Background:
I have been running what some people call a pacifist build--for me, the main rule is clean hands: abolutely 0 combat and no favorite weapon. I don't think of my character as a pacifist, though, as I am very willing to see to it the bandit leader dies. As others have done I am running mainly Illusion magic and if i could rename my character I would call him something like The Puppet Master (not original, I know...). Initially I was playing it in-and-out of dungeons like a ghost and no one knew i was there. I finished the Mages' College and became a Nightingale, defeated a Dragon Priest and even joined the DB with 0 kills. Later I realized Barbas could follow you around and his kills don't count against you. I can't stand him and he's a crutch sure, but he's helpful in completing quests where you need someone to die and said someone is alone in a cave with no traps or other NPCs. i will be dropping Barbas off at the Shrine soon.

Stymied:
There are a few quests I am stuck on so far and wonder if someone else who has played this way has a suggestion. Hate to give up on these but may have to:
- Waking Nightmare: You go with Erandur into a dungeon with no traps and leave Barbas outside. Erandur's kills count so you keep casting Harmony or Mayhem in hopes they will all kill each other before Earndur hacks one apart. Either way someone's left alve and Erandur won't proceed with the quest. He wil just go stand by the pacified NPC and wait in combat mode for the chance to attack. I have not tried potions to increase my Illusion power to affect him with a Pacify spell. Not sure that would work.
- Then there is the coup d'grace problem. NPCs beat the target down but won't finish him off because it's supposed to be your kill. Examples:
- Hilt of Mehrune's Razor: Silas Vesuvius can't be killed except by you. Barbas won't kill him. I even lured a giant there and the giant bashed him over the head but he only goes down in that "I submit" position, then heals himself and gets back up. I wouldn't use the Razor anyway but I could put it in a display case ....
- Seige on the Dragon Cult: the fake soldier Captain Valmir is the same as Silas.
- Taste of Death - I didn't want to kill Verusus or eat him so I cast mayhem at dinner so that the canibals kill each other. It was great fun but NPCs won't kill Hogni Red-Arm or Eola.

I understand there is a similar problem with Alduin but i didn't try dragon quests yet. Dragons annoy me what with their killing vendors in town.