History Main / NoHarmRequirement

* The Thieves' Guild in ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion'' enforces a strict ThouShaltNotKill policy on its members; Killing anyone related to a mission for them will result in you being expelled from the guild and forced to pay a fine to one of their leaders if you want to be allowed to rejoin.

* In higher difficulties in ''VideoGame/{{SWAT4}}'', or if you just plain want a perfect score, no one has to get hurt, and everyone who doesn't start the mission incapacitated/dead has to be arrested (just in case a suspect has the bright idea to disguise himself as an hostage, which never happens in game but could happen in real life). Not you, not your SWATTeam, not the civilians, not the suspects. This is easier than it sounds as unlike in real life where they are '''Less Lethal Weapons''', beanbag shotguns, tasers, rifles that fire tear gas pellets, flashbangs, stingers, tear gas grenades and, in the ExpansionPack, your fists are entirely non lethal and you can shoot first with these. In fact, some civilians will require to get hit by one of those before they surrender.
* ''VideoGame/DungeonsAndDragonsOnline'':
** One mission has you being framed for a BankRobbery, and needing to turn off the alarm to escape. The optional objective is "Do not kill any city guard". ParodiedTrope, as if you get spotted but turn off the alarm anyways without killing the guards, the guards react by [[NotInMyContract claiming that they are paid to kill thieves in the bank]] [[ExactWords when the alarm is active]], and thus letting you go on these grounds.
** The mission Stealthy Repossession requires you to not kill more than 5 kobold prophets before completing the mission. It's possible to sneak through the whole mission, but the prophets are so weak that you can also just ignore them as they ineffectively punch you.
** The mission Let Sleeping Dust Lie has you mainly fighting ogres, rakshasas, and giant spiders. You discover midway through that the spiders are friendly but BrainwashedAndCrazy, and you are thereafter not allowed to kill more than 4. Killing none throughout the whole quest will net you some bonus loot.

Of course just how hard this actually proves to be depends on the fighters' abilities and just what the target is. And a key thing to note overall is that the character doesn't have to be required by another to not inflict excessive harm. A self-applied No Harm Requirement is as much a case as one dealt by another character. The key [[{{Pun}} requirement]] of this trope is that there's an explicit factor in play that's forcing or making the character not want to inflict or allow much if any harm rather than it just being ''assumed'' as such.

This trope tends to be invoked by warrior archetypes that are more averse to violence, which include the ActualPacifist, BadassPacifist, TechnicalPacifist, MartialPacifist, and ReluctantWarrior.

Naturally, this trope [[SisterTrope often leads to]] the need ToWinWithoutFighting. A funny tactic sometimes used to get around this is StopHittingYourself where the character keeps their hands clean by getting the target to pound themselves. DefeatByModesty, [[TheParalyzer Paralysis]], ForcedSleep, TalkingTheMonsterToDeath, VictoryThroughIntimidation and MindControl are other common means of pulling this off.

Compare EscortMission where one is assigned the task of escorting a character safely (often with ''very'' explicit No Harm Requirements) and ProtectionMission where the thing that must be protected from harm remains stationary. Also compare HeroMustSurvive, a video game trope where the player must keep the hero alive lest they want a GameOver, and the even more extreme NoDamageRun where the player can't take any damage at all. Naturally this

Naturally, this trope often [[SisterTrope leads to]] the need ToWinWithoutFighting. A funny tactic sometimes used to get around this is StopHittingYourself where the character keeps their hands clean by getting the target to pound themselves. DefeatByModesty, [[TheParalyzer Paralysis]], ForcedSleep, TalkingTheMonsterToDeath, VictoryThroughIntimidation and MindControl are other common means of pulling this off.

Archetypes that tend to have this forced upon them to their dismay include the BloodKnight, PsychoForHire, SociopathicHero, UnscrupulousHero, TokenEvilTeammate, the AxCrazy, and BadPowersGoodPeople.

* The characters can't use violent tactics without endangering {{InnocentBystander}}s or risking CollateralDamage.

Contrast ViolenceReallyIsTheAnswer

Compare EscortMission where one is assigned the task of escorting a character safely (often with ''very'' explicit No Harm Requirements) and ProtectionMission where the thing that must be protected from harm remains stationary. Also compare HeroMustSurvive, a video game trope where the player must keep the hero alive lest they want a GameOver, and the even more extreme NoDamageRun where the player can't take any damage at all.

A funny tactic sometimes used to get around this is StopHittingYourself where the character keeps their hands clean by getting the target to pound themselves. DefeatByModesty, [[TheParalyzer Paralysis]], ForcedSleep, and MindControl are other common means of pulling this off.

