A Thought Exercise for Creative DMs [Archive] - Wizards Community

A Thought Exercise for Creative DMs [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Furious D 18
08-03-06, 12:46 AM As many of you know, the Troll's Regeneration ability allows it to attach severed limbs by holding them to the leftover stump. Or, the limb can be regrown in a matter of minutes. What would be some situations where the Troll would ask someone to sever one of its limbs?

For example, the Troll's arms are shackled around the mast of a ship. If one of its arms is cut off, it could get free and reattach the limb. Or, since the hands would still be connected by the chain if that happened, the Troll could regrow the arm. It would be left with one free arm and another arm with the severed member still shackled to it. What kind of damage does a severed Troll arm deal?

Anyway, that's a pretty bad example because it would probably be easier (and less painful) to just cut or unlock the chain than to cut off the arm. So, can anyone think of a better example of a situation where a Troll would want a limb cut off?
DM_Greatness
08-03-06, 12:59 AM Trolls are excessively big, strong, ugly, mean, and evil. excessively!

Trolls shouldn't ask anyone for anything. If a troll woke up and found that it was bound to a ship in the manner that you said, it would scream, stand up, step back with a howl of hatred and rip it own arms off right at the shoulders in a impressive feat a big, strong, ugly, mean and evil! It would then proceed to begin eating PCs, chewing everything in its path.
enlightened
08-03-06, 01:35 AM First things first,

you're going to need to make up some rules about how to sever limbs before this even becomes an issue.

As written, the rules don't allow it.
Vaalingrade Ashland
08-03-06, 01:47 AM Pursuing foes through tight doors/archways.

Stop, rip off own arm, throw it at the enemy, proceed through the tight space at your new, reduced width.

Yes, I know the stupid squares make this pointless, but its badass.
Generic_NPC
08-03-06, 02:14 AM Perhaps this would be done before making an unarmed attack.
Leave all arms and ammunition at the door.
This arm removal could be quite disarming.

Sorry, I could not resist.
ChaoticGood
08-03-06, 02:19 AM The Slayer's Guide to Trolls (a third-party product... Green Ronin, I think) has an entire section devoted to this very concept, and IIRC, it's either the Slayers Guide or Savage Species that suggests that trolls often rip off their own arms and stick them back once the stump has already begun to regenerate, creating General Grievous-like double forearms.

As stated before, though, most trolls don't ask anyone for anything. They just do it themselves and eat anyone who tries to help. :D
RecycledDM
08-03-06, 02:34 AM ...trolls often rip off their own arms and stick them back once the stump has already begun to regenerate, creating General Grievous-like double forearms...

Awesome concept...how about a troll who has done this numerous times, therefore has like 40' reach...and with multiple elbows can threaten every square in that radius--and even reach around corners!
Furious D 18
08-03-06, 02:47 AM Perhaps this would be done before making an unarmed attack.
Leave all arms and ammunition at the door.
This arm removal could be quite disarming.
Wow.... lame, but really funny.

Trolls shouldn't ask anyone for anything.
I can't argue there. However, it's easier to say, 'they don't do that' than to come up with something creative if they did. How about the other monsters with Regeneration: Ogre Mage or Tendriculos?

you're going to need to make up some rules about how to sever limbs before this even becomes an issue
True, but it says right in the Troll entry that it can happen. I don't really want to go into the game mechanics (there are plenty of threads that do). I really was looking for things like Vaalingrade Ashland said: a situation that it might be beneficial to lose a limb.

Ok, here are two I just thought of:
1. A Troll gets injured and exposed to a poison or disease. Rather than risk the effects, he severs his arm before the poison or disease can take hold.
2. Through some weird spell, someone else gets control of his arm, so he lops it off.
FinisofLife
08-03-06, 04:08 AM A troll's arm gets hit with (I really cannot remember what the actual word for it is, I saw it in some random book I have) the fire that sticks and continues to burn. Since it doesnt heal from the fire it rips its own arm off and just lets it regrow. And as other people have said, proceeds to eat/rip apart whatever threw the fire at it.

Example's like that?
Andorxor
08-03-06, 05:39 AM Someone put the arm backwards or the wrong limbs on the stump.
Cthulhu-LQ
08-03-06, 08:55 AM 2. Through some weird spell, someone else gets control of his arm, so he lops it off.
Not exactly that, but it brought to my mind the image of Dr Strangelove as a troll!
Furious D 18
08-03-06, 10:42 AM Example's like that?
Yeah, I like that one.
Bulletproof_Condom
08-03-06, 10:57 AM I think I read Slayer's Guide to Trolls once. I seem to remember some passage about a group of PCs getting into a defensive posture and drawing weapons on sight of a troll when the troll started ripping its own arms off as a gesture of peace and goodwill.
Sergikins
08-03-06, 11:04 AM i dunno if trolls ever will get that hungry.... but how about ripping off an arm, eating it, and letting it regrpw?
Kenohki
08-03-06, 11:06 AM -Rips off arm to feed something, either a pet or an enemy that is appeased by feeding. For example, the troll has a dire wolf pet it feeds its own arms to. Or the trolls lair is guarded by a swarm of flesh eating beetles. The troll tosses an arm to them in order to get by.

