If it is because of fate, then have a palm reader tell them that their lifelines were entwined by dark magic before they were born. They remain entwined except for a single offshoot, where they separate for a space of perhaps one year, during which time either of them can die without the other.
If it is because of a blood ritual, then the Ranger needs a way to change their blood. Offer them quests which revolve around blood magic, and offer them little boons like the Blood of the Beast, where they can entwine themselves with a single creature, and shift the bond fro mthe BBEG to another creature. They need to take care as to which creature they choose!
If it is because of a magic item the BBEG has, then there needs to be a way to sever the connection. Perhaps a magical item can shift a curse from one creature to another, and you can move the curse to any creature more powerful than the ranger ~(to avoid them linking to a bug, then squashing the bug).
In my campaign my player's ranger's archenemy is connected to his lifeline. Essentially if the bad guy dies, the ranger dies.
What would be some interesting encounters that could break that bond (Goblin theme preferably)
Dying, then being revived/resurrected
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Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock) Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric) Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue) Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
I suppose that knowing how the bond formed would be useful when trying to determine how to un-make it.
Also, does the bad guy *have* to die by the PC's hand, or would any cause of death do the trick? If the goblin-themed baddy falls off a horse and breaks their neck, is that it for our intrepid hero? Does our PC not adventure anymore because they spend all of their time keeping the baddy safe and alive to protect their own life?
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“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.” - Mark Twain - Innocents Abroad
In my campaign my player's ranger's archenemy is connected to his lifeline. Essentially if the bad guy dies, the ranger dies.
What would be some interesting encounters that could break that bond (Goblin theme preferably)
Dying, then being revived/resurrected
Possibly a really dicey medicine check. "His heart stopped. Technically he was dead for two minutes before he could be resuscitated..."
Like end of season 1 of Buffy: the Slayer "dies" so then Kendra is called, but then Buffy is saved and now there's two Slayers! There's some leeway there.
I like the idea. However, instead of encounters to break the bond, treat it as something to be made peace with, despite its tragic implications. If the BBEG is to be killed to stop whatever they’re doing, then the Ranger must make peace with that fact if they are to succeed.
I'm also going to add Use it! Make them try to take the BBEG alive. perhaps have an external conversation with the player, without the other players around, if they are happy for their character to die when the BBEG is defeated - that way you know whether they need the curse to be broken.
I'm imagining a seriously epic climax to the story, where the BBEG is standing deteated before the heroes, who have worked so hard to take him alive to work out how the curse can be broken, and then the BBEG has the last laugh by jumping off the bridge and into the lava below, killing the ranger.
It adds a lot of possibilities. but, if the players are trying to break the curse, perhaps offer them a way to do it - but make there be a consequence, such as time passing and the BBEG's plot developing unchecked as they look around for a magic curse-breaker.
Did you ever see the movie Dragonheart with Sean Connery? Something similar happens if you wanna look to it for inspiration.
But ultimately I would try to make it the player's choice. If this is a higher level character with a rich adventuring career behind them, they might be comfortable giving up their life to stop the bad guy. Otherwise, if they want to find a way out, let them try and find a way to stop the bad guy without killing them.
So, I get some Potter/Voldermourt vibes from this and there are some thing sto consider or maybe implement:
If the Ranger is aware of this linking is the BBEG?
If the BBEG dies then the Ranger dies...is the reverse also true? If so, what if the rest of the party decide to kill the Ranger to kill the BBEG?
Do wounds (or conditions) inflicted on one also affect the other?
It would seem the linking of lifelines would be something a level 9 curse could do so perhaps the Ranger needs to go find a shaman or similiar to undo the curse and, just maybe, the shaman is in hiding because they know the BBEG has sent assassins out to kill them to make sure the curse cannot end or the BBEG is trying to kidnap the shaman to alter the curse.
In order to end the curse the shaman requires the heads or hearts of those resposnible for creating it, which just so ahppen to be a coven of hags in the service of the BBEG.
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In my campaign my player's ranger's archenemy is connected to his lifeline. Essentially if the bad guy dies, the ranger dies.
What would be some interesting encounters that could break that bond (Goblin theme preferably)
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Ancient goblin rune stone of curse curing
Supreme Cat-lover Of The First Grade
I AM A CAT PERSON. /\_____/\
She/her pronouns please. (=^.^=)
A really sharp horsecutter (massive serrated goblin sword) so sharp it can cut through life itself.
My homebrew content: Monsters, subclasses, Magic items, Feats, spells, races, backgrounds
Is there a reason for this?
If it is because of fate, then have a palm reader tell them that their lifelines were entwined by dark magic before they were born. They remain entwined except for a single offshoot, where they separate for a space of perhaps one year, during which time either of them can die without the other.
