D&D 5E Advice needed: is it ok to kill a player’s character if he is not there!

[Mort]

Is the character active and present and earning experience and treasure when the player is not present?

Yes? They are fair game. Kill them if you would kill a present PC in the same circumstance.

1. Who's choice was it to include the character? If the DM included the character for "story continuity" or something like that, without input from the player, then absolutely not ok.

 

[Stalker0]

The fix is a simple retcon.

1) you check the rogue, he’s unconscious but not dead.

2) but...his head is missing!

3) trick of the light, you check again and his body is intact.

I agree with others that if a player is missing the character is protected unless a TPK occurs, and then the character is toast.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

If characters are at risk because a player couldn't make a session, this will lead to players being dissatisfied and leaving, plain and simple. I get that it can be a bummer when people don't show to a game, but if they risk having their characters get killed when they aren't there, that will lead to them just not showing up at all, going somewhere else for their gaming fix. I don't think any player cares if people appear/disappear based on whether the player is there or not.

the only viable option if you wish the group to survive.

 

[iserith]

is it ok to kill a player’s character if he is not there!​

I mean, it's certainly easier.

 

[DemoMonkey]

In some circles it's mandatory.

 

[THEMNGMNT]

It's poor form to kill a player's character while they're away. I've had it done to me. Doesn't feel great. Instead, have them taken captive. Or find another workaround.

 

[Gorg]

Ooops! Sux to be him... He could have had his character disengage, and run away, also- but didn't. Considering he played his turn- all alone- vs 2 ettins and a bunch of goblins, and chose to attack rather than gtfo, he really can't expect much else.

If you feel THAT guilt ridden about it, I suppose you could give him a mulligan and start up where you left off when he jetted. Unless, of course, the rest of the party finished their combat and moved up. Things will have changed then.

But if someone walks out mid game and mid combat, leaving no instructions, other than oh snap-gotta go! What can you do? Make everyone else wait? Fudging things so the thief doesn't die smacks of favoritism- which would likely annoy the other players. His choice to stand and fight vs overwhelming numbers meant he was 99% screwed regardless.

Question: Did this player eventually return that session?

 

[BookTenTiger]

The only reasonable solution is to kill the rest of the characters, in order to make things fair.

 

[Lanefan]

ok...so yeah, i made a mistake...or im a dick...or whatever...

...how do i fix this?

You did not make a mistake, and you're not a dick. You have nothing to fix.

The character exists independent of its player, and IMO if the character would have died anyway the player's presence or absence in the moment is immaterial.

 

[Lanefan]

1. Who's choice was it to include the character? If the DM included the character for "story continuity" or something like that, without input from the player, then absolutely not ok.

The character was already in mid-combat when the player left - the choice of whether or not to include the character had already long since been made (we have to assume) by the player while still present.