ummm

[MadCowDisease]

if nobody wants to, its fine, i dont mind figuring out on my own.

can somebody give me some advice on PK tactics? nothing major, just enough to survive a little. I just have no idea where i should be at, skillwise, in the time ive been here. just feels like im way behind, and i want to shake off any delusions i might have about what is effective, and when.

and thank you to everyone for letting me learn from the school of hard knocks so far (not being sarcastic). admittedly, ive been arrogant and demanding, and i apologize for that. i'll be trying to be a more prodductive player.

[Twinblades713]

1. Where, every third to fifth command.

2. Check affs at least every hour.

3. Highlight things like dirt, sanc, disarm, important spells affecting or falling.

4. With a melee, ALWAYS think abou weapon selection.

5. Here's GOOD tip. Look at your target before you want to fight, and take the time to prepare mentally. Nodisarm weapon/shield? Don't try disarming it.

Low strength or no str buffing eq? Use a skill/spell that weakens the enemy right away.

6. Fight on your terms.

7. As with six, even better: set traps if you can. Play with three dimensions.

8. These are in no particular order, as this should be most important but I don't want to move it up to 1. It's L-A's rule I believe. NEVER FIGHT UNPREPARED. Don't do it. If you do it, just start thinking about how to best get back to your corpse.

That's all that comes to mind off the bat. There is assuredly more.

[Evangelion]

My first crusader, Karius, was in Knight. Instead of running or logging out every time Cariousus or Azantar logged on, I would go and either A) Attack the Nexus standard, or Wait for them to come attack my standard and defend.

That character was one of my biggest learning experiences, and was also the first character that I got a legitimate PK on (towards the later end of his life). However, I also got my butt handed to me by classes that no crusader should ever lose to.

A couple of general tips:

PKing

Treat every battle like a learning experience, and stop caring whether you lose. Get excited when you win, and let it drive you on even further, but don't let losing discourage you one bit. Also, it's a great opportunity to learn some great, easy re-equip spots, and decent non-rare armor that's always in. I don't know if you're a c/c, rogue, or a melee, but it is fairly easy to get some significant +hp/mana or +hit/dam with non-rares. Log every fight you ever have (get a MUD client that's conducive to this - MUSHclient has the option for a 500,000 line output buffer). Great for logging fights, if not entire play sessions, without having to remember to turn on a logging program. Rolling a new character? Read and re-read every single PK log on the forums. People often even add in little notes about where they made mistakes, or where a fight turned tides - read these notes carefully, so you don't find yourself making the same slip-ups.

Travel

If you're still having trouble, and haven't already, roll a good cleric and travel everywhere and identify everything. And pay really close attention when you're on trips - because if you're not good (or at least improving) on the role that you're supposed to be filling, then no one's going to want to take you anywhere. There have been times in the past where I've consciously decided not to invite someone to go on a Desolation trip because either A) They don't pay attention as a healer and let someone die or have a close call, or They want EVERYTHING, and get really upset when they walk away with one item or no items. Not everyone can have every uber piece of gear, so if you don't get something (or anything) that you want, don't worry about it. The best thing you can do is just ask your party to make sure that you get to ID everything. Equipment plays a pretty big role in this game, for better or worse, so learning where stuff is and how to get it is an important skill.

Mentor

Other people have already hit this nail on the head, but having an in-game mentor is a fantastic opportunity to learn more. It's one thing to have someone explain something to you via PM or over AIM, but it's another thing entirely to have them show you firsthand, or even better, show you multiple times.

Challenges

Roll a neutral character, join Battle if you're so inclined, and challenge EVERYONE. Challenging is (usually) a "safe" way to learn how to PK. You can try different tactics, and really play balls to the wall without fear of dying (or, for some people, without fear of losing your equipment). However, don't treat a challenge like a game of luck - CHANGE your tactics, SWITCH up what you're doing, and TRY new things. Otherwise you're just beating your head against a brick wall - and all that's going to give you is a concussion. However, if you're using challenging as a safe net, you have a very important restriction - the minute you kill someone at the end of a "friendly" challenge is the minute your reputation goes down the drain. Word of mouth is a bitch, and you better bet that three other people will ask that person how they died, and those people will not trust you anymore. So respect the unspoken rule of a challenge, and don't kill someone at the end of it, unless you're prepared for the backlash.

