Why Character Die: The True Story
After having seen and heard of events leading to some very crappy character deaths in and on quests I have spiced and run, as well as those of other DMs I am composing this post to help players perhaps play a bit more, hmm…smartly. As I had DMd pen and paper games my players always came up with novel solutions to problems befitting their character and stats (most of the time), and I look for the same thing here. Here are some of the many mistakes that get people killed beyond what I term the computer gamers mentality. This mentality is pervasive and driven by the single player campaigns in which hack and slash solves problems and you always have plenty of consumables beforehand. In a DM driven setting, this may not always be the case.
EfU 101: short and sweet, carry invis potions and consumables (ie buffs. Blur, barkskins, etc.) USE THEM. They are not given out to look pretty in your inventory slots until you think you have to PvP. On the quests I spice and run I only rarely see people use potions they have bought and brought themselves to get through it, and have gotten tells from players to the effect of “Dude that was too hard, and you didn’t give us any potions up front.” (see computer gamer mentality). Buffs. Use them. Use them wisely. And for goodness sakes don’t go on wickedly tough quests woefully unprepared. If the quest giver says that it’s a goblin fort or a great ancient evil, your character would probably think twice before leaving without the right healing, buffs, etc. (or not, as I have seen a lot of 8Int 8Wis Dwarves and Half-Orcs running around of late.)
Think! : If I am running a plot or even just a simple spice the things I throw at you generally have a reason for being there at that particular point. Too many times I have set up a larger force of creatures across a narrow causeway only to watch in morbid amusement as the fighters rush to the other side of said narrow causeway, get surrounded, and get pounded. The narrow causeway was there for a reason. The doorway is there for a reason. The things we give you were placed for a reason. You do have to think and apply what is there though, or you may very well die.
Also, think about alternative solutions to a problem other than what is normally done. (see computer gamer mentality definition again if you have forgotten what it is). If a DM is on the quest, pop him a message on the DM channel asking if you can persuade those goblins out of slaving you off, or serve the master for a certain mission to not be killed, or anything really. Be creative, but also be realistic. If you are caught and in jail, persuading a guard to let you out with a bribe in full view of two other NPC guards likely won’t work. Other things might, but that won’t. If your plan sucks by the way, I am more than willing to let you try if you are willing to suffer the consequences of a sucky plan.
Look around : I don’t know how many players have fallen to this. Scorch marks on the ground are there for a reason. That portal labeled with “Deadly Scorching Hot portal to the Elemental Realm of Fire which is emanating pulses of skin blasting heat” likely will not do well being touched. An obelisk that has lightning dancing down it likely doesn’t want to get touched either. I mean, go ahead and do it, but be prepared to get the end of that lightning bolt or consumed in pure elemental hell fire when you do. Often there are clues as to what has or may happen in the future around you if you so choose to look for them.
Just because it’s there doesn’t mean you have to do it.: This is another one that gets a lot of players, the additional portal, or even a portal in the middle of the street that opens up mysteriously and is labeled “mysterious portal”. If you go, please do not complain when and if you die/get enslaved in some strange wizards experiments and then need to be saved by everyone else in the city. You were, after all, the one who jumped into a “mysterious portal” that happened to be in the middle of the street and not there a few minutes ago. It almost is like telling a four year old not to touch something. The minute you turn around they are not only touching said thing, they are full on in love caressing it.
When faced with overwhelming odds: I like this one. Infact, I love it. When I was a player in my PnP group I had a great DM. He set us up big time, and we swallowed the bait hook line and sinker and got led into a trap. There we are, following a guide we did not know and who approached our group at the table with just the thing we needed—when out from behind the trees pop up bandits with ready crossbows. Ten of them, four of us, and us in the middle of the crossfire with weapons sheathed. What did I do after the ‘guide’ told us to drop our sword belts and weapons and go to our knees? I died. (Mainly because I opted to run for it, and got three crossbow bolts in the back at once.) What did the rest of the group do? They did what they were told in the face of overwhelming odds (we were level one characters) and went on the with adventure. Ooops. My bad. *went off to re roll a new character*
Have fun, and play smart. Really. I don’t want to see characters with the 8Int 8Wis coming up with masterful plans and such (note: will deduct XP for not playing stats, and will reward when you do) but even then, some of these things should go into the self preservation category of the brain everyone has.