Should I Kill Amaund Motierre?

When It Makes Sense

• Good fit: You want the optional reward and a clean ending to the Dark Brotherhood questline. Killing Amaund Motierre can yield leveled gold, gems, and jewelry, and it closes the loop Nazir suggests after the Emperor is assassinated.
• Good fit: You are roleplaying a loyal, ruthless Dark Brotherhood assassin. In this playstyle, eliminating a witness who knows too much fits the faction’s pragmatic, cutthroat culture.

When You Should Avoid It

• Warning sign: You are roleplaying an honorable mercenary or a character with a no-collateral-kill code. Motierre was your client, not the contract, so killing him can feel like betrayal rather than business.
• Warning sign: You prefer to preserve named NPCs for immersion, world flavor, or a low-kill / pacifist-style run. Sparing him keeps a unique character alive and leaves the political aftermath more open-ended.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Provides extra loot, including gold and gems, which can help early- to mid-game finances or crafting.
• Delivers narrative closure and follows Nazir’s explicit suggestion to silence a dangerous loose end.

Cons

• It is a treacherous act against someone who hired and paid you, which can clash with certain character roles.
• The choice has no major long-term impact on quests, factions, or the game world, so the gain is mostly flavor and a modest reward.

Decision Checklist

• What is your character’s moral code: ruthless assassin, honorable mercenary, or something in between?
• Do you value a small loot reward and closure more than keeping a named NPC alive for immersion?
• Have you saved recently? Since this is a low-stakes optional choice, you can reload if the outcome feels wrong for your playthrough.

Alternatives to Consider

The simplest alternative is to spare Amaund Motierre and walk away. If you want items without bloodshed, you may be able to pickpocket him depending on your Sneak and Pickpocket perks. Another option is to complete the Emperor contract, see how the scene plays out, and then reload an earlier save to choose the opposite path. You can also ignore the optional objective entirely and continue with other quests, since Skyrim does not punish you for leaving it unfinished.

Final Recommendation

For most players, the decision comes down to roleplay and playstyle. Kill Amaund Motierre if you want the loot and a clean, ruthless end to the Dark Brotherhood arc. Spare him if you prefer an honorable or immersive run that preserves named characters. There are no significant gameplay consequences either way, so pick the option that fits your character and enjoy the story.