Wow-related ethics question, sort of :-P

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laserturkey
laserturkey Posts: 1,680 Member
I have an ethical conundrum to solve. As a bored raider, I keep coming up with new little challenges for myself to keep the game interesting. My latest two projects are a dwarf shaman who ONLY kills boars and ONLY does quests that involve killing boars, and a night elf rogue who does not engage in combat of any kind.

The rogue is the one that has me puzzling at the moment. I decided the rules for this challenge would be pretty strict. This character won't even use battle pets or ride mounts unless they are mechanical. She does whatever little non-combat quests she comes across, and the rest of her xp comes from herbalism, mining, archaeology, and exploration. She's come across a couple of quests that are kind of in a grey area. One involves riding an elekk to go and alert people of impending danger, and the other involves tagging murlocs for scientific research. Here's my question:

Would a character/person who had very strong views about animal cruelty do those quests?

Interested to see what other people think on this.

Also, please let's not have a flame war about animal rights. I don't care what your personal views are. I'm just trying to get a feel for what this toon would do.

Replies

  • whooter
    whooter Posts: 47
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    I would probably do both of them.

    Murlocs are humanoid, plus the tagging itself is nonviolent and possibly benefits them in the long run.

    The positive benefits of using the riding Elekk to warn people of impending danger outweigh any of the negatives. Besides, who's to say the Elekk doesn't enjoy the work?

    :-)
  • Fittreelol
    Fittreelol Posts: 2,535 Member
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    Clearly the murcloc research is out. I mean every stupid captain planet episode seemed to revolve around random animal testing. I hate him and his mullet. Only consenting test subjects in azeroth! (No outlands cheating either. Even if it is space.)

    Riding an elekk is trickier, because you have to look at the lesser of two evils. Could you conceivably warn the people by foot (rp wise not quest wise) thus preventing the citizens from encountering such danger, OR would riding an elekk prevent a huge catastrophe. Even if you could prevent one would your character be okay with riding an organic mount.
  • hersheythecat
    hersheythecat Posts: 128 Member
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    If I remember right you can do the Elekk question on your own mount you just have to watch the timing of it. If it's the one I'm thinking of up in Draeni land.

    The murlocs... well I'm going to have to reserve my thoughts on murlocs because in my world, ALL MURLOCS MUST DIE.... I was killed too many times by murlocs in my early days of playing. :)
  • ahviendha
    ahviendha Posts: 1,291 Member
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    I would say yes to the murlocs quest (because they fail sometimes and may need assistance)

    with the elekk, i don't know! i do know horses, another large breed, enjoy working with humans because it gives them a purpose and a steady intake of carrots.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
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    You're from Moon Guard arent you?
  • red_road
    red_road Posts: 761 Member
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    I can confirm that you do not have to use the elekk to warn the people, you are simply under a time limit. Before, when people didnt have mounts at low level it was impossible to do it without the provided elekk but now you can use your own mount.
  • EatClean_WashUrNuts
    EatClean_WashUrNuts Posts: 1,590 Member
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    SMH... I kill everything....especially EVERY ALLY I come across.
  • EatClean_WashUrNuts
    EatClean_WashUrNuts Posts: 1,590 Member
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    Oh, and there are no ethics in WoW
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
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    Volunteering because you want to brag about volunteering to your friends.
    Volunteering because a court mandated that you do it.
    Volunteering because you enjoy it.

    Killing CG spawns don't make you a violent person it's the intent behind it.
  • clydethecat
    clydethecat Posts: 1,094 Member
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    i do the same thing on one of my paladins. i think both quests are fine, its the actual killing that is bad. its really hard to do..

    one question, if you're minning or herbing, and something agros on you, do you run away or stay and fight? i run away... but i can see that staying and fighting can also be ok.
  • laserturkey
    laserturkey Posts: 1,680 Member
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    This character runs away. She's a rogue, so she sneaks around and times things carefully and very rarely has to abandon a node. She doesn't have Sap yet, but that will simplify matters significantly. It is kind of fun seeing what you can accomplish without combat.
  • clydethecat
    clydethecat Posts: 1,094 Member
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    i totally agree... its so much fun doing stuff outside the wow "norm"... its hard for my paladin to run away tho, she is just wired to fight.. maybe i'll start a rogue .. i heard there was a guy who leveled a character to 80 never killing anything. that takes commitment.
  • Alliwan
    Alliwan Posts: 1,245 Member
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    This character runs away. She's a rogue, so she sneaks around and times things carefully and very rarely has to abandon a node. She doesn't have Sap yet, but that will simplify matters significantly. It is kind of fun seeing what you can accomplish without combat.

    I belong to a guild on Antonidas called Peace Corps that is devoted to no kill characters. You do no kill quests, most of us dont mount at all, and xp comes from herb/mining/exploration. My main toon there has one kill on her record and she's lvl 22, but i had rooted someone that someone else came and killed. Watch that if you sap, idk if sap tags the monster or not, but if it does and someone else kills, your perfect no kill record is gone.

    Peace corps is apparently lvl 12, i havent been on there since near the end of cata when i was bored the last time, but ill probably be on more soon as my main toon has max gear/rep/items/achieves or very close to it.

    If your interested. lmk or /who peace corps on antonidas and im sure they'd love to have you. It really is an interesting way to level as you have to plot out your quests, your route to not get caught and still mine/herb a node. Very fun even tho it doesnt sound so on the surface.
  • arcticfox04
    arcticfox04 Posts: 1,011 Member
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    When I get bored I got on a World PVP crusade and try to start a war in lowbie questing zones. Nothing like taking Tarren Mill back for the Alliance. That and stop the spread of undead filth that threaten my faction.

    WoW is fun when you want to make it fun.
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
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    Witnessing a murder and not reporting is a crime, so blanket statements of "didn't kill one mob" still are moot. It'd be like leveling a priest while only healing a warrior who killed the mobs for you.
  • laserturkey
    laserturkey Posts: 1,680 Member
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    Witnessing a murder and not reporting is a crime, so blanket statements of "didn't kill one mob" still are moot. It'd be like leveling a priest while only healing a warrior who killed the mobs for you.

    But never killing any mobs or critters, never accepting monetary or other assistance from any other player, and never grouping with or providing assistance to any other player would be a different matter. It's a solitary life, and I certainly wouldn't want to live in such a vacuum, but it does make for a fun experiment.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
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    There was a guy from a guild on moon guard who leveled ONLY by exploration XP...