One player has problems with character deaths....

[JesterPoet]

Okay, time for me to ask for some advice.

I run Midnight for a group of 5 people. The group switches games back and forth so that we don't all have to run all of the time. It's a great group, and I have no complaints about any of them.

Here's the thing, though. One of the players isn't really into character deaths. He's a great roleplayer, and he really likes to get into his character. He's used to playing in more PC-friendly games (White-wolf stuff, and a lot of HIGH fantasy).

He makes a good point that he is fully capable of telling the difference between in-character fear of death, and out-of-character fear of death, and he roleplays as such. So really, even if his character didn't die, it isn't going to affect his roleplaying one bit. It would simply affect his enjoyment of the game, which I don't like. He suggests fantastic alternatives such as creating sympathetic NPCs and killing them off (and the like, all of which are tools that I use already) which are absolutely fine, but not all of my players will read things that way. The OOC fear of death is a great motivator for some of them, and I, personally, think it is integral to to Midnight campaign setting.

So what can I do? What he brings to the table is fantastic for the game, so I need to work around this issue. If I were to say, "There will be a risk of character death, and you just have to deal with it" he'll still play (I'm pretty sure), but, like I said, it will significantly decrease his enjoyment of the game. But if I give everyone's character immunity from death, I think it will decrease the enjoyment and/or tension for the other players that is creating such a great gaming experience.

I'm fine with just letting his character live. But how do I present that to the group? Do we discuss it openly (I'm worried that this will be somewhat embarassing for the one player who wants things different, so it would seem an uncomfortable rule) or do I just fudge in his favor and let him stay alive? The other players know how he feels, so they are unlikely to miss why it is being done, but I doubt that they would be upset (though I can't be 100% sure). Or do I present it at the table? "Who wants to risk death, and who wants me to work around character death for them?" Could that even work?

I'd just like some suggestions. I'll be checking in all day, so I'm happy to answer any questions I didn't cover with my initial explanation.

Thanks!

 

[DragonLancer]

Quite frankly I say tough. D&D is not a computer game where you can input the cheat codes to become invincible. If a player isn't careful, or fate (AKA the dice) are against you, there is a chance that your character will die. It happens.

 

[Doug McCrae]

DnD already has a mechanism to survive PC death - Raise Dead, Resurrection, Reincarnation, etc. I know that Midnight is a darker setting than standard DnD so would I be right in thinking there's no such mechanism? If so, that's your problem. The player doesn't want to play in a Midnight game.

 

[Enkhidu]

DnD already has a mechanism to survive PC death - Raise Dead, Resurrection, Reincarnation, etc. I know that Midnight is a darker setting than standard DnD so would I be right in thinking there's no such mechanism? If so, that's your problem. The player doesn't want to play in a Midnight game.

Bingo.

 

[diaglo]

kick him to the curb.

 

[Semah G Noj]

DnD already has a mechanism to survive PC death - Raise Dead, Resurrection, Reincarnation, etc. I know that Midnight is a darker setting than standard DnD so would I be right in thinking there's no such mechanism? If so, that's your problem. The player doesn't want to play in a Midnight game.

There is only one god in the Midnight setting, who is evil and therefore there is no Raise Dead or Resurrection accessable to PCs. It leads to a more fatalistic attitude among characters which really adds to the setting. But it sounds as if your player is not all that keen on this idea.

 

[JoeGKushner]

1. Hero/Fate/Action Points: Some type of boon in the character's favor. If he has an absolute fear of death, Fate points are the way to go. From the old Warhammer fantasy, they give you a save in that your enemy thinks you're dead. Not going to stop them from stripping the body and you only get so many and they're very hard to come buy. Hero points from Arcana Evolved are simliar but can be used for other things while Action points are probably the least potent of all.

2. Expalin that this isn't old style D&D where raise dead and other spells were hard to come by and that character death can be only temporarly in most cases and with the new way the experience points work (more xp for lowever level character when using the 3.5 rules), that he'll catch up to the characters in no time.

 

[BlackMoria]

Tell the player that characters can die. If he doesn't want to die, then choose all his character actions wisely....

This is Midnight, a campaign setting known to be grim and gritty in flavor. Characters are supposed to be heros battling against impossible odds. Such characters undertake the resistance knowing that to die of old age in their beds is not their fate....it is most likely to die young in a heroic cause. Point this out to him. Now, if he wants to play it safe, he can give up fighting the good fight and head for the furthest point away from the armies of darkness and spend his remaining days farming turnips....

This is D&D in a gritty setting.....not a game of Canasta.

That said, you can easily put action points (from Unearthed Arcana) or hero points (from Arcana Unearthed) into the game. If the character is concerned about dying, it behooves him to keep some action points or a hero point available at all times.

 

[JesterPoet]

kick him to the curb

Yes, well... that's not really even worth commenting on, is it?

There is only one god in the Midnight setting, who is evil and therefore there is no Raise Dead or Resurrection accessable to PCs. It leads to a more fatalistic attitude among characters which really adds to the setting. But it sounds as if your player is not all that keen on this idea.

See, I think you're wrong there. I think he likes the idea of a fatalistic setting, and he likes the idea that his character can attempt to overcome the odds in such a setting. IC he is totally into that. OOC, though, he simply doesn't want the hassle of having to keep re-thinking his character concept. We're aiming more for story than hack & slash or dungeon crawl. I can see where he's coming from. I think what he says makes sense. This setting has caused them to put a lot more into their characters than they would otherwise.

1. Hero/Fate/Action Points: Some type of boon in the character's favor. If he has an absolute fear of death, Fate points are the way to go. From the old Warhammer fantasy, they give you a save in that your enemy thinks you're dead. Not going to stop them from stripping the body and you only get so many and they're very hard to come buy. Hero points from Arcana Evolved are simliar but can be used for other things while Action points are probably the least potent of all.

Ahhh, now, Fate points. That's not a bad idea. Kind of a nice compromise. I'll have to look into that. The question, I guess, would be what would I give them for, and what would I allow them to be used for?

 

[shaylon]

As a player, I too, do not wish to have my PC's killed off, but it is something that I have to deal with. If I am rolling bad that night, or do something foolish, my character pays for it.

I can understand developing an attachment to your PC, especially if you have a long campaign with that character, but if the fear of death is not there for you, or your character, what is the point of the game? If you did broker some kind of out of game deal with this player, could he start risking everything and winning every time? Would that be fun for you or the others?

As far as I am concerned, Death is a big part of the game. My characters have lost friends, slain foes, and seen many NPC's come and go, and it is just the way it is.

I play in two campaigns right now, and if one of my characters die, it will be tough to roll up another one, but I will do it.

-Shay