D&D 5E Advice needed: is it ok to kill a player’s character if he is not there!

[Umbran]

yet...somehow, it feels wrong to kill a player when he’s not there to see it go down...

This is a great thing to talk about in a Session Zero - what is the table's policy on absent players?

am I over thinking this?
How should I break the news to this player?
should I fudge something?
man I wrong to feel like a jerk?
Am I a jerk?

It should have been (and probably still is) easy enough to address.

You said the hungry goblins would eat the PC. Sure. But not right that second. There were adventurers about! You don't stop to have lunch when the enemy (or yoru second course in the meal) is right around the corner.

So, the ettins and goblins down the PC - but they aren't dead. They are captured, and hauled off and left for later. The rest of the party can rescue them later.

 

[Mort]

I am with you that many details aren't clear but I'm not sure any of that really matters - the Ettin's may have downed him (which is fine IMO) but the hungry goblins attacking him after he was down was what killed him and that decision solely rests on the DM's shoulders. The goblins didn't have to attack the downed rogue.

The times I've seen a character die when the player was absent - every time it's been because of something , well, stupid or uncaring done by the DM (for the character) or by the player controlling the character in addition to his own. Something like having the mage charge the big bad or the rogue not utilize his abilities etc. The one time it happened to me, (many years ago in 2e) it was because the DM had my character (a magic-user-thief) try to touch a litch (it was weird).

So when I reread the OP, it just didn't quite add up as written.

But prior experience is one of the main reasons why killing a character when the player is absent is a strict no for me. Even here, with this decidedly odd situation of the player ducking out during combat.

This is a great thing to talk about in a Session Zero - what is the table's policy on absent players?



It should have been (and probably still is) easy enough to address.

You said the hungry goblins would eat the PC. Sure. But not right that second. There were adventurers about! You don't stop to have lunch when the enemy (or yoru second course in the meal) is right around the corner.

So, the ettins and goblins down the PC - but they aren't dead. They are captured, and hauled off and left for later. The rest of the party can rescue them later.

generating new adventure opportunities - never a bad idea.

 

[Mort]

Double post

 

[Don Durito]

No

 

[Klaudius Rex]

Ooops! Sux to be him... He could have had his character disengage, and run away, also- but didn't. Considering he played his turn- all alone- vs 2 ettins and a bunch of goblins, and chose to attack rather than gtfo, he really can't expect much else.

If you feel THAT guilt ridden about it, I suppose you could give him a mulligan and start up where you left off when he jetted. Unless, of course, the rest of the party finished their combat and moved up. Things will have changed then.

But if someone walks out mid game and mid combat, leaving no instructions, other than oh snap-gotta go! What can you do? Make everyone else wait? Fudging things so the thief doesn't die smacks of favoritism- which would likely annoy the other players. His choice to stand and fight vs overwhelming numbers meant he was 99% screwed regardless.

Question: Did this player eventually return that session?

No...he didn’t return...
I expect him to be back for next session
I think he had legitimate family things come up...I don’t think he rage quit
After battle, the players took a long rest at the yawning portal above and then explored more of the dungeon

 

[Silver Moon]

My original group had a rule that a PC could not die if the player was absent. We stuck with the rule, but on one occasion had a player successful argue that his character should not be dead at -10 hit points while the absent player's character beside him was still alive at -40 hit points.

 

[Klaudius Rex]

Rereading this, I have to ask - how did the rogue end up alone right next to 2 ettins?

Rogues tend to be the most manueverable characters out there and if alone should be sneaking!

Was he just caught scouting and had no chance to respond?

But you said this was after the first round of combat and that everyone had rolled initiative. Presumably, some movement already took place?

It's quite confusing how the rogue found himself in such a bad situation. Also, the player not being there - did you just dictate that the player got pounded into goo? Rogues have some damage mitigation possible and depending on the party, there are lots of reactions available to prevent a character from going down or dying - especially as early as round 2.

So basically the rogue scouted ahead as usual...

but prior to battle, the party (including the rogue) let some zombie (revenant) wanderaround...possibly hoping that the zombie would kill anything in his path for them.

Well the zombie was moaning and groaning as undead tend to do and alerted the monsters ...with the rogue up ahead
Well the zombie was moaning and groaning as undead tend to do and alerted the monsters ...with the rogue up ahead

 

[Eltab]

Recently had a family emergency call arrive, in a non-game context (yard work). Everybody else's response to the affected individual was "describe what you were going to do so we can take care of it, and get yourself to where you are needed most."

In the game context, I would be fine with POOFing the rogue away and the ettins / goblins (somewhat injured as if by a rogue) become another wave for the rest of the group to fight; if the group wins they find the rogue KO'ed on the floor.

 

[Flamestrike]

IMG's when the player isnt present, the PC 'phases out' into the background of the scene or adventure.

If the dude legit had a family issue and legit needed to attend something, then personally I would have quickly done the Ettins turns (they went next anyway) knocked him unconscious and then he could have faded into the background that way.

 

[S'mon]

Well the PC would have died IMC; them's the breaks.