Characters who don't kill.

[Psyckosama]

In my campaign one of my players has just finished a Rurouni Kenshin and Trigun marathon and has decided to create a new character.

He wants to create a paladin who's attitude of good is based off of Vash and Kenshin's. That being, he's kind to everyone, does not believe that anyone is beyond redemption, and believes that life is precious... so precious in fact that none has the right to take it from anyone else.

These attitudes include all intelegent life, from the most noble gold dragon to the most vile demon of the lower planes.

I love the idea, but how the heck could I include a pacifistic character who's sctick is putting others on the path to redemption and not killing while keeping it ballanced it with Heroic Fantasy?

Even mechanics wise it would be a bitch. It's alot harder to knock out 20 gobbos then it is to slaughter them mercylessly.

 

[MerakSpielman]

A lot of people are going to tell you that a pacifististic character won't work in D&D, he'll compramise the party, etc... Don't listen to them. This is a good RP challange and will lend a unique feel to the campaign.

The main question is whether or not said paladin has a problem with his companions killing sentient creatures. That could be problematic.

The other question is what does the paladin do with all those prisoners? Does he build an "Evil-To-Good Rehabilitation Center?"

Playing him in combat won't be that hard. Disarm, Sunder, and Trip will be his best friends. He will always strike for subdual damage (you might even make up a feat to remove or reduce the to-hit penalty for subdual attacks).

He will use points of his Lay on Hands to stabalize enemies after fights (if his friends weren't using subdual damage).

Remember, against non-inteligent monsters and undead (both of which can be quite common) he'll just attack normally.

If he knowingly kills a sentient creature, he will lose his paladinhood and have to atone.

 

[Kahuna Burger]

I love the idea, but how the heck could I include a pacifistic character who's sctick is putting others on the path to redemption and not killing while keeping it ballanced it with Heroic Fantasy?

Even mechanics wise it would be a bitch. It's alot harder to knock out 20 gobbos then it is to slaughter them mercylessly.

well, the first question is how badly will this disrupt the gameplay - is he gonna be constantly opposing the rest of the party?

the second question is what level is he going to be at?

The third question is do you use psionics? It might be easier to create a specialized psychic warrior and call it a palidan than tweak the palidan into what you want.

kahuna burger

 

[Airwolf]

I don't think you really have to do much to accommodate the new character.

I am guessing that the paladin will be using sub-dual attacks to knock out the creature he/she is facing. Then tie the creature up and leave it. I hope the character takes lots of ranks in the use rope skill. The paladin will also need lots of healing and a good AC to be able to deliver all that sub-dual damage and still remain a 'good' fighter in combat.

It will be interesting how the paladin relates to the other party members who kill creatures in the course of combat and if any of the party members try to kill the unconscious creatures left by the paladin.

Let the player make the paladin. If, after a few sessions, the player realizes that the character is not as much fun as he/she thought it would be let them switch to something else.

Those are my random musings on the subject.

 

[dream spawn]

You could always make a rules exception and let him multiclass as a monk. Then he could just fight with no weapons and choose to do subdual damage.

 

[Steverooo]

I love the idea, but how the heck could I include a pacifistic character who's sctick is putting others on the path to redemption and not killing while keeping it ballanced it with Heroic Fantasy?

Even mechanics wise it would be a bitch. It's alot harder to knock out 20 gobbos then it is to slaughter them mercylessly.

Besides Sundering weapons and Disarming, Saps, Lassos, Man-Catcher polearms, Sleep arrows, Ropes of Entanglement and Nets of Snaring all spring to mind. Wands of Hold Person, Web, etc., if Paladins can cast that? (You might want to tweak his spell list and abilities, in tune with his peaceful deity, and grant such spells instead of the more combat-oriented ones!)

Keep all of this in mind, when designing treasures, choosing his mount, etc.

As for rehabilitating captured enemies, the unintelligent ones might require Animal Handling, with a penalty (ability to use it, at all, granted as a special ability). The intelligent ones, of course, will require Diplomacy checks. How hard or easy this will be depends upon you, the GM. What is the DC to convince an Orc to stop hurting people?

 

[Stavros]

There is a feat called Improved Subdual in the Kingdoms of Kalamar Players Guide, a D&D (not d20, D&D) product from Kenzer&Co. Definately what this paladin should be checking out for his philosophy.

 

[Dingleberry]

IIRC, both Sword and Fist and Masters of the Wild include weapon abilties that make the weapon do subdual damage. I believe they're both +1.

 

[Murrdox]

I agree - making the character won't be difficult at all, especially combat-wise.

If this guy is really basing his Paladin off of Vash and Kenshin though, he may try TALKING enemies out of fights, or figuring ways out of conflicts besides fighting.

In these cases, remember that a creature doesn't need to necessarily be overcome through combat to give a character the full benefit of experience. If a Paladin manages to talk a Drow war party out of attacking them further after knocking the weapon out of the hand of their leader - you should give them full experience for defeating them all... unless they're going to be a recurring force.

The Paladin will be actively preaching to the other members of his group not to kill, and might occasionally go out of his way to prevent a character from delivering the final blow to an almost-dead enemy... but I don't see him having trouble working with the group unless they're bloodthristy killers. He would most likely take an active roll in trying to reform them. Just look at the relationship between Vash and Wolfwood. Certainly there'll be some tension... but the Paladin will be steadfast with the group.

 

[RangerWickett]

I would cut the player a bit of slack and give the paladin the ability that his attacks cannot kill a creature unless he wants them to. Just like Vash is always going for arm or leg shots, the paladin wouldn't necessarily have to deal subdual damage. He just has . . . um, call it the divine blessing of mercy, so he doesn't have to kill people.

So yeah. Diplomacy, Use Rope, a feat that lets him ignore the penalties for trying to do subdual damage (because sometimes you don't want to get on a person's bad side by chopping them up). Maybe to fit with his 'anyone can be redeemed' personality, replace detect evil with the 'mercy attack' ability. And let him use his 'smite evil' on anyone who is being violent, since the purpose of the attack is to make sure people aren't able to fight and hurt others.