"PCs usually die of stupidity"

[Bront]

Metagaming kills PCs.

I've seen a party of characters decide to ambush a party of dopplegangers that they were described as running from in the intro (Premade module). Of course, the previous section, they, as other characters (4-6th level) mopped them up fairly well, so they figured why not. However, as 6 1st level Magic Users, it's a bit more of a suicide watch.

We've died because of good tactics that turned out to be bad. We decided to stage an assualt on a ship from accross an inlet. Unfortunately, we were unaware of the octopus in the inlet, and we were easy targets while waterwalking.

 

[scourger]

I chose intraparty conflict, but not the direct kind. In my experience, most PC deaths are caused by the fact that each player makes most choices to save that individual PC's @$$ in every way from multiclassing (which makes the individual slightly stronger but the party much weaker) to actions that are basically tantamount to cowardice in combat. I think of this dynamic as intraparty conflict because each player is playing an individual game not a collective game. Therefore each PC is a loner, not part of a team. Of course, most RPGs I've played reward survival as success with more levels, gear, power, etc. So, the paradigm remains that individual success by survival is how a particular player "wins" the game. And try as I might, I can't figure out a way to change it that works.

 

[the Jester]

I wish this one were multiple choice.

 

[HeavyG]

Lately, we've died a lot in our adventure path campaign. Most of the time, it's from failing a save-or-die spell. One time, it was our barbarian falling unconscious and the DM ruling that this ended his rage. The last time, it was our wizard dieing in the surprise round from being attacked by a six-armed demon that teleported in while we were eating lunch in an inn. :\

So mostly, I'd say good old random luck and DM fiat, not stupidity.

 

[RangerWickett]

I have to reconsider my vote. Most of the deaths in my group have honestly come from good roleplaying. The players know that a situation is deadly, and they know that I as DM will seldom force them into a deadly situation, but that I like to give them a choice: run away and live, or stand up for your ideals and risk death.

At the time, I've often been flustered because PC death messes with campaign plotting, but in hindsight I've realized how cool it is when a PC goes out for something he believes in. Even when that thing he believes in is selfish.

Rivereye refuses to bow to Emperor Shaaladel.

Whim then letting his love for his fallen brother drive him to walk into the lion's den in an attempt to kill Shaaladel.

Alloquicious trying to betray the rest of the party at just the opportune moment.

Zuma's greed driving him to turn against the party because he wanted immortality and he miscalculated that the immortality wouldn't keep his allies from killing him.


Interestingly, 3 of those instances were gnomes. They are creatures of passion.

 

[MonkeyDragon]

in approximately ten hours, we'll see if my players get themselves killed by getting themselves in over their heads. They're lucky it's so early in the campaign or I'd be a little less inclined to feel merciful.

 

[philreed]

Need... multiple... choices.

Exactly. I started clicking away and then realized my choices weren't stacking up.

 

[Feathercircle]

What, no DM stupidity?

"I'll just use the CRs straight from the book even though I'm DMing for an all-caster party".

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

In tabletop and RPGs, the "one more room"/"one more pull" phenomenon is the #1 killer of characters, in my experience.

 

[Someone]

I should add one: Player doesn´t bother to count hit points ("you´re hit for 14 hit points" "Let me see... uh... eh... I´m at -32. I´m dead.")