Dead in your first combat ever?

[Jefe Bergenstein]

Reminds me of our first Rulemaster game. After hours of character generation, the first combat left the entire party dead, except for one lucky soul who managed to run away sans an eye and a hand. The DM declared a "do over". The second combat went pretty much the same, with crits and such flying around. That was when we decided it wasnt the game for us.

 

[werk]

I'd call it a mulligan and press on. I had to do that in my last campaign when the party monk decided it was better to attack than to hide...and the rest of the party chose hide.

I also died my first time playing D&D, first character, first session. Still playing. (although I am still upset that my dwarven cleric couldn't keep the 18/00 Str I rolled)

It sounds like the DM is very Role-lite, in that he can't even modify the adventure from printed in any way to protect a new player's character, so it shouldn't be a problem to hand-wave the mulligan without destroying his intricately crafted game dynamic he's set up.

 

[Hussar]

It sounds like the DM is very Role-lite, in that he can't even modify the adventure from printed in any way to protect a new player's character, so it shouldn't be a problem to hand-wave the mulligan without destroying his intricately crafted game dynamic he's set up.

Pardon? I should throw softballs at the party until the newbie gets up to speed? Nah. Death is a fairly regular occurance, so, it was better to learn that early. Coupled to the fact that all my die rolls are done in the open, it would be REALLY obvious if I did so. It's not like I can roll behind my screen and say, "Oh, yeah.. ummm... they miss." when all the die rolls are done in front of the characters and the creatures had already attacked once.

Saying that I can't change the adventure is a tad on the insulting side.

Saying that I won't isn't. Sorry, the adventure is what it is. Extremely non-linear which means it's very possible to stumble into stuff that is WAY over your head. I've managed after many, many PC deaths to teach them to leave levers alone. Now if they'd only learn to run like bunnies when FOUR huge creatures step out of the darkness and you have a very easy escape route.

 

[MonsterMash]

I use a fate point system which allows a character to spend a fp to avoid being killed off like this and I'd give the player that option or the chance to create another character if they wished to. Normally if I've got new players I'll try to avoid the encounters being too overpowering, but I won't prevent character deaths by not using strong encounters which they should be aware that it can be lethal.

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

On the topic of getting turned off by dying so early:

Don't forget that that will basically be their impression of what the game is like. They just spent several hours creating their first character for the game and now they have to do it again.

Even if 3e I don't think it takes several hours to make a 1st level PC.

 

[Slife]

Even if 3e I don't think it takes several hours to make a 1st level PC.

Unless you have to read through all the options to figure out what you can do...

It isn't just creating the character, it's learning the character creation system as well.

 

[Driddle]

He obviously didn't want it enough. This is a tough game, and only the most serious competitors are going to make it through in one piece. You've got to give it 110 percent. And you're not just playing for yourself; the team's relying on you, too. There are no second chances. So if the newbie gamer loses his character in the first quarter, I say let him sit on the bench and learn by watching the more experienced players finish the game. Maybe he'll try a little harder next time.

 

[Elf Witch]

He obviously didn't want it enough. This is a tough game, and only the most serious competitors are going to make it through in one piece. You've got to give it 110 percent. And you're not just playing for yourself; the team's relying on you, too. There are no second chances. So if the newbie gamer loses his character in the first quarter, I say let him sit on the bench and learn by watching the more experienced players finish the game. Maybe he'll try a little harder next time.

According to the DM of this game the newbie died because the more experienced players did something stupid and the newbie didn't know any better.

And sometimes no matter how hard you try the dice are just not with you so it's really not a matter of how hard you try. You can have perfext tactics and still die from bad luck.

 

[Driddle]

According to the DM of this game the newbie died because the more experienced players did something stupid and the newbie didn't know any better.

And sometimes no matter how hard you try the dice are just not with you so it's really not a matter of how hard you try. You can have perfext tactics and still die from bad luck.

And *I* believe the newbie should have studied more before being let into a deadly scenario. "Bad luck" happens to those who are unprepared.

I'll admit, though, that it sounds like the other players and coach (aka "DM") are partially at fault, too. They should have known better.

 

[Diremede]

Combat Smombat

I had a guy who was playing a character who died BEFORE he ever got to be in COMBAT. He failed a saving throw and was crushed by a slab of stone that was triggered by the party as they opened up door into a dungeon. The idea was that the slab would trap them in and they would have to find a way out, this poor sucker decided to "play it safe" and hang back while the party looked at the door. Too bad for him that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

He made a new character.