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Message: <blockquote data-quote="rogueattorney" data-source="post: 1429561" data-attributes="member: 17551">I'm a long-time lurker, who joined the site for the specific purpose of responding to this thread.I'm confounded by this notion that DM's "allow" PC's to die, or that DM's "kill" PC's.  Here's a pretty generic scenario:A PC's on a mission to fulfill some campaign oriented goal.  In the course of this mission he encounters a monster.  The monster stands in the PC's way of fulfilling his goal.  Combat ensues.  On the monster's turn during combat, I roll a d20, making adjustments as appropriate in the rules, with the result that the monster hits the PC.  I then roll the appropriate damage dice, making the appropriate adjustments, with the result that enough damage is dealt to the PC that he is dead.In what way did I "kill" the PC?  How was I supposed as DM to avoid "allowing" the PC to die?  Was I supposed to:A.  Fudge the die rolls?B.  Not roll the die at all, and narrate an appropriate combat resolution?C.  Make sure the PC never encounters a monster unless it is statistically impossible that the monster be able to kill the PC?D.  Run a campaign in which combat never happens?Do you know what I say to all four of those answers above, as both a player and DM?  BO-RING!!!!  Players do not become attached to their characters through an endless series of adventures in which there is a 100% chance of survival.  Players become attached to their characters as they survive numerous deadly encounters over the course of several adventures.  That's what makes the high-level characters special:  they have survived where others did not.As to story lines that are unable to survive character deaths, I'm going to say something that might be a bit harsh, but I think it needs to be said:  Storylines that are derailed by a simple character death are built on a deck of cards.  There, I said it.  If DM's are going to create a story line where the PC's are the "only ones" who can save the world, or are otherwise beholden to performing certain tasks, the DM's MUST plan for what happens when they fail.And now, back to lurking...R.A.</blockquote>

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