Steve Jackson Games Forums - View Single Post - Pacifism (Cannot Kill) except mercy-killing

Polkageist · 02-28-2021, 10:19 AM

Pacifism (cannot kill) is more focused on direct violence leading to death, in that the PC with the disad can't make a killing blow and tries to prevent killing. Rendering first aid, stopping bleeding, whatever. Per the book "This includes abandoning a wounded foe to die “on his own”!"

Combat injuries that are so massive that one could judge the enemy to be "beyond saving" is pretty... rare. If they're not straight-up toast, they can probably be stabilized in some way. A Pacifism(CK) disad would compel the PC to save the enemy even if their existence would include missing limbs, crippling, etc. Whether or not they pass their HT rolls for being way down in the negative HP realm is secondary to the PC's efforts to stop them from dying, and not something the PC could or should consider in the moment. I'm really not sure how this extends to out-of-combat violence, like caring for a terminally ill person, because there's so much more going on in terms of context, personal choice, social mores, and so on that really isn't what Pacifism(CK) is about.

Ok, so that all said, what the healer PC here seems to be concerned about is something that might be better modeled with Vow (Hippocratic Oath) or similar. Probably -10 to -15, depending on how strict it is. It gives the restrictions more of a matter of life choice rather than intrinsic compulsion, and gives more flexibility for detailing out edge cases and odd scenarios. If they're going to write a legal brief full of loopholes, it's -5 points at most, if it's sincere and looking to cover the spirit of pacifism while fleshing out the tough life situations then sure give them the -10 to -15. Vow gives more flexibility in this realm.

Really the question to ask them is, who do you think you're going to be mercy-killing? Ailing elders who've made peace and ready to depart this mortal coil?
Tortured plague victims who beg for the sweet release of death?
A mangled bandit at -4.5x HP that MIGHT come back w/ a potion as Bob the limbless beggar?

Are you trying to flesh out the PC's internal conflicts over the hard choices in life, or are you trying to get out of having to dump a healing potion on an orc?

02-28-2021, 10:19 AM	#4
Polkageist Join Date: Sep 2007	Re: Pacifism (Cannot Kill) except mercy-killing Pacifism (cannot kill) is more focused on direct violence leading to death, in that the PC with the disad can't make a killing blow and tries to prevent killing. Rendering first aid, stopping bleeding, whatever. Per the book "This includes abandoning a wounded foe to die “on his own”!" Combat injuries that are so massive that one could judge the enemy to be "beyond saving" is pretty... rare. If they're not straight-up toast, they can probably be stabilized in some way. A Pacifism(CK) disad would compel the PC to save the enemy even if their existence would include missing limbs, crippling, etc. Whether or not they pass their HT rolls for being way down in the negative HP realm is secondary to the PC's efforts to stop them from dying, and not something the PC could or should consider in the moment. I'm really not sure how this extends to out-of-combat violence, like caring for a terminally ill person, because there's so much more going on in terms of context, personal choice, social mores, and so on that really isn't what Pacifism(CK) is about. Ok, so that all said, what the healer PC here seems to be concerned about is something that might be better modeled with Vow (Hippocratic Oath) or similar. Probably -10 to -15, depending on how strict it is. It gives the restrictions more of a matter of life choice rather than intrinsic compulsion, and gives more flexibility for detailing out edge cases and odd scenarios. If they're going to write a legal brief full of loopholes, it's -5 points at most, if it's sincere and looking to cover the spirit of pacifism while fleshing out the tough life situations then sure give them the -10 to -15. Vow gives more flexibility in this realm. Really the question to ask them is, who do you think you're going to be mercy-killing? Ailing elders who've made peace and ready to depart this mortal coil? Tortured plague victims who beg for the sweet release of death? A mangled bandit at -4.5x HP that MIGHT come back w/ a potion as Bob the limbless beggar? Are you trying to flesh out the PC's internal conflicts over the hard choices in life, or are you trying to get out of having to dump a healing potion on an orc?