Those groups where no one ever dies

[LazerPointer]

I game with one group right now, play in 2 campaigns, and DM a third. I'm sure my group isn't unique in having no character death, (without a quick ressurection) but now that I'm DMing, I wanna kill PC's.

Thing is, I think my group would see PC death as a dirty trick, or just bad DMing, like I didn't give them enough info for them to avoid it.

So, besides loading up on enemies or random DM fiat, how do I change my group's mindset about it? Should I have one of MY characters in another game do more reckless things? Should I just play the game, and if/when it happens away from a powerful cleric say they're SOL....

Yeah, I'm going for the last one, but who's been through this?

 

[The_lurkeR]

It sounds like something you need to discuss with the group. If the players go into the game knowing that you're not going to pull any punches, then there shouldn't be any problem.

 

[The Amazing Dingo]

Lay down the rules and the laws right at the outset. Do a little write up saying basically that characters will, most likely, die in this game. Is it personal? No. Is it you being mean? No. Is it the PCs being dumb? Not always. Let them know that this is a game that has to be played smartly and that death is a real possibility because you want it to be.

Of course, with the game already underway, it would most likely be best to do as Lurker suggested and discuss it with them first. Let them know where you stand on it any why - because you feel it would spice up the game, add a depth of realism to it, and possibily help to make them even better players (in terms of thinking and in terms of expanding what they are capable to dealing with in a game).

Good luck with it. Let us know how it goes if you try it (both talking to the group and the effects).

 

[Al]

I run the game as per the rules, and throw a lot of tough encounters at my PCs (some of which could have been avoided). I must confess that I've got a bit of a reputation as a killer DM :\ . The point is that combat is deadly and adventuring is deadly, and I don't pull punches. As long as your group know that, I don't see why they should be particularly upset.

 

[Thanee]

Just roll the dice in the open (except for secret stuff).

Bye
Thanee

 

[shilsen]

What the lurkeR, The Amazing Dingo and Thanee said. You definitely need to tell your group about it beforehand, since they've been gaming with a particular set of expectations due to the way the game has been run, and it would be unfair to change the latter without warning them that they need to change the former too. Rolling in the open will help make it clear that you're not just killing PCs for the heck of it.

I'd also suggest seriously considering how this change will work in your particular group. All groups don't appreciate the same things, and while there are groups who would rip their collective hair out at the idea of a game where no PC death occurs, others would stop playing if their PCs kept dying. So make sure to weigh the positives with the negatives as far as this change is concerned.

 

[Acid_crash]

I'm the type of player that welcomes a characters death when it means something, and even sometimes when it seems random. I know that adventuring is dangerous, climbing 300 feet cliffs is dangerous, so is fighting orcs, and dragons, and entering dungeons should have a higher death total than it normally does.

What I don't like is the DM who saves the parties butts just to avoid a character death. That just ruins the game for me.

My best example is a DM that put us (averate party level 3) against a green dragon guarding a horde, the dragon being large size, we should have been wiped out. The dragon didn't even attack us, but wouldn't let us near the horde. Just let us go. We asked him why, he said he just didn't want to kill anybody. I told him, until he gets the guts to actually use what he puts in front of us, don't run the damn game.

 

[fusangite]

Some people will adjust to this better than others. So, you might want the first character death to be a little less than 100% random. So, perhaps you might want to skew risks towards the characters of players who are more emotionally mature and capable of handling this.

Ideally, if you want to ease people into this, the first death shouldn't be random at all but instead kill off the character of someone who is a little tired of him or her.

 

[IronWolf]

I agree with several of the others. Be sure to tell the players up front that there are likely to be deaths in the game you run. Let them know it is nothing personal and you are not out to get anyone. They should be fine with it as long as they understand ahead of time how your game is run. Make sure they know that in some cases it may be best to flee an encounter and come back better prepared, etc.

Personally, I like a game where the encounters are fair, perhaps a little on the difficult side. Puts more at risk for my character and forces me to think harder about how to approach the enounter.

 

[Eosin the Red]

What I don't like is the DM who saves the parties butts just to avoid a character death. That just ruins the game for me.

Amen brother!

Once is a mistake but having to pull the parties hind end from the flames on more than one occassion means either the DM needs help or the players do - either way it blows the game for me.