Player quits mid-dungeon, What do I do?

[TalksAlone]

Firstly, I would like to remark that I am not a native speaker of english. Therefore, some cutting of slack would be appreciated.

Secondly a bit of background.
Due to some drama that has taken place between two of my players, namely the end of a long term relationship in somewhat less than friendly terms, one of them has voiced his removal from the group. This is an important remark as to illustrate that restoration of the group is beyond my power or willingness to attempt.

Thirdly, to the problem at hand:

The campaign started, simply enough, in a quest to acquire Kobold Heads in order to exchange for gold. Kind of a promotion made by the government to stimulate freelancer and mercenary activity on a otherwise government-patrolled and isolated region. The plan was to give the players a hard gold advantage compared to the 'average' for their level 2-3 characters so that the following quests could be of greater threat, involving important BBEG's, without signifying immediate TPK. As they ride to the region designated to this hunt they come across a recently excavated Kobold 'Dungeon', that was in actuality an ellaborate Kobold Trap-Dungeon-Thingy I prepared to be challenging despite using this weak monsters. One of the 'thrills' I placed to balance out the highly concentrated gold mine that a Kobold Dungeon poses as in such circumstances was that, once inside, the entrance tunnel would collapse and force the players to find a different way out (of wich there are three). They also managed to bring along inside two NPCs that were left to try and dig away at the collapsed tunnel so that could be a fourth exit.

Last session they entered the dungeon, cleared a couple rooms besides the collapsing tunnel and decided to leave the NPCs digging and made a short rest. Then between that and our soon coming next session the trouble happened and now I have a dilemma.

I don't want to force my party, especially the player involved on the drama, to coexist and interact with the now NPC character of my quitting player while locked away on a dungeon full of deathtraps: it just doesn't sound like fun to anyone involved. But, despite the fact that they set up (wisely) the fourth way out as a backup plan, it would feel artificial to try and offer it after no more than one and a half hours of exploration/excavation, since the tunnel was of very substantial length. I wanted to reward the players originally, by letting them get out if they wanted after some hours, big time. As such I cannot brush away the feeling that doing it like that it would be force feeding a DM-convenient exit. And overall leave a bitter taste in everyone's mouth. So...

Any suggestion on how to deal with the newly appointed NPC in a way that doesn't feel neither force fed nor like a nuisance? Ask me anything.

Edit: bit of grammar.

[Cazero]

These two digging NPCs will probably need a bodyguard once the party gets deeper in the tunnel complex. Handwave the process of who got to do it.

[DeTess]

The short and easy solution? Rocks fall, the PC dies.

Some more elegant solutions could be based on his/her class. For example, a warlock could suddenly get called away by his patron, a paladin or cleric could suddenly receive a call to action by their god, a druid could sense a hurt fawn (baby deer) somewhere 50 miles away... You get the idea.

[Sariel Vailo]

If they quit only to not return next week kill em if its because of a good reason i will let that charaxter live

[TalksAlone]

These two digging NPCs will probably need a bodyguard once the party gets deeper in the tunnel complex. Handwave the process of who got to do it.

I kinda like this idea, I had something in mind for them to make their rests with the NPCs and set up watches to fend off kobold patrols. But doing it this way would mean that some of the EXP from the kobold patrols I had set up would go away from the party. I mean, it's fine if I put aditional patrols, it ends up being the same since they would divide the EXP from the rest of the dungeon between less players, but still.


The short and easy solution? Rocks fall, the PC dies.

Some more elegant solutions could be based on his/her class. For example, a warlock could suddenly get called away by his patron, a paladin or cleric could suddenly receive a call to action by their god, a druid could sense a hurt fawn (baby deer) somewhere 50 miles away... You get the idea.

Don't get me wrong, it is still a consideration, but the rocks have alredy been used before to actually trap them inside the dungeon, and in general I agree it's rather tasteless. I don't particularly like the approach of a conflicting interest, because it is a very "I honor my word, I'll see this task to an end" kind of character. It would be very odd, I think.


If they quit only to not return next week kill em if its because of a good reason i will let that charaxter live

I don't think I understand what you mean. Depending on the players breakup I kill or put away the character?

