DM Hindsight is 20/20...

[Taed]

YMMV of course. Any barbarian worth his salt would learn the lesson, but it's not the DM's job to teach lessons. It's the DMs job to know what's fun for his players. If he's familiar enough with them to know that a missing ear is going to be part of a great story moment, then great!

However, in my experience, players hate two things: being rendered impotent by stripping them of freedom/powers/gear, and messing with the image of their character. What may be a great roleplaying opportunity, may end up being not very fun. I've seen it time and time again.

That being said, the most important thing for DMs is to know their players.

That's good advice. I didn't really think about the body image issue. I should have thought of that as Bob from _Knights of the Dinner Table_ had exactly the same "you ruined my character!" reaction many years back.

I had this discussion with The Barbarian, and he liked the idea so much that he wanted to ret-con (retroactive continuity) it so that his ear did get cut off. So be it!

 

[Olaf the Stout]

I wouldn't say you blew it. First off, are your players more attached to their characters or the story? If the former, then messing with the barbarian's ear and humiliating him isn't probably the best way to go anyway. If the latter, then you might have missed an opportunity, but in the end learned a lesson you won't squander next time!

One thing that might have been cool is to let the goblin start to cut off his ear, but then give the barbarian a temporary Daily Power along the lines of "Reversal of Fortune" that lets him interrupt the action, spend a healing surge, and allow him to trade places with the target. You know, pulling victory from the jaws of defeat. The party can now walk away with ears and honor intact, but the barbarian has a nasty scar and a big old grudge.

Any time you can let the players win without it feeling cheap is a good DM moment.

To me your suggestion seems to be a cheap win for the players though. The Barbarian was defeated and was going to have his ear cut off but you invent a daily power so that he heals himself and gets himself out of the situation he was in. The Barbarian didn't earn that at all. That is the DM giving him a "well you win after all" out clause that the Barbarian's player didn't even ask for.

Olaf the Stout