If it is because of a blood ritual, then the Ranger needs a way to change their blood. Offer them quests which revolve around blood magic, and offer them little boons like the Blood of the Beast, where they can entwine themselves with a single creature, and shift the bond fro mthe BBEG to another creature. They need to take care as to which creature they choose!
If it is because of a magic item the BBEG has, then there needs to be a way to sever the connection. Perhaps a magical item can shift a curse from one creature to another, and you can move the curse to any creature more powerful than the ranger ~(to avoid them linking to a bug, then squashing the bug).
Make your Artificer work with any other class with 174 Multiclassing Feats for your Artificer Multiclass Character!
DM's Guild Releases on This Thread Or check them all out on DMs Guild!
DrivethruRPG Releases on This Thread - latest release: My Character is a Werewolf: balanced rules for Lycanthropy!
I have started discussing/reviewing 3rd party D&D content on Substack - stay tuned for semi-regular posts!
Dying, then being revived/resurrected
Active characters:
Carric Aquissar, elven wannabe artist in his deconstructionist period (Archfey warlock)
Lan Kidogo, mapach archaeologist and treasure hunter (Knowledge cleric)
Mardan Ferres, elven private investigator obsessed with that one unsolved murder (Assassin rogue)
Xhekhetiel, halfling survivor of a Betrayer Gods cult (Runechild sorcerer/fighter)
I suppose that knowing how the bond formed would be useful when trying to determine how to un-make it.
Also, does the bad guy *have* to die by the PC's hand, or would any cause of death do the trick? If the goblin-themed baddy falls off a horse and breaks their neck, is that it for our intrepid hero? Does our PC not adventure anymore because they spend all of their time keeping the baddy safe and alive to protect their own life?
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.” - Mark Twain - Innocents Abroad
Possibly a really dicey medicine check. "His heart stopped. Technically he was dead for two minutes before he could be resuscitated..."
Like end of season 1 of Buffy: the Slayer "dies" so then Kendra is called, but then Buffy is saved and now there's two Slayers! There's some leeway there.
I like the idea. However, instead of encounters to break the bond, treat it as something to be made peace with, despite its tragic implications. If the BBEG is to be killed to stop whatever they’re doing, then the Ranger must make peace with that fact if they are to succeed.
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My homebrew stuff:
Spells, Monsters, Magic Items, Feats, Subclasses.
I am an Archfey, but nobody seems to notice.
Extended Signature
Imprison them in the astral plane instead of killing them
Don’t break it. Let the player decide if the ranger is willing to sacrifice themselves for the sake of defeating the bad guy.
I'm also going to add Use it! Make them try to take the BBEG alive. perhaps have an external conversation with the player, without the other players around, if they are happy for their character to die when the BBEG is defeated - that way you know whether they need the curse to be broken.
I'm imagining a seriously epic climax to the story, where the BBEG is standing deteated before the heroes, who have worked so hard to take him alive to work out how the curse can be broken, and then the BBEG has the last laugh by jumping off the bridge and into the lava below, killing the ranger.
It adds a lot of possibilities. but, if the players are trying to break the curse, perhaps offer them a way to do it - but make there be a consequence, such as time passing and the BBEG's plot developing unchecked as they look around for a magic curse-breaker.
Make your Artificer work with any other class with 174 Multiclassing Feats for your Artificer Multiclass Character!
DM's Guild Releases on This Thread Or check them all out on DMs Guild!
DrivethruRPG Releases on This Thread - latest release: My Character is a Werewolf: balanced rules for Lycanthropy!
I have started discussing/reviewing 3rd party D&D content on Substack - stay tuned for semi-regular posts!
Did you ever see the movie Dragonheart with Sean Connery? Something similar happens if you wanna look to it for inspiration.
But ultimately I would try to make it the player's choice. If this is a higher level character with a rich adventuring career behind them, they might be comfortable giving up their life to stop the bad guy. Otherwise, if they want to find a way out, let them try and find a way to stop the bad guy without killing them.
So, I get some Potter/Voldermourt vibes from this and there are some thing sto consider or maybe implement:
If the Ranger is aware of this linking is the BBEG?
If the BBEG dies then the Ranger dies...is the reverse also true? If so, what if the rest of the party decide to kill the Ranger to kill the BBEG?
Do wounds (or conditions) inflicted on one also affect the other?
It would seem the linking of lifelines would be something a level 9 curse could do so perhaps the Ranger needs to go find a shaman or similiar to undo the curse and, just maybe, the shaman is in hiding because they know the BBEG has sent assassins out to kill them to make sure the curse cannot end or the BBEG is trying to kidnap the shaman to alter the curse.
In order to end the curse the shaman requires the heads or hearts of those resposnible for creating it, which just so ahppen to be a coven of hags in the service of the BBEG.