So... I know there's scrolls to take away death penalties. However, it seems like I don't always get told I have a death penalty if I die. Only happened twice, but it only said I've reached death penalty level 1 on one of those occasions.
So my question is... how do you know if you got the penalty? I see no debuffs anywhere that say whether I have a death penalty or not.
You don't get aa death penalty for everytime you die.
If you get a de-buff (death penalty lvl 1-15) after you have died, then you need to take scrolls to remove the penalty. If not then there is no need taking them.
When you die you will see a message in you chat screen (or system window):
"You Death Penalty level is now 1."
Or something to that effect.
You will have a debuff on your buffbar "Death Penalty Lv x" x being the level of the death penalty (1 if its the first one, they stack if you get more DPs without removing it).
Use Scroll of Recovery for your grade if you get Death Penalty. The number of scrolls you need = the level of the Death Penalty. You should carry at least 1 DP scroll on you. Having to run to town in the middle of a group becuase you died and got a DP is bad - especially if your group is deep in a catacomb/high floor of TOI/etc. and there is no summoner in the group (or the summoner is not level 56+).