Can enemies surrender in Skyrim?

[King of Asgaard]

I did notice this aspect of combat, but as many have said before me, every single time I (attempted) to let them go, they regenerated 3 more pixels of health an pulled out the iron dagger they attacked me with. Nowadays, I look at the compass; if the dude (or dudette) is marked red, he is going to die.

 

[The Almighty Grigard]

Well. The always hostile bandits just seem to collapse from their wounds and beg for mercy even though they never intend to actually hold up their end of the bargain.

But when I accidentally angered a friendly NPC I beat her into the crippled mode and when she begged for mercy I sheathed my mace and she returned to friendly mode. Dunno if it was the surrender thing or if it was just the fact that I sheathed my weapon.

 

[The Pinray]

I've let a few Bandits live, hoping they'll reform their ways. But when you're traveling with a friend, don't expect them to be so merciful.

Also, I've got something a tad off-topic yet a tad on-topic so what the hey...

I've noticed that when you beat up an essential NPC, you'll get an assault bounty, but when they fall to their knees to surrender the bounty is removed. Then they get up, brush it off, and say something along the lines of "Don't do that again, jerk off."

I tried it on Dengier (sp?) from Falkreath's maid. Which I honestly don't know why the hell she's so essential. All she does is walk around saying that she has to go now.

Also tried this on the Librarian at the College. One too many threats from that guy. Figured I'd check if his bite was as big as his bark...

It wasn't.

 

[Jandau]

No, everyone in Skyrim is a honorless backstabbing arsehole.

If they beg for mercy or run away and you leave them alone, they'll just come back in a short while and try to kill you again. Every. Single. Time. Seriously, everyone in that country is a douche.

 

[jthwilliams]

No, everyone in Skyrim is a honorless backstabbing arsehole.

If they beg for mercy or run away and you leave them alone, they'll just come back in a short while and try to kill you again. Every. Single. Time. Seriously, everyone in that country is a douche.

They have no sense of self preservation there.

 

[Bvenged]

Yeah they can. MOST of the time, at least 99.9999999% of the time, they fall down, drink a potion as they stand back up & martyr themselves into you with their sword raised for a final stab. But in the rare 0.0000001% they get up and run for the hills. This happens more so when you basically one-hit KO them to fuck all health, as they are aware they don't stand a fucking chance & all their buddies are dead within seconds.

That's an aspect of the upgraded radiant story (which influences AI interaction still).

 

[WolfThomas]

I always find it happens with the most awkward enemies. Like a necromancer or a vampire. Really? I'm going to give you quarter? Like I can understand with a Stormcloak or even a less villainous bandit me maybe sparing their lives. But the guys who do it my games are usually monsters.

 

[M-E-D The Poet]

I used to kill defenseless bandits, until I took an arrow to the knee.

damn that's kinda win

 

[brunothepig]

Hypothetically, yeah. But thanks to the oversight of the devs, once the regenerating health kicks in (or for mages, once they cast a restoration spell), the enemy un-surrenders. Would have been a pretty cool mechanic if once surrendered an enemy stayed surrendered. Hell, take it a step further. It's kinda weird for that last bandit to throw himself at me after I killed all his mates without a scratch. I do love when a game makes me feel like a badass. But oh well, it's still quite fun to overkill an enemy into next week as he kneels on the ground begging me for mercy.

 

[Woodsey]

I've had a few run away. I crippled them with an arrow (to the knee), and now they adventure no more.

 

[michiehoward]

So here is my "Surrender" beef.

I'm doing the Thieves Guild mission. I'm after Mercer....

Spoiler

So I talk to Vex. I go to the House, I break in the fence. Vald attacks. I unsheathe and sheath my weapon. Nothing. The moron keeps attacking. Luckily I have a Calm Scroll Spell. Cast it. Talk to him. Get the Quill for the Maven and erase debt Vald. Go back to Mercer's House, Vald won't stop attacking, no more Calm spells. I swing once and unfortunately did a "stab you in a neck" move, died in one shot. So I ended up doing all that shit for nothing, just because I couldn't surrender.

 

[jthwilliams]

Well, I just think Bethesda missed an opportunity here. They could have had a whole surrender mechanic that let you turn in bandits for the bounty and visit them in jail. Or perhaps take tribute from those who surrendered to you or make them servents of some type. Or surrendering enemies could give you information about the locations of special stuff or dragon words, or dungeons you haven't found yet in exchange for their lives.

There is just a lot they could have done with it and it feels lame that the bow and beg for murcey then take a potion and decide to take another stab at it.