Do you care?

[S'mon]

For me it's more about how they die. If a character gets a good death that fits how they lived (for example if a more heroic character dies saving someone) then I'm usually quite content.

Yeah, if my PC Zana died saving Jez I'd be quite content, OTOH I think Randomling would prefer her PC Jez to die saving Zana!
Makes a big change from the usual game where everyone's just looking out for #1.

 

[StalkingBlue]

I'm randomling's and S'mon's DM in the Midnight game. I root for the PCs quite openly, my players are aware of that. They also know that I'm not pulling any punches. If they screw up or get fantastically unlucky, they'll die.

That said, I sure hope all four PCs will make it. (Currently the PCs Jez and Zana, played by randomling and S'mon, are prisoners, the two others have fled and are resting - they hope! - in a reasonably safe place of hiding, yet remain caught behind enemy lines.) The heroism of both Jez and Zana especially, and their growing, not always smooth or happy friendship have become defining elements of our game.

Here's what I posted to the players for the upcoming session.

---

Couple of OOC DM comments for next session (6th May).

I'm going to run only the resolution of the divers messes your PCs are currently in, the next mission will begin on the 13th. There'll be split-groups play more or less throughout the session - so expect to play audience for other players quite a bit, and play for an audience in turn.

No one is dead or lost yet, OTOH no one's safe. So don't give yourselves up, don't get cocky - and for gods' sake don't bring backup characters! Whatever happens, you're not going to be playing new PCs that night.

 

[The_Gneech]

I have a handful of "the perfect characters" that I've always wanted to play, but since I'm the GM 85% of the time, I haven't gotten to do much with them. I think that with any of them, if they had "a good run," I wouldn't be upset if they died in a dramatically appropriate way -- heroic sacrifice makes for good epics, after all.

I'd be very upset, on the other hand, if I worked hard to come up with a cool character only to have 'em get offed after a single session.

-The Gneech

 

[Gez]

Jez, my Quickened fighter/barbarian, is the first character I've been really attached to.

I can understand that. It's really a cool name.

 

[Jeb McDonald]

I'm quite attached to my characters--especially the upper level ones. However, character death is part of D&D and D&D, after all, is a game. While I am sympathetic to the players when I DM, being too soft about killing off a character leads to the omission of an important part of the game--death can be right around the next corner or on the other side of the dungeon door!

 

[ph0rk]

they all die, sooner or later. Better in the field than in front of a fireplace.


NEXT!!

 

[eris404]

I know what you mean. I'm always ostensibly rooting for the NPCs with fingers metaphorically crossed behind my back, hoping that the PCs will make it. I think I've been doing too good a job, actually, since I got a couple of complaints (admittedly from only one player) that I'm too interested in my NPCs winning

I have a terrible poker face - more like no poker face at all. When I roll a critical for a NPC, I wince and make faces. When a player does something really clever, I nearly shout for joy. I get the most entertainment from our group.

 

[eris404]

It really bothers me when a player feigns disinterest in their current character. I have a player in my campaign that comments every time his character is in peril, "Oh well, I have another character I want to try anyway." Not sure why it bothers me so much, as long as he is playing and having fun so what. I guess I just want the players to invest interest into their character because I invest in the campaign.

I know what you mean, but I think it's a kind of bluff/bravado thing. When someone talks like this, I suspect that they are playing it cool and don't want anyone to think they are taking the game too seriously. I've lost my temper before during a game and it is an embarrassing situation that leaves everyone uncomfortable. So, yeah, I'm invested and although I spend a lot of time and effort on my characters, I kinda have to say things like this so that I can keep it in perspective.