Hey everyone. Wondering if any other DMs have had experience of players wanting to play as a nonviolent character in D&D? (We're playing 5E but happy to hear about how folks may have managed or not managed that in other editions.)
A recent Unearthed Arcana has a monk path that was basically non-violent. Don't have it handy, but it shouldn't be hard to find and may be a good option for that player.
I'm playing a Life Cleric who serves Neith (Goddess of War, Wisdom and Sweet Waters)in my current campaign,. My character is a heretic and is on the run from his former temple heirarchy, as he has found a sacred text which reveals that Neith supports peace and war should be to protect others not for conquest or for petty reasons. Strangely the rest of his former temple have not manifested clerical abilities. My character has actually sworn a vow to his goddess, not to fight with weapons or spells nor cause harm, until Neith wills it or her truth is accepted within her temples. He has a staff, but its for support, he has a mace for show. My character buffs the party members, under the influence of Sanctuary, he helps. Makes potent use of Thaumaturgy, has also recently manifested some minor druidic powers (Magic Initiate).
I am enjoying playing a pacifistic character, a complete contrast from my last character a Warlock Spy, who was pretty scary even without intimidation.
There is also a monk in my party, who does not kill, he only subdues his foes.
The ultimate rule at the table is to have fun, maybe the player does not want to kill, or does not want to harm others(but can tolerate the fact that others do or have the necessity to do so).
Possible good classes to be a pacifist- Bard (Lore), Cleric (Knowledge, Life, Light), Monk (Tranquility), Warlock (Archfey, GOO, Seeker, Chain, Tome), Wizard (Abjurer, Diviner, Enchanter, Illusionist, Theurgy, Transmuter). Probable Backgrounds- Acolyte, Charlatan, Entertainer, Guild Artisan, Hermit, Noble, Sage, Urchin.
In previous editions (3.5) you did either lethel or non lethal damage and they were tracked differently so if you aren't doing physical damage you might as well not attack.
In 5th techncilaly all damage is lethal until the final moment when you can choose to knock a creature unconscience. ( which makes sense).
She used a whip and/or a net as her weapons, preferring to disarm/trip or otherwise subdue her opponents (dealing only subdual damage when violence couldn't be avoided). I took feats like Improved Trip and Improved Disarm (or whatever they were called back then). She would always try diplomacy first, lying second, intimidation third, and fighting only as a last resort (I put all my skill ranks into the Charisma-based skills).
She was the twin sister to another PC in the group; her rogue brother. They both grew up orphans and while she was given preferential treatment for being a girl, he was busy trying to protect her from the actual dangers of the city. Her brother wasn't of the same mindset and was trying to show her that the world wasn't such a kind and caring place and that her ways would simply get her killed. She, on the other hand, was trying to show her brother that the world wasn't such a cruel and heartless place and that killing wasn't always the answer.
So, while she might trip/net the orc in hopes of getting him to submit, her brother might come up and slit the orc's throat while it's down if he deemed it necessary (much to her chagrin it usually WAS necessary, at least in his mind).
Of course, we had a ****** of a DM who eventually made us fight nothing but undead (this was back in the late 90s/early 2000s, so the vampire/goth craze was in full force), so both of our characters became pretty useless; undead in 3e were immune to subdual damage and critical hits (and if a creature is immune to critical hits, it was also immune to sneak attacks). And being mindless undead, they weren't really prone to diplomatic solutions. So, aside from the occasional tripping or disarming (most of the enemies didn't have weapons and many of them floated), my character was absolutely useless.
“It is a better world. A place where we are responsible for our actions, where we can be kind to one another because we want to and because it is the right thing to do instead of being frightened into behaving by the threat of divine punishment.” ― Oramis, Eldest by Christopher Paolini.
In previous editions (3.5) you did either lethel or non lethal damage and they were tracked differently so if you aren't doing physical damage you might as well not attack.
In 5th techncilaly all damage is lethal until the final moment when you can choose to knock a creature unconscience. ( which makes sense).
So a lot rides on the dm.
Non-lethal (subdual) damage still KINDA counted against the enemy's hit point total. If the total subdual damage was > the enemy's current HP, it would fall unconscious (if it was equal, the enemy would be staggered). So if an enemy had 100 hit points and you dealt 25 subdual damage while everyone else did 76 lethal damage, it's current HP was at 24 and so your subdual damage knocked it unconscious. A problem with that was that healing healed the lethal AND non-lethal damage at the same time. So if it healed 10 hit points, the monster would be at 34 health and would only have 15 subdual damage against it. Meaning you now had 20 more damage to make up for
The problem with 3e was that SO MANY enemies were immune to subdual damage that it was difficult to use effectively.
“It is a better world. A place where we are responsible for our actions, where we can be kind to one another because we want to and because it is the right thing to do instead of being frightened into behaving by the threat of divine punishment.” ― Oramis, Eldest by Christopher Paolini.
