What does "TPK" mean?
- Thread starter bardolph
- Start date
Dragonstriker
First Post
Total Party Kill - a wipe.
*I think I just failed a spot check*
*I think I just failed a spot check*
Last edited:
Ultimatecalibur
Explorer
Total Party Kill
generalhenry
First Post
TPKs are epic fail. They simply shouldn't happen. The encounters should favor the party, the players should retreat when things are going bad, the DM should fudge, the Enemies should capture the PCs.
So if one does occur it's a sign of real trouble. Indeed I've played since OD&D and I don't remember ever having seen one. Though I have seem the majority of the party killed before.
I'd say start up a whole new party of characters.
So if one does occur it's a sign of real trouble. Indeed I've played since OD&D and I don't remember ever having seen one. Though I have seem the majority of the party killed before.
I'd say start up a whole new party of characters.
I DM'd the return to the temple of elemental evil, and when the party met the 14th level madness domain cleric with 24 effective wisdom... He did a TPK. I was sick and tired of dungeon crawls by that time and will never DM a premade module with any dungeon larger than 10 rooms. Oh, we scrapped the whole campaign. 
If you are seeing a TPK coming you should probably do something before it happens if you like the characters. You can for instance have the bad guys retreat, somebody might show up, or something like that. Only fudge like that when you see a TPK coming. A single character should be allowed to die or the players will start thinking that you will save them all the time.
If you have a TPK, I would have started with new characters. The question then is: do you start them at the same level as the old characters and continue the story somehow, or do you start a new campaign.
If you are seeing a TPK coming you should probably do something before it happens if you like the characters. You can for instance have the bad guys retreat, somebody might show up, or something like that. Only fudge like that when you see a TPK coming. A single character should be allowed to die or the players will start thinking that you will save them all the time.
If you have a TPK, I would have started with new characters. The question then is: do you start them at the same level as the old characters and continue the story somehow, or do you start a new campaign.
CleverNickName
Limit Break Dancing (He/They)
LOLpogminky said:
For the most part, I leave it up to the players.
If they want to keep playing with their current characters, I invent a plot loophole that allows their bodies to have been recovered and raised by an NPC. This plot tangent could result in the party having to repay a debt, complete a mission, etc.
If they want all new characters, I let them. Then I invent a plot tangent that works the new PCs into the story.
Charwoman Gene
Adventurer
Toilet Paper Kraziness -- a WIPE!
