Lamias and casual Wisdom draining

[Devon]

Hi, folks,

I had a situation in my game where a Lamia, disguised as they often are as a damsel in distress, "leaned" on one of the party members as they led her out of that dangerous tomb in which they had found her.

My question is, how would you run the Wisdom drain that Lamias inflict by touch... would the character feel the Wisdom drain and automatically recoil, or would they walk on in blissful (and increasing) ignorance as their new companion drained a point each round?

According to the monster conception, the Wisdom drain is used to soften up a potential slave so that they more easily fail the save against the lamia's charm person ability. I would imagine, then, that aside from requiring a touch attack, the Wisdom drain is not immediately obvious to the victim.

Let me know what you think, if you could.

Thank you,

- Devon

 

[graydoom]

*puts on Evil DM Hat*

I would give the PC the chance to make a wisdom check to realize he was being drained

 

[CRGreathouse]

Actually, I'd make the same call... vicious as it seems, a Wisdom check is most appropriate. DC 15, perhaps?

 

[graydoom]

Actually, I'd make the same call... vicious as it seems, a Wisdom check is most appropriate. DC 15, perhaps?

Yeah, Evil DMish as it is, that would be my ruling. It is appropriate.
Now then, since the drain is not a very obvious thing, the save would have to be a hard one. So yeah, DC 15 would be good. But how often would they get it? Just once after the first drain? Once for each drain? Once every 2 points?

 

[CRGreathouse]

Just once? I'm not that evil... I'd allow it for each point.

However, I'd let the lamia make a Bluff check to explain the sensation away evry time the Wisdom check fails, with a penalty for each previous bluff.

 

[graydoom]

Just once? I'm not that evil... I'd allow it for each point.

However, I'd let the lamia make a Bluff check to explain the sensation away evry time the Wisdom check fails, with a penalty for each previous bluff.

Sounds good. I would only give them a check every time their modifier changed, though (ie, every two points).

 

[Grendel]

since there is no save, there is no resisting (resistance) so the victim would not notice anything is wrong, however his companions might be able to make a spot check (or sense motive check) to realize that the character is not behaving normally (not carrying a readied weapon, not keeping an eye out for opponents sneaking up, not their usual argumentive self, etc.)

this however is very evil thing to do to a player, you are taking control of his character. A high DC check might be a fair option, however after the first die roll the character will be onto something.

 

[graydoom]

since there is no save, there is no resisting (resistance) so the victim would not notice anything is wrong, however his companions might be able to make a spot check (or sense motive check) to realize that the character is not behaving normally (not carrying a readied weapon, not keeping an eye out for opponents sneaking up, not their usual argumentive self, etc.)

this however is very evil thing to do to a player, you are taking control of his character. A high DC check might be a fair option, however after the first die roll the character will be onto something.

For things like this, checks that the PC didn't request, checks that the PC won't know happened if they fail, the PC simply should not know about the roll. The DM simply rolls behind his screen, and then either tells the PC something or continues on. DMs should make a practice of regularly rolling behind the screen so the PCs can't say "Uh-oh, he's rolling again, cast Protection From Evil and Dispel Magic! This is mentioned somewhere in the DMG, it says something about rolls the PCs should not see.

I do like your idea of a Sense Motive check for his allies, though.

 

[SpikeyFreak]

I like to try to make the rolls they shouldn't know about look like me fiddling with dice.

Pretty easy to do, I can never sit still.

--Figgety Spikey

 

[CullAfulMoshuN]

Since wisdom is the ability score that governs your perceptions of the world around you as well as your will power, I would describe it to the player as an intoxicating feeling like he is becoming drunk. Of course once you do that then the player will automatically be clued in to something being wrong when the intoxicated character may not.

I agree with the previous suggestions, make a secret wisdom check for the character against DC15. If they succeed then describe to that player alone a growing feelling of happiness and excitement being near the woman, increasing the description after each round of draining to a tipsy feelling, with her intoxicating scent, and the warmth of her closeness. Let the player decide how to interpret it.

If they fail then assume their character is just enjoying the feelling and feels intoxicated by the woman with intervention not being necessary, as they percieve no danger (read player knowledge).

In either case allow other PCs spot checks each round DC 30 (- 2 / point of wisdom drained) to notice something out of the ordinary with the characters behaviour. I like drama and atmosphere, so I would then even require sense motive checks against the lamias bluff check to link the behaviour change to her.