[ImproperJustice]

I think bodyguarding the NPCs while the rest of the group freely adventures is the best solution. Just treat him as an NPC.

As far as XP goes, just handwave that the diggers get attacked every so often. If you want the PCs to return and defend the site occasionally, send them signals such as an increasing number of dead kobolds slain by the NPCs and then possibly a major raid where the troublesome NPC is slain.

[Grod_The_Giant]

I suggest asking the player what they want done with their character. Cazero's idea of having them watch the diggers is a pretty good one, but the player might have a better plan.

[Arcangel4774]

First off: your English is pretty good; with the exception of an occasional punctuation, which most people screw up anyway, it is easy to read. Doubley so as those with English as a second language don't have as much slang in their speech.

Second off: what class/morality does this pc turned npc have? If you play on the class or the characters personality, it can make the characters exit seem more organic.

For example a righteous and selfless character may sacrifice himself pretty easily. A more brash and impatient character may step into a deadly trap (bonus if his death gives insight to the other players on the dangers ahead). If his character is less than reputable you could have him betray the party, and set him up as a new villian.

[polymphus]

Had a similar thing happen recently. Different reasons, but player was gone and not coming back.

The DM took control of them for one last session and had them make a heroic sacrifice to save the rest of the party. It was a nice cathartic moment.

[TalksAlone]

Thank you, everyone, for the replies. Usually I am fairly confident when DMing, but the context here threw me off quite a bit, you really helped organize my thoughts.



I think bodyguarding the NPCs while the rest of the group freely adventures is the best solution. Just treat him as an NPC.

As far as XP goes, just handwave that the diggers get attacked every so often. If you want the PCs to return and defend the site occasionally, send them signals such as an increasing number of dead kobolds slain by the NPCs and then possibly a major raid where the troublesome NPC is slain.

That's a good idea. Aditionally, I was doing some mounted kobold patrols, mostly to retrieve bodies for cannibalistic uses and as incentive for the players to delve deeper after that sweet 50GP/piece kobold heads. Usually with the Sentinel Kobold being real careful and stealthy, maybe I could be more careless and allow the players to thin their numbers a tad more before the important fights to compensate for their diminished numbers. I'll keep killing the burden dude in mind, as it seems like a frequent suggestion: in all honesty I think it is slightly on the cheap side, but I don't think the players will mind a meatshield.



I suggest asking the player what they want done with their character. Cazero's idea of having them watch the diggers is a pretty good one, but the player might have a better plan.

Yeah, of course! People on my group are slightly timid and introverted, tho. I am just trying to prepare something in case they don't really feel ok to deal with it, given the situation. Maybe I'm underestimating them... oh well. I agree, also, will definetly keep Cazero's idea on my pocket.



First off: your English is pretty good; with the exception of an occasional punctuation, which most people screw up anyway, it is easy to read. Doubley so as those with English as a second language don't have as much slang in their speech.

Second off: what class/morality does this pc turned npc have? If you play on the class or the characters personality, it can make the characters exit seem more organic.

For example a righteous and selfless character may sacrifice himself pretty easily. A more brash and impatient character may step into a deadly trap (bonus if his death gives insight to the other players on the dangers ahead). If his character is less than reputable you could have him betray the party, and set him up as a new villian.

Hey, thanks! Praise the edit button, I say!

This character is a fighter 1/monk 1 and Neutral Good. Kind of what you would picture imagining what an anime-inspired rōnin samurai would be: not really wearing any armor, kind of a wandering do gooder homeless man. Himura Kenshin from Samurai X and Shimada Kanbei from Seven Samurai come to mind as two characters that evoke a similar feel. Notable characteristics: refuses to steal or cheat others, looking for some sort of enlightenment through adventuring, not particularly religious, has been subjected to some psionic experiment loosely related to the plot. Not really a character worthy of ****ty karma or backstabbing.

Wich leads me to...


Had a similar thing happen recently. Different reasons, but player was gone and not coming back.

The DM took control of them for one last session and had them make a heroic sacrifice to save the rest of the party. It was a nice cathartic moment.


