Unfair Character Death?

[DonTadow]

I have managed to work things out with the offending player.

I decided to take the high road and acknowledge that my lack of rich detail could have indirectly contributed to his character's death (at least from his point of view). He was satisfied with this explanation.

I still feel that blame rests with this player's inability to comprehend the rules and bad luck on the PC's part.

I also still feel that, although my description was not flawless, it was adequate.

I will not admit to causing the death of his character (i.e., making a mistake I did not make) and I am glad that I did not have to.

And, yes, his character is still DEAD.

Anyway, I am still eager to hear everyone's opinion on this matter ... so, keep 'em coming.

I'm glad you stuck with his character still dying and the situation has been resolved. As a DM you need to be flexible, but you also need to know when to stick by your rulings. It's up to his character to know the rules. What a character would have done or could have done is pretty much irrelevant.

 

[the Jester]

Apologize for the possible misunderstanding and possible miscommunication. Offer to roll back events to the point just before he triggered the trap resulting in his death. Resume from that point onwards.

The single biggest rule of being a good dm, imho and ime, is: NO GODDAMN DO-OVERS.

If I was another player in this game, and there was a do-over in this case, and I had ever lost a character in this game, it would piss me off to no end to have things 'rolled back' like this. Even if I hadn't ever had a pc die in the campaign, this would completely ruin the campaign for me.

The only time I think an actual 'do-over' is acceptable is in the case of egregious rules errors caught immediately.

YMMV, of course.

 

[The Thayan Menace]

Clarity

So, what's the purpose of this thread? You don't want advice on how to handle the situation. You don't want any opinions or ideas that contradict what you think has happened. Are you just looking for support that you are right and the player is wrong? You keep saying his your best friend but you are treating him like a friend and willing to consider that you may have made a mistake.

1. I do want advice.

2. I don't mind contradiction or lively debate.

3. I'm not specifically looking for support, but it's not a bad thing.

4. I did not make a mistake, and I have yet to be convinced otherwise.

 

[Crothian]

4. I did not make a mistake, and I have yet to be convinced otherwise.

Except you admit that you could have described things better. What is so wrong with saying you made a mistake? Will the group not trust you because you have proven to be human?

 

[The Thayan Menace]

Word (x4)

Except you admit that you could have described things better. What is so wrong with saying you made a mistake? Will the group not trust you because you have proven to be human?

I always could do things better. That's not an unrealistic admission. However, I will not take blame for something that is not my fault ... I refuse to be a scapegoat.

As a DM, I am always willing to concede when I have done wrong. However, I will not allow my gaming integrity (and group trust) to be assailed by those without cause ... period.

 

[kanithardm]

The player with the rogue told me that he did not know that these tentacle effects were magical traps, and, if he did, he would have actively searched for them throughout the adventure..........

.........he assumed that they represented some type of evil magic that he could not disable.

Am I missing something here?

 

[The Thayan Menace]

Missing?

No, you're not missing anything. The PC rogue just didn't know what a magical trap was (despite a description of its effects) ... that's all.

 

[DonTadow]

Again, glad you stuck to your decision, but the description still could have been better. I don't expect my pcs to remember every single trap effect and its very likely that the tenacles could be some lingering magical effect.

I think next time you should make sure the pcs know when they trigger a trap. (listen and spot checks) They hear a click , they step on a stone and feel the air change as the tenacles sprout out. Something to that effect. From your description I was under the impression at first that the pcs knew they triggered traps previously, however, it seems as with subsequent descriptions that they did not give them a chance to know they triggered a trap.

 

[The Thayan Menace]

Obviously

From your description I was under the impression at first that the pcs knew they triggered traps previously, however, it seems as with subsequent descriptions that they did not give them a chance to know they triggered a trap.

Everyone except the rogue did know. While I acknowledge that I could have given a better description, my description was adequate enough.

I feel no obligation to beat a player over the head and say:

"You see those tentacles that appeared from out of nowhere? That's a magical trap, stupid!"

 

[The Thayan Menace]

??? (x2)

... its [sic] very likely that the tenacles could be some lingering magical effect.

Like what, exactly?