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Bounty Hunter =/= Contract Assassin


Badlok

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Definition: A bounty hunter captures fugitives for a monetary reward (bounty).

 

Note the words: capture & fugitive.

 

As a bounty hunter I should be briging back my targets alive (if possible) to face justice. And my targets are supposed to be criminals (or considered a criminal by the one offering the bounty). So far I have seen only one mission where you get to bring the target back alive. Contract assassins are the ones that kill for money, no questions asked. Mako questions this herself on Nar Shaddaa, asking what the difference is between us and the assassin. Now if there was a light side/dark side choice as to whether or not we choose to kill the target, that would be something; but it is just kill, kill, kill. Bobba Fett did not kill his target either, fyi.

 

Anyways, it would be nice to have more "capture" missions, it's always harder to bring back someone alive than dead.

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I don't know too much about star wars EU so how come vader stops at boba fett and says NO DISINTEGRATION. From watching the original movies it seems that unless specifically told to bring the target alive it seems that boba normally brings people back dead if given the choice. Edited by lokdron
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I don't know what bounty hunter story you've been playing, but I get the opportunity to spare my bounty *almost* all the time.

 

 

 

From the earliest bounty days of the great hunt bounties on nar shaddaa where you can carbonite them, all they way to Boris Ulgo on alderaan (and beyond really) there are tons of opportunities to bring the bounties in alive.

 

 

It's not *our* fault not everyone wants to come in peacefully. :)

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Although that it what Bounty Hunter specifically means - in the intergalactic world of Star Wars:

 

Pretty much anyone important can offer a 'Bounty' Dead or Alive on someone. So I guess you could say we're meant to be killing half the people - and performing citizens arrest on the others :p

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You're applying modern sensabilities to what is first and foremost a sci fi fantasy game.

 

Plus, you don't have to go very far back in time to when outlaws were wanted "Dead or Alive" here on the North American continent. Those posters weren't made up for the movies.

 

Also, "bounties" were placed on naval vessels on the open sea throughout history and that meant go destroy them *or* capture them.

 

Just because it's considered bad form to kill people in the 21st century does not mean that there is no precedent.

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It really should just depend on your character. Some may want to just work with the law, tracking down fugitives or someone they can't get their hands on.

 

Some hunters may be more willing to accept bounties placed by anybody. A bounty is basically just a reward or payment for doing something. Although historically they often came from governments, it doesn't mean in the SWs universe they can't just come from anybody with enough power or money.

 

I tend to agree that I don't like how a lot of the side quests and even some of the class quests just have us going around killing people because they've got on somebodies nerves. If there's an option, I do try to bring them in alive.

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Definition: A bounty hunter captures fugitives for a monetary reward (bounty).

 

Note the words: capture & fugitive.

 

As a bounty hunter I should be briging back my targets alive (if possible) to face justice. And my targets are supposed to be criminals (or considered a criminal by the one offering the bounty). So far I have seen only one mission where you get to bring the target back alive. Contract assassins are the ones that kill for money, no questions asked. Mako questions this herself on Nar Shaddaa, asking what the difference is between us and the assassin. Now if there was a light side/dark side choice as to whether or not we choose to kill the target, that would be something; but it is just kill, kill, kill. Bobba Fett did not kill his target either, fyi.

 

Anyways, it would be nice to have more "capture" missions, it's always harder to bring back someone alive than dead.

 

Defenition of "Bounty":

A bounty (from Latin bonitās, goodness) is a payment or reward often offered by a group as an incentive for the accomplishment of a task by someone usually not associated with the group.

 

Synonyms for "Bounty":

bonus, boon, gratification, prize, reward, reward for service, tip, token, tribute

 

Examples for historic "Bounties":

Bounties were sometimes paid as rewards for killing Native Americans. In 1862, a farmer received a $500 bounty for shooting Taoyateduta (Little Crow).

 

In 1856 Governor Isaac Stevens put a bounty on the head of Indians from Eastern Washington, $20 for ordinary Indians and $80 for a "chief".

 

Saddam Hussein took out a 60 million dollar bounty on Donld Rumsfelds daughters in response to the death of his sons.

 

Other examples have been previously mentioned.

 

My standpoint:

Only in the 1900's did bounteis change from "Dead or Alive" to "Alive". Before that it was very normal to offer bounties for killing certain people or a group of people.

