I don't know if this was discussed before, but this thought bugged me to no end, so I give it a shot.

We all know that lags are deadlier than the most devilish monster any DM can dream up. At least half of my character deaths were caused by lags which is terribly frustrating, the most frustrating thing on this otherwise great server.

(Sidenote: just curious how is this at other players. How much % of your deaths are caused by lag?)

The DM policy about lag is also clear and understandable. And it is also nice that DMs are helping with TRs if they are observing such situ. The problem is when they don't present, which is probable, taking their workload into consideration.

A suggestion regarding this: somehow script in one XP loss-free respawn in the system for every character (most possibly adding this option into the dialogue with the Kelemvor priest in the Fugue). This could be used any time the character dies, but only once. The intention of this is to compensate frustration from lag deaths somewhat, considering the heavy XP penalty associated with dying. Of course the player can use this free ticket if he dies from other (non-lag) reason, but it is his choice. If he dies from a lag later -c'est la vie!

Comments, flames, opinions?

I'm not in favour of this. The average level on the server is high enough if you ask me, and EfU is already famous (or infamous?) for its harsh death penalties. It's part of the setting; changing it now would seem like an anticlimatic, "EfU is teh tough, but we no wantie teh n00bs to go all emo-emo because of what is likely one out of several deaths."

Sure, dying at a critical point, like just before a level up, sucks, and can be very frustrating. Especially if you died because of lag. But it happens to all of us sooner or later, and I have to say, getting XP isn't actually that hard, and I'm honestly surprised the average level isn't even higher than it is (there certainly is basis for it).

Besides, a once-in-a lifetime no-penalty spawn will undoubtedly lead to cases of, "Oh, why didn't I save my no-penalty spawn for when I really needed it, emo, emo?!," causing even more OOC grief.

If someone doesn't want to run the risk of a lag-death, simple: make a bard and spend all your time juggling in the Rock.

I think the respawn system is already specifically there for such reasons. They're trying to be hardcore like PnP. If there weren't such bugs/lags that caused deaths, and a DM could always be present like in PnP, I don't think there would be any respawn option. Also it favors people who don't "power-game". A care free player just sits around and role plays, doesn't care if he winds up getting exp, its all part of the story. When you happen upon questing, you get some exp, and usually these wind up not dying much, because if its a laggy time, just go RP, take the day off IC. Power gamers typically do the opposite, quest after quest, and just happens upon RP. These usually die alot more because they try to go through with haste and wind up encountering bugs and lag. It balances it so the people who want to RP more don't get bullied around by the more action inclined, as usually happens. Atleast, that's all been my experience. We've all been through lag deaths loosing valuable work, it sucks, but RPing you don't loose, such as making connections, friends, etc.

The fact that this life can be used to return you to the living without dying to lag (And indeed you even say that, if a player chooses to use this life even when they haven't lag died, that's their choice) basically negates the whole lag death motivation for the free life in the first place.

The suggestion is basically for a free life to do with as we wish. When put like that, the suggestion seems more like it should be aimed at noobs who die quickly when coming to the server and are let off the hook once so as to go easy on them.

I'm not convinced that it's a terribly good idea.