Umbran said:More's the question - if you notice a difference, why is there a difference?
Mouseferatu said:Definitely more in 3e/3.5.
However, I need to add a caveat to that statement. I hate save-or-die effects. I prefer "save or be dying," "save or be badly injured," "save or suffer some other really nasty effect." But I don't want someone to be taken out of play, forced to sit around and watch everyone else having fun, by a single bad roll.
So I've tended to modify save-or-die throughout all the editions--1st, 2nd, and 3rd--and that may have impacted the death toll.
Umbran said:More's the question - if you notice a difference, why is there a difference?
With changing times, most folks have experienced other changes - changing desires, groups, DMs. Pinpointing the root cause (if there is one, instead of just chance), can be very difficult.
Hussar said:After about 5th level in 1ed or 2e, nothing could really kill you in combat other than something that vastly outpowers you - ie. chucking ancient huge red dragons at 5th level parties.
Mouseferatu said:However, I need to add a caveat to that statement. I hate save-or-die effects. I prefer "save or be dying," "save or be badly injured," "save or suffer some other really nasty effect." But I don't want someone to be taken out of play, forced to sit around and watch everyone else having fun, by a single bad roll.
Delta said:There was an old Dragon article (OD&D/1E) where someone had a statistical analysis of PC deaths in their campaign, and it added up to hundreds and hundreds of deaths by different causes. I don't think anyone's going to claim the same thing in a 3E campaign.