Help me design a nightmare based curse? - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Help me design a nightmare based curse?

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
GEBELL
Jan 08, 2011 19:25:23 I'm trying to design a magical curse and any input, ideas or advice would be really appreciated.

The curse is one that plagues the PC's with nightmares. The basic story is that a demon hid in the dream realm and his followers were trying to summon him. The players interrupted the ritual and bits of the demon's spirit ended up in the players. Basically, he is slowly tearing his way out of the dream realm into the world, 'through' the players. It will be a multi adventure curse for them to try to find the cure.

Mechanics: The curse will get slowly worse over time, with the players plagued by sleeping and waking nightmares and a sense of dread/restlessness. They will be able to do certain things to lessen the symptoms of the curse.

Here's what I have so far. After each extended rest each player will role a d6. The result of the d6 will determine the effect the curse is having on them until their next extended rest.

At first, nothing will happen on a roll of 1-5, with a minor effect on a roll of 6. As the curse gets worse lower and lower numbers will create a curse effect, with a roll of 1 being the worse effect.

I want the effects to be flavorful, to slightly change the way the character feels. I also want them to have pluses in addition to the minuses. I think that just taking away is bad for game design, it's no fun.

Any idea for effects? or a different mechanic? Here's what I've thought of so far:

Restless sleep: You didn't sleep well and are exhausted but jumpy.
-1 healing surge; +2 perception

Reckless Paranoia: You're plagued by awful visions and become reckless in battle.
+1 damage; -1 to all defenses

Lives of others: You couldn't sleep well due to constant dreams of the lives of others.
+1 to all skills; lose one daily power

Lost in Your Nightmares: Dreams of a powerful wizard linger in your mind.
Gain training in history and arcana; -4 perception, -4 insight

Lethargic: You're exhausted after a night of constant nightmares
-1 speed; -2 to all str and dex based skills; +1 healing surge

Any suggestions or adjustments to the above would be great. One problem I have now is that I don't feel like these really create a tier of 'worsening' effects.

Thanks!

#2
BRJN
Jan 08, 2011 20:59:50 The dwarf is going to hate you if he winds up Lethargic... {grin}

At worst, the nightmares should cause no extended rest; so no Dailies or whatever else needs an extended rest to recharge. I do like the -1 healing surge bit, though.

How do the PCs figure out that this is not just random? And what to do about it? Come to think of it, that 'trained in Arcana' guy might just be the one to figure out the answer but only when he is under that particular influence.

You might find inspiration in the fluff texts for Star Pact Warlock powers. Some of them sound like what you describe.
#3
GEBELL
Jan 11, 2011 22:38:01

How do the PCs figure out that this is not just random? And what to do about it? Come to think of it, that 'trained in Arcana' guy might just be the one to figure out the answer but only when he is under that particular influence.

You might find inspiration in the fluff texts for Star Pact Warlock powers. Some of them sound like what you describe.

thanks for the tip on Star Pact. I was planning on having the first night after they get the curse be particularly bad, and describe the dreams in detail. Probably make it real easy to tell that it is a magical curse.
#4
1337DnDMTCn3rd
Jan 17, 2011 7:31:22 Ok I have a few traits for such a curse.
FEAR
ANXIETY
SUSPICION
PARANOIA
DESPERATION
#5
1337DnDMTCn3rd
Jan 17, 2011 7:39:51 Have these effects occur at random and perhaps cause conflicts between party members. For example: one member has dreams that convince him that another member is going to kill him so he ends up trying to kill said party member. I personally prefer that and similar mind games too. Also it would be even scarier if it is not magical but something else a lot worse like a virus.
#6
GEBELL
Feb 05, 2011 1:02:30
Have these effects occur at random and perhaps cause conflicts between party members. For example: one member has dreams that convince him that another member is going to kill him so he ends up trying to kill said party member. I personally prefer that and similar mind games too. Also it would be even scarier if it is not magical but something else a lot worse like a virus.

The 'curse' is actually going to be a demon coming from the 'dream world.' The demon was being summoned from there as part of an elaborate ritual, which the players will interupt, and then the demon will be coming into the world 'through' the PCs.
#7
trebor_rjf
Feb 05, 2011 1:20:56 some of these seem pretty harsh i think, the players are eventually going to get sick of these constant drains on their stats and the genuinely cool idea might turn unfun pretty fast.
#8
archaeologist
Feb 07, 2011 2:23:55 I'd focus on any negative penalties merely affecting a single at-will power, or changing their skills stats.

The biggest effect a nightmare has is in affecting the rest and psychology of a individual. It disturbs their sleep, confronts their mind with unpleasant ideas, scenarios, or actions, and generally at times feels like your mind has run out of control. Look at how you rarely ever "start" in a nightmare but slowly slide into it until its too late to stop.

The worst part of nightmares is they violate the sense of security we feel when we sleep. We're safe in our beds, cozy, warm, and tucked away in a room or home (In turn with its own passive or active security). Nightmares tear away our false sense of security, and leave us with a pounding heartbeat and a cold and wet bed soaked with sweat. They're dreams with lingering consequences.

A fun adventure might be to draw the players into a Dream world and not tell them it's fake. They could start going about the next step of the adventure and slowly begin to realize 1) Something is intangibly wrong today, 2) That they're having a particularly bad day and everything seems to be going wrong. You could make it a eventual race to reach the end of the adventure before the nightmare fully snowballs into the inevitable conclusion of all such dreams: Death. Note how all nightmares run out of control. You could start the PC's in the local town, etc, and by the end of the day all the NPC's have morphed into a ravenous horde/ mob that seeks to destroy the PC's. So they're racing against this conclusion once they realize they might be in a dream.

