The Human Target
Adventurer
Bad rolls and bad decisions.
Just like all the other editions.
Just like all the other editions.
D&D 4E How have PCs died in your 4e games?
- Thread starter Rechan
- Start date
Bold or Stupid
First Post
A second level Paladin charging a pair of Guard Drakes, who then critted him to death (KotSF).
Taking on a level 15 elite and his boys, solo as a 12th level rogue.
Being lured into a trap an then missing everything.
Losing a duel to an equal opponent.
Being dragged into the Shadowfell by the shadowy beast.
Being taken out when Orcus "explodes" on ko and become a brief portal to the Abyss, then standing up next turn finishing him off absorbing his power and then being driven mad and turning on the party who bring you to your senses so you can kill yourself with the godslaying artifact, destroy it and disappate Orcus' power to the cosmos.
Taking on a level 15 elite and his boys, solo as a 12th level rogue.
Being lured into a trap an then missing everything.
Losing a duel to an equal opponent.
Being dragged into the Shadowfell by the shadowy beast.
Being taken out when Orcus "explodes" on ko and become a brief portal to the Abyss, then standing up next turn finishing him off absorbing his power and then being driven mad and turning on the party who bring you to your senses so you can kill yourself with the godslaying artifact, destroy it and disappate Orcus' power to the cosmos.
4 dead over the span of something like 50 levels of 4E gameplay in total.
Deaths are hard to come by in this game. 1 came from irreversible pertrification.
The other 3 came from what is essentially a 4 party TPK against Tiamat where one person managed to successfully flee.
4e is extremely forgiving with character death making it a difficult task to accomplish without actually trying to kill your PC's or intentionally performing Coup de Grace with monsters. However, there have been dozens of cases where PC's have dropped below 0, only to have been healed a round or two after.
Deaths are hard to come by in this game. 1 came from irreversible pertrification.
The other 3 came from what is essentially a 4 party TPK against Tiamat where one person managed to successfully flee.
4e is extremely forgiving with character death making it a difficult task to accomplish without actually trying to kill your PC's or intentionally performing Coup de Grace with monsters. However, there have been dozens of cases where PC's have dropped below 0, only to have been healed a round or two after.
the Jester
Legend
Let's see.
Talking regular campaign only:
We had one guy die because he got knocked in the middle of a river full of floating logs and floated out of healing range before anyone did anything to revive him. Three failed death saves later, the party loses its warlock.
We had a pc die when an evil ogre knocked him out and then coup de graced him to sacrifice him to finish a ritual.
We had one pc die when she was being dragged away by bad guys. The pcs nuked the minions pulling her off but couldn't get to her and make a Heal check fast enough. Ironically, though they didn't know it til later, had the monsters dragged her off, she would have been stabilized in time to save her.
There have been a few others too, but those are my "off the top of my heads".
Talking regular campaign only:
We had one guy die because he got knocked in the middle of a river full of floating logs and floated out of healing range before anyone did anything to revive him. Three failed death saves later, the party loses its warlock.
We had a pc die when an evil ogre knocked him out and then coup de graced him to sacrifice him to finish a ritual.
We had one pc die when she was being dragged away by bad guys. The pcs nuked the minions pulling her off but couldn't get to her and make a Heal check fast enough. Ironically, though they didn't know it til later, had the monsters dragged her off, she would have been stabilized in time to save her.
There have been a few others too, but those are my "off the top of my heads".
Primitive Screwhead
First Post
My group is pretty good at getting healing to the PC's.. to the point of having a character {whose player wanted to switch characters} really try to die in combat but the Cleric, Paladin, and Bard swore oaths to keep him alive.... despite charging into combat with zero healing surges, bloodied, and no dailies left.
But, in another campaign at 1st level the group got involved in a combat and one PC got taken down by an Ooze. The group figured he would make his save, or that someone would get to him in time. Three rounds later... he failed his third save and the Ooze got to have a nice dinner.
Basically nobody rushed to his aid when he went down because 4e characters are so survivable.
Oops!
I also had a archer PC die... basically because he thought it would be okay to split up from the group and provide cover fire. When he got taken out the rest of the group was too far away to even get to him in time, let alone even know he was down.
So, IMHO 4e is extremely survivable if the group acts as a team and puts an emphasis on keeping everyone on thier feet. PCs die when a character gets isolated from the support of the group.
YMMV
But, in another campaign at 1st level the group got involved in a combat and one PC got taken down by an Ooze. The group figured he would make his save, or that someone would get to him in time. Three rounds later... he failed his third save and the Ooze got to have a nice dinner.
Basically nobody rushed to his aid when he went down because 4e characters are so survivable.
Oops!
I also had a archer PC die... basically because he thought it would be okay to split up from the group and provide cover fire. When he got taken out the rest of the group was too far away to even get to him in time, let alone even know he was down.
So, IMHO 4e is extremely survivable if the group acts as a team and puts an emphasis on keeping everyone on thier feet. PCs die when a character gets isolated from the support of the group.
YMMV
surfarcher
First Post
I don't wanna get into the details.
But last time it all started with one of the players saying...
"I know. Let's split up..."
LMAO!
But last time it all started with one of the players saying...
"I know. Let's split up..."
LMAO!
Wik
First Post
Hm. I know in one of my first dungeons, either the eladrin warlord or the minotaur fighter got killed after the group of 1st levellers pulled two encounters on them at once. Fun times!
