D&D General How Often Should a PC Die in D&D 5e?

[dave2008]

So, all I can say is there is hope yet for the "we don't want to just know we will win" game.

I find that to be a pretty easy goal to achieve in 5e, but I understand some people have difficulty. I have also heard PF2e can be brutal if you don't have a will organized and tactical group, so you might try that game.

 

[dave2008]

I don’t plan Pc deaths seems like a valid option in a poll asking how often you plan pc deaths.

Accept that the poll doesn't say anything about planning for any PC deaths. It talks about preferences, aka: how deadly do you want your game. I think it is a poorly worded poll, but it doesn't have anything to do with planning PC deaths.

 

[Umbran]

I think you can have the feel of peril even if no one actually dies.

Indeed.

I am currently running The Wild Beyond the Witchlight, an adventure perhaps best known for the possibility of getting through without a single combat, much less character death. However, the PCs have been terrified of the prospect of starting a fight with the adventure's main antagonists.

In another game I play in, my wizard ends up making death saves every other session. The party has not needed him to actually die to see the seriousness of the situation.

But if the chance of defeat indeed is genuine, then in the long run it becomes increasingly likely that some deaths might occur.

I think noting the difference between death and defeat is important here. For many players, threat of defeat is just as motivating as threat of character death.

 

[payn]

I find that to be a pretty easy goal to achieve in 5e, but I understand some people have difficulty. I have also heard PF2e can be brutal if you don't have a will organized and tactical group, so you might try that game.

PF2 is more likely to TPK then have PC death, IME. Its more the entire team fails then one guy was unlucky or did something stupid.

 

[KYRON45]

Accept that the poll doesn't say anything about planning for any PC deaths. It talks about preferences, aka: how deadly do you want your game. I think it is a poorly worded poll, but it doesn't have anything to do with planning PC deaths.

I prefer a game where there is no earthly way to calculate how often a PC "Should" die.

 

[Oofta]

I think there's an underlying question here of "Do you need to see peril actually have tangible results for the rules to feel perilous?"

Like, if you play 40 sessions with 5 PCs, going from levels 1-10, and no PC ever dies, did the rules still feel perilous? Does seeing several "2 failed death saves" clutch saves do enough to make the game feel risky, even if no one dies?

I'm honestly not sure.

If you've had to roll death saves on more than one occasion? Which, if you're like me, the DM rolls the death saves? To me that feels risky. I will never introduce a surprise savior to save a PC or ignore the rules of the game, but there's a big difference between going out of my way to kill PCs by doing things like attacking a downed PC and setting up the scenario so one of the other characters have a chance to save them.

 

[Crimson Longinus]

PF2 is more likely to TPK then have PC death, IME. Its more the entire team fails then one guy was unlucky or did something stupid.

That is unfortunate, as there should be chance of character death but TPKs are something I feel should be avoided.

 

[dave2008]

I prefer a game where there is no earthly way to calculate how often a PC "Should" die.

Sure, but what they are really asking is: how deadly do you like your games to be. I think you could answer that one.

For me personally, I don't care. I can play and enjoy any type of game. However, I like to DM a very deadly game where in my players rarely or never die.

 

[payn]

That is unfortunate, as there should be chance of character death but TPKs are something I feel should be avoided.

I said more likely, not impossible. I think folks like being a little more hardy and not just dying to dumb luck. If a player wants to march their PC face first into every buzzsaw, the PC is gonna die.

 

[prabe]

That is unfortunate, as there should be chance of character death but TPKs are something I feel should be avoided.

I've found that one character dying can start a vicious circle/death spiral. I agree this is at least not great.