Baldur's Gate : The Sword Coast Chronicles : NWN2 Persistent World

After dealing with a particularly frustrating attempt on Vashani's life, I'm hoping there might be cause for a slight change in the PvP rules. In the Nashkel mountains, Vashani went through a transition while Shapechanged into a Horned Devil (need the AC to survive up there) on his way to kill some undead. Before even finishing loading, he got attacked by a party of elves who were camping near the transition. The justification I was given was that shapeshifting is auto-consent for PvP, which meant the primary aggressor didn't need to give me time to un-shapeshift and explain my form, or let me RP having gone back down the path to avoid them in the first place.

So I've got two proposals:
1) A way out must always be given for accidental transition meetings. In RP terms, this would be in line with spotting someone on the horizon and walking around them (or backtracking) so you don't have to explain why you currently look like a troll. This would also ensure that the transitioning player has actually loaded his screen and thus knows what's going on.

2) In the case of passive auto-consent, require some warning that there will be an imminent attack because of the offending situation (ex: *Draws and aims his bow at the devil* // If you don't un-Shapechange immediately, I'll have to attack.). In RP terms again, this would be someone realizing that he's going to get shot if he doesn't quickly show his potential attacker that there shouldn't be a conflict.

Most people I've met already do this and are generally awesome about RPing everything before moving onto PvP, but there are a few trigger happy people that I'd rather be protected from. What do you all think?

While I believe they should have made an effort to yell some battlecries or something, there is this:

Rule:
Shapeshifting: While polymorphed into a form that is not your own, you are perceived as being what you have become. This is PVP consent, unless you revert back to your natural form or RP that you are not a threat to the player that happens upon you in a shapeshifted form.

CremeSoda wrote:The justification I was given was that shapeshifting is auto-consent for PvP, which meant the primary aggressor didn't need to give me time to un-shapeshift and explain my form, or let me RP having gone back down the path to avoid them in the first place.

If you had unshifted they would have had to immediately cease PvP according to the wording, and at which point you could have peacefully gone on your way with 24 hour immunity from them (assuming you do not approach them again while shifted).

With all things PvP, even when conducted correctly and with consent from both parties, take screenshots.

yeah but hes saying he had a slow transition. Sometimes I transition slow and can hear the battle before my screen even loads.If thats the case he had no time to react react at all, be it un shifting or running like a devil on fire.
though that should teach ya to shift before a transition lol.I feel sorry for you but you have to admit vash plaer, it as maybe a little funny.

Said elves seem at the wrong, it's common decency to avoid PvP around transitions, even if not specified in the rules themselves. At least wait for the person to react to signal that loading is complete.

unfortunately common decency isnt stated in the rules and seeing how there are very few who even pvp on this server normally i wouldnt expect the majority of players to do such

if its seen as an issue then it simply needs to be added to the rules

if its not seen as an issue well then just dont shapeshift thru trans if you are laggy

I'd hate to change the rules because a few players may or may not have been a little douchey, while still being within the rules. I'm sure there is an alternate view of this event, but even so.. if we had to rule to the lowest common denominator we'd have some crazy strict rules.

To me the rules are a line in the sand, but you don't always have to go all the way TO that line. They are allowed within the rules to attack you on sight, but they dont have to. The players that attacked you knew you were a player, regardless of whether their characters did some leeway could have been given while remaining in character.

Broham2 wrote:
To me the rules are a line in the sand, but you don't always have to go all the way TO that line. They are allowed within the rules to attack you on sight, but they dont have to.

QFT.

Ivan38Rus wrote:Said elves seem at the wrong, it's common decency to avoid PvP around transitions, even if not specified in the rules themselves. At least wait for the person to react to signal that loading is complete.

The players behind the elves may not have been polite or generous to CremeSoda but they were hardly in the wrong. As stated, the original poster's character was polymorphed into a horned devil. Devils may not be native to alpine habitats but whether out of place or not they certainly do qualify as automatic targets for most hunting parties.

Qualifying isn't the question here. It seems pretty obvious that even the OP acknowledges the fact.

The question is courtesy within the confines of the rules. It doesn't sound like they broke rules, but it sounds like they may have been a little over zealous about using the full range of them.

I don't think rules need to be changed, I think attitudes do.

I am a firm believer that players deserve a benefit of the doubt. Yes, it is metagaming to hesitate before attacking a seemingly hostile creature, but simple emoting and waiting for the 'target' to respond goes a long way in avoiding sour debates regarding the PvP.

When I see a person that has shape changed into something I would instinctively attack I type something like this:
*Grabs his ax and runs at the creature* Attack!

Then I usually wait 10 seconds before actually running toward them and initiating pvp to give them a chance to change forms if they want. This way I am still doing what my character would actually do (by preparing to attack) while still giving the person a chance to shapeshift to their true form.

Why should you not be autoattacked?

From my humble experiences anyone challenging one of the tougher shapechangers by roleplay get autoattacked as an immediate response from the shapechanger. Talking about surface here, in the underdark things are different for some reasons.

So why should those elves give away the advantage of striking first?

Storm Munin wrote:So why should those elves give away the advantage of striking first?

Because PvP is a choice, not a requirement.

They choose PVP every time they shapechange

The transition is what is at stake there, not the auto consent I think ?
Just make sure every side finished loading up before engaging in a PvP.