I see no problem with assassinate. Now, if you have an abusive assassin who is constantly full-looting/sac'ing like that feral one not long ago...then it's the player who is the problem and they will likely be dealt with.
Not to derail but I find minotaur's charging through protective shield a bit more annoying.
Meh, I just avoid cities like the plague anymore, and purposefully draw out fights across many zones to leave them vulnerable. I have baited quite a few rogues into instant death by having them chasing a "wounded" target.
LA counters to those types of strategy are the first thing I learned as a ninja and they aren't very difficult.
I'd like to know exactly what you're going to do when I spend 80% of my time in the middle of areas which are non-hidable.
Jibber: People actually go meditate with one tick of study - that's a f***ing long road to assasination. I guess if you're really after someone (I have stalked players for 3 hours to assassinat before, but dont tell me that was easy nor that you couldnt' have killed faster on another class).
L-A
Once again, I'm calling BS on all the hella easy assassination stories. Simple as that. Roll an assassinate ninja, and show me all the people you got in your delete thread and I'll even consider this to be a valid assessment. Even Skia who was quite good at assassinating didn't rampage everyone, and died a lot. I noticed Kaylia only really got to assassinate fools who sit in town. Honestly, I'm with L-A, at least for MY part. If I know a ninja who likes to study is active, I'm never in places where that's an easy task.
I know I'm not the rule, but I haven't been assassinated since I played Dzrilx years ago, and I think the ninja was eyeseeu's drow one. He got me because I was fighting mandatory cabal war in the Ford. I have played through the activity of MANY skilled falcon eye ninjas and it never has come to death...
tldr: Shenanigans on easy assassinate.
Wow. There are actually two whole pages on the ideas forum between THIS assassinate thread and the LAST assassinate thread that somebody posted.
Assassinate has been tweaked a number of times. Study has been tweaked a number of times as well. Want proof of the fact that it's gotten progressively harder to assassinate? I was too embarrassed by the FIVE assassinations that Sycophus got to even post a log of them with my delete thread. Five assassinations, and that's WITH a falcon eye ninja.
Anyone who thinks that assassinate/study needs to be changed most likely fits into one of the following categories:
Has recently been assassinated.
Has not played a ninja since the tweaks to these skills.
The IMM staff constantly re-evaluates whether or not skills need to be balanced. Within his time as head coder, Zhokril has already readjusted things like this. So really, posting nonsensical complaints (which are, as L-A pointed out, only half truths about how the skill actually works) seems quite silly to me.
That, and ditto to Nekky. If you don't fit into the "I've recently been assassinated" category, then why the hell are you posting this? Do you keep a little list of things that irk you, so that 6 months down the road you can make a thread about them and legitimately claim that it's not due to anything recent?
And finally, as I do in all assassinate threads, let me link you to stupidity past. All threads in the last year (yes, that's right - just one year) regarding this overly-whined-about topic:
http://forum.theforsakenlands.org/showthread.php?t=19987&highlight=assassinate
http://forum.theforsakenlands.org/showthread.php?t=18255&highlight=assassinate
http://forum.theforsakenlands.org/showthread.php?t=16802&highlight=assassinate
http://forum.theforsakenlands.org/showthread.php?t=18697&page=4&highlight=assassinate
http://forum.theforsakenlands.org/showthread.php?t=20614&highlight=assassinate
<3 Bali
I'll admit I haven't played a ninja since the last tweaks. So you're right the skills may have changed significantly to where keeping the study after logout is no longer as cheap or ooc as it was.
To Twinblades: its easy to go towards you in that no hiding area whilst there are 5 to 10 seconds remaining on the current tick.
To Twinblades: its easy to go towards you in that no hiding area whilst there are 5 to 10 seconds remaining on the current tick.
Then I see them coming, but at the same time, I'm not one to SAY what would go down. Sure I could be assassinated, but until I am I don't think it holds much weight, these arguments. If I see a ninja running at me to study, and I'm not trying to kill him before he gets his study, I'm leaving... It's worked for two or three years so far. o.O Those odds are good for me, anyway.
