Hey DnD Beyond DMs! I'm calling upon your collective eternal wisdom here. Spoilers for the "The World Isn't Over... Yet..." PbP campaign!
I need help with making a Sanity gimmick to spring upon my players.
A bit of background info: Essentially, the players are cooped up in a bunker that protects them from radiation caused by the apocalypse, and this radiation makes the brain especially susceptible to changes in the way it works... insanity ensues, causing paranoia, hallucinations, loss of impulse control, etc. And I need to find a way to make this into a working mechanic for my players.
I've posted about this already in the "DM Pub" thread, but might as well try it here as well.
"Another interesting layer I want to try and include; I heard about this new optional stat that 5e introduced called the Sanity stat. I want to try and replicate the idea, but in a different way. As in, every day a party member spends outside of the bunker (the walls are lined with lead, so as long as they're in the bunker they're safe. I'll figure out a way to coax them outside though) they have to make a WIS saving throw or suffer the consequences, which will mostly manifest itself in me twisting the language I use to make it seem like something's not as it seems (paranoia/suspicion), inaccurate descriptions of things (hallucinations), messing heavily with certain DCs to potentially create opportunities for what seems like irregular behavior, etc. Does anyone have any ideas on how I can go about replicating this, technically?"
Madness is found in DMG - Ch. 8 - Running the Game - Madness, and suggests that you can use a Charisma or Wisdom save, or if you are using the Sanity stat, you might use that instead. It even references the stat, and its location in the DMG. - Ch. 9 - DM Workshop - New Ability Scores. There are no hard-and-fast requirements on when to use this mechanic. The DM is called on to decide when a saving throw or ability check is appropriate, much like other rolls of other saving throws or skills. The long-term madness table has some of the descriptors listed that you are referencing.
I might suggest starting there and maybe use what is provided as a template or framework for what you are trying to accomplish. IMHO, these mechanics sound nearly identical to what you are trying to describe. I would suggest caution when pushing DCs too far outside of achievable ranges. If you don't want to use a die roll to adjudicate the PC being afflicted, or if the affliction will inexorably affect them, don't bother asking for a roll. Some will push back against this tactic as being a bit "railroad-y", because it might swerve across that line a bit. Again, I recommend caution.
“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
And, now that you mention it, pushing DCs doesn't sound like too good of an idea anymore. The last thing I want is for the campaign to become a railroad campaign, that's never fun.
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Jack, a Changeling Artificer/Bard/Cleric/Fighter/Rogue---RynnElocin'sFrom Dusk to Dawn Amon, a Fairy Arcane Trickster---ShieldHero_'s Fractum
I'M BACK PFP credit goes to Mo Willems
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Hey DnD Beyond DMs! I'm calling upon your collective eternal wisdom here. Spoilers for the "The World Isn't Over... Yet..." PbP campaign!
I need help with making a Sanity gimmick to spring upon my players.
A bit of background info: Essentially, the players are cooped up in a bunker that protects them from radiation caused by the apocalypse, and this radiation makes the brain especially susceptible to changes in the way it works... insanity ensues, causing paranoia, hallucinations, loss of impulse control, etc. And I need to find a way to make this into a working mechanic for my players.
I've posted about this already in the "DM Pub" thread, but might as well try it here as well.
"Another interesting layer I want to try and include; I heard about this new optional stat that 5e introduced called the Sanity stat. I want to try and replicate the idea, but in a different way. As in, every day a party member spends outside of the bunker (the walls are lined with lead, so as long as they're in the bunker they're safe. I'll figure out a way to coax them outside though) they have to make a WIS saving throw or suffer the consequences, which will mostly manifest itself in me twisting the language I use to make it seem like something's not as it seems (paranoia/suspicion), inaccurate descriptions of things (hallucinations), messing heavily with certain DCs to potentially create opportunities for what seems like irregular behavior, etc. Does anyone have any ideas on how I can go about replicating this, technically?"
Thanks guys!!
Jack, a Changeling Artificer/Bard/Cleric/Fighter/Rogue---RynnElocin's From Dusk to Dawn
Amon, a Fairy Arcane Trickster---ShieldHero_'s Fractum
I'M BACK
PFP credit goes to Mo Willems
Madness is found in DMG - Ch. 8 - Running the Game - Madness, and suggests that you can use a Charisma or Wisdom save, or if you are using the Sanity stat, you might use that instead. It even references the stat, and its location in the DMG. - Ch. 9 - DM Workshop - New Ability Scores. There are no hard-and-fast requirements on when to use this mechanic. The DM is called on to decide when a saving throw or ability check is appropriate, much like other rolls of other saving throws or skills. The long-term madness table has some of the descriptors listed that you are referencing.
I might suggest starting there and maybe use what is provided as a template or framework for what you are trying to accomplish. IMHO, these mechanics sound nearly identical to what you are trying to describe. I would suggest caution when pushing DCs too far outside of achievable ranges. If you don't want to use a die roll to adjudicate the PC being afflicted, or if the affliction will inexorably affect them, don't bother asking for a roll. Some will push back against this tactic as being a bit "railroad-y", because it might swerve across that line a bit. Again, I recommend caution.
YMMV.
“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
Thanks for the suggestions, and for the links!
And, now that you mention it, pushing DCs doesn't sound like too good of an idea anymore. The last thing I want is for the campaign to become a railroad campaign, that's never fun.
Jack, a Changeling Artificer/Bard/Cleric/Fighter/Rogue---RynnElocin's From Dusk to Dawn
Amon, a Fairy Arcane Trickster---ShieldHero_'s Fractum
I'M BACK
PFP credit goes to Mo Willems