Compare EscortMission where one is assigned the task of escorting a character safely (often with ''very'' explicit No Harm Requirements) and ProtectionMission where the thing that much be protected from harm remains stationary. Also compare HeroMustSurvive, a video game trope where the player must keep the hero alive lest they want a GameOver, and the even more extreme NoDamageRun where the player can't take any damage at all.

Of course just how hard this actually proves to be depends on the fighters' abilities and just what the target is. And a key thing to note overall is that the character doesn't have to be required by another to not inflict excessive harm. A self-applied No Harm Requirement is as much a case as one dealt by another character.

* An EscortMission makes it strictly clear that this character must not get a scratch on them.

Compare EscortMission where one is assigned the task of escorting a character safely (often with ''very'' explicit No Harm Requirements) and ThouShallNotKill which is a whole philosophy around not killing. (Although non lethal violence tends to be permissible.) Also compare HeroMustSurvive, a video game trope where the player must keep the hero alive lest they want a GameOver, and the even more extreme NoDamageRun where the player can't take any damage at all.

SuperTrope to BringItBackAlive which concerns retrieving a beast or some other thing alive, IWantThemAlive which is an often villainous variation where the villain demands that the heroes or some other party be brought back alive, CantKillYouStillNeedYou where a character '''really''' wants to kill another but can't out of a need to keep them alive, and SheatheYourSword where this is actually the '''only''' way to win.

A frequent DramaPreservingHandicap, this trope is in play whenever a character has to undergo the task of beating, outwitting, or capturing another character without causing them excessive harm, provided causing ANY harm is even an option.

* In the ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' games, the best way to ensure the capture of a Pokemon is by weakening them to improve their catch rate. However, for [[FridgeLogic some reason]], Pokemon can't be caught if they're outright K.O.'d, even though they don't die if their health is reduced to zero. Therefore it's most effective for players to use more reserved tactics like set damage moves and moves that induce ForcedSleep or Temporary Paralysis to catch the Pokemon without risk of fully defeating them. One Pokemon move, False Swipe, was even made specifically for this purpose. No matter how strong the user is or the foe's current condition, it'll never cause a Pokemon to faint which makes it useful for getting a wild Pokemon's health as low as possible without defeating it.

Compare/Contrast EscortMission where one is assigned the task of escorting a character safely and ThouShallNotKill which is a whole philosophy around not killing. (Although non lethal violence tends to be permissible.) Also compare HeroMustSurvive, a video game trope where the player must keep the hero alive lest they want a GameOver, and the even more extreme NoDamageRun where the player can't take any damage at all.

** In the Hoenn episode, ''You Can Never Taillow'', Ash and Pikachu find themselves having to square off against the leader of a fierce Taillow flock. However, is a [[TheDeterminator determined]] BloodKnight and keeps battling despite taking numerous powerful Electric attacks from Pikachu. Fearing that he may cause it too much damage, Ash ends up capturing.
** In Sinnoh, the gang had to deal with Hunter J who was an EvilPoacher that poached Pokemon, whether they were owned or rare, and sold them clients via a black market. To ensure maximum pay for her quarry, she would zap the Pokemon with a [[AndIMustScream petrification ray]] and seal them in clear pods.

** In the final tournament arc of Manga/{{Dragonball}}, Goku is seeded off against Chi-chi, who is angry at him for not recognizing her, though in his defense in the years since they last saw each other [[SheIsAllGrownUp she had grown up quite a bit]], and entered anonymously. She only agrees to reveal her identity if he beats her, but [[WouldntHitAGirl he refuses to hurt her]]. Thankfully, following his intense training from Kami, he doesn't have to; he blows her [[RingOut out of the ring]] with the force of a punch.
** ''Anime/DragonBallGT'': During the Shadow Dragon arc, Pan ends up getting [[TheAssimilator assimilated by Naturon Shenron]]. This puts Goku in a bind as he can't kill Naturon and retrieve the dragon ball without killing Pan in the process; the fact Naturon is then able to [[PowerCopying use Pan's power's against him]] only exacerbates the issue. Eventually Goku decides to pull a BatmanGambit and pretends to run out of power and look defeated. Naturon [[SmugSnake gloats greatly]] over beating Goku and decides, before finishing him off, to give him the chance to see Pan one more time. But this [[HoistByHisOwnPetard gives Goku the chance to yank Pan out]] and blow the monster away.