Oh, Tassin, you reminded me of the other thing I wanted to say.
People's definitions of what constitutes Out Of Character behavior seems to have warped into "If this could potentially hurt me, my opponent is probably going OOC." There are a number of different situations that could be considered out of character.
If I gang up on you with my local warrior, that's not OOC - it's just a gang. It is probably completely within my character's nature to do such a thing (assuming my character isn't a Knight/Hopeful).
But you want to know what's funny? If I take the mercy perk (like I did with Sycophus) and leave you alive when I have you stunned (even though I was Scourge religion), that's incredibly out of character. That is not something my CHARACTER would do at all. But because I caught you off guard training or you're a couple of levels below me, I do it because as a PLAYER it's the classy thing to do - and it gives me a cool RP opportunity. And ironically, that's the behavior that we reward.
So before you go jumping to conclusions about what's OOC and what isn't, rethink your definition of what is really Out of Character. Because it probably doesn't match a lot of the things you might initially think of.
Oh I forgot. No one goes OOC anymore. My -bad-. It's only OOC if it's not beneficial to me. Gotcha! 
Statements still stand regardless to the replies. Sure, there might be Pros and Cons, but I certainly still believe the Pros outweigh the Cons when it comes to assassinate.
Meh' date=' I just avoid cities like the plague anymore, and purposefully draw out fights across many zones to leave them vulnerable.[/quote']
Dude, have you ever met Skia or the current drow ninja?
Do you know how easy it is to get a full study while they are fighting you i.e. they run around you and when they get a tick of study they back up and meditate?
It is just BS.
@Twinblades: I am sorry mate but your ninja is not an example of well played assassinate ninja. Kaylia isn't too (hell Kaylia was't even an assassinate ninja). A ninja who simply hides and studies is not a problem. Here we are talking about those who run after you and study you while they are seemingly fighting you.
I've fought Skia with a combat ninja of mine who was in Watcher and had that nice titan size bash happy charmie. I was boosted to hell with consumables, always poisoned and with sanctuary. Skia didn't bother with those trivial things like sanc and poison. Had her strangled 3 times in total, she always escaped at pretty hurt or awful and then when she got the study she simply stood in one room spamming assassinate. When I entered everything was over. Didn't even bother to strangle me, not like she would have managed anyway since I was poisoned.
Despite the changes in study and assassinate it is STILL way too easy to get a full study and assassinate. Ninjas should not be able to assassinate a target that is awake (or if possible their chance should be reduced DRAMATICALLY i.e. 50%). Ninjas should lose their study upon log off. Ninjas should lose their study when they engage (or are engaged in) a combat EVEN if they have meditated on the study.
Those are the changes which you are looking for. Also, a skill that is one hit kill when failed should mean certain death for the ninja i.e. at least a tick of lag. Only that is the way in which the failed assassination prevention ninjitsu would become a valid choice again.
I've really given up trying to prove that ninjas need a change. After we had the extremely cheap Skia things weren't changes. We've had so many VET players who have said assassinating people is too easy things still haven't been changed. Some of the IMMs will come now and say that there has been a change in how assassination works now - hell that is not enough.
The only people who defend assassination ninjas are those who have played or consider playing such ninjas in future. Not to just that, the whole idea of having a one hit kill skill when you can use successfully without even spending 1 round in combat with your enemy is flawed.
If I see a ninja running at me to study, and I'm not trying to kill him before he gets his study, I'm leaving... It's worked for two or three years so far.
Really f0xx? Really? LOL.
First off, don't be mean. I never said I was a good assassinate ninja. In fact, I'd go so far as to say I was one of the worst. I've already laid down my reasons and opinions, so I won't do that again.
Why do you roll your eyes at me? I said something true of me, and that I don't know why you guys think they are powerful or need attention. A couple of people have made GREAT points (Nekky/Bali) and this is still something to complain about.
You can get across your point without being a dick, f0xx, the rest of us have. Figure it out, cause it gets old.
Hey, sorry, I am not intentionally trying to be rude or mean... it's just the way I talk (or write). You know I harbour only the warmest feelings towards you, and your ninja is one of the two ninjas that have ever assassinated me, but it is a fact that this assassination was entirely my own fault, while the case with Skia is not the same.
