Pacifist Run: Difference between revisions

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{{trope}}
{{trope}}
In games that give you a choice between using lethal or non-lethal force in order to overcome enemies, the former method is usually the most convenient. Some gamers [[Self Imposed Challenge|like to play through such games]] while avoiding any killings that are not absolutely required, even if [[Bragging Rights Reward|there is no real reward]] for doing so.
In games that give you a choice between using lethal or non-lethal force in order to overcome enemies, the former method is usually the most convenient. Some gamers [[Self-Imposed Challenge|like to play through such games]] while avoiding any killings that are not absolutely required, even if [[Bragging Rights Reward|there is no real reward]] for doing so.


Compare [[Stealth Based Game|Stealth Based Games]] and [[Stealth Based Mission|Stealth Based Missions]].
Compare [[Stealth Based Game|Stealth Based Games]] and [[Stealth Based Mission|Stealth Based Missions]].


{{examples|Examples:}}
{{examples}}


== [[Action Adventure]] ==
== [[Action Adventure]] ==
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** Easiest way to get Switzerland bonus in Melee: play the Big Blue platformer stage in Adventure Mode without using your third jump.
** Easiest way to get Switzerland bonus in Melee: play the Big Blue platformer stage in Adventure Mode without using your third jump.


== [[First Person Shooter]] ==
== [[First-Person Shooter]] ==
* In the ''[[Halo]]'' trilogy, not counting bosses in 2/3 you can kill 0 enemies and win.
* In the ''[[Halo]]'' trilogy, not counting bosses in 2/3 you can kill 0 enemies and win.
* In ''[[Deus Ex (Video Game)|Deus Ex]]'', only two characters ''have'' to be fought in order to complete the game; neither have to be killed and both can be circumvented. The first can have an injured NPC open the door they guard, and the second can be knocked unconscious and is also quite willing to blow himself up for you due to poor AI. The rest can be stunned or [[Skippable Boss|circumvented]] in various fashions. The game encourages pacifism in the first level by having characters react positively to you if you don't slaughter everything in sight, but after that there's no longer any explicit encouragement, and it's strictly a matter of pride (although you ''will'' get bitched out for slaughtering civilians).
* In ''[[Deus Ex (Video Game)|Deus Ex]]'', only two characters ''have'' to be fought in order to complete the game; neither have to be killed and both can be circumvented. The first can have an injured NPC open the door they guard, and the second can be knocked unconscious and is also quite willing to blow himself up for you due to poor AI. The rest can be stunned or [[Skippable Boss|circumvented]] in various fashions. The game encourages pacifism in the first level by having characters react positively to you if you don't slaughter everything in sight, but after that there's no longer any explicit encouragement, and it's strictly a matter of pride (although you ''will'' get bitched out for slaughtering civilians).
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* The ''[[Fallout]]'' series is notable for the possibility of not needing to kill anyone, although you ''will'' be indirectly responsible for the deaths of quite a few people (and, in some cases, populations). In most of the series it is even possible (although very hard) to do an ''evil'' pacifist run.
* The ''[[Fallout]]'' series is notable for the possibility of not needing to kill anyone, although you ''will'' be indirectly responsible for the deaths of quite a few people (and, in some cases, populations). In most of the series it is even possible (although very hard) to do an ''evil'' pacifist run.
** ''[[Fallout 3]]'' is, however, impossible to complete without directly killing anything. It starts with the requirement to kill a radroach to complete the second tutorial, and moves on from there.
** ''[[Fallout 3]]'' is, however, impossible to complete without directly killing anything. It starts with the requirement to kill a radroach to complete the second tutorial, and moves on from there.
** And even if your pacificism only applies to humans, and [[What Measure Is a Non Human|possibly ghouls and mutants]], it's impossible to complete [[Fallout New Vegas|New Vegas]] without murdering at least one person. Three of the four endings require killing Mr. House, and in the ending where you work for Mr. House, you have to {{spoiler|destroy the Brotherhood of Steel.}}
** And even if your pacificism only applies to humans, and [[What Measure Is a Non-Human?|possibly ghouls and mutants]], it's impossible to complete [[Fallout New Vegas|New Vegas]] without murdering at least one person. Three of the four endings require killing Mr. House, and in the ending where you work for Mr. House, you have to {{spoiler|destroy the Brotherhood of Steel.}}
*** You technically don't ''have to'' kill Mr. House, but simply disable him from the system of the Lucky 38. He eventually will die from it anyway, since he is now removed from his sealed capsule, but the player does not directly kill him, making it (kind of) possible to avoid killing anybody.
*** You technically don't ''have to'' kill Mr. House, but simply disable him from the system of the Lucky 38. He eventually will die from it anyway, since he is now removed from his sealed capsule, but the player does not directly kill him, making it (kind of) possible to avoid killing anybody.
*** {{spoiler|Destroying the Brotherhood of Steel}} doesn't need to involve killing anybody. You certainly can go in, guns blazing, and slaughter the whole lot of them (though this isn't recommended as {{spoiler|the Brotherhood}} is almost entirely composed of high level [[Elite Mooks]]), but there is an alternate route in which their base's reactor can be made to self-destruct. Taking this route has the base computer tell the populace to evacuate in an orderly manner. Nevertheless, their faction is effectively destroyed due to their ''resources'' being annihilated, even if their personnel are just fine.
*** {{spoiler|Destroying the Brotherhood of Steel}} doesn't need to involve killing anybody. You certainly can go in, guns blazing, and slaughter the whole lot of them (though this isn't recommended as {{spoiler|the Brotherhood}} is almost entirely composed of high level [[Elite Mooks]]), but there is an alternate route in which their base's reactor can be made to self-destruct. Taking this route has the base computer tell the populace to evacuate in an orderly manner. Nevertheless, their faction is effectively destroyed due to their ''resources'' being annihilated, even if their personnel are just fine.
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* Feros in [[Mass Effect]] has a mission where you can choose to simply knock out the colonists being controlled by the local [[Eldritch Abomination]] instead of killing them. While this makes the mission much more difficult it is definitely worth it for a Paragon Shepard.
