, 10:49 PM I went to go see the new movie Stay this evening, and during the first 60 seconds of the movie I can up with an interesting concept for an NPC / BBEG. (Have no fear of me revealing the plot of the movie - the idea was based on my preconceptions of the film from seeing half of the trailer one time).

The concept is a character with a split personality, but not in the normal sense. Rather, the personalities switch each time the person dies. Ergo, the character cannot truly die (at least not without some specific, epic means) - the character is some strange twist of the cosmos. Anyway, one individual would be a good character of modest intentions; perhaps a good and trustworthy politician of sorts. The other would be an archetypal, plotting, scheming roguish type BBEG, I suppose.

There are some problems I can see with the logistics... when killed, does the personality immediately change, and the body return to life? Does it take a few days? Does the body disappear and reform in a random, new location? The only thing off the top of my head is a Tefflamar Shadow Lord (from Unapproachable East) with its Discorporation ability.

Anybody have any ideas?

Oh, and I'm thinking this foe would be appropriate for an Eberron campaign.
Eightbitmage
10-24-05, 11:35 PM You honestly don't have to come up with any mechanics beyond a time frame. Its your game, if you want him to come back to life with a different personality he just does.
ksbsnowowl
10-25-05, 01:21 PM Let's just say that I'm sort of mechanics centered, and would appreciate any mechanics ideas folks can provide.
Argon_Asimov
10-25-05, 01:49 PM Well, it depends on a lot of things. How did this guy come to be?

When you get right down to it, what is he, really? Is he two people who share some cosmic connection in disperate materials planes, whose combined manifestation spills over into the one your player's inhabit?

Is he, perhaps, the result of a Trap the Soul or similar spell gone horribly, horribly wrong?

Once you really decide what created this being, and what is essentially is, everything else should fall into place. Hope that helps to get you started...

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
ksbsnowowl 10-24-05, 10:49 PM	I went to go see the new movie Stay this evening, and during the first 60 seconds of the movie I can up with an interesting concept for an NPC / BBEG. (Have no fear of me revealing the plot of the movie - the idea was based on my preconceptions of the film from seeing half of the trailer one time). The concept is a character with a split personality, but not in the normal sense. Rather, the personalities switch each time the person dies. Ergo, the character cannot truly die (at least not without some specific, epic means) - the character is some strange twist of the cosmos. Anyway, one individual would be a good character of modest intentions; perhaps a good and trustworthy politician of sorts. The other would be an archetypal, plotting, scheming roguish type BBEG, I suppose. There are some problems I can see with the logistics... when killed, does the personality immediately change, and the body return to life? Does it take a few days? Does the body disappear and reform in a random, new location? The only thing off the top of my head is a Tefflamar Shadow Lord (from Unapproachable East) with its Discorporation ability. Anybody have any ideas? Oh, and I'm thinking this foe would be appropriate for an Eberron campaign.
Eightbitmage 10-24-05, 11:35 PM	You honestly don't have to come up with any mechanics beyond a time frame. Its your game, if you want him to come back to life with a different personality he just does.
ksbsnowowl 10-25-05, 01:21 PM	Let's just say that I'm sort of mechanics centered, and would appreciate any mechanics ideas folks can provide.
Argon_Asimov 10-25-05, 01:49 PM	Well, it depends on a lot of things. How did this guy come to be? When you get right down to it, what is he, really? Is he two people who share some cosmic connection in disperate materials planes, whose combined manifestation spills over into the one your player's inhabit? Is he, perhaps, the result of a Trap the Soul or similar spell gone horribly, horribly wrong? Once you really decide what created this being, and what is essentially is, everything else should fall into place. Hope that helps to get you started...