For whatever reason, sometimes a character doesn't have a way out. Whether it's a heroic last stand, a mortally wounded holding action as your companions escape, or a literal suicide mission, it can be nice to be able to 'write them out' with an ending you're happy with, rather than just keeping on rolling until you cross off the last few hit points and fail some death saves.
This is something that needs to be used carefully, and with sensitivity, not just for silliness. Remember reading of Sturm Brightblade's demise in Dragons of Winter Night, or Gandalf perishing against the Balrog known as Durin's Bane on the Bridge of Khazad-Dûm, or Obi-Wan Kenobi surrendering himself to the Force rather than letting Darth Vader slay him, and you'll be on the right track. This is something that might happen once per campaign, rather than by any established magical effect- it's all about narrative, rather than rules. If this happens 2-3 times per dungeon, it's silly. How you can do this: Let the player take the narrative reins for a little- keep it within the realms of what the character can do, but let them strike down a bunch of enemies, blow away a whole army with fireballs before they're dragged down, or set off a last explosion of holy light which vaporizes the whole evil temple they're standing in. If the player feels like the character has had a worthy send-off, then they stay invested in the story you're telling. The important part is that you can't bring them back. They're gone, for good. No Resurrections, no Wishes. They're dead. How to use a Heroic Last Stand in your game: - A character who has been poisoned and fails a saving throw which would kill them might be able to fight on for a last few minutes, giving others a chance to escape. - A character who takes a wound which would kill them straight away, might instead become mortally wounded. They can feel their death coming, and hear the songs of their ancestors. But something remains undone, and their strength might last them one battle more. - A Mage might be able to spend their last strength closing a portal (or holding it open while it collapses), burning the remains of their life-force in one last expenditure of energy. Also posted on Game Masters Stash on 18 July 2019. Comments are closed.
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AuthorI'm Luke. He/him pronouns. Archives
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