horus:
evileeyore:
What is best in life?
To crush their characters, to see their sheets shredded before you, and hear the lamentations of the players!
Have a cookie for that one, man! Thanks, I needed a chuckle.
Thanks!
In all seriousness, for me "mercy" depends on the genre of the campaign. If the damage is within the bounds of the campaign premise, I am merciless. If the damage is outside the bounds of the genre, then I'm far, far, far more lenient.
Frex:
In a Dungeon Fantasy game, repeated character death, TPKs, maiming, complete loss of equipment, money, "levels", NPCs betraying them or dying
in the 'dungeon', etc are all on the table. If the Player is on their third character since entering the 'dungeon', that's well within bounds.
4-Color "Golden Age" Supers, death is off the table, as is actually revealing their secret identity, killing sidekicks, or other Important NPCs. Destroying equipment is okay, but it's 'immediately' replaceable within the context of the story (or it's off limits). Important NPCs will not betray them unless it's a face-heel-face turn to help out the heroes in the end.
Classic Call of Cthulhu is very much like Dungeon Fantasy, just with a setting change.
Modern Wainscott/Noir fantasy? The main PCs won't die (unless the Player is behind it), but maiming and serious injury are on the table, as is possible NPC betrayal/death (depends on the specific style* I'm emulating), the PCs should be in constant financial despair, equipment is cheap and disposable, etc.
Generic 'Tolkien' Fantasy? The heroes should either survive or get to Boromir themselves out, equipment lasts or gets replaced/repaired pretty easily (if it is 'important'), NPCs are on the chopping block and useful or are invincible and rarely (but potently) useful, etc.
I don't run 'Romance', but it has its own set of genre rules.
Etc.
* It's a trope, but the 'Dame' always turns on the 'Dick' for some reason, I blame noir detective stories. Even if it's a Face-Heel-Face turn, the Dame won't be trustworthy afterwards (unless it was mind control or A Very Good Reason).