D&D 5E How many PCs have you had die?

[Sacrosanct]

Permanent like. Going to zero HP and making death saves don't count.

I've had two so far. An 8th level shadow monk, and a 2nd level fighter. I guess that makes me around a 20% death rate, which is far less than it was in AD&D (my edition I played from 81 to 2012).


*Edit* Sorry if I was unclear. I'm referring to 5e mainly here.

 

[mflayermonk]

I've had two die, all at lower levels-3rd level and 2nd level.

 

[Morinth]

My first ever character was a 3e rogue in Ravenloft. She died before she reached 3rd level, if I recall correctly. I've also had a 3e fighter in Forgotten Realms die, I guess he didn't check the challenge rating on the giant monster he was fighting. We actually had two PC deaths in that fight. I also had a 4e half-elf bard die in an Eberron game, but I barely remember playing her.

More often than dying, though, I find myself "retiring" PCs and rolling up new characters. Sometimes my brilliant character concept just doesn't mesh well with the other PCs, and sometimes I just find them tiresome to play for whatever reason. It's better to cut bait than to try to nurse along a really unworkable PC, in my opinion.

 

[iserith]

In the last year, off the top of my head, probably somewhere north of 20 PCs died in campaigns I've run in D&D 5e. I haven't lost a character as a player yet.

 

[Morinth]

In the last year, off the top of my head, probably somewhere north of 20 PCs died in campaigns I've run in D&D 5e. I haven't lost a character as a player yet.

I'm guessing your players know by now that they shouldn't get too attached to their characters, eh?

 

[iserith]

I'm guessing your players know by now that they shouldn't get too attached to their characters, eh?

Sometimes a good death is better than a boring life and there are always more characters to play!

(And at least three of the 20 tried their damnedest to die since that was a good way to score enough points to make it into Valhalla before the onset of Ragnarok. One PC didn't make it and was cursed to walk the Midgard realm as the Last Jarl of Grimfjord during the Eternal Night.)

 

[ccs]

That I was playing or DMing?
Playing: 5e = 1, All other editions combined = ? (Aka lots)
DMing for (all editions combined) = lots & lots & lots.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Five or so, I think. I don't get to play that much.

Favorite Death:

Fairbeard the dwarven warrior, torn apart by ghuls in a game run by Ken St. Andre himself. Last words "I told you I was unlucky!"

Least Favorite Death:

Elven bountyhunter killed by a wraith or specter as part of a TPK because the only way to damage the monster was hidden in the dirt, because we were supposed just figure that one out.

Most Humiliating Death:

Transdimensional Biker Dude in TMNT shredded to pieces jumping out of a helicopter and getting caught in the blades.

 

[Morinth]

If I'm losing PCs at that rate, at some point I'm just going to stop trying. I'll just roll up barely disguised carbon copies of the lost PCs and continue apace. I'm certainly not going to actually try to craft a three-dimensional character.

 

[feartheminotaur]

As a DM, I've had 8 PCs die - 7 of them 1st or 2nd level. The only high level player was a 14th level wizard who I crit'ed with a dinsintegrate.

I don't allow PCs to die in the game I DM for my son and the neighborhood kids - if I did the body count would be immense. They are less than careful.

As a player I've died twice - once when my 11th level Sorlock was eaten by a purple worm and once when my 8th level fighter was thrown off a cliff.