I don't think an honorable death or sacrifice would be BAD on itself. On all accounts I agree that it would be perfectly in character and kind of cool. My concern is that given the situation, the moment just won't 'stick' or 'work' for reasons outside of the character.

[Erys]

If there is, for certain, no chance the player will return this game: kill the character in dramatic fashion.

Be it a heroic sacrifice, an undignified but important warning to the party (like triggering one of several deadly traps), or even just letting him take the brunt of some OP creatures rechargeable power; make it memorable and useful, then move on with the game. :smallcool:

[BW022]

If two players are in a relationship which ends...

My first thought would be to end the campaign. By forcing (or allowing) one player to drop out and keeping the other... you are picking sides and causing the other players to be on egg shells. Far better to end the campaign, wait a few months, and then start a new campaign. Take a summer break, play something else, etc. Even if the player who remained was a close friend and the one who left was new to the group... no need for this drama. Left your friend sort him/herself out and come back clean in a month or two.

[TalksAlone]

If there is, for certain, no chance the player will return this game: kill the character in dramatic fashion.

Be it a heroic sacrifice, an undignified but important warning to the party (like triggering one of several deadly traps), or even just letting him take the brunt of some OP creatures rechargeable power; make it memorable and useful, then move on with the game. :smallcool:

I might have some tricks :)


If two players are in a relationship which ends...

My first thought would be to end the campaign. By forcing (or allowing) one player to drop out and keeping the other... you are picking sides and causing the other players to be on egg shells. Far better to end the campaign, wait a few months, and then start a new campaign. Take a summer break, play something else, etc. Even if the player who remained was a close friend and the one who left was new to the group... no need for this drama. Left your friend sort him/herself out and come back clean in a month or two.

Sorry, here comes a bit of venting:

Our group's decision to continue on with the campaign was under the suggestion of the parting player. There are no sides to be taken really, if I shut the group down I would be going against the desires they both expressed to me separetely. As well as the remaining players, who expressed being in favor of going on.
Honestly (it's funny you mention) I've found quite surprising that my closer friend was the one to leave, not the other I played with once in my life. And more to the point, we've been on hiatus since: I have expressed the desire everyone in the group has for the player who quit to come back, to no avail or change in opinion.

Now I can just assume that there is some secrets going on, and I have been lied to about their real desires, and cancel it all despite being told not to. But I chose to trust my friends.

[Armored Walrus]

There's no reason you need to be a slave to narrative continuity in a game. Just carry on without that character and don't bother mentioning what may have happened to them. It's not like you have an audience that's going to crucify you at conventions because of your plot hole.

[TalksAlone]

There's no reason you need to be a slave to narrative continuity in a game. Just carry on without that character and don't bother mentioning what may have happened to them. It's not like you have an audience that's going to crucify you at conventions because of your plot hole.

I suppose that is one way to go about it, but there has alredy been some potion slinging around so monetary damage has been done. It's kind of unfair in that regard. Also, he was the one who provided horses to the party via Soldier background. And my players are kind of sticks in the mud about continuity, actually.:smallbiggrin:

[Pex]

Since the adventure just started you can pretend the PC was never there. No need to explain anything. Everyone continues to play as normal.

[grumbaki]

I had three sessions away from a campaign and left just as our party got captured by drow. I asked the GM to have my neutral evil rogue betray the party by joining the drow. He died, of course. I came back and made a new character.

If the PC's character was evil that could work. Especially if optimized then he'd make for a nice encounter.

[Sigreid]

I would have the NPCs whine about being left to work at clearing rubble undefended. Hopefully then the players will decide that the right thing to do is leave the guy to look after them, letting you ignore him from then on.

That gives you a logical out, that makes sense, and the remaining players get to make the decision.

[Sariel Vailo]

I don't think I understand what you mean. Depending on the players breakup I kill or put away the character?

If say their wife is going into labor keep. If they are an intentional cancer for the group kill but heroically kill.if they were out of no where asked by work to come in at the exact moment. You all start keep.extenuating cicumstances important to daily life keep.being an indignant specail snow flake who whines grin maniacally and kill.

