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My “sweet summer child” of a D&D player had a bit of a grumble at me yesterday. Not for the first time, nor even the 20th time. I don’t know why he plays in my games if he doesn’t like the way I run them.
Long story: one of the characters in my game died (he came victim to a Beholder Zombie, which unleashed its death ray on him and reduced him to ashes) and though it wasn’t SSC’s character he said he didn’t play D&D for characters to die.
I understand that people don’t play D&D for characters to die willy-nilly, but I maintain it has to be one of the risks characters face. Otherwise, there’s no tension.
In another game, for example, where I’m a player, my current paladin character has nine hit points max (he started the fight with 48 max) a result of encountering a Wraith and doing battle with it. Which is what you’d expect a paladin character to do, despite the risk he’s facing. Wraiths have a Life Drain action which reduces you max hit points, and they’re quite hard to get back, needing particular high level spells or a lot of time. I did not whinge about it, though I am hoping he’ll survive long enough to get back to his max of 48.
In short, there has to be danger, and not just the danger of losing a few hit points.
Long story: one of the characters in my game died (he came victim to a Beholder Zombie, which unleashed its death ray on him and reduced him to ashes) and though it wasn’t SSC’s character he said he didn’t play D&D for characters to die.
I understand that people don’t play D&D for characters to die willy-nilly, but I maintain it has to be one of the risks characters face. Otherwise, there’s no tension.
In another game, for example, where I’m a player, my current paladin character has nine hit points max (he started the fight with 48 max) a result of encountering a Wraith and doing battle with it. Which is what you’d expect a paladin character to do, despite the risk he’s facing. Wraiths have a Life Drain action which reduces you max hit points, and they’re quite hard to get back, needing particular high level spells or a lot of time. I did not whinge about it, though I am hoping he’ll survive long enough to get back to his max of 48.
In short, there has to be danger, and not just the danger of losing a few hit points.