How do you handle character death?

[dmariz18]

How do you handle character death? Was it something that you worked with the player to do narratively? Do you allow for resurrection magic, and if so, what level of it?

 

[payn]

Depends on the system. In D&D, Pathfinder for example there is resurrection magic that allows players to bring back a dead character. In some other systems there is no ability to resurrect. In those systems, I like to at least allow a roll the body, CPR, etc longshot chance at keeping the character alive. Though, when its over its over.

I have never worked with a character to narratively find a place for death to happen. I have had characters die in penultimate combats that the players decided was a fitting place for the character's journey to end. So, even though resurrect option was available, it was not used.

 

[aco175]

Welcome to the boards, have some XP, or likes as we call them now.

We have had several threads on this and some are really good and worth looking at, here and here. And here is one talking about not having PCs die in games.

For myself, it comes down to having the PC be worth coming back. Most of the time it is and I find a way to make it happen, sometimes with a quest or such, but most of the time the story just gets advanced. Sometimes the PC/player does something stupid and gets killed or truly heroic and gets killed or sacrifices himself and does not get to come back. Mostly the player is on board with not coming back at this point though.

 

[DemoMonkey]

"How do you handle character death?"

Confetti and champagne.

 

[Lanefan]

How do you handle character death?

Routinely.

Was it something that you worked with the player to do narratively?

As in, does the player have to give approval for the death occur, that sort of thing? No.

Do you allow for resurrection magic, and if so, what level of it?

Yes; it's high-level and expensive, but it's available. A raised or resurrected character comes back down a point of Con as per 1e and runs a risk of picking up other "death effects" that may be beneficial, baneful or a bit of both.

 

[Jd Smith1]

How do you handle character death?

I try to make the description a bit more graphic and memorable. However, since I don't know when a death is going to occur, its pure improve.

Was it something that you worked with the player to do narratively?

No. The dice fall where they may.

Do you allow for resurrection magic, and if so, what level of it?

No. Regardless of system or setting, death is death.

 

[MGibster]

The death of a character can oftentimes be quite fun and memorable. In Rise of the Runelords, my rogue was scouting ahead and came across some hillbilly ogres. Figuring the group would catch up in a round or two, I went ahead and initiated a sneak attack and it was on like Donkey Kong. One of the ogres was using a hook and managed to get a crit on me rolling near maximum damage killing me outright with one strike. It's been almost 14 years since that happened and I still have fond memories of it.

 

[tetrasodium]

How do you handle character death? Was it something that you worked with the player to do narratively? Do you allow for resurrection magic, and if so, what level of it?

Back in 2e & 3.5 death would happen occasionally with "yea bob woulda coulda shoulda but had some reasonable footing for why he didn't but it wasn't a huge deal since there was numerous ways to bring back a fallen ally from death with the biggest fear generally being to gather the needed expensive components & usually the party would make it a point to gather them before there was a need or someone would offer them as a reward for services at some point after the PCs became capable of casting those spells.

In 5e I've tried making the same offer from NPCs but the players don't seem to find it as exciting or comforting to have that hail mary in the bank of burlap sacks& backpacks*. My guess is just because actually getting killed in 5e almost requires a deliberate effort of suicidal rank incompetence if the player isn't too low in level for a hope of casting/affording those raise dead type spells. A while back Keith Baker wrote Death & Resurrection, and The Cost of a Life. Both of those are great articles that wade through the subject in fun & interesting ways.

* In one case I actually saw a player later ask "someone gave us irian dust suitable for the raise dead spell, can I sell that for 500gp?" leading to confusion from the gm & after the player made arguments how it's unlikely anyone will die so pointless to save instead of convert to gold. To my shock the party agreed on selling it