[Armored Walrus]

If say their wife is going into labor keep. If they are an intentional cancer for the group kill but heroically kill.if they were out of no where asked by work to come in at the exact moment. You all start keep.extenuating cicumstances important to daily life keep.being an indignant specail snow flake who whines grin maniacally and kill.

Sariel, the OP explained why the character quit.


I suppose that is one way to go about it, but there has alredy been some potion slinging around so monetary damage has been done. It's kind of unfair in that regard. Also, he was the one who provided horses to the party via Soldier background. And my players are kind of sticks in the mud about continuity, actually.:smallbiggrin:

Well if the players won't let you get away with the retcon, then they have to live with the NPC. If that's going to be awkward for them, then they can just decide what they do with that now-NPC - whether that be guard duty or scouting ahead and checking for traps until it's dead.

From an interpersonal relationship standpoint, I think it makes more sense to just have that character fade out of the story. Having someone's ex kill them in game might cause them, or the rest of the group, real life problems if word gets back to the ex. But that's not D&D advice, that's life advice ;)

[Beelzebubba]

Well if the players won't let you get away with the retcon, then they have to live with the NPC. If that's going to be awkward for them, then they can just decide what they do with that now-NPC - whether that be guard duty or scouting ahead and checking for traps until it's dead.

Nah, this is one of those times where the DM just says 'OK, before we play today... X's character is leaving, we're not keeping them as an NPC. I have a plan how to work it out. If you have any great ideas on how I should do it, let's hear 'em now. If I like yours better I'll use it. But they'll be out of the picture ASAP.'

[Specter]

You could also have an extremely difficult encounter where this party members sacrifices himself so the others can go forward. I've been in the DM end of such a scenario, and it is cheap, but since the party knew something had to be done they didn't care so much.

[The Shadowdove]

Kill them.

Or have their mind ripped asunder, replaced by a sentient weapon with an uncanny amount of dungeoneering knowledge and experience via past wielded.

[Randomthom]

My thinking went straight to having this character trigger a trap for an undignified death to serve as a warning to the players that they are dealing with some nasty stuff...

If you're worried about the nature of the characters' death being seen to represent your feelings towards the player (if this gets back to them somehow) then the best way to manage this is to respectfully check with them first that they don't mind their character going this way. Try not to take sides outside the game! That's a whole lot of trouble you don't need to get involved with!

[Vogie]

Another idea is to have them encounter another group of people that were trapped in there. Their opening attack kills the absent PC, the PC's respond and take out a couple of the other party, until cooler heads prevail and they decide to group together to get out of the dungeon. The surviving members of the other party augment whatever your party needs to get out.

[TalksAlone]

Thanks, everyone, for the insightful replies.



Up front I will say that the session went rather well, very much a feel good and epic vibe. Since the collective wisdom was so useful, I return to offer my report on the results (big post alert)! :smallsmile:

In the end, I made use of most, if not all, of the suggestions in one way or another. For this reason, I will not be quoting every reply to point where specifically it helped out. Hopefully I can express how the session went well enough that you can see for yourself the suggestions you made being applied.



Here we go:



We all arrived and prepared the usual parafernalia for the session, and started to discuss how we could deal with the character. As I had expected, my group was visibly unsure of how they would prefer to adress the issue and seemed highly relieved to learn I had something planned. Little did they know on my notes I had several plans in adition to the one I decided to try out first.

Last session I had foreshadowed the arrival of a dangerous wandering monster attracted by the sound of the Kobold's Horn. Stopping at a cliffhanger as the monster emerged from a tunnel, preceeded only by his own low-pitched growl and the slight tremors causing dust to fall from the narrow tunnel's ceiling to the players heads. Session starts, I make that recap, and the whole party clenches their weapons in antecipation.

From the shadows a Xorn appears. I score an abysmal initiative roll for the monster and every party member goes before the monster. They were just coming from a short rest and were not in their peak fighting capacities. From the first row of attacks (mostly ranged weapons) I make sure to inform the players of the toughness of the foe: between the AC 19 and resistance to nonmagical weapons the Xorn is perfect to pose as a seemingly impregnable fortress.

