How to avoid killing your player characters as GM

[sjmdw45]

Originally Posted by Rupert

I blame the modern view of hack 'n' slash dungeoneering on D&D3's removal of morale stats for monsters (because rolling for this stuff was too hard or something) and then having many of the D&D adventures have monsters explicitly not retreating or surrendering, to the point where it became the assumed norm that unless it was specifically noted that an encounter was with creatures that might retreat or negotiate, they wouldn't.

I wish Morale or something equivalent were listed among DFRPG monster stats, but the closest we have is Will + Fearlessness, which isn't quite the same thing, since willingness to die fighting is not necessarily the smart thing to do. (And besides, Morale is useful to measure other things too such as willingness to refuse a bribe, willingness to leave a fixed position and maneuver aggressively towards a foe, and unwillingness to desert in the face of poor conditions like no pay and lack of food.)