EzekielRaiden
Follower of the Way
Isn't that literally what was said, though?
This is pretty much literally saying, "Don't blame the dice. This is on you."
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D&D 5E [+] Questions for zero character death players and DMs…
- Thread starter overgeeked
- Start date
iserith
Magic Wordsmith
Whether or not character death is on the table depends on the theme of the campaign I'm going for.
If I'm running a zero to hero hexcrawl or dungeon crawl (or both), then it certainly is a possibility, perhaps even a strong one, particularly at lower levels. If I'm running a pulp action serial hero style Eberron campaign or a D&D/supers mash-up, then death is off the table. In the latter case, if you're "dead" by the rules, you're simply taken out of the scene and you're back to once you're conscious again. In some cases, the character will suffer a debuff. In my D&D/supers mash-up, for example, the penalties for being taken out are based on what took you out: 1d4 for a mook; 1d6 for an environmental effect; 1d8 for a villain; 1d10 for a nemesis; and 1d12 for a supervillain. When you roll an attack roll, saving throw, or ability check, you also roll this die and subtract the result. (To remove this penalty, you have to complete a Good Deed, which is basically a minor quest.)
If I'm running a zero to hero hexcrawl or dungeon crawl (or both), then it certainly is a possibility, perhaps even a strong one, particularly at lower levels. If I'm running a pulp action serial hero style Eberron campaign or a D&D/supers mash-up, then death is off the table. In the latter case, if you're "dead" by the rules, you're simply taken out of the scene and you're back to once you're conscious again. In some cases, the character will suffer a debuff. In my D&D/supers mash-up, for example, the penalties for being taken out are based on what took you out: 1d4 for a mook; 1d6 for an environmental effect; 1d8 for a villain; 1d10 for a nemesis; and 1d12 for a supervillain. When you roll an attack roll, saving throw, or ability check, you also roll this die and subtract the result. (To remove this penalty, you have to complete a Good Deed, which is basically a minor quest.)
Charlaquin
Goblin Queen (She/Her/Hers)
No. It’s not a punishment, and it’s not saying the decisions that lead to it were wrong. If the players aren’t responsible for their failures, they can’t be responsible for their successes either. The outcomes are either a product of their choices or they aren’t.
DND_Reborn
The High Aldwin
We cheer the good dice rolls, and lament the bad ones...
but it is our choices and actions which cause us to roll the dice in the first place.
but it is our choices and actions which cause us to roll the dice in the first place.
JiffyPopTart
Bree-Yark
Can't it be a combination of choice and fickle luck that leads to success/failure?
Vaalingrade
Legend
No one feels the need to assign responsibility for sacrificed pawns. All I'm saying.
Charlaquin
Goblin Queen (She/Her/Hers)
Of course! Luck is absolutely a factor, it’s just a secondary factor to player choices.
Charlaquin
Goblin Queen (She/Her/Hers)
A sacrificed pawn is 100% the responsibility of the player making the sacrifice. That’s… why it’s called a sacrifice…
Vaalingrade
Legend
But no one sits around yelling at the player that it's their fault.
Charlaquin
Goblin Queen (She/Her/Hers)
No one I’ve ever met does that to D&D players either. What kind of jerks do you play with?
