I am putting together a part of my game for my players where they are going to be asked by an artificer to catch and return a monster which he has lost. The players will need to take it down without killing it, then work out a way to get it back.

I'm looking for ideas for interesting equipment which can provide utility for catching monsters rather than killing them which I can write up as homebrew. Thus far I've got arrows which restrain the target, a wand which can incapacitate a target with electricity (taser) and a net which you can lay out on the ground and it will restrain the next creature to walk over it.

I'm hoping I can get some awesome ideas for things which aren't going to make this easy (EG a ball which you throw and it traps the monster inside would make this too easy). After magic nets, arrows and a stun gun, I've fallen pitifully short of making a cool arsenal of non-lethal equipment!

I have added a sleeping draught to the mix. This is something of a gamble as it's a poison, which will know the creature out if they use the right amount but could kill it if they use too much.

The method of delivery is through food or drink. You can put as many drops of poison into food or drink as you like, and if they consume it they have to make a con save. if they roll below 3x the number of drops, the fall unconscious. If they roll lower than the number of drops, they also take 1d10 poison damage for each drop used. I'll be adding a mechanic for them waking up afterwards!

The standard issue Net that is listed In the Player's Handbook under Martial Ranged Weapons is worth considering.

People in history used Bolos.  Three cords with a rock on the end tied together around a central point.  You whirled them over your head, threw them with a spinning motion like a net, they wrapped around the target's feet and restrained them so the target couldn't run away.

The standard issue Net in history could have little barbed fishhooks in it.  They wouldn't do any damage, but would make it a lot harder for the monster to escape.

There were lots of things that were used in the real world to bring down game without killing it first.  Boomerangs and other throwing sticks, for example.

It's a pity there is no way to Homebrew non-magical items.

Quote from Geann >>

The standard issue Net that is listed In the Player's Handbook under Martial Ranged Weapons is worth considering.

People in history used Bolos.  Three cords with a rock on the end tied together around a central point.  You whirled them over your head, threw them with a spinning motion like a net, they wrapped around the target's feet and restrained them so the target couldn't run away.

The standard issue Net in history could have little barbed fishhooks in it.  They wouldn't do any damage, but would make it a lot harder for the monster to escape.

There were lots of things that were used in the real world to bring down game without killing it first.  Boomerangs and other throwing sticks, for example.

It's a pity there is no way to Homebrew non-magical items.

I did start writing a magic net which would be more effective than the normal net, then I re-read the normal net and found it was pretty effective already! I might add some heavier duty nets to hold larger foes. I might also include a rug of smothering type pet that can assist.

As for homebrewing non-magical items, I'm not using the DDB homebrew maker so I can just write it down!

Mmm... think your missing a lure but I'd suggest a twist on it something that it would tend to shy away from, so that your party needs to places several of them enclosing an area to direct it to where they'd hope to trap it... something like a special scented candle... wind-up toy drummer which has just the right pitch and rhythm... all things that have a certain lifespan  so that the planning the placement and timing are things the players could get into  

Quote from JustinDarkness >>

Mmm... think your missing a lure but I'd suggest a twist on it something that it would tend to shy away from, so that your party needs to places several of them enclosing an area to direct it to where they'd hope to trap it... something like a special scented candle... wind-up toy drummer which has just the right pitch and rhythm... all things that have a certain lifespan  so that the planning the placement and timing are things the players could get into  

I love it, repellants are definitely going in there! Thanks!

Tranquilizer blowgun.

I've written these little blurbs up for my campaign.  Feel free to use them.  I wanted to give my players a way to subdue a creature, but to keep the item from turning into a runaway train, I made them sacrifice damage inflicted for condition inflicted on said weapon attack.

Restraining Strike When you make a successful weapon attack, instead of dealing weapon attack damage, you can choose to force your target to make a DC (8 + Weapon Attack Modifier) Dexterity saving throw or become Restrained until the end of your next turn.  (Think coiling ropes of arcane energy encircling the target)

Jarring Strike When you make a successful weapon attack, instead of dealing weapon attack damage, you can choose to force your target to make a DC (8 + Weapon Attack Modifier) Wisdom saving throw or become Stunned until the end of your next turn. (Think monk's stunning strike)

One thing traditionally used in conjunction with nets is noise.  A loud noise in the right place will help scare the prey towards the net.  A “grenade” that uses a spell like Knock could be placed in a strategic spot to startle a creature towards a trap.

I’m not great at non-magical equipment, but one thing that comes to mind is one of those basket traps used for catching fish.  They have sticks that funnel the fish into the basket, but they’re sharpened, so it’s much harder to get out the same way.

Loving the idea of grenades that make loud sounds, I can give a guideline as to whether a creature would move towards or away from the sound (for the DM, not the players!).

As for cages and traps, I'm hoping to leave that sort of thing to player ingenuity. I will definitely include cages of assorted sizes and flatbed wagons to be available for them to transport monsters. Naturally, they won't be indestructible though!

A mechanic for noise grenades would be to make an Int save against being Frightened by the sound with a pretty low DC. (Low-Int beasts would still fail frequently.)

Quote from pavilionaire >>

A mechanic for noise grenades would be to make an Int save against being Frightened by the sound with a pretty low DC. (Low-Int beasts would still fail frequently.)

 So would your average non-wizard/artificer PC😂

Can I ask what the monster is? Like... it's size and its abilities? Because I feel like I would give very different advice if the party was, say... trying to capture a Gorgon versus trying to capture a Wyvern.

This is giving me real Monster Hunter vibes. You may want to check out the options available in those games, although from what I remember you've already covered the methods I always used.

One neat bit of encounter design from those games is that you beat the monster to submission and then it retreats to its nest. Sometimes just following it there can be a challenge if it can fly or burrow or swim. Only then in its weakened state could you capture it. So you could have pretty much a full regular combat, then when it would hit 0 hp it retreats (and the party must let it if they don't want to kill it), and only after they follow it (which could have other challenges or hazards attached) to its lair can they capture it.

Regarding your poison, make it do levels of exhaustion with some sort of save. That way it can suffer to fail some saves without dying outright, and will become noticeably tired. 

A bomb or grenade that does temporary movement damage. Something like 2d6 cold, the damage reduces movement by an equal amount of speed as the target is encrusted with ice.  The effect lasts for 1 minute, or can be removed with fire.

Dust or Sand that drains STR, 0 STR results in unconsciousness or 0 speed so the target can be tied up.

The cable arrows at about 1:35

Or failing the above just go the normal RAW route: whack it with any weapon that does bludgeoning damage declaring it non-lethal. They'll go unconscious, but stable, for a few hours for nice and easy transport.