Creatures disappearing after death of creator - how to make?

[mbussi]

Hi all,

 

how would you model creatures that disappear after the death of the creator? I'm thinking about zombies that crumble to dust after the death of the necromancer or summoned creatures that pop out of existence if the summoner dies.

 

Is there some standard limitation on summon that I can exploit and that I have missed?

 

Massimiliano

 

P.S.

I'm talking about 6E, but 5E solutions are still acceptable

[McCoy]

Re: Creatures disappearing after death of creator - how to make?

 

I'd call ot a Special Effect. Or a zero point complication on the creator, Load Bearing Boss.

[BobGreenwade]

Re: Creatures disappearing after death of creator - how to make?

 

There's no standard Limitation, but I'd call Load-Bearing Boss a -1/4 Limitation in the spirit of Non-Persistent.

[mbussi]

Re: Creatures disappearing after death of creator - how to make?

 

Thanks

[prestidigitator]

Re: Creatures disappearing after death of creator - how to make?

 

For powers I'd call it a -0 Limitation (e.g. Mind Control or Mental Illusions) or simply part of the construct (e.g. part of the situation that can turn off an Uncontrolled Power/Continuing Charge or part of the reversion conditions for Transform). For creatures I'd either make it a -0 Limitation on Summon (though I'd probably only allow it to actually happen if the summoned creature is still under your control--i.e. owes you favors--when you die) or a fully impairing Physical Complication on the creature itself, depending both on how things are being modeled (e.g. Summon vs. Followers) and, honestly, on what seems to feel right.

[dmjalund]

Re: Creatures disappearing after death of creator - how to make?

 

on death? definitely -0 limitation (get a real person to manage your estate!). If it were whenever you became unconscious, or asleep, that would probably be another matter

[BobGreenwade]

Re: Creatures disappearing after death of creator - how to make?

 

On reflection, I'm changing my mind and agreeing with the others. Those Summoned beings aren't much use to a dead person, unless said dead person can recover somehow. Thus, their disappearance becomes part of the Special Effect, and could probably even be considered a requirement of Summon (with an Advantage if the character needs the creatures to remain past his death for some reason).

[Susano]

Re: Creatures disappearing after death of creator - how to make?

 

Physical Limitation? "Dies When Creator Dies"?

[Shadowsoul]

Re: Creatures disappearing after death of creator - how to make?

 

If it is widely known that summoned creatures die with their creator then it is a tactical disadvantage and so might be worth points i.e. (-1/4). If other characters know that the summoned creatures disappear when their summoner does then they will target the summoner. Summoning an army of zombies becomes tantamount to painting a big X on your chest and saying - "Kill me if you don't want to get eaten by my rotting hordes."

[BobGreenwade]

Re: Creatures disappearing after death of creator - how to make?

 

If it is widely known that summoned creatures die with their creator then it is a tactical disadvantage and so might be worth points i.e. (-1/4). If other characters know that the summoned creatures disappear when their summoner does then they will target the summoner. Summoning an army of zombies becomes tantamount to painting a big X on your chest and saying - "Kill me if you don't want to get eaten by my rotting hordes."

A very good point, that.

[Badger]

Re: Creatures disappearing after death of creator - how to make?

 

If it is widely known that summoned creatures die with their creator then it is a tactical disadvantage and so might be worth points i.e. (-1/4). If other characters know that the summoned creatures disappear when their summoner does then they will target the summoner. Summoning an army of zombies becomes tantamount to painting a big X on your chest and saying - "Kill me if you don't want to get eaten by my rotting hordes."

 

While a good point, and I agree, There always is the fact you may have to get through a big chunk of the zombies before you can reach the summoner (unless he actually is stupid enough to stay out in the open)

 

Still you are right, it is a tactical disadvantage. (if for no other reason than the creatures could kill the heroes before they make an escape, which would be beneficial to the next villain, of course)

[Michael Hopcroft]

Re: Creatures disappearing after death of creator - how to make?

 

Are we talking about a situation where this is the default condition for large-scale summoning or are only certain casters limited in this way? Because a caster limited in this fashion is at a disadvantage for the reason Shadowsoul suggests (you become a target when it's known that you can get rid of the horde by destroying you).

[Narf the Mouse]

Re: Creatures disappearing after death of creator - how to make?

 

Yep, -1/4 for being a Load Bearing Boss Target.

[Michael Hopcroft]

Re: Creatures disappearing after death of creator - how to make?

 

I had to actually look that up. Shows you how little clue I have about video games.

 

A villain the killing of whom destroys the enemy monsters en masse can be very dramatically appropriate. And certainly saves the PCs the trouble of hacking their way throwugh the monsters on their way out.

[Markdoc]

Re: Creatures disappearing after death of creator - how to make?

 

In my games at least, if the boss didn't buy his summoned or otherwise created monsters with "independant", then as a default they disappear/become unmotivated/ become confused - in any case, useless - when he dies.

 

The same incidentally, happens for all magics/magical constructs, which explains why in many cases, killing the boss leads to the rapid collapse of his base - a time-tested trope!

 

cheers, Mark

[dmjalund]

Re: Creatures disappearing after death of creator - how to make?

 

Maybe the summoned stops obeying the last command, and just acts naturally (if appropriate) or stops acting if not