When Do You (GM) Kill PCs?

[Xath]

Does the game system you're using effect how you handle death in a game? I could understand PC death being more common in Paranoia or Midnight than in other systems.

 

[Mercule]

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

Ditto. That's my favorite variant from UA. But, only apply it to PCs and significant NPCs unless you want a lot of moralism about every disabled orc at first level. I'm finding that this variant allows me to "let the dice roll" without worrying about the PCs.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Ditto. That's my favorite variant from UA. But, only apply it to PCs and significant NPCs unless you want a lot of moralism about every disabled orc at first level. I'm finding that this variant allows me to "let the dice roll" without worrying about the PCs.

Agreed. It's another case of the "PC's being special", much like action points and some other goods I've got in store for 'em.

 

[Sejs]

Does the game system you're using effect how you handle death in a game? I could understand PC death being more common in Paranoia or Midnight than in other systems.

Certainly. Paranoia in particular. There is an intrinsic knowledge of the DM Is Out To Get You, Citizen that comes with playing Paranoia. That's why you get the clones, after all.

 

[Blue_Kryptonite]

For everyone that uses quotes in "story"...

My players come to the table for the story. If we wanted to play a no-story game, we'd haul out Axis & allies.

That said, my game is run like a TV show. Episodes, seasons, and lots of story. You will note that Hercules, Iolus, Xena, and Gabrielle all somehow survived to the end of the series. At our table, Death is a dramatic event, fully agreed to and often planned in advance by the players, usually to try out a new character concept.

Simply put: Any DM who askes for "sufficient background" is like a boss wh expects you to work overtime for free. Its not right, and its not fair. There's better use for someone's creative writing skills than random nameless canon fodder. If I knew a DM allowed the dice to work their will, no way in hell is he even getting a last name for my guy. And it will be My Guy. I'm not going to put any work into a personality or even a sense of identification with my playing piece if I know he's just "the next slab of meat" in any random encounter.

 

[Nebulous]

Ditto. That's my favorite variant from UA. But, only apply it to PCs and significant NPCs unless you want a lot of moralism about every disabled orc at first level. I'm finding that this variant allows me to "let the dice roll" without worrying about the PCs.

I'll have to think about using that one. Sounds pretty good. I like action points in my campaigns too.

 

[ThirdWizard]

Simply put: Any DM who askes for "sufficient background" is like a boss wh expects you to work overtime for free. Its not right, and its not fair.

Dude, have you never heard of raise dead?

I've had four or five deaths so far in my 8th level game, and still all the same characters.

 

[JoeGKushner]

Dude, have you never heard of raise dead?

I've had four or five deaths so far in my 8th level game, and still all the same characters.

I don't know if it's the meantality of the players, the books we read when growing up or what, but raise dead seems like a big "cheat" so to speak for many players and they'd rather avoid it in the first place.

For me, I see it as a perfectly valid way to get the game back on track and suck some of the player's resources at the same time!

 

[Samnell]

I'm willing to fudge to prevent a sure TPK, but that's it. And even then I try to keep the fudging extremely minimal. Monsters/NPCs using tactics too stupid for their intelligence scores counts as fudging.

If the monsters kill half the party, then that's just how it is. Maybe the party needs to learn to work together better or pick their fights better.

 

[DonTadow]

I don't know if it's the meantality of the players, the books we read when growing up or what, but raise dead seems like a big "cheat" so to speak for many players and they'd rather avoid it in the first place.

For me, I see it as a perfectly valid way to get the game back on track and suck some of the player's resources at the same time!

Raise Dead, as is, is a big cheat. Especially if there are no consequences in game. Only one character in mycampaign has ever decided to be raised from the dead and they are still reaping the mental consquences of being ripped from heaven.