Character Death - what do you do?

[Inconsequenti-AL]

Another thread got me thinking about this:

So a character has died in a game that's already underway, what do you do now?


I've seen a fair range. Depending on the game and GM, IME new characters generally fall into the range:

Same level as old one through to a level below party minimum.

Somewhere between Full > Half gear. Or inherit the old PCs stuff.

Take the player out back and shoot them. (joke answer - consume at your own risk).


Now, up until reading 'that thread', I'd considered this to be a fairly inclusive range of options. I was clearly wrong.

What happens in your game(s)?

 

[Lockridge]

Not that this is the best way, but in the last campaign I played in we would start the new PC at 1 level below the rest of the party and he or she would have gear according to the wealth table in the DMG. "If you're 5th level you get X amount of gold".

The problem we ran into though was that the new character would be wealthier than the other PCs - often better outfitted too. Maybe the DM wasn't giving out enough treasure...

With some restrictions the new PC would just get to pick his gear from the PHB and the DMG. This meant that gear was more suited to the character than other PCs who have had to collect their gear from enemies or could not afford to buy the gear they really wanted.

 

[theredrobedwizard]

Even Tolkien had replacement PCs; Eowyn, Faramir, and Gollum were all realistically PCs who stepped in after someone else died. They seemed to start with whatever equipment they would logically have at their level.

Gollum:

Spoiler

After Gandalf died the first time, he took over as guide.

Faramir:

Spoiler

After his brother got arrow'd.

Eowyn:

Spoiler

The DM's girlfriend wanted to play.

-TRRW

ps: Yes I know spoilering LotR is kinda silly, but someone actually yelled at me for singing a song from RotK at the premier. *shrug*

 

[delericho]

If a PC retires, the new PC comes in at an XP total equal to the lowest total in the party (including the PC who just left). If a new player joins, the same is true. The new character has equipment appropriate for his level, as indicated by the DMG.

If a PC dies, the player has a choice. He can either come in with a new PC one level lower than the deceased PC with equipment per his level, or he can sacrifice 20,000gp from his new character's wealth total and bring in a new PC at the same XP total as the old character (as though he were the recipient of a True Resurrection spell).

Most often, though, I've seen the old character receive a True Resurrection spell and carry on.

 

[Grymar]

The player rolls up a character one full level lower than the lowest current party member and brings in equipment based on the DMG wealth-per-level.

It gives a penalty, but doesn't weaken the new character too much.

 

[Diremede]

We usually have the player create a new character 1 level lower than the lowest level party member. I then give them a set amount of gold they have to work with, usually 1/2 of what the wealth shown on the character wealth chart. After they spend that money I go through and add a few magic items to the character to compensate for the rest of the wealth that I didnt' give them, but usually it does not equal the wealth that is shown on the player wealth chart. In my campaigns I typically keep the PC's pretty poor and always on the lookout for new treasure, so the DMG wealth chart is far to wealthy for what my players normally encounter.

 

[pogre]

If they are not rezzed, they come in at one level lower than the rest of the party. The lower level simulates the effect of being rezzed IMC.

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

Seems to be quite a few people along the lines of '1 level lower than the lowest in the party' answers in here. I'd use that for a normal game as well.


One campaign where it led to problems was Rappun Athuk - which is pretty lethal. I noticed it lead to a 'chain death' situation:

Example:

PCs are 8th level.

Someone dies. Makes a 7th level PC.

Next week someone else dies. Now they make a 6th level PC (1 lower than the lowest level).

We found this actually lead to an unplayable module - as the challenges kept getting more lethal and the party kept getting lower level.

Anyone else run into that sort of problem?

 

[delericho]

Anyone else run into that sort of problem?

Yes, which is why I use "1 level lower than you were".

 

[Gold Roger]

Seems to be quite a few people along the lines of '1 level lower than the lowest in the party' answers in here. I'd use that for a normal game as well.


One campaign where it led to problems was Rappun Athuk - which is pretty lethal. I noticed it lead to a 'chain death' situation:

Example:

PCs are 8th level.

Someone dies. Makes a 7th level PC.

Next week someone else dies. Now they make a 6th level PC (1 lower than the lowest level).

We found this actually lead to an unplayable module - as the challenges kept getting more lethal and the party kept getting lower level.

Anyone else run into that sort of problem?

My last campaign was so lethal, we had trice the time on level 1, than would have been usual.

My solution: in campaigns with high mortality, PC continuity goes down the drain anyway. The level-1 rule is basically there to encourage PC continuity by not punishing raising over PC death.

This means, if you have this problem, either remove the level-1 ruling or tone down the lethality.