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At one point or another, every gamer has tried their hand at killing NPCs. Whether they were quick saving in Skyrim or causing mayhem in GTA 5, some players find this practice to be a good stress reliever. However, many others find killing NPCs to be abhorrent and stray away from it whenever possible. Some developers, on the other hand, anticipate the slaughter of their characters and add some punishment or dialogue to make players think about their hasty decisions. Whether due to morality or punishment, here are 10 NPCs you should try your hardest to avoid killing.
Fighting Legend of Zelda’s Cuccos Has Its Consequences
Although you can’t kill Legend of Zelda’s Cuccos, you can attack them in most of the series’ games. However, by taking out one of the chicken-like creatures, you will incur the wrath of an entire swarm of Cuccos. No matter how much you fight back, these Cuccos will attack you until you die. It seems Nintendo anticipated that some players may take out their frustration on Cuccos, and planned to teach them a lesson for killing NPCs.
The Animals of Skyrim
While hunting animals is a part of Skyrim, it can still make players feel a twinge of guilt. Even larger and more dangerous creatures, like bears, can make players feel a bit bad for attacking. The worse comes from attacking the adorable rabbits and foxes that can’t even fight back. Hearing the squeal of a rabbit is enough to make even the most hardened Skyrim players instantly regretting their decisions.
Ironfist Alexander Is An NPC You Shouldn’t Kill Early
Elden Ring has a whole list of NPCs that players can kill, including the large pot named Alexander. Though you do fight him by the end of his questline, killing him prematurely will both lock you out of his quest and is quite morally upsetting. His resemblances to Dark Soul’s knights of Catarina make it all the harder to take out the living jar with a sneak attack.
Little Sisters in Bioshock
One of the classic moral decisions in gaming is choosing whether to spare or harvest the Little Sisters in Bioshock. While sparing them will save their lives, harvesting them will get you extra resources. Besides being a bit heartless, killing the Little Sisters doesn’t offer enough rewards to be worth it. Plus, harvesting the NPCs will lead to the game’s bad ending.
Morrowind Quest NPCs
When killing NPCs, many players don’t think of the lore and world-building ramifications of their actions. However, when killing an essential character in Morrowind, you can doom the entire world with your careless actions. Although you can kill anyone in the Bethesda RPG, killing someone important to the main story will stop your progress, requiring you to go back on a save if you want to finish the game.
The Adoring Fan in Oblivion
Out of all the game NPCs you can kill in Oblivion, many players talk about the Adoring Fan. Though the character can be a bit annoying at times, killing the fan, especially when they look up to you so much, can be difficult for any player. Additionally, now in Starfield, the Adoring Fan has become an essential NPC, meaning that they now have to be dismissed, rather than killed.
Blowing Up Megaton in Fallout 3
Early in your adventures of Fallout 3, most players stumble upon the town of Megaton. This peculiar town is built around an undetonated nuclear bomb. Of course, through a questline, the player can arm the bomb and take out the entire town. However, personally, the suite at Tenpenny Tower isn’t worth killing a town of many innocent NPCs.
Non-Target NPCs in Hitman
Killing NPCs is the central gameplay mechanic of the Hitman series. Generally, players should only focus on their targets rather than killing random civilians. Some players, however, go in guns blazing, indiscriminately taking out any NPC in sight. Besides the moral implications, doing this will tank your score, leading to awful performance reports.
Papyrus From Undertale
Undertale is an interesting game, as it allows you to kill any character and drastically affect the story. However, the character that makes you feel the guiltiest for killing has to be Papyrus. Although he’s a bit goofy and not the best at his job as a guard, he means well and has a heart of gold. This carries on till the moment of his death, where after you kill him he says, “I believe in you!” This part alone is enough to make players question their choices in the game.
The Giant Blacksmith From Dark Souls
Dark Souls has always given players the ability to kill its NPCs in each game. However, most of the time, after killing them, they deliver tear-jerking lines that make many instantly regret their decision. The Giant Blacksmith is one of these NPCs. The giant never has an unkind word for the player, as well as assisting them with various upgrades. Upon killing him, he will sadly say, “Nighty-night…” before dying, making players understand the impact of their decision.
