I'm at the very beginning, do I have to fight Toriel?

[Fynriel]

I only just started playing but I've heard all this talk of good and bad endings depending on whether you fight everything or just try to talk your way out of it. So far I haven't fought anyone yet and just used ACTs. But "talk" doesn't seem to work here, so do I have to fight/kill her? I want to go for the best ending.

[Not-Birthday Silence]

No. You don't have to hit her once. Stay determined, and never take the easy way out.

[qbicfeet]

You can spare enemies even if their name isn't yellow. Keep trying and stay determined.

Mechanical spoilers: There's only one fight in the game where you are forced to attack and it's pretty obvious which one it is once you get to it.

[Fynriel]

Gotcha, thanks!

[Charles Wenzel |CFS|]

Try not to so eagerly spoil things for people guys, especially something as important as this.

A better answer would be "Experiment, you can always load your save"

[Fynriel]

Ok, uhm I have a follow up question. So I posted this after I fought her thinking that the game wouldn't allow me to resolve the situation peacefully. Now that I am starting to get that this game is much more flexible I went ahead and reloaded my save so that I could spare her.
But uhm....the game knows. I don't....what's going on? xD

[Charles Wenzel |CFS|]

Originally posted by Fynriel:

Ok, uhm I have a follow up question. So I posted this after I fought her thinking that the game wouldn't allow me to resolve the situation peacefully. Now that I am starting to get that this game is much more flexible I went ahead and reloaded my save so that I could spare her.
But uhm....the game knows. I don't....what's going on? xD

Welcome to undertale!

[Not-Birthday Silence]

Originally posted by Fynriel:

Ok, uhm I have a follow up question. So I posted this after I fought her thinking that the game wouldn't allow me to resolve the situation peacefully. Now that I am starting to get that this game is much more flexible I went ahead and reloaded my save so that I could spare her.
But uhm....the game knows. I don't....what's going on? xD

The game knows. Things like like that usually just have minor effects on the dialogue when you reload your save, and don't effect the story overall.

[Fynriel]

As cool as that is (and scary), is this now somehow part of my continuity? I thought that reloading my save would mean I could wipe my horrendous deed from having ever happened.
Does this still count as a kill now?

EDIT: Ah ok, thanks

[Rei The South Star Of Justice]

Everyone doesnt have to die :)

[ImpTwins]

Really glad I played through the game blind instead of being silly enough to come onto forums and have it spoiled for me.

[JohnnyTheWolf]

Do you even have to stop her from destroying the door in order to progress further in the game? Or does something happen if you just stay with her?

[dat_potatoe]

Originally posted by JohnnyTheWolf - Qc:

Do you even have to stop her from destroying the door in order to progress further in the game? Or does something happen if you just stay with her?

Stopping her is the only way to progress.

[JohnnyTheWolf]

Now, I feel bad for Toriel. :(

[Goust]

The only time you are forced to use the fight command is if mercy is not among your options at the bottom of the screen.

[Fynriel]

Originally posted by Paarthurnax:

The only time you are forced to use the fight command is if mercy is not among your options at the bottom of the screen.

I'm standing before Asgore now, and it seems I have to fight, which is weird because I've gone through the entire game up to here without killing anyone.