A player with a problem: Death and level loss

[Quartz]

This is why Item Creation is so important for casters.

 

[Fenes]

There needs to be a risk at death. Otherwise it stops having meaning, and players won't care about it. (Which is one of my annoyances at very high level play - true res is too good; there is no risk when you die unless the entire party dies.)

I disagree completely. Some players do need a threat of death, or a death penalty to have fun. Others do not need either, and are even not having fun with either.

 

[Crothian]

It really depends on what as a DM you want to have happen with this. You can be nice and listen to them and explain that these things happen but it is just a minor set back and one they can over come. Or if you are just tired of their complaining you can tell them to shut up and deal with it and you can even make fun of them if they complain more.

I would not give in and restore the level.

 

[Fenes]

It really depends on what as a DM you want to have happen with this. You can be nice and listen to them and explain that these things happen but it is just a minor set back and one they can over come. Or if you are just tired of their complaining you can tell them to shut up and deal with it and you can even make fun of them if they complain more.

I would not give in and restore the level.

Or you can ask your players if they want the level loss. There's no reason to keep something if it does not add to the game.

 

[Crothian]

Or you can ask your players if they want the level loss. There's no reason to keep something if it does not add to the game.

What if they also say that losing hit points doesn't add to the game? Or if they feel that the limited number of spells they can cast per day doesn't add to the game? How much of the game are you going to be willing to change just because a player says so?

Or as is more likely what if some people thinks it adds to the game and others do not? There are all sorts of hypothetical situations we can present.

 

[hong]

What if they also say that losing hit points doesn't add to the game? Or if they feel that the limited number of spells they can cast per day doesn't add to the game? How much of the game are you going to be willing to change just because a player says so?

If they say that all of these don't add to the game, it's a good sign that you probably shouldn't be playing D&D. The assumption is that you'll want to keep the bulk of the game, while removing bits that don't work for you.

 

[Thanael]

If you must you can always have him draw the comet out of the deck of many things..

 

[Piratecat]

Instead of level loss, I use a negative level that can be removed through an active quest for the God that raised them. That lets the DM get rid of it as slowly or quickly as you like. People who have this negative level are half in and half out of the living world... they look sickly, animals don't like them, and shadows fall on them more heavily. It's all special effects, of course, but gives some neat role playing hooks when they run across superstitious villagers.

 

[Fenes]

What if they also say that losing hit points doesn't add to the game? Or if they feel that the limited number of spells they can cast per day doesn't add to the game? How much of the game are you going to be willing to change just because a player says so?

Or as is more likely what if some people thinks it adds to the game and others do not? There are all sorts of hypothetical situations we can present.

That's why it's a good thing to ask your players, and turn the hypothetical situation in a concrete situation.

Hypothetically speaking, if a player wants something changed, and no one else wants to keep it, then it'll get changed faster in my game than you say "having fun is the point of a game".

Personally, I don't consider level loss fun, and my campaign does well without it (and without threat of death or exp or actual specific PC wealth numbers, actually).

 

[WayneLigon]

Instead of level loss, I use a negative level that can be removed through an active quest for the God that raised them.

Very cool idea.

We eventually just dropped the level loss idea. It was just too crippling to have a party member one level (or more!) lower than the rest. Especially if it happens later on in a campaign, the way levels and XP work in 3.x means that he will never, ever catch up to the rest of the party. After about 10th level that's a death sentence waiting to happen.