I want for an NPC to have a particular vision about a PC wherein he says that the PC’s destiny is to find a magic item in my campaign. I don’t want to mess with the PC’s goals because that’s the player’s purview but I do want to motivate the PC to take up this destiny in some way. Is there some useful mechanic that I can use like a curse or a feat that the PC might gain after this vision is told to him which would goad him in the direction of finding the magic item?
You'd definitely have to give the PC a reason to care. Is this magic item going to be theirs once they get it, or do they have to give it to the NPC upon retrieval? What happens if the PC keeps it for themselves? What is the significance of this item? What is the NPC's relation to the PC?
All I can say is, in my experience, saying "It's your destiny!" has not gone over well.
I had a player who was very unmotivated, trying to get him involved in the world personally was almost impossible.
I tossed plot hooks that tied into his back story and he wouldn't bite. I used social mechanics that tied into racism and stereotypes, something he said his character was trying to prove wrong. I had direct references to his past that caused him to become orphaned, a town where it was suspected he was found. I tied in one of the other party member's story line so that it intersected his, and he didn't bother to look into his part, only tagged along with the other party member. It was very difficult to get him personally invested.
Then comes a moment in the game where I pulled a deus ex and pretty much forced a plot down his throat that tied into something else he mentioned. He wanted to become a general in an army, leading troops and all that fun stuff. During this scene he stepped through a rift that the party was trying to close, the rift led to the elemental plane of earth. I had him, and the three other party members who went through, roll percentile to see if they landed in a safe location, he failed. So as he appears he's buried shoulder deep in stone, dead.
I had him meet an avatar of a god. The god gave him a choice: choose eternal rest or be revived at a price. He chose to be revived, I would have been fine with either choice. The price was to perform a task for the god, kill an evil druid that was abusing the god's name. This task was completed and the player was rewarded with one item, a weapon, which was part of a set. The player is now hunting for the partner item to his weapon, and is considering becoming a paladin devoted to the god which saved him.
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"It is your destiny" generally makes players feel pressured into something, it generally doesn't go over well. If you create the illusion of choice, like I did with the death scene, or if they're truly given a choice, the player will be happier. When you give them the choice make sure they have clear expectations for what they'd get from each choice. The message can be cryptic, but when explaining the reward/consequence part, there should be a clear understanding.
NPC: "You! I dreamt about you, a glorious terrifying dream. You were central to a great calamity that threatened the world, yet you acquired an artifact that gave you the power to thwart it. This is not the first time I've dreamt of this, (describe a couple scenarios). I beg of you, are you truly the one of my dreams? Would you take on this quest?."
"If you fail in your task, the world will suffer great tragedy, if you succeed you will receive an item of ancient power." It's clear, even though you don't make any distinct statements about the "tragedy" or "blessing".
Now it's a choice, even though it's forced on the player like an ugly sweater from grandma, it's still a choice.
I should also mention that it is not necessary to the campaign for the player to get this weapon. And there are several good reasons for the entire party to eventually seek out this weapon. I just wanted to add in a special flavor which suggests that a certain player - perhaps one who hasn't seen much action - is destined to be the one who make a crucial decision with this weapon. But whether or not the player actually does this, I don't care. I just wanted to spice things up a bit.
I was considering adding a blessing to this player after he receives the vision. Perhaps he gains a special ability with this weapon that only he has. Thoughts?
Any time they do something directly associated to the acquisition of the weapon the "chosen one" gains temporary HP. Perhaps a bonus to Perception, Investigation, Insight, or some other skill(s) that would aid in advancing the quest line.
Giving the player a special boon for wielding the weapon isn't a bad way to go about it. This is a great way to reward the player for interacting with the world, it personalizes the item to them, and it just feels good to be unique like that. I'd offer a warning to make sure it augments the player, or helps the party as a whole, and doesn't step on another class/player's abilities.
