June 4, 2023

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Innovation Leader

How do I deal with player character (PC) death? Tabletop tips from an anxious GM

D&D and TTRPGs can get super tense when a player character’s (PC) life is on the line. It can be tricky to tackle the severe implications of that and the consequences that follow. Well, let’s talk about it — how exactly do you deal with PC death and also keep your players happy? Because it’s not a happy moment, and while some players are okay with that, others aren’t. As someone who struggles with anxiety and depression — a combo that is less than ideal for a journalist or a game master juggling seven different players in a six-hour Dungeons & Dragons game — it can be a challenge to assert yourself as a GM in these tough moments.

In this week’s column of Tabletop tips from an anxious GM (all of which can be found on our DND tips hub), I’ll be answering a question posed by one of my players, asking “How do I deal with PC death?”


https://www.laptopmag.com/how-to/how-do-i-deal-with-player-character-pc-death-tabletop-tips-from-an-anxious-gm