How to handle a character being killed

[Palantir]

I think the DM has to state up front that this is "my game" and we're playing it for "fantasy" (etc) fun and I'll do whatever it takes to make it fun for you. That of course means ignoring/bending some rules or bad dice rolls for the sake of everyone's "fun."

Let's say I have a much higher level villian planned for X number of adventures and he has to live for the climatic "ending" (like in all good fantasy novels). For the sake of the players having fun I'd bend rules, dice rolls etc to keep him alive. Using RoleMaster as an example: The players get an amazing Crit roll, I'd alter that Crit Roll if it said he received a "brain splattered" result to something minor like "twists arm / breaks nose/etc" to keep him alive & dash off to survive again. (Not everytime or against every villain of course)

How much fun would it be to use a "improbability spell" and say, what if Eowyn (LotR) falls off her horse and & breaks her neck then rolls four 100's to confirm it? Witchking lives: no living man can kill him... As DM you just take control & say- no, it doesn't happen.

Only the DM knows the full story line & the "fun" he has planned for his players. If something occurs that will without a doubt kill that why let it happen? You know what I mean.

 

[Mordrig]

Definately you have to have your main enemy escape to live again. I like the Fate point systems for that as well.

I have a Luck Stat that I use in my game system, you can redo any roll that results in your characters death or crippling, but your stat drops by the difference between the rolls, so eventually you will use up your luck. Since my system uses rolemaster your stat will go up at each level, but it never goes up as much as you use.

As GM my word is law and the end of the discussion, the players know this and generally don't argue anyway. If I am not the GM the same applies to that GM. Of course you can have your main enemy sit in the background and throw things at the players while staying clear of the action themselves.

In one campaign I have the characters running an adventure far from their enemy, but he knows approximately where they are. He is one of the Nine Nazgul, they have already foiled one of his plans which is how they have come to his attention.. After all, they are weak and not worth the attention of one so powerful, but since they have come to his attention he has decided they muct be destroyed. He has sent one of his minions to kill them. He is lord of Werewolves, the Dog-King, so he has sent a pack after them. They have no idea who is after them yet. They just know werewolves keep attacking them.

 

[belegoth]

As GM my word is law and the end of the discussion, the players know this and generally don't argue anyway.

Believe me, that's true. I have played in way too many of Mordrig's campaigns, and if he as GM says that there are another 99 undead behind the wave of 99 that we've almost finished killing, we accept and just keep on swinging!

In one campaign I have the characters running an adventure far from their enemy, but he knows approximately where they are. He is one of the Nine Nazgul, they have already foiled one of his plans which is how they have come to his attention.. After all, they are weak and not worth the attention of one so powerful,

Well, the rest of them may be weak, but not my character!

By the way, I'm new here. Looks like a pretty good set of forums. there goes what was left of my productivity.

 

[Mordrig]

Well, the rest of them may be weak, but not my character!

By the way, I'm new here. Looks like a pretty good set of forums. there goes what was left of my productivity.

Oops, he wasn't supposed to see that l;ast part, he is in the campaign.

Oh Well He will just have to be :dead: sooner. :skull:

 

[belegoth]

BAHAHAHAHA!!!! Nice doggie, nice doggie. I think I am gonna collect a bunch of bones from those orcs we just killed.

 

[Palantir]

He is one of the Nine Nazgul, they have already foiled one of his plans which is how they have come to his attention..

HA, thats great! :thumup:
What ME time period are you running?

I have my PC's running in a post-Sauron world and their quest (main story arc) along with some other NPC party groups is to find & collect the 9 "missing" Nazgul Rings. This is before one of them can be found by "Nazgul worshipers" & re-united with one of the nine Wraith's spirits. The last one they found was hidden away deep in the desert of Far Harad (stone valley), guarded by corrupted Ents.

 

[Mordrig]

We are currently running Mid TA, before the ring was found, before Sauron left Dol Guldur. The Witch-King has just fallen in the north, the line of Kings is just about to end. Minas Ithil is under siege, (I thought the players would try for that one, but they begged off). The Nazgul are about to join the attack on the citadel and end the battle.

 

[belegoth]

But the important thing is that we will be safe

 

[bpickering]

But the important thing is that we will be safe

Now, is that any way for a True Hero to talk? :laugh:

Brian