Merciful means of questing.

ahstin2001nub18_ESO · May 2015

Gahurkaness wrote: »

Many of the quests seems to derail into killing many, many people who didn't really deserve it. This doesn't sit well with me, who am a bit of a pacifist and believer in reason to begin with. I also like to be the hero of the story. But because of this, I simply aren't.

So what I'm trying to do here is to gather you guys to share ideas about how to successfully implement alternate paths of advancements through quests that does not involve killing people - or at least not killing those that are not vital to the story. We got stealth and disguises, let's work from that.

Also, wouldn't it be cool if we had a special skill line for purely non-violent skills that increases as you choose peaceful options? And maybe achivements? Make being good rewarding. Then maybe it will come naturally in time.

i am not a pacifist, but i am a realist, so thats where i agree-know when to take a life; know when to preserve a life. i mean really... i need a note from some dude so i have to kill em? i can't pick their pocket or just scare them.... i am a pretty big nord after all. its kinda been my peeve in most "make a decision" quests in more RPGs than just the ES series. i also remember the days when you had one direction to go (zelda, dragon warrior/dragon quest, castlevania) so i like any opportunity for a modified story of any sort. adding a neutral story wouldnt be all that bad.

Robbmrp · May 2015

If they did end up putting in a passive skill line, that could be very challenging to complete. All of the guard NPC's in this game insult you every time you walk by them. There are other NPC's also just egging you on to make you want to take their head off. It would be really interesting to see what spell that wouldn't kill NPC's but make them flee or run off and not come back to try to bash your head in.

This brings to mind good ole WoW days where we had a Mind Control option. Granted this was always used to make an NPC kill his own friends but there could be alternatives for it. Maybe a Daedra banish spell would work as well? Who knows.

Ourorboros · May 2015

Hey, I'm an equal opportunity basher! I used to read threads calling for this or that change, threads claiming to have a great idea to improve the game. But at this juncture, I don't want resources directed at ANYTHING beyond the already promised advertised changes like Dark Brotherhood, Thieves Guild, Spellcrafting and new DLC, plus fixing bugs and LAG. Save your great ideas for after we get the above mentioned. I routinely ignore threads touting some new idea, be it necromancy or whatever. I would have ignored this one as well, but pacifist in the title caught my eye and curiosity.

ahstin2001nub18_ESO · May 2015

Robbmrp wrote: »

If they did end up putting in a passive skill line, that could be very challenging to complete. All of the guard NPC's in this game insult you every time you walk by them. There are other NPC's also just egging you on to make you want to take their head off. It would be really interesting to see what spell that wouldn't kill NPC's but make them flee or run off and not come back to try to bash your head in.

This brings to mind good ole WoW days where we had a Mind Control option. Granted this was always used to make an NPC kill his own friends but there could be alternatives for it. Maybe a Daedra banish spell would work as well? Who knows.

i like that.

enchanters in EQ could charm with the same effect. an enchanter friend of mine wanted to duel for fun so he could charm me as a pet, then use me as a pet-tank. it was funny, but i wasn't interested in doing it again lol. first thing my charmed self did was burn through my large timer cooldowns lol

Gahurkaness · May 2015

Nice to see see some interesting feedback again

And I do agree with Ourorboros, focus firstly (who cares it that's a word) on promised features and high demand content.

ahstin2001nub18_ESO pretty much encapsulated my original sentiment for the idea more elegantly than I did. Thanks man!

Volkodav · May 2015

Hmm,..
This game is one of those known to have combat to do most quests.Why would a pacifist even join it? (just asking) All the trailers show killing,as do most of the videos on youtube for it.Odd,..

Pendrillion · May 2015

What the internet suffers from these days is blatant black and white dualism. One can exchange ideas and propositions without attacking what is thought to be the status quo. If someone wagers some ideas such as this, it was not to attack the combat system in this game. Or making you feel inferior, because you kill in quests.