* Feros in [[Mass Effect]] has a mission where you can choose to simply knock out the colonists being controlled by the local [[Eldritch Abomination]] instead of killing them. While this makes the mission much more difficult it is definitely worth it for a Paragon Shepard.
* One player managed to do this in ''[[Might and Magic]] 7'' as shown [http://groups.google.com/group/comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg/msg/a9c3e4fb68765b6d here].
* One player managed to do this in ''[[Might and Magic]] 7'' as shown [http://groups.google.com/group/comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg/msg/a9c3e4fb68765b6d here].
* In ''[[Planescape Torment]]'', you can get through the whole game having to fight only four (Don't forget the zombie at the beginning who has the key out of the starting room!) characters, and you don't necessarily have to ''kill'' any of them. You're forced to "kill" the first character you have to fight this way, but it's just a [[Non Lethal KO]]. Then again, this should come as little surprise in a game where a major objective is to find out why ''you'' can't die.
* In ''[[Planescape Torment]]'', you can get through the whole game having to fight only four (Don't forget the zombie at the beginning who has the key out of the starting room!) characters, and you don't necessarily have to ''kill'' any of them. You're forced to "kill" the first character you have to fight this way, but it's just a [[Non-Lethal KO]]. Then again, this should come as little surprise in a game where a major objective is to find out why ''you'' can't die.
* ''[[Ultima IV]]'' encourages this somewhat, you still have to fight monsters to get Valor points, but letting them run away instead of killing them gives you Compassion points.
* ''[[Ultima IV]]'' encourages this somewhat, you still have to fight monsters to get Valor points, but letting them run away instead of killing them gives you Compassion points.
** Additionally, killing enemies that aren't evil (hungry or defensive animals and the like) will ''decrease'' your virtue points.
** Additionally, killing enemies that aren't evil (hungry or defensive animals and the like) will ''decrease'' your virtue points.
* In ''[[Ultima VI]]'', it's quite possible to complete the main quest without killing anybody. There are only few monster occupied areas that you must visit to advance the plot and it's possible to avoid combat in those by using invisibility rings and potions to slip by enemies unnoticed.
* In ''[[Ultima VI]]'', it's quite possible to complete the main quest without killing anybody. There are only few monster occupied areas that you must visit to advance the plot and it's possible to avoid combat in those by using invisibility rings and potions to slip by enemies unnoticed.
** In ''Ultima VII'', you only have to kill {{spoiler|Hook, Elizabeth and Abraham}} at the end.
** In ''Ultima VII'', you only have to kill {{spoiler|Hook, Elizabeth and Abraham}} at the end.
* In the Bakumatsu chapter of ''[[Live a Live]],'' Oboro keeps a running mental tally of how many people he's killed (only humans; ghosts, demons, and machines don't count towards this total) over the course of the chapter. Somewhat overlapping with the [[Stealth Run]], finishing the chapter with zero kills (which requires a good number of [[Guide Dang It|counterintuitive steps]]) nets you his [[Infinity Plus One Sword|Infinity Plus 0.5 Sword]] for use in the final chapter. Of course, it's possible to get an equivalent weapon by beating a rather difficult [[Bonus Boss]].
* In the Bakumatsu chapter of ''[[Live a Live]],'' Oboro keeps a running mental tally of how many people he's killed (only humans; ghosts, demons, and machines don't count towards this total) over the course of the chapter. Somewhat overlapping with the [[Stealth Run]], finishing the chapter with zero kills (which requires a good number of [[Guide Dang It|counterintuitive steps]]) nets you his [[Infinity+1 Sword|Infinity Plus 0.5 Sword]] for use in the final chapter. Of course, it's possible to get an equivalent weapon by beating a rather difficult [[Bonus Boss]].
* A common and useful [[Game Breaker]] in ''[[Final Fantasy VIII]]'' is simply to junction 100 [[Taken for Granite|Break]] spells to your weapon's elemental attack and hit enemies with that when you otherwise just can't run away. Doing this keeps you from gaining experience and levels, which helps in the long run once you find decent spells to junction to your physical stats.
* A common and useful [[Game Breaker]] in ''[[Final Fantasy VIII]]'' is simply to junction 100 [[Taken for Granite|Break]] spells to your weapon's elemental attack and hit enemies with that when you otherwise just can't run away. Doing this keeps you from gaining experience and levels, which helps in the long run once you find decent spells to junction to your physical stats.
* It's possible to get to the final boss of ''King's Field II'' while only killing one monster: a red mushroom that you can't get past on a narrow path. You're still level 1.
* It's possible to get to the final boss of ''King's Field II'' while only killing one monster: a red mushroom that you can't get past on a narrow path. You're still level 1.
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* It's not ''exactly'' a [[Pacifist Run]], but ''[[Geneforge]] 4'' occasionally mentions that a "great Shaper" can get through the game without ever lifting a hand in defense. This variously means sneaking past baddies, [[Talking the Monster To Death|abusing the Leadership skill]], and luring enemies to weapon-toting allies.
* It's not ''exactly'' a [[Pacifist Run]], but ''[[Geneforge]] 4'' occasionally mentions that a "great Shaper" can get through the game without ever lifting a hand in defense. This variously means sneaking past baddies, [[Talking the Monster To Death|abusing the Leadership skill]], and luring enemies to weapon-toting allies.


