A strange thing happened last week in our alternate D&D game: my character died saving the world as part of a plot point. The unusual element was that there didn’t seem to be an alternative option open to the group. Funny thing when you talk about wanting to replace your character…sometimes your GM calls you on it!

I’d been pretty frustrated with the lack of role-playing in our D&D game. The game system just engenders a type of gameplay that doesn’t support role-playing on a consistent basis, in my opinion. It wasn’t for the lack of trying though. I dislike calling out my fellow players but after attempt after attempt at trying to stimulate role-playing at the table — and being often rebuffed — it seemed that our group was content to simply kill stuff and take their shit. That’s fine with me, however the disconnect being that just a few short months ago our group bemoaned the lack of role-playing in the game and went so far as to try to kick out one of the players! (1)

So which is it, guys?

I’d spoken to the GM about this — who has done an admirable job in keeping all of our screwed up, discombobulated backgrounds and characters involved in the story — who confessed that he wasn’t quite sure what to do. Part of the problem is that our characters are all pretty much self-absorbed jerks (Chaotic Natural, can’t you tell?) who were created in a vacuum. Our only reason for adventuring together is, literally, our desire to kill stuff and seek revenge. A great short term motivation but it stinks for role-playing.

My character certainly didn’t lend himself well to playing with others. A face-hitter and the tank of the group, my character had nothing to tie with the others beyond a shared dislike of the campaign’s antagonists. I didn’t build a lot of depth into him and, frankly, had I done so I’m not sure it would have been reciprocated at the table. Thus began my discussions with the GM and later my fellow players in replacing my character with a more “role-playing friendly” character to help spur some characterization at the table beyond “KILL IT!”

I’d tossed around some ideas, built a few characters stat blocks out of boredom — mostly while my other players did paperwork; God is D20 a paperwork time sink! — and did some “what if?” scenarios.

In the game the story progressed and we found ourselves at the pinnacle combat with our arch-nemesis and our NPC protagonist who would help us Save The World™. Unfortunately the plan fell apart at that point, scripted by GM fiat.

When a GM has a story to tell I’m all for it so my comments are not designed as criticism. It’s pretty easy to signpost player involvement and as it happened this led to my character essentially sacrificing himself in proxy because the NPC died (GM fiat) against an enemy where it was clear we had no chance of victory. Another player even tried to sacrifice themselves in my stead and failed; it seemed predestined for my character to die.

At this point I think I should mention that I hadn’t entirely settled on the idea of replacing my character. It was a subject I had been toying with but hadn’t finalized on.

Cue dramatic moment, flash of light, and my character dies, infusing the protagonists of the world with my character’s awesome fighting prowess, thus Saving The World™. There’s worse ways to die, I suppose. (Cue memory of last D&D game and dying a meaningless death to a poo monster and losing a level.)

So why’d I do it? Honestly, I’m not quite sure. From a metagame standpoint I didn’t see any other options; the group was going to die. I defy anyone at the table to say otherwise and that outcome was vocalized during the game. On one hand having everyone die was a pretty crappy way to end the story arc that we spent months building up to and, as a player, it seemed like the right thing to do. I view part of my duties as a player is to help everyone else have an enjoyable game. On the other hand being essentially forced to retire my character because of GM fiat cheapened the moment and underscored that I should have communicated my desires more clearly.

In the end it was a strange situation. My frustration with the game doesn’t stem from the GM or the story conclusion but from how this whole thing played out. I think that we, the players, didn’t set the right expectations when we sat down to play and it’s leading to a sub par experience. So, with a new character being built between sessions, are things going to improve? Without the help of the other players, I don’t see how. Frankly, having the entire party die and start over might have been the better solution.

I don’t begrudge the death of my character as, ultimately, it had meaning and was my own choice. Besides, the next one may be even more enjoyable to play!

What’s your strangest character death?

(1): It’s interesting to note that in my previous post I indicated that I had a “role-playing friendly” character and was perfectly happy with the outcome of the game (at that time). In hindsight I’d say that I was incorrect in both those statements. I didn’t have a character that meshed well with others (none of us do) and clearly none of us were very happy with the direction that we were taking the game as players, else we wouldn’t have had the aforementioned intervention anyway.