Player Character Deaths! (GM Tips w/ Matt Mercer)

Critical Role's Dungeonmaster Matt Mercer is here with another installment of GM Tips!

Player death is inevitable in a campaign, and Matt Mercer gives us some tips to handle the event properly. Thematics, last words, mourning, and properly moving on are just a few ways to help soften the blow.

[dentka]

*PC dies*
*Player writes "Jr." next to their name on the character sheet*
"I'VE COME TO AVENGE MY FATHER"

[ziggyeog]

Matt Mercer: "Allow the Player to have some last words, before they die."
PC's dying words: "Resurrect me...."

[EvieAnne]

My first ever character death, his last words were, "Well, shit." Before a stone golem pounded him into mulch.

[entity]

*character dies*
*rolls dice for funeral arrangement*
*rolls 1*
*the funeral has failed*

[RockyRavioli]

Pc: walks off cliff because they wanted to see what would happen
Dm: actually lets them kill themselves off
Pc: wait what?

[brandonb]

I had a PC die, and one of the other players, on his own, grabbed up the PCs sword and swore vengeance for his dead comrade and he carried the sword in order to end the killer with his friend's weapon. It was pretty epic.

[TheLovelyVocal]

Just had a cleric get swallowed by a dragon.

"I hope I give you indigestion!" Were her final words.

[ThaCodFathers]

“Some of you may die, but that is a sacrifice i am willing to make!” - my DM

[nh]

There's a system I like to implement in my games called "Final Stand". When a character is knocked to 0 HP, I give them a choice (provided it isn't instantaneous death, like a nuke), either submit and fall unconcious, with a chance to stabilize yourself, or defy death and make a final stand. In a final stand, you are given the following:
1 action type of your choice (reaction, main action, bonus action)
Half your movement speed
And one free spell slot of 5th level or lower

What you do with this is up to you, you can fire one last fire ball, you can make one last sword swing, you can do anything you want for one last turn to go out in a blaze of glory.

However, keep in mind, if you choose this, you *will* die. It doesn't matter if you get healed during your final stand, you will still die. Final Stand is the choice of letting your character go out with a bang.

Now, some DMs will say that that's OP, and frankly, I don't care. I have fun with it, my players have fun with it, and as long as I and my players keep having fun with it, I'll keep using it

[hunterwulffe]

In my first campaign, the first death happened to one of our bards. He touched a horse's balls and promptly got bashed in the skull and failed his saving throws. It was a fitting death for him.

[lordquinn]

GM: "OK he's dead bad luck, time to create a new character"
Player: "But .... "
GM: "What Race !"

[RaoGung]

Wait Matt, "Player death is indeed a real possibility?" Um... don't you mean Player Character death... I really hope so. :p

[vahlok]

Saddest death I ever had to describe was my friend's fighter getting blown apart by a black powder chain reaction. He was tough, survived so many other deadly attacks, and was the backbone and defacto leader. A bear of a man but an honorable and fun individual to his friends, but a terror to his enemies. He was a champion of the people, and a bane to their foes, as well as a true gentleman.

The hobgoblin general of the BBEG was nearly at their mercy, cornered in his stronghold. The party had to fight through the fort to get to him though, and they were prepared to siege the place if need be. Waves of enemies and rooms filled with ambushes, traps, and pitfalls led to the final chambers; the powder storage room. There he was, the hobgoblin general with a contingent of high guards and mercenaries, all armed with explosive impliments. The party went hard in this fight, nearly losing several to the blasts. But the warrior knew he needed to get in close and end the general ASAP, so he cut in close and laid into him. A few turns later, and a fumble on the general's part saw a bottle of alchemist fire light the room ablaze. They all knew this was bad, and they needed to go, fast. But the way was blocked by the flames and explosions for the warrior and the hobgoblin. With a heavy heart he called for his friends to run, to escape as fast as they could. They relented at first, trying to douse the flames, but they only grew back in strength with more explosions and soon the room and fort were starting to buckle. With a final smile and a tearful nod, the warrior laid into the general again as his friends fled, needing to drag the warrior's love interest away lest she die as well. The whole keep collapsed as they escaped, the warrior and the general impaling one another on their weapons. This hobgoblin, who had been a menace to them for going on a year had a moment of respect for his long time enemy, laughing with him as they both were crushed under the tons of stonework. And then, all was silent.

The party found their ally with help from some magic, his body bloodied and his armor crushed by stone. But he died with a smile on his face, content in knowing that his friends were safe, and one less evil was free to roam and sow terror. He was a hero, and he is still remembered in that world; Nidhogg, son of Grisall, child of the hill dwelling nomads, champion of the people, hero of Faerun, and a friend who will never be forgotten.

That is how a death should be, and that is how my first ever PC died. Tears were legitimately shed, and a character with nearly a year of development and growth, with great deeds and songs written of his and his allies' accomplishments passed as a warrior should; with a sword in his hand, fighting a foe who was worthy of his steel.

[arbaazshaw]

Character Death in DnD: A tragedy, a possible fight with the GM, all around difficult to work with

Character death in Call of Cthulhu: Welp, saw that coming

[daniabrown]

PC's last words: " Delete my browser history! "

The Party: " WTF is a Browser History?! "

[maxuniverse]

use the name of a fallen PC character as a warcry?
...
JENKIIINS!!!!"

[poxjaw]

Player character has just died, a stunned silence. Then in chorus the surviving adventures shout " I loot the body!" /sigh...

[XthegreatwhyX]

My favorite death of one of my characters was the group's paladin punching him in the face, not knowing he had only a handful of HP left, accidentally killing him, losing his class and becoming a warrior (lol), and then as last rites my group tossed the body in a moat to distract the crocodiles XD
God it's been 22 years ago...

[williamwillis]

I remember an absolute struggle of a fight me and my friends had in dnd where a PC died, and I was the one who killed him. It was a tense moment, the boss was on his last legs and was currently gripping the downed form of the Bard that he’d just rammed though with a sword of ice.

My Sorcerer could end the fight, but kill the Bard in the process, or he could prolong it and risk the TPK as basically everyone except me and the another were downed, though we had very little HP left.

I remember the Bard shouting “DO IT!” At my character as I released a Fireball directly on top of both the boss and the Bard. To this day, my Sorcerer carries the guilt of killing what was essentially his best friend for the sake of saving the rest of the party.

[cameronmiller]

In my favorite campaign I ever played, my character was fighting a vampire godlike being. I had been separated from my party because my character had a tendency to act way to heroic. As this vampire is kicking my ass it becomes obvious that my character made his last mistake. The vampire was bragging that my character wouldn't get to Valhalla (he was a follower of the Norse religion) because I was going to die in his realm. So this hand to hand rouge gets pissed and does the viking death chant "lo there do I see my father..." as I start to fight in what I thought was my last round. I rolled a crit and fought back pretty well. Right before the vampire lines up the killing blow. My faith was rewarded however because a champion of Valhalla felt my faith pull them to the scene and save my ass. It was a great moment