Killer DMs and you

[hong]

However, for the purposes of this thread, a Killer DM is one who attains a high body count - for whatever reason.

That's a meaningless criterion though, in the context of D&D. At high levels, the game is incredibly lethal for reasons that have nothing to do with DM malice. We were averaging something like one death every session for several months, with a sympathetic DM. Only the generous availability of true resurrection kept things sane.

Then we started the Return to the Tomb of Horrors, and it's been downhill ever since....

 

[Leopold]

How do impartial DMs cope with players who think they have a right not to have their PCs killed? Do you ignore their complaints and encourage them to leave the game? Or moderate your DMing style so that PCs don't die?

There is no 'rights' as far as i am concerned for a PC. If they die, it's THEIR fault, not mine. i don't kill pc's, the players kill their own pc's. Remember not every fight you have to stand and fight, you can FLEE! There's always a way to run, but my players are like neo in the matrix fighting the agents, they just say "Screw 'em!" and charge headlong into death.

As for their complaints? Who's fault is it in the end?

Storylines can be rewoven, plot lines redrawn, and arcs expanded. The story never has to die as long as your willing as a DM to expand and map out other avenues for players to have fun in.

 

[carpedavid]

I have a reputation for killing PCs, which I don't think is wholly deserved My players are afraid of brown bears, crossing any sort of chasm on anything less than 5' in width, and now dragons.

Ironically, I used to be obsessed with trying not to kill characters, fearing that the story line would suffer in the process. Unfortunately, this just led to ignoble death by falling or by bear.

Recently, I've had a change of heart, and have tried to let the dice fall where they may - even going so far as to roll dice in the open. The three deaths that have occurred since have been much more dramatic and noble - two at the hands (or jaws, actually) of dragons, and one at the pointy, sneaky end of a lycanthropic rogue's rapier.

-Dave

 

[maddman75]

W3rd, Leo. I am absolutely not afraid to kill PCs. Had a TPK last game. Why - the group was stupid and careless. I can't enjoy the game if I know there's no way my character can face death and survive. Facing 'losing property' or 'getting cursed' just don't have the same ring to it.

How would I deal with a player who thought he had the right not to die? Rip his character sheet in half after he failed the save and laugh maniacally, probably.

 

[Fenes 2]

How would I deal with a player who could not enjoy a game where his PC could not die without warning, and where I would warn him everytime if there was a "real risk" to his PC? I'd politely inform him that he better look for a more compatible group, since I would not cater to his taste, and since I am pretty sure the playstyle of the other players would drive him nuts anyway.

 

[Dark Dragon]

Perhaps I'm a Killer DM (well, I'm quite sure that the players would vote for that).

In one campaign, 8 PCs died, mostly because of stupidity, heroism (yes, it sometimes happens ) or because they didn't get the hint to flee a lost fight...

The other campaign, ToE, has seen six dead PCs so far...the split-up tactic is a bad choice in a shadow-infested area, as well as fighting a demon alone (which is some sort of suicide) or ignoring the warning that a banshee is very close. The last kill: our priest of Lathander was burnt to ashes by a red dragon's fiery breath...(because he forgot to cast Fire Shield before attacking the dragon)

If the players are smart (at least a bit), develop a reasonable plan or do something unexpected (but not foolish), risk of death is quite low. I dislike save-or-die situations, if they occur, the group gets a hint of how to avoid them (through role-playing, of course). A failed save is always bitter, but that's not in the hands of the DM.

As a player, I'd like to develop the PC and the story. Victory is not that important, but always losing or being on the edge of destruction isn't fun either...

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

Well people who read my .sig file may think I'm a "Killer" DM and they would be right.

I've never tried to kill a PC, but I have killed a PC before. Well bunches of them. But only when I have to and the PC's leave me no choice. If the dice demand that a PC die then so be it. We don't play shared storytelling hour, the storytelling aspect is when we are getting lit and recounting the last adventures.

My favorite so far was...
The group which was about 5th level encountered a Green Dragon, a little one of 133 hp. Well it's going to parlay with them to toy with them awhile. If the players were remotely smart they could have played for time and escaped. It talked and they attacked instead. Breath Weapon + Claws + bad PC rolling = 3/4 TPK.


P.S. Merric, that's a nice body count. I'm going to have to work harder.

 

[Flexor the Mighty!]

At the end of this adventure I'm leaving hints that will lead them to the Lost Caverns of Tsojcanth and (drum roll) THE TOMB OF HORRORS!!!!!!!

Bwahahahahahahaha....mwhahahahahaha....

 

[Mystic_23]

I don't really concider myself a "Killer DM". However, I did end up with a TPK in a game I was running.

I was running the pc's through "the Heart of Nightfang Spire" and when they got to the conclusion, a bad decision (to wander off from the party by herself) and some bad dice rolls ended up killing the party off. I felt kinda bad, but, due to the fact that this was the finale of the module, I didn't fudge at all. It really could have gone both ways. I believe it came down to a failed will save by the Wizard of the party. Ah well.


But I don't concider myself a "Killer DM" No really...

 

[Desdichado]

It can be fun to play with a killer DM if it's the right kind. I would hate a DM that was really competitive and just "got off" on killing players, but if the setting itself demands a gritty feel, and you should be scared of combat, that's not necessarily a bad thing.