Why Characters Die: The True Story

[cmenden]

This fantastic post from the old forums was brought to my attention, so I wanted to repost it here. Enjoy!

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 neededâ€"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.

[Random_White_Guy]

While we're talking about why characters die, not to totally derail this but I thought I'd take it from the opposite perspective talking about PvP situations because it's something that comes up now and then.

I've died a lot in PvP for various reasons. However there's a few things I'd like to bring up in which I think could help EFU as a whole help further both survive PVP and enhance the criminal/badguy experience.

Show Fear:- No one likes to have their characters show fear but in a lot of ways it adds so much depth to an encounter when the situation of the villain isn't "Okay I can try to intimidate this guy but he's going to shout and tell me to sod off". However I would go so far as to say even the most battle-hardened mercenary has fear or at least knows when to show fear. If the odds are stacked against you, if you're staring down a demon army, if you're up to your elbows in knives from a band of monsterous PCs or a ruthless gang.

Emote your eye twitching a bit. Your knees getting a little weak. Your voice cracking to a degree. If PCs think you're willing to get involved it's more likely they'll reciprocate and your odds of surviving the encounter go up exponentially.

Let's make a deal:- Sure it makes sense for most folks to straight up refuse a deal with the devil but that story changes when he's got you hanging upside down with a pitchfork at your belly. If you are encountered by a bandit or mugger, if you find yourself ambushed or cut down by a potential would be assassin in a dark alley or cave, or maybe you just were the unsuspecting target of a demonic cult wanting a sacrifice don't be afraid to get creative.

90% of the EFU villain experience is lonely. You get a few pals along the way but they may die. You find yourself in hostile situations in most encounters and you stop having just the casual fun RP that makes EFU so fun. As a PC when I am a villain I tend to get more malicious because I want people to know I'm a villain. I have no problem killing a PC if it makes sense ICly and I'm not too big a fan of hostage negotiations

What I am a fan of though is PCS who make deals. Two quick and easy examples.

[indent]"Whoa pal sure you can sacrifice me to Pazuzu but what if- [Gulps] What if I go make a sending telling some folks I saw you in the In Between so you can try and ambush those folks what just made a quest sending about heading to the Low Road? I mean six sacrifices is better than me."

"Here Mister Mugger. Just don't hurt me. [Hands over gold with a trembling hand]  If you want to give me half of that back though I can start keeping an eye out for merchants if you want to tell me where I can drop you word. The crone?"[/indent]

This gives me more RP encounters, more potential allies, and on the whole a more fun experience. However if you do try to make a deal please stick true to your PC stats. If you have low bluff please don't try to lie your way out of a mugging or into being the bad guys best friends just to turn him out to the law

Don't try to steal the show:- If someone is committing a crime against you they're taking a risk. The kind of thing that can kill a PC off on the chance of making a name for themselves, stirring conflict, or making things more interesting for you.

I can't count how many times I've perpetrated a crime only to have the person I beat up lay on the ground going "OH BY THE SWORDS OF BELTHAR I SHALL SMITE THEE DOWN". Sometimes the best thing you can do in a criminal situation is shut up, take your lumps and instead of runnning your mouth switch to delirious RP about your wounds and fragmented state. I know not all people like it but I somewhat like when a PC shuts down. Starts emoting about their beaten form and basically not making any attempts to stop stealing of supplies, etc. If it's a group of muggers and you've a small group of friend having your PC who was just beaten and battered shut down and start emoting about how gratuitous his wounds are and similar lets the criminals run the show. They can make demands, monologue, interrogate other people. Sometimes it's okay to take a back seat and enjoy the ride.

It's easy to want to swear revenge but don't: - Particularly if it's immersion breaking of HAW HAHAW HAW HAW FOOL IMMA GET YOU SO BAD ME AND MY BOYS GONNA WRECK YOUR SHIT FUCK YOU FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK. Speaking from past PvP victories I am quite fine with cursing but if you get to capslocks screaming and clearly letting your frustration with losing PvP shine through as you swear you and your boys are going to come wreck my shit? Guess what.

