My main character is the person I make a CS for in most rp's the NPCs are there to support him and the other main characters and move along the plot. However I agree with you on most of what you just said. I give my characters badass statuses normally to explain how they can survive in a fight instead of getting wrecked some of the times they just barely get out of it alive or get lucky. If I can spare killing off a character, without practically taking myself out of the story, I am willing to do so. I let others decide what they want to do to characters. I allow the plots I make to having openings that cause the story to be altered but have main points that will happen due to certain characters. It's just the way I do things.

For example I just went 22-0 in Batman Arkham Origins multiplayer. I don't give my characters that sort of status. I make them work for their kills and survivals.