A Change Of Characters [Archive] - Wizards Community

A Change Of Characters [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
mithos_taralom
05-13-07, 12:59 PM I a currently DMing a campaign (I only just started it last session) and one of my players has decided he wants to play a paladin of freedom (variant rules from unearthed arcana). I offered him to just change his character to the paladin as if he always was one (for ease of play). Now he is being awkward and saying he would rather have his fighter killed off and replaced by the paladin any ideas how I can pull this off without out doing something stupid like "you drop dead" or "something kills you"?

Thanks in advance
Onikani
05-13-07, 02:07 PM the fighter doesn't need to actually die.

Figure out an in game RP reason for him to retire or take time off from adventuring (family issues?). The party neds to fill his roll with another melee type so they hire the pally.

Easy enough.
Need_A_Life
05-13-07, 02:08 PM The fighter retires/settles down/goes home to the family/takes a steady job as a town constable/parts ways with the group.
mithos_taralom
05-13-07, 02:14 PM Good idea actually (it was the player himself who wanted to die) I might just use that idea instead and he will have to like it lol
Zoycitenega
05-14-07, 11:22 AM It's kind of fun having a character die in a memorable way. Like after a hard fight, with all of his friends paralyzed, he is at 10 hit points but still fighting. The monster lunges at him with his bite attack, misses, and but then slaps him with his tail, knocking him against the wall, doing 21 damage.

It's characters like that that I remember.
Magrus
05-14-07, 11:27 AM Hmm, where are you in the adventure? Like, specifics. It would help in getting ideas for a scenario tailored to the campaign. I mean, if you are in a town, it is far different from a dragon's cave, or a dungeon, or a crypt.
forsaken1111
05-14-07, 11:27 AM Remember this: If you're okay with that old character's gear falling into the other party member's hands then you can feel free to have him die.

If you think the old character's gear PLUS the new character's gear would overbalance the party, have the old character leave instead.
northern_bear
05-14-07, 11:32 AM I a currently DMing a campaign (I only just started it last session) and one of my players has decided he wants to play a paladin of freedom (variant rules from unearthed arcana). I offered him to just change his character to the paladin as if he always was one (for ease of play). Now he is being awkward and saying he would rather have his fighter killed off and replaced by the paladin any ideas how I can pull this off without out doing something stupid like "you drop dead" or "something kills you"?

Thanks in advance

Wow. This must be a first. I have never seen a DM on these boards say "my player wishes his character was dead, but I can't figure out how to kill the character."

The player probably just wants his character to go out in a blaze of glory. So how about this:

Something big that the party can't possibly beat attacks them. The fighter volunteers to help hold it at bay while the others escape. Everybody runs away, except the fighter, who dies in a heroic display of courage.
mithos_taralom
05-14-07, 12:00 PM Sounds like a good idea to have him die in a memorable way well they're investigating a pirate camp they have discovered so any ideas maybe have him die holding back a flood of pirates perhaps?
DreadArchon
05-14-07, 02:34 PM Unless he really wants to die heroically, I suggest keeping him alive, in case the player changes his mind and wants to bring the guy back. (For example, the players in my campaign own a city, so when someone isn't around to play his character I just say "he's caught up in managing Battleaxe at this time.")

Or, you could leave it ambiguous. The B^3BEG is laying waste to the party! Sunder his Staff of Power, it's the only way! Does the Fighter die? Does he show up again later, a veteran of a thousand battles on the lower planes? Nobody knows...
Jonathan Drain
05-14-07, 03:00 PM You're the Dungeon Master. If your guy wants to change, let him undertake a quest in order to gain his paladinhood. Maybe he has to drink from a sacred well that only the bravest and most faithful can survive. If successful, he finds great power bestowed upon him gets to re-spec his guy as paladin.
Kouk
05-14-07, 03:45 PM If he wants a completely different character besides just a new class he may want to kill the fighter off for closure or something. Having him retire though, leaves him open for the DM to use as he pleases, or just have him adventure on his own awhile in case someone in the group wants to have the old friend return.
Altar_Boy
05-14-07, 03:50 PM Have his fighter wake up one day and remember he was a paladin of freedom, mentally dominated to think he was a fighter. Connect said act to next no-goodnik you want the party to off.
mithos_taralom
05-14-07, 04:28 PM I thank you for all the advice but the guy who plays the fighter just told me today that he has changed his mind and wants to stick with the fighter so I am annoyed now but at least I don't have to go to all the trouble now i guess.

I will keep all these ideas in my head in the chance i ever have to do something similar again thanks all.
Ace_of_time
05-14-07, 04:55 PM Next time if they just want a new class you can send them on a rebuilding quest and switch the fighter class levels for the paladin.
Millennium
05-14-07, 05:01 PM Honestly, the best way to retire a character without killing them is to give them what they want, so that they can retire peacefully. In other words, HAPPY END!