It was indeed as others pointed out to discuss the possibilities to add depth and meaning to the existing content/combat system. Also I would like to see more options to solve quests. Technically, you could even work with your non violent solution biting your ass in the course of the game. If you spare the wrong guys, it might be they try to cross you when you least expect it later on in the game... Or they could even helping you. Because they owe you a debt.

Many of those options have been implemented in games in the past. I believe even in ESO you have sometimes such opportunities.

stefan.gustavsonb16_ESO · May 2015

Pendrillion wrote: »

...
Technically, you could even work with your non violent solution biting your ass in the course of the game. If you spare the wrong guys, it might be they try to cross you when you least expect it later on in the game... Or they could even helping you. Because they owe you a debt.
Many of those options have been implemented in games in the past. I believe even in ESO you have sometimes such opportunities.

This is an MMO, so nothing you do can actually have an impact on the game world that makes it different from what everybody else sees. I was thrilled by the option in the starter DC zone to show mercy and spare the pirate captain, and that I had to pick sides in the final quest on Betnikh. There are several more of those moral choices in the game, but the quests end with the same reward no matter what you do, and none of your choices have any impact on later events. At most, I get a small change in some NPC dialog further along the road, but that's it.
ESO takes place in a shared world, and that's a problem if you want to see any kind of real choice or consequences to your actions. The MMO part takes away quite a lot of the RPG part.

On the original topic, I am disappointed at stealth in ESO. It's perfectly possible to sneak past many fights -- the environment is often even designed to allow it -- but if you skip a lot of trash mob kills you end up with too little XP to level properly. I played sneaky with my NB character for a couple of zones while leveling, but after that I actually had to grind mobs to catch up.

Sure, the mobs respawn, they are not really dead, whatever, but having the option of playing "nice" would be fun.

ArRashid · May 2015

Maybe you should play FIFA instead of MMORPG then. lol

Merlin13KAGL · May 2015

Could you give an example of a quest involving 'innocents?'

Other than perhaps a couple where people are 'afflicted,' I can't think of any that qualify offhand.

Examples please (serious, not trolling)

stefan.gustavsonb16_ESO · May 2015

It's not really the aggression as such that bothers me (after all, this is a game set in a very violent world filled with conflict), it's the fact that the only option in every quest is to run in with weapons drawn and slaughter everything in sight. It would be fun to have some options to sneak, pilfer, persuade and intimidate your way through a quest without being punished with less XP.

I enjoyed having that option in every other TES game, and it contributed greatly to why I kept playing them for so long. ESO lacks that dimension, and I think its replay value suffers from it. There is one way to do every quest: kill lots and lots of mobs and a final boss or two. After you have leveled your second character through VR ranks, you are fed up with the quests, because they play exactly the same each time.

Cernow · May 2015

The main problem is that MMO quests aren't very sophisticated and ESO is no different. If there was no killing, it would all be gathering and clicking quests which would get old very quickly. The problem lies with the genre.

However, I do agree that in far too many ESO quests you end up getting railroaded into killing, even when the quest plot would suggest there should be other solutions (but actually there aren't). Death seems to be part of so many quest plotlines, either at the player's hands or the NPCs you are doing the quests for.

Quite a few times my character has shown mercy only for my hand to be forced, or the NPCs to take the matter into their own hands, and someone dies anyway. Not every quest can have a happy outcome of course, sometimes there's difficult choices. But death seems to be too frequently used as a vehicle for easily wrapping up the writing of a quest. It leaves you feeling pretty empty when you realise all your efforts are pointless and make no difference (yes I know everything we do in a game is essentially pointless).

There needs to be more quests where you can talk or investigate your way to a more peaceful conclusion (more than just the rather limited Persuade and Intimidate options). Also more quests where you have the option to arrest, incapacitate or subdue those you are fighting. And more quests where sneaking and subterfuge is viable.

