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View Full Version : Scoundrel Cleric and his problems with a Kleptomaniac



Fawsto
2009-12-27, 07:47 PM
Sup Guys,


I need small advice within two matters.

I need some ideas at playing a LN Cleric that will turn into a scoundrel, or so to say. I decided to play a melee focused Cleric this time, but I chose to play as my seccondary role the main buffer of the group, which is pretty big, btw. (Check the spoiler box to see teh group's config, you will need to take a look at that to help me with my seccond problem)

Me (LN Cleric4/Fighter1/Church Inquisitor3, with the Celerity, Travel and Inquisition Domains);
A LE Dwarven Cleric (Aiming for Leadership and War Priest, Evil and War Domains);
A CG Human Sorcerer (Aiming for elemental savant);
A LN Dwarven Fighter (Also a Level 3 Kensai);
A CN Half-Elf Ranger;
A CN Human Duskblade; and
A CN/E Elven Rogue (Aiming for Order of the Bow Initiate).

I wanted to find a good Scoundrel flavour to fit this character, do you guys have any ideas?

Now, this was the pleasant part of this post, now I must adress my seccond problem: Our CN/E Elven Rogue that is a bloody kleptomaniac. I need some ideas to deal with him. I mean, If it just stole things from NPCs, It would be OK. But hell, he keeps stealing from the party and there is no real reason for him to stop, no one knows in game that he steals from the party, however we suspect of it.

Also, since we are currently in the middle of nowhere and without a great deal of resources, even if I were to find out (I am in search of my pouch full of money that he stole from me after I was dropped), I would not be able to restrain him too much, hell, he would brake free and slit my characters throat while he sleeps.

So I decided to adress the matter with Magic. However, I don't want the player to discover my countermeasures to avoid metagaming solutions. My plan is the following: When I have the opportunity, meaning when he is dropped or in need of healing (unconscious would be perfect), I'd cast a curse, with the bestow curse spell, following these lines. Only the DM would know:

. He would suffer a 50% chance to loose every action if he tries to steal, cheat or make hostile actions to anyone who considers him a teammate. This means he will suffer the curse while trying to "harm" a teammate;...

. If he succeeds at the attempt, he would be affected by the curse until he apologizes and those are accepted explicitely by the ofendee. This will supress the curse until the next offense;

. If he does not succeed, nothing happens.

Are those ok by the Bestow Curse spell standards?

This is too harsh? Would you guys as players and DMs be ok with it? Could you give me more advice?

Thanks and a Happy new Year to everybody.

The Glyphstone
2009-12-27, 07:50 PM
You don't metagame by using OOC knowledge IC. You use OOC knowledge OOC by smacking him in the back of the head and telling him to stop being a *******************. *****. You can probably get the other players behind you if he's stealing from them too.

Fawsto
2009-12-27, 08:01 PM
The thing is that while he steals from the party he is sapping our resources. Currently I am a little bit concerned with the fact that a small encounter with a pair of Lamias left me, the other cleric and the sorcerer in need of some diamong dust with a value of at least 100 gp each so I can cast restoration to get us going 100% again.

I fear I will never have either 100gp or a diamond by the end of the current adventure.

That's why I want to adress it in game. Somehow to break the character's "overconfidence". Hell, If I am in a bad mood I could one hit him unbuffed! :smallmad: (He has, by level 8, less than 30 HP, alive due to cheer luck).

Artanis
2009-12-27, 08:05 PM
Talk to him OOC about it. If you get him to agree to stop being a ****, you can easily work it out IC. Trying to do everything IC, however, will probably do more harm than good.

Saintjebus
2009-12-27, 08:07 PM
Always remember- the excuse "Well, it's what my character would do!" should not fly. Ever. No, not even then. The player decides what sort of character he is playing, and the player decides what the character does. I definitely agree, this should be dealt with OOC. Dealing with it IC will only cause further problems in the future. It also starts an arms race between the players.

Origomar
2009-12-27, 08:15 PM
Meh i would go a little harsher.

Fawsto
2009-12-27, 08:18 PM
I am not very sure any conversation would do any good. In reality, I am the most concerned with this. It is something that frustrates me a litte. Moreover since if I bring the discussion it will probably turn on me... :smallsigh:


I really dunno what to do. I get along well with my gaming friends. This character is the one hitting my nerves! :smallmad:

Edit: I should add that this character would let a party member die anyways. Almost happened to my hcaracter once already. I stabilized on cheer luck.

