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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ozmar" data-source="post: 2019604" data-attributes="member: 8021">A couple ideas...Great thread. Lots of good ideas here. I particularly like the ones that suggest that you put them through a meat-grinder until they become desensitized.  <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":]" title="Devious    :]" data-shortname=":]" /> But assuming that you want to run the game with less PC deaths, here's a couple ideas.1. Debilitating Injury: This was Undead Lincoln's idea, but I really like it. How could this work? What about this: The first three deaths will result in minor (but permanent) injuries. These would be scars, limps, missing digits, chronic pain, spell-discolored hair, or some kind of psychological twitch. None of these would have any game-mechanical effects, but they would add flavor to the character. The next two deaths will result in major injuries that will be detrimental, but not crippling: losing one hand, losing one eye, losing one foot, losing one ear, chronic debilitating coughs, periodic temporary flashbacks, etc... These would have permanent ability drain, or perhaps some penalty to certain skills (-2 to spot checks, for example). These wounds could be healed by magic (regeneration, for example) but would otherwise be permanent. Then the 6th death will result in a crippling injury. The character would be blinded, crippled, driven insane, or magically weakened. Again, magic would cure this injury, but it might be a good idea to consider retirement. Because the 7th death is for real. Of course, after that, there is the possibility of resurrection (and level loss).I quite like this idea and may try it out in my game. I have a lot of PC death and I've always been bothered about the lack of cool wounds in D&D.2. This second idea is my own. Its just something I've been thinking about for DMs with players who don't like to fear that their characters will die. Play as normal, but when a PC dies, then rule that the player takes on the role of DM for 10-15 minutes. Ask them to decide what happens next. Give them complete autonomous input to direct to flow of the game. Ask them what they think should happen. Do they hover at death's door and make a miraculous escape? Are they visited by higher-planar beings who restore them to live with a mission after the battle? Are they rescued by the timely intervention of nearby friendly high-level NPCs? Do they linger on and come back to life as an undead creature? Let the players decide their own fate. If you do this, you might gain some insight into the type of game they want to play in. If I were asked to do this as a player, I am not sure what I'd do. I would probably let the dice fall where they lay and make a new character. But then I might try to come up with an escape for my character. Its hard to say, b/c I appreciate the possibility of death in a game (makes achievement possible) but I also believe in never giving up as a player - no matter how desperate your chances, I always try to find a way out. If given carte blanch to direct my character's fate, I am not sure if I would want to do it.But your players (who worry about their character's lives) might actually enjoy it. Who knows? If anyone has any other ideas, lets here them.Ozmar the Thinking</blockquote>

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