How do you kill your Players!

[Tar-Edhel]

We had exactly this discussion the first time we started playing 3rd edition. There are a few of us that prefer to die than to loose a level (we are such suckers for XP points ) and our DM didn't like the idea of litteraly immortal characters. So we decided to reintroduce the ressurection chances from 2nd edition. You don't loose anything when brought back but there is a chance that the spell won't work (based on constitution, which is considered one point lower with each death).

Thus, my barbarian PC will have an effective constitution score of 9 to determine the chances of ressurection (14 CON, 5 deaths). Do I fear death? You bet I do!

That is one problem with 3rd edition. As a player, I need to fear loosing my PC to enjoy the game. Playing 3rd edition the way it is written (as far as ressurection is concerned) is like playing a video game in god mode. It's fun for 5 minutes but you loose interest fast. And that forces the DM to invent some very devious plans to kill someone.

 

[Hadraniel]

Disintegrate then gust of wind. Unless they have a true rez then, otherwise nothing left of the character to rez with.

 

[reapersaurus]

Unless they have a true rez then, otherwise nothing left of the character to rez with.

Wow.
Referring to resurrection as "rez" truly scares me.

 

[Jack Haggerty]

Go watch Conan the Barbarian. Pay attention to the scene just after Conan gets crucified... His friends try to resurrect him, and end up fighting with ghost-shadow-demons for his soul.

I think having to through something like that every time a character dies would make them think twice about dying.

 

[Dagger75]

Go watch Conan the Barbarian. Pay attention to the scene just after Conan gets crucified... His friends try to resurrect him, and end up fighting with ghost-shadow-demons for his soul.

I think having to through something like that every time a character dies would make them think twice about dying.

WOW

I like this idea. The higher the level the character the harder the
Ghost-demons things are to kill.

You got only so many rounds after the spell is cast to keep the sould in the body. I could see Temples not liking this spell cast in there temples with demons and what not roaming around. Plus make them like gate keepers they aren't good or evil they just want the soul back to bring it back to the right place.

 

[Xarlen]

Clergy who cast this are kinda 'Uh uh!'.

They rarely will resserect someone who is not of their faith.

They need a *Big* donation.

Raising the dead, in any form or fashion, brings together a long, drawn out ritual, that weakens everybody. It's not a *pop* you're back.

Generally, the God of the Dead doesn't appreciate his souls being taken from him. Thus, he often has his mninos go to collect those souls stolen from him. Often, they collect a few on the way.

Of course, in my current game, I've yet to kill a PC. I almost did (An unholy blight would've taken out both the Illusionist and their NPC fighter), but at the time, I had 2 players. It would've screwed up the plot; I had the cleric cast something else to allow her to excape. I will not save them next time.

 

[Nareau]

Reincarnation can bypass the "lack of body" problem

And that's pretty darn cheap and easy to come by.

I recently ran a game where a dragon devoured the corpse of the NPC paladin.

Last session, all but one of the PC's were killed in a battle. The last PC fled for his life. Not having direct access to the bodies will make raising them difficult.

 

[shilsen]

At low levels...

...beat them up until they're low on hp and then have the evil cleric (TM) use the death touch ability from the Death domain power. No Raise Dead, and getting access to a Resurrection isn't that easy (well, not in my campaign).

Just used this today, and I had the players roll randomly to see who was the victim of the attack. Turned out to be the poor NPC half-orc fighter, so the party mourned him and gave him a viking funeral.