Originally Posted by
pendell
My thought exactly. Mercy is the privilege of the powerful. When you're a 20th level epic fighter you can allow 1/2hd creatures to live, provided they will not raise the alarm to the actual quest nemesis, who is probably more powerful than you. That's partly where the phrase 'noblesse oblige' comes from. When you're a level 3 or level 4 character, you can't take any chances you don't absolutely have to.
Mercy is not a suicide pact; mercy is inflicting less injury than is allowed by law and custom when you don't have to. It's doing to the other fellow what you would want done to you in your place. So if you can safely spare the life of an enemy, do so. If you can't, well, you don't.
Respectfully,
Brian P.