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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Dr. NRG" data-source="post: 405212" data-attributes="member: 7697">Shades of GreyI would take issue with this statement.  I think that we can all agree that it is a bad thing (leave sin and evil aside) to let a person whose life you could have saved die.  I would also contend that it is not as bad a thing to let a person whose life you could have saved die if you then resurrect them.Imagine, if you will, two scenarios where a powerful good artifact will be permanently destroyed if you take the time to save the life of the acolyte guarding it.  In scenario 1, you have no capacity to raise the acolyte; if you let him die, he is gone for good.  In scenario 2, you have true resurrection memorized.  Pick a course of action, and analyze it under each scenario, and I think you'll conclude that magic actually does change morality and ethics in a significant way.It is also relevant to point out that direct comparisons with our own society/justice system break down very quickly.  1st world countries (the USA in particular) are very focused on imprisonment as a form of punishment, basing large parts of their justice systems upon it.  It simply isn't practical for powerful spellcasters (especially divine ones!) to be imprisoned.  Admittedly, there are exceptions, but how many judges can cast 9th level spells like imprisonment?  I would add that PCs are often in positions where there is no practical way to take and/or hold prisoners (in the field operations, if you will), and that a more accurate moral comparison might be taking a look at what field combat troops do with enemy prisoners... particularly enemy prisoners that they cannot disarm (spellcasting).  I would even make an argument that there are cases where torturing is a form of self defense.  For example, if you know that your captive has information about a weapon of mass destruction (say an evil artifact) that will soon kill a whole society.  Is torturing him morally wrong?  At least one first-world country (Israel) has answered this question with a "no." Saying "torturing is wrong" is far too simple.  It's like saying, "killing is wrong," which is generally true, but with several relevant exceptions.  My 2 cents and more, sorry for the ramble,NRG</blockquote>

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