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

[jasper]

Yes.
But a half way decent DM isn’t doing that.

I mean the choices of the players have to lead to appropriate consequences. These consequences need to be explained clearly. If that is done successfully, anything goes.

Maybe save or die requires a more skilled DM to implement. That is a good thing as it drives the development of better DMs.

hahhhaa. Hey Guys I running AD&D this weekend. I think it going to be running a module.
THERE! SAVE OR DIE Telegraphed. Any one playing more than two sessions OR those evil players who looked at the save chart and saw death magic column knew Save or die existed.
Save or Die was a feature not a bug. OF COURSE some of my pcs did last long enough for the ink to dry.

 

[Garthanos]

hahhhaa. Hey Guys I running AD&D this weekend.

Ok no thanks have fun I have a game of pacman waiting for me

 

[jasper]

Ok no thanks have fun I have a game of pacman waiting for me

Atari or did you steal the elementary kids lunch money again?

 

[WayOfTheFourElements]

I've never cared for save or die even back in the days of 1E. In general my PCs mean more to me than just a piece of paper, it's hopefully like a favorite TV character or protagonist of a good novel. I get invested in that character's ongoing story.

So if my PC dies (guaranteed if I'm playing an elf) that story either ends or I'm just bored until they can respawn. But even more than that, dying because of bad luck is just pointless. It's not heroic, it's not because I made a mistake and did something stupid. It's almost never something I could have seen coming or prevented. It's just dumb luck completely out of my control on a one time roll. It takes away my player agency.

But that is dying because of a mistake. Getting into combat or setting off the trap is a mistake.

 

[Oofta]

But that is dying because of a mistake. Getting into combat or setting off the trap is a mistake.

There's a difference between having your PC going into combat and getting killed and walking around a corner and having them dying because you rolled poorly. In the former I'm controlling at least some of the narrative, even if that means bravely running away retreating.

I've had uninjured high level PCs with triple digit HP die because of one stupid random die roll. There was literally nothing I could of done to prevent it other than not play. No obvious risk, no warning, just "roll a D20" dead.

That may be a speed bump for some people, but many campaigns I've been in didn't allow raise dead or similar.

 

[WayOfTheFourElements]

There's a difference between having your PC going into combat and getting killed and walking around a corner and having them dying because you rolled poorly. In the former I'm controlling at least some of the narrative, even if that means bravely running away retreating.

I've had uninjured high level PCs with triple digit HP die because of one stupid random die roll. There was literally nothing I could of done to prevent it other than not play. No obvious risk, no warning, just "roll a D20" dead.

That may be a speed bump for some people, but many campaigns I've been in didn't allow raise dead or similar.

Well, the first situation has an easy fix:. don't play with jerks or power tripping DMs.

 

[Oofta]

Well, the first situation has an easy fix:. don't play with jerks or power tripping DMs.

Well, I never played with Bob "The Killer Hand" as DM again, but in older editions save or die was fairly common unless you went out of your way as a DM to avoid it.

 

[WayOfTheFourElements]

Well, I never played with Bob "The Killer Hand" as DM again, but in older editions save or die was fairly common unless you went out of your way as a DM to avoid it.

Like I said, don't get into combat. That's how we played. Combat was a last resort. Still no one ever made it past 7th level. Fun times.

 

[Garthanos]

Well, I never played with Bob "The Killer Hand" as DM again, but in older editions save or die was fairly common unless you went out of your way as a DM to avoid it.

I recall my first DM was also not that Bob but he did have a bit of well the rules say so and not sure he liked the Fantasy Vietnam boom you stepped on a land mine either but... even before 3e there were still RAW personalities.

 

[Oofta]

Like I said, don't get into combat. That's how we played. Combat was a last resort. Still no one ever made it past 7th level. Fun times.

That would be the antithesis of fun to me. I don't play "cowards and wimps". If you never got past 7th level then it's not the game for me.

To each their own.