So I'm fighting bandits/mages/etc, hacking and slashing through them with ease.

One of them falls to their knees, "Mercy!"

"Ok" I say, and I go off for further exploring.

*Arrow in the back*

:glare:

"Didn't you not want to die?"

*Arrow in the face*

FUS ROH DAH

Basically, what I'm getting at, is I like playing the compassionate, merciful type character. The NPCs getting back up and fighting again only makes sense if your character still intends to kill them, or they were simply doing a "wounded gazelle gambit" and just waiting for an opportunity to stab you in the back. It's really hard to show mercy to someone who's actively shooting arrows at your face.

Now, bandits aren't the best at appraising strength, otherwise all but the chiefs and such would run in terror from a high level player. You'd think that being horribly injured would make them think twice about backstabbing the guy who just killed everything but them though.

Not really a complaint, just an opportunity missed. Imagine the options! Turn bandits into the authorities, reform them and have them be your companion or adventuring protege, or if you're into the whole evil thing make them a slave or a vampire thrall. I could see modders taking to this, so I hope it shows up at some point.

if they attacked first.. kill them

Nah if you really wanna be a dike to them make them your undead thrall or better yet when they start to run and say mercy stick a sword in their back.

The random "Orc", "Imperial", etc NPCs that you can goad into attacking you will actually stop being hostile when they yield, so it seems that the bandits who lie about it are just being sneaky rather than it being a bug.

That is a point well made. Not that I mind a free hit, but it's a little strange that every single humanoid does it. It's also frustrating that they are never, ever actually surrendering.

True, they tried to kill you first. Maybe Bethesda thought to implement something more, or the 'downed' stance for companions had to carry over to every npc. Otherwise I don't see why its there in the first place. It'd just be a cool paladin-style RP choice. Who would your character choose to spare? Do they really want that axe the enemy has or would killing a downed opponent be against their code? Would they mercilessly kill all who opposed them, or just wizards?

Could've been another use for that

I guess enemy npcs are just my nitpick in this game, since they probably comprise over half of the population of Skyrim.

Just my thoughts.

When they do that I usually sheath my sword and punch them to death. Dunno why.

I sheath my sword, then unsheath it again so they hear the sshhhinggg before i execute them.

Makes Soul Trap pretty easy! Get them while they are down.

Take note, and bow to the wisdom of Pratchett:



If a bandit is down, don't have mercy. Finish him off.

The very moment you consider violence against me, mercy is no longer an option.

I love (so very much) walking right up to a begging bandit (and especially Forsworn) and [censored]ing destroying him.

If they started it, I end it, simple as that. I don't have mercy for people after my life.

Fair enough, maybe that's part of it for me. To an extent, The Elder Scrolls could be seen as a bit of a power fantasy, an escapism. However, I think Pratchett's quote (haven't read him yet, I'll have to get on that) implies that you (the enemy) are dying. If In that case, yes, finish them quick.

In fact, it might be cooler if your enemies bled out instead of regaining health when they were down.

General rule of thumb: yeah, if you attack me, you should probably be dead, especially if its a "you or me" standoff. However, in this game, often most enemies are cannon fodder, and if you are extremely powerful compared to them, why not revel in it?

I think if there's a misunderstanding or people are of the same morals and what not, but on different sides, it becomes less black and white. When I fight in the civil war, I (in the sense of RPing my character) feel a bit of pity for the Nords fighting for their own beliefs that stand no chance against my character's swordplay. I suppose it doesn't help that Skyrim NPCS are all murderous bastards.

Of course, its just a game, but I think the concept of 'mercy' brings up moral grey areas, and imho, these are interesting to explore.

win

I really want to show mercy.

But the game won't let me.

Once again we're forced to do evil.

Why can't they just drop their weapons, and run out of the caves when you sheath your sword while they're down?
...

When they first have a "Yield" animation and voice-over for EVERY HUMANOID creature, why does only 0,1% of them actually surrender -- ALL OF THEM already immortal?

I feel a tad guilty every time I kill someone surrendering. Especially females.

Yeah the first time I saw this animation I was like SWEET! And then they got up and attacked me after healing. WTF Bethesda...really...

As a blind fan boy of Bethesda who loves Skyrim and having more fun playing it than I did modded-Oblivion I have to say I agree with this post. This and about 20 other things that would take Skyrim from favorite past time to unhealthy obsession.


There is some complexity in this request though. For example, how do the other bandits you are currently engaging react to the bandit that you just pardoned? Do they attack him for not fighting you? Does he simply run away?

Or say you leave 1 bandit alive after he surrenders and you come back 10 days later and the place is repopulated with new bandits plus the one that surrendered. Does he still attack?

This. Total missed opportunity, and pointless if they never EVER actually give in.

I give them mercy and step back away from the fight. Lydia, not so much. She's not buying what they're selling and she finishes them off. Evaliir's Flame Atronach too, bam, enemy gets a fireball to the face.

:tes:

If Bethesda dont do anything about it, I am sure some modders will make that some people who surrender really does so. (limps away or continue to grovel at your feet without further aggression until you leave the area ).

Have to agree as well, it was a very poor decision to add this whole voice work + animation and not freaking code them just running away and cowering until you leave. I'm ok with them trying to attack you a moment later when your back is turned say 20% or so of the time, but 100% is just plain lazy development. Hopefully a modder can fix a mechanic the devs never finished. (Seems modders always have to "finish" beth's games.)

Buggs me too, get a bandit would be stupid enough to do that but townsfolk and such that i've accidentaly gotten into a fight with do it aswell.
Would be nice if you could mod it.
I do love that they do it tho, my favorite was the first time i heard a breton sheepishly yell "Death is overrated!" the very second before i choped his head of, gave me a giggle.

yeh it would be cool if sometimes the did stab you in the back, but most of the time they just limped away from you.

Agreed, and this seems to be a common complaint. It's like they're teasing us, giving enemies that "Mercy!" dialouge and animation, then there's no actual mechanic to accept their surrender and they just attack you right after. A Paladin of Stendarr should be able to offer mercy to enemies.

Here is the mod I propose:

Better NPC surrender

• The chance of the NPC attacking you after surrendering is .01 x his level. So a level 20 NPC has a 20% chance of lieing.
• The player can freely access the NPC's belongings during the surrender.
• The surrendered NPC is neutral to the player for 24 hours.
• Other hostile NPC's are hostile to the pardoned NPC.
• NPC attempts to flee from the player for a 24 period