thats one interpretation. And may have been how JB wanted it when he started writing, but 15 books later and I think the interpretation has changed. Self defense seems ok in the later half of the series. And is fine in my games.
When is using magic to kill mortals (in self-defense) okay and goes unpunished in the later books? And your games aren't the books, so they aren't exactly a canon source. Also keep in mind that the game only goes up to Small Favor.
no its not, especially with the last part of the series. Moreover if we check out the dresden wiki, merlin is given credit for writing the laws of magic, in otherwords a mortal says its bad to kill with magic.
So what. hes only one mortal wizard who is either dead or imprisoned somewhere. Mortal law is only good if you can enforce it. Also i would argue further that the entire series is from the perspective of one wizard HD. JB has said this isnt the end all be all of the truth. It certainly is how he (HD) feels about the first law, but he is biased and it may not be the truth...just how he sees it.
So it might entirely be true that a wizard who believes there is nothing wrong with killing in self defense leaves no taint or scar because he believes that he did right by defending others or himself. He may have to argue with the white council about it and he would probably lose....but mortal law is only as strong as the mortals willing to enforce it..things change.
Meanwhile because he(the wizard) doesn'tt believe he is tainted and is doing the right thing he isnt tainted and is fine. (this is also how HD defines the universe so which is true( the belief thing HD always talks about)).
its not my wizards fault Dresden has an anger management issue that he blames on the fact he killed an asshat that was going to mentally bind him for all time.
Oh and how do you think the wardens take down the warlocks who wont come quietly to their beheading. Granted they might use their swords only but honestly that isn't the only way, and kimler certainly was killed with magic.Self defense is allowed. You just have to make sure you do your self defense in a way the council likes. In otherwords mortal law is mutable and only matters if your on the outside looking in.
There are two parts of the Laws. The first part is the White Council's written law, allegedly scribed by the original Merlin. The second part is the metaphysical effect of breaking the Laws, the part that makes you a crazy monster, which happens regardless of the White Council's knowledge of you or vice-versa. Your... Idea, I suppose, that Harry just blames his anger issues on killing someone is also completely untrue. Harry Dresden has the First Lawbreaker power. It's in the rules, and we know how and why he did it.
Harry broke the First Law by killing Justin, and had to deal with the taint of black magic (and still has to, decades after he committed the act, in fact). And keep in mind, his reasons to kill Justin? Justin had the love of his life as a hostage, and was sending demons after Harry to hunt him down. He acted to save himself and Elaine. He was still a Lawbreaker, still tainted.
While yes, Harry can be an unreliable narrator, I honestly doubt the entire White Council is wrong on the Laws they've been enforcing for centuries.
And it's been explained how the Wardens take out warlocks. They shoot, behead, bludgeon, or otherwise kill them with weapons, not magic. They do use magic to defend themselves, weaken the enemy, and if possible hold them down to make the rest of the job easier.
You're also completely incorrect, Kemmler was not killed with magic. He was killed with a variety of weapons, including a flamethrower.
Finally, yes, mortal law is mutable. The Laws are more than that.
