D&D 5E Do PCs at your table have script immunity?

[DND_Reborn]

I was recently reading an older RPG and came to a part about "script immunity". Basically, the PCs aren't supposed to die unless it is necessary for the story being told. It got me thinking about something that has bothered me with D&D for a while now (particularly in 5E). I feel like the PCs aren't supposed to die, and I have heard how several groups now house-rule TPKs turn into captures, or the "it was all a dream" fake-out when PCs die, etc. Many DMs don't like bad luck killing off a PC unless they were doing something foolish (I've been in this position before as DM).

I know D&D is not about "winning" or "losing", but about the adventure, challenge, and story being told. However, lately I feel like a story that is already meant to be "successful" or "won" is not worth the telling. I have no interest in running a game where the players actually expect things to be ok. Where is the excitement if they believe the PCs will be ok--somehow...? Even if you have other goals where the PCs fail--it might not be heroic--but they are still there to try again.

I also understand most players don't want to invest a lot of time and energy into a PC who can die at any time. There are several reasons why it can be disruptive to the game, as well. But I have found IME that this leads to players taking chances which border on foolhardy, valiantly going forth instead of taking the time to plan, investigate, etc. a situation.

I once was part of a team developing a RPG called Mortality, because it was very lethal--combat should be avoided whenever possible. But D&D is so very combat-oriented at most tables a very lethal version wouldn't be well accepted IMO.

Anyway, these are just some thoughts and I was wondering in anyone else is experiencing similar things. Thanks for your time and any responses.

 

[Savage Wombat]

Despite what some gamers claim, not all players want to be challenged. Sometimes they just want to tell the story of their cool character. I've sometimes felt I should try harder to make my players work for a win, but they get really tense and unhappy-looking if they think their characters might die here.

Fortunately, I reminded the sorcerer that her mind whip spell would probably protect her from AoOs, or the three tomb tappers might have been too much for them. I thought it was a nice, tense fight.

 

[Jfdlsjfd]

I voted one, but it's not a set-in-stone choice. The player must agree to having its character definitively retired. At low level, it means script immunity against death. When raise dead becomes something the party can cast, death becomes a mild inconvenience and I start killing them off. In terms of foolish actions, they will be warned against to prevent misconception ("I jump" "Your character realizes that jumping off the flying ship will certainly be lethal, you know?" "ah, I thought we were like 10m in the air, dangerous but manageable... I don't jump, then").

 

[iserith]

It depends on the type of game I'm running. In my zero-to-hero swamp hexcrawl, the PCs die when the game mechanics indicate they are dead. Life is cheap in this game and the rules reflect that (though not as much as a game where death saves have a higher DC, for example). In my serial hero style pulp action Eberron game, PCs don't die - they're taken out of the scene. Incapacitated, unconscious, routed, or whatever else makes sense. They can't participate in this challenge anymore, but can in subsequent challenges. That's because it makes sense for this theme. The characters might look like they died, but wow, look at that, Indiana Jones survived that fall off the cliff after all!

Nothing needs to be all one way. I think it's best to consider what kind of adventure or campaign you're going for and adjust things accordingly.

 

[Baron Opal II]

In my games death or loss "can come at any time", but it won't be trivial or truly random. If you are trying to cross the rickety bridge across the chasm and goblins are shooting at you it might be your time. If the cleric is knifed in the night, then there was probably a reason why they died right then.

 

[Scott Christian]

I have found as a player, if it is a long campaign, the DM almost never pulls the trigger. Even when the players deserve it. And this is across six different DMs. This is even more true when the campaign is three or four months in, let alone close to a year.

 

[overgeeked]

If the fiction or the mechanics say your character’s dead, then your character’s dead. Period. There’s no such thing as plot armor or script immunity in my games. There are no scripts and no pre-planned plots. Whatever story there is emerges from play. If you do something dumb in the game, then your character will suffer the logical consequences of that action.

 

[Oofta]

I discuss it with my players and we go from there. I never take death off the table, but a high body count can also be detrimental to the continuity of the campaign. A TPK pretty much ends it. I don't go out of my way to save players, but I don't go out of my way to kill them either. I generally don't double tap, I'll give people clues know when they're headed into something over their head while allowing chances to escape and so on.

But 100% immunity? Nope, doesn't happen. Oh, and getting raised from the dead in my campaign world is an ordeal. It's not as simple as casting a spell.

P.S. This is pretty much how I've always handled it in every edition. D&D is as lethal as you want.

 

[BookTenTiger]

Both running and playing, I love it when death can come from anywhere anytime. In fact, I've found that most character deaths come from random encounters!

However, when I kill a character, I always check with the player on how they want to move forward. If they want to stick with that character, we will build in an opportunity for a rescue or resurrection. Most times they are fine moving on to a new character though.

As for me, I heavily invest in my characters, building backstory, developing a voice, and working on friendships and rivalries with other PCs. But when death comes, I accept it!

 

[dragoner]

Usually 3, except depending on the game it can be 1, 2, or even 4. As GM and player, death comes when it is logical for it to do so. I mean, I think it has more impact if one is invested in their character, and that can't happen if the characters are rather disposable.