I'm currently running Descent into Avernus and there is something I'm wondering about the sword. If the party recovers it and someone attunes to it i understand they get all the physical and personality changes associated with it. In all likelihood I think the player who is a paladin of Torm would attune to it. If however they choose to redeem Zariel and give her the sword back what do you think would happen (or should happen) to that player. Does he keep everything regardless of him having the sword or not. Would you have him revert back and claim that he was temporarily donning the mantle of Zariel and now she has the sword back that stuff leaves him. Would you let him keep some of the benefits, if so which ones, most of them seem pretty powerful? This is not a one and done module, they want to keep going to an endgame of sorts and I'm hesitant to make this player completely change his character or pick a new one to carry on adventuring with. If this was a one shot I'd 100% be "that's the end of your character's story he's a celestial serving her now" it's a fantastic ending to a story.
What would you guys suggest, what would you do if you were running it?
As written, they keep all the changes permanently, since I like to play a lot of these things as written, I would keep them especially since that campaign ends relatively shortly normally after retrieving the sword. In my game, two characters each ended up with the benefits of the sword before the sword refused to attune to any of the other players (mostly because they had wracked up some misdeeds and it found them unworthy). If you plan to continue the campaign beyond that and you feel the abilities granted are too powerful, then I would have the powers slowly fade as they return to normal. Let them choose one of the features to remain permanent if you want them to keep one as a reward, and make the rest have pseudo-charges. Whenever they mention one of their features, have it spend a charge and once they hit the half way point, describe how the ability seems to falter a bit, such as the truesight seems to weaken for a moment, or they notice their angelic feathers are loosing their luster or even falling out.
If they wish to keep all the abilities as a celestial though, remind them that a celestial, especially a new one, cannot remain on the material plane forever, they no longer belong there, and while they might be able to stick around for another 100 years- they will always feel the call to go to mount Celestia- While also explaining their abilities make their character significantly more powerful than the others so if you decide to stick around, recommend a process of slowly loosing most of their celestial power as a compromise. Perhaps by the end of the game they may have done things to regain that spark.
I'm currently running Descent into Avernus and there is something I'm wondering about the sword. If the party recovers it and someone attunes to it i understand they get all the physical and personality changes associated with it. In all likelihood I think the player who is a paladin of Torm would attune to it. If however they choose to redeem Zariel and give her the sword back what do you think would happen (or should happen) to that player. Does he keep everything regardless of him having the sword or not. Would you have him revert back and claim that he was temporarily donning the mantle of Zariel and now she has the sword back that stuff leaves him. Would you let him keep some of the benefits, if so which ones, most of them seem pretty powerful? This is not a one and done module, they want to keep going to an endgame of sorts and I'm hesitant to make this player completely change his character or pick a new one to carry on adventuring with. If this was a one shot I'd 100% be "that's the end of your character's story he's a celestial serving her now" it's a fantastic ending to a story.
What would you guys suggest, what would you do if you were running it?
As written, they keep all the changes permanently, since I like to play a lot of these things as written, I would keep them especially since that campaign ends relatively shortly normally after retrieving the sword. In my game, two characters each ended up with the benefits of the sword before the sword refused to attune to any of the other players (mostly because they had wracked up some misdeeds and it found them unworthy). If you plan to continue the campaign beyond that and you feel the abilities granted are too powerful, then I would have the powers slowly fade as they return to normal. Let them choose one of the features to remain permanent if you want them to keep one as a reward, and make the rest have pseudo-charges. Whenever they mention one of their features, have it spend a charge and once they hit the half way point, describe how the ability seems to falter a bit, such as the truesight seems to weaken for a moment, or they notice their angelic feathers are loosing their luster or even falling out.
If they wish to keep all the abilities as a celestial though, remind them that a celestial, especially a new one, cannot remain on the material plane forever, they no longer belong there, and while they might be able to stick around for another 100 years- they will always feel the call to go to mount Celestia- While also explaining their abilities make their character significantly more powerful than the others so if you decide to stick around, recommend a process of slowly loosing most of their celestial power as a compromise. Perhaps by the end of the game they may have done things to regain that spark.
I made a magic item called after effects of said sword cause I assumed effects were forever and gave it to said player after the redeem Zarial.