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I want to have a session where my players drift into a sort of dreamland where I can introduce the BBEG and some other story points in a way that doesn't actually affect them. So they go to sleep, "wake up," go on this quest type thing to face the BBEG, they get to feel the utter difference in power level compared to them, probably end up dying, but as they die they wake up from the dream realizing it's a "vision of the future" type thing.

I think it's an interesting, cool idea, but I realized that one of the members of my group is in fact a skeleton PC. Technically, the undead don't sleep and so now I have no way to include him.

I've wracked my brain, but I can't think of a clever solution that fits to allow him to participate in the dream/vision thing. Any suggestions?

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    \$\begingroup\$ Welcome to RPG.SE! Take the tour if you haven't already, and check out the help center for more guidance. Unfortunately, this sort of idea-generation question, as currently worded, is entirely opinion-based; every answer is potentially equally valid, and there's no way to choose a single "best" answer. Such questions might be better suited to a forum. \$\endgroup\$ – V2Blast♦ Apr 12 '19 at 4:27
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    \$\begingroup\$ Skeletons are not usually a race players can choose. Is it perhaps the Skeleton found in the DMG on page 282? If not, can you provide the the rules for the race of this PC? Please edit your question to include this information, because answer may depend on it. \$\endgroup\$ – Ruse Apr 12 '19 at 4:37
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Within the rules of the DMG/MM, there is nothing to say that skeletons do not "sleep".

As a PC though, it is a rule of thumb that they do need to stop and rest, i.e., enter a state of "sleep" or a "trance", in which their body can recuperate spells and abilities.

However you can also use magic.

In the world of Dungeons and Dragons, the rules of which spell is used and how is very much tied to situations that have a "cause and effect" response. You cast a spell, I react to that, by rolling a dice to see if I can resist, or avoid damage, etc. In story-related tellings, this is less applicable. There is no situations where the PCs are in danger, so the explanation of the spells or effects used can just be "handwaved away".

As you all settle down, Skelly McShinBones sits down for his usual overnight shift of keeping watch, while everyone else sleeps. As the night progresses, they find themselves... growing... sleepy? How is that? Interestingly, the harder they fight, the heavier it hits, until finally, they pass out entirely.

Suddenly you are jolted awake, in a strange place, very different from where you set down to camp. "Am I dreaming?"

If you really want to, you can also offer a dice roll to resist, but since the BBEG is so Big, Bad and Evil, their magic is too powerful to resist, regardless of what they roll (obviously don't tell the party that this roll is impassible).

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    \$\begingroup\$ "obviously don't tell the party that this roll is impassible" - no, don't make them roll if it's impossible to succeed. Otherwise, they end up rolling a 20 on the d20 and are then confused and feel betrayed when it changes nothing. \$\endgroup\$ – PixelMaster Apr 12 '19 at 8:11
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Astral Projection would take 8 other willing creatures to the Astral Plane and return them to their real bodies when they get dropped to 0 hp on the Astral Plane. Though the BBEG would have to be able to have access to a 9th level spell and convince the party to be willing.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ or you could give the BBEG a custom "Forced Astral Projection", since NPCs don't have to follow the same rules as PCs. \$\endgroup\$ – PixelMaster Apr 12 '19 at 8:12

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