Advice needed: Poor DM decision, and something of a eulogy for a beloved character.

Limper · May 13, 2002

Tsyr,

VERY well put.

coyote6 · May 13, 2002

Darkness said:
BTW, if he was around 11th level, he can't have been a vampire spawn; only an actual vampire...

Well, if he was an 11th level cleric that was slain by a vampire's energy drain (i.e., he got slammed six times & took 12 negative levels), he'd come back as a vampire spawn. Only death by blood drain allows one to come back as a vampire.

However -- no vampire spawn could cast spells. They're monsters, not templates, so they don't keep abilities they had in life.

So if he was spellcasting at all (maybe the other players mistook energy draining-slam attacks for harm?), it was a full-on vampire. And a full-on 11th level cleric vampire should not have been that easy a victim for a druid 8-10.

Again, though, maybe the other players misunderstood the guy's abilities.

(Can you tell I just wrote an adventure that featured several vampire spawn & a vampire?

)

As for the GM using Craer's PC like that -- maybe he didn't understand that you wanted to bring the character back? Of course, even if true, he still should've asked first ("Hey, your character is an NPC; is it okay if, ah, do horrible, evil things to him? All in the name of fun, of course!").

I like the "No, wait! It was a flunky who was made to look like Ghoulflayer! The real Ghoulflayer must be prisoner somewhere." option. If Craer's GM happens to be reading this, you should use this idea.

Gossamerblade · May 13, 2002

coyote6 said:
I like the "No, wait! It was a flunky who was made to look like Ghoulflayer! The real Ghoulflayer must be prisoner somewhere." option. If Craer's GM happens to be reading this, you should use this idea. [/B]

That's the ticket! Tell your GM that it wasn't really your character, it was an evil look-a-like from another dimension! Then you can still have your "real" character waiting in the wings (continuing on his personal mission) for you to bring him back.

nopantsyet · May 13, 2002

Gossamerblade said:
That's the ticket! Tell your GM that it wasn't really your character, it was an evil look-a-like from another dimension! Then you can still have your "real" character waiting in the wings (continuing on his personal mission) for you to bring him back.

Did that Vampire Arron happen to have a goatee by any chance?

Speaking of which, why was Bizarro left out of MotP?

Craer · May 13, 2002

As a side note, the group is a bit overpowered in my eye. Arron, while I was playing him, had a +5 large steel shield. At fourth level, I believe. He bought it with some jewels he got from a lucky draw from the Deck of Many Things. Last I checked his sheet, he had an AC of 29 at 6th level. THis is just an example of the group. The DM doesn't use the given treasure charts.

I've learned that when the druid chased Arron into or behind a building, I'm not sure which, the entire battle was played out in private, or through player-DM notes, and none of the other players know exactly how the druid killed Arron. And the player isn't exactly forthcoming with said knowledge, so there may actually be something going on that I am not aware of. ::shrug:: I had been very VERY angry over this, but I've learned that talking to people whil you are calm works better than yelling. No one listens to you if you yell. And I'm going to see if I can convince the DM that it was actually an imposter or some such thing.

As yet another side note, I decided to switch back to my cleric after my rogue died from a fireball with a reflex DC of 15 or so with his Reflex save mod. at +8 or +9.

-Craer

kkoie · May 13, 2002

I agree that I think your DM was very impolite by using a former character of yours without your permission. Personally if I were involved, I'd expect an apology.

K Koie

Valicor · May 13, 2002

In the event that the DM doesn't change his ruleing, (If i was you) I would seek to avenge the former fallen character.

Pielorinho · May 13, 2002

Can you get your DM to post here? Personally, I kill off ex-PCs all the time. It's a great motivator for the current PCs. But my players are aware that I do this and none of them have ever objected.

Daniel

reapersaurus · May 13, 2002

rhetorical question:
why are basic communication skills apparently in such short supply when gamers are concerned?

David Argall · May 13, 2002

too bad, but..

My sympathies, but there isn't much of a case here. Just using your side of the case, there seems adequite grounds for assuming you had retired the PC and the DM was free to use him as desired. Several months on the shelf looks pretty abandoned.

That the PC would suicide upon finding himself undead is your view. However, it is entirely reasonable to assume he didn't quite have the will power at the crucial time. [Which may be why he attacked the party and why the druid was able to take him. He wanted to lose.]

Nor will it do to claim the priest would have been too wise to attack a powerful vampire. As the commercial goes "We all do dumb things..." And the leaving of the party to go vampire hunting implies he planned on attacking it soon.

Talk to the DM of course, so you will know what to expect in the future. But don't feel you have been robbed if he tells you to make your plans clearer next time.