Replacement characters..what level?

[Mallus]

Mallus: I see your point, but you're also attempting to generate too many assumptions in its support. Assumption #1: Raising/ resurrection is hard to get. Assumption #2: The players care enough about their characters to mourn the loss of a favored character.

I wasn't really making assumptions, just describing the environment I create when DM'ing, and for the most part the environments I've played in.

Its my belief {or maybe bias is a better word}, that narrative should trump mechanics. I've played in games that were powergamer paradises where the story still came first, or rather, connection to the story provided the real pleasure in the game.

In an old 2E campaign, I created a mid-level replacement designed to exploit every single house rule my DM had. By the campaign's end he was literally the last man standing, doing reasonably well toe to toe with a demigod {at level 10/11 C/MU}. Powerful, yes, but a little thin compared to his fallen comrades who had particiapted in the whole of the story.

I don't mean this as a critique of the way other people play the game. I guess I just feel the need to advocate a more narrative-based style of play, which certainly doesn't perclude the power-gamey/war-gamey style of play favored by others.