Preparation

Fighting in this game is 90% preparation, 7% skill, 2% luck, and 1% waiting for your opponent to screw up. Until you learn which ones you need for specific fights, have every spell/skill at your disposal up and ready anytime there is a potentially hostile opponent in your PK range, and ESPECIALLY if they're in your area. If you pass by someone you don't trust, don't stop and go back to look at them. Because chances are good that in the time it took you to come back, they've gotten ready for an attack, and they're going to seize the opportunity to get the jump on you if you're not careful. The only time you can fully trust someone in this game is when you're a goodie and they're a goodie. Other than that, prepare for the worst at all times.

Edit: I agree with Festy and MoP to the tune of, if you're going to fight do it on your terms and not on your opponent's. However, I will say that the only way to learn to PK is to fight every battle you possibly can. And to do that, you can't be so selective as to fight only when you are practically guaranteed victory. Especially because if 75% of your PKs are won, but you still suck at PK (IE - You consistently win fights with unprepared people, or get lucky a lot), you're setting yourself up for some huge disappointment when the tide turns and you get stomped because you still don't know how to use flight and sanctuary.

For more, check out: http://forum.theforsakenlands.org/showthread.php?t=17293

For even more, check out: http://forum.theforsakenlands.org/showthread.php?t=5337

[MadCowDisease]

thanks i'll keep these in mind

[Guest emp_newb]

I would also suggest learning towns, as alot of pks head through towns, and wind around them. Learning where ralos way is, instead of rushing down Barnok blvd, can get you a long way.

Reading the essays on each class can give you a great set of STARTER tactics, the tactics outlined in those essays can let you comfortably battle. Sealing the deal is another matter. Dirt disarm bash might SEEM easy, but rarely is it so cut and dry. Adapting, learning, evolving. The best things you could ever do in FL pk.

[Deykari]

I think one of the best things you can do is familiarise yourself with as much as Aabahran as possible. Being able to run QUICKLY is critical, and gives you a lot more chance at survival when things go to **** - being able to run blind from one side of Aabahran to the other without seeing a single "You can't go in this direction!" will pay off in the long run, especially if you learn the little-known areas too, it lets you lose people very easily.

Plus, it also helps you with chasing, which is the other type of running you do, when you're winning.

Dey

[Twinblades713]

Plus, it also helps you with chasing, which is the other type of running you do, when you're winning.

Dey

Let's don't get ahead of ourselves...

[MadCowDisease]

lol after level 20.. i pretty much lose all chance of being the chaser.

but i really do appreciate all of you.

[Twinblades713]

lol after level 20.. i pretty much lose all chance of being the chaser.

but i really do appreciate all of you.

Ilov running pre thirty:

"Oh? You ran north of Rheydin? You're in Caves of Kamir? Really now. "

[MadCowDisease]

Ilov running pre thirty:

"Oh? You ran north of Rheydin? You're in Caves of Kamir? Really now. "

actually if i run north of rhey, i dont stop there. thats too easy. i run to the swamp and the tower. sometimes up towards winter.

[Twinblades713]

actually if i run north of rhey' date=' i dont stop there. thats too easy. i run to the swamp and the tower. sometimes up towards winter.[/quote']

Not if you're level 22 and don't have a mount. and are dying of plague......

D:

[MadCowDisease]

D: that would very much suck.

but then, at level 22 with no mount and dyin of plaque, you're kinda screwed for the running game.

[Twinblades713]

D: that would very much suck.

but then, at level 22 with no mount and dyin of plaque, you're kinda screwed for the running game.

I like using specific, non-helpful situations to accentuate an invalidated point.

