Other PC death=Not fun

[Tinker Gnome]

Am I alone in this in that when another PC dies the whole gaming night is ruined? I just got done playing with my group and one PC died from an admittedly less than smart move, and my Pc did tons of cool stuff including dealing the killing blow to the BBEG. but the other PC death just rendered any of the fun stuff I did moot.

I have played in a game once with no PC death and I had a lot more fun than I did with ones with it. So many people at DnD forums harp about how it is no fun if there is no risk, yet I find myself at the exact opposite. Even if it is not my PC who died.

So, is anyone else like me?

 

[Raylis]

The few times where only one person has died during a gaming session it was usually at the end, but it wasn't really a game killer. The last session where a PC (me) was in mid session and we took a break to shake it off.

I agree that PC Death (any PC Death) is a downer, but it doesn't have to wreck an entire session.

Just my two copper

 

[Nonlethal Force]

I definately understand your point as I too have more fun when nobody dies.

However ... I also enjoy being able to roleplay egative emotions. Death is a part of life - not an enjoyable part but a part nonetheless. I like being able to flex the muscles of roleplaying sorrow. Looking back on roleplaying experiences, those moments make my characters as much as the great moves in combat. Actually, I think the great moves in combat fade quicker than the moments of sorrow.

Another (very) recent example of RPing negative emotions (that doesn't have to deal with death I admit) happened literally moments ago in a PbP game here at ENWorld. [I expect RA to drop in on this sometime, so he'll no doubt mock me! ] But RA is the DM, and he just seperated my druid (who worships Mielikki and Lurue among others] from her fur clothing and replaced it with ... gasp ... fabric. Irritated the crap out of my character - although I personally had a good laugh! Yet, that moment of "tension" is not a great moment but fun to RP out and explore the character. I think momnents of other character death can have the same feel. Sure, it sucks. But getting a chance to RP out those moments can let you know how your character truly felt about the one that died. When that happens, you learn about your character from the story rather than the other way around.

I think it also depends upon one's age, the length of the campaign, the balnace between combat/RP in a campaign, and the maturity level of the campaign. In my games, combat is only a small fraction of the game, so my characters are shaped through their RP more than anything else ... RPing good times as well as bad times.

 

[ThirdWizard]

I can't imagine my gaming night being ruined by someone else's death. Well, I guess I could if they were somehow important to the plot and now we couldn't really do anything. But, I'm sure we'd find some way to stir up trouble.

I have a hard time imagining my gaming night being ruined by my own PC's. I suppose if there were no way to raise my character and the DM had no NPCs for me to run, or anything like that, in the meantime, it would be a pretty bad night, but we're good about having something for those with dead PCs to do besides sit around and watch everyone else play (or create new characters mid-session).

So, death, like anything else, is something a DM should prepare for and have options open up if it happens. It's not something pleasant, and its even worse when you can't play anymore because of it. So, the aforementioned NPC or something along those lines can be important.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

I find myself a bit 50/50 on these situations and it also depends on how the character died.

If he died while saving the party from certain doom or sacrificed himself to help the group defeat the BBEG it can make it a real session to remember. Those moments can end up being the things that are talked about for years to come.

If a character died from a random encounter or from something that they couldn't have done anything to avoid then it can be a bit of a downer.

There is also another part of me that is sort of glad it wasn't me that died!

Yes, I'm a bad person.

Olaf the Stout

 

[Rystil Arden]

Another (very) recent example of RPing negative emotions (that doesn't have to deal with death I admit) happened literally moments ago in a PbP game here at ENWorld. [I expect RA to drop in on this sometime, so he'll no doubt mock me! ] But RA is the DM, and he just seperated my druid (who worships Mielikki and Lurue among others] from her fur clothing and replaced it with ... gasp ... fabric. Irritated the crap out of my character - although I personally had a good laugh! Yet, that moment of "tension" is not a great moment but fun to RP out and explore the character. I think momnents of other character death can have the same feel. Sure, it sucks. But getting a chance to RP out those moments can let you know how your character truly felt about the one that died. When that happens, you learn about your character from the story rather than the other way around.

To Rhaka, having her clothes get washed is more tragic than losing a beloved comrade--after all, the cycle of life must always include death, but clothes--clothes are sacred!

 

[Dog Moon]

I can't imagine my gaming night being ruined by someone else's death. Well, I guess I could if they were somehow important to the plot and now we couldn't really do anything.

Or in cases like my group with only three people. When one char dies, that's 1/3rd the group. This one DM in my group has a tendency to kill chars. For some reason, it generally happens about 6pm during our 3-10pm gaming session. So of course it takes like 2-3 hours for the person who dies to make a new character [surprisingly, I've only died once and was rezzed, one of the few times we actually had enough money for it]. So by the time he finishes, there's only like an hour left. We tend to leave about then. I could never figure out why we didn't just leave at 6pm...

Happened too often.

 

[Nonlethal Force]

To Rhaka, having her clothes get washed is more tragic than losing a beloved comrade--after all, the cycle of life must always include death, but clothes--clothes are sacred!

I knew it wouldn't be long before you mocked me!

Anyway, it is a fate worth than death. ICly, Rhaka has very legit reasons. Reasons that none of us that bather regularly would accept....


Back on topic -

I also like the point a few earlier have made about death and ressurection. In D&D death is not permanent - or it doesn't have to be. Death can be a plot hook in that regard rather than a plot killer.

Although, I still agree with the OP in that PC death usually sucks for a little while.

 

[ThirdWizard]

Happened too often.

Yep, that will ruin a session.

If I know I'm going to be running a particularly dangerous encounter I usually have one of three things done: ask the Players to have backup PCs, have an NPC or NPCs ready for those who died to play, or have ressurections readily available.

These, or other options, are musts for any campaigns in which PCs might die.

 

[Philotomy Jurament]

Sounds pretty easily solved. Just have the group tell your DM that you want to play in a game where no one dies. It would make combat a little ho-hum, IMO (I'm exercising my talent for understatement, here), but maybe you're getting your challenges and satisfaction from other elements.

Not my cup of tea of all, but play it how you like it. (Hopefully the idea of PC death being not fun and a game breaker isn't something that WotC is going to "fix" soon...)