In response to the OP, I think you've got two perspectives, at either end of the spectrum. On the right, old school players, those of us who have been around since yada yada colored box and so forth, for whom death is a part of play, and you either pay the price for raise dead/ressurect/reincarnate, whatever - or you roll up a new character. The "rolling up a new character" is such a staple for some groups that I play in, that we have some players <i>reknown</i> for occasionally killing their own characters off in bazaar ways, and gleefully rolling up a new character of the month.
On the other hand, for me, and others I'm sure, character death is a real buzzkill. It just ain't fun. I know, I know - consequences, smart play, etc. Still, all of that aside, if I have charged in to do perilous combat against terrible foes (which is what D&D is about mechanically, right?), and I die - it sucks. More than just a buzzkill, its potentially a play stopper.
Remember too, you've got hard core players and casual players, and I've seen the endless discussions about how 4e seems to have casual players in mind easily as much as the more hardcore. When my wife's awesome druid that she's been playing for a couple months dies, she does not respond by chalking up another one, and grabbing her ability-rollin' dice. No, its frustrating, annoying, and perhaps upsetting to her, and gamers like her.
Its a show stopper/buzzkill because the dead character's player gets to stop playing. And we're here to play D&D, right?
[edited: I tend to ramble without making a point. semi-fixed]
On the other hand, for me, and others I'm sure, character death is a real buzzkill. It just ain't fun. I know, I know - consequences, smart play, etc. Still, all of that aside, if I have charged in to do perilous combat against terrible foes (which is what D&D is about mechanically, right?), and I die - it sucks. More than just a buzzkill, its potentially a play stopper.
Remember too, you've got hard core players and casual players, and I've seen the endless discussions about how 4e seems to have casual players in mind easily as much as the more hardcore. When my wife's awesome druid that she's been playing for a couple months dies, she does not respond by chalking up another one, and grabbing her ability-rollin' dice. No, its frustrating, annoying, and perhaps upsetting to her, and gamers like her.
Its a show stopper/buzzkill because the dead character's player gets to stop playing. And we're here to play D&D, right?
[edited: I tend to ramble without making a point. semi-fixed]