A few tricks to help you live longer..

[Hot_Dancer]

Your character will not often leave creation a master or even adept at their chosen profession. It is not poor roleplay for a character to recognize themselves as a novice in early stages.

Add a background event where you were involved in, or witnessed considerable destruction by one with magickal talents. This may keep you from rushing blindly to your death while still a novice. (See above)

Add on as you will..

Hot Dancer

[Maybe42or54]

If you are unsure, even a little, call someone else a jozhal if they don't do it. You win either way.

[Agent_137]

Stay away from templars.

[Cegar]

Stay away from things larger than a jozhal.

Stay away from jozhals.

[Malifaxis]

Don't trust witches.

[RunningMountain]

Don't play so much. It's a mathematical fact the more often you play, you more likely you are to die. Not that hard to live if you only login an hour or two a day, rather then 8-10 a day.

-R

[Tlaloc]

Contrary to what RM has to say, I've found that it was always when I was logging in "for just a couple minutes." that I've ended up dying. Additionally, going afk when I could have easily logged out, or playing Armageddon while doing something which is problably More Important Anyway - like Homework or RL work - has ended the lives of my PCs prematurely on several occasions.

I can count at least two times in my Armageddon career when I was working on something in another window, and heard an ominous orphaned 'beep', only to alt+tab back to find a mantis staring at me.

"Guess my safe hiding spot wasn't as safe afterall..."

[Inky]

When wandering the wastes (probably the easiest way to die) don't rush blindly into to those deep, dark holes that you will find.

I would suggest that you study the area first. There is usually some indication in an areas description whether that place is instantly dangerous or not. Things like heads on sticks and glowing runes generally mean you should not enter alone. And even then, proceed with cation.

[Aldiel]

1. Go with at least one other individual when engaging an enemy you have never fought before.
2. If you can, stay in the gates until you branch archery (if you're playing a war) or until you have a bit of skill under your belt.
3. Use a shield.  Critz suck from ranged.
4. Bring food and water before going without the gates.
5. Always be at full stamina before engaging an enemy.
6. Do a once over every time you leave the gates.  Make sure you actually have a weapon sheathed!.
7. Draw a weapon when you leave the gates.
8. Buy neck, body, legs and head protection before leaving the gates.
9. Do not start off fighting mounting.  Can be a bad mistake for wars.
10. Make friends, not enemies.
11. Stay away from the rinth.
12. Join a noble house.
13. Be a non combat character!

[Aldiel]

1.Oh, and stop moving in a sandstorm unless you are a ranger, or unless you can see a break in the storm by typing: weather south, east, exc.  
2. Use the roads until you know the country.

[Cale_Knight]

2. Use the roads until you know the country.

Also, don't stick to the roads. It can get you killed.

[Maybe42or54]

If something hits you harder than you hit it, twice. Get your ass out of there.

If you feel that you should log off, log off.
If you feel like not logging in, go see a movie, don't log in.

[amoeba]

Oddly enough, not one of these suggestions so fas has been what has killed my characters.

My list moving forward:
1. Pay attention.

2. Don't piss people off or make them afraid of you in some way.

On second thought, scratch the last one, that's a recipie for a long, boring life.

[FiveDisgruntledMonkeysWit]

Every friend you make is one less person trying to kill you...
Probably.

[Majikal]

Don't log into HRPTs.

[Dalmeth]

Suck up.  Make everyone want something from you, and you will have few enemies.

[Angela Christine]

When you go out into the dangerous wilderness, take a friend who runs more slowly than you do.  

Be prepared to give up and go home empty handed if things get too tough.  It isn't pleasant to have to leave behind your kank, your backpack or your best friend, but sometimes you have to.  It is better to cut and run than to stand and die.

[Resurrect]

If you come across someone you suspect of being a mage, do not try to find out how uber a mage they are. Treat them like you would a loaded gun in RL. Very, very carefully. It's how you should be RPing it anyway and if you come across one that doesn't want to eat your guts, you won't be giving them reason to change their mind.

[Wish]

Don't sift spice before grebbing salt.

[Cenghiz]

Eh, mages?

1. Defense defense defense! You should always have at least one way to get away from a possible confrontation. Two is always better.
2. If you're sure you can handle that NPC/templar/warrior/gith, then plan an escape route in case everything fails. If you're unsure even a bit, go away you tainted son of elf!!
3. Other magickers are not your allies..
4. Other magickers of your element are not your allies..
5. Find allies...
6. Always keep your best agreession spared.
7. You lose your concentration. Warriors don't.
8. Components are your friends. Keep them. They can also be gifts in exchange of your life.
9. Force everyone else to guard you. They are filthy mundanes. You are the power. If you die - they die, too.
10. You're thirty-days-old? Good.. Now scarier magickers will be after you. They didn't view you as a threat before. You'd better be useful to them.

[Larrath]

Don't be fearless - if something is looking scary, there might be a good reason for it.
Don't be proud - there are only three things that count and those are Wealth (to live comfortably), Power/Influence (to protect yourself and kill enemies) and Reputation (if you want a legacy).  Pride doesn't go on the list.
Don't be silly - if something very major looks too easy to accomplish (like, say, destroying Tuluk's walls), it's probably not so easy and simply hopping there hitting the wall with an axe probably won't end well.
Don't leave your natural habitat - if your character is safest in the 'rinth, spend most of your time in the 'rinth.  If being a city makes you