Stupid player decisions + bad dice rolls = dead PC

[The Blue Elf]

Well its never easy I admit I do get those kinds of rolls in my game and lose sometimes the best option for a player is to run away and avoid combat if the player is such a bad roller, but sometimes its effective when its the only way to get out of combat.

 

[caudor]

You could talk to the Bard's player, ask them if they want to continue playing the Bard, and if they do, pick up the next game with her chained to a wall, somewhere, being healed by an (evil?) Cleric, and then asked where the Empress is, by one of scruffy's allies. The Emperor's Cleric, meanwhile, can be using Zone of Truth (or one of those "Healing Potions" he offered her may actually have been Truth Serum).

The rest of the party, meanwhile, can be left to assume that the Bard is, indeed, dead.

Hey Steverooo, that's a pretty clever resolution you came up with. I'd use it

 

[Halivar]

Then why are you fudging all the time, every game?

Exagger... err... hyperbole. I knew you were gonna call me on it...

Like I said, I don't throw low-CR stuff at them unless it's to move the plot forward, but I'm always trying to move the plot forward. I throw characters at them that I expect to get taken out like clockwork, but Mr. Red-Shirt NPC rolls a 20 and player rolls a 1, then rolls a 1 on his reflex save to hold on to his weapon. Then Mr. Red Shirt NPC rolls two 20's in a row. It happens; it really does. Twice now I've turned a hidden second 20 into a "missed the crit, but still hit."

Most of the time they're up to any challenge (and sometimes surprise me how easily they defeat BBEG's I was afraid would TPK them).

But of course, there are those nights where the laws of probability turn on their head due to improper alignment of the planets and no one rolls above 10 all night. Some roll 1's five times in a row and all heck breaks loose. Players fail what ought to be trivial checks and attacks in a frustrating comedy of errors akin to Final Destination (I mean, who didn't laugh through that movie?).

As a DM, these occurances frustrate me, too. Games where you make the all the right decisions, pick all the right fights, bring all the right tools and you die anyways seems to go against the nature of the fantasy epic. Maybe if we were playing Cthulhu or something, it would be appropriate.

Those are just my thoughts, and from my group. Your group is probably very different and expects something very different than mine does, and that's cool, too.

 

[Luddite]

I think it is okay to "fudge" dice when luck has over shadowed any skill or planing on part of the players. Also I find that I may "fudge" a situation if it has gone way out of its plan/purpose.

For instance, the Orc Ambush, if it was realy just supposed to be an encounter to show "There are orcs around here," then the encouter should not create a TPK. If the Orc Ambush was "The final battle" where the fate of the adventure was in the balance, then a TPK is okay .

Now, when the players are "stupid" then that is also another story. I don't feel as compled if it was the players fault for being un-prepared.

-The Luddite

 

[Steverooo]

Hey Steverooo, that's a pretty clever resolution you came up with. I'd use it

Thanks, but I don't know if it'll work quite so well for the Buttery-cup, as her PCs are sneaking out of town... Now it would mean the Bard's on his or her own, and can't rejoin the party even if (s)he escapes!

 

[green slime]

Actually considering that it is an Inn, I'd think that quite a few people would start looking up the stairs, and sticking noses out of their doors once a large rucus starts.

I suppose if it was late at night or in the early hours of the morning folks would be slower to take notice... But I like to think that if such an alarm as melee combatants would make, and consequent thundering down the stairs, I'd be hard pressed to not stick my nose out the door for at least a sticky beak in less than 12 seconds. Inns and hotels aren't really reknown for their huge suites. At least those I can afford.

IMO 12 seconds is quite a lot of time, time enough to react to a noise, leap out of bed and walk 10 feet to open a door.

 

[reapersaurus]

So, I feel what happened is tragic and a little stupid, but you had your part in it, too. Sorry if I come across as brash, no offense intended, just a little nudge

wow... my madness has infected other people on the boards.
I've always considered it my responsibility to play Devil's Advocate with these kinds of posts, and challenge the poster to examine their contributory actions in the situation.

Good job, Berandor!

In this case, I think the cleric player is a bad gamer, who doesn't have a good player mentality, and is more concerned with his own fun than helping the group (i.e. the other players and DM), but that's just IMO.

 

[frankthedm]

Stupid player decisions + bad dice rolls = dead PC

Is the way D&D should be played. If the group willingly lets an idiot into thier group they have to pay for it. When going into life or death situations you don't bring the villiage idiot. PC or not the fool should be removed from the group and the character retired.

 

[Hjorimir]

I think it would be pretty tough to basically tell another human being sitting at the table that they can't play in our reindeer game because their character is an idiot.

Hopefully, this experience will encourage a bit more thought from the player in question.

 

[Berandor]

I've always considered it my responsibility to play Devil's Advocate with these kinds of posts, and challenge the poster to examine their contributory actions in the situation.

Good job, Berandor!

Heh, thanks?


Don't tell, but on one message board, my handle is "advocatus diaboli". I rarely use it, though, only when I'm looking for a little fun