People worried about saving everyone else

[Dannyalcatraz]

Man, one of my favorite PCs of ALL TIME was an archetypal big stupid (Str18/67, Con17, Int5) 1Ed Fighter named Bear. He spent most of the campaign being manipulated by the party thief, George Clythe (Int17, Cha 17), somewhat of a problem when the thief started stealing from party members.

Bear died fighting off the entire Town Guard at a bridge (because the thief stole something). It was epic. It was memorable.

And it also deprived Clythe of his only guardian. As soon as they found out WHY the Town Guard was after the party, the party bound him up, returned the ill-gotten gains, and gave him over to the Town in exchange for the bounty!

Both the thief player and I had to make new characters, but we both had a blast! We talked about those PCs for years!

So, to borrow a motto from a certain ad campaign: LET THEM PLAY!

 

[palleomortis]

Because that's what heroes do. One of the greatest "heroic" moments I ever witnessed was when a paladin stayed behind in the den of a spider-like demon to fight her while the burning temple began to crash down around him. His sacrifice allowed the rest of the party to escape. It was that player's last game with us, and he was so jazzed by the way things turned out he paid for everyone's dinner after the game.

THANK YOU!!! I can love this style of play, and might atcually be one of the people he is talking about. These are the people that can make the game for the others. while in turn playing as dragon bait for the BBEG, ge saves the lives of the entire party. So just becuase they died, does NOT mean they are stupid, suicidal freaks. Just means we are cool and YOU are NOT!!!.

(since when do you sign off as "KP"? Nobody here even know what your talking about. HA!!! I am right and you are WRONG!!! *usually dosn't happen*)

 

[Henry]

Palleo, am I to take it you and dicechild know one another?

 

[Mouseferatu]

I myself have wished more opportunities like that when playing Paladins, or knightly or altruistic characters; alas, no DM is willing to go out on that limb to do it, despite my hinting that I wouldn't be opposed to such a sacrifice. It's cool in the movies and in novels, so why not at a game table?

Wow. If I agreed with this any more strongly, I would be you.

Seriously, I've longed for that sort of opportunity for years and years, and I've never come across it. I play paladins and other traditionally heroic characters a lot, and I've never really had the chance to play that "ultimate hero card."

Or to play a paladin who falls. I've had ideas for that, too, and it looked briefly like it was about to happen in a recent campaign, but never did.

 

[dicechild]

I agree entirely with almost all that is said. In retrospect I realize that I am putting the players at too much risk. While this does work, the players never seem to realize that the better way to fight a group of foes is to talk your way out of the situation. While that doesn't work with wolves, it comes up often enough that the PCs should realize what I want them to do: ROLEPLAY.
My real problem is inexperience. I realize I can't be that good having only spent the past few months DMing but I would hope some of the players would stick with the program.
The situation went like this: the players entered a town where there is an evil demon controlling the King and his family with the threat of death. People are subdued and do not speak of the new laws the King has passed, such as a curfew, an in town army of evil fighters, and very high taxes. As a matter of fact, everything produced must come to the Palace or the people will be thrown in jail. So the only way to find things out is to go where everything else is. They immediatly go to the palace without finding any supplies, and ask for the King. Undoubtably this would raise suspicions. And playing the guards, I take them into custody and deliver them to an evil counciler who recognizes them as heavily armed and potentially dangerous. He is in a well guarded room(20 guards, level 1 fighters) and has every advantage. Due to some unfortunate rolls, the players get themselves into a jam and the guards start moving towards them with the intent of jailing them. So a few of the players decide to pull out weapons and initiate the fighting. A few others decide to sit down and watch, and the leader of the group is still talking. I released them from this but they hear footsteps in the hall. The idea was for the group to stay together. This did not happen. I either wanted them all together in a cellblock, or all together hiding in the palace. But they decide a couple of them want to be heroes. Oh well thanks for the input.
KP

 

[dicechild]

Yes Palleo and I know one another by the way. We go to the same High School. It leads to some interesting conversation
KP

 

[Bront]

I noticed in the campaign I'm running there are 2 such characters, and everyone else is saving their own asses. How do I regulate this so they can stay in the game and not die every time. And then for another thing, the other people in their party are selfish and do not see any point in resurrecting them. Although for some reason, it is hilarious
KP

Turn the tables.

Have the PC(s) who stayed to fight survive (Perhaps route the baddies, or at least have them say "It's not worth it" with them), and have those that ran run right into an ambush.

Those who stayed to fight will probably help revive the others, (or not), and they might think twice before deciding to run away (Especialy if they do it often).

I've had a character or two who I think would be cool to do a heroic death, but I can't seem to manage it. Either they end up surviving, or some other event interferes.

 

[sniffles]

Well, no. I have had players whose style were incompatable and their characters and actions were inappropriate. i had talks with him. I had several talks with him. At every talk, he was ogh so conciliatory and oh so understanding and all that and every time the talk ended with him still playing he showed up next session and was worse... cuz what he took from the talk was "yeah the gm will yack a while but i can keep on having fun" and so, you know, eventually i got the idea that its not always better to talk with someone.

[/QUOTE]

Eurgh! I thank the dice gawds I don't know anyone like that.

You're fortunate that you have a big enough pool of potential players to bring in someone new with every campaign.

 

[DonTadow]

Turn the tables.

Have the PC(s) who stayed to fight survive (Perhaps route the baddies, or at least have them say "It's not worth it" with them), and have those that ran run right into an ambush.

Those who stayed to fight will probably help revive the others, (or not), and they might think twice before deciding to run away (Especialy if they do it often).

I've had a character or two who I think would be cool to do a heroic death, but I can't seem to manage it. Either they end up surviving, or some other event interferes.

Great idea, design an encounter that is just fit for the pcs. ONe in which they look hopelessly outnumbered but there actions would mean a lot. ONe you knwo the others are going to run from.

But, don't give it to them. Have them make a spot check when they run back in to notice that "on the way back in" they see a twinkle or something. The object somehow will destroy the horde "all but two or three which they wipe out easily" .

Those whom survive are branded heroes and the obvious leaders of the party. Perhaps the cowards "other pcs" are rounded up and they other two have to chose their fate.

 

[Speaks With Stone]

Pushing your players against their play style is likely to fail and just frustrate you. When you design an adventure you have to take your players tendencies into account. One size does not fit all. The trick is to balance out the various player styles with your own play style. I've been playing with my group for many years, and I still have problems getting all of my players in sync. If I've catered to some while leaving out others one night, I try to balance it out the other way the next night.

But every night has some of the GMs style in it. It's the nature and primary perk of the job.