When a character dies

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pawibus
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Re: When a character dies

Post by pawibus »

What's great about this system is you can roll up a character in that amount of time that you won't be dissatisfied with later. Some other systems take days or weeks of research to get the progression of choices planned out to eventually hit your stride when it's time.
Snarkythekobold
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Re: When a character dies

Post by Snarkythekobold »

I agree and that's why I like it so much. My question was more about how that one would reintegrate a character that had died back into the game without saying, "You're dead . . . sit in the corner and watch us play."
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Solomoriah
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Re: When a character dies

Post by Solomoriah »

This is the problem with how we raise kids these days... no consequences.

If you die, you sit out for a bit, rolling up a character and getting ready to get back into the action.

Kids need to learn how to lose as well as how to win. It's part of why I like having kids doing rocketry (another of my hobbies)... once you push the button and the engine ignites, it's out of your control. If you've done all your preparations right, you have a pretty good likelihood of getting the rocket back safely, but there is never a guarantee. The first time a kid loses a rocket is a learning experience they won't forget.
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JDJarvis
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Re: When a character dies

Post by JDJarvis »

When a character dies the sheet goes into "The Halls of The Dead" (my DM depository of dead characters) if the player wishes and they usually start rolling up another one. It isn't unusual at all for a player to take over a retainer, mercenary, or hireling for the remainder of the session to keep the action flowing either, sometimes that character becomes the new PC. Character death is another good reason to drag NPCs along with the party. If the dungeon is of the Megadungeon variety it isn't all that hard to introduce a newly rolled PC as a member of a guild, a neutral faction, old buddy, or fellow explorer either.
n4tivo
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Re: When a character dies

Post by n4tivo »

Solomoriah wrote: Sat Jun 23, 2018 8:12 am This is the problem with how we raise kids these days... no consequences.

If you die, you sit out for a bit, rolling up a character and getting ready to get back into the action.

Kids need to learn how to lose as well as how to win. It's part of why I like having kids doing rocketry (another of my hobbies)... once you push the button and the engine ignites, it's out of your control. If you've done all your preparations right, you have a pretty good likelihood of getting the rocket back safely, but there is never a guarantee. The first time a kid loses a rocket is a learning experience they won't forget.
This.
Cloak-n-Dagger
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Re: When a character dies

Post by Cloak-n-Dagger »

Solomoriah wrote: Sat Jun 23, 2018 8:12 amIf you die, you sit out for a bit, rolling up a character and getting ready to get back into the action.
This is precisely what happens at our table. You die, you're out of the game while rolling up a new character (or if hirelings are being used, possibly taking over one), the DM brings you back into the game at an opportune time. Done.
Snarkythekobold
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Re: When a character dies

Post by Snarkythekobold »

As a house rule, I am thinking about implementing a rule in which those who are depleted of a HP can roll a Save vs. death but even if they survive they are mortally wounded and must roll 2 d20 to determine the hours that they can live before receiving some form of healing (i.e. 2 d20 rolls that equal 9 total means that the character has 9 hours to live). This would give some suspense, create new story lines (how do we save this dude), and also give the character who is dying a chance to go down in a blaze of glory if it looks like death is inevitable (i.e. jumping onto a band of monsters so that the other PC's can flee).

Has anyone else ever implemented a rule like this? It might not work that well but I think I might try it on the campaign that I am currently DMing.
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orobouros
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Re: When a character dies

Post by orobouros »

My last game had two character fail saving throws vs poison. They both hit zero HP. It was probably a good lesson to not just run up against the enemies. They ended up with little for their characters to do.

My house* rule is that you only die once you reach -CON hit points, but at zero or below you are unable to take any other actions other than try to speak (have to succeed on a roll) or move 5' (again, if a roll succeeds), and any DEX bonus to AC is lost. Players also automatically lose 1 HP per combat round plus any additional damage they take, until they are stabilized by another player. So zero HP isn't instant death, but the consequences are pretty grim.

My party might have faced a TPK from a pair of giant centipedes if not for a failed morale check. And as mentioned, the two players who hit zero hp didn't really have anything to do for a bit. Those are pretty dire consequences for the characters and a reasonable effect on the players. I think they got the idea that they're far from indestructible.

In any case, this works for me so far. Feel free to try it out. What's important is that you balance between saving your players' characters and reducing the sense of danger in combat. It hasn't come up yet, but this is an option for monsters, too (whom I assume have 10 CON, all else being equal). So in a battle against 10 goblins, killing one goblin may not actually completely remove it as a threat, if they have a goblin witch doctor (cleric) to revive them.

* This is in the core rules, but I have a slight modification.
Ragnar
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Re: When a character dies

Post by Ragnar »

When my friend and I started playing with our kids last year, they adapted to death really well. Maybe it's party of the video game respawn mechanic; they were disappointed for only about a minute, then made new characters. The beauty of the minute creation! We then just had the new characters pop up with a "Hey guys!" moment. No time for verisimilitude, and the kids don't care.

All this changed when my treat old had his 4th level dwarf die. He LOVED him, and was very proud if him. Rightfully so I might add, because it's really any accomplishment for a squishy 1st level character to survive.

Anyway, he was poisoned by a snake. He wad so cocky about the save, but when hee rolled, a 2 came up. He jyst say there, looking at it. Nobody spoke fire whay seemed a long time, until the DM gave his best Dr. McCoy quite, "He's dead Jim."

My boy suddenly got up and left. After a minute, I tracked him down. He was sitting on the floor down the hallway, head in hands, crying. We didn't pull the punch from the death, and he got over it, as kids do. It wasn't until he came back, ready to play again, that the DM decided on a quest to revive him. In the end, his character lived again, but the lessons were learned.

He's a little less cocky now. He realizes that failure happens, and death is right around the corner. He realizes the cost now , and plays so much better, it's impossible to understate it. Looking back now, I believe that death was the best thing that ever happened to him, and the true beginning of his role playing career.
Ragnar
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Re: When a character dies

Post by Ragnar »

Almost forgot to actually answer the idea of this thread!

We now use multiple characters for new players. They start with , and usually get one to survive long enough to level up and become a more equal member of the party.

We also let the players either take over NPCs, if available, or just roll up new ones. Again, they are back at it in 10 minutes max. We then just plug them back in. I think it's more important to just get players playing again.
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