character death frequency
- Thread starter flykiller
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creativehum
SOC-14 1K
One thing I plan to use is the Hireling rules. The rules set up looking for NPCs with specific skills and the pay such a NPC receives. This can be done for either crew positions for a ship owned by the PCs or filling out team positions for ground missions.
Most ships have crew positions that need to be filled. If the PCs don't have the skills, the PCs hire on crew. These PCs become part of the cast, if not featured.
Hirelings are part of the early tradition of RPGs (OD&D, _Traveller, Runequest). They helped bulk up odds for more dangerous missions, they provided a sinkhole for cash the PCs gathered, and... they provided handy PCs replacements if a Players PC died.
They fell out of favor over the decades as the games became about "The Story of the Player Characters." With such a focus, death of PCs became less common (either through fudging, or the development of rules that made death less likely), and having regular NPCs around cluttered up the focus on the PCs. Thus, the "size" of the adventuring group doesn't have to be a military unit. It can be an adventuring group, but still have spare characters participating in the margins that can come into play as PCs.
I think there's still some value in them for the reasons just listed.
Most ships have crew positions that need to be filled. If the PCs don't have the skills, the PCs hire on crew. These PCs become part of the cast, if not featured.
Hirelings are part of the early tradition of RPGs (OD&D, _Traveller, Runequest). They helped bulk up odds for more dangerous missions, they provided a sinkhole for cash the PCs gathered, and... they provided handy PCs replacements if a Players PC died.
They fell out of favor over the decades as the games became about "The Story of the Player Characters." With such a focus, death of PCs became less common (either through fudging, or the development of rules that made death less likely), and having regular NPCs around cluttered up the focus on the PCs. Thus, the "size" of the adventuring group doesn't have to be a military unit. It can be an adventuring group, but still have spare characters participating in the margins that can come into play as PCs.
I think there's still some value in them for the reasons just listed.
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Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
Dealing with henchmen and hirelings, in regard to maintaining loyalty and morale, gave the teenage me a fresh perspective for HR.
I have had a player in a scout , being escorted to the jump point, and told to never come back, choose to engage in a parting shot at the pair of scouts that escorted him there, This was the book two days, They had auto return fire program running, and as they were only 1-2 KM away, he did not have enough time to punch the jump button before two return pulses came in, and yup open dice roll for hit location... jump drive. One short battle later he was quite dead, and the planet was down to one scout for it's defense force , but has two to repair.
Player is free to make any choices he wants, but the universe will respond to the player actions with what seems correct for the situation. If lethal force is required, then that is what is applied to the best ability of the universe.
Player is free to make any choices he wants, but the universe will respond to the player actions with what seems correct for the situation. If lethal force is required, then that is what is applied to the best ability of the universe.
I am currently running a Space 1889 campaign using the Ubiquity gaming system, and I love it. It rewards players for having their characters act according to their talents, motivations, and flaws. Those style points can then be used to add dice to the performance of a task, their defense, or to reduce damage. In exchange for acting - sometimes over acting - a character lives. Wouldn't work if you were aiming for hard Sci Fi, but for a Space Opera Traveller campaign it would be fun.
The Roll and Keep version of 7th Sea had something similar, "Drama Dice". The DM could award a character with Drama Dice for putting self at risk to be in character, adding flourish to an event, or pretty much anything that kept the game cinematic vice gritty. Very fun game mechanic!
Ackehece
SOC-13
Because usually is appropriate. Always would preclude people just getting lucky,furthering the plot, and finally sometimes as a GM the GM just giving mercy.
Timerover51
SOC-14 5K
Space: 1889 does have a reasonable way for characters to gain experience depending on how they use the skills that they have.
I go with the assumption that if there is not the high possibility of characters dying permanently, then the players are going to get sloppy and take the game too lightly.
dmccoy1693
SOC-13
I'm in the usually camp. The default answer should be "yes, they die," but there are times when there are mitigating circumstances and the ref should let him/her live.
Because anytime someone votes in the poll, it registers as a "new post", regardless of whether or not any text was posted.
Barsanuphius
SOC-12
As a GM/DM/Referee/Story Teller, I have much PC blood on my hands!:badger::smirk:Muh-haa-hah!:coffeesip:
ShawnDriscoll
SOC-14 1K
Always.
How many players in your current game and how large is your stack of 'NPC' sheets?
Seriously, I am just kidding. Whatever y'all enjoy. It should just make Players either cautous or fatalistic in their outlook.
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