The Death of a Character

                      I posted this up here for anyone who has recently lost a character. It's a helpful video on coping with the death of a loved one by Wellcast.
It might seem a little strange but people do get really attached to their characters. They are almost like children; you create them, you invest time in their development, and you hope that everyone works out for them. However, sometimes things don't work out and the worst possible scenario happens. This post will give some tips on how players should deal with character death.

A certain level of maturity is expected when you start playing a more difficult and involved game. RPGs are suppose to mimic real life in some form and death is a part of life. Death isn't the end of the story for you, just your character. Use this moment to reflect on the actions of the character and figure out what you want to do for the rest of the game. A good player will turn the tragedy into an opportunity to create a more meaningful story.

The most important thing to remember for a player whose character has just died is to not take it personally. Sometimes the dice just aren't on your side during combat. I know it sucks, I've lost a character or two myself, but the best thing is just accept it and make a new character. It's just a game after all. If you played your hero well then their death will just make them legends that will be retold around the kitchen table for years to come.

Dedicated to the memory of Hephaestus

Killing a Character: GM Tips

This subject is probably one of the hardest for aspects of a game for a GM to pull off properly as most people aren't fond of the idea of losing a character. Whether it's part of the story or the dice just fell wrong character death happens. If handled with tact this can be an opportunity for a rich storytelling experience. If handled poorly you will alienate your players and they might never play with you again. I offer a few tips to GMs to prevent this from happening.

Provide a warning- If you've planned a game where a character might die give your players a heads up before the game. You don't have to tell them how, just that it might happen. This way they will be more accepting of the death if it does happen. This goes for in-game as well. If you have a player is walking into a dire situation then give them a warning. A simple "Are you sure about that?" is all you need to provide.

Give a chance for success- This seems pretty basic but it bears mentioning. This usually applies more towards story events rather than combat as combat all ready provides them a chance at success. Nothing will piss off your player faster than just killing off their character. If they are in a dangerous situation then you must provide them the means to succeed or at least escape. It doesn't have to be easy but it does have to exist.

Make the death meaningful- It is a waste of a perfectly good story opportunity to mindlessly murder a character. The death of a character provides a profound moment of tragedy and reality for the other characters. Whether the character sacrificed themselves to allow the others to survive or was brutally cut down by an opponent this provides motivation for the other characters to act. Most groups will want to try to bring the offender to justice or will be effected by it in some other way. This provides some great story points for the upcoming games.

Don't make it personal- The worst thing you can do is take a personal issue out on someone's character. This is petty and vindictive but it does happen. Killing a character for personal reasons will halt your game and may devolve into an actual fight. I do not blame the player who punches their GM in the face because of this.