Essential Characters?

[xXMagnusXx]

I saw someone mention that you get game over'd if characters in your party die.

How do those mechanics work? Do I have ample opportunity to revive them? Like do they go down or just die instantly? Will the enemy AI focus them down? Can I revive them after combat?

How much of an annoyance is the companion death mechanic overall? This is gonna be a big factor in whether or not I get this game. I saw a comment in another thread saying it's best to put 2 of your dudes in the back for some fights. I'm sorry, but if half my party is more of a liability than an asset in tough spots, AND I get game over'd if they die, I'd rather just skip this game entirely. I'm not looking for babysitting simulator 5e 2021 no matter how spectacular the rest of the game is. Escort quests are clowned on in a lot of games for how annoying they can be. It almost sounds like a decent chunk of this whole game is a massive escort quest from what I'm hearing.

[gallaghan2000]

1) You get to decide the composition of your entire party.

2) Yes, if a character faces death then it's a game over.

3) A spell is in the game, including in starter scrolls, called 'Revivify' that will raise characters and NPCs joining the party from the dead if they die.

Thus, it's not that bad, even if arguably speaking the party is starting off with way more gold value in gear than they really should (clerics/paladins start with an additional scroll of the spell at current).

Unless you're just deliberately punishing yourself with top difficulty and/or get some absurdly bad range, you'll be fine.

Honestly, I'd check the youtubes for the story to see if it's your cup of tea more than worry about that.

[xXMagnusXx]

Originally posted by gallaghan2000:

2) Yes, if a character faces death then it's a game over.

3) A spell is in the game, including in starter scrolls, called 'Revivify' that will raise characters and NPCs joining the party from the dead if they die.

Honestly, I'd check the youtubes for the story to see if it's your cup of tea more than worry about that.

I'm still confused tbh. If it's game over when they die, how can you revive them? Does it game over you when you go to the next area or something? Do you get like 3 turns to revive them and THEN game over? I get that it's probably only essential characters will game over you, but can THEY be revived? If they can be revived, what's the point of a game over screen; and if they CANT be revived, what's the point of revive spells?

I'm not too worried about the story. Besides, I'd probably find spoilers if I dug too deep into that. I can play sandbox games with zero story all day long. I'm much more concerned with crappy mechanics bogging me down.

[Isaacorion Ceres]

If a character truly dies (beyond Death Saves), you still have 1 minute (10 rounds of combat) to cast Revivify on them to raise them. If they truly die and you have no means of using Revivify / Raise Dead (from the crown), THEN it's Game Over.

I'm assuming that the Essential NPCs follow the same rules as your party members, which is the above rule that I've encountered.

[Kasa]

once hit I think level 10 with a cleric you won't get a game over as long as your cleric isn't dead since they can cast revive dead.

[DiceWrangler]

You do not have a chance to cast Revivify on fallen NPC Companions -- just like almost any other NPC. If they are Essential and they enter the Dying state YOU LOSE THE GAME. You can heal them during combat but it is best to keep them back a bit, ideally using spells or ranged attacks, or wait until you have control of the battlefield. You always have a party of 4 PCs with, at most, 2 NPCs so "benching" 2 NPC Companions during a minor combat encounter is not a significant loss of combat effectiveness and they do not participate in major combat encounters (with Named opponents).

The NPC Companions are tough enough to take a hit or two and they can heal, buff and inflict significant damage but your PCs are much more powerful and resilient.

[xXMagnusXx]

I'm getting some conflicting signals here. One person says I have 60 seconds to revive them. Another says I game over instantly. I wish I could say I understand now, but I still don't.

What is this "Dying state"? Is it game over as soon as an essential enters this state? Does this state last out of combat, or do they die instantly if combat ends with them in this state? How long does this state last in combat?

This bit threw and even bigger monkey wrench into my already struggling brain:

Originally posted by DiceWrangler:

4 PCs

Does this mean I get to create 4 characters plus 2 NPCs for a total party size of 6, or that I make 2 characters and have 2 NPCs for a total party size of 4?

[chaotic_intent]

Your party will consist of 4 people that you make at the start of the game. You will only have NPC's in your party depending on quests and what not, so for the most part you will only have your party of 4.

"Dying State" is when your character is basically unconscious which happens when they get to 0hp or below. They have to pass 3 death saving throws in order to remain in the unconscious state rather than dying (this is without any intervention on your part). During those 3 turns you can heal them to get them back up, or use "Spare the dying" spell/cantrip that gets them out of that state (but I think they remain unconscious).

If you fail to heal them during those 3 turns, or they fail 3 death saving throws then the character is out for the rest of combat. This is where the 10 turns comes into play before they are "dead dead". If you dont end combat before those 10 turns (or revive the character with revivify or a spell that resurrects) that character will be dead forever and it will be game over.

[Wantoomany]

Originally posted by xXMagnusXx:

Does this mean I get to create 4 characters plus 2 NPCs for a total party size of 6, or that I make 2 characters and have 2 NPCs for a total party size of 4?

You get to create a party of 4. There are a few quests/missions where you get 1 or 2 additional NPC party members. If during those missions, those additional NPC party members die, it is instant game over. Members of your own party can die without a game over as long as you can revive them.

[xXMagnusXx]

Originally posted by chaotic_intent:

What he said

Thank you my guy. This is exactly the sort of procedural explanation I was looking for.

[xXMagnusXx]

Originally posted by Wantoomany:

You get to create a party of 4. There are a few quests/missions where you get 1 or 2 additional NPC party members. If during those missions, those additional NPC party members die, it is instant game over. Members of your own party can die without a game over as long as you can revive them.

Huh. I don't think I've ever played a game like this where you make your whole party. Usually you just make your own character then fill your party with whatever companions the game has.

[msy]

The one thing that has not been mentioned yet is when you get a game over the game will restart at the beginning of that combat so that gives you a do over. It auto saves at the start of every combat.