So I’m writing a high level game and one of the catalyst I want is the elvish leader has been in a “magical coma” for the past decade. They know its a magical coma due to a detect magic on her revealing this is magic induced. Before everyone goes “elves can’t magically be put to sleep” or something along those lines, my idea is she isn’t actually asleep but the physical symptoms presenting appear as a deep slumber that nothing seems to wake up.
What actually is happening is she is imprisoned inside her mind and is the play thing of a very powerful entity. With the right mix investigation/medical/arcane examination the party would see the sleep in of itself is a coverup (which should signal something is off before they roll as elves go into trance vs. sleeping)
Ultimately as the GM, I know I could do what I want, I just like to vent ideas for errors before I put them in to play.
Elves are immune to magical sleep, not magical unconsciousness. A coma isn't sleep, it's unconsciousness. So you could RAW use a spell to put an elf into a coma.
"This is some special magic that bypasses the normal protections" is a valid card for the DM to play, particularly when you're just setting up a plot point happening around the players rather than overriding something on their character sheet. Heck, punching through immunities makes for a fairly effective "This is a Big Deal" sign.
So I’m writing a high level game and one of the catalyst I want is the elvish leader has been in a “magical coma” for the past decade. They know its a magical coma due to a detect magic on her revealing this is magic induced. Before everyone goes “elves can’t magically be put to sleep” or something along those lines, my idea is she isn’t actually asleep but the physical symptoms presenting appear as a deep slumber that nothing seems to wake up.
What actually is happening is she is imprisoned inside her mind and is the play thing of a very powerful entity. With the right mix investigation/medical/arcane examination the party would see the sleep in of itself is a coverup (which should signal something is off before they roll as elves go into trance vs. sleeping)
Ultimately as the GM, I know I could do what I want, I just like to vent ideas for errors before I put them in to play.
Elves are immune to magical sleep, not magical unconsciousness. A coma isn't sleep, it's unconsciousness. So you could RAW use a spell to put an elf into a coma.
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"This is some special magic that bypasses the normal protections" is a valid card for the DM to play, particularly when you're just setting up a plot point happening around the players rather than overriding something on their character sheet. Heck, punching through immunities makes for a fairly effective "This is a Big Deal" sign.
As DM you can decides the elf is magically alseep because the effect affect them, or because the effect is making it Unconcious or catatonic state.
The spell Catnap was an exemple of effect affecting even elves according to Devs Catnap spell: are elves unable to be affected by it, even willingly?