{Rant} When you want to get rid of a character

[Ovinomancer]

RANT WARNING

I really get pissed when another player wastes my time and the other players' time. This happened in tonight's game. Here's a little background.

The player in question had a ranger/windrider with alot of cool stuff and abilities, but was being a little overshadowed in our campaign. Instead of addressing the issue with the group, he starts to behave in a suicidal manner. Charges a BBEG (only wasn't evil) after said BBEG had left him down more the half hp from a single hit. Knew it was stupid, did it anyway. So, one AoO from reach later, dying character. One of the other characters in the party had a Planar Ally hound archon, and asked the archon to save the fallen PC. DM stepped in and allowed the archon to do this, seeing as how the group is on a mission that the gods are keenly interested in. (Archon has Greater Teleport, but can't bring anyone with him) The PC was already dead, but the god restored him to -10 so we could heal him up. We proceeded back to the fight, and eventually defeated the BBEG. Here follows the reason for the rant.

The hound archon turns to the PC after the fight and says, 'payment is required.' The PC says, 'for what?' Hound archon replies, 'I saved your life, payment is required.' PC gives him 21gp. Really, 21gp. His defense was, 'I didn't know what he wanted, so I gave him all the money I had.' The god revokes his earlier boon, and the PC drops dead.

We then spend about an hour trying to find a way for the PC to make good his mistake so we can raise him. This is important, because we are in the field on a mission, and could use his help. As we did this, we asked, multiple times, do you want to continue playing this character? Would you rather bring in another character? Every answer was 'sure, I want to continue with this character.' So we make the effort. We go about our day and make sure to memorize the appropriate spells for the following day. Numerous minutes wasted on discussions of how best to help the PC make up his boo-boo. We get to the next day and cast speak with dead to verify, in character, the PC's desire to come back. 1st question: 'Do you wish to atone for your insult and return to life?' Answer: 'I'm not sure.......' WHAT?

A full hour wasted on this line, and the PC backs out! We gave him many opportunities to state his desire to retire the character without animosity or blame. I mean, hey, its all about having fun, and if you want a different character to have fun, go for it. But to waste our time.... Oooh that pisses me off. Big time. We asked him if he wanted to continue so many times because we got the feeling that he wanted a new PC. I personally gave him 4 chances in front of the group and 1 chance in private. AARRGH!!!!

'K. Done now. Just needed to get that off my chest.


All quotes are paraphrased to protect the guilty.

 

[Parlan]

Hound archon replies, 'I saved your life, payment is required.' PC gives him 21gp. Really, 21gp.

Offering 21GP, EXCELLENT!!! That s just so classic!

Sounds like the PC is a major Prima Donna and needs everything/everybody to revolve around him. That would piss me off too.

What if you just called him on it?

 

[Numion]

Look at the bright side: next time you get to decide for him!

 

[Plane Sailing]

If you knew how the player was feeling (his PC overshadowed) why didn't you let him go out in the blaze of glory or whatever and allow him to create a new character?

It sounds to me as if your group are as much at fault as him to be honest. It sounds like you and your DM were quite happy to make his life miserable/awkward. The "wasting of time" only happened because (a) you didn't want to respect his characters death-wish and brought him back to life and (b) the DM threw a hissy fit and killed him again when he offered 21gp. You'd messed with him plenty well before he 'wasted' your time.

Just my opinion, based on what you've written.

 

[Djeta Thernadier]

Has this PC ever died before?

Sat. night, my PC came the closest to dying she's ever been. My instantaneous thought in that moment would be BRING ME BACK! But after sleeping on it or having time to think, esp. if my character was not fitting into the game, I'd maybe come up with a different PC.

So, yeah, this guy could have just been throwing a fit, but it sounds like he was not having fun with this character, and maybe after thinking it over after the session, decided another PC would be better.

He should have let the DM know beforehand though.

 

[Shallown]

Djeta - Yes he had died once before and been saved by the good graces of one of the Gods. Whom he still owes a debt to as well.

I don't think throwing a fit is the right phrase. He wasn't being inmature so much as indecisive. It was a character played form 1st to 14th level. Not neccessarily something easy to let go of.

Plane - We knew he was feeling overshadowed therefore the 2 sessions focused around his character 1 the session before his death and the other only 3 weeks or so before. Chnaces for him to shine inw which he honestly didn't. He gave up too easily for the challenges presented to him.

I don't think Ovino or the DM (me) tried to make his life miserable. Hey he's my friend we talk daily. I wouldn't treat him that way, in my mind. If I did then somehow I missed it completely and he said nothing to that effect. The wasted time was becuase, once again in my opinion, he was giving missed signals and different answers. I don't think I threw a "Hissy" fit. He was saved by a God's personal representative on this plane, directly calling on divine powers the hound archon did not have to do so, The God only wanted his acknowledgement. A thanks would have been nice but to offer him 21 gp and saying that's all you have when you are wearing/carrying close to 100,000 in gp is , quite frankly, insulting. To not even offer service for payment or something to say my life is worthmore than 21gp. The God gave him his 21gp worth.

Parlan - The player, in my opinion, is not a Prima-Donna. He had just recently been supplanted as the Big burly fighter by a Bigger, burly fighter. Even though his character had all sorts of other abilities and such he was suddenly second best by a measurable amount. I think it soured his character veiw and he didn't recover despite efforts to showcase him some. I understand that sometimes players want to shine and be the star. Its fine as long as it is fairly done among the players. Fair being defined by the wants and needs of everyone. Some people neither want or need spotlight time.


If any has questions I am happy to answer them as the GM of this group. I have a biased opinion and genuinely feel bad about the whole event. Sometimes remaining true to the Reality of the campaign you created is no fun but fair and neccessary.

Later

Edit:
PS - My quote is just all too harsh after reading the post. True but Harsh.