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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Rel" data-source="post: 1361209" data-attributes="member: 99">This sort of Deus Ex Machina tends to get somewhat frowned upon around here.  The PC's are generally supposed to be the heroes who do the rescuing rather than the ones being rescued.  Some players can get a bit irate when higher level NPC's step in to bail them out of trouble.  But in this particular case it may be unavoidable.  The simple fact is that a solo 1st level character (even with the Cleric tagging along) has got very little safety net.It only takes one bad roll, one missed saving throw, one critical hit by the bad guy and the PC is history.  This is especially dangerous in a solo campaign if the PC has nobody who can bail him out (you've seen to this after a fashion already) or bring him back from the dead.  The problem is there's no larger context provided by the rest of the party to give the game direction if one player has to make up a new character.I think you've got basically three options here:1) Let the chips fall where they may.  This can be rewarding for the player because you know the GM is pulling no punches and whatever you get, you earned.  I'm not implying an adversarial relationship between player and GM, just that the GM isn't fudging.2) Fudging.  Here you roll behind the screen and just pretend that the Ogre Skeleton did not crit the Monk for 16 points of damage on the first swing.  This method is simple and complex at the same time.  It is simple because you can implement it whenever you want, in whatever fashion you want, to whatever degree you want.  It is complex because it makes you improvise somewhat and also because you're lying to the player about what the dice told you.  If they can read you well, you need to consider how they'll feel about that.3) "Fate Chips".  There are a lot of names for this, but basically some sort of "get out of jail free card" for when really bad stuff happens.  I use this myself and I like it.  I hand out poker chips to the players in the (very subjective) instances where they do or say something that has us all rolling on the floor laughing.  We play this game to have fun and I reward that sort of thing.  They can use these chips to re-roll any die that pertains to their character be it a to-hit roll by them or against them, a saving throw, whatever.This method has the additional benefit that you can tie it to whatever you like.  Hand out a chip at the start of every session or give out one (or more) each time the character gains a level.  Or have it tied to revelations the Monk has while meditating in solitude.  It can be tied to the game that way or be entirely metagame.  Up to you.I recommend it heartily when running a solo campaign.  There is still a risk of course (the monster might crit the PC three times in a row) but it gives a bit more safety net than usual and it alleviates any need to fudge.  It might be worth considering.</blockquote>

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