I'm more inclined to slit your throat

It's just IC to avoid that kind of trouble and while people always harp on how you should be nice to victims sometimes it's IC to slit the throat and go "What? He said he was gonna kill me because I stole 200 gold from him".

Try to keep your cool and not fly off the handle in tells- The last point I'll raise is for the love of god please don't send tells about how upset you are to the PC. You won't get any sympathy and all you'll succeed in doing is make a PC feel terrible about trying to make moves and make things happen only to make things patently unfun. If you're upset talk to a DM.

A scenario where I had been at war with a faction had me abduct a PC from the enemy team and after beating his friends and taking him away my faction and I killed him in a place we had been using as a lair. We had RP before the PvP, we had RP During the PvP and after the PvP we had an RP exchange in which I slew him. He didn't offer up any information, he didn't accept the offer to leave his faction, and he didn't want to become a spy. All fine choices for a highly Lawful PC to make and that was well and fine.

But we were at war so I killed him. The result was the PC telling me in as a direct quote. "That was my worst death in EFU history I expected better from you RwG". It felt like a punch in the throat and I couldn't play my PC for three days despite sticking true to everything a villain should be. After that any time I encountered one of his PCs I actively avoided it and wanted nothing to do with him from the perspective of involvement with the PC in any capacity in EFU.

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Any one of these scenarios leads to why PC's tend to die in PvP encounters more often than not. I can't count how many times I"ve seen them but at the same time I can't count how many times I've seen people survive PvP because they've adhered to this style of play.

In the last four days I've seen examples of this on all ends by PCs in tough situations so I thought I'd just share it as a reminder.

Courtesy as a victim, remembering the people who just attacked you are also playing a PC too, and similar levels of maturity can go a long way to make EFU more fun with everyone and greatly ensure your PC doesn't die in a PvP scenario.

[Kinslayer988]

The strategies RWG mentioned actually do work most times and they actually are a lot of fun :)

[Merrick4]

I somewhat disagree with RwG's post. I think it's a good guide for newer players or characters you simply do not want dying for any reason.

People put a lot of work and dedication into their characters and get caught up in that. That's an obvious to most vets here.

I think simply that the character should behave exactly how he would behave. If he's an ironwilled loud mouth and it would be IC for him to spit on the enemy who just subdued him, do it. Not every character should be a shmoozer, I don't think that's exactly what RwG was trying to say, but I had my 2 cents.

The only issue that bothers me I have found, and had a tad of experience on both sides of this, is the psycho murderer type character who kills people for no good reason. I would say that there is actually a place for these types, but they should have OOC courtesy to spare victims they haven't yet developed a good plot with. I think it's the duty of the villain in the story, somewhat, to actively involve the PC's they want to plot with or against. Just try not to kill without a good plot developing. Think of ways to mechanically spare the victim while still involving them in the plot. This applies more to villains than heroes in our lawful goodish village.

Edit: One more comment, i definitely agree that players should try to excellently play out their subdued state. I always try to do this. I notice sometimes people just go blank also. Don't do that. I know it can be weird or upsetting RPing being a victim of a brutal beating or etc, but do a little rp even if you're not sure what to write. Grunting noises like "Agh!" are often better than the rare occasional player who goes blank.

[Letsplayforfun]

I will add: don't metagame quests, not only because it's cheating, but also because if something is out of the ordinary (like a new trap, casual spice or whatever), you'll panic and die.

[PanamaLane]

I want to add to Rwg's post here. It's well and good to suggest your PC is a hero that would never cave, shout insults at your captors etc. but then you must be prepared to die a hero's death. I will note, one person who's is considered to be a war hero and presidential nominee, John McCain, totally cracked under torture. He is still considered a hero, probably more so then if he hadn't and had simply been killed by the Vietnamese. I didn't vote for the guy, but I still respect his war hero status.

I guess my point is you may think it is IC to boldly proclaim you are going to kill your captor while beaten to a pulp, but it rarely happens that way in truth. And if you do defy to the very end, understand the end is coming sooner then later.