So our session this evening ended with our rangelock making a deal with his patron to allow him to cast a greater restoration outside of his level to heal another petrified PC. The cost was 1 indefinite madness and 3 long term madness traits. He was able to heal 2 of the long terms, which will come back to bite him, but the Indefinite may end up being a real problem for him ie; “I try to become more like someone else I know — adopting his or her style of dress, mannerisms, and name.” We’re way out in BFE and so have no greater restores for several levels but he doesn’t want to comepletely lose his character. I think we both want him to explore this new facet of his character but he’s spent a year becoming this person and is afraid that the build he has made is going to be useless going forward. I gave him this evening to think of ideas for what he could become but I’m looking for advise I can pass to him on what he can do. No matter what happens things are going to get interesting.
I can be quite a hard ass menacing DM at times, offering potent powers in exchange for various small favors and incidentals, all whilst slowly corrupting the PCs. That said, I think that your Patron's price was too high for what you gave the PC. One expendable spell in exchange for 1 indefinite (which I take to mean PERMANENT) derangement, and 3 long term derangements is too expensive a price. The best way is to have this be a new ability for the PC, potent and perhaps out of level but usage of the ability leading to more and more change the more the Player decides his character will use it. Have the spell use act just like the rest of his Warlock spell slots even, refreshing in a Short Rest, that way the temptation is even more present. Then as the PC uses the ability work with the Player to indicate the slide they have into acting more and more in thralled to the madness. Even though they are in BFE as you said, perhaps the PC starts to act like the High Exchequer of Waukeen in Athkathla. This seemingly odd behavior only becoming clear to the player and the rest of his group when the Ranger/Warlock is compelled by his Patron to journey south over the CloudPeaks. I think the idea I am trying to relate is make the progression slow, putting the Player in the driver's seat by allowing them to determine how deep in the rabbit hole they want their PC to go. Patron Pacts are Quid Pro Quo, so by gaining this power and using it the Warlock is making his own bed, as the situation is written the Patron level jumped and left the Player feeling like his PC was/is becoming broken in a way that they didn't anticipate.
TL;DR Reign back, allow the progression into madness to be a Player guided decision as to speed and depth, give them the spell as a special ability all the time to encourage corruption.
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So our session this evening ended with our rangelock making a deal with his patron to allow him to cast a greater restoration outside of his level to heal another petrified PC. The cost was 1 indefinite madness and 3 long term madness traits. He was able to heal 2 of the long terms, which will come back to bite him, but the Indefinite may end up being a real problem for him ie; “I try to become more like someone else I know — adopting his or her style of dress, mannerisms, and name.” We’re way out in BFE and so have no greater restores for several levels but he doesn’t want to comepletely lose his character. I think we both want him to explore this new facet of his character but he’s spent a year becoming this person and is afraid that the build he has made is going to be useless going forward. I gave him this evening to think of ideas for what he could become but I’m looking for advise I can pass to him on what he can do. No matter what happens things are going to get interesting.
I can be quite a hard ass menacing DM at times, offering potent powers in exchange for various small favors and incidentals, all whilst slowly corrupting the PCs. That said, I think that your Patron's price was too high for what you gave the PC. One expendable spell in exchange for 1 indefinite (which I take to mean PERMANENT) derangement, and 3 long term derangements is too expensive a price. The best way is to have this be a new ability for the PC, potent and perhaps out of level but usage of the ability leading to more and more change the more the Player decides his character will use it. Have the spell use act just like the rest of his Warlock spell slots even, refreshing in a Short Rest, that way the temptation is even more present. Then as the PC uses the ability work with the Player to indicate the slide they have into acting more and more in thralled to the madness. Even though they are in BFE as you said, perhaps the PC starts to act like the High Exchequer of Waukeen in Athkathla. This seemingly odd behavior only becoming clear to the player and the rest of his group when the Ranger/Warlock is compelled by his Patron to journey south over the CloudPeaks. I think the idea I am trying to relate is make the progression slow, putting the Player in the driver's seat by allowing them to determine how deep in the rabbit hole they want their PC to go. Patron Pacts are Quid Pro Quo, so by gaining this power and using it the Warlock is making his own bed, as the situation is written the Patron level jumped and left the Player feeling like his PC was/is becoming broken in a way that they didn't anticipate.
TL;DR Reign back, allow the progression into madness to be a Player guided decision as to speed and depth, give them the spell as a special ability all the time to encourage corruption.