Why I am rolling your eyes at your quote? Because I agree with you. Or more like, because you agree with me. What is my point exactly?
It is too easy to get a full study.
Once you've gotten a full study it is too easy to execute the actual assassination.
And the major point
A ninja can assassinate you while you are poisoned, while you are awake, while you are boosted to no end with consumables, while you are much better dressed than her.
I can think of only one other (PSI) skill which has no counter and this skill is no way near as close to being a win button like assassination is.
With that quote you say that the only way you can come out as a winner against a ninja that is running towards you to study you is if you log out. Is that how it should be?
The point is it takes time and effort. It isn't just some one hit kill. It is hours of study and meditation. If you are foolish enough to hang around a ninja while they are studying then you should be assassinated. They already gimped the ninja's enough. Stop complaining every two seconds just because there is something you think isn't fair.
Not to be rude, or mean to anyone above, but I believe those speaking out for Ninjas, are ACTUALLY THE ninjas we have running around right now.
I suppose in the future when I roll a ninja (I'll do it, eventually, and prove all you naysayers wrong) all of those saying ninjas are just fine will come back and claim they're way too easy to assassinate with, study with, or what have you.
Or, they'll simply log off when one logs on (if they get that split second 'who' when I'm visible) which I think is pretty stupid. 
The point is it takes time and effort. It isn't just some one hit kill. It is hours of study and meditation. If you are foolish enough to hang around a ninja while they are studying then you should be assassinated. They already gimped the ninja's enough. Stop complaining every two seconds just because there is something you think isn't fair.
Ah, there is someone who plays a ninja.
It takes time and effort? What time and effort are we talking about? Running around someone studying takes no consumables. You need like 5 ticks of study and 2-3 ticks of meditation to get a full study i.e. 8 ticks overall.
What does hanging around a ninja mean? Once again I will repeat myself, I am not talking about hanging around a city while the ninja is hidden and studying you. I am talking about a situation in which the ninja is actively chasing you and studying you.
Everyone is saying "If you are so stupid to hang around a ninja then you deserve to be assassinated" while noone really comments the situation which I am describing.
As someone said before, you don't even need to be close to the target most of the time. You just get close enough in the end of tick. It is like catching ticks of sleep. Once you get a tick of study, run away and meditate. Repeat 3 times and you have a full study.
I've had ninja players on AIM who would assassinate 4-5 people in the span of 2 real life hours and would still complain how hard it is to do it
Or, they'll simply log off when one logs on (if they get that split second 'who' when I'm visible) which I think is pretty stupid.
You can log out hidden, and log back in hidden. There never has to be a split second. Although you can do that if you want...
(No real relevance to topic)
That is where you are wrong. I have played many ninja's in the past and have played for over 13 years on muds. I have not been assassinated since my ol' Abandoned Realms days. When there was no study, it was just bam, you're dead.
The problem with Forsaken Lands is not ninjas. It is the lack of player base that makes ranking unreliable, very little equipment except for those few powerhouses who have it, and it makes the PK/RP situations olive drab at best. Because you PK/RP with the same people, over, and over, and over. Before you waste time changing a class that isn't broken perhaps we should focus on changing the present situation. I am back from a 4 year hiatus and I come back to a game that has the same people that were playing 4 years ago. Cool. But no one new is really playing.
That being said I do like the new changes with the new Immortal staff. I know you are working to fix some of these problems, thank you.
I just don't think ninja assassinate, which has apparently already been gimped as I have read on posts here, needs to be changed.
Edit: To you Foxx - Do you really have that much trouble distinguishing between a ninja who is coming at you to melee or a ninja that is simply luring you around so he can study you? If he is luring you, DON'T play his game. Leave him alone. Let him come to you and erase him.
You can log out hidden, and log back in hidden. There never has to be a split second. Although you can do that if you want...
(No real relevance to topic)
Eat.. drink..
I didn't necessarily mean right when I logged on.
Sorry, Ninja's what?