-Faking it's own death or create a fake trail. A troll could rip off one of more of it's body parts to create a false impression. For example, a glory hungry adventurer cuts a deal with a troll who rips off enough parts so that the a faked battle site makes it look like the adventurer beat a band of 20 trolls.

-Phantom Limb Syndrome is a psychological condition where you feel like an appendage is not your own. Those suffering from it often go to the extreme of cutting of their own limbs. Suppose a troll had this. He would leave a trail of shredded limbs where ever he went.
Bulletproof_Condom
08-03-06, 11:50 AM That's not what phantom limb is. Phantom limb is when amputees experience sensations in a limb that isn't there anymore. It happens because the part of the brain that used to process input from that limb is just making stuff up.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phantom_limb
greatamericanfolkhero
08-03-06, 12:04 PM What was that PrC that specialized in improvised weapons? I would call a troll's arm an improvised club. Imagine a troll that rips its own arm off and beats you with it.
hfolkense
08-03-06, 12:58 PM One troll to another:
"You give them a hand and they take your arm"
"I hate it, literally"
Twisted Puppy
08-03-06, 01:07 PM "I've got a blind date tonight and can't seem to get this wedding band off."
thaylok
08-03-06, 01:07 PM Think Trap... Similar to the old jaws-type bear trap.
A trap designed to catch, what else, a troll when it reaches in to grab the bait. With the trap holding its arm (up to the shoulder possibly), the troll will do just about anything to remove the limb, and either reattach or regrow it. Now, most animals would bite off their own limb, but with the fast healing/regeneration of a troll, this is not ideal.
Deluxe 247 G
08-03-06, 01:28 PM An intelligent troll or ogre mage or a creature of the like could use the regenerate ability to further add protection to itself and its kin.

Fire or Acid must be used to finish off the creatures, so what generally ends up happening (in my experiences at least) is that the Heroes dispose of the creature through mundane devices, but end up burning the beast on a pile of wood shortly after it drops to make sure it stays dropped.

So the beast could get some highly flammable materials (maybe a whole bunch of oil?), and rip apart limbs and such and place the vials inside of itself, and then reattach the limbs. This way the Heroes will be in for an unsuspected surprise, and though this may not kill the PCs, it could damage them, hence being more likely to be dropped by the kin of the slain beast.

The oil could also be replaces with poisons spread through the air.