The turn of the Xorn comes, and I describe in detail the threatening danger of his claws and especially bite. I positioned him a fair bit far away from the party as to detail how slowly it moves, using a dash action just to close the gap with teir frontliner. The party wisely tries to retreat to the room they came from in order to avoid fighting in a tight corridor, only to be greeted by a pair of Kobolds comming from a sencond tunnel they did not explore. This is when things go kind of too perfect to be true. Our ranger sets up some caltrops he RPs as being made of bone at the tunnel entrance on his way. The paladin, our tanky fella, disengages after everyone takes position aiming to arrive at a decent spot close to the tight tunnel's entrance, but still outspacing the monster by forcing it to dash one more round. He goes into detail as how he moves backwards never turning or looking away from the monster.

This is when I notice the caltrops set up accidentally on the Paladin's way by the Ranger. A big laugh is shared by the table as I point it out (our Ranger is kind of the adorable goofy sort of guy). The paladin is a good sport about it, and says he totally fell for it. Still, I notice the sitiuation was going to go badly rather quickly if he didn't make the Dex save and got his movement stopped on it's tracks. Being the tanky, high constitution sort, he fails and is rooted in the danger zone.

It's the Xorn's turn, and my heart is racing. In our table I make my rolls open, so saving people on purpose is very obvious, and there was perfect condition for the Xorn to make his full Multiattack. I start rolling, Claw, Claw, Bite, Claw! True to his reputation, the paladin makes it through the round escaping two of the claws due to his heavy armor and shield. I roll the low-damage claw and he calmly deducts from his HP pool. I put on my best dreadful grin as I present the 3d6 to be rolled for the bite, and the party looks like they saw a ghost. I describe, while calculating the damage, the great crown of teeth closing itself around the paladin's chest, leaving him with close to no HP.

Comes the next round, and the Xorn is a time bomb. I know my players are planning on running, but it's the new Samurai-NPC-Dude's turn. I declare that the Samurai lunges forward and makes an Attack Action. Targeting the nearly-dead Paladin. The player gives me the stare, and I keep him in the dark for a fraction of a second more. Then I complete: "He lunges forward towards you and the monster. He makes a Shove atempt on you backwards, towards the Cleric. Do you resist?". He laughingly responds "No". Since forced movement (like a Shove) does not provoke Attacks of Oportunity, the Paladin is basically given a free short-range Disengage and the Xorn's reaction is now useless. As the Samurai still has his bonus action, I declare he draws his shortsword with the offhand and attacks the Xorn. I roll high on attack and damage both, people cheer. I describe as the Xorn's attention turns to the the Samurai given the deep gash left on it's eye (it was the highest damage they had managed to that point).

The Ranger and the Rogue had occupied themselves of getting rid of the Kobolds from the tunnel, before they could finish off the wounded Paladin from afar. One of the Kobolds managed a missed shot off of his crossbow, the other died before being able to shoot it. Meanwhile the Cleric and the Paladin adress bringing the tank back to near top condition, popping their remaining healing. They seemed to have gained some ground due to the Samurai's heroics, and turned had the needed opening to escape. But, alas, came the Xorn's turn.

Unleashing its Multiattack, I rolled first for the bite. A sentiment of dread took the table. They knew that, due to the Samurai's lower AC, a hit was likely and that, besides maybe the Paladin, it spelled certain death to anyone. It was a miss. The player's eyes opened with hope. Three more claws to go. A hit, a miss and a hit. I roll good on the weaker claw attacks, and the Samurai is reduced to exactly zero HP. Falling to the ground.

And so, the dilemma was spelled: leave the Samurai behind and flee more safely, or try and save him at the cost of uncertainty.

My players were hating me so much at the time. I give them an escape route by making their friend suffer a terrible fate for their cowardice? They had no idea such a powerful elemental inhabited this cave by the little clues I left them. And now because of it they had to leave a loyal friend behind. They couldn't, and they would pay for it. They didn't know and it was not fair! They didn't know.

Yes... little did they know.

Although possessor of horrid and brutish appearence and might, Xorns are no true monsters. They are intelligent and mostly peaceful creatures, whose bigest flaw of character is their gluttony for metals and gemstones. And was not for such petty reasons the Xorn was attacking them.

