[blockquote][b][url=/profile/mitchblatt]mitch blatt[/url] said:[/b] How could a very empathic, non-psychopath peasant get used to the idea of killing bandits and other hostile humanoid NPCs?[/blockquote]

The best response I can think of for this is 'you gotta do what you gotta do'. They obviously have a reason for killing people, and as they're a peasant I assume it isn't purely malicious, so maybe they just had to grit their teeth and just do it. 

But of course that isn't the only option. Why do they have to get used to the idea. Watching the character slowly go mad by the slaughter, or turn into someone they're not, or even divert from their path due to the difficulty of killing, could all make for a very interesting multi-dimensional character. Is their goal worth their sanity?

I'm having a hard time figuring out how to RP a character with dissociative identity. My original idea was that he could use conjuration to manifest the identities as various creatures or weapons (which for some reason have the same soul stealer and oblivion binding effects even though they're different people), but I can't figure out why the identities would choose to manifest as weapons if they can just pwn everyone as atronachs.

[blockquote][b][url=/profile/mitchblatt]mitch blatt[/url] said:[/b]

I'm having a hard time figuring out how to RP a character with dissociative identity. My original idea was that he could use conjuration to manifest the identities as various creatures or weapons (which for some reason have the same soul stealer and oblivion binding effects even though they're different people), but I can't figure out why the identities would choose to manifest as weapons if they can just pwn everyone as atronachs.

[/blockquote]

Hmm, maybe having a "controlling" or "commanding" identity that can call upon these other identities at will? This way you could have one of these identities calling the shots and deciding how these others manifest.

Or maybe have layers or various powers of each identity in that one identity is very visceral and brash, meaning a sword manifestation would be its only way and only appropriate way of being in physical form. 

[blockquote][b][url=/profile/mitchblatt]mitch blatt[/url] said:[/b]

I'm having a hard time figuring out how to RP a character with dissociative identity. My original idea was that he could use conjuration to manifest the identities as various creatures or weapons (which for some reason have the same soul stealer and oblivion binding effects even though they're different people), but I can't figure out why the identities would choose to manifest as weapons if they can just pwn everyone as atronachs.

[/blockquote]

Henson seems to have nailed it, but I'll see if I can be of some help.

Are you deadset on using magic? Using different armours is a pretty common way of playing as 'different characters'. Plus with the Steed Stone any armour with the base AR of the armour you're wearing is weightless, so you can have as many characters as you want.

If that isn't to your fancy, how about at least combining the two? A Bound Sword-weilding, heavy armour clad warrior can pwn as much if not more than an atronach, and allows you to use a variety of combinations for detailed identities (if I'm understanding the concept of identities correctly).

I'm not sure they'd fit, but remember that summons such as Summon Arniel Gane, Conjure Werebear etc could also be useful along with traditional summons.

It'd help if you could tell us some of the identities and what you want to achieve out of each one if you're ok with sharing.

[blockquote][b][url=/profile/Zonnonn]Zonnonn[/url] said:[/b]

Are you deadset on using magic? [/blockquote]

Yes, but I've considered making use of flesh spells for armor boosts, and/or maybe the less-tanky characters don't wear a FULL set of armor, like maybe one of them doesn't like helmets messing up their hair, or they feel that bracers interfere with weapon-wielding somehow.

[blockquote][b][url=/profile/Zonnonn]Zonnonn[/url] said:[/b]

Using different armours is a pretty common way of playing as 'different characters'. Plus with the Steed Stone any armour with the base AR of the armour you're wearing is weightless, so you can have as many characters as you want.

If that isn't to your fancy, how about at least combining the two? A Bound Sword-weilding, heavy armour clad warrior can pwn as much if not more than an atronach, and allows you to use a variety of combinations for detailed identities (if I'm understanding the concept of identities correctly).

I'm not sure they'd fit, but remember that summons such as Summon Arniel Gane, Conjure Werebear etc could also be useful along with traditional summons.

It'd help if you could tell us some of the identities and what you want to achieve out of each one if you're ok with sharing.

[/blockquote]

Here's my current draft:

Metu: long-range atronach summoner. All magic-defense, no combat ability.

Do'Rei, dual-wielding light armor warrior. Pure melee.

Ko'Shana: sneak archer, lockpicker.

Dro'Shu: one-handed tank with a ward spell. Balance between Metu and Do'Rei.

Sahrazad: illusion thief (muffle, invisibility, bound sword or claws).

Nanita: illusion warrior (pacify, bound sword).

Kestarak: combat archer.

It relies on perks with conditional effects, like how Deadly Aim only increases your bow damage if you're sneaking (so Ko'shana can do more straight damage than Kestarak, but Kestarak's weaker archery provides more opportunities for Power Shot to proc before an enemy dies).