Whether the PC's escape through a ritual, or conquer the nightmare, or die horribly... or realize the trick to escaping is irrelevant. Because when you die in a dream you simply wake up.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 GEBELL Jan 08, 2011 19:25:23	I'm trying to design a magical curse and any input, ideas or advice would be really appreciated. The curse is one that plagues the PC's with nightmares. The basic story is that a demon hid in the dream realm and his followers were trying to summon him. The players interrupted the ritual and bits of the demon's spirit ended up in the players. Basically, he is slowly tearing his way out of the dream realm into the world, 'through' the players. It will be a multi adventure curse for them to try to find the cure. Mechanics: The curse will get slowly worse over time, with the players plagued by sleeping and waking nightmares and a sense of dread/restlessness. They will be able to do certain things to lessen the symptoms of the curse. Here's what I have so far. After each extended rest each player will role a d6. The result of the d6 will determine the effect the curse is having on them until their next extended rest. At first, nothing will happen on a roll of 1-5, with a minor effect on a roll of 6. As the curse gets worse lower and lower numbers will create a curse effect, with a roll of 1 being the worse effect. I want the effects to be flavorful, to slightly change the way the character feels. I also want them to have pluses in addition to the minuses. I think that just taking away is bad for game design, it's no fun. Any idea for effects? or a different mechanic? Here's what I've thought of so far: Restless sleep: You didn't sleep well and are exhausted but jumpy. -1 healing surge; +2 perception Reckless Paranoia: You're plagued by awful visions and become reckless in battle. +1 damage; -1 to all defenses Lives of others: You couldn't sleep well due to constant dreams of the lives of others. +1 to all skills; lose one daily power Lost in Your Nightmares: Dreams of a powerful wizard linger in your mind. Gain training in history and arcana; -4 perception, -4 insight Lethargic: You're exhausted after a night of constant nightmares -1 speed; -2 to all str and dex based skills; +1 healing surge Any suggestions or adjustments to the above would be great. One problem I have now is that I don't feel like these really create a tier of 'worsening' effects. Thanks!
#2 BRJN Jan 08, 2011 20:59:50	The dwarf is going to hate you if he winds up Lethargic... {grin} At worst, the nightmares should cause no extended rest; so no Dailies or whatever else needs an extended rest to recharge. I do like the -1 healing surge bit, though. How do the PCs figure out that this is not just random? And what to do about it? Come to think of it, that 'trained in Arcana' guy might just be the one to figure out the answer but only when he is under that particular influence. You might find inspiration in the fluff texts for Star Pact Warlock powers. Some of them sound like what you describe.
#3 GEBELL Jan 11, 2011 22:38:01	How do the PCs figure out that this is not just random? And what to do about it? Come to think of it, that 'trained in Arcana' guy might just be the one to figure out the answer but only when he is under that particular influence. You might find inspiration in the fluff texts for Star Pact Warlock powers. Some of them sound like what you describe. thanks for the tip on Star Pact. I was planning on having the first night after they get the curse be particularly bad, and describe the dreams in detail. Probably make it real easy to tell that it is a magical curse.
#4 1337DnDMTCn3rd Jan 17, 2011 7:31:22	Ok I have a few traits for such a curse. FEAR ANXIETY SUSPICION PARANOIA DESPERATION
#5 1337DnDMTCn3rd Jan 17, 2011 7:39:51	Have these effects occur at random and perhaps cause conflicts between party members. For example: one member has dreams that convince him that another member is going to kill him so he ends up trying to kill said party member. I personally prefer that and similar mind games too. Also it would be even scarier if it is not magical but something else a lot worse like a virus.
#6 GEBELL Feb 05, 2011 1:02:30	Have these effects occur at random and perhaps cause conflicts between party members. For example: one member has dreams that convince him that another member is going to kill him so he ends up trying to kill said party member. I personally prefer that and similar mind games too. Also it would be even scarier if it is not magical but something else a lot worse like a virus. The 'curse' is actually going to be a demon coming from the 'dream world.' The demon was being summoned from there as part of an elaborate ritual, which the players will interupt, and then the demon will be coming into the world 'through' the PCs.
#7 trebor_rjf Feb 05, 2011 1:20:56	some of these seem pretty harsh i think, the players are eventually going to get sick of these constant drains on their stats and the genuinely cool idea might turn unfun pretty fast.
#8 archaeologist Feb 07, 2011 2:23:55	I'd focus on any negative penalties merely affecting a single at-will power, or changing their skills stats. The biggest effect a nightmare has is in affecting the rest and psychology of a individual. It disturbs their sleep, confronts their mind with unpleasant ideas, scenarios, or actions, and generally at times feels like your mind has run out of control. Look at how you rarely ever "start" in a nightmare but slowly slide into it until its too late to stop. The worst part of nightmares is they violate the sense of security we feel when we sleep. We're safe in our beds, cozy, warm, and tucked away in a room or home (In turn with its own passive or active security). Nightmares tear away our false sense of security, and leave us with a pounding heartbeat and a cold and wet bed soaked with sweat. They're dreams with lingering consequences. A fun adventure might be to draw the players into a Dream world and not tell them it's fake. They could start going about the next step of the adventure and slowly begin to realize 1) Something is intangibly wrong today, 2) That they're having a particularly bad day and everything seems to be going wrong. You could make it a eventual race to reach the end of the adventure before the nightmare fully snowballs into the inevitable conclusion of all such dreams: Death. Note how all nightmares run out of control. You could start the PC's in the local town, etc, and by the end of the day all the NPC's have morphed into a ravenous horde/ mob that seeks to destroy the PC's. So they're racing against this conclusion once they realize they might be in a dream. Whether the PC's escape through a ritual, or conquer the nightmare, or die horribly... or realize the trick to escaping is irrelevant. Because when you die in a dream you simply wake up.