Unfair Character Death?

[Brother Shatterstone]

I'd like to empathize, but I can't think of anything else I could have done but pointedly tell him the following:

"You have set off a triggered Evard's Black Tentacles spell. This is a magical trap that you can disarm. There are probably more in this fortress. You should be on your guard."

Sure let me help you...

"Give description, it might have been a spell but your experience suggests it might have been a trap."

Enjoy.

 

[Crothian]

I'd like to empathize, but I can't think of anything else I could have done but pointedly tell him the following:

"You have set off a triggered Evard's Black Tentacles spell. This is a magical trap that you can disarm. There are probably more in this fortress. You should be on your guard."

and that would have completely ruined the campaign?

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

My mistake, the PC rogue (who was a veteran) did not know. I stand corrected.

Then did the others make any move to caution him? If not then I suspect none of them truly knew what was going on.

 

[The Thayan Menace]

Trap?

Sure let me help you...

"Give description, it might have been a spell but your experience suggests it might have been a trap."

Enjoy.

So, your solution is to simply tell the PC it was a trap then?

 

[Crothian]

Plus, to reiterate, no one in the party made absolutely any attempt to determine what had happened in the first place.

So, it wasn't just this one player who didn't realize it ; it was all of your veteran players who failed to realize it.

 

[The Thayan Menace]

Caution

Then did the others make any move to caution him? If not then I suspect none of them truly knew what was going on.

Actually, they did not ... however, at the time, they were fighting a legion of gnolls, a gargoyle sentry, and an insane hound archon. Maybe they forgot, or maybe they just figured he could do his job.

 

[The Thayan Menace]

Realization

So, it wasn't just this one player who didn't realize it ; it was all of your veteran players who failed to realize it.

No ... most of them realized it; they just didn't say anything. I figure that's on them, you know? What am I supposed to do? Keep reminding them to look for traps?

 

[Crothian]

No ... most of them realized it; they just didn't say anything. I figure that's on them, you know? What am I supposed to do? Keep reminding them to look for traps?

Since the player is trying to blame you have you tried telling him that its the other players fault since they all knew but choose to leave him in the dark about it anyway??

 

[The Thayan Menace]

Ruination

and that would have completely ruined the campaign?

No ... but it would certainly take the mystery and excitement out of it.

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

So, your solution is to simply tell the PC it was a trap then?

I think if you read my words I said it might have been a trap. It still depends upon a skill check to truly find the trap.

Your words again:

I was willing to let bygones-be-bygones, and admit that I could have been more forthcoming about the nature of what his character was facing. After all, his PC was a skilled Thayan rogue, and he would have known what a magical trap was (even if his player did not).

You either forgot or you mislead him as he didn't get the information he truly should have.