Death Penalty & Extended rest

[JiffyPopTart]

What if a character was raised at the end of an adventure, and the next adventure picked up a couple days/weeks/months later. Would you adjust the milestone requirements?

It would seem that battling a hoards of monsters would get you "rested" then a really good nights sleep or two should do the same.

DS

 

[Sunglare]

On a serious note the reason why a PC can be raised is because they have a destiny to fullfill, why should your player have the penalties removed when he is not contributing to fullfilling his destiny (sitting on his keister, beating up town bullies)?
Once he starts fullfilling his destiny again (advancing the adventure) then it should count towards removing the penalties(3 milestones).

 

[Syrsuro]

It would seem that battling a hoards of monsters would get you "rested" then a really good nights sleep or two should do the same.

DS

Maybe it isn't the rest that matters, maybe it's the adrenalin from the encounters.

Carl

 

[WalterKovacs]

Maybe it isn't the rest that matters, maybe it's the adrenalin from the encounters.

Carl

Presumably, the milestone requirement is that, after returning from the grave, you need to accomplish a certain number of "successes" to shake off whatever physical, and perhaps mental, rustiness you may have gotten in passing over. It's either a matter of the needing to get back in the swing of things physically, or perhaps overcoming a mental block.

Achieving milestones don't "rest" a character, the character is basically inspired by previous success to push forward, in the form of an action point (which is literally something that allows you to push forward with more action than you can normally do). This similar "inspired to keep going by previous success" concept fits nicely with returning from the dead. It's a way to regain confidence in oneself and thus return to full strength.

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

Now, this concludes this adventure and begins the next. Which starts off with a lot of talking, easily covering two full sessions (say). None of this constitutes adventuring or danger. There are no bugbears to fight and there are no princesses to skill challenge.

Thoughts? Am I unreasonable?

Having 2 full sessions go by without any combat or skill challenges seems a bit unreasonable to me, but YMMV. I don't think this is much of an issue.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Presumably, the milestone requirement is that, after returning from the grave, you need to accomplish a certain number of "successes" to shake off whatever physical, and perhaps mental, rustiness you may have gotten in passing over. It's either a matter of the needing to get back in the swing of things physically, or perhaps overcoming a mental block.

Hey, I wanted to say something like that!

Death is a depressing experience. The death penalty is Buffy after Willow raised her from the dead, but not quite as whiny or long-lasting.

A character that was dead doubts his abilities, or feels like he was unrightfully forced back into his life (depending on personality/preference). Either way, once he is back to real adventuring, he'll recover from most of this feeling. He is reaffirmed that he can still do it, or that he is still needed in this world.

 

[Bagpuss]

You should change the -1 penalty into a +1 bonus and see what kind of craziness that will cause in your campaign

Oh I like that idea. Have it cumulative as well.

 

[reticent]

I'd assume that during any nebulous down time for the party between adventures the character is achieving personal milestones like getting a good meal or three, conducting magical research, making a pious offering at the temple, wenching, etc... whatever floats their boat. In other words I'd drop the penalty if the character is getting a reasonable amount of time off. I mean after all, what if they retired and never fought again- would they forever be at a penalty relative to the guy who fought a few more kobolds?

 

[James McMurray]

Dying shows the universe that your badassitude is waning. As punishment for your wussdom, the universe smacks you upside the head with a load of negative karma. The only way to get back in it's good graces is by proving that you're still da man.

 

[Mal Malenkirk]

Now, this concludes this adventure and begins the next. Which starts off with a lot of talking, easily covering two full sessions (say). None of this constitutes adventuring or danger. There are no bugbears to fight and there are no princesses to skill challenge.

Now, as the DM I know this beforehand. But Zoltar's player don't. from his perspective, he's at -1 for a very long time, where combat might break out at a moment's notice.

Tell the player upfront; 3 milestone before the -1 goes away. If he can't swallow it, you have a bigger problem than the rules.

Tell the DM to bring the challenge on, already. No milestone in 2 session is a frivolous argument. Even in Seinfeld D&D that wouldn't happen.

I'd assume that during any nebulous down time for the party between adventures the character is achieving personal milestones like getting a good meal or three, conducting magical research, making a pious offering at the temple, wenching, etc...

None of this would be counted as a milestone even if it happened in gameplay by most DM.

I mean after all, what if they retired and never fought again- would they forever be at a penalty relative to the guy who fought a few more kobolds?

Who cares? He's retired.

Beside, if you die, are ressurected but then retire and never face your fear again, I say you are clearly traumatized. So yep, keep the penalty indefinetely.

Beside if someone dies, is ressurected and then immediately retires, I'd say the experience scarred him. Action movies are full of traumatized hero who reluctantly take arms again and need a few fights to get back in the groove. So if a player retired a PC after ressurection but reactivated him five years later, you can be sure I'd remember the penalty!

Amen.

More prosaically, death scars a man. To return to form, you have no choice; you must face death again a few time and this time triumph over it.

It's a pretty good rule, IMO. No xp penalty that leaves you behind as in earlier editions but still a tangible consequence to PC death that is easy to process.