Or get competent developers that don't use that crutch like beth does? Look at NV, and the original Fallouts.
Exactly. Immortal NPCs are an indication that the developer has problems making a story that doesn't require all of the NPCs involved to live. This is understandable in linear games, such as Deus Ex, but in open world, non-linear RPGs, this should not be so. Examples are New Vegas and Arcanum.