OK folks it looked like the last topic generated some fun discussion so I figured I'd try to make this a weekly thing while I could.
The next topic I've been thinking about is how to properly introduce challenges to kids in D&D without killing them.
So with my two kids (9 and 6) we've had a few close calls when playing. Nobody died but there were several cases where things went badly and they both got very upset. On one hand I guess it's a good sign that they're into the story and there's an emotional connection. On the other hand I'd rather not traumatize them when Bilbo the loveable halfling is disintegrated by a lich.
So for those with kids, or more sensitive adult friends who don't like to be killed off, here are some of my thoughts on how to organize your game to avoid crying at the game table.
Step 1: Explain the rules around death
For whatever game you're playing, I'd make sure that your players know exactly how death works. For instance in 3rd edition, when a player reaches 0 HP he's not dead, he's just down (or mostly dead for those that can think in a Miracle Max voice). Each turn he lies there bleeding he loses another 1 hp. Make a heal check or use some healing item (potion, spell, etc) and he's stabilized at least. But if he hits -10 then he's really dead.
In our game we had a case where our NPC wizard took a giant's rock to the face, fell off the castle wall, and was down. My youngest started to cry, thinking she was dead. And in hind sight that's not the best time to try to explain the rules.
I'd also explain options for bringing people back from the dead. Things like raise dead, and other mechanisms could be viable options especially if you have access to a cleric.
Finally I'd explain situations that don't result in death but may look like it. For example, in one game session in Chult my oldest son's dwarf character was swallowed by a giant dinosaur. I thought it was going to introduce some great dramatic conflict as he carved his way out of the creature's gut, emerging covered in gore and feeling like a badass. But I failed to explain ahead of time how swallowing rules worked. Though I didn't say "You've been eaten and are now dead" by the time it took to go from the dino's turn to his turn, he became very upset since he assumed he was dead. It took a bit to calm him down and go over his options which kind of disrupted the feel of the epic battle. So if I had it to do all over again I would have brought it up earlier. Maybe even stopped action at the start of the battle and explained or explained immediately after he was 'eaten'.
Step 2: Avoid save or die situations
I know, especially when you get to higher levels, that there are monsters that have attacks where you save or you die. And I know this makes them a lot more scary and dangerous but with little kids I'd either avoid these guys or direct their attacks at disposable 'red shirts', at least at first. If Bilbo sees the kobold mook turned into a statue by a basilisk and still charges ahead.....then maybe he can learn a lesson from being turned to stone. But to surprise him with something like that is probably not a great way to have a fun gaming session.
If you need to have a save or die situation, I'd give your younger players plenty of warning and ways to think their way out of it. IE if you're fighting a medusa , have lots of statues around, and rumors in town, etc so they know what they are facing. Worst case you may need to spell out what happens and how there are still ways around it (Coran the cleric has a reverse petrifaction spell).
Step 3: Present danger and always make sure there are consequences for poor decisions
The danger of nerfing things too much is that younger players are smart and they will probably figure it out. If they think they cannot lose they will throw caution and thinking to the wind and charge that gargantuan dragon head on. So when I come up with challenges I try to think of ways that the players can fail, but it's a recoverable fail.
So maybe the PC's didn't listen to the hints about a goblin ambush and stumbled into it. Rather than a TPK, maybe they end up captured. If this continues to happen maybe one of the characters looses an item.
So let's think of a good way to combine step 2 and 3 into something fun but still giving that sense of drama and tension. So Gwordon the dwarf just saw the kobold mook disintegrated before his eyes but decides to charge the lich anyway.
DM: "The lich points his finger at you and another green ray shoots forth. Make a fortitude save"
Gwordon: "Ehh....I got a 3"
DM" "The ray strikes you but you in the chest. You feel a tingling and look down to see your shiny mithral armor turn to dust and leave you in nothing more than a pair of shorts"
So in the end Gwordon wasn't turned to dust (resulting in a crying player and not so happy family gaming session) but there was still a strong consequence that lets the players know they aren't invincible.
Step 4: Deus ex DM Screen
When putting my players into do or die kind of situations I try to have something ready that can bail then out if things go really wrong. Ideally it should be something organic to the story so it doesn't feel like a DM bailout but worst case an out of character rescue is better than a TPK.
For instance when the group was fighting a huge dinosaur I had another dinosaur ready to 'crash the party' if things started to go poorly. When they were fighting a nightwalker I had a group of rebelling ghosts that could charge in to level the playing field. And every now and then I have used rescues as part of the normal plot so that if I have to use one in the future it isn't completely unexpected.
And worst case, you can fudge a die roll here or there. As some wise DM's have said sometimes the Rule of Cool should win out over the random tyranny of a die roll.
So what do you folks do? Do you allow your PC's to die or do you save them when things go wrong?
~Dave
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