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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Oofta" data-source="post: 7452685" data-attributes="member: 6801845">But there are certain DMs based on previous postings where the following scenario is "out of their hands",<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"></li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The PCs have a tough fight and are low on resources and badly wounded.  </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">They need to recover so they retreat and do their best to find a safe location.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The DM rolls for a random encounter and happens to roll a really tough encounter.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">TPK because "the dice said that was the encounter they should get".</li> </ul>This or the "the entire party is climbing down a rope and the kobold cuts the rope" scenarios are what I see being along the same lines as a 1/6 chance of a PC dying if the enemy scores a critical hit.  If the group is going through dangerous territory and know that they are knowingly putting themselves at risk then I let the dice fall where they may.  But if they are taking every reasonable precaution, I'll give them a break now and then.  How?  Well some ideas if that random encounter comes up as a fire giant patrol <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">One of the PCs has the option of distracting the patrol.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A chase scene for the entire group.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Unexpected mysterious allies.  Allies that may expect repayment in the future.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Divine (or infernal) intervention, possibly setting up a warlock class for one of the PCs.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The giants simply don't see the group because I'm the DM and it's more interesting for the group to have a holy **** moment than to kill them.</li> </ul>In other words just about anything other than a straight-up-fight that they're effectively guaranteed to lose because it was dictated by the dice.I simply don't think it's fun to roll a die or look at my notes and tell the group they're dead.  It's not dramatic, it's not telling an epic story of heroes overcoming adversity.  It may not even be realistic and I don't care.My style will probably not work for everyone.  PC death is rare, many campaigns may not see even a single death much less a TPK.  So when have I killed off characters?  Well, sometimes it's just really, really bad luck. Other times it was because someone was playing an idiot character.  Like the guy playing the rogue who set off a shrieker alarm in a heavily guarded camp and then refused to run away and hide.  Instead they tried to drag the treasure chest away since it was far too heavy to lift.  While it was still shrieking.  In that case I made an exception to my general rule and just told the character their PC was dead since there was no realistic chance of escape.In any case, IMHO the DM always has the final say whether or not a PC dies.</blockquote>

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