DM's: Are you afraid to kill PC's because of how players might react?

[shilsen]

True, but I couldn't think of any other way to say what I meant without it coming across that way. I kind of assume nobody really wants to lose a long-term character, and that's fair enough. But the thread is about DMs being *afraid* to kill PCs because of potential reactions...which to me implies tears, tantrums, and hollering (all of which, unfortunately, I've seen firsthand)...and that's a straight-up maturity issue, far beyond the simple disappointment in losing an iconic character.

I think you just found another, much clearer, way to say what you meant

Very true, but even with relatively-available raise effects, some players* will sometimes react to a character death as though it's the end of the world.

No arguments here.

 

[Hussar]

68 sessions, 21 PC deaths, most of them permanent. Nope, no issues with whacking PC's here.

Our situation is a little different because we're in the World's Largest dungeon, so my house rules wouldn't make much sense outside of there.

 

[Quartz]

When I GMed, I preferred to not kill, but if someone did die, well, that's an occupational hazard.

I've three thoughts about bringing characters back:

Revising Raise Dead and Resurrection - they can reverse a Death Effect if cast within a round or two, and in this case their casting times are a Standard Action. Essentially, it's a sort of counterspell.

Replacement characters come in half-way through the previous level, and characters with Item Creation feats can tap on this pool of XP to create items (such a character should have plenty of scrolls, potions etc depending on the feats). This also solves the problem of high-level spellcasters joining the party and not being able to cast those spells which use XP.

As for the old characters, if they're not coming back, it's often easy enough to make the equipment unusable. "I'm sorry, but that final blow from the giant cleaved right through his sword, shield, helmet, and armour."

 

[Yeoman]

Are you afraid to kill PC's because of how players might react?

Also, post if you actually have the following rules in your house rulebook:
1. Replacement character rules (how much x.p. and how much g.p. they start with)
2. Whether or not a dead PC's items are buried with them or if the party gets to loot the body
3. Rules for switching characters without PC death.

Is it true that people without cut and dried rules in these regards are more likely to be afraid to kill PC's?

jh

First, definitely not. If someone dies, they die. As for the rest,

1. Generally the same level as the rest of the party, but at the minimum experience for that level.
2. Always buried with them. Except for storyline related items.
3. Not really. It's case by case generally, but it hasn't come up too often, so I've never made a hard and fast rule for it.