The following are rules to be used when engaging in PvP (Player vs. Player) combat. These rules are not optional (unless stated otherwise) and are to be used by ALL parties in PvP situations.

Principles:

1. Amia is a role-playing server, not a PvP arena server.

2. All PvP must have a role-playing reason. PvP without a sensible reason is not allowed. Your character's alignment is not a valid reason for PvP. Summons, such as undead, are a valid reason but do not excuse you from the below protocol.

3. You must give the other party a reasonable chance to back down from the PvP In Character.

4. IC Actions lead to IC Consequences. If you initiate a conflict (by insults or thievery, for example), you can't expect to get away with it. You cannot ignore other players' RP or declare it null.


Technicalities:

5. You must give the other party clear IC indication of your intentions to attack, and make sure they have reasonable time to react and possibly back down IC.

6. You must set all members of the opposing party to Hostile before performing hostile actions. You can do this with the tool in your inventory or through the player list.

7. If you do not give the other party time to observe the usual protocol, you can't expect them to stick to the protocol. This means that by resting, buffing or other such preperations to hostility, you forfeit your right to a warning: The other party may attack you immediately to stop you. If you have not set them to Hostile before, you can't blame them for having to act without it. Both parties should strive to set eachother to Hostile after the immediate reaction, however.

8. The above goes for fleeing from hostile situations: If you turn tail and run without a word to avoid IC consequence, you can expect to be stopped by any means possible. Always give others reasonable time to react with RP!

9. Subdualing/killing: see http://www.amiaworld.net/about/pvp.html

10. Assassinations: Assassins must inform a DM that they are about to perform a hit. If a DM is unavailable, the assassin must inform the target instead.

11. If you clearly escape scene, you may not continue the ”same” PvP later, unless such behaviour is explicitly agreed by all involved parties. It is a new encounter with all the above rules. Parties may agree to a "mutual aggression" pact, where it is agreed that hostilities may commence whenever these parties interact. This must be supported by previous role-play, and is generally done when two factions (such as drow houses) have on going IC disputes that end in hostilities. It is the responsibility of the faction leaders to make sure everyone involved knows about the situation. Should this be the case, please inform the DMs about this in advance so that they know what is going on.

12. Traps are considered PvP. Do not set them down to damage random people: you are responsible for your traps and their victims.

13. Portalling to party leader into a PvP situation is forbidden.

14. Taunting someone with the Taunt-skill, using Turn Undead summons and casting spells such as Darkness is considered initiating PvP. You should set Hostile before doing that.

15. If robbed, you are not required to hand over items you do not wish to give away OOCly; emoting that they are transferred ICly is sufficient.

16. If your character is captured, and the character who caught him/her wishes to keep your character locked away, they can do so for a period of 24 RL hours, without your OOC consent. However, roleplay with the captive must be provided for those 24 hours. If it is not, then you cannot force the captive character to remain "locked away", unless you come to an OOC agreement on the matter. Keeping a character captive for longer than 24 RL hours requires the OOC consent of the player of the captive PC. In certain instances a DM can enforce captivity, but this is rarely done.

The guy that probably has sexual fantasies about masturbation. I mean, Iron, you're a bookworm nerd that even in your wildest escapism fantasies flee to the internet to play the role of another bookworm nerd? Come on!

The guy that probably has sexual fantasies about masturbation. I mean, Iron, you're a bookworm nerd that even in your wildest escapism fantasies flee to the internet to play the role of another bookworm nerd? Come on!

1.) Do not grief.

1a.) Don't be a dick OOCly.
1b.) If you have an issue, bring it up to the other person. Personal note : (a little unsure about this one, but ... why not)
1c.) If no resolution can be found, bring it up to a DM, resolved case by case, bring your screenies.

2.) Set to hostile.

2a). Killer determines state of victim.

The guy that probably has sexual fantasies about masturbation. I mean, Iron, you're a bookworm nerd that even in your wildest escapism fantasies flee to the internet to play the role of another bookworm nerd? Come on!

Something that people seem to misunderstand often: the chance to back down from PvP does not mean a chance to back down from the situation. "Get captured or try to fight your way out" is a perfectly valid situation in line with the intention of the rule.

The OOC penalties are just a way to stop players from running around all crazy-like.

More serious death penalties were discussed so many times now it's not even funny anymore.

While I completely agree with Needled and I am digging for death penalties from the beginning, I gave up the hope it'll change anytime soon.

I would try to weasel IC my way out of death if I didn't have good odds (and that's without the given IC out), or I would run away. I wouldn't sit there and egg them onto a fight just to see if I could win. That happens more often than not on Amia and I guess I've played here long enough that it's dulled the sharpness of any RP resulting from PvP out.

I think all in all, this has the potential to add and not really take much away. If you don't want to die, you can still take your IC outs, you can just do so more cautiously, and act less brazenly and with less confidence. If you choose to swing swords, you are accepting that you might not come out of something with as much as you went in with, but to most people, that might be alright. We haven't really decided what's "lost" yet, with a system like this, but I have a pretty good collection of ideas.

Way ahead of you guys. We've already been looking at streamlining / improving the wording of the PvP rules in an attempt to generate less confusion.

