Am I dead yet ?

[rythm_rampage]

Ok here's the situation: (hypotetically spoken)

A player built a PC who fits into the campaign quite well. It's a strong character with background and everything it needs to flesh him out. He is not vital to the plot or something but there is no reason for him to leave the group either.
Now the player wants to abandon the character, what would you as player suggest or as DM allow ? Once in a while every group encounters such a situation and I wonder how you handeled them in the past. Usually when one of my players/co-players doesn't like his character anymore he dies (not planned though, it just happens).

If possible I would try and build a point in the story where he can leave the group. But usually our characters don't have a lot of background because our character-rate-of-death is pretty high.

 

[Ovinomancer]

Is there not anything else that would/could demand this character's attention? A sick relative that needs care? A call from a childhood friend that the character feels honorbound to heed but isn't something he'd invovle the party with? A romantic interest that would prevent him from accompanying the party on thier next foray?

Any number of personal matters could arise that demand his attention without requiring the party's involvement. Or maybe they might... You could potentially use the circumstances of the PC's departure as a springboard for an adventure.

Perhaps the departed character himself becomes ill while tending his relative and notices a supernatural element of the illness. He summons the party to assist him, but dies or becomes maimed by the disease before the party can help. Now the party investigates the sickness to honor thier fallen comrade and finds a dark secret(tm).

Perhaps the childhood friend was in debt to a local gang boss, and the character is killed or abducted while attempting to negotiate a settlement. The party hears of this (maybe the friend sends them a letter) and now can go rescue their old comrade.

Perhaps the party finds out that the character's romantic interest is not what they appear to be. The character refuses to hear any accusations because they are charmed/dominated/turned into something too and now the party must fight thier old friend to solve the mystery.

Lots you can do here. Try to make the reason a part of the game instead of just a side note. More fun that way!

 

[Whisper72]

I do not quite see the problem. As a PC, you could even go suicidal (in a heroic way), or have the PC be recalled by outside forces (his king, his family whatever).

The most important thing to remember is rule zero. DnD is played to have fun. If for some reason this particular player is no longer having fun with the PC (and as you said there is no particular tie in with the plot, so the disappearance of the PC will not detract from the fun of the other players I am assuming), then the character must go. Simple as that...

 

[Piratecat]

Is this a player with "the grass is always greener" syndrome, who is never happy with their current PC?

 

[diaglo]

Timmay fell down a well

 

[rythm_rampage]

@ Piratecat: No no, It's a question that arises once in a while, maybe a new player tried out a concept that is very one-sided and therefore wants to change characters. It's not a pressing issue right now.

I just want to know what you would do in such a case.

 

[glass]

We've used everything from custom inserted acid traps to staying behind to administer a new Duchy to nasty attacks of the flu in the past.

Although on one occassion we did have one guy try to get his character killed 'fair-and-square', which of course meant he became indestructible: he passed every save and no monster could hit him. It was funny for a while, but eventually we had to give up and fudge: An orc he had just dropped grabbed him and pulled him of the ledge; it was a long drop.


glass.

 

[Laurel]

Normally when we get into this situation the DM and player chat away from the group. They agree on a course of action that seems to appeal to both the story line and character, and this normally gets a better reaction from group when the split happens in game and only the player and DM know the plan.

Rarely if ever is this death. It always remains in the back of the players minds that their comrade could appear at anytime. Granted with some DM's it's always as the ally turned evil, but it could be in any way. Also seen it where the character just fades from the story. Without just killing the character, it gives the DM more options later.

Especially if character death is so common, letting him live is that much better. Using something from his thought out backround is the easiest, and wont seem as random.

The hard part is normally how to introduce and merge a new character into the group. The higher the level the harder this seems to get.

 

[Terwox]

Ask him if it's a mechanics problem or a concept problem.

If he likes the concept but feels like his character is weak, you could let him rebuild it. I think there are options for this in the PHBII, although I haven't read them. You could just let him rebuild it from scratch anyway.

If he doesn't like his concept and is bored, yeah, heck, have him mysteriously vanish into the night and come back two months later as a crazy undead or somesuch, while he happily plays whatever PC he wants.

 

[Huw]

Retire.

By level 2 you should have more money than you'd ever dreamt of. By level 5 you should be able to buy a large farm or tavern and set yourself up for life. Why would you keep adventuring until you die?