Topic: Lethality

I'm wondering if this game is as violently lethal as ODD was. Doesn't seem that this has as many options for healing characters as ODD. Anyone have any feedback on the character mortality rate in this game?

We each have rolled up two characters just in case the shit hits the fan early on.

Re: Lethality

The biggest factor may depend on the experience level of your group.  If they played a lot of ODD, I think it will be slightly less lethal, for example, my players died frequently from slogging through combats with powerful monsters, opening doors and just wandering in, stumbling into traps, etc.  (They came to LotFP from a Pathfinder background...)

That said, the LotFP modules themselves can be quite deadly or "life" altering for even experienced players.  Additionally, the stuff that's in them is usually quite interesting, so players have to decide, "Is this a Green Devil Face door...or, is there something really cool on the other side...or both, and it's totally worth it to risk it?"

After a year, my players die much less from the stuff in the first paragraph, but are much more adventurous now and tend to get into other sorts of sticky situations.

Re: Lethality

A group that's used to modern incarnations of the game (especially 3.5/PF) might have a few "learning experiences" (aka horribly hilarious deaths), but once they get the hang of it, they'll be (mostly) ok.

Re: Lethality

I broke my teeth on the Moldvay boxed set in 1982. I think I'm the only one in our party who has that much street time in this, so I'll be the voice of reason.

How do you handle the level issue when a character at higher levels dies and the player makes a new one. Start at half Experience or from 1st level?

Re: Lethality

I usually start people at 80% of the lowest XP total in the group. That sets them a level or two behind, but also means that a group which has consecutive deaths a few sessions in a row can drop pretty far (since the lowest total will be the guy who rerolled last time)... which is fun! Going back to some lower-level adventures again, maybe with a higher level leader ("I've seen things you wouldn't believe..."), is a great time and lets you dig out one of those modules you thought the players had "passed".

Blogging about OSR at Deep Delving

Re: Lethality

Personally I just make the new player start over at 1st level with a new character.
Since attack bonus doesn't increase for anyone but the Fighter and AC usually caps out at 18, there's no maths reason that a level 1 character will be behind. Their only disadvantage is, of course, HP, but staying out of trouble while the big boys get chopped to pieces is part of the fun!

Re: Lethality

I'm a "player-centric" gamer. A new character comes in at the same level (but without the gear found from adventuring). Losing a character you've enjoyed playing is much more of a punishment than starting at lower levels, which is just primarily an annoyance to the player (as it alters their playing style until they "catch up").

Re: Lethality

Our games have been rather lethal. We have been playing LOTFP for around two years now, usually thrice a month, and I have lost four characters. Two of them died, one started to turn into a naga and committed suicide, and one was trapped in a pocket dimension. I think I played for almost a year with the one who survived longest. On the other hand, one of my friends has only lost one character and that was mostly because the campaign was nearing its end and he decided to die with a style. So your gaming style matters a lot. I'm rather quick-tempered, so I just can't sit and watch the others do the job. On the other hand my friend is very patient guy and never as reckless as I am.

Also, our gaming style doesn't favour quick gaining of levels. Our GM is very stingy with treasure and I think we have never had a fourth-level character. Also we often spend several sessions with just role-playing out discussions, politics, and such. As you don't gain experience from killing, but from looting, HP is much more important than fighting skills, in my opinion. Monsters tend to be very tough and it's just better to survive and run. With the treasure, naturally. And that's why you need HP.

Also, what I have learned is that you definitely need to hire retainers. When you get the money, Charisma becomes perhaps the single most crucial stat. Gaining loyal NPC friends is extremely important.