imaginepageant
Slytherin Alumni
I'm finally starting my pacifist character, and I'm very excited about the challenge it's bound to give me! But I'll need to be smart about it if I want to succeed, so I thought I'd open up discussion and get your ideas and tips on how to play a pacifist.
First, I should mention that my pacifist is also going to be a kleptomaniac. He's a conflicted little Khajiit: he refuses to kill anything or anyone, but he will steal anything from anyone (especially fish—he's quite obsessed with it, being a cat). I'm basically trying to kill two birds with one stone, since I've wanted to try both of these playstyles for awhile, but I figure being a pacifist will fit into the Thieves Guild ideal of being thieves and not murderers. I will also be giving myself the restriction of being unable to barter with merchants except for Khajiit caravans, Thieves Guild fences, and College of Winterhold students; since Khajiit typically aren't allowed within city walls, I've decided that merchants won't be willing to trade with them.
Now, back to the topic at hand: pacifism. Here are some strategies I've already worked out:
In terms of armor, I'm leaning towards going the full Nightingale route; the Muffle-enchanted boots and Illusion-enchanted hood are must-haves, and the gloves will be helpful as I don't plan to sink any perks into Lockpicking. The enchantments on the armor itself aren't really necessary, but it is good armor, and I doubt I'll be able to find anything comparable with a more fitting enchantment—but suggestions are welcome! I'd really like to have something that gives me a boost to magicka regeneration, but I'll have to rely on finding an amulet and/or a ring with that enchantment, since I don't plan on doing any enchanting myself. (Does anyone know a dependable place to find an Amulet of Akatosh?)
What about Standing Stones? I'm starting with the Thief Stone, but once I start using Illusion spells I'll switch to the Apprentice Stone for the magicka regeneration (and hope I don't run into too many mages). The Shadow Stone would also come in very handy until I become the Agent of Stealth or learn the Invisibility spell. If I find it a little too difficult to avoid taking damage, I might end up going with the Lord or Lady Stone to help me survive.
It looks like I'll have no choice but to kill Alduin, but I figure my Khajiit will be able to accept that, seeing as choosing not to kill Alduin would result in the deaths of every other living being in the world. Since my combat skills will be laughably weak, having not previously built them up at all, I'm going to use a combination of Marked for Death and damage-dealing Shouts to take him down. (Besides, I like the poetic justice of defeating Alduin with nothing more than his own language.)
My biggest worry at the moment, though, is Mercer Frey. I've read that it's possible to "kill" him by causing him to trip over loose rocks that will slightly damage his health, but I can't imagine how long that would take, or how I'll keep myself alive long enough for it to be successful. I'm unsure if using Unrelenting Force to throw him off ledges would count as a kill; if not, I'll allow myself to use it to get around the Mercer Frey problem if the loose rocks strategy is unsuccessful. Any other ideas?
Oh, and using followers and/or summons are out of the question, since the game registers their kills as your kills. Besides, employing or conjuring someone to kill on your behalf is just as bad as doing the deed yourself, in my opinion. I know I'll have to bend the terms of pacifism in some cases, but I'd like to stick as closely to it as possible.
That's all I've got, though I'm bound to think up new strategies as I play and find myself in impossible situations. I'd love to hear what you guys think!
First, I should mention that my pacifist is also going to be a kleptomaniac. He's a conflicted little Khajiit: he refuses to kill anything or anyone, but he will steal anything from anyone (especially fish—he's quite obsessed with it, being a cat). I'm basically trying to kill two birds with one stone, since I've wanted to try both of these playstyles for awhile, but I figure being a pacifist will fit into the Thieves Guild ideal of being thieves and not murderers. I will also be giving myself the restriction of being unable to barter with merchants except for Khajiit caravans, Thieves Guild fences, and College of Winterhold students; since Khajiit typically aren't allowed within city walls, I've decided that merchants won't be willing to trade with them.
Now, back to the topic at hand: pacifism. Here are some strategies I've already worked out:
- Do not directly kill anything.
- Sneak past enemies whenever possible.
- Use Invisibility spells and potions to sneak through areas in which I'd be easily detected.
- Shoot arrows at walls to distract enemies when necessary.
- Use Calm, Fear, and Turn Undead spells to ward off attacking enemies.
- Do not use Frenzy spells to force innocents to fight for me, but if they choose to, assist them with Courage and Healing spells.
- Utilize dungeon traps when necessary.
- Utilize the Throw Voice, Disarm, and Dismay shouts.
- Don't accept any side quests that require me to kill someone. For main quests that do, be creative and find a way around it!
In terms of armor, I'm leaning towards going the full Nightingale route; the Muffle-enchanted boots and Illusion-enchanted hood are must-haves, and the gloves will be helpful as I don't plan to sink any perks into Lockpicking. The enchantments on the armor itself aren't really necessary, but it is good armor, and I doubt I'll be able to find anything comparable with a more fitting enchantment—but suggestions are welcome! I'd really like to have something that gives me a boost to magicka regeneration, but I'll have to rely on finding an amulet and/or a ring with that enchantment, since I don't plan on doing any enchanting myself. (Does anyone know a dependable place to find an Amulet of Akatosh?)
What about Standing Stones? I'm starting with the Thief Stone, but once I start using Illusion spells I'll switch to the Apprentice Stone for the magicka regeneration (and hope I don't run into too many mages). The Shadow Stone would also come in very handy until I become the Agent of Stealth or learn the Invisibility spell. If I find it a little too difficult to avoid taking damage, I might end up going with the Lord or Lady Stone to help me survive.
It looks like I'll have no choice but to kill Alduin, but I figure my Khajiit will be able to accept that, seeing as choosing not to kill Alduin would result in the deaths of every other living being in the world. Since my combat skills will be laughably weak, having not previously built them up at all, I'm going to use a combination of Marked for Death and damage-dealing Shouts to take him down. (Besides, I like the poetic justice of defeating Alduin with nothing more than his own language.)
My biggest worry at the moment, though, is Mercer Frey. I've read that it's possible to "kill" him by causing him to trip over loose rocks that will slightly damage his health, but I can't imagine how long that would take, or how I'll keep myself alive long enough for it to be successful. I'm unsure if using Unrelenting Force to throw him off ledges would count as a kill; if not, I'll allow myself to use it to get around the Mercer Frey problem if the loose rocks strategy is unsuccessful. Any other ideas?
Oh, and using followers and/or summons are out of the question, since the game registers their kills as your kills. Besides, employing or conjuring someone to kill on your behalf is just as bad as doing the deed yourself, in my opinion. I know I'll have to bend the terms of pacifism in some cases, but I'd like to stick as closely to it as possible.
That's all I've got, though I'm bound to think up new strategies as I play and find myself in impossible situations. I'd love to hear what you guys think!