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<blockquote data-quote="Gorgon Zee" data-source="post: 8137065" data-attributes="member: 75787">It looks like every other fantasy camping I've run or played in, except that players invest more strongly in role-playing their characters at low level. At mid-high level, death in D&amp;D is just an expense, so it really just makes a difference at low level. Instead of players just treating low-level characters as numbers and ice rolls until they can be sure they will survive, players buy into their characters more when death is very unlikely. Pretty much as you'd expect.So, for me: high death rates → low character investment; low death rates → high character investment.Back in the day, I recall a mid-tier character being attacked by a rust monster and a raging barbarian ogre with a high-grit weapon. They were by far more worried about their weapon being destroyed than being killed. BY FAR.Random death is a tremendously boring result. As a threat it is motivating, but if you have good role-players they will be more motivated by, and care more about losses related to:<ul>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">their loved ones, family and friends</li>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">their community</li>
<li data-xf-list-type="ul">prized possessions -- especially for some reason homes.</li>
</ul>Another effect is that players are less cautious. Whether you view that as a good thing or not is a matter of choice. For me, I got fairly tired of the rogue always announcing his they were checking for traps, or the party always wanting to go home when out of healing spells, or taking all their spells as boring damage or damage mitigators rather than more fun role-play friendly spells.So, for me: high death rates → emphasis on avoiding death; low death rates → emphasis on role-playing</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Gorgon Zee, post: 8137065, member: 75787"] It looks like every other fantasy camping I've run or played in, except that players invest more strongly in role-playing their characters at low level. At mid-high level, death in D&D is just an expense, so it really just makes a difference at low level. Instead of players just treating low-level characters as numbers and ice rolls until they can be sure they will survive, players buy into their characters more when death is very unlikely. Pretty much as you'd expect. So, for me: [B]high death rates → low character investment; low death rates → high character investment.[/B] Back in the day, I recall a mid-tier character being attacked by a rust monster and a raging barbarian ogre with a high-grit weapon. They were by far more worried about their weapon being destroyed than being killed. BY FAR. Random death is a tremendously boring result. As a threat it is motivating, but if you have good role-players they will be more motivated by, and care more about losses related to: [LIST] [*]their loved ones, family and friends [*]their community [*]prized possessions -- especially for some reason homes. [/LIST] Another effect is that players are less cautious. Whether you view that as a good thing or not is a matter of choice. For me, I got fairly tired of the rogue always announcing his they were checking for traps, or the party always wanting to go home when out of healing spells, or taking all their spells as boring damage or damage mitigators rather than more fun role-play friendly spells. So, for me: [B]high death rates → emphasis on avoiding death; low death rates → emphasis on role-playing[/B] [/QUOTE]

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