D&D General When a character dies and a new one arrives

[Maxperson]

Sure, there are challenges when there is a wide level discrepancy but, personally, I find the concern overblown. It does require a little more care with spotlight management by the DM and the group as a whole, for one - that eliminates the old chestnut that a lower level character is "useless". Furthermore, if the party can protect the noob, they will level up quickly if a group uses the standard XP progression. YMMV

I've played that way and I remember what it was like. I just don't think the rest of the party should take a hit just because someone got his PC killed. Often it's not the fault of anyone other than the player that did it.

 

[MarkB]

Sure, there are challenges when there is a wide level discrepancy but, personally, I find the concern overblown. It does require a little more care with spotlight management by the DM and the group as a whole, for one - that eliminates the old chestnut that a lower level character is "useless". Furthermore, if the party can protect the noob, they will level up quickly if a group uses the standard XP progression. YMMV

It can feel jarring, though. Even in a world where the challenges have all mysteriously scaled up to match the characters as they've levelled, it may feel weird if those challenges suddenly become easier when the party's average level drops.

 

[Maxperson]

It can feel jarring, though. Even in a world where the challenges have all mysteriously scaled up to match the characters as they've levelled, it may feel weird if those challenges suddenly become easier when the party's average level drops.

Or that for some reason there's always a kobold or other weak creature for the low level PC among the harder monsters the rest of the party has to fight.

 

[Jack Daniel]

I suppose that I have to pick "other." If a player loses one of their characters, they just switch to playing one of their other characters. (Any newly-created characters do always start at 1st level, though.)

 

[Swarmkeeper]

I've played that way and I remember what it was like. I just don't think the rest of the party should take a hit just because someone got his PC killed. Often it's not the fault of anyone other than the player that did it.

Ah, blaming the player for the death of the PC. Ok. We play in very different games, then.

It can feel jarring, though. Even in a world where the challenges have all mysteriously scaled up to match the characters as they've levelled, it may feel weird if those challenges suddenly become easier when the party's average level drops.

Absolutely - which is one argument against catering the level of encounters to the party level. IME, sometimes encounters are very easy, sometimes they are very hard, most often they are somewhere on the spectrum in between. How a party approaches an encounter also plays into the difficulty level (parlay vs fight on sight vs run away vs change up the strategy midway vs... whatever).

 

[Maxperson]

Ah, blaming the player for the death of the PC. Ok. We play in very different games, then.

Whose fault is it when a player has his PC wander off completely alone and into an encounter that could challenge the entire party? People make bad decisions man. I see it all the time.

 

[Swarmkeeper]

Whose fault is it when a player has his PC wander off completely alone and into an encounter that could challenge the entire party? People make bad decisions man. I see it all the time.

Whose fault?
Possibly the DM for not telegraphing the danger so the player could make a more informed decision.
Possibly the player group for not discussing a cohesive plan.
Possibly the agreed upon mechanic by which the player knows they'll be able to roll up a new PC at the same level if things go sideways.
Possibly the player for invoking "but that's what my character would do".
Possibly just dumb luck.

Assessing blame at the table is not something we find particularly fun, so we try our best to avoid it and instead lean into the story whether characters are dying or not. YMMV.

 

[Maxperson]

Whose fault?
Possibly the DM for not telegraphing the danger so the player could make a more informed decision.
Possibly the player group for not discussing a cohesive plan.
Possibly the agreed upon mechanic by which the player knows they'll be able to roll up a new PC at the same level if things go sideways.
Possibly the player for invoking "but that's what my character would do".
Possibly just dumb luck.

Or possibly the player for making a bad decision.

Assessing blame at the table is not something we find particularly fun, so we try our best to avoid it and instead lean into the story whether characters are dying or not. YMMV.

I agree, which is why I avoid it by just letting the player bring in a PC of the same level. That way no matter whose fault(or no fault), the rest of the group isn't punished by the inclusion of a weaker PC that will hurt them in the challenging fights.

 

[Swarmkeeper]

Or possibly the player for making a bad decision.

I agree, which is why I avoid it by just letting the player bring in a PC of the same level. That way no matter whose fault(or no fault), the rest of the group isn't punished by the inclusion of a weaker PC that will hurt them in the challenging fights.

And I disagree that one is punishing the group by having a new PC join the group at a lower level than the level of the party when playing 5e. 5e works either way - PCs at the same levels or not the same levels. Yes, even in challenging fights in which the added challenge of a varied level group may be in finding a solution other than MOAR firepower. But therein lies the sticking point where it appears we won't agree.

 

[bloodtide]

Same level as the rest of the group.