A PC who wont kill

[prosfilaes]

Hypocritical PCs are fine, as long as it's understood what they are.

Why does it matter whether the players think of the PC as hypocritical?

 

[ForceUser]

Why does it matter whether the players think of the PC as hypocritical?

It matters if the character's behavior annoys the other players, instead of the other characters. In-character annoyance is fine and can be a lot of fun for everyone; out-of-character annoyance can lead to problems.

 

[Mallus]

Why does it matter whether the players think of the PC as hypocritical?

I was trying to figure that out, too. And I wasn't sure who was supposed to understand the PC is hypocritical; the other characters, the players, the DM, God?

I make characters with specific beliefs and personalities. Other people's characters are free to think anything they like about them.

 

[Someone]

I made a character (an Illusionist) I designed to work with spells that didn´t deal hit point damage, only utility spells and those that incapacitate or hamper enemies. It worked for a while, but the game died too soon to see if he was viable.

 

[Conaill]

Quick detour...

So what are some of the other ways the rules support a character like this? People have already mentioned the Merciful magic weapon property (extra 1d6 points of damage, all damage is nonlethal), and the Vow of Nonviolence.

Is there something like a Vow of Nonkilling as well, or am I misremembering things?

What other options are available to implement a character like this?

 

[Mallus]

What other options are available to implement a character like this?

Monks. Virtually any spellcasting class.

 

[Michael Silverbane]

In 2ed, I played a psion who used to strand his enemies on the Astral Plane, rather than killing them. He did not so much have a moral issue with killing people so much as he found it to be too gruesome for his sensibilities... He also subjected himself to 'purifying flames' each and every day, refused to speak to non-humans, compulsively lit all torches and lanterns that he saw, and was generally a pain in the butt.

Later
silver

 

[Tinker Gnome]

Sounds like what you are looking for is actually a well placed Diplomacy or Intimidate skill check.

Heh, that is what I was thinking.

Man, I did not expect my thread to grow this much!

 

[iwatt]

I made a character (an Illusionist) I designed to work with spells that didn´t deal hit point damage, only utility spells and those that incapacitate or hamper enemies. It worked for a while, but the game died too soon to see if he was viable.

Well, I've run this exact character (gnome) . It's more than viable. I wouldn't call him a pacifist though

 

[jokamachi]

I played a lawful neutral dwarven monk that prefered not to kill, though he would destroy undead and constructs without a second thought. He followed his own code and saw little point in converting others. The party was cool with his perspective, though it was left to him to deal with unconscious prisoners and incapacitated enemies. His actions eventually won over several party members, but it came as a surprise toi him. He had never set out to change anyone.