:)
Eli
Andorxor
08-03-06, 02:21 PM A troll builds a ramp to come over a wall,with his arms.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Furious D 18 08-03-06, 12:46 AM	As many of you know, the Troll's Regeneration ability allows it to attach severed limbs by holding them to the leftover stump. Or, the limb can be regrown in a matter of minutes. What would be some situations where the Troll would ask someone to sever one of its limbs? For example, the Troll's arms are shackled around the mast of a ship. If one of its arms is cut off, it could get free and reattach the limb. Or, since the hands would still be connected by the chain if that happened, the Troll could regrow the arm. It would be left with one free arm and another arm with the severed member still shackled to it. What kind of damage does a severed Troll arm deal? Anyway, that's a pretty bad example because it would probably be easier (and less painful) to just cut or unlock the chain than to cut off the arm. So, can anyone think of a better example of a situation where a Troll would want a limb cut off?
DM_Greatness 08-03-06, 12:59 AM	Trolls are excessively big, strong, ugly, mean, and evil. excessively! Trolls shouldn't ask anyone for anything. If a troll woke up and found that it was bound to a ship in the manner that you said, it would scream, stand up, step back with a howl of hatred and rip it own arms off right at the shoulders in a impressive feat a big, strong, ugly, mean and evil! It would then proceed to begin eating PCs, chewing everything in its path.
enlightened 08-03-06, 01:35 AM	First things first, you're going to need to make up some rules about how to sever limbs before this even becomes an issue. As written, the rules don't allow it.
Vaalingrade Ashland 08-03-06, 01:47 AM	Pursuing foes through tight doors/archways. Stop, rip off own arm, throw it at the enemy, proceed through the tight space at your new, reduced width. Yes, I know the stupid squares make this pointless, but its badass.
Generic_NPC 08-03-06, 02:14 AM	Perhaps this would be done before making an unarmed attack. Leave all arms and ammunition at the door. This arm removal could be quite disarming. Sorry, I could not resist.
ChaoticGood 08-03-06, 02:19 AM	The Slayer's Guide to Trolls (a third-party product... Green Ronin, I think) has an entire section devoted to this very concept, and IIRC, it's either the Slayers Guide or Savage Species that suggests that trolls often rip off their own arms and stick them back once the stump has already begun to regenerate, creating General Grievous-like double forearms. As stated before, though, most trolls don't ask anyone for anything. They just do it themselves and eat anyone who tries to help. :D
RecycledDM 08-03-06, 02:34 AM	...trolls often rip off their own arms and stick them back once the stump has already begun to regenerate, creating General Grievous-like double forearms... Awesome concept...how about a troll who has done this numerous times, therefore has like 40' reach...and with multiple elbows can threaten every square in that radius--and even reach around corners!
Furious D 18 08-03-06, 02:47 AM	Perhaps this would be done before making an unarmed attack. Leave all arms and ammunition at the door. This arm removal could be quite disarming. Wow.... lame, but really funny. Trolls shouldn't ask anyone for anything. I can't argue there. However, it's easier to say, 'they don't do that' than to come up with something creative if they did. How about the other monsters with Regeneration: Ogre Mage or Tendriculos? you're going to need to make up some rules about how to sever limbs before this even becomes an issue True, but it says right in the Troll entry that it can happen. I don't really want to go into the game mechanics (there are plenty of threads that do). I really was looking for things like Vaalingrade Ashland said: a situation that it might be beneficial to lose a limb. Ok, here are two I just thought of: 1. A Troll gets injured and exposed to a poison or disease. Rather than risk the effects, he severs his arm before the poison or disease can take hold. 2. Through some weird spell, someone else gets control of his arm, so he lops it off.
FinisofLife 08-03-06, 04:08 AM	A troll's arm gets hit with (I really cannot remember what the actual word for it is, I saw it in some random book I have) the fire that sticks and continues to burn. Since it doesnt heal from the fire it rips its own arm off and just lets it regrow. And as other people have said, proceeds to eat/rip apart whatever threw the fire at it. Example's like that?
Andorxor 08-03-06, 05:39 AM	Someone put the arm backwards or the wrong limbs on the stump.
Cthulhu-LQ 08-03-06, 08:55 AM	2. Through some weird spell, someone else gets control of his arm, so he lops it off. Not exactly that, but it brought to my mind the image of Dr Strangelove as a troll!
Furious D 18 08-03-06, 10:42 AM	Example's like that? Yeah, I like that one.
Bulletproof_Condom 08-03-06, 10:57 AM	I think I read Slayer's Guide to Trolls once. I seem to remember some passage about a group of PCs getting into a defensive posture and drawing weapons on sight of a troll when the troll started ripping its own arms off as a gesture of peace and goodwill.
Sergikins 08-03-06, 11:04 AM	i dunno if trolls ever will get that hungry.... but how about ripping off an arm, eating it, and letting it regrpw?
Kenohki 08-03-06, 11:06 AM	-Rips off arm to feed something, either a pet or an enemy that is appeased by feeding. For example, the troll has a dire wolf pet it feeds its own arms to. Or the trolls lair is guarded by a swarm of flesh eating beetles. The troll tosses an arm to them in order to get by. -Faking it's own death or create a fake trail. A troll could rip off one of more of it's body parts to create a false impression. For example, a glory hungry adventurer cuts a deal with a troll who rips off enough parts so that the a faked battle site makes it look like the adventurer beat a band of 20 trolls. -Phantom Limb Syndrome is a psychological condition where you feel like an appendage is not your own. Those suffering from it often go to the extreme of cutting of their own limbs. Suppose a troll had this. He would leave a trail of shredded limbs where ever he went.
Bulletproof_Condom 08-03-06, 11:50 AM	That's not what phantom limb is. Phantom limb is when amputees experience sensations in a limb that isn't there anymore. It happens because the part of the brain that used to process input from that limb is just making stuff up. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phantom_limb
greatamericanfolkhero 08-03-06, 12:04 PM	What was that PrC that specialized in improvised weapons? I would call a troll's arm an improvised club. Imagine a troll that rips its own arm off and beats you with it.
hfolkense 08-03-06, 12:58 PM	One troll to another: "You give them a hand and they take your arm" "I hate it, literally"
Twisted Puppy 08-03-06, 01:07 PM	"I've got a blind date tonight and can't seem to get this wedding band off."
thaylok 08-03-06, 01:07 PM	Think Trap... Similar to the old jaws-type bear trap. A trap designed to catch, what else, a troll when it reaches in to grab the bait. With the trap holding its arm (up to the shoulder possibly), the troll will do just about anything to remove the limb, and either reattach or regrow it. Now, most animals would bite off their own limb, but with the fast healing/regeneration of a troll, this is not ideal.
Deluxe 247 G 08-03-06, 01:28 PM	An intelligent troll or ogre mage or a creature of the like could use the regenerate ability to further add protection to itself and its kin. Fire or Acid must be used to finish off the creatures, so what generally ends up happening (in my experiences at least) is that the Heroes dispose of the creature through mundane devices, but end up burning the beast on a pile of wood shortly after it drops to make sure it stays dropped. So the beast could get some highly flammable materials (maybe a whole bunch of oil?), and rip apart limbs and such and place the vials inside of itself, and then reattach the limbs. This way the Heroes will be in for an unsuspected surprise, and though this may not kill the PCs, it could damage them, hence being more likely to be dropped by the kin of the slain beast. The oil could also be replaces with poisons spread through the air. :) Eli
Andorxor 08-03-06, 02:21 PM	A troll builds a ramp to come over a wall,with his arms.