DM vs Player

[Wippit Guud]

Ok, in all honesty, the DM doesn't need a reason at all:

DM: Ok, you're all dead.
Players: How?
DM: You don't know, you're all dead!

But that takes away from spirit of the game.

 

[JacktheRabbit]

Except a embolism doesn't need to be caused by disease and can effect otherwise prefectly healthy people, and even heal every morning would not necessarily be effective against something like that.

An embolism does require the blocking particle or material to be in the bloodstream and as a DM I would rule that such a particle would be filtered out by cure disease or heal.

So unless a particle can form and obstruct a blood vessel in between cure times (which could be daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly depending on person in question) they should be relatively immune to this as health risk.

 

[Allanon]

I remember when I introduced my group to bodaks for the first time. The players didn't even know they had a gaze attack. Some people felt tingles on their turn, and some people "fell over." After the combat, they checked on the fallen, "what are they, asleep? Paralyzed?" "They are dead," I responded. There were looks of incredulity, especially from the players of the 2 fallen characters. This is the only time that we ever stopped mid-game to look up rules in an attempt to dispute the DMs ruling. I could tell they didn't find that encounter fun. I regret doing it.

One of the reasons that my player's hate save or die spells. Although recently it hasn't been as bad as it used to (better DM'ing on my part, I find that describing it better and using it sparingly will enhance the tension without having them accuse me of trying to PK them) I still try to limit the usage of creatures and spells with those powers...
Does anyone else have the same problem? Player's not wanting to face bodaks, beholders and the like simply because a failed save can spell insta-death?

 

[Bagpuss]

An embolism does require the blocking particle or material to be in the bloodstream and as a DM I would rule that such a particle would be filtered out by cure disease or heal.

And there is the catch, as "evil DM (TM)" who wants to kill his player, I would rule it isn't a disease so and so those spell are no help. New character please! My point is if a DM wants to kill a character there is nothing a player can do to stop them, so best bet is not to play with that DM as they are obviously a dick.

 

[Li Shenron]

Almost unbelieavable... on the bus to work this morning I was thinking exactly about how as a DM I could handle a situation of an assassin catching the party asleep. I was thinking of him sneaking into the inn (where usually there's no need for someone to stay awake and gurading) and CdG'ing one random character. Were you scrying on me?

In any case, I didn't find a proper way to handle this at all. CdG is outright too powerful to fail, but of course every assassin would always use it. Listen check of course, but if the check is failed the PC is dead - just because of a failed single Listen check.

I didn't think too much about it this morning - the bus ride is only half an hour - but my feeling was that as a DM I would automatically make the assassin fail his Move Silently check at the last second and let some other PC wake up.

 

[JacktheRabbit]

One of the reasons that my player's hate save or die spells. Although recently it hasn't been as bad as it used to (better DM'ing on my part, I find that describing it better and using it sparringly will enhance the tention without having them accuse me of trying to PK them) I still try to limit the usage of creatures and spells with those powers...
Those anyone else have the same problem? Player's not wanting to face bodaks, beholders and the like simply because a failed save can spell insta-death?

My solution to the problem is simple. All save or die effects in my campaign put the target straight to between -1 and -7 hitpoints depending on how badly they fail the saving throw. That means they will die in a matter of seconds but stil gives the party a chance to save them.

Also in these situations I do not allow them stabalization rolls. That would be too generous in my opinion since these are death attacks after all.

 

[Allanon]

My solution to the problem is simple. All save or die effects in my campaign put the target straight to between -1 and -7 hitpoints depending on how badly they fail the saving throw. That means they will die in a matter of seconds but stil gives the party a chance to save them.

Also in these situations I do not allow them stabalization rolls. That would be too generous in my opinion since these are death attacks after all.

That leaves me with one question then, how do you handle petrification (which is a kind of death spell)?

 

[Numion]

One of the reasons that my player's hate save or die spells. Although recently it hasn't been as bad as it used to (better DM'ing on my part, I find that describing it better and using it sparingly will enhance the tension without having them accuse me of trying to PK them) I still try to limit the usage of creatures and spells with those powers...
Does anyone else have the same problem? Player's not wanting to face bodaks, beholders and the like simply because a failed save can spell insta-death?

There are two sides to automatically not using Bodaks or insta-kills in general. Some players in my group have learned (learned the hard way ) to protect themselves against threats like this (Death Ward spells active, etc.). Now if I decide as a DM not to ever use Bodaks so that other players don't get killed, is it really fair to those players who have taken the precaution against them? They would be essentially ripped off of a 4th level spell they'll never need.

Really bad DM'ing in my opinion. I believe that a character should not die due to their inaction.

Inactivity is a choice by itself. Usually the worst choice. There ought to be repercussions in-game for inactivity. Are you suggesting that nothing bad should come of sleeping without keeping a watch in the wilderness?

Thats just an example of inactivity ..

 

[JacktheRabbit]

That leaves me with one question then, how do you handle petrification (which is a kind of death spell)?

The same way. The character falls to the group with -1 to -7 hitpoints and when he hits -10 his body changes to stone. Of course a healing spell won't reverse the process but a Dispel Magic or Break Enchantment spell would, also I might allow any spell that boosts the characters fort save a chance to grant the character a second saving throw. If the second saving throw is made then the character doesnt turn to stone and instead stabalizes.

 

[La Bete]

Thanks doc, thats a nifty way of doing it... I might borrow that for my game.