Grumman
2009-12-27, 08:18 PM
If I were the DM, I'd give him one chance to repent. If he doesn't, he gets kicked from the game.

Fawsto
2009-12-27, 08:22 PM
@ Grumman: Not going to happen... However, the character is slowly turning evil. And I am almost to stop helping his character with anything.

The Glyphstone
2009-12-27, 08:27 PM
There's no reason why talking to him OOC shouldn't help more than anything IC. If he's really a friend, then telling him (As a group) that his antics aren't funny anymore and he needs to cut it out will work. If he's not, then taking IC action just means he'll start doing something else to undermine the group, or try to find ways around your curse so he can keep doing it, and if he dies, his next character will come with an inexplicable grudge against yours.

What do you mean when you say that bringing up the issue could 'turn on you'? Are you saying that the rest of the group enjoys having a kelptomaniac whose stealing is actively endangering the safety of the entire group?

denthor
2009-12-27, 08:28 PM
This is an easy fix. Assign one player to become the book keeper for the treasure found. Keep records. choose either the Lawful Evil or Lawful Neutral P.C. There characters would be more than happy to have written records so that they do not get cheated.

Bonus they both will whip out the law and kill your thief why you do not have to do a thing.

Optional way an Order of the Bow Initiate should be very much aware that if he gives an oath to kill it must be honored. Use this to your advantage make him oath not to steal from you and tell him you will support him in with spell in the future. Be aware you are LN and must keep your word as well. He can drag you down in the gutter with him.

Third way do not support him with healing I took the wrong spells, cannot convert to healing, used it all on me. Reasoning I can not in good conscience help someone who is as chaotic as you if you could just become a little bit lawful. He will get the point.

By the way you say you are in the back end of nowhere. How do you not notice what he is carrying on his person? Strength becomes a factor in movement A/C he is a thief he needs to be mobile.

Artanis
2009-12-27, 08:32 PM
If OOC doesn't work, then IC is bound to end badly. So either talk to him OOC, or accept that it won't change in any remotely acceptable way.

Saintjebus
2009-12-27, 08:33 PM
I am not very sure any conversation would do any good. In reality, I am the most concerned with this. It is something that frustrates me a litte. Moreover since if I bring the discussion it will probably turn on me... :smallsigh:



Here's the rub. The choices of the player(not the character) are what's frustrating to you. Why? Because the player is the one making decisions.

The player's decisions are affecting your fun. At that point, you can either (A. Continue playing at a lower level of fun. (B. Talk to the player(not the character) to try and work something out so you can both have fun or (C. Leave the group. (D. Escalate in character.

Obviously, option C is extreme, and not what I would recommend at this point. You are suggesting option D, which is often very compelling. However, speaking from experience, it tends to be a Bad Idea. It generally ends with at least one person leaving the group, or the entire group dissolving. Everyone loses.

Artanis
2009-12-27, 08:36 PM
Because the player is the one making decisions.

QFT.

This point cannot be stressed enough. It doesn't matter what you do or how you do it, in the end, you're still dealing with the player. By far the best way to deal with a player is to deal with the player.

Fawsto
2009-12-27, 08:41 PM
@ The Glyphstone: Sometimes it seems no one matters with this kind of thing in game. For some reason, though, I do matter. While my group and I play DnD we try to keep the reactions of our characters based on stuff we would do IRL. So while his skills are enough to cheat everybody, no one says a word.

He is our party's eyes. The scout. He is the one to find treasure first, so he keeps evertyhting with him. There was a point where MY WBL was with this character, as long as a part of everybody's else WBL.

From levels 5 to 7 my only magic item was a wand of silence. Every other important treasure was with him "for some reason".

In my gaming table we get what we accomplish. Every treasure is random, thus, for example, we have no stat boosting items. I am certain, however, that the rogue will manage to stock everything we find. His skills with stealth and everything else a rogue does, allow him to do so. Thus I need a way to, at least, protect my character from being constantly robbed.


Edit: Well... I guess you guys are right. It is quite annoying, but if things continue the way they are, I will try and talk to everybody. However, I will RP accordingly to a character that behaves in such way.