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DM question - level reset?
(lemmy.world)
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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.