I know it's not a MMO, but I really enjoyed Deus Ex Human Revolution for the option to complete the game without killing anyone. It was much harder than running around all guns blazing, but worth the effort. Obviously a MMO can't be structured like that, but it does seem that all too often death and killing is a lazy plot vehicle.

Davadin · May 2015

WTF is wrong with people shaming OP?

Like seriously, the guy's just asking for a different way to play the game. And all you guys with your RAMBO mentality and Grand Theft Auto attitude just went *** on him.

SHAME ON YOU ESO COMMUNITY.

Now, back on topic. I'm not a "pacifist" whatever/whoever describe it, but I would also like a way to clear a quest/game/zone without killing. Yes. Like Deus Ex.

I played the game twice, first I killed everything that moves. Second, which is much harder and more challenging, is to get away without killing a single soul.

Have it as an achievement, kinda like... hey, ESO's achievements!

Some ideas already mentioned that I like.

Knocked-out mechanism. Have either a new skill-tree or a "pacifist" morph that hits 20-30% less damage BUT if you finish a mob with "pacifist skills" only, then they'll get "knocked-out" or "subdued" whatever you want to call it.

Everything else stays the same. Lootable. Body still on the ground and eventually disappear (don't push your luck, OP). Right now, in live, we don't have decapitation or anything. It's all the same animation anyway.

NOW, the only catch is DUNGEONS or RAIDS where the quest specifically say "YOU MUST BANISH/KILL". Then, yeah, sorry. Some quest simply won't have a "pacifist" alternative solution.

That's it, really. I think it's very much doa-able. And doesn't affect the regular savages....

Thoughts, @ZOS_GinaBruno ?

mcurley · May 2015

Cool idea, OP. I would like to be able to finish at a few of the quest lines without having to kill also.

Killing random bandits doesn't affect me but sometimes I feel slightly bad for killing the random packs of wolves or other wild animals that attack me as I run through their lands. I wish after a certain level difference between my hero and the animals that they would simply stop trying.

I'm just trying to run to that Skyshard over there... I'm 18 levels higher and don't want your hide... stop trying to kill me.

SeñorCinco · May 2015

I view and play this game no differently than any other installment of the series. I don't see another player when I look at the screen.

Every rendering is just another NPC, including my character. I do not see my character as an extension of myself nor do I live vicariously through them. They are their own entity. Every character I create, is done so building upon a backstory that governs a personality profile. Every action within the game is then in turn governed by that profile.

This playstyle openly welcomes any optional mechanic or element. No matter if I support the specifics of a given feature or not.

The game is an addition to the series in the form of an MMO. It is still TES and it is still an RPG. One of the most fundamental core elements of any RPG, from books to DOS based text, is the element of arching dialog. In it's basic form that attunes to choice and consequence. Something that seems to be lacking in games and their questlines as we evolve the genre.

In the end... it's about the end.

Branching dialog and choices with affiliated endings is what drew the masses to RPGs in the first place. These types of measures, as requested by the OP, are well within my limits of acceptance.

.

Khenarthi · May 2015

There was a Fallout 3 mod that allowed you to knock out NPCs without killing them... you could then choose to loot them while they were unconscious. I loved that mod

So far in ESO I took my highest-level Khajiit on a tour of the Craglorn delves to get the Skyshards. Fun times were had, sneaking by every creature and bandit. I do miss being able to use Illusion magic though, like on previous ES games, to just prevent aggressive npcs from attacking me - using those spell still progressed your character and advanced your skills (you just got no loot because there were no corpses).

Davadin · May 2015

mcurley wrote: »

Cool idea, OP. I would like to be able to finish at a few of the quest lines without having to kill also.

Killing random bandits doesn't affect me but sometimes I feel slightly bad for killing the random packs of wolves or other wild animals that attack me as I run through their lands. I wish after a certain level difference between my hero and the animals that they would simply stop trying.

