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Level of conflict
v50.14 · v0.47.05 This article is about the current version of DF.Note that some content may still need to be updated. |
Not all combat in Dwarf Fortress is lethal, to-the-death fighting. Several different levels of confict exist and are used in different circumstances.
In adventurer mode, you can view the level of combat with any particular enemy with the look command.
Levels
The levels revealed in the object testing arena are as follows:
- No quarter
- Lethal
- Non-lethal
- Brawl
- Training
- Horseplay
- Encounter
One other is commonly found in adventurer mode, despite that strictly speaking, it is not a level of conflict:
- Ally
No Quarter
An attacker who gives no quarter will refuse to accept surrender or otherwise spare the life of an opponent, meaning the conflict will not end until either the opponent is dead or the attacker retreats. No-quarter mode is caused by either required kill ethics (where surrendering would allow cheating the justice system), fighting with a non-sapient animal (which does not understand the concept of surrender), or the opponent faking surrender (so the attacker will not fall for such tricks again).
This level of conflict may be reduced to Lethal, and then further reduced until the creature is neutral.
Lethal
Lethal combat is a fight to the death. Drawing weapons will escalate combat into lethality. Although death is likely in this mode of conflict, surrender may be accepted to end the fight.
Combat also escalates to lethal if you attempt to wrestle the opponent's throat (that is, any body part with the THROAT token). There is no way to place a choke hold on someone in Dwarf Fortress without it being considered a lethal fight, even if you intend to release them as soon as they lose consciousness. Although real-world police officers employ choke holds with non-lethal intent, this is still probably correct behavior: a real-life police officer will respond with deadly force if you attempt to choke them in return. (Please do not try this at home.)
Non-lethal
Non-lethal combat is a fight without weapons drawn, using punches, kicks, and wrestling. Non-lethal fights may end without killing a creature.
Brawl
A brawl occurs when one person attacks another with fists only, with no wrestling taking place. A common situation in which a brawl can be initiated is by punching someone who has spat at you. Brawlers will not attack someone on the ground.
Training
Training is the mode used in sparring. In sparring, participants will use training weapons if they are available, and will "pull" their blows to inflict as little injury as possibly by "lightly tapping the target". Injuries may still occur if a wrestling move is used; however, even attacks from a masterwork silver hammer will be as easily held back as from a training sword.
Horseplay
In horseplay, participants will wrestle one another. They will grab, then immediately release. They will never place chokeholds or lock joints. It has no presently known circumstance in which it can be initiated in either adventurer mode or dwarf fortress mode.
Encounter
This level of conflict is typically used by wild animals when they first see you. For most non-predatory animals, the reaction will be to flee in terror.