== [[Shoot Em Up]] ==
== [[Shoot'Em Up]] ==
* In ''Star Wars Trilogy Arcade'', during the sequence on Endor on the speederbikes, you gain bonus points (called Bloodless) for shooting down the enemy's speederbikes instead of the enemy themselves. But considering they're speeding pretty fast in a forest full of trees, it probably would have been less painful to have been instantly shot to death.
* In ''Star Wars Trilogy Arcade'', during the sequence on Endor on the speederbikes, you gain bonus points (called Bloodless) for shooting down the enemy's speederbikes instead of the enemy themselves. But considering they're speeding pretty fast in a forest full of trees, it probably would have been less painful to have been instantly shot to death.
** The original ''[[Star Wars the Arcade Game]]'' [[Vector Game]] gave a bonus if you 'used the force' and took no shots in the Death Star Trench except the single torpedo shot into the exhaust port, instead dodging the massive incoming fire.
** The original ''[[Star Wars the Arcade Game]]'' [[Vector Game]] gave a bonus if you 'used the force' and took no shots in the Death Star Trench except the single torpedo shot into the exhaust port, instead dodging the massive incoming fire.
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** ''Metal Gear Solid 4'' also allows you to take out all of the bosses using non-lethal means. Unlike the other games though, it actually affects the cutscene afterward. The difference is really subtle leading to many players thinking Kojima was lying when he said you could save them.
** ''Metal Gear Solid 4'' also allows you to take out all of the bosses using non-lethal means. Unlike the other games though, it actually affects the cutscene afterward. The difference is really subtle leading to many players thinking Kojima was lying when he said you could save them.
** Even ''MGS4'''s online mode gets in on this, giving players the "Pigeon" ranking if they have a suitable ratio of kills to knockouts.
** Even ''MGS4'''s online mode gets in on this, giving players the "Pigeon" ranking if they have a suitable ratio of kills to knockouts.
** ''[[Metal Gear Solid 4]]'' is the first game in the series to let you do a true no-kills run, not even story kills. [[What Measure Is a Non Human|Although you can (and once, you must) blow up as many Gekko and Dwarf Gekko as you like.]]
** ''[[Metal Gear Solid 4]]'' is the first game in the series to let you do a true no-kills run, not even story kills. [[What Measure Is a Non-Human?|Although you can (and once, you must) blow up as many Gekko and Dwarf Gekko as you like.]]
** ''[[Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker]]'' lets you do a pacifist run one step at a time. Each of its stages are mission-based, letting you do a perfect no-kills stealth run once you're properly prepared, even against a missile tank supported by thirty troops.
** ''[[Metal Gear Solid Peace Walker]]'' lets you do a pacifist run one step at a time. Each of its stages are mission-based, letting you do a perfect no-kills stealth run once you're properly prepared, even against a missile tank supported by thirty troops.
** ''[[Metal Gear Solid Rising]]'' has [http://www.qj.net/qjnet/news/raiden-can-opt-not-to-kill-enemies-in-mgs-rising.html confirmed] it will have a Pacifist Run, and will award an Achievement for it.
** ''[[Metal Gear Solid Rising]]'' has [http://www.qj.net/qjnet/news/raiden-can-opt-not-to-kill-enemies-in-mgs-rising.html confirmed] it will have a Pacifist Run, and will award an Achievement for it.
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** The bitch is that "One Dangerous Zombie" isn't a selectable mode; it's automatically foisted on you during a [[New Game Plus]] whether you like it or not. The good news, as it were, is that said zombie disappears once you leave the mansion and go to the guardhouse.
** The bitch is that "One Dangerous Zombie" isn't a selectable mode; it's automatically foisted on you during a [[New Game Plus]] whether you like it or not. The good news, as it were, is that said zombie disappears once you leave the mansion and go to the guardhouse.


