How long do you expect your PCs to live?

Started by whitt, October 26, 2015, 01:56:50 PM

When you're creating a new character, establishing a background, setting goals, and visualizing an arc for your character's story - how long do you expect to actually be playing them to tell that story?

If my character makes a IC year, it'll be a miracle.
One to Two IC years (3 RL months)
Three to Four IC years (6 RL month)
Five plus IC years (up to a RL year)
A King's Age
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October 26, 2015, 01:56:50 PM
Just curious as to how people view the potential story arcs of their characters right out of the gate.
Quote from: BadSkeelz
Ah well you should just kill those PCs. They're not worth the time of plotting creatively against.
October 26, 2015, 01:59:33 PM #1
I expect about 3 RL months but I average 9.25.
October 26, 2015, 02:02:32 PM #2
It depends on the decisions I make IC.

If I make IC decisions that I know are going to put me near enemies or within the grasp of known enemies...I don't expect them to live long. Usually these are short-term goal characters that I'm playing specifically to get a rush.

If I play smart I usually expect them to live a long time (they usually don't because of suck).

Sometimes I play smart and sometimes I intentionally player over-the-top risky for fun. It just depends.
Quote from: James de Monet on April 09, 2015, 01:54:57 AM
My phone now autocorrects "damn" to Dman.
Quote from: deathkamon on November 14, 2015, 12:29:56 AM
The young daughter has been filled.
October 26, 2015, 02:03:39 PM #3
I've actually never had a character die, so until I retire them?
October 26, 2015, 02:20:23 PM #4
Quote from: In Dreams on October 26, 2015, 02:03:39 PM
I've actually never had a character die, so until I retire them?

This guy...
Quote from: James de Monet on April 09, 2015, 01:54:57 AM
My phone now autocorrects "damn" to Dman.
Quote from: deathkamon on November 14, 2015, 12:29:56 AM
The young daughter has been filled.
October 26, 2015, 02:34:38 PM #5
Depends how hard I try to keep them alive.
October 26, 2015, 02:41:07 PM #6
Quote from: MeTekillot on October 26, 2015, 02:34:38 PM
Depends how hard I try to keep them alive.

Ah, I don't mean how long do they -actually- survive.  I mean when you envisioned the character, how long did you expect them to be around?
Quote from: BadSkeelz
Ah well you should just kill those PCs. They're not worth the time of plotting creatively against.
October 26, 2015, 02:59:16 PM #7
Seriously, nowadays I can make a PC live for as long as I want them to.

They usually die when I get tired of them, so by driving them head first into a 'met or simply storing.

It's been a loooooooooong time since I've been surprised by the death of a PC.

Some chick using their powerful IC character to kill mine because I "cheated" on them on AIM with another Arm character was the last legit death I can remember.
"When I was a fighting man, the kettle-drums they beat;
The people scattered gold-dust before my horse's feet;
But now I am a great king, the people hound my track
With poison in my wine-cup, and daggers at my back."
October 26, 2015, 03:02:43 PM #8
Quote from: Malken on October 26, 2015, 02:59:16 PM
Some chick using their powerful IC character to kill mine because I "cheated" on them on AIM with another Arm character was the last legit death I can remember.

topkeklulz
Quote from: James de Monet on April 09, 2015, 01:54:57 AM
My phone now autocorrects "damn" to Dman.
Quote from: deathkamon on November 14, 2015, 12:29:56 AM
The young daughter has been filled.
October 26, 2015, 03:04:14 PM #9
Current one? Few months if I get lucky and a good stat roll. Last one? However long until I got bored.
October 26, 2015, 03:34:14 PM #10
I don't put expectations on the lifespans of my characters. That way only leads to despair and disappointment.
October 26, 2015, 03:41:02 PM #11
Forever.
I'll find immortality one day.
October 26, 2015, 03:56:26 PM #12
I expect my PCs to live for about 1-2 RL days after I get an sdesc/mdesc change or get something granted from staff.
Quote from: IAmJacksOpinion on May 20, 2013, 11:16:52 PM
Masks are the Armageddon equivalent of Ed Hardy shirts.
October 26, 2015, 03:57:09 PM #13
Quote from: Riev on October 26, 2015, 03:56:26 PM
I expect my PCs to live for about 1-2 RL days after I get an sdesc/mdesc change or get something granted from staff.

True that. Also stat bragging.
Quote from: BadSkeelz
Ah well you should just kill those PCs. They're not worth the time of plotting creatively against.
October 26, 2015, 06:59:31 PM #14
I like taking young characters and seeing how long I can have them live.

So far when starting at sixteen or seventeen, none of have made it into their forties but I've been close!
Quote from: Dalmeth
I've come to the conclusion that relaxing is not the lack of doing anything, but doing something that comes easily to you.
October 27, 2015, 10:00:52 AM #15
I think my longest lived is 40+ days.  I am not one to play with minimal risk, as I find it boring. Sooner or later they all have to die so might as well have fun. Still, loosing a long-lived PC always comes with a great sense of loss and grief for me.
At your table, the XXXXXXXX templar says in sirihish, echoing:
     "Everyone is SAFE in His Walls."
October 27, 2015, 04:45:12 PM #16
My characters live a long-ass time, usually multiple IRL years.

I tend to get bored of them and think they're crap about halfway through, then eventually get interested in them again.
October 27, 2015, 06:56:20 PM #17
I haven't made it a year yet, I keep storing them.
October 28, 2015, 07:04:34 AM #18
Depends on the character and how much efort I put into it. Like others I feel like surprising deaths come rarely. Though I did have one a couple months back. Not surprising it happened, it was just so sudden and unstoppable I had to have a laugh. But even then I was taking a calculated risk I knew might get me killed.


Players need to be more dangerous or something.
October 28, 2015, 09:49:06 PM #19
I tend to play hard, and play recklessly. I like to get involved in plots as soon as I can no matter how twinked up they are.

I just find it boring if there isn't even a little bit of risk. So I don't expect many of my characters to live past a year.
October 28, 2015, 09:56:20 PM #20
Normally I end up storing. Most of mine I plan to play for at least 2 years.
The sound of a thunderous explosion tears through the air and blasts waves of pressure ripple through the ground.

Looking northward, the rugged, stubble-bearded templar asks you, in sirihish:
     "Well... I think it worked...?"
October 28, 2015, 09:57:24 PM #21
QuoteRe: How long do you expect your PCs to live?

I don't.  Pleasantly surprised as long as they do, though!
She wasn't doing a thing that I could see, except standing there leaning on the balcony railing, holding the universe together. --J.D. Salinger
October 30, 2015, 01:18:18 PM #22
I thought they meant RL years. I change mine to 1 to 3 IC years.
November 22, 2015, 02:23:24 AM #23
Nowadays I have no idea, the variation with survivability is pretty crazy. I expect mine to hit at least the 5-6 rl month mark now.
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