I want for an NPC to have a particular vision about a PC wherein he says that the PC’s destiny is to find a magic item in my campaign. I don’t want to mess with the PC’s goals because that’s the player’s purview but I do want to motivate the PC to take up this destiny in some way. Is there some useful mechanic that I can use like a curse or a feat that the PC might gain after this vision is told to him which would goad him in the direction of finding the magic item?
You'd definitely have to give the PC a reason to care. Is this magic item going to be theirs once they get it, or do they have to give it to the NPC upon retrieval? What happens if the PC keeps it for themselves? What is the significance of this item? What is the NPC's relation to the PC?
All I can say is, in my experience, saying "It's your destiny!" has not gone over well.
I had a player who was very unmotivated, trying to get him involved in the world personally was almost impossible.
I tossed plot hooks that tied into his back story and he wouldn't bite. I used social mechanics that tied into racism and stereotypes, something he said his character was trying to prove wrong. I had direct references to his past that caused him to become orphaned, a town where it was suspected he was found. I tied in one of the other party member's story line so that it intersected his, and he didn't bother to look into his part, only tagged along with the other party member. It was very difficult to get him personally invested.
Then comes a moment in the game where I pulled a deus ex and pretty much forced a plot down his throat that tied into something else he mentioned. He wanted to become a general in an army, leading troops and all that fun stuff. During this scene he stepped through a rift that the party was trying to close, the rift led to the elemental plane of earth. I had him, and the three other party members who went through, roll percentile to see if they landed in a safe location, he failed. So as he appears he's buried shoulder deep in stone, dead.
I had him meet an avatar of a god. The god gave him a choice: choose eternal rest or be revived at a price. He chose to be revived, I would have been fine with either choice. The price was to perform a task for the god, kill an evil druid that was abusing the god's name. This task was completed and the player was rewarded with one item, a weapon, which was part of a set. The player is now hunting for the partner item to his weapon, and is considering becoming a paladin devoted to the god which saved him.
----
"It is your destiny" generally makes players feel pressured into something, it generally doesn't go over well. If you create the illusion of choice, like I did with the death scene, or if they're truly given a choice, the player will be happier. When you give them the choice make sure they have clear expectations for what they'd get from each choice. The message can be cryptic, but when explaining the reward/consequence part, there should be a clear understanding.
NPC: "You! I dreamt about you, a glorious terrifying dream. You were central to a great calamity that threatened the world, yet you acquired an artifact that gave you the power to thwart it. This is not the first time I've dreamt of this, (describe a couple scenarios). I beg of you, are you truly the one of my dreams? Would you take on this quest?."
"If you fail in your task, the world will suffer great tragedy, if you succeed you will receive an item of ancient power." It's clear, even though you don't make any distinct statements about the "tragedy" or "blessing".
Now it's a choice, even though it's forced on the player like an ugly sweater from grandma, it's still a choice.
Thanks these are helpful thoughts.
I should also mention that it is not necessary to the campaign for the player to get this weapon. And there are several good reasons for the entire party to eventually seek out this weapon. I just wanted to add in a special flavor which suggests that a certain player - perhaps one who hasn't seen much action - is destined to be the one who make a crucial decision with this weapon. But whether or not the player actually does this, I don't care. I just wanted to spice things up a bit.
I was considering adding a blessing to this player after he receives the vision. Perhaps he gains a special ability with this weapon that only he has. Thoughts?
Generally I go with a temporary boon.
Any time they do something directly associated to the acquisition of the weapon the "chosen one" gains temporary HP. Perhaps a bonus to Perception, Investigation, Insight, or some other skill(s) that would aid in advancing the quest line.
Giving the player a special boon for wielding the weapon isn't a bad way to go about it. This is a great way to reward the player for interacting with the world, it personalizes the item to them, and it just feels good to be unique like that. I'd offer a warning to make sure it augments the player, or helps the party as a whole, and doesn't step on another class/player's abilities.