New DM+players, how to handle death in Keep

[Bleoberis De Ganis]

I put REZ without cost, but only because my own option wasn't on the list.

What I would do (if I had the time to create it myself, because it doesn't exist) is I would have the character go into a coma and have a Skill Challenge to save the character's life.

If the character survives then they come back without charge.
If the character dies then he dies - permadeath.

As you might be able to tell I can't stand REZs (without a good reason to use them - in otherwords not buying one from a shop - REZs should be super-epic), but I like giving a character a good chance to come back.

I want the character to survive as much as anyone, but the REZ thing is rubbish. It would be better if the player has a bit of tension, rolls some dice, etc to get his character back.

If a character keeps dying then at some point he will fail and his character will be gone forever.

Good thing about using Skill Challenges is you never have to use the same one twice. Perhaps WOTC, or someone else, could bring out a book "At Death's Door. Skill Challeges For The Dying."

Imagine a T.P.K. where you manage to come back and carry a friend over your back and save their life Vietnam style. "They thought we were all dead. I thought so too. When I woke I was standing, surrounded by the corpses of the enemy. I had a knife in my hand and I was covered in blood." "He saved my life in the Keep. I owe him. I'd go into the Abyss if he needed me."

Skill Challenges could involve an E.R./House 1,2,3 breath sort of thing along with the character fighting back reapers who are trying to drag his spirit into the Shadowfell.

Who knows? It's fantasy. Anything can happen. Just please don't make it a $50 REZ. It's boring.

EDIT: How about if the character was approached in the Ether, when they are about to fail the Skill Challenge, by a demon or devil and they offered them their life back but at a cost. What would they be willing to pay to come back? See interesting roll/role-playing stuff. If at a later date the character goes back on the deal the character will die, and maybe get dragged to hell (in the small print.)

 

[Kalbutt]

If the PCs can go back to a friendly town with the corpse of the deceased, I allow a rez at the temple with a price of the Raise Dead ritual plus fee (dependent of level of char and reputation of the players).

If they can't go back to a town or there is a TPK, I would make them create new characters with less XP (but same level) and less loot.

It all depends on the campaign actually, but I prefer to "move on to the fun", as the DMG suggests.

 

[Squire James]

Of course, there's also option #6: kick the player out of the group for good. Especially if the dead character is a thief named Blackleaf or a wizard named Cleric!

My serious answer depends on a couple of factors. If the group intends to use only the pregenerated characters, then I'd say bring the original back to life with at some cost (say, all that character's current money or 500 gold if that's less). If the group has full access to the books and are creating their own characters, then I'd rather see new characters with XP equal to 90% their previous total (which might mean they're a level behind, but probably not more than that unless the player is a corpse machine).

 

[Ryujin]

Raise Dead is the obvious choice, since it has somehow resurrected this post from the dead.

You must meet two requirements to master a ritual.
You must have the Ritual Caster feat (clerics and
wizards get this feat at 1st level), and your level must​

equal or exceed the ritual’s level.

Thats a quote right out of the PHB (please forgive the copyright infringement) so how is it that 0 level Sister Linora can cast a lvl 8 ritual?

NPCs do not need to follow the same rules that PCs do. That's the simple answer. Consider Linora to be a 8th level "sedentary" character, if it makes it easier to understand.

 

[Bigwilly]

I'd go for buy a rez or new PC at same xp as rest of party. Up to the player if he wants to keep playing the same character (I sometimes use a PC death as a chance to play something different). If PC wants a rez, then party needs to ante up -or- owe a favour to cleric (easy plot hook).

 

[Rechan]

In fact, NPCs don't follow the same rules as PCs unless the DM makes them. This is why NPCs get recharge powers and players don't. Or why NPCs can't use second wind unless they have a power that specifies they can. Or the multitude of other exceptions there are for NPCs.

Simply put, an NPC does what you need them to do. Because you need them to do it. If you need that NPC to have a +20 to their underwater basketweaving, then they have it. They don't have to be any level to deserve it, because it's relevant to the plot, or your needs.

 

[Skallgrim]

Given that Sister Linora is in the town, and she has access to the Raise Dead ritual, my solution would be that, provided the PCs can help her obtain the needed sacred unguents (divine components), she would gladly raise the PC.

However, this assumes (my campaign, for example):

The party has a good relationship with the ruler and Sister Linora.
The party is "clearing" the Keep specifically to help the town of Winterhaven.
The party has been heroic and helpful, and not greedy or useless.

In fact, in our sessions, the PCs were so helpful (some even going so far as to turn their rewards over to Sister Linora) that she offered this service before they even went into the keep. She advised the PCs that if any of their companions fell in the keep, to bring their bodies back to the temple, and she would do her best to return them to life for their service to the people of Winterhaven. It made the party a bit more confident, and it really made them like Linora. They gave her two of the Platinum Dragon statues (kind of odd, giving them to a priest of another god, but whatever...).

I think that the "right response" really has to vary with your group and your setting, but "brave heroes" can be rewarded with "cool stuff".