Handing character death

[Bigwilly]

Depends

In my current campaign, the PCs are 11th-12th level so the party cleric can cast raise dead. However, of the PCs who have died, most have elected to stay dead and roll up a new character. Saying that, when the party were at much lower levels and one of them got level drained, he had to perform a service for the local temple just to get restored.

In another campaign, we didn't have a cleric, but managed performed a side-quest to the planes to recover a dead PC.

If the party cannot cast the spells themselves, then I am a firm believer in some sort of quest/service in addition to huge sacks of gold. Makes for a more interesting campaign and gives the PCs an extra incentive not to get killed!

Bigwilly

 

[the Jester]

You should've enabled multiple choice. In my epic game, someone casts true rez when the heroes die (that'd be the pc cleric, Horbin). If he were to die, well- they'd prolly quest for a true rez for him (assuming they had already used the elixier they've got in reserve )

On the other hand, in my low-level campaign they let the dead rest. They can't afford all that fancy raising and stuff yet.

 

[milotha]

Generally:

If you are low level- RIP

If you are mid level - Shell out a bunch of gold, perform a quest/favor for the temple, and recover the body

If you are high level: Cast raise dead or ressurection

Though exceptions have been made at all levels. If a PC wants his character to stay dead, then we respect his wishes.

We generally try to keep characters alive for ongoing story continuity reasons and sentimental attachment. Hey, it's a good thing for your player to care.

I find that for most players (up till 7th level spells) the gold cost to get raised, a quest/favor and the sadness over the death of a beloved character are enough of a stick to prevent players from getting to cavalier about survival.

 

[Pseudonym]

In the most recent near-TPK, recovering the bodies wasn't an option, so the players have contented themselves with creating new characters.

Should they decide to take the raise/resurect/reincarnate option, then there are a few factors which I decide upon. Firstly, is there anyone available who can cast said spell, and more importantly does the caster have the proper motivation. Even if the PCs can locate a cleric of suitable level to cast Raise Dead and the PCs can provide the material component and a suitable honorarium to the temple, the cleric still needs to be convinced that the deceased had lived in a manner compatable with that cleric's ethos, and that the casting of the spell would in some way further their god's aims.

In general, I find that players are more willing to go with something new than to contrive a way to bring back their fallen comrads.

 

[Psion]

Depends on the campaign.

Of course, low level games tend to be the ones in which the dead rest.

In my current game, I am sort of pushing this towards hight level characters too. As a house rule variant, my restore life spells have an XP cost equal to 1/5 the GP cost. Further, religions in my second world tend to be like RL religions in their strictness of ordinances and exclusion of other Churcher. This means most priests don't restore dead characters to life if they are not the flock.

And my group doesn't tend to play lots of divine spellcasters. Silly them.

This usually means a quest.

But, what happens to that player during said quest? They will have to make a substitute character. And as long as they are doing that, why raise their character?

The upshot of this is that I don't expect the party to strive for the character to be raised unless the character was something special to the party.

 

[jerichothebard]

In my campaign, death is pretty uncommon - I'm kind of a cowardly DM, and haven't hit my players too hard yet. It's something I need to work on, really, because I think they are on the verge of getting careless.

However, it is an established campaign note that raising the dead can only happen on one of four ceremonial days - one at each of the solstices and the equinoxes (equinoxi?). Gentle Repose sees a lot of use, in this world, as adventurers wait out the months to rez their fallen buddies who had the misfortune to die the day after the Spring Equinox.

The only PC I've actually killed, was (fortunately for him) involved in stopping a plot to disrupt one of the major festivals celebrating on of the four holidays.




In the game I play in, Dead is Dead, across the board. The DM has decided that there is no resurrection magic, period. So be careful.


jtb

 

[Ao the Overkitty]

In the campaign I play in, death seems to be a revolving door. Just get yourself to a friendly cleric with enough cash to cover the spell and you're back.

When I was DMing, I allowed them to get the spells from friendly churches, but they had to go on a quest as payment after their friend was back.

 

[jerichothebard]

In my campaign, death is pretty uncommon - I'm kind of a cowardly DM, and haven't hit my players too hard yet. It's something I need to work on, really, because I think they are on the verge of getting careless.

However, it is an established campaign note that raising the dead can only happen on one of four ceremonial days - one at each of the solstices and the equinoxes (equinoxi?). Gentle Repose sees a lot of use, in this world, as adventurers wait out the months to rez their fallen buddies who had the misfortune to die the day after the Spring Equinox.

The only PC I've actually killed, was (fortunately for him) involved in stopping a plot to disrupt one of the major festivals celebrating one of the four holidays.




In the game I play in, Dead is Dead, across the board. The DM has decided that there is no resurrection magic, period. So be careful.


jtb

 

[Kelleris]

I don't kill PCs very often, but when I do they can usually find someone to raise them without too much trouble. I'll usually take the opportunity to get my plot back on track via the repayment-quest-that's-actually-part-of-the-plot routine.

I do try to make the whole process significant in a role-playing sense, though; a PC forced to accept a raise dead from a cleric of the goddess of madness came back with some... extra parts. Another PC, a high-level wizard, is surprisingly accpeting of dying, since it means he gets to visit the Bytopian elven petitioner he has the hots for.

 

[Sejs]

However, it is an established campaign note that raising the dead can only happen on one of four ceremonial days - one at each of the solstices and the equinoxes (equinoxi?). Gentle Repose sees a lot of use, in this world, as adventurers wait out the months to rez their fallen buddies who had the misfortune to die the day after the Spring Equinox.

I like that. I'm stealing it.

^_^


Big dia de los muertos festivals and why they came about. Why that particular day? Well.. that's one of the holy days in which the souls of the departed can be called back to the world of the living to rise again. So we throw a big party to celebrate those who have passed beyond and welcome back those who return.