I put alot of care into designing my encounters, and because the PC's are part of a major plot I want them to survive. This means that if (hasn't happened yet) a PC dies in my campaign I consider it my fault. Luckily the players are pretty good at not getting themselves killed and play worthwhile characters for the most part.
Killer DM or Puppy Love DM
- Thread starter JacktheRabbit
- Start date
Lord Pendragon
First Post
I am the killer DM, who is relieved when he doesn't actually kill a PC in the session. In my last gaming group, one of my players used to say, "thank you for not killing us," after every game.
They felt I was a killer DM, even though I never actually killed a PC in the campaign. And that suited me just fine.
They felt I was a killer DM, even though I never actually killed a PC in the campaign. And that suited me just fine.
Flexor the Mighty!
18/100 Strength!
I don't try to kill PC's, but I don't hold back on them either. I find that as a player if I know the DM is holding our hands then I get bored. The players I am running for as the same way. We don't play to see how great we can roleplay our characters at lush dinner parties that some NPC noble throws. We don't play to see if we can approach academy award status with our "acting". It's not amature theater at our table. We play classic D&D. Call it hack and slash or whatever you want. We play for the adventure, the danger of battling hoards of evil and traps galore to find teh lost artifacts. Sure players get attached to thier PC's that they have been fleshing out for the past year, but that's the inherent problems with delving into dank dungeons. It's dangerous and not everyone will come back alive. If they didn't want to risk thier lives maybe they should have stayed on the farm?
I'd lose interest real quick in a game where I knew that I was being coddled by the GM. When I tell my players about threads like these they jsut shake thier heads in disbelief.
I'd lose interest real quick in a game where I knew that I was being coddled by the GM. When I tell my players about threads like these they jsut shake thier heads in disbelief.
Pigeon
First Post
I don't think any PC has died in my gaming group for about 2 years of weekly games. That includes games I GM and ones that others GM.
I know all the arguments about creating tension and excitement through the risk of losing a PC, and would agree with them on the most part. However our group, which has been together for ten years, has kind of developed a gentleman’s agreement that no one dies unless the player specifically wants them to.
Despite this people get very anxious and worried when they go down to 25% hit points, you can actually see the sweat forming on their brows! I think this is because there is a sort of extension of the suspension of disbelief that is needed to play role-playing games. After all in the world of TV, you always know that Buffy isn't really going to be dead or that the A-Team are going to save the day, but that doesn't stop you being excited by the process.
Our form of roleplaying is a reason for a group of old friends to get together and have a bit of fun. None of us particularly enjoys character death so we just don't do it much. We are mature enough not to let the game degenerate into a contest between the GM and the players, or the players and each other.
Of course I do appreciate that player deaths are useful tools, and I in no way mean to suggest that our way of doing stuff is preferable than any others. It just works for us.
I know all the arguments about creating tension and excitement through the risk of losing a PC, and would agree with them on the most part. However our group, which has been together for ten years, has kind of developed a gentleman’s agreement that no one dies unless the player specifically wants them to.
Despite this people get very anxious and worried when they go down to 25% hit points, you can actually see the sweat forming on their brows! I think this is because there is a sort of extension of the suspension of disbelief that is needed to play role-playing games. After all in the world of TV, you always know that Buffy isn't really going to be dead or that the A-Team are going to save the day, but that doesn't stop you being excited by the process.
Our form of roleplaying is a reason for a group of old friends to get together and have a bit of fun. None of us particularly enjoys character death so we just don't do it much. We are mature enough not to let the game degenerate into a contest between the GM and the players, or the players and each other.
Of course I do appreciate that player deaths are useful tools, and I in no way mean to suggest that our way of doing stuff is preferable than any others. It just works for us.
barsoomcore
Unattainable Ideal
My players did this, too! It was crazy because like I say, I barely ever kill anyone. But still, I got this, "Thanks for not killing us," like I had only just managed to restrain my bloodthirsty tendencies.Lord Pendragon said:I am the killer DM, who is relieved when he doesn't actually kill a PC in the session. In my last gaming group, one of my players used to say, "thank you for not killing us," after every game.
They felt I was a killer DM, even though I never actually killed a PC in the campaign. And that suited me just fine.
My players actually have big debates in front of me about whether or not I'm going to kill them all tonight. It's very strange. But pleasant.
Larry Fitz
First Post
Because the two campaigns I'm currently running are both set in the Twin Crowns world, I can afford to be a killer DM. Though my attitude is not in the dancing and singing style when a PC dies. In Twin Crowns everyone gets five lives. So a PC death at any level is a little less painful for the PC. In fact it's possible to have a TPK and still play the campaign, albeit with PC who will necessarily be more cautious. No need for uber powerful NPC's to raise the party or anything like that. So in summary, I'm a killer DM in practice I think, but with the attitude of a DM who lies somewhere in the middle.
shilsen
Adventurer
barsoomcore said:
I'm in the same boat, except that it's intentional on my part. I can usually manage to have my players fearing death, and slipping and sliding on the narrow verge of death before managing to barely pull it out, on a fairly regular basis. So while there are few actual fatalities, the fear of death and the level of tension is always high, which is the way we like it.
Quickbeam
Explorer
Neither...I'm an Iron DM .
In truth, I float back and forth between the two. After a particularly tough or nasty go of things as a killer DM, I back off and play the puppy love role for a little while. I never set out to kill the PC's, but I also don't set up monsters like so many bowling pins for the party to knock over.
BTW Airwolf:
The current "hottie" picture in you sig line is my favorite to date!
.In truth, I float back and forth between the two. After a particularly tough or nasty go of things as a killer DM, I back off and play the puppy love role for a little while. I never set out to kill the PC's, but I also don't set up monsters like so many bowling pins for the party to knock over.
BTW Airwolf:
The current "hottie" picture in you sig line is my favorite to date!
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