How much concern do you have with PC death?

[Quasqueton]

How annoying/bothersome/problematic for you as a DM is it for a PC to die? I don't mean that you get upset. But surely there is some concern with a PC death - either it cuts loose a plot hook, derails a plot in process, breaks down group cohesion, or leaves the group suddenly without a major component (like loosing the only cleric or front-line fighter).

Does the amount of concern vary with the campaign? Does it vary during a campaign? Does it vary with the individual PC?

Note: A 1 does not necessarily mean that you go out of your way to kill a PC, and a 5 does not necessarily that you will fudge to keep a PC alive.

Quasqueton

 

[ElvishBard]

It concerns me very little. They know the risks, and when (not if) they die they can go back to town and either go on a quest to find someone to raise them or they encounter someone in town who is willing to join them (this person would be the new character the player made). I try vary hard not to fudge, and have been getting about 1 death a session. I also have been known to give them items to raise them from the dead if I deem that they need one, but it usually has a curse which leads to an adventure to get rid of the curse.

 

[Crothian]

It depends on the charater, the campaign, and the player.

 

[diaglo]

as a player i try and stay in character. thus i try and stay alive.

but... i have been known to sacrifice my PC for the group. stab other PCs in the back. leave other PCs in prisons if they no longer serve the cause. and so on...

it depends on what i'm enjoying while playing that PC.

as a referee... i don't fudge rolls. nor do i go out of my way to kill PCs. i leave it up to the players to kill their PCs.

 

[Kanegrundar]

It doesn't concern me much at all. My only concern is finding the right time to introduce the new character. Beyond that, PC death is part of the game and I (asn the players as well) take it in stride.

Kane

 

[JimAde]

Huge concern. I rarely if ever kill PCs and my plot could go majorly haywire (or have to be scrapped altogether) with the death of a PC.

No Raise Dead or similar magic in my game, generally.

 

[Psion]

I'm usually most concerned that the player will get discouraged by the character death. Occasionally I hang a subplot or two on a specific PC, but only rarely a major plot hook.

 

[Allandaros]

I used to fudge dice to keep PCs alive, even when they didn't deserve it.

Now? "Exterminate all the brutes!" or whatever that quote from Heart of Darkness was.

 

[Rel]

My games include a risk of death and I know that the players would not enjoy them so much if they did not include that risk. They know that I don't fudge for or against them and seem to enjoy the considerable sense of accomplishment they derive from overcoming the nasty challenges I set before them. So I don't really worry about them becoming discouraged.

But I am rooting for the PC's. I want them to win, if only barely. And I do my best to help them breathe life into these character sheets and give personalities to the PC's. So it always pains me at least a little when one of them bites the dust.

 

[Psion]

INow? "Exterminate all the brutes!" or whatever that quote from Heart of Darkness was.

Heh... I used to quote from what one of the hosts of TBS's "Up All Night" movie feature used to quip regarding the reality of horror flicks:

"Anyone can die at any time."