Hey everyone! Just trying to figure out if what I’m thinking is a good idea or the worst idea ever. My group is only two sessions in. They started at level 5. I have them going into a supposed-to-die battle wherein they wake in hell and have to figure out how to get out (yadda yadda this is where the real story starts). I was thinking that when they awaken in the underworld that they’d revert to level 1 and lose their gear, and that’s my contention. Is that a dick DM move? Or would it make sense? I know it’s hard to give a solid answer and the best way to know is to know my players, but I don’t exactly want to ask them for obvious reasons. How would you all feel?
Thanks!
It’s not a terrible idea if executed well, but I wouldn’t do it longer than 1 session, or partway into the second if you hint after the first one that they are close to getting their old power back so they don’t spend the time between the first and second session grumbling.
dropping character level sounds like a bad call. Metroid the player’s gear, but not their ability to interact with the world.
I definitely want to nix the gear ( I made a dumb decision to allow everyone one magical item and didn’t vet before the game so someone had a staff of fire which is entirely too OP for level 5 - my fault yes).
Funny, fire can’t burn creatures in hell. (Would be my fix)
This would feel really annoying. You’re ripping away all of their agency and punishing them for the sake of your narrative rather than for something they did.
If you want to depower them but also communicate to the players it isn’t permanent maybe give them a penalty when rolling for skills during the first session in hell as a way to represent amnesia or being in a foggy state. As their memories return give them their skills back by lightening and then removing the penalty. One session of this will novel, two or more will be tedious.
You can strip them of current gear if it’s communicated that they will get it back once they leave hell. A demon explains their spirits were ripped away from their mortal shells that still exist back wherever they were or something. When the players end this adventure they go back to their actual bodies or whatever. Don’t permanently just take stuff from players in a way beyond their control.
You’re ripping away all of their agency and punishing them for the sake of your narrative rather than for something they did.
This is everything I needed to hear (read). You’re absolutely right, thanks for the reality check.
As a player I would find it annoying. I now have to redo my character based on lvl1
On the other hand you could treat it as a story gimmick. start all the players at the target lol for the game then have them defeated in fight 1.
The aim is now to regain their abilities through the course of the story.