I'm just trying to run to that Skyshard over there... I'm 18 levels higher and don't want your hide... stop trying to kill me.

LOTRO had this. 10 levels or beyond, you're pretty much invisible to them.

Problem is, it is VERY MUCH immersion-breaking.

Cave full of giant trolls?

Nope. You're not there.

Swamp full of deadly wasps and dragons??

Nada. Just keep walking.

Ancient civilization with zombies???!?!?!?!

Go ahead. Make funny faces. Or sit down, camp, cook something before you keep going.

kenpachi480 · May 2015

people who respond here lack empathy,. Life is like pointing your finger to the moon, if you concentrate to much at your finger, you miss all the happening glory,.

Empathy is the capacity to understand what another person is experiencing from within the other person's frame of reference

he said he was somewhat of a pacifist,.. if i play GTA 5 i am somewhat of a sadist,. doenst mean nor specify that i am that in reallife,.

but OP, your not alone bro,.

Meet Felix the peacefull Monk, who played and beat skyrim through pacifist means

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2d2KRIUYCM

people here dont get roleplayers,. its not about who you are in reallife,. its about what you cannot be in reallife but can be ingame,. now back to you

Acrolas · May 2015

Davadin wrote: »

SHAME ON YOU ESO COMMUNITY.

No. Shame on the pushovers who don't take sides and are oblivious to realistic boundaries for the sake of pretending to appear nice.

I'm not going to go into a Sims community and ask how to play it like a war simulator, or go into a Marvel branded game and ask how I can get Batman in there because I'm a DC fan. That would be trolling. I'll do my research and find the best game for my play style, because we live in an age where there is no shortage of games.

OP used an ideologically extreme term to describe his preferred method of playing, one that ESO is not suited for. And then he played the victim, which a pacifist wouldn't do. Pacifism isn't supposed to be a scaled ideal. It's 100% conflict avoidance.

Being kind of a pacifist is like being sort of dead or partially unborn. It doesn't mean anything.

The huge problem with all of this is that when you build both combat and non-combat mechanics, you have to build the non-combat ones first so they feel like organic, balanced steps in a quest. Otherwise they'll feel like long-form versions of Intimidate or Persuade - both of which could easily be renamed Skip.

And the non-combat mechanics need to fit the story. This is not a story about diplomacy. This is a story about three armies fighting each other while also trying to stop Molag Bal.
http://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-us/game-guide/story

You can't add mods. It's not a sandbox. And let's not forget that the "Play the way you like" tag was in reference to either playing alone or with friends. That's it. It wasn't an invitation to start re-imagining the game outside its core design.

But, no, apparently anyone who thinks inside the box these days is an intolerant, bad person. Meh. I don't like serious war movies. So let's go make Schindler's List: Friendship is Magic so I can watch it...

nastuug · May 2015

Davadin wrote: »

WTF is wrong with people shaming OP?

Like seriously, the guy's just asking for a different way to play the game. And all you guys with your RAMBO mentality and Grand Theft Auto attitude just went *** on him.

SHAME ON YOU ESO COMMUNITY.

Actually, I think most of us are just asking what the point of this thread is...

Davadin · May 2015

nastuug wrote: »

Davadin wrote: »

WTF is wrong with people shaming OP?

Like seriously, the guy's just asking for a different way to play the game. And all you guys with your RAMBO mentality and Grand Theft Auto attitude just went *** on him.

SHAME ON YOU ESO COMMUNITY.

Actually, I think most of us are just asking what the point of this thread is...

You can ask nicely, or you can be a jerk about it.

I'm not pointing to anyone in particular, but come on guys.

Acrolas wrote: »

Davadin wrote: »

SHAME ON YOU ESO COMMUNITY.

No. Shame on the pushovers who don't take sides and are oblivious to realistic boundaries for the sake of pretending to appear nice.

