A dying man is evil?

[Sade]

According to the restrictions of the True Healer challenge:



However, killing "A dying man" (whose real name isn't told, AFAIK) in Wolfenwood forest does not break the challenge. In fact, even letting him die himself should be against the second rule. After all, he was attacked by wolves.

There's only one explanation: the man has to be evil aligned. Now, why would an evil man be doing such a noble thing as to deliver a healing elixir for a sick child? Is the potion poisoned? Did the man have some other nefarious plans to carry out in Port Kuudad?

It seems to me that helping him finish the quest isn't very heroic thing to do after all... What do you think?

[xolotl]

Somewhat related to the True Healer challenge, I think that ideally the True Healer challenge should include that you're unable to kill any Dwarves when going through Hammerlorne. The fact that the game calls for you basically charging in and slaughtering people who should be your allies still kind of weirds me out, and they're clearly only attacking you because you're trespassing with intent to steal and loot.

Anyway, I'd love to see that change for 1.05; I assume it's too late for 1.04...

[KillingMoon]

It's well spotted, Sade.

But the game doesn't offer any opportunities for us to keep this dying man alive, so I believe most players will readily accept that the True Healer challenge isn't at stake here.
Technically it's an inconsistency. I haven't been wondering about possible evil alignments with this guy, as I think it's just an inconsistency and not more.

There have been some posts about the True Healer challenge, and I think it's confusing. You can kill Julian and the Werewolf, but not Sparrow, and there could be explanations for this, but where it counts, namely in game, there aren't any clues.
Or often there are the wrong clues; you can find Julian's note and conclude he's insane, but then still you can break the Healer challenge, as you need to talk to him first before you kill him.
You can find evidence of Gammen's thievery and confront him with it, but still you break the challenge if you kill him. That is inconsistent, as he's no better than an outlander. He voluntarily chose the path of evil.

Sparrow is probably good, but has become at odds with the guild and anyone following its plans. Still it's more or less impossible for a player who doesn't look for help on these forums to come to the right conclusions about Sparrow, Julian, the Werewolf, Gammen, and perhaps as well this dying man.

What about the sick boy, by the way? If you don't bring the elixir, he dies, so that should certainly break the True Healer challenge, wouldn't it?

[Sade]

To think of it, the challenge should also break when Korren dies during the ending video.

That doesn't happen, however, so either
1) Korren doesn't actually die, even though "he is reduced to nothing more than a cloud of ash", or

2) Korren is evil aligned, too.

[xolotl]

That doesn't happen, however, so either
1) Korren doesn't actually die, even though "he is reduced to nothing more than a cloud of ash", or

Exclusive sneak preview of Book 3!

Korren Ash!

korren.png (15.89 KiB) Viewed 3692 times

On a slighty-more-serious note, you could make the argument that as soon as the ending cinematic starts, the game is over (given that you don't have control over your character anymore), so the True Healer challenge not breaking then isn't really a problem. If Korren had died "in the engine" then it'd be a stickier problem.

Oh, and, er, OMGSPOILERS btw.

[Sade]

Exclusive sneak preview of Book 3!

What about changing the text to "You must never allow a friendly aligned NPC to die via another creature or evil aligned NPC, unless there is nothing you can do about it."

That, in addition to making the dwarves you mentioned break the challenge if you kill them (since they are definitely not evil), would make the challenge a bit more consistent.

[SpottedShroom]

True Healer is a little bit strange. I don't think the healer class is meant to be good or evil, since you can be a nefarious healer. I don't think the True Healer challenge should be morality based either. The idea of keeping things alive makes sense, since that's what healers do, but a nefarious healer ought to be able to start fights with friendly NPCs.

Also none of the other challenges are particularly good or evil. Pacifists leave dangerous creatures alive, and hellbringers don't necessarily kill any non-evil creatures.