D&D General How do you feel about Save or Die?

[Charlaquin]

As long as the threat is adequately telegraphed to the players so that they can prepare accordingly (or choose not to), then I am fine with just about anything.

And technically, lots of spells are "save or die" if they do damage and the character is low enough on hit points (and not too high a level).

This. As I always say, save or die is at its best when no one ever has to actually make the save. The threat of character death on a failed save, when properly telegraphed, is sufficient for creating a fun, memorable experience. Of course, if you make that threat as a DM you have to be willing to follow through with it, which is why that telegraphing is so important. If you’re going to put a creature into your campaign that can kill a PC with a single failed save, you want to make darn sure that the players have every opportunity to avoid having to make it in the first place.

 

[Arnwolf666]

I really like save or die. Especially if their care clues that could have helped me avoid it or decide if I really want to do the encounter. And like some foreshadowing.

 

[Charlaquin]

An example of save or die done poorly:
DM: “As you descend the stairs, waiting for you at the bottom is a woman with a wretched face and snakes for hair. Make a Con save!”
PLAYER: “Wait, I close my eyes!”
DM: “Too late, by the time you’ve seen her you have to save.”
PLAYER: “Well I already had them closed!”
DM:“While you were on the stairs? Your character would have no way of knowing there was a Medusa at the bottom. Besides, you never said you had them closed.”
PLAYER: “I hate this campaign.”

An example of save or die done well:
DM: “As you traverse deeper and deeper into the dungeon, you pass statue after statue, each of people in adventuring gear much like your own, each frozen with a look of surprise on its face. Not a one has their weapons drawn.”
PLAYER: “Sounds like the Medusa who lairs here petrified them in a single glance. Good thing the villagers warned us she’d be here. I’m still navigating with that mirror I bought, by the way!”

 

[Rhianni32]

If its a functional save or die because of massive damage I am ok with it. If you are going up against Tiamat then you can get some elemental resistance effects to help counterattack when she unleashes 5 breath attacks. If its by surprise then there are usually some mitigating factors that you can do.

If its literal save or die then not only do I not put it in my game, I think its lazy writing/planning. There is nothing tense or story compelling about a floating skull with gems sitting there then oh dave failed his save his soul is devoured. or a wizard fight and oomph you got a power word kill coming your way vs the other couple dozen choices they could have made.

Course the demi lich was created for the sole purpose of being a 4 hour tournament meat grinder so who cares! Those can be fun but are different then a regular campaign.

 

[Rob Kuntz]

I'm for always saving...

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

I like it. Tension is high at the table when poison is in play. Very high. Even a higher level PC is in danger from a low HD spider with lethal poison.

When they whine about "well Conan never got killed by a poisonous snake!" I tell them, "Well Conan made his saves..."

Traps sometimes have save or die poisons, but I don't go with "well you walk into this room aaaaaaaand you are now dead." type situations.

 

[Rob Kuntz]

I like it. Tension is high at the table when poison is in play. Very high. Even a higher level PC is in danger from a low HD spider with lethal poison.

When the whine about "well Conan never got killed by a poisonous snake!" I tell them, "Well Conan made his saves..."

Traps sometimes have save or die poisons, but I don't go with "well you walk into this room aaaaaaaand you are now dead." type situations.

Robert E. Howard had to eat through his fiction, players don't.

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

Poison is the only thing they fear more than stirge swarms. Unless they are poisonous stirge swarms.

 

[Wiseblood]

I have misused, or I should say, employed them poorly, in the past. I would use them again, just better this time.

 

[Arnwolf666]

I would have killed to have had mirror sunglasses once upon a time.