The barbarian is summoned home to be the new chief of his people. The bard finally succeeds in wooing his lady love. The four casters work together to found their own school of witchcraft and wizardry. The fighter is named a baron and given a parcel of land by the king. The cleric builds his own temple. There are all kinds of things you can do to retire a character without killing them, and sometimes they can be even more memorable than a heroic death.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
mithos_taralom 05-13-07, 12:59 PM	I a currently DMing a campaign (I only just started it last session) and one of my players has decided he wants to play a paladin of freedom (variant rules from unearthed arcana). I offered him to just change his character to the paladin as if he always was one (for ease of play). Now he is being awkward and saying he would rather have his fighter killed off and replaced by the paladin any ideas how I can pull this off without out doing something stupid like "you drop dead" or "something kills you"? Thanks in advance
Onikani 05-13-07, 02:07 PM	the fighter doesn't need to actually die. Figure out an in game RP reason for him to retire or take time off from adventuring (family issues?). The party neds to fill his roll with another melee type so they hire the pally. Easy enough.
Need_A_Life 05-13-07, 02:08 PM	The fighter retires/settles down/goes home to the family/takes a steady job as a town constable/parts ways with the group.
mithos_taralom 05-13-07, 02:14 PM	Good idea actually (it was the player himself who wanted to die) I might just use that idea instead and he will have to like it lol
Zoycitenega 05-14-07, 11:22 AM	It's kind of fun having a character die in a memorable way. Like after a hard fight, with all of his friends paralyzed, he is at 10 hit points but still fighting. The monster lunges at him with his bite attack, misses, and but then slaps him with his tail, knocking him against the wall, doing 21 damage. It's characters like that that I remember.
Magrus 05-14-07, 11:27 AM	Hmm, where are you in the adventure? Like, specifics. It would help in getting ideas for a scenario tailored to the campaign. I mean, if you are in a town, it is far different from a dragon's cave, or a dungeon, or a crypt.
forsaken1111 05-14-07, 11:27 AM	Remember this: If you're okay with that old character's gear falling into the other party member's hands then you can feel free to have him die. If you think the old character's gear PLUS the new character's gear would overbalance the party, have the old character leave instead.
northern_bear 05-14-07, 11:32 AM	I a currently DMing a campaign (I only just started it last session) and one of my players has decided he wants to play a paladin of freedom (variant rules from unearthed arcana). I offered him to just change his character to the paladin as if he always was one (for ease of play). Now he is being awkward and saying he would rather have his fighter killed off and replaced by the paladin any ideas how I can pull this off without out doing something stupid like "you drop dead" or "something kills you"? Thanks in advance Wow. This must be a first. I have never seen a DM on these boards say "my player wishes his character was dead, but I can't figure out how to kill the character." The player probably just wants his character to go out in a blaze of glory. So how about this: Something big that the party can't possibly beat attacks them. The fighter volunteers to help hold it at bay while the others escape. Everybody runs away, except the fighter, who dies in a heroic display of courage.
mithos_taralom 05-14-07, 12:00 PM	Sounds like a good idea to have him die in a memorable way well they're investigating a pirate camp they have discovered so any ideas maybe have him die holding back a flood of pirates perhaps?
DreadArchon 05-14-07, 02:34 PM	Unless he really wants to die heroically, I suggest keeping him alive, in case the player changes his mind and wants to bring the guy back. (For example, the players in my campaign own a city, so when someone isn't around to play his character I just say "he's caught up in managing Battleaxe at this time.") Or, you could leave it ambiguous. The B^3BEG is laying waste to the party! Sunder his Staff of Power, it's the only way! Does the Fighter die? Does he show up again later, a veteran of a thousand battles on the lower planes? Nobody knows...
Jonathan Drain 05-14-07, 03:00 PM	You're the Dungeon Master. If your guy wants to change, let him undertake a quest in order to gain his paladinhood. Maybe he has to drink from a sacred well that only the bravest and most faithful can survive. If successful, he finds great power bestowed upon him gets to re-spec his guy as paladin.
Kouk 05-14-07, 03:45 PM	If he wants a completely different character besides just a new class he may want to kill the fighter off for closure or something. Having him retire though, leaves him open for the DM to use as he pleases, or just have him adventure on his own awhile in case someone in the group wants to have the old friend return.
Altar_Boy 05-14-07, 03:50 PM	Have his fighter wake up one day and remember he was a paladin of freedom, mentally dominated to think he was a fighter. Connect said act to next no-goodnik you want the party to off.
mithos_taralom 05-14-07, 04:28 PM	I thank you for all the advice but the guy who plays the fighter just told me today that he has changed his mind and wants to stick with the fighter so I am annoyed now but at least I don't have to go to all the trouble now i guess. I will keep all these ideas in my head in the chance i ever have to do something similar again thanks all.
Ace_of_time 05-14-07, 04:55 PM	Next time if they just want a new class you can send them on a rebuilding quest and switch the fighter class levels for the paladin.
Millennium 05-14-07, 05:01 PM	Honestly, the best way to retire a character without killing them is to give them what they want, so that they can retire peacefully. In other words, HAPPY END! The barbarian is summoned home to be the new chief of his people. The bard finally succeeds in wooing his lady love. The four casters work together to found their own school of witchcraft and wizardry. The fighter is named a baron and given a parcel of land by the king. The cleric builds his own temple. There are all kinds of things you can do to retire a character without killing them, and sometimes they can be even more memorable than a heroic death.