 

Most important here, in my opinion, is the fact that "Bounty" is just another word for "Reward". Hence "Bounty Hunters" could just as easy could be called "Reward Hunters".

 

I would imagine, that a lot of bounties that where issued "Dead or Alive" would be collected as dead. Simply because bringing in proof of death, not necessarily the whole body, was a lot easier than dragging in a live prisoner for miles and miles.

 

My conclussion:

The Bounty Hunter (and subsequent quest line) is completly in sync with the real world counterparts. Me (playing a Bounty Hunter) feel it is a lot simpler to kill the target, instead of hauling a huge cryofreezed (or whatever it's called) body halfway across the city/planet/galaxy.

 

 

My 2 cents

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a contemporary bounty hunter- a bond recovery agent, is empowered by the law to apprehend fugitives who do not appear on their court dates. There is a legal precedent for this. Only a state authority can grant a bounty to what you and I would consider a bounty hunter in this day and age.

 

There is no such thing in the Star Wars universe. You are legally empowered only so far as your employer's ability or reputation provide, and by all other counts you are in fact a killer for hire.

 

There is no governing body for bounty hunting in Star Wars. The Mandalorian Enclave on Dromund Kaas and the Mandalore himself have a great deal of ritual and tradition associated with the profession, but ultimately no legal authority. They can decide that they don't like you or that they don't like how you conduct yourself, but there is no license, no system, only guns and money.

 

To be a bounty hunter in Star Wars is to be a professional murderer for hire. Sometimes it also means you're a thief. Whether you're a principled villain or an outright sociopath is up to you decide- Boba Fett got married, had a daughter, and made charitable donations to orphanages.

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okay so after reading through this thread I'm ready to give my two cents.

 

As someone mentioned, the bounty doesn't always want to be captured, so if I kill the target its cause they attacked first. Second, I made listening to the dialogue for quests a main priority. If I was hired to eliminate a bounty, then I'll perform the contract to a "T". A good example of me not killing a bounty is the flashpoint The Black Talon, I don't have to kill the target.

 

I based my bounty hunter off of what is known about the Mandalorian code in the expanded universe. The choices I made resulted in my character being aligned with the light side. But I'd say its split 50/50, half captured and half eliminated.

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Your definition is wrong.

 

boun·ty

   [boun-tee]

noun, plural -ties.

 

1. a premium or reward

 

--

 

hunt·er

 [huhn-ter]

noun

1. a person who hunts game or other wild animals for food or in sport.

2. a person who searches for or seeks something

 

 

bounty hunter

noun

1. a person who hunts outlaws or wild animals for the bounty offered for capturing or killing them.

2. a person who seeks a reward for recovering valuable property.

 

--

 

Now the bounty itself sets the conditions. Dead or Alive. Alive. Dead. Its up to who consigns the bounty. Just like in the old west, bounties could be any of the above.

 

Your using the pretense of a bounty hunter in the sense of bail jumpers which incorrect.

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I still think there is a difference between an assassin and a bounty hunter, but I guess I am alone in feeling this way. I don't mind killing my target when it is necessary or optimal to do so, but considering the conversation with Mako and the Madalorian code of honor I think there should be more options to bring targets in alive rather than dead. Yes, I realize this is an MMO and mass-murder is not only acceptable but encouraged in the Sith Empire, however considering that SWTOR tries to emphasize RP in its gameplay I figured it would be neat to have more capture missions.
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STORY SPOILERS IN THIS RESPONSE. DON'T READ IF YOU HAVEN'T FINISHED ACT 1.

 

 

To the OP what if the fugitive is wanted Dead or Alive? Then you take them back anyway you can get them. I enjoyed the few times when I had the option to freeze my target in carbonite (when requested), but if the bounty was for "dead"...well........:wea_02:

 

Then again, I rejected the Mandalorians, told Mandalore to go stuff it, slapped Mako and then got on my ship. I work for the highest bidder. I work efficiently, and I make money doing it. I care about the well being of one person in the galaxy and that's ME. Honor doesn't enter into it. I fight dirty, I do whatever it takes to fulfill the bounty (heck, when that bloodsucker Tarro wanted to have a fair duel to really settle who was best I opened his prison door...then I shot him in the face while he was unarmed and unprepared. I don't take unnecessary risks, and I wanted him dead...It wasn't even personal, just business. He tried to hurt my business and promote himself at my expense...I corrected the situation. I could care less about some dead guy back on Hutta...Mako's mentor? Bral-, Bred-, Braden...that's it...Heck I don't even remember what he looked like. The only code I follow are the terms of the contracts I take. My crew are employees, I pay them to do a job...if they fail I'll fire them (I know you can't really do that)...if Mako disagrees with my practices I tell her to shut it...I'm the boss, this ain't a rule by committee. Step in line or take a ride in the escape pod; I'm fine either way.