I'm not going to go into a Sims community and ask how to play it like a war simulator, or go into a Marvel branded game and ask how I can get Batman in there because I'm a DC fan. That would be trolling. I'll do my research and find the best game for my play style, because we live in an age where there is no shortage of games.

OP used an ideologically extreme term to describe his preferred method of playing, one that ESO is not suited for. And then he played the victim, which a pacifist wouldn't do. Pacifism isn't supposed to be a scaled ideal. It's 100% conflict avoidance.

Being kind of a pacifist is like being sort of dead or partially unborn. It doesn't mean anything.

The huge problem with all of this is that when you build both combat and non-combat mechanics, you have to build the non-combat ones first so they feel like organic, balanced steps in a quest. Otherwise they'll feel like long-form versions of Intimidate or Persuade - both of which could easily be renamed Skip.

And the non-combat mechanics need to fit the story. This is not a story about diplomacy. This is a story about three armies fighting each other while also trying to stop Molag Bal.
http://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-us/game-guide/story

You can't add mods. It's not a sandbox. And let's not forget that the "Play the way you like" tag was in reference to either playing alone or with friends. That's it. It wasn't an invitation to start re-imagining the game outside its core design.

But, no, apparently anyone who thinks inside the box these days is an intolerant, bad person. Meh. I don't like serious war movies. So let's go make Schindler's List: Friendship is Magic so I can watch it...

1. There's nothing wrong about going into a Marvel game and asking for Batman. As long as they're not being pushy (I don't think OP is pushy, it's a f**kin question), or impede/ruin other player's experience. Of course, they won't get it but nothing wrong with asking. That is not trolling.
2. I agree having a non-combat can be complex and screw up the whole story, I totally agree. But it's not impossible. Forget about rebuilding the game based on non-combat, forget about creating alternative endings, something as simple as renaming "Skip" into "Persuade" IS A DAMN GOOD START, OK? And see my post about hey, for SOME quest, have a different option for non-violence (there already is options/multi-path questing), or have a combat option that relabels "KILLED" into "KNOCKED OUT", everything else can be the same.
3. The play the way you like tag is only for alone or friends? Really? Sorry, didn't know you're a ZOS employee. If you are, I'll gladly leave the game right away and leave you alone in your world. I sincerely thought, hey, I can be whichever class, whichever build, wear whatever armors, and play in a SANDBOX MMO. Yes, last time I checked, there are more quests than the story line main quests.

Thinking inside the box does not make you a bad person.

Being intolerant, however, does.

Tomg999 · May 2015

The thing I take from the OP is that it indeed would be cool to have an option to play in a very enhanced sneak mode, where avoiding as much contact as possible yet achieving many of the goals.
The game Thief was very cool at that; it would be cool for a variety of reasons to have sneak enhanced in ESO, work with light and sound, etc.

Davadin · May 2015

Tomg999 wrote: »

The thing I take from the OP is that it indeed would be cool to have an option to play in a very enhanced sneak mode, where avoiding as much contact as possible yet achieving many of the goals.
The game Thief was very cool at that; it would be cool for a variety of reasons to have sneak enhanced in ESO, work with light and sound, etc.

it already has a cone-NPC-view detection system and stealth. All it need is a light/sound system (which is A LOT of work) and it'll be a whole new game. I'll gladly throw $100 for such a DLC.

ahstin2001nub18_ESO · May 2015

Acrolas wrote: »

Davadin wrote: »

SHAME ON YOU ESO COMMUNITY.

No. Shame on the pushovers who don't take sides and are oblivious to realistic boundaries for the sake of pretending to appear nice.

I'm not going to go into a Sims community and ask how to play it like a war simulator, or go into a Marvel branded game and ask how I can get Batman in there because I'm a DC fan. That would be trolling. I'll do my research and find the best game for my play style, because we live in an age where there is no shortage of games.

