When Do You (GM) Kill PCs?

[Xath]

I've noticed a disparity amongst GMs when it comes to killing player characters. Some really don't like killing PCs and will try to avoid it whenever possible, even when it involved fudging dice rolls or ignoring rules. Some only do it when it is dramatically appropriate in the story. And some just let the dice fall where they may. Where do you fall?

Also, how easy is it to be ressurected in your game, and does this effect your willingness to kill PCs?

 

[diaglo]

i don't kill PCs. the players do it themselves.
edit: and it is very difficult to resurrect in the game when the PCs are only around lvl 1-4 and they haven't met anyone who can use that magic yet.

 

[Knight-of-Roses]

The ability to bring characters (or anyone) back from the dead is usually unobtainable in my camapigns. So, I am careful about killing characters but sometimes they set themselves up to be killed and that is that.

 

[JoeGKushner]

I'm using a variant now from Unearthed Arcana where it's a fort save to avoid dying as opposed to the -10 rule.

-10 is okay at first level when you might not even have 10 hit points. At 10th level when you have ten times that amount... well, it's silly.

I may borrow a page from Rolemaster and just do you die at you're negative in hit points or something along those lines.

Not saying player's don't die in my games though. Stupid is as stupid does and all that.

 

[diaglo]

I'm using a variant now from Unearthed Arcana where it's a fort save to avoid dying as opposed to the -10 rule.

-10 is okay at first level when you might not even have 10 hit points. At 10th level when you have ten times that amount... well, it's silly.

I may borrow a page from Rolemaster and just do you die at you're negative in hit points or something along those lines.

Not saying player's don't die in my games though. Stupid is as stupid does and all that.

in OD&D 0 hp = dead. no negatives...

 

[Vurt]

If the players have planned well, or are using good tactics, and the dice just aren't rolling their way, I'll usually fudge a roll here or there to keep them in the game. Doesn't always work, but it often helps.

On the other hand, if the players have set on a course of action that is clearly risky without some good planning or having taken appropriate precautions, then let the dice fall where they may. (At one point this got so bad I had to stop running Barakus, as the players were getting frustrated having to roll up new characters every other session. )

Cheers,
Vurt

 

[MonsterMash]

Let the dice decide.

Actually I may start using a fate point system (similar to the Conan RPG) to give them the option of surviving a couple of times.

 

[StupidSmurf]

While I actively do not go out of my way to kill PCs, I also do not take "heroic measures" to shield them from harm.

 

[Satori]

If I DM, then I can be assured that players will have spent upwards of several weeks or more developing their concepts, history, personality, and quirks. Since I personally stink at creating strategic dungeon crawls, darn near every one of my adventures is character driven through background or other pertinent "PC" factor.

As such, I have a very, VERY hard time killing off characters. When the player has developed such an emotional investment in their PC, and I've dumped a crudload of time into creating scenarios based on that PC, killing off the focus of a Biography doesn't really leave a good taste in your mouth.

I know its a serious DM flaw of mine, but I just can't seem to bring myself to kill off a PC that doesn't really deserve it.

Now, if they do something extremely stupid (that has NOTHING to do with roleplaying...some of my old players were silly bard-types, so they got away with some bizarre stuff), then chances are I've failed in creating a sufficient story that engrosses the player enough to be cautious with their PC. As such, I might kill off the player (as a result of their own actions) as a means to end the campaign.

Also, I don't typically use resurrection except as a plot device. During one campaign, the players converted some of their favorite 2nd Ed characters to 3rd Ed and acted as "Raised Champions" to battle a Gar'Udok like menace. It didn't last long, as I failed to scale the adventure appropriately (another DM shortcoming of mine) and the lvl 14 PCs stomped on everything.

So no, I don't normally kill off PCs.

 

[GoodKingJayIII]

Let the dice fall where they may, with an addendum: If the player(s) are going through a string of bad luck, I'll fudge. I've only had a few deaths, but I don't think that's because I've gone out of my way to prevent it.