[Deykari]

I see FL as one large 'circular' circuit, running from Val Miran to Miruvhor, then south to Xymerria, with the underdark looping back to near Val Miran. There are then a load of tinier 'circular' circuits that are branched off all over. The key I've found is learning where you can combine these 'circuits' to make complex running routes that you can chop and change on the fly, and learn them so that you can run them blind without hitting walls OR head to areas that are dead ends (such as north of Rheydin). That way, you can run forever (or, until moves run out) and it makes it very hard for a chaser to catch you unless they try and predict and plan ahead (as it is ALWAYS harder for a chaser to run after a good runner - the runner can just run, the chaser has to constantly be 'whereing' or 'scanning' and working out the runner's route).

Then, mix it up with unorthadox, unpredictable routes - example, someone chases you into Rheydin via the west gate, run out of the North gate, head all the way around the outside of Rheydin in a clockwise/anticlockwise direction (depending on a few factors) and then run back where you came from, west of Rheydin. Or letting someone chase you far away from your recall point, then quaffing a recall potion when you just leave the area the chaser is still in, so they carry on running when they enter that area, thinking you've already left and gone to the next area - works especially well at junctions that lead to multiple areas.

I think running is the only thing in FL I can safely say I excel at, when I'm not mudding drunk, I completely suck at everything else - so don't worry MCD, you're not alone.

Dey

[mya]

Your class race combo would aid us.

[MadCowDisease]

i dont wish to let out who i play, mya, or i would.

[Sandbox]

i can tell you 90% of winning is being in sanctuary, not spamming commands, and only lag if your doing more damage than your taking.

[L-A]

Virigoths advice of:

'Roll a human DK' still rings true. They are a great class. Learn how to use summon onto the water in Val Miran at rank 25 - 30. Learn how to fireball to kill people. Progress through the ranks, get a charmie. Learn how to dirt and stomp people with huge offense. DKs are great to get you hand in because they are SO offensive. You learn to just suit up and hunt people down - because being on the defensive isn't an option for you if you want to win.

L-A

[MadCowDisease]

i'll try that when im done with the one i have now

[Dale]

I've been here for about 7 years, and still yet to play a dk past 25.

[Kyzarius]

Here are some obscure (and some not so obscure) things that make a MASSIVE difference.

1, conquering the crazed heart pounding shakes that come with beginner FL pvp is key to becoming succesful.

2, have a plan. Always have a plan for offense and a plan for escape. As an example; pick a number, that if your hp drop s below you retreat. Set this number high at 1st..then as you get more and more confident in your characters abilities...slowly lower it. Now im not syaing set wimpy, im just saying have a predetermined point where retreat becomes your priority.

3, highlights highlights highlights...and highlights. When sanctuary drops, I see it...the bolded bright yellow text leaps off the screen. When ANY power is at 2 hours its timer is in yellow on my aff list. When its at 1 or 0 its red. You land a malady on me? its in bold Red letters, and the debuff on my aff list is also in bold red letters.

4, When your running focus 100% on running, dont look back....just GO, and preplan places to run through. Dey's "loops" is a very good way to look at escape routes. I do the same thing, actually..which is interesting heh.

5, One of the hardest, learn to not love your gear so much. Fight to the DEATH, take some risks, sometimes the only limits to your pkill success are those you impose on yourself.

[MadCowDisease]

ive gotten rid of the shakes. adrenaline still rushes but i can keep a semi-level head. just need to commit more rooms to memory so i can for more effective running strategies than my current "AAAAAHHHHHHH WHERE AM I GOING?!?!"

i'll make sure to color code, that is something i didnt even think about before this thread.

[Imoutgoodbye]

I'll toss in one...

Put your pride aside!

I always forget to have an escape plan and panic when I need to flee. I always think I have the perfect offense/defense ready if I'm going in or someone's possibly coming.

And I just refuse to know when to run sometimes. Blasted temper!

[MadCowDisease]

been trying to do that a lot lately.

[Dale]

I go into every pk with the expectation to flee. Even if I know I can beat that person. Usually if I am at half health and they are at quite a few it is time to get out rather than see one more round, that is often the round that gets you killed.