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Hey everyone. Wondering if any other DMs have had experience of players wanting to play as a nonviolent character in D&D? (We're playing 5E but happy to hear about how folks may have managed or not managed that in other editions.)
A recent Unearthed Arcana has a monk path that was basically non-violent. Don't have it handy, but it shouldn't be hard to find and may be a good option for that player.
Cheers! I'll have a look.
I'm playing a Life Cleric who serves Neith (Goddess of War, Wisdom and Sweet Waters)in my current campaign,. My character is a heretic and is on the run from his former temple heirarchy, as he has found a sacred text which reveals that Neith supports peace and war should be to protect others not for conquest or for petty reasons. Strangely the rest of his former temple have not manifested clerical abilities. My character has actually sworn a vow to his goddess, not to fight with weapons or spells nor cause harm, until Neith wills it or her truth is accepted within her temples. He has a staff, but its for support, he has a mace for show. My character buffs the party members, under the influence of Sanctuary, he helps. Makes potent use of Thaumaturgy, has also recently manifested some minor druidic powers (Magic Initiate).
I am enjoying playing a pacifistic character, a complete contrast from my last character a Warlock Spy, who was pretty scary even without intimidation.
There is also a monk in my party, who does not kill, he only subdues his foes.
The ultimate rule at the table is to have fun, maybe the player does not want to kill, or does not want to harm others(but can tolerate the fact that others do or have the necessity to do so).
Possible good classes to be a pacifist- Bard (Lore), Cleric (Knowledge, Life, Light), Monk (Tranquility), Warlock (Archfey, GOO, Seeker, Chain, Tome), Wizard (Abjurer, Diviner, Enchanter, Illusionist, Theurgy, Transmuter). Probable Backgrounds- Acolyte, Charlatan, Entertainer, Guild Artisan, Hermit, Noble, Sage, Urchin.
I think it's hard to be a pacifist character. I mean all hands on deck vs a Dragon or a Beholder!
Of course logically helping others kill is by most definitions murder itslef and thus a true pacifist couldn't help other take life.
Granted if everyone is having fun that's all that matters.
Would be interesting if someone has managed to do this during an entire campaign.
In previous editions (3.5) you did either lethel or non lethal damage and they were tracked differently so if you aren't doing physical damage you might as well not attack.
In 5th techncilaly all damage is lethal until the final moment when you can choose to knock a creature unconscience. ( which makes sense).
So a lot rides on the dm.
I played a Bard in 3e that was MOSTLY pacifist.
She used a whip and/or a net as her weapons, preferring to disarm/trip or otherwise subdue her opponents (dealing only subdual damage when violence couldn't be avoided). I took feats like Improved Trip and Improved Disarm (or whatever they were called back then). She would always try diplomacy first, lying second, intimidation third, and fighting only as a last resort (I put all my skill ranks into the Charisma-based skills).
She was the twin sister to another PC in the group; her rogue brother. They both grew up orphans and while she was given preferential treatment for being a girl, he was busy trying to protect her from the actual dangers of the city. Her brother wasn't of the same mindset and was trying to show her that the world wasn't such a kind and caring place and that her ways would simply get her killed. She, on the other hand, was trying to show her brother that the world wasn't such a cruel and heartless place and that killing wasn't always the answer.
So, while she might trip/net the orc in hopes of getting him to submit, her brother might come up and slit the orc's throat while it's down if he deemed it necessary (much to her chagrin it usually WAS necessary, at least in his mind).
Of course, we had a ****** of a DM who eventually made us fight nothing but undead (this was back in the late 90s/early 2000s, so the vampire/goth craze was in full force), so both of our characters became pretty useless; undead in 3e were immune to subdual damage and critical hits (and if a creature is immune to critical hits, it was also immune to sneak attacks). And being mindless undead, they weren't really prone to diplomatic solutions. So, aside from the occasional tripping or disarming (most of the enemies didn't have weapons and many of them floated), my character was absolutely useless.
Click Here to Download my Lancer Class w/ Dragoon and Legionnaire Archetypes via DM's Guild - Pay What You Want
Click Here to Download the Mind Flayer: Thoon Hulk converted from 4e via DM's Guild
“It is a better world. A place where we are responsible for our actions, where we can be kind to one another because we want to and because it is the right thing to do instead of being frightened into behaving by the threat of divine punishment.” ― Oramis, Eldest by Christopher Paolini.
The problem with 3e was that SO MANY enemies were immune to subdual damage that it was difficult to use effectively.
Click Here to Download my Lancer Class w/ Dragoon and Legionnaire Archetypes via DM's Guild - Pay What You Want
Click Here to Download the Mind Flayer: Thoon Hulk converted from 4e via DM's Guild
“It is a better world. A place where we are responsible for our actions, where we can be kind to one another because we want to and because it is the right thing to do instead of being frightened into behaving by the threat of divine punishment.” ― Oramis, Eldest by Christopher Paolini.