D&D General Poll: Have You Lost a Character to Ghouls.

[toucanbuzz]

in 3.5 those things were so freaking scary that you made sure the answer would probably be no at any level. in 5e they are harmless

Yeah, they dumbed down a few monsters more than I'd like in D&D, though the 3.5 version = nasty. Still, if properly run, the first time one of those ghouls in a pack managed to paralyze someone (solid chance with low level characters), I'd be having them all turn on that character. 2 hits when down to 0hp is autokill. There's no logical reason they'd be stupid or forget their eternal hunger to be "fair."

 

[Stoutstien]

Yes, they certainly do!

Then I've had a TPK of 4 a while back lol.

 

[Celebrim]

Ghouls are one of the classic freakishly scary low level monsters. If you haven't been paralyzed by a ghoul and torn apart by a feasting pack, are you really playing D&D?

I mean, it's in the example of play, for crying out loud!

Aside from intraparty conflict deaths does any one single cause of death come even close? Ghouls are like the soldier ants of D&D.

Go team ghoul.

 

[Nagol]

One aspiring DM decided to run a group through the Slaver series when it was first released. The ghouls at the beginning of the module ate us all (twice). We were using the surprise rules in the DMG as written (parties who get surprise get 1 segment of surprise for the difference of the dice rolled and get a full round of attacks for each segment) and the ghouls surprise on a 1-5 on a d6 IIRC. At the end of the first round, the elf wasn't paralyzed, but he couldn't survive the onslaught.

We decided to stop trying after the second TPK on the first encounter.

 

[Larnievc]

Missed an option.

No, but I did lose a character to Bargle.

That rat bastard!

 

[jgsugden]

They are not harmless in 5E. DC10 Con Save is something a lotof PCs can fail, even at high levels. I threw 8 ghouls at a higher level party as part of a larger encounter. The barbarian decided to take them all on while the rest of the party took on other issues. That barbarian had to be rescued. He was 17th level.

 

[Blue]

I am the exact opposite of the poll.

The days of yore: D&D 3.0. Playing Tisevail, an 8 CON Elven Wizard, so I got d4-1 HP per level. Pre-cantrip days.

Low level the party got attacked by ghouls. The ghouls paralyze everyone else in the party, some of the ghouls dying but two wounded ones still surviving. I'm out of spells, but elves were proficient with long swords. So I grabbed one from a paralyzed compatriot and head in, fully expecting a TPK. But Tisevail was no coward, he wouldn't leave everyone to be eaten.

Battle ensures. Luck favors me. One drops. The other hits me, but rolls low so I don't go down - and elves are immune to ghoulish paralyziation. Battle continues until that fateful roll - in my favor! Tisevail prevailed against the ghouls!

Completely flavored him from then on. He always wore a sword, wasn't afraid to mix it up, and eventually took the Bladesinger PrC when it came out.

All because those ghouls set him on that path.

 

[Celebrim]

@Blue : The greater the hardship: the greater the triumph.

 

[Stormonu]

That rat bastard!

Aleena, NOOOOO!

There’s got to be a thousand ways to die an ignominious death in D&D ...

• Strength drained by Shadows (”low-level“ monsters hit only by magic!)
• Pecked to stone by scary magic roosters (cockatrice)
• Putting your ear to a door to listen what’s beyond (ear seekers)
• Opening a chest (mimics!)
• Forgetting to use your mirror around corners (basilisks)
• Helping imprisoned maidens (Medusa’s)
• Find the source of singing in the dungeon (Harpies)
• Not noticing the algae growing on the ceiling (green slime)
• Poking the dead body (Russet mold)
• Looting the dead body (rot grubs)
• Looking at the dead body (bodak)
• Not noticing the squirming dead body (spawn of Kyuss)
• Thinking those were just bats (strirges)
• And most of all, stepping in the dungeon (trapper above, lurker below, piercers and pit traps)

 

[DwarfHammer]

Pre 3.x player. At low levels ghouls are probaly the most dangerous encounter because your chance of passing a saving throw is so low. Lost many characters to ghouls.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

No. Lost an ad&d cleric to a single kobold once though, but we don't talk about that...

The kobolds definitely do.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

in 3.5 those things were so freaking scary that you made sure the answer would probably be no at any level. in 5e they are harmless

Yeah, my original argument was that, prior to 5E, they were TPK machines.

 

[Len]

Not me, but a couple of party-mates. None of them came back undead, sadly.

Savage Worlds / Shadowrun campaign: Ghouls were throwing grenades at us. A PC tried to throw one back but it blew up in his hand. We had to flee, leaving his body behind. Does that count?

Pathfinder 1: A PC was killed by a giant ghast golem. We were able to raise her before she became undead. Close enough?

 

[Legatus Legionis]

.

 

[DwarfHammer]

I loved the fear of death of fighting such deadly creatures like ghouls pre 3.x. The only reason I hated energy drain was the book keeping at higher levels. I think that is why I am playing COC in addition to d&d 5E right now. The fear of death in BRP games from a single roll just do it for me and my group at the moment. Talk about players that really do anything possible to avoid combat and enter it only when necessary and really try to optimize it if they have to go in. There is no casually jumping in Combat sloppily because someone is a hothead.

 

[Helldritch]

Ghouls did killed a few PCs over the years in my game. Even in 5ed they're still dangerous. The saving throw might be a little low (12 would have been just fine in my book, but the game's the game). A ghoul will definitely attack and try to kill a player that is paralyzed. That alone is a threat not to be ignored. In fact, it is enough for my players to take an action to move the paralyzed character away from the other ghouls if it can be done.

 

[Dausuul]

Serriet of the Chain, hexblade warlock, killed by a pack of ghouls and gnolls in the Abyss.

 

[tetrasodium]

Yeah, my original argument was that, prior to 5E, they were TPK machines.

indeed... ghouls?... ohhh helllllnaw we are going to tie ourselves to the ceiling over here using those climbing supplies & try to shoot with... uhh... anything! That was my last arrow, can I throw my rations for falling damage on the ghoul below?

 

[Charlaquin]

Yeah, they dumbed down a few monsters more than I'd like in D&D, though the 3.5 version = nasty. Still, if properly run, the first time one of those ghouls in a pack managed to paralyze someone (solid chance with low level characters), I'd be having them all turn on that character. 2 hits when down to 0hp is autokill. There's no logical reason they'd be stupid or forget their eternal hunger to be "fair."

Not only is it logical, it’s the kinder option. Maybe not for the PC they eat, but if you do have your ghouls ignore paralyzed PCs in favor of attacking active ones, a TPK becomes significantly more likely. I speak from experience.

 

[tetrasodium]

Not only is it logical, it’s the kinder option. Maybe not for the PC they eat, but if you do have your ghouls ignore paralyzed PCs in favor of attacking active ones, a TPK becomes significantly more likely. I speak from experience.

It's not only how paralysis changed & coup de gras got removed but also the difference of -5v rs
-anything but maxhp+1 then fail 3 death saves before someone does healing word or something swung the dial over to supermanesque leels of durability.