Question in regards to Player vs. Player Assasination.

[Moltrazahn]

Hello there DM Team.

I had a question in regards to Assasination, or rather the aspect of "Asking" someone to assasinate another PC.

In my understanding, player assasinations are not sanctioned by the rules. Because it does not offer the RP out or even explain why your suddenly backstabbed for 300 dmg while enjoying a Cold one at the FAI (example, not actually experienced).

So, in layman's therms: "Under what conditions can a player-requested assasination of another player be allowed. And does this proccess require supervision of the staff to take Place?"

I think most People have had a ugly aguement that turned (if not entirely) near violent at some point. My concerns are when gruges are kept that leaves players fearing the collector of Depths, so to speak. Also, if an assasination is both requested, and allowed by the staff, does ordering said assasination affect the alignment of the hitmen(man) in question?

And lastly, I am not mistaken that DM approved assasination does not give Perma-strikes to the victim... right?

Thank you beforehand!
- Molt.

[DM Golem]

Hello there DM Team.

I had a question in regards to Assasination, or rather the aspect of "Asking" someone to assasinate another PC.

In my understanding, player assasinations are not sanctioned by the rules. Because it does not offer the RP out or even explain why your suddenly backstabbed for 300 dmg while enjoying a Cold one at the FAI (example, not actually experienced).

Its correct that if players engage in PVP the PVP rules apply irrelevant of the context, thus RP outs must be given and the like.

While of course players can agree between themselves outcomes and RP, which might allow for knives in the back and the like (or fun stuff like RPed fights rather than mechanical PVP, etc), the baseline position is always the PVP rules and pressure to avoid such rules "to be a good Rper" could well end up being a metagaming offence.

So, in layman's therms: "Under what conditions can a player-requested assasination of another player be allowed. And does this proccess require supervision of the staff to take Place?"

I think most People have had a ugly aguement that turned (if not entirely) near violent at some point. My concerns are when gruges are kept that leaves players fearing the collector of Depths, so to speak.

The rules themselves are here:

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<< Assassinations >>

• If you hire someone to assassinate a player character, you must inform the DMs of this contract. You must inform the DMs in detail about why your character wants to have the target assassinated.
• If you have been contracted to assassinate someone, you must inform the DMs of this contract. The DMs need to know who has hired you, who you are targeting, and how much you are being paid.
• In order to ensure fair play, and to confirm that an assassination has occurred, a DM must be present whenever an assassination takes place. If a DM does not legitimize an assassination after one has occurred, it is not considered an official assassination, and the assassin in question is vulnerable to being punished for breaking the standard PVP rules.
• An assassination attempt is a temporary suspension of the normal PVP rules. In other words, you can attack without an RP out. The proviso is that a DM must be present, in-game, for the attack, in order to bear witness to it, and explain the situation to the victim (the PC being assassinated).
• If a DM is not present when an assassination is attempted, the attacker has violated PVP rules.

We have a general policy against the assassination system being used to undertake what could be covered by regular PVP, just skipping PVP rules. Its intended to support "working assassins" and lead to RP outcomes beyond just having a round of PVP where one side has a massive advantage. IE, a small part of a PVP cycle.

So the answer is "something more than we nearly PVPed", and we are more likely to approve requests that are bona fide requests made to a professional assassin to assassinate someone, rather than one person asking his friend to kill someone just so that PVP rules can be avoided.

Also, if an assasination is both requested, and allowed by the staff, does ordering said assasination affect the alignment of the hitmen(man) in question?

Very much depends on the context. Broadly, killing people for money is evil (lack of respect for life).

Assassinating a rampaging murderer for free would probably be a good act.

So it depends!

And lastly, I am not mistaken that DM approved assasination does not give Perma-strikes to the victim... right?

Thank you beforehand!
- Molt.

That is correct. Its in all respects a usual PVP, barring one side not having to give the RP out before attacking. Permastrikes could theoretically happen based on an IC hanging resulting from the PVP, but that is no different to any other PVP.