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Questions tagged [character-death]

For questions about issues related to the in-game death, or threat/fear of death, of a player's character in an RPG.

165 votes
13 answers
22k views

How can DMs effectively telegraph specific dangers in D&D?

There are some play-styles of D&D in which the spectre of player-character death is considered a feature of the game rather than a bug. For my own reasons (which aren't the point of the question), ...
SevenSidedDie's user avatar
109 votes
18 answers
19k views

How can I make my PCs flee?

My players never run away or avoid conflict. Ever. I throw them ridiculous encounters, they will stay and fight. If I tell them, "You know you're not gonna make it, just run," they stay and fight and ...
user avatar
82 votes
11 answers
37k views

How can I suggest the DM stop trying to kill us?

We have been playing a game for a while now, and while the game itself is quite enjoyable, the only problem is that the DM seems to be aiming to kill us. Sort of. For example, there have been three ...
Ben's user avatar
  • 23.1k
32 votes
1 answer
18k views

Do your spells end when you die?

I linked to this answer in a 5e question, attempting to bring support for the idea that, if you cast an open-ended spell, like Magic Mouth, it could remain after you die. Someone pointed out that, as ...
trekkieyk's user avatar
  • 2,474
70 votes
2 answers
388k views

What spells are available to resurrect characters?

What official spells exist that can be used by characters to resurrect their fallen comrades in Dungeons & Dragons? Which classes can cast them and at what level?
Timo Türschmann's user avatar
36 votes
1 answer
12k views

Does death cure all ills?

In a previous answer, I mentioned the possibility of killing a character and restoring them to life as a possible method of removing conditions from them. On reflection, I have no idea whether this ...
Miniman's user avatar
  • 145k
25 votes
4 answers
8k views

Can your own death be a trigger for Glyph of Warding?

I had made an assumption in an answer and am wondering if your own death is a legitimate trigger for a Glyph of Warding spell you have previously cast. The requirement simply states: You decide ...
NotArch's user avatar
  • 126k
105 votes
18 answers
10k views

How do I not cheapen death, while also respecting my players' time?

I DM for a group of very busy people, for whom the commitment of several hours a week is a real sacrifice: that’s a sizeable chunk of their free time for the week that I’m asking for. Now,...
KRyan's user avatar
  • 355k
54 votes
8 answers
20k views

My 5e character isn't very fun. How do I kill them off?

I'm playing an 8th level Valor bard, and she's basically The Load (warning: TVTropes link) at this point- high-combat campaign, so not a lot of charisma stuff to do, and really doesn't have any ...
user22374's user avatar
  • 643
25 votes
3 answers
4k views

If an attack causes additional damage after a saving throw, is it counted as a separate source of damage for the purpose of failed death saves?

If an attack causes additional damage after a saving throw, is it counted as a separate source of damage for the purpose of failed death saving throws? In other words, does it cause another failed ...
V2Blast's user avatar
  • 50.1k
18 votes
4 answers
15k views

What happens to spells (buffs, curses, etc) that are active on you when you die?

Let's say I have a Wizard. I cast mage armor on myself. Nasty kobolds kill me with their traps. Luckily, I have a cleric who (for sake of this question) can cast breath of life, at will. He "raises"...
twicetested's user avatar
17 votes
4 answers
39k views

Can spells or spell-like abilities do non-lethal damage?

I'm working on a Paladin/Warlock combination, based off of Pureferret and Miniman's work, and as part of this, I noticed Miniman's remark that Repelling Blast won't be that useful, because as a ...
Shalvenay's user avatar
  • 11.1k
51 votes
9 answers
21k views

How to kill a character without making their player too angry

I have been DMing a game for a group of friends. In between two sessions, which ended with them facing a few enemy NPCs, I realized that these intelligent opponents had a very good way to kill one of ...
PixelArtDragon's user avatar
16 votes
1 answer
8k views

Does casting Disintegrate on a polymorphed enemy still kill it after the 2018 errata?

After the 2018 errata, the disintegrate spell description now reads: A creature targeted by this spell must make a Dexterity saving throw. On a failed save, the target takes 10d6 + 40 force damage. ...
Mtzion's user avatar
  • 161
13 votes
3 answers
8k views

Where do souls go upon death and when are they free to be raised?

Where do souls go when they die in 5e? Is it still an outer plane matching their alignment like in earlier editions? Are the souls of evil creatures going to the lower planes? The spells that can ...
Nobody the Hobgoblin's user avatar

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