 

We are Bounty Hunters...NOT Mandalorians. Some players may choose to join the blow-hard glory hounds, but not all do. If you don't want to kill your target there are many missions where you didn't have to. So don't.

Edited by Pwny_Express
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While not as extreme as the above poster I agree on the spirit of what he posted.

 

I vacillated pretty hard when I had the choice to join the Mandalorians. Especially because the only option to refuse is coached so badly. We can't say no in a respectful way, we need to tell the guy to go to hell? ***?

 

But being a Mandalorian does not impress me. What is this? Space samurais? Fight for honor? Glory? Fight *with* honor? There is no honor in fighting. There is a winner and a loser and I will gladly poison or shoot from the back if it means an efficient and peril free bounty.

 

But no, I don't want to play an assassin either (though I don't let someone get a second chance at getting it right if they try to kill me) and the game forces us to be an assassin too often, starting by the starter quest where we go get the kid from his father so he can be sent to the Sith. Why kill the father? It made zero sense. But the only option to fulfill the contract was to kill him. Dumb, really.

 

The game may force me to do these things but I don't consider them 'cannon'. As far as I'm concerned I either punched the father or tased him or set my blasters to stun. Whatever. I was contracted to get the kid back, not to kill anyone.

 

The same applies to all those 'go get data from the computer' with a ton of guys between me and the computer. I'm a bounty hunter, not a serial killer. They are all stunned, or drugged, or whatever, and don't tell me in a super science theme there is no stun setting on weapons.

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The same applies to all those 'go get data from the computer' with a ton of guys between me and the computer. I'm a bounty hunter, not a serial killer. They are all stunned, or drugged, or whatever, and don't tell me in a super science theme there is no stun setting on weapons.

Either there is a stun setting or the opening scene of A New Hope when the storm troopers stun Leia to take her hostage isn't cannon.

 

Also, the stun beam was blue so obviously that trooper was light side. =)

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While not as extreme as the above poster I agree on the spirit of what he posted.

 

I vacillated pretty hard when I had the choice to join the Mandalorians. Especially because the only option to refuse is coached so badly. We can't say no in a respectful way, we need to tell the guy to go to hell? ***?

 

But being a Mandalorian does not impress me. What is this? Space samurais? Fight for honor? Glory? Fight *with* honor? There is no honor in fighting. There is a winner and a loser and I will gladly poison or shoot from the back if it means an efficient and peril free bounty.

 

But no, I don't want to play an assassin either (though I don't let someone get a second chance at getting it right if they try to kill me) and the game forces us to be an assassin too often, starting by the starter quest where we go get the kid from his father so he can be sent to the Sith. Why kill the father? It made zero sense. But the only option to fulfill the contract was to kill him. Dumb, really.

 

The game may force me to do these things but I don't consider them 'cannon'. As far as I'm concerned I either punched the father or tased him or set my blasters to stun. Whatever. I was contracted to get the kid back, not to kill anyone.

 

The same applies to all those 'go get data from the computer' with a ton of guys between me and the computer. I'm a bounty hunter, not a serial killer. They are all stunned, or drugged, or whatever, and don't tell me in a super science theme there is no stun setting on weapons.

 

You may want to try playing a smuggler instead, the history is much more light hearted, and you can still be an outlaw. A bounty hunter is a mercenary on a short schedule. Most bounty hunters shown in the star wars universe are ruthless, and don´t care one bit about their targets, only about getting the job done.

 

The stance that "killing is morally wrong" belongs with the republic. For a bounty hunter killing is his way of earning pay, he is a man-hunter, the target is the prey. Mako may add mystique to it but the truth is that bounty hunters are not paragons of honor and morality, the are not heroes, those are jedi and troopers.

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