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!
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.
This is everything I needed to hear (read). You’re absolutely right, thanks for the reality check.
Not to say I’m against the idea of putting them in a tough spot with no gear. The main issue of skills can be handled with debuffs, which effectively gives you the same outcome- the characters have lost their abilities for the moment.
The second issue is amnesia. It’s asking a lot of players to walk into RPing amnesia, especially doing a story where they get their memories back. The metagaming required by them to push their characters to complete that story but also pretending they aren’t seems not ideal.
Instead of that, a suggestion- start the session with the players living their normal lives. At camp or whatever. A demon shows up, tells them their souls are going to be dragged to hell, and then does just that. This immediately and smoothly explains why they are debuffed and have no gear.
Instead of amnesia, use something about their backstories. You know, they got some secret they have to admit or atone for or whatever to get out of hell. If you don’t have anything specific from their backstories use their personality to craft something open ended for them to RP. Generic examples: “You disappointed someone” or “You ruined a life.” or something. And whatever the players admit has to be true to work, so whatever they make up on the spot becomes part of their backstory. (If the players try to be cute and admit to something that isn’t really worth being a deep dark secret it won’t work and maybe give them a small zap for it).
Maybe there is an altar with some item for each player. Combat encounter by the party to reach the alter, player gets a big moment, get item. Repeat for all players (obvs try to give some variety to the specifics). Once the party has all items they can escape hell. Maybe even all the items combined are a key into a hell fortress and they have to get past an extra big combat encounter to get to the portal/door/whatever that gets them out.