OP used an ideologically extreme term to describe his preferred method of playing, one that ESO is not suited for. And then he played the victim, which a pacifist wouldn't do. Pacifism isn't supposed to be a scaled ideal. It's 100% conflict avoidance.

Being kind of a pacifist is like being sort of dead or partially unborn. It doesn't mean anything.

The huge problem with all of this is that when you build both combat and non-combat mechanics, you have to build the non-combat ones first so they feel like organic, balanced steps in a quest. Otherwise they'll feel like long-form versions of Intimidate or Persuade - both of which could easily be renamed Skip.

And the non-combat mechanics need to fit the story. This is not a story about diplomacy. This is a story about three armies fighting each other while also trying to stop Molag Bal.
http://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-us/game-guide/story

You can't add mods. It's not a sandbox. And let's not forget that the "Play the way you like" tag was in reference to either playing alone or with friends. That's it. It wasn't an invitation to start re-imagining the game outside its core design.

But, no, apparently anyone who thinks inside the box these days is an intolerant, bad person. Meh. I don't like serious war movies. So let's go make Schindler's List: Friendship is Magic so I can watch it...

being an articulate troll, still makes you a troll. adding mechanics? whose talking about that. hell for all you know the OP and others would be cool with:

NPC- "go kill this dude"

player- "no"

NPC- "okay then, bugger off" <quest complete: no reward/experience>.

so they added some dialogue and some code to show quest completion. thats not such a monumental task. its not about changing the game around an idea, but changing story around it, which as already mentioned, already has no serious impact (for now).

you thinking "inside the box" isn't what makes you an "intolerant" or a "bad person"- being an intolerant and bad person makes you an intolerant and bad person. i don't exactly care for the neutral storyline, but i don't oppose it. it adds depth to the game which is a good thing. i don't quest for the rewards (they usually suck) or the experience, i enjoy the story. that doesn't mean everyone shares that mentality. that doesn't make either style or mentality bad or good, just means two sentient beings have two different thoughts. since both concepts are good for both parties, why infringe either.

@kenpachi480 posted an example of where the difficulty and adventure can be with regard to a pacifist leaning style of game play. sure as hell aint something id do lol, but people do it. i see it as too hard and time consuming, and to be forced into it would suck. but the option to do it expands the game play using existing mechanics. it could be done in ESO as well.

Tomg999 wrote: »

The thing I take from the OP is that it indeed would be cool to have an option to play in a very enhanced sneak mode, where avoiding as much contact as possible yet achieving many of the goals.
The game Thief was very cool at that; it would be cool for a variety of reasons to have sneak enhanced in ESO, work with light and sound, etc.

then again, this reminded me of my time playing thief, so i guess i have in the past played a pacifist leaning playstyle before lol.

jkemmery · May 2015

Gahurkaness wrote: »

Many of the quests seems to derail into killing many, many people who didn't really deserve it. This doesn't sit well with me, who am a bit of a pacifist and believer in reason to begin with. I also like to be the hero of the story. But because of this, I simply aren't.

So what I'm trying to do here is to gather you guys to share ideas about how to successfully implement alternate paths of advancements through quests that does not involve killing people - or at least not killing those that are not vital to the story. We got stealth and disguises, let's work from that.

Also, wouldn't it be cool if we had a special skill line for purely non-violent skills that increases as you choose peaceful options? And maybe achivements? Make being good rewarding. Then maybe it will come naturally in time.

Well, considering all of the enemy NPCs respawn every few minutes, just pretend you are knocking them out, they crawl away, wake up later and return to their post. I mean, really not a single character in ESO be it player or otherwise has ever "died" unless the "owner" of the character intentionally deleted the character. Every single character in ESO is in essence completely immortal. They may fall down and disappear, but they come right back to life within a moment or two.

retyler3_ESO · May 2015

Gahurkaness wrote: »

Many of the quests seems to derail into killing many, many people who didn't really deserve it. This doesn't sit well with me, who am a bit of a pacifist and believer in reason to begin with. I also like to be the hero of the story. But because of this, I simply aren't.

