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<blockquote data-quote="Michael Silverbane" data-source="post: 5454517" data-attributes="member: 38016">One issue that may be encouraging your players to kill opponents that might be spared is the combat system itself.&nbsp; In some game systems, it is harder (modeled by a penalty to attack rolls, or some other mechanic) to deal non-lethal damage than it is to deal lethal damage.&nbsp; Players do not want their characters to be penalized for being humane.A way to combat this problem is to make non-lethal and lethal damage the same, and to allow the player to determine what happens to an opponent that they reduce to 0 hp.&nbsp; The player may decide to have the opponent die, fall unconscious, or surrender the fight.Another, similar issue is that a dead opponent will rarely turn on them later, while a live one will.&nbsp; Many players hate it when being the good guy comes bask to bite them in the butt.This is something that can be reversed...&nbsp; Have a slain enemy return as an undead spirit, bent on vengeance.&nbsp; Have one spared from death ally himself with the character.&nbsp; Make sure that mercy is rewarded, not punished.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Michael Silverbane, post: 5454517, member: 38016"] One issue that may be encouraging your players to kill opponents that might be spared is the combat system itself. In some game systems, it is harder (modeled by a penalty to attack rolls, or some other mechanic) to deal non-lethal damage than it is to deal lethal damage. Players do not want their characters to be penalized for being humane. A way to combat this problem is to make non-lethal and lethal damage the same, and to allow the player to determine what happens to an opponent that they reduce to 0 hp. The player may decide to have the opponent die, fall unconscious, or surrender the fight. Another, similar issue is that a dead opponent will rarely turn on them later, while a live one will. Many players hate it when being the good guy comes bask to bite them in the butt. This is something that can be reversed... Have a slain enemy return as an undead spirit, bent on vengeance. Have one spared from death ally himself with the character. Make sure that mercy is rewarded, not punished. [/QUOTE]

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