Character Death and The Rest of the Night

[librarius_arcana]

But some players (with a heaping case of schadenfreude) probably wouldn't mind playing an NPC bad guy.

I wouldn't let them play if they were going to play it that way

 

[Nyaricus]

This is why it's good to make sure every player has a backup character to run, which is kept up to be the same level as the rest of the party

Of course, assuming that there isn't a backup character rolled up, I, as a player or a DM would begin/encourage to begin the rolling up of a new PC, and to stay out of everyone's hair for the time being (I know they'd have a billion questions to ask me, in any case, since I knwo the rules with more than a little confidence).

YMMV, of course

 

[Stormborn]

As a Player:
Given that my wife plays as well I would stay and watch. However, if that were not the case it would largely depend on the GM and other players. Most likely I would still hang out and watch, but if it was a game that I wasn't having a lot of fun with I would probablly just take that as a chance to bow out and go home.

As part of the party:
Make every effort to get back to a place where the player could rejoin the party, with the same PC or a new one, ASAP if at all possible. If its not possible then I say I'm sorry and keep going.

As the GM:
I want people to be able to play, and I hate PC death due to bad die rolls. I would do one of the following if at all possible:
- have one of the humanoid NPCs that the party has been fighting defect. He was a slave and didn't want to fight anyway, he has learned of a terrible secret part of his master's plan and knows he is doomed and just wants to live, or something. May not be the best solution but its better than nothing. "Sorry your 5th level Paladin died Bob, here is a 2nd level Goblin Rogue if you want to play for the rest of the session. He was a henchman in charge of maintaining the traps and accidently saw that he was slated to be sacrificed next full moon. He will help the party if they promise to get him out safely." Then the player can decide if he wants to develop the Goblin into a full PC or roll up a new one once they are out of the dungeon.
- Do some fast and dirty "PC as Ghost" rules depending on the PC in question. A magic user would probablly be OK,especially a bard, but a fighter type would suffer. But, as I have players who are mainly interested in character interaction rather than always killing stuff they would likely go for it.
- Depending on the campaign at the end of the combat I might let the others take a 5-10 min break. During which I would run a conversation that the dead PC has in the afterlife. A being would make a deal with them, they can come back to life...for a price. Most likely that price would be a negative level/xp, but would be a good chance to get tricksy with the character. I might tell the player that he will still have to role up a new PC but that he can play this one as is for the rest of the current adventure. Afterwards I would have the PC become an NPC that was slowely being turned to the purposes of whatever being raised him.

 

[pawsplay]

If the PCs have a patron or employer, it's simple enough for a new employee to be introduced, which establishes a modest level of trust off the bat. Otherwise, there's the ol' prisoners routine, the "you meet some dude and a wandering monster at the same time" routine, and the occasionally problematic but sometimes workable "You see a stranger standing before you, regardinly you warily but not hostily," which works best if the new PC would have good hooks for the current adventure.

Sometimes, it's best if the player just spends an hour or so rolling and tweaking a character, then joins the group when they make it "back to town."

If you need them in the action, you could always have them raised or reincarnated by a friendly NPC. They're still down a level, and in the case of reincarnate, may be a female kobold Dwarven Defender.

 

[Gold Roger]

We use point buy. As long as the dead PC won't be ressurected (never happened in my game, though this campaign it might), the player can spend the time making his new PC.

However, now that the PC's are in a situation that they have possibilities to raise dead, I'm tempted to find some in game stuff for dead people to do, since the issue is bound to come up often enough.

 

[Lockridge]

How about serve drinks?
Ok, seriously I think the player should spend the time rolling up a new character or (and this is a touchy subject for some) I'd let him help the other players with advice and strategy in encounters. All of this assuming that the nature of the question forbids giving him an NPC or a baddie to play.
Alternatively it can be fun to just watch.
Lockridge.

 

[Rabelais]

Although in retrospect, maybe Marcie could have rolled a saving throw, or played an Orc bandit or something...

Dark Dungeon

I rarely advocate that players go home to hang themselves after losing a character.

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

Here's the scenario:.. What do you do...

Been there, done that

...if you are the player of the slain PC?

Depends on the game, the group, and the scenario...not to mention what else is available. Possible options include, but are not limited to: Co-Dm by running the BBEG minions...*not* the BBEG himself...., Play the part of a re-curring NPC {minor baddie or introduced goodie} for the rest of the session, roll up a new character, serve drinks, leer at the hottie player, grab the PS2 and crank up Ghost Recon, play M:tG, read comic books, work on my next time as DM, kibitz as the rules-helper, make brownies {not *those* kind }, sit back and watch the show .... sit on my rear and feel sorry for myself... ya know, lots of things.
My normal reaction would be to play NPC or kibitz.

...if you are another player?

Say something like 'gee, that sucks..' if player is sitting on his/her rear feeling sorry for themselves, suggest any/all of the above as ways to do something else...continue playing my character's motivations and either pursue the original goal or seek healing/resurrection for the slain PC.

...if you are the DM?

Say something like 'gee, that sucks..' if the playe... oh wait, I already said that
Add: Provide opportunities for player to run NPC minions, help with rules, perhaps slip in a good NPC if it fits the scenario...and if player chooses to work on a new character, inform them in no uncertain terms that its game time and they are welcome to not interupt with questions about what their new character will be like.


So much depends on the group's normal behavior and understanding of the rules. I have done pretty much all of the above when my character got sidelined from either death or split up parties.... even due to a party that was a bit large {13 players gets a bit sticky...}

And... I agree with Dross, I prefer that the lack of Dues Ex sillyness and having the threat of death/disable result in OOC downtime... perhaps that will encourage the players to not split forces and be more careful in combat...

 

[ScaredofScissors]

...if you are the player of the slain PC?

Get all upset and storm out of the room, never to play again?

...if you are the DM?

Go for the TPK? That way the poor guy isn't alone.

[Sorry, couldn't resist... ]

 

[sniffles]

As the player of the deceased PC, I'd look to the GM to determine what I should do. In the group I belong to the answer would probably be either retconning the situation so that my PC didn't actually die, or having me run an NPC or monster temporarily and my PC would be saved from death by the end of the session.

The answer would be pretty much the same if another player lost a PC.

I don't currently GM, but if I did I'd base my decision on my knowledge of the player and the player's reaction to the character's death. If the player was really attached to that character and seemed really disappointed by the loss, I'd find some way to bring the PC back. If the player seemed eager to roll up something new, I'd rule the death final and let the player enjoy herself.