* ''Manga/YuYuHakusho'': The first enemy the gang encounters after the brutal bloodsport that was the Dark Tournament is a pacifistic human psychic with the power to prevent anyone (himself included) from performing specific actions in his vicinity, or else lose their soul. Naturally, violence is the first thing he restricts. It turns out that [[GoodIsDumb every member of the main cast]] besides [[TheSmartGuy Kurama]] is completely useless when punching people stops being a viable strategy.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles'', Mirage and Syndrome hire Mr. Incredible to recover a giant robot that has gone rogue on an island. Because of the large expenses that went into the robot, he is supposed to shut it down without destroying it. He ends up tricking the robot into taking itself down [[HoistByHisOwnPetard by getting inside it and getting it to stab itself out of commission]]. But unbeknownst to Mr. Incredible, [[spoiler:the real purpose of the mission was for the robot to kill Mr. Incredible]].
* Mayor Lionheart of Disney's ''WesternAnimation/{{Zootopia}}'' has a cadre of timber wolves serving as EliteMooks that capture the various predators that have been going savage without harming them in order to transport them to a secure location where they can be contained while attempting to find a cure.

* In the ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' games, the best way to ensure the capture of a Pokemon is by weakening them to improve their catch rate. However, for [[FridgeLogic some reason]], Pokemon can't be caught if they're outright K.O'd. Therefore it's most effective for players to use more reserved tactics like set damage moves and moves that induce ForcedSleep or Temporary Paralysis to catch the Pokemon without risk of fully defeating them. One Pokemon move, False Swipe, was even made specifically for this purpose. No matter how strong the user is or the foe's current condition, it'll never cause a Pokemon to faint which makes it useful for getting a wild Pokemon's health as low as possible without defeating it.

* This trope is the reason sedatives were developed. Depending on the type of sedative, a well administered sedative can either relax a person or animal or render them unconscious, allowing them to be safely caught or treated without risk of harm.
* Wildlife rangers and animal control officers are often tasked with capturing and/or relocating animals without harming them. Even ones that can pose a direct danger to them. People of such professions will use tranquilizers, nets, grabbing hooks, etc. to incapacitate animals without harming them.

* ''VideoGame/Sly3HonorAmongThieves'' has a quest wherein the objective is to put a massive feral wolf to sleep - non-lethally - by shooting it with multiple darts. Unfortunately, you'll have to sneak up and shoot the wolf at close range, because the darts are so heavy. Without getting upwind of the wolf, because it can smell the sleeping potion in the darts. The player character for this mission? A sentient turtle in a wheelchair. (Possibly subverted by the fact that the goal is the mission is to psychically posses the wolf after it falls asleep and use it to massacre a dozen or so of the level's mooks.)

* ''Film/ThirteenDays'': During the UsefulNotes/CubanMissileCrisis as the NavalBlockade around Cuba goes into effect, the destroyer USS ''Pierce'' is suddenly confronted by a Soviet submarine sent to escort the freighters past the blockade. The ''Pierce'' can't intercept the freighters without exposing itself to the sub. President Kennedy contacts the destroyer's skipper personally and asks if he can force the sun to the surface without damaging it, since they're trying to keep a war from starting. He responds they can get it to the surface, but whether it's damaged is up to the sub. Kennedy then orders him to force it up. But then the Soviets ships start stopping, and Kennedy cancels the order.

* A series of sidequests in ''VideoGame/Borderlands2'' culminates in a boss fight with the sheriff of Lynchwood, with an optional objective to [[Music/EricClapton not shoot the deputy]].

** In later arcs, for some reason, Sanji's WantedPoster says "Only Alive" instead of the usual "Dead or Alive" on other posters. [[spoiler:It's because his long-lost father, Vinsmoke Judge, an influential person in the underground business, used his connections to make the Marines change the requirement of Sanji's capture so he would be reunited with Sanji.]]
** The Celestial Dragons (also known as World Nobles) are the Descendants of the 19 kings that founded the [[TheEmpire The World Government]]. Purely because of their lineage, descendants are treated as higher beings than the rest of civilization and they [[TheSociopath VERY MUCH]] abuse their power. The kicker though is that due to being descendants of the kings, absolutely [[DiplomaticImpunity NO ONE is allowed to lay a finger on them]] [[KarmaHoudini no matter how vile their actions are]]. Should anyone defy them in spite of this rule, they'll be swiftly greeted by an [[PersonOfMassDestruction Admiral]] with a [[DisproportionateRetribution massive fleet for good measure]]. [[spoiler: Luffy found out the hard way just horrifying this could be when he socked one of the biggest {{Jerkass}}es amongst the Celestial Dragons in the face.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/Tigtone'': This is a feature of the Demon Maze, where killing a demon (or yourself) sends you back to the center of the maze with all creatures revived. This becomes extremely difficult for ComedicSociopath Tigtone, since many encounters are designed to make killing easy.