The guy that probably has sexual fantasies about masturbation. I mean, Iron, you're a bookworm nerd that even in your wildest escapism fantasies flee to the internet to play the role of another bookworm nerd? Come on!

Perhaps I'm just an elitists RP snob to expect people the actually RP on an RP server.

People should be doing that regardless. Perhaps I'm just an elitists RP snob to expect people the actually RP on an RP server.

But that's just me.

The problem with harsher death penalties is of course that it gives less caring players the chance to inflict real setbacks on other players.

The guy that probably has sexual fantasies about masturbation. I mean, Iron, you're a bookworm nerd that even in your wildest escapism fantasies flee to the internet to play the role of another bookworm nerd? Come on!

The problem with harsher death penalties is of course that it gives less caring players the chance to inflict real setbacks on other players.

If you do not want to get involved in PvP, play that way. Don't be cheeky, don't play heroic. There is no shame in playing a "normal" person that is afraid of dying. In fact, it'll promote you to a higher level of RP in my eyes (like it means anything, right?)

sceptical twat

Playing devils advocate, why is it bad RP to ignore death on this server? You don't lose anything and no one ever stays dead.

Death penalties are a separate topic. I have already given the solution to all our death system problems, on multiple occasions, but you are just too squeamish to accept it. Arrogant as it may sound, you probably won't find a better, simpler solution than mine. But not everyone accepts the premise, and it's absolutely certain that compromise will not satisfy anyone.

The guy that probably has sexual fantasies about masturbation. I mean, Iron, you're a bookworm nerd that even in your wildest escapism fantasies flee to the internet to play the role of another bookworm nerd? Come on!

1.) Do not grief.

1a.) Don't be a dick OOCly.
1b.) If you have an issue, bring it up to the other person. Personal note : (a little unsure about this one, but ... why not)
1c.) If no resolution can be found, bring it up to a DM, resolved case by case, bring your screenies.

2.) Set to hostile.

2a). Killer determines state of victim.

Also, the 'respawn back to where I died' needs to go

You can't use the OOC Respawn function after PvP. There. Every conceivable issue solved.

The guy that probably has sexual fantasies about masturbation. I mean, Iron, you're a bookworm nerd that even in your wildest escapism fantasies flee to the internet to play the role of another bookworm nerd? Come on!

Just before I fall asleep, I like to pretend it's just a public feat so Pigeon can succeed in politics and save the world from poverty... with his unicorn and shining armour and Excalibur.

I will say in my experience the "opt out" has been well done by both parties. To allow folks to be tough but also to avoid it when needed. I have been given IC outs after explaining to folks Im on a laptop that is impossible to use for anything besides following summons and the like and they have been pretty cool OOC with it and allow both characters to save face.

So Props to Amia. Its not all bad like Im reading.

8 hours

No, I mean: if a PC kills you, a PC must raise you. You stay dead until someone bothers to find you and raise you. Over resests. Forever.

So your mileage may vary.

I don't fully agree with more harsh penalties for death, because while people die in PvM, they can suffer large drops in gold and if they aren't maxed level they can suffer being put further from next level, where being killed in PvP, the only set backs besides actually dying and not able to be raised for five mins other than using the PvP-tool for OOC reasons, such as the rule to provide it and to move the body if the RP leads that way are what you decide to RP yourself from the effects of dying.

How about: "Do not do the following: harass other players OOCly, take IC conflicts to be an OOC one, deliberately antagonize other players by insulting or disrespecting them, go out of your way to seek conflicts where it isn't warranted ICly, disregard other player's fun - if they aren't having it, back off and reevaluate."

That long sounds far too harsh to me. I don't agree with being kept from RP in such a way in general and not only that I hate PvP'ing on RP servers, in the past if I felt a need to PvP I'd go on a PvP server temporarily, which mostly happened when Amia was down for maintenance etc.

If that was in place I'd just feel inclined to never travel anywhere that may get my character killed and exclude me from RP as them for 8 hours and if I did do that and others did too, then would have more reclusiveness/cliquey groups formed.

Iron's suggestions is excellent.

Sure. But what if you get dumped in a dungeon. ... MILES AWAY.
I predict two things - the player gets INCREDIBLY frustrated. OR - has a friend metagame his location.

What do you respond to my predictions?

My predictions are in line with yours. Someone logs on, they get invited to the party. They magically find their way there, and they quietly raise you and nothing changes from the existing system whatsoever.

So what are you saying that you don't agree with? More PvM penalties?

where being killed in PvP, the only set backs besides actually dying and not able to be raised for five mins other than using the PvP-tool for OOC reasons, such as the rule to provide it and to move the body if the RP leads that way are what you decide to RP yourself from the effects of dying.

Dying and not being able to be raised for 5 minutes is what you consider a penalty?

My predictions are in line with yours. Someone logs on, they get invited to the party. They magically find their way there, and they quietly raise you and nothing changes from the existing system whatsoever.

The guy that probably has sexual fantasies about masturbation. I mean, Iron, you're a bookworm nerd that even in your wildest escapism fantasies flee to the internet to play the role of another bookworm nerd? Come on!

Ban the metagamer?