It's hardly a risk if there's no danger.d4 said:i find this style of gaming induces the players to take many more risks than they would otherwise. and of course, risky situations are fun.frontal attack in broad daylight? sure, why not? may not be the smartest thing to do, but oh boy, it'll sure be fun!
Spineless Puppy DMs Unite!
- Thread starter barsoomcore
- Start date
RangerWickett
Legend
I thought, perhaps for a moment, that I was a SPDM, but then I realized, "I don't play D&D. I play Feng Shui Fantasy d20, just with the D&D rules."
And it's true. I don't kill PCs except at the end of story arcs where the dramatic tension is high. Because of the college schedule, I have a home game, and a college game. The college game has two seasons a year, Fall and Spring, and at the end of each season, there's a good chance some one can die. The home game has only one season, in the Summer, but I usually have a Christmas Special. At the end of the season, crazy stuff usually happens, and I try to make the PCs sweat, and in the Christmas Special, it's a one-shot where I let the players be happy with how cool they are.
In mid-season adventures, I don't kill PCs. I find more interesting ways to make their mistakes hurt. The PCs in my college game ended up captured, so they lost most of their magic items and spellbooks, and one mage got his leg cut off for being resistant to torture, but they managed to escape, and when they finally beat the bad guys, they'll be happier for it.
In my home game, at the end of this season, I plan to have them be confronted by the main villain who can wipe the floor with them, and let them deal with his minions as they try to escape. I am slowly building up the tension, and a few weeks ago, when one beloved NPC would have died prematurely (for my tastes), I instead had her soul get stolen, but her body be left alive, which hopefully raises the stakes, and makes the game more interesting.
I don't kill the PCs, and I do fudge the rules a bit to let them do cool stuff, but that's because I care more about a dramatic story arc than having great danger in their hearts all the time. And I have fun, and so do the players (I hope), so that's all that matters.
* An addendum. I have killed two PCs, both from the same player. One time his character's berserker rage kept him from retreating, so he got killed, but it was near the climax of the campaign, so it seemed fair. The other time, the little gnome was too defiant in the face of a captor, and tried to make three escape attempts. The first, he was beaten in punishment. The second, tortured. Third time was too much, so he ended up dead. I think he knew what would happen, though, and felt it was appropriate to his character.
And it's true. I don't kill PCs except at the end of story arcs where the dramatic tension is high. Because of the college schedule, I have a home game, and a college game. The college game has two seasons a year, Fall and Spring, and at the end of each season, there's a good chance some one can die. The home game has only one season, in the Summer, but I usually have a Christmas Special. At the end of the season, crazy stuff usually happens, and I try to make the PCs sweat, and in the Christmas Special, it's a one-shot where I let the players be happy with how cool they are.
In mid-season adventures, I don't kill PCs. I find more interesting ways to make their mistakes hurt. The PCs in my college game ended up captured, so they lost most of their magic items and spellbooks, and one mage got his leg cut off for being resistant to torture, but they managed to escape, and when they finally beat the bad guys, they'll be happier for it.
In my home game, at the end of this season, I plan to have them be confronted by the main villain who can wipe the floor with them, and let them deal with his minions as they try to escape. I am slowly building up the tension, and a few weeks ago, when one beloved NPC would have died prematurely (for my tastes), I instead had her soul get stolen, but her body be left alive, which hopefully raises the stakes, and makes the game more interesting.
I don't kill the PCs, and I do fudge the rules a bit to let them do cool stuff, but that's because I care more about a dramatic story arc than having great danger in their hearts all the time. And I have fun, and so do the players (I hope), so that's all that matters.
* An addendum. I have killed two PCs, both from the same player. One time his character's berserker rage kept him from retreating, so he got killed, but it was near the climax of the campaign, so it seemed fair. The other time, the little gnome was too defiant in the face of a captor, and tried to make three escape attempts. The first, he was beaten in punishment. The second, tortured. Third time was too much, so he ended up dead. I think he knew what would happen, though, and felt it was appropriate to his character.
I see your point, and it does have its attractions, Barsoomcore. I haven't DM'd since I TPK'd (well actually, there was one survivor in a party of 7 - he ran faster than the bad guys) my bunch of players in 1993... of course, it could be that I was just frustrated by my players after they performed an incredibly convoluted and silly series of actions, culminating with an attempt to take out the temple of Bane at Zhentil Keep, in an FR campaign a decade ago...
Wulf Ratbane
Adventurer
d4 said:
Yes, but would it still have gratuitous full frontal nudity?
Wulf
boxstop7
First Post
Here, here! I sometimes wonder how I walk with that tube of jelly running up my back in place of a spine. I fudge rolls when characters hit single digit hp, I don't use 'save or die' situations, and PCs only die if they do something unbelievably stupid (like a 3rd level wizard going toe-to-toe with a dire bear..."bah, how many hp can this thing have?" as he casts burning hands at a DIRE BEAR...didn't happen in my game, but I played in the game in which it did happen, and the poor dumb bastard would've lost his head in my game, too...). The idea in my game is for the players to be the heroes. I play in the Forgotten Realms, and I generally ignore the grandiose, epic heroes. They're present, but my players are the local heroes. No one bails them out. If they fail, the town/mayor/local guard/whomever will suffer for it, and they know it. Then, next time, maybe the next town over will ask their help in some matter. I just don't have it in me to kill off PCs left and right. Besides, I much prefer being cute and cuddly. 
~Box
~Box
rushlight
Roll for Initiative!
The theory that killing PCs caused problems or is negative in some way is illogical - unless you've removed all the "Raise Dead" spells from the game!
See, in D&D death isn't always Death. Nor should it be. I've killed several PCs as a DM, and if the player desires to continue playing that PC (which is usually, but not always the case) he does. And to great effect. It's somewhat of a badge of honor to them to mark the occations of their previous deaths...
I've also used PC death as an chance to make subtle, but not "logical" changes to a character. Like if someone has made a decision regarding skill points or a feat here or there that was totally useless (i.e. never used) that's a good chance to rectify the situation.
In short, PC death isn't something to be afraid of. It's not permanent, after all...
See, in D&D death isn't always Death. Nor should it be. I've killed several PCs as a DM, and if the player desires to continue playing that PC (which is usually, but not always the case) he does. And to great effect. It's somewhat of a badge of honor to them to mark the occations of their previous deaths...
I've also used PC death as an chance to make subtle, but not "logical" changes to a character. Like if someone has made a decision regarding skill points or a feat here or there that was totally useless (i.e. never used) that's a good chance to rectify the situation.
In short, PC death isn't something to be afraid of. It's not permanent, after all...
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Desdichado
Legend
Sorry, BC, I'm not really with you on this one. I'm hardly a rat-bastard DM, but I'm not a Spineless Puppy either. I've killed my share of PCs, but I don't brag about it or go out of my way to do it either. In fact, I try to help the PCs avoid it, as much as possible. Most of the PCs in my games who've died have been lacking in wisdom. As players, not characters.
But, accidents do occasionally happen, you know...
But, accidents do occasionally happen, you know...
LoneWolf23
First Post
I guess I count as one too, because my goal is never to kill my player's characters when I plan (or improvise) an adventure. It's to make them sweat, grunt and cry from difficulty, until they eventually overcome the problem and reap the rewards.
I guess I'm what John Wick would call a "dirty" GM. Personally, I don't mind. I derive more pleasure out of seeing my players succeed at overcoming a difficult challenge then I do seeing their characters die.
I guess I'm what John Wick would call a "dirty" GM. Personally, I don't mind. I derive more pleasure out of seeing my players succeed at overcoming a difficult challenge then I do seeing their characters die.
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