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I've recently started a new campaign with my friends. The GM is using the realm of Tal'Dorei (as well as other Matt Mercer-inspired things as he's a fan.)

Our group had previously managed to have one session but due to complications, considering how large the group was, I doubt we'll be able to continue with that campaign again.

The character I used for this campaign was a homebrew Knight class. Both the GM and I are aware that the class is a homebrew one. My character is a level 1 Human (I'll add the stats later, as it's late in my country).

In the new campaign that we're starting I was going to change my character to a Totem-Warrior Barbarian and the GM supported this idea. However, once I learnt that my friends were not going to be changing any of their characters at all, I decided to stick with my knight. (That character is brothers with one of the other characters.)

While this might be considered metagaming, my friend informed me that our GM is going to purposely try and get my character killed so that I'll use the Totem Warrior barbarian because that's what he wants. He doesn't know that I know. When he uses the exact words "It's up to you which character to use" but is going to try and get that character killed to get me to play the character that he wants, I don't see that as very fair.

Personally, I'd prefer to play the Knight because that was the character for the very first campaign we played (the one previous to our current one). We thought that we were finally going to be able to organize a meetup and continue. Sadly, that had to be cancelled.

I believe that if I confront the GM about this problem he may get upset with my friend. Either that or try to give a bunch of excuses in order to try and convince me into being alright with having my character killed.

How do I convince the GM not to kill my character?

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    \$\begingroup\$ Just checking: are you and the DM both aware that the Knight you link to is homebrew? (Related: Why does dandwiki have a poor reputation?) Also, from Meta.SE: What is the XY problem? If you want to know how to be as hard to kill as possible, and don't want to address the actual issue, you may want to edit out those portions as they're likely to distract from the question you're asking. \$\endgroup\$
    – V2Blast
    Apr 15, 2019 at 22:28
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    \$\begingroup\$ Related - "How can I suggest the DM stop trying to kill us?" \$\endgroup\$
    – Ben
    Apr 15, 2019 at 22:32
  • \$\begingroup\$ Also related: In regards to becoming "as difficult to kill as possible". \$\endgroup\$
    – Ben
    Apr 15, 2019 at 22:35
  • \$\begingroup\$ Do not answer in comments. \$\endgroup\$
    – mxyzplk
    Apr 15, 2019 at 22:55
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    \$\begingroup\$ I don't think you want to ask "how can I make it hard for the DM to kill my character" (which is pointless, the DM is almighty) - you want to know how convince your DM not to kill your character, without sending your friend to his doom for telling you. That's a different question, but it's most certainly more answerable. If you rephrase your question into something like that, I think it has a better chance to get reopened than it does currently. \$\endgroup\$ Apr 15, 2019 at 23:45

3 Answers 3

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Talk to your DM

This is not a problem that can be solved in-play. If your DM wants your character dead, your character is going to die...there is absolutely, positively, nothing you can do about this. However durable your character may be, the DM could always have the Tarrasque awaken from its slumber, rise through the crust directly under you, and eat you...then go straight back to sleep. Or just skip a step and have the earth crack open and swallow you.

Thus, the only solution here is to go talk to your DM about it.

Broaching the subject

Approach it politely, don't be accusatory. Don't go walking up to your DM and say "I heard you're trying to kill my character, wtf, man?"

Instead, ask him to talk in private, outside of the game session, and just tell him something like "Hey, I don't know if this is true or not, but one of the other players told me you weren't happy with the character I'm planning to play and might try to get rid of it."

Find out why

Your first goal should be to try to find out why your DM wants to get rid of the character. If you just go straight to trying to 'convince him' you are pretty likely to miss his actual objections to the character.

He might have realized the class is horribly overpowered and doesn't want it overshadowing the rest of the group. He might have gotten the idea of having a Barbarian in the party in his head. He might have been joking, and the other player thought he was serious. So, ask why.

Once you know why...think about it. Do you agree with him? Is there something wrong with the character that makes it unplayable? (if your DM is just flat-banning that class, see if you can retool the character as a Fighter of some sort) If not...then the answer is still to talk to him.

Tell him why you want to play this character

Try to address his concerns about your character. Express that you are very fond of this character and are really looking forward to getting to play it in the group. Talk about the RP connotations of his brother, and so on. The goal of D&D is for everyone to have fun together...in a healthy group, your DM absolutely should care about the fact that you want to play your Knight.

Bring up what you said to us...that the DM said you guys could build whatever character you wanted. (Politely) express that it's pretty inconsiderate to let a player go through the effort of creating a character that you fully intend to just immediately kill.

Future-proofing

If your DM really was planning to kill off your character as you suggest, I would suggest asking your DM that, in the future, if they have a problem with your character, to just tell you straight-up. As mentioned above, it's not cool to let a player go through all the effort of building their character, developing their personality, and collaborating with others on their backstory...only to promptly kill the character off, wasting that player's efforts.

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As a GM, I really enjoy players that run characters that bind the party together and make my job easy. My suggestion is to convince the GM through play that your character is the glue that keeps the party together.

Some specific points:

  1. Make your character distinct and memorable, but not annoying.

  2. Be prepared. Always be ready with what you want to do, not digging through abilities for what you want to do. Don't ask the DM questions about your character (unless it's fun backstory).

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    \$\begingroup\$ Welcome to RPG.SE! Take the tour if you haven't already, and check out the help center for more guidance. Could you support your answer by elaborating on your suggestions and citing evidence or experience in explaining how they do what OP's asking for? \$\endgroup\$
    – V2Blast
    Apr 16, 2019 at 23:32
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Sorted! I just talked to the DM/GM about this in a calm manner as recommended and it turned out it was a misunderstood joke. Now I'm still somewhat skeptical just in case he could be lying but I think it should be alright now. Thank you guildsbounty for the recommendation.

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    \$\begingroup\$ If you consider an answer to be the 'most helpful' one, Then underneath the up and down arrows next to the answer there's a little hollow checkmark that you can click on. click on that, and it marks the answer as 'Accepted.' (You can only accept 1 answer) \$\endgroup\$ Apr 19, 2019 at 16:42
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    \$\begingroup\$ You may want to delete this answer and leave it as a comment on guildsbounty's answer instead (since that's the answer whose advice you took), and then accept guildsbounty's answer. \$\endgroup\$
    – V2Blast
    Apr 19, 2019 at 18:06

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