== [[Third Person Shooter]] ==
== [[Third-Person Shooter]] ==
* Playing ''[[Postal]] 2'' without ever killing anyone gives you the end-of-game rank "Thank you for playing, JESUS!"
* Playing ''[[Postal]] 2'' without ever killing anyone gives you the end-of-game rank "Thank you for playing, JESUS!"
** The same holds true of the expansion pack, ''Apocalypse Weekend'', but it's all theoretical since it's impossible to actually beat the game without killing anyone. It's more linear and combat-oriented than the original ''Postal 2'', and there are several characters you have to kill to proceed. Hell, even the ''zombies'' count as kills, and there are at least 2 different missions where you have to destroy a certain number of them to proceed forward.
** The same holds true of the expansion pack, ''Apocalypse Weekend'', but it's all theoretical since it's impossible to actually beat the game without killing anyone. It's more linear and combat-oriented than the original ''Postal 2'', and there are several characters you have to kill to proceed. Hell, even the ''zombies'' count as kills, and there are at least 2 different missions where you have to destroy a certain number of them to proceed forward.
* ''[[Second Sight]]'' tracks your "morality" score for each level of the game, which starts at 100% and decreases with each enemy you kill. Players can avoid killing enemies by tranquilizing them, sneaking past, luring them into hazardous terrain features, allowing NPC allies to kill them, or tricking them into killing each other. It appears that only four enemies, (Not counting your involuntary initial manifestations of Psy-Attack, and improved telekinesis) actually have to be killed. {{spoiler|They're clones of the main character}}. Oddly, even without killing anyone else the big bad will still call you out for all the bodies you stepped over to reach him.
* ''[[Second Sight]]'' tracks your "morality" score for each level of the game, which starts at 100% and decreases with each enemy you kill. Players can avoid killing enemies by tranquilizing them, sneaking past, luring them into hazardous terrain features, allowing NPC allies to kill them, or tricking them into killing each other. It appears that only four enemies, (Not counting your involuntary initial manifestations of Psy-Attack, and improved telekinesis) actually have to be killed. {{spoiler|They're clones of the main character}}. Oddly, even without killing anyone else the big bad will still call you out for all the bodies you stepped over to reach him.
** He ''means'' stepped over. The game also keeps track of how many km of "muddy feet" you walked per level i.e.: how far you walked with your shoes covered in blood from enemies you killed. Yeuuchh...
** He ''means'' stepped over. The game also keeps track of how many km of "muddy feet" you walked per level i.e.: how far you walked with your shoes covered in blood from enemies you killed. Yeuuchh...
* In ''[[Prototype (Video Game)|Prototype]]'', it is literally ''impossible'' to go through the game without killing civilians. The closest the player can get to a [[Self Imposed Challenge|self-imposed pacifist challenge]] is to try to keep their civilian kill count as low as possible (difficult, since you can kill them by running into them). There is an achievement for eating only 10 or less civilians.
* In ''[[Prototype (Video Game)|Prototype]]'', it is literally ''impossible'' to go through the game without killing civilians. The closest the player can get to a [[Self-Imposed Challenge|self-imposed pacifist challenge]] is to try to keep their civilian kill count as low as possible (difficult, since you can kill them by running into them). There is an achievement for eating only 10 or less civilians.
* In ''[[Reservoir Dogs (Video Game)|Reservoir Dogs]]'' there's a choice to go either "Psycho" or "Professional", the latter being if you concentrate on using hostages over shooting people. The issue is that hostages loss HP over time... due to stress?
* In ''[[Reservoir Dogs (Video Game)|Reservoir Dogs]]'' there's a choice to go either "Psycho" or "Professional", the latter being if you concentrate on using hostages over shooting people. The issue is that hostages loss HP over time... due to stress?