With the Samurai's falling, the remaining Kobold feared for his own. Considering his duty fulfilled, he fled inside the tunnel he came from. The spare eye of the Xorn accompanied him while it thought.

The Cleric and the Paladin retrieved their fallen companion, returning to rescue him from their retrating, safe, positions. The Rogue ran to the middle of the room, searching in despair for something on the pack that would do what their weapons could not. The Ranger, unsure and pale stood between the companions carrying the fallen and the Xorn. Taking the time to observe them, it saw the Kobold heads they had collected. "Those little devils" it thought. It had felt like them before, and even now. Knowing it would be best off leaving their kindred behind, but unable to bring itself to do it. Much like itself clawed soil and rock as a slave to the Kobolds that threatened destroying it's offspring, so did this little creatures digging their fingers to hold their firend firmly. To create tunnels of evil intent for the Kobolds and kill intruder was its purpose, for as long as the Xorn's Egg was still in the Kobold's posession and threat. And so it was doing: killing this loyal intruders, creatures who feel much like itself.

The Xorn exhaled a low growl, filling my players with the sense of urgency. Knowing the tunnel they came from before entering the creature's was a dead end, they started moving to the tunnel from whence the Kobolds had come. The Rogue, a rookie player, inspired both by the Ranger's use of caltrops and by despair over the uselessness of their attacks, busted a bag of ball bearings from a burglar's pack in hopes of delaying the creature. Having never seen one used before I opened the PHB to read the description. I tried my hardest to control my smile.

All those thoughts the Xorn had chained into new ones. At the moment it's offspring's egg was being held hostage in the acid-flowing room, but the sentry wouldn't destroy it unless ordered. The Kobold Leader, the one who barked orders, could only be accessed by the tunnel the Kobold who left fled to. And once there, the little demon would report what it saw (the Xorn killing big folk) while skipping what would award itself punishment (the fact that he didn't see them all die). Therefore this creatures, however puny compared to It, this Kobold Killers who had braved the perils and traps set by the Kobolds would be assumed dead. And they are alredy entering the tunnel in that direction, while being completely unexpected. In fact, the Kobold would be feasting at the kitchen in celebration, instead of having guards ready to command the sentry to execute the Xorn's egg. The Xorn wasn't even directly connected to them getting away, it was the Kobolds who were responsible for the reports! It mused the thought, only as a dream until it saw the "big folk" throwing a thousand baubles of metal at it's feet. They made an offering, though it couldn't make sense of a single sound the creatures uttered, this was an offering for sure! Help and sustainance! It would never have a chance of freedom for itself and it's children like this one, it had to accept their help.

They were saved by their loyalty.

The Xorn's turn came, as the players prepared themselves for their doom. It protruded a tongue from it's crown of teeth, clenched the baubles on the ground, brough it back and munched at them delighted. The group was stunned. I described as it now devoured a bim gulp of metal baubles out of the ground, more than half of it. Distrustful yet relieved, they enjoyed the breathing space to stabilize the Samurai and trying to interact with the creature. After some very caferul interactions and a sack of gold less, the Xorn was overjoyed and left, disappearing in the ground. The group was euphoric.

The party then came to the conclusion that it would be irresponsible to bring him with them. As such they decided the best course of action once the Samurai was stable, would be leaving him resting with the NPCs. After a few minutes of appretiation between the characters, the party splited. As the quickest of the bunch for covering ground, the Ranger was tasked with carrying him there while the Rogue scouted ahead. Getting to the pair of NPCs with the Samurai on his back, the Ranger asked them to look after him as he rested so that The Samurai could be of help when restored of a bit of his strength. The Ranger also learned that the noise from the haphazard exacavation had attracted three Kobolds, two of wich were killed and the other got away. Promising ti check on them as soon as possible tha Ranger raced back.

Once reunited they, discussed the Kobold party the Rogue had found completely oblivious to their survival. Opting on seizing the advantage they marched to a bloody ambush against the Kobolds.





I'd like to dedicate this small piece of my gratitude for you who helped me in this rough patch.
Thank you for helping me have fun with my friends despite the odds stacked against us.
To me you were true Giants! :smallredface: