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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Li Shenron" data-source="post: 8054812" data-attributes="member: 1465">These days I wouldn't let a PC die without asking the player if they are ok with that. Not everyone but at least a good number of players have a very character-driven approach to RPG, especially many beginners/newcomers are specifically interested in the idea that a RPG allows them to creatively design a character. They invest their effort in imagining their character from a much larger perspective than their stats, and they expect having to develop the character's story alongside the other characters for a fairly good time. A DM that fails to acknowledge that these players are important contributors to the game and their kind of fun is not less deserved than other kinds, and thinks that character death is a good way to "teach them a lesson" (presumably about the "true" way to play the game), is simply a turd: the only "lesson" they learn is that there's no room for their kind of fun in the game.If a PC dies in my game, I let the players know that indeed, according to the RAW it should be dead, but what do you and the rest of the group want to do with it? Are you ok with the story of this character ending here and in this way? If all agree that it makes sense for the story, the player makes a new PC of the same level (although in 5e it might be also ok to make it 1st level, to give time to the player to learn the new character's mechanics, and level up quickly). But it has to be noted that if this happens to the kind of player above, you shouldn't rush them into building a new character too quickly.Otherwise, I give them two more option. The first is to try and get the PC back among the living using in-game options like resurrection spells or side-quests. I do not particularly push the group towards this, because I am aware that many people feel that magical resurrection capabilities are lame, but if they think they are fine, then it's fine for me too. I also ask them if they want to follow the more gamist "write-off approach" (e.g. just remove 5000 gp from your cash and be done with it) or a more full-narrative approach of having to find that amount in diamonds or going on a side-quest. If the player has to wait for a while, they can play a sidekick character or even try to control some monsters for me in battle.The last option is to replace death with something else. We will agree together what would make sense depending on the circumstances. The PC might have been captured or may stay unconscious and need to be dragged around for quite some time (during which the player can do the same as above). Or otherwise we decide on a long-term penalty to represent a major wound appropriate to the means of death, one possible idea is for the wound to remain until next level.As you can see, there are plenty of options I am open about as a DM. As a player on the other hand, I don't mind. Go ahead and kill my PC, I'll just make another one. I always have at least a dozen idea I want to try anyway.</blockquote>

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