D&D 5E Should I ask my DM to kill my D&D character?

[Leucis Deceit]

So in my D&D game, I have a character, which I absolutely love. He has made a large impact on the plot, which has helped move the storyline along. There is one problem though. My character is a bit overpowered. He is a Tiefling Fighter, and has a large connection to the storyline. My DM is fine with whatever decision I make. What should I do?

 

[TheSword]

I would suggest three solutions. All I have seen work at one point or other.

1. Just keep your big guns in your back pocket. That powerful combo, that means you do substantially more damage or are impossible to hit, just don’t use it unless the party is really stuck and needs it. Or use it once or twice. Essentially exercise some self-control.

2. Change it up. Swap one of the overpowered options for something less powerful and more flavorful. Particularly easy with feats.

3. Retire the character. Ideally in an awesome plot thematic way that immortalizes the character. Then make a new one.

I’ve intentionally put them in that order as it’s easiest to hardest from your point of view. Particularly as you like the character.

 

[Fanaelialae]

So in my D&D game, I have a character, which I absolutely love. He has made a large impact on the plot, which has helped move the storyline along. There is one problem though. My character is a bit overpowered. He is a Tiefling Fighter, and has a large connection to the storyline. My DM is fine with whatever decision I make. What should I do?

Is the character being overpowered impacting the game negatively?

If it is, an option that allows you to continue playing the character would be to adjust the power of the character. If the character has really great magic items, maybe one or two of them go missing the next time you rest at an inn. If you rolled 18s across the board during character creation, maybe the next time your character is injured they have their ability scores reduced.

 

[R_J_K75]

He has made a large impact on the plot, which has helped move the storyline along. There is one problem though. My character is a bit overpowered. He is a Tiefling Fighter, and has a large connection to the storyline.

If you have had a major connection to the story line and the outcome of the overall game perhaps take matters into your own hands and make the ultimate sacrifice at a very tense moment/battle so that it positively effects the outcome of the game/campaign in such a manner that Bards will immortalize you in song.

Seems like you are OK with making a new PC so this may be an option where the character will be remembered and still have a place in the legends of the campaign.

 

[J-H]

How is he overpowered?
If everyone used point buy, then any OPness is either coming from other people being anti-optimized, or from some kind of powerful magic item(s) that have been handed out.

 

[Horwath]

How is he overpowered?
If everyone used point buy, then any OPness is either coming from other people being anti-optimized, or from some kind of powerful magic item(s) that have been handed out.

Yeah, I'm still waiting for Fighter and overpowered to explained in the same sentence.

 

[TwoSix]

If the DM isn't concerned about your character's power level, why should you be?

Yea, it's tough to see how a fighter is too OP unless he went something like XBE/SS. I'm curious to see the character, and whether his party mates might simply be a little underwhelming.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

So in my D&D game, I have a character, which I absolutely love. He has made a large impact on the plot, which has helped move the storyline along. There is one problem though. My character is a bit overpowered. He is a Tiefling Fighter, and has a large connection to the storyline. My DM is fine with whatever decision I make. What should I do?

So, first, make it fun. If you're going to ask for advice here ... you need to set up a new thread, provide all the details, and make it a poll for people to vote! That's right- you can have the (lack of) wisdom of crowd.

Next, ignore the poll. If you're asking this question, you know the answer. Your character MUST DIE. And this isn't some sort of "DM May I" scenario. No, you don't ask the DM to die.

You. Demand. It.

That's right. You need to start charging into situations with a ferocity and stupidity that would make Leeroy Jenkins go- "Dude, maybe you should wait a second and think about this?"

You need to start thinking of outrageous actions at all time in order to chew through whatever plot armor the DM is trying to provide you. "The King is saying that if I bow, he won't have his 5000 Tarrasques kill us all? YOU AREN'T THE KING OF ME!!!!!"

Anyone can live in 5e; but to die, and to die spectacularly? That's special.

 

[Nefermandias]

Yeah, I'm still waiting for Fighter and overpowered to explained in the same sentence.

A fighter with +2 shield and plate armor at the beginning of tier 3 for example, would be really OP.

Honestly, martials can be really strong if the campaign does a decent job of providing multiple combat encounters in an adventuring day, as it should be. Especially if feats are allowed.

 

[iserith]

Easy solution:

 

[Steampunkette]

So... here's my take:

1) If you want your character to continue, just depower him in some way. The aforementioned loss of magic items and the lowering of stats from an injury would both be pretty effective. Also an option would be a Curse that can later be lifted when the rest of the party has caught up in power level.

2) Spectacular Death (Death that is itself a Spectacle) can also be really big and powerful. 100%.

3) NPCdom. Your character may be needed to fulfill some specific aspect of the quest that requires them to depart the party, and then your new character is introduced from NPC Status to help the party in his absence (And possibly betray them if your new character is secretly part of an evil plot)

Each has it's own narrative power. Talk with your DM about which solution would be most effective.

 

[Lakesidefantasy]

Kill him.

 

[piers]

If you want to keep playing him, what about swapping him out for a different character for a level or two ("Yeah, sorry guys, got to go away on a big quest for plot-related reasons"), then bringing him back?

Once the other PCs have a couple of extra levels under their belt, he won't be OP any more.

 

[Ancalagon]

So in my D&D game, I have a character, which I absolutely love. He has made a large impact on the plot, which has helped move the storyline along. There is one problem though. My character is a bit overpowered. He is a Tiefling Fighter, and has a large connection to the storyline. My DM is fine with whatever decision I make. What should I do?

So what makes this fighter OP? If he's a better tank than the other PCs... that's ok, that the fighter's job

 

[Panfilo]

If you're really in love with playing the character, take the advice of the other posters above. If you aren't, the likelihood that your DM actually has a sacrifice-worthy threat on deck is fairly high, and with the commitment to deliver your character as said sacrifice, they will probably be comfortable using it. Have a little meeting with them and plan to meet each other half way; I did as much a year or so back and it ended up elegantly fulfilling a prophecy in the campaign setting. If you want an extra layer of mechanics and flavor to go along with it (and possible future permadeaths), check out my first DMs Guild supplement, Last Stand: A Worthy Death!

 

[Sorcerers Apprentice]

If a Tiefling Fighter has somehow become overpowered, that's either the fault of the DM for handing out too many magic items, or the other players for making characters that suck in comparison.

So it's not your fault and your character shouldn't have to die for something that isn't your fault. Just enjoy the power instead!

 

[was]

you could focus more on tanking, than on dealing damage, to let other characters shine a bit during normal fights. that way you can still bring out the big guns vs. the BBEG

 

[Grendel_Khan]

This thread is kind of a big-time indictment of 5e--the fact that you can legitimately create an OP character (with almost no one on here questioning this sad fact) and also that typical 5e gameplay is so rote, repetitive, and combat-centric that being OP in this way is an issue. Just bummers all around.

 

[GMMichael]

How is he overpowered?

This. The DM who is challenged by a PC should just turn in her shield.

If a PC is making other PCs look weak in battle, that tends to get the attention of all the enemies on the battlefield. Now you're a target. . .

If @Leucis Deceit wants to keep using the character, without self-nerf, the PC could decide that his comrades are in need of training. Then the PC proceeds to coach the weaker PCs through battle, bailing them out when necessary.

If you're ready for another character, turn that PC into an NPC, to maintain the story importance.

 

[ECMO3]

Yeah, I'm still waiting for Fighter and overpowered to explained in the same sentence.

And a Tiefling none the less.