Limit of Death Knight Free Will

[Anski]

After talking/arguing with someone over this, he pretty much refuses to believe anything I say and said that a forum post would be better, ergo:

Do Death Knights have a choice whether they become Death Knights or not? I'm asking this because a character ICly blamed me for killing while I was a scourge because I 'accepted his [The Lich Kings] power' of my own free will. I can't find anything at all over this, whether you get a choice, because Thorek was dragged back to Northrend and killed without question.

And;

Do Death Knights have any free will or control over their actions during their Scourge life? This is the one I disagree with the most, seeing as if he would have had free will before the battle of Lights Hope, he would have just stopped.

Thanks~

[Gyran]

Third Generation Death Knights don't have a choice when becoming a Death Knight.(These are the ones you play as.) Only Second generation do. I.e. Baron Rivendare gave himself to the Lich King to become a Death Knight.

[Harmonic]

Considering they are dead to begin with, no, they do not have a choice.

And yes, they have to be dead to begin with.

[Roobald2]

They do have a grasp over their free will, but durring this they are still brainwashed, I believe there were some renegade Death Knights before all the others got their own will back. Most were killed before they could escape Archerus, though.

[PiesOfNub]

From what I can only guess, a Death Knight can control their actions during their Scourge life, just they are fed lies, and become zealotical to the Lich King in time. So in other words, their motives are changed and that in turn changes their actions. That's what makes them such a dangerous foe, they -do- have free will.

ROOBALD! You beat me to it!

[Mikain]

Unless they gave themselves willingly, they do not while part of the scourge. And as always I use Zeliek as my example. This time with images.

Spoiler:

Obviously he doesn't want to do this, but has to. Arthas' control is just that strong.


Edit: From the old Naxx quests and in-game dialogue you find Zeliek doesn't want to be there either. In case this image is misconstrued. c:

[SweetSpirit]

I think its partially a form of free-will and control.

Spoiler:

Like a devout knight to a king, Zeliek did not want to kill the intruders personally... but his kind demanded it, so it must be so.

I mean, the main thing with death knights is that they are potentially just as calculating as the Forsaken. I'm sure thats what you meant anyway Mikan, I was just clarifying it XD... Because when I FIRST read it I thought Zeliek was just joking around. with them, taunting XD

More stuff that might be confusing if you look at it from my perspective

Spoiler:

Oh, and Alexandros was tortured for what was apparently days and then succumbed to Arthas' will, he was a second generation death knight too...
Then again, Kel'Thuzad apparently diddn't let him go until he pledged himself to the Scourge and bound his soul to the sword, that is no longer bound to because Darion sacrificed himself to free his soul from damning corruption.

Eaither way, the two major facts of DKs are:

"Serve lich king"
"Free-willed, if at least corrupt and tortured before submitting in some cases, or memories purged [[Third generation]]."

The first generation was Gul'dan's death knights right? I'm just making sure I have it right

[Hawk]

Well I have a feeling that they DID have free will when they were part of the Scourge because how else would they have formed the Ebon Blade? As far as I know, they basically found out they were just used like pawns so they were all "FFFFUUUUU---" and yeah, formed The Ebon Blade.

And for the choice of actually becoming Scourge in the first place, no, they had no choice. Like everyone else as mentioned, they were dead.

And to Sweetspirit: Yes, I think Gul'dan's knights were the first generation.

[Mikain]

When you run around doing the DK quests, none of the npc's are Ebon Blade, they're all just DK. They didn't call themselves Ebon Blade until after Fordring slashed at Arthas and his hold on the Dk's there lessened (Forsaken style.)

[PiesOfNub]

So whenever Ner'zhul is weakened or injured, his hold over the Undead falters? Makes sense..

[Mikain]

Aye, like how the Forsaken broke free when Illidan was shaking the world trying to destroy Icecrown and all those crazy events.

[PiesOfNub]

So, the Forsaken can pretty much bomb the hell out of Icecrown and free a significant lot of Undead in theory?

[Mikain]

Arthas learns from the past. Hence the huge protective saronite citadel. :P

It'd take more than bombs as well, even without that there. Illidan tried using the power of Sargeras, and Fordring has the Ashbringer.

[PiesOfNub]

I suppose so.. Perhaps some nasty, naughty Warlocks (Well, by some I mean HOLYCRAPLOADS) can strike a deal with Kil'Jaedan so they can summon him and/or a holycrapload of demons into Northrend to unleash hell upon Icecrown. :twisted:

[Hawk]

But then we got a massive demon to take out and prevent from taking over the world. :|