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Good vs Evil: a matter of aims or a matter of means?
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<blockquote data-quote="rounser" data-source="post: 1919221" data-attributes="member: 1106"><p>Good points. Does this mean that goblins cannot be killed for their loot, then? They certainly are known to rampage, but they can be talked to as well, perhaps even convinced out of it, and they were the subject of Darkness's examples earlier where killing them on sight was deemed evil.</p><p></p><p>Perhaps the paradox that people are driving at is that it's immoral to kill even an evil character unless that character attacks first, or is caught in the act of doing evil and must be stopped, or someone has complained that they've done harm, and they must be prevented from doing further harm.</p><p></p><p>They seem to be D&D's conditions for moral murder. <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite1" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":)" /> But I'll suggest one more factor.</p><p></p><p>What you seem to be describing, Li, is that the degree of monstrosity that a monster has is also a factor in whether the murder is justified. Killing an evil human on the street, unprovoked, is clearly uncalled for, but killing a troll on sight might not be blinked at by the same folks who would cry foul at the murder of the NPC. You also mention demons and devils as being fair game. Undead which aren't good, also morally neutral to slay, most would say, but what about an evil lich who just wants to study in peace? Unintelligent monsters? Evil dragons - can they be slain in their lairs purely for their hoards if they're not ravaging the countryside? <img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" class="smilie smilie--sprite smilie--sprite5" alt=":confused:" title="Confused :confused:" loading="lazy" data-shortname=":confused:" /> </p><p></p><p>I think that what you and I might be driving at is that beyond alignment, what creature can be morally slain on sight needs to be considered on a case-by-case basis. Clearly evil PC races are off-limits, but on the sliding scale of evil humanoids through to unredeemable fiends, perhaps there are no hard and fast rules. One can slay a rabbit on sight, morally, but not a goblin. Why? Because goblins are intelligent and humanlike, even if the rabbit might cause less harm!</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="rounser, post: 1919221, member: 1106"] Good points. Does this mean that goblins cannot be killed for their loot, then? They certainly are known to rampage, but they can be talked to as well, perhaps even convinced out of it, and they were the subject of Darkness's examples earlier where killing them on sight was deemed evil. Perhaps the paradox that people are driving at is that it's immoral to kill even an evil character unless that character attacks first, or is caught in the act of doing evil and must be stopped, or someone has complained that they've done harm, and they must be prevented from doing further harm. They seem to be D&D's conditions for moral murder. :) But I'll suggest one more factor. What you seem to be describing, Li, is that the degree of monstrosity that a monster has is also a factor in whether the murder is justified. Killing an evil human on the street, unprovoked, is clearly uncalled for, but killing a troll on sight might not be blinked at by the same folks who would cry foul at the murder of the NPC. You also mention demons and devils as being fair game. Undead which aren't good, also morally neutral to slay, most would say, but what about an evil lich who just wants to study in peace? Unintelligent monsters? Evil dragons - can they be slain in their lairs purely for their hoards if they're not ravaging the countryside? :confused: I think that what you and I might be driving at is that beyond alignment, what creature can be morally slain on sight needs to be considered on a case-by-case basis. Clearly evil PC races are off-limits, but on the sliding scale of evil humanoids through to unredeemable fiends, perhaps there are no hard and fast rules. One can slay a rabbit on sight, morally, but not a goblin. Why? Because goblins are intelligent and humanlike, even if the rabbit might cause less harm! [/QUOTE]
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