I agree that L-A made great points. That's how I remembered it and it seems very fair.
Why shouldn't a ninja keep their study? They're studying a person's habits, movements, etc. People are set in their ways and don't change all that much. I always thought that only being able to study one person at a time was an OOC mechanic.
I never though of it this way - though I'd say if you have to concerntrate on someone so hard it is to the exclusion of all else.
On the other side of the coin, the balance issue is pretty large ie activate study on anyone who is around and start to get it up. Change targets. You don't lose ALL of your study when you attempt (or succeed) in the assassination so I envisage that we end up with ninjas with 1230982170934281903 partially studied people able to assassinate in very short spaces of time.
Ideas on study:
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Lose all study on a sucessful assassination. I've seen (and been) a ninja who would assassinate, hide, study (and since they died they are now sleepiong at their temple) and then assassinate again. Why do you think I don't sit in my temple, guild, city or anywhere I wouldn't usually rest when I'm a ghost?
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In fact, I think no study vs ghosts would be a good thing.
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You already lose a fair amount of study on a failed assassinate. I don't know whether you should lose it all (person is more aware so you will have to study some more BUT you do know a fair bit about them). Nay-sayers will argue you should but with 4 rounds lag on a failed assassinate if you aren't dead (where you lose study) you're running (so you lose on fail and lose over time). If someone can't put the hurt on a ninja in four rounds then assassinate is the least of their worries - they are about to get melee'd to death by the ninja anyway.
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If Death's Touch doesn't already stop loss of study on failed assassinate I think that should be implemented. It fits with the skill.
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I don't see any releavance to failing assassinate's while someone is poisoned so I think that's a non-starter. Blindness already will give you an advantage. Just because I can't strangle you doen'st mean I can't cut your throat.
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I think (99% sure) study has been fixed so it doesn't go through doors. If not, I think this should be implement. Unaffected by pass door as while you can walk through you can't see through.
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All cabals have doors or LOS breaks so you can't be studied. I think the area thing prevents this anyway.
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Cabals made all no-study inside. Ninja's able to melee the strong guard and get inside then hideout and be outright jerks when people log in upsets me. They get a tic or two (which is long enough) to kill the guard and log in when someone logs off. I'd do it if its what was needed to kill the enemy cabal leader.
Other points vs ninjas:
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There are readily available potions with area spells that you can hunt a ninja with. Its not something I'd engage in long term but (mostly in cabal war situations) but sometimes you KNOW he is there. Giving a ninja a good scare ie getting to him in a hideable room is a good way to put him off his game. Now and then you can get rid of his study and then take off too - its just that much move of a 'convincing' argument of why the ninja should go bother someone else :-P
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Mya: If you spam murder vs a ninja and all they do is attempt to walk in and assassinate then the ONLY thing that will allow them sucess is connection speed. Blind/dirt and flee on their part will allow them try while you cure - though if it happens you should be off in the opposite direction like a frog in a sock.
Attempts to blind will cause the ninja to be in combat - opening them up to spells etc. I would suggest if they didn't already go the melee route they need to use assassinate so this presents a fair amount of risk. There are weapons that faerie fire too - and if the ninja ends looking like a float at a parade he is in BIG trouble.
Waiting for a ninja isn't a good idea in any case - I'd be inclined to maybe cast on them once and eat a recall potion (of course don't be near your recall point). They then take recall lag like you and/or can't run through the 'underground' to get to you fast. The 6 P's at work: Proper Planning Prevents P!ss Poor Performance.
- A ninja will NOT beat in an outright fight a warrior, berserker, ranger, vampire, crusader, battlemage or DK unless they have some advantage. Either strangle -> blind and attack for fast hp loss or assassination. Assassinate actually make ninja's a viable class vs the melee's and hybrid/melee options. Try fighting a clever warrior on a thief - HA HA HA. Very, very few options here.
L-A