I had an entire party killed when they fought "the beast of the black hills", a level 3 solo brute I made up that really shouldn't have destroyed them... but the party didn't work together.
Same players, different PCs also drew a 4 character TPK when they were investigating some ruins and were attacked by needlefang drakes (gah!) and some weird psychic wolves. Things did not end well.
A feytouched warlock was killed by halfling criminal minions. The fight was pretty simple - one halfling slinger, and about sixteen minions... on an open dock. The PCs ducked, except for the warlock, who targeted the slinger, and missed. And then drew sixteen ranged attacks. DEAD.
I think those are all the deaths we've had since 4e started, but I could be missing one or two. But were I to count? I'd say it was around eight or nine. NOt so many lately, though - my players have learned to work together.
I had an entire party killed when they fought "the beast of the black hills", a level 3 solo brute I made up that really shouldn't have destroyed them... but the party didn't work together.
Same players, different PCs also drew a 4 character TPK when they were investigating some ruins and were attacked by needlefang drakes (gah!) and some weird psychic wolves. Things did not end well.
A feytouched warlock was killed by halfling criminal minions. The fight was pretty simple - one halfling slinger, and about sixteen minions... on an open dock. The PCs ducked, except for the warlock, who targeted the slinger, and missed. And then drew sixteen ranged attacks. DEAD.
I think those are all the deaths we've had since 4e started, but I could be missing one or two. But were I to count? I'd say it was around eight or nine. NOt so many lately, though - my players have learned to work together.
I haven't seen a PC death since Irontooth the first night in 2008 and even that one was partially caused by the PCs chasing a fleeing kobold into the caverns without taking a short rest from the previous fight.
It's gotten even easier to survive as PCs level up and as more splat books come out with more options.
I think it really depends on party makeup, PC design, and the overall ability of the players to run good tactics.
At higher levels (13-17) in the last 5 levels, I have only knocked a PC unconscious twice and I throw a lot of mean stuff at them. They just have too many extras like Cloak of Courage. That's 130 extra temporary hit points or the equivalent of 4 unadjusted healing surges of extra damage that needs to be done in the 5 PC group per encounter.
It's gotten even easier to survive as PCs level up and as more splat books come out with more options.
I think it really depends on party makeup, PC design, and the overall ability of the players to run good tactics.
At higher levels (13-17) in the last 5 levels, I have only knocked a PC unconscious twice and I throw a lot of mean stuff at them. They just have too many extras like Cloak of Courage. That's 130 extra temporary hit points or the equivalent of 4 unadjusted healing surges of extra damage that needs to be done in the 5 PC group per encounter.
Lord Zardoz
Explorer
How about a TPK
Full description here:
http://www.enworld.org/forum/genera...ing-signs-total-party-kill-2.html#post5225888
Short version:
The Encounter
Dungeon Delve: Coppernight Hold 1-3, Audience Chamber.
The players started out somewhat banged up, but in reasonable shape to take on the encounter. They started off bottled up in the corridor, but were drawn into the Audience chamber in their attempt to go after non minions. The fighter was taking some bad damage from the Slyblades, but they plyaers were doing alright.
But then they were all within a 4x3 area and the Dragon wyrmling got off a breathweapon that had all of them in the area of effect. I rolled very well, and hit 4 out of 5 banged up 1st level Pcs for 20 damage each, dropping 4 of the 5. The fighter was then surrounded and taken down within 2 rounds.
I am not sure how most PC's manage to die, but I am convinced that many TPK's happen when multiple PC's go down within one round. I would also not be surprised if more than a few of the stories in this thread (which I have not yet read) include a sentence along the lines of "and then the area attack wiped out a few of the players".
END COMMUNICATION
Full description here:
http://www.enworld.org/forum/genera...ing-signs-total-party-kill-2.html#post5225888
Short version:
The Encounter
Dungeon Delve: Coppernight Hold 1-3, Audience Chamber.
The players started out somewhat banged up, but in reasonable shape to take on the encounter. They started off bottled up in the corridor, but were drawn into the Audience chamber in their attempt to go after non minions. The fighter was taking some bad damage from the Slyblades, but they plyaers were doing alright.
But then they were all within a 4x3 area and the Dragon wyrmling got off a breathweapon that had all of them in the area of effect. I rolled very well, and hit 4 out of 5 banged up 1st level Pcs for 20 damage each, dropping 4 of the 5. The fighter was then surrounded and taken down within 2 rounds.
I am not sure how most PC's manage to die, but I am convinced that many TPK's happen when multiple PC's go down within one round. I would also not be surprised if more than a few of the stories in this thread (which I have not yet read) include a sentence along the lines of "and then the area attack wiped out a few of the players".
END COMMUNICATION
surfarcher
First Post
LOL!
Restrictive terrain, superior cover for the monsterz.
One elite soldier/skirmisher per meleeist to hold them back.
Make the rest artillery minions and focus-fire the controller, then the leader, then the striker, then...
LMAO!
Edit: OK, not necessarily a TPK but it can be tough
Restrictive terrain, superior cover for the monsterz.
One elite soldier/skirmisher per meleeist to hold them back.
Make the rest artillery minions and focus-fire the controller, then the leader, then the striker, then...
LMAO!
Edit: OK, not necessarily a TPK but it can be tough
Similar Threads
