So I'm DM-ing a campaign and we've run into a bit of a conundrum. One of my players is a half-lich Wizard, making him also half undead, but neither he nor the rest of the party knows it. I love the story and I love the character, and I'm so excited for the secret to come out in its own time. However, a problem has arisen in that another party member is a Life Cleric, and now at level 2 has several skills that are meant to specifically target undead.
We aren't very far into the game (if you can't tell by the fact that they're level 2) and the last thing I want to do is blow our Wizard's secret. We've already done some tweaks to hint at his fate while not giving it up, such as Detect Evil and Good causing the caster to know there is something undead nearby, but being unable to locate that it's coming from him specifically, with the sort of undead force being faint as well. But now with Preserve Life and Turn Undead on the scene, things have become a little more complicated.
I talked to the wizard's player, and we decided that for Preserve Life he'll receive the hit points, but they'll be temporary. She agrees with me that his undead/lich side is currently dormant, so he can get the HP, but he can't keep it for more than a few turns. We're hoping the other players don't realize the direct correlation, and it's vague enough that it should work. So that's not too bad.
Turn Undead is more problematic. The current plan is that when it's cast, the wizard essentially blacks out and must use his movement to get away from the cleric no matter what the situation is. He has no idea why, and we intend to play it where he just does it rather than me prompting or reminding her that it happens so it doesn't call too much attention to the fact that he's fleeing during a spell that messes with undead. If he cannot get away, then disadvantage is imposed on his attacks until then.
Does anyone have any other suggestions for what to do when these pop up? What about at later levels? Is there anything to look out for as the story goes on, or any abilities to plan around? I just want to both hint at what's to come and also... keep it secret until it's time to appear. I'm curious to hear about ideas other people might have!
As the DM you roll the save for that character with the other undead when Turn Undead is done without telling the players that's what your doing. Consider the player to have the following feature that is on Liches:
Turn Resistance. The lich has advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns undead.
Players will likely not notice you doing so and it is unlikely to affect the player, but if it does your player should have a pre-prepared excuse. I think that by the time they finally fail, it should be an interesting reveal that helps to develop the story.
As the DM you roll the save for that character with the other undead when Turn Undead is done without telling the players that's what your doing. Consider the player to have the following feature that is on Liches:
Turn Resistance. The lich has advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns undead.
Players will likely not notice you doing so and it is unlikely to affect the player, but if it does your player should have a pre-prepared excuse. I think that by the time they finally fail, it should be an interesting reveal that helps to develop the story.
This was actually an idea that we floated! The concern was that there's still a chance that the first time it comes out, he fails. It's definitely something that I want to come back too though, especially as his lich side "awakens." Right now, he has no idea that he's a lich, but as he finds out, my plan is to give him access to some lich-y features. I'm definitely going to float it by her though!
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So I'm DM-ing a campaign and we've run into a bit of a conundrum. One of my players is a half-lich Wizard, making him also half undead, but neither he nor the rest of the party knows it. I love the story and I love the character, and I'm so excited for the secret to come out in its own time. However, a problem has arisen in that another party member is a Life Cleric, and now at level 2 has several skills that are meant to specifically target undead.
We aren't very far into the game (if you can't tell by the fact that they're level 2) and the last thing I want to do is blow our Wizard's secret. We've already done some tweaks to hint at his fate while not giving it up, such as Detect Evil and Good causing the caster to know there is something undead nearby, but being unable to locate that it's coming from him specifically, with the sort of undead force being faint as well. But now with Preserve Life and Turn Undead on the scene, things have become a little more complicated.
I talked to the wizard's player, and we decided that for Preserve Life he'll receive the hit points, but they'll be temporary. She agrees with me that his undead/lich side is currently dormant, so he can get the HP, but he can't keep it for more than a few turns. We're hoping the other players don't realize the direct correlation, and it's vague enough that it should work. So that's not too bad.
Turn Undead is more problematic. The current plan is that when it's cast, the wizard essentially blacks out and must use his movement to get away from the cleric no matter what the situation is. He has no idea why, and we intend to play it where he just does it rather than me prompting or reminding her that it happens so it doesn't call too much attention to the fact that he's fleeing during a spell that messes with undead. If he cannot get away, then disadvantage is imposed on his attacks until then.
Does anyone have any other suggestions for what to do when these pop up? What about at later levels? Is there anything to look out for as the story goes on, or any abilities to plan around? I just want to both hint at what's to come and also... keep it secret until it's time to appear. I'm curious to hear about ideas other people might have!
As the DM you roll the save for that character with the other undead when Turn Undead is done without telling the players that's what your doing. Consider the player to have the following feature that is on Liches:
Turn Resistance. The lich has advantage on saving throws against any effect that turns undead.
Players will likely not notice you doing so and it is unlikely to affect the player, but if it does your player should have a pre-prepared excuse. I think that by the time they finally fail, it should be an interesting reveal that helps to develop the story.
This was actually an idea that we floated! The concern was that there's still a chance that the first time it comes out, he fails. It's definitely something that I want to come back too though, especially as his lich side "awakens." Right now, he has no idea that he's a lich, but as he finds out, my plan is to give him access to some lich-y features. I'm definitely going to float it by her though!