What's the communal consensus on slaughter?

[Captain Keen]

So ... I was just wondering: I didn't make any attempt to talk to any of the goblins at the goblin village, I just slaughtered the lot of them.

Now I'm at Grimforge, and I have to decide whether there's any real upside to talking to the duergar.

So .. what is the preferred approach? I have nothing against goblins or duergar, I just ... here's what, I think what I'm afraid of is another detour. Like, talk to the dwarves, and in order to finish one quest in a somewhat less bloody fashion, I have to do some other quest to get them to like me. That sounds like busywork, and I'm not having it - unless the rewards are good, that is.

[アンジェル]

Originally posted by Captain Keen:

What's the communal consensus on slaughter?
So ... I was just wondering: I didn't make any attempt to talk to any of the goblins at the goblin village, I just slaughtered the lot of them.

Now I'm at Grimforge, and I have to decide whether there's any real upside to talking to the duergar.

So .. what is the preferred approach? I have nothing against goblins or duergar, I just ... here's what, I think what I'm afraid of is another detour. Like, talk to the dwarves, and in order to finish one quest in a somewhat less bloody fashion, I have to do some other quest to get them to like me. That sounds like busywork, and I'm not having it - unless the rewards are good, that is.

That depends entirely on that person's moral alignment.

[Abisha]

it's not a slaughter they try to fight back, also those XP are just to juicy

it's funny if you let them live you choose the evil path if you kill them it's the good path.

[thorin.hannahs]

I mean if you want to be a murder hobo be a murder hobo. My character tries to not have to fight unless necessary and tries to make sure both parties can resolve issues without violence if needed.

[Ernasty]

if you're playing dark pact then slaughter fits perfectly

[ACS36]

The game doesn't present goblins right at all.

It's very clear the goblins are evil creatures when they're introduced to the player. They're sadistic murders and you more or less can tell this when you talk to them. The mind parasite doesn't matter in this respect, it comes down to what kind of person you are.

The fact is most people would run away from the goblins or slaughter them on sight because they'd recognize them as evil creatures. Only evil characters would try and use or manipulate goblins to their will. SO if your character is neutral or good, you'd never cooperate with goblins and quite literally be terrified or filled with hatred for them.

[ChaosKhan]

Originally posted by Captain Keen:

So ... I was just wondering: I didn't make any attempt to talk to any of the goblins at the goblin village, I just slaughtered the lot of them.

Now I'm at Grimforge, and I have to decide whether there's any real upside to talking to the duergar.

So .. what is the preferred approach? I have nothing against goblins or duergar, I just ... here's what, I think what I'm afraid of is another detour. Like, talk to the dwarves, and in order to finish one quest in a somewhat less bloody fashion, I have to do some other quest to get them to like me. That sounds like busywork, and I'm not having it - unless the rewards are good, that is.

Generally, you can go the full righteous route and slaughter evil however you want. It's the evil path, that cuts tons of content, because you literally murder half the cast, that would provide it, if kept alive...

As far as Duergar go: They are irrelevant later in the game. Same as Goblins. Feel free to butcher them without any repercussions for Act 3.

[Morgian]

If you want to kill everyone, go ahead. The xp are not meaningful, as you could reach level 15 if there was no cap. But don't come here to whine later that you were stuck at max level all of act 3.

[Captain Keen]

Don't go all 'alignment this' and 'murderhobo that' on me. Goblins and duergar are fundamentally evil ♥♥♥♥♥ and entirely justified for ... uncompromising approaches.

But that's not really what I'm asking.

Basically, I'm only asking: Is it worth the bother trying to look for an ... equitable solution?

I mean, they'll all die anyways. Despite my attitude, I can't leave those gnomes as slaves, so the duergar are going down no matter what.

[Simbolic]

If talked to the leaders before slaughtering them, will get mission to attack the druid refuge. Can almost get by fighting them all accept when defeating the Hobgoblin leader. Everyone of them will attack you if you fight with him. If want to be a A-hole then can join them and attack the druid cove. Then might as well continue to pretend to be the absolute the entire game. Killing and betraying all the good people. Since pretty hard to come back from that.

[Curath]

You are asking "what is the preferred approach" like there's some universal truth about this. There's not, play however you like. You will see different stuff, miss different stuff, depending on your choices. You never even said what you are trying to accomplish, so it's impossible to say what approach would suit you. Other than you want them dead, well it's pretty simple: kill them.

Usually, speaking to anyone who doesn't outright attack you on sight will give some background and lore information even if you then end up killing them. Do you care about hearing more about the lore? Yes: talk. No: kill.

[Slam Moment]

As a Goblin Paladin. You did the right thing.

[Captain Keen]

Originally posted by Curath:

"what is the preferred approach" like there's some universal truth about this

No, see - I literally, like word for word, asked 'what's the consensus'. Not a universal constant, but a sort of broad median.

I can now supply you with the answer to that question. It's: Go ahead, murder away, the cost is largely inconsequential.

[Mazzle Dazzle]

IMO smite evil beings. They are evil and kill innocents, no point playing nice.

[BeautifulFlowerField]

You just have to talk to some guys to get the duergar to join you when you free Nere. It isn't similar to the goblin camp really.

[Valandryl]

Originally posted by Captain Keen:

So ... I was just wondering: I didn't make any attempt to talk to any of the goblins at the goblin village, I just slaughtered the lot of them.

Now I'm at Grimforge, and I have to decide whether there's any real upside to talking to the duergar.

So .. what is the preferred approach? I have nothing against goblins or duergar, I just ... here's what, I think what I'm afraid of is another detour. Like, talk to the dwarves, and in order to finish one quest in a somewhat less bloody fashion, I have to do some other quest to get them to like me. That sounds like busywork, and I'm not having it - unless the rewards are good, that is.

The game rewards you (xp-wise) for killing people, almost not for talking your way through or doing quests.
Therefore : slaughter is the way to go.