So what I'm trying to do here is to gather you guys to share ideas about how to successfully implement alternate paths of advancements through quests that does not involve killing people - or at least not killing those that are not vital to the story. We got stealth and disguises, let's work from that.

Also, wouldn't it be cool if we had a special skill line for purely non-violent skills that increases as you choose peaceful options? And maybe achivements? Make being good rewarding. Then maybe it will come naturally in time.

Ok. I have read through most of the post and your responses to people, and I think you might have ill chosen a few words to possible ask your question or describe your statement; so if I am understanding you correctly here is what I would think would be nice.

One of the options to complete a quest would be instead of hacking and slashing your way through you could sneak past your enemies/opponents to complete your quest, and in doing so you would earn just as many skill points or maybe more for making it past all of them to complete your quest.

Another as someone mentioned earlier being able to knock out people without killing them, but there are several mechanics that would have to be thought out before that could be implemented; or maybe you could say that once they woke you would be flagged for combat and they would come looking for you. Just like every NPC seems to know who the healer is before combat even begins because they cast some kind of protection or heal over time spell on you before combat started.

There is more, but I have to go. I hope this is what you are looking for.

Merlin13KAGL · May 2015

If they expanded on the casting lines (stun/fear/charm/paralyze) many alternate possibilities would be opened up.

I'm still wondering about that example though? Most of the quests I have experienced kind of imply guild by association.

Those that don't (again only a couple where someone is entranced/afflicted/charmed) could presumably be overcome via stealth, could they not?

anitajoneb17_ESO · May 2015

nastuug wrote: »

Actually, I think most of us are just asking what the point of this thread is...

The point is that someone has the great idea to try and be more creative that the usual "let's kill everything" crowd and tries to share and collect ideas about how the current sandbox (ESO) could be used in a new manner, originally not really planned for, which would be to play a pacifist from a role-play point of view, and still do quests and collect XP and progress within the original story (imagining/creating your own story being an easy but totally different thing).

But as usual whenever someone goes the creative or innovative path, the crowd on the main road feels the need to laugh, shout and humiliate. Don't know why. Inherent behaviour of human crowds, I suppose...

TES games are famous for "offering moral role-play choices" but I've always found it very hard to play the "good guy" in game, also in the solo games. It's more designed to play the bad guy. It's possible to play the "justice guy" but it still involves killing the presumably "bad guys" though.

In ESO it's even worse since - as somebody already mentioned - stealth is not designed to avoid combat at all.

Yukian · May 2015

It WOULD be good to add some more persuasion options to the game.

........but if i get insulted whenever i walk near an npc theres gonna be murder. Ibesorry

Caroloces · May 2015

To meet the request of the OP, I offer this bit of tantalizing ES lore:

Illusion is one of the six schools of magic. It is similar to Alteration magic in that it seeks to change the world around the caster so normal physical truths no longer hold, but while Alteration magic is bound by the laws of nature, Illusion magic is not. Its weakness comes from the fact that while Alteration affects the entire world, Illusion magic affects only the caster and the target.[1] Illusion spells can change a target's visibility, produce or remove light, produce or remove noise, charm a creature, induce hatred in it or calm it down, enhance or remove a creature's courage, prevent a creature from seeing or moving, or allow the target to see even in total darkness. The ability to enforce the caster's will on a target is also now part of this school, despite having once been considered to be Conjuration magic.
From: http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Illusion

Now, if we had a skill line in Illusion Magic (and Champion Points), it would be possible to play in a manner in which the player could cast spells that would confuse, blind, charm, calm and do whatnot on enemy mobs, thereby avoiding combat to a certain degree. But, just as in the real world, Pacificism has its limits, and the op has to accept that there will come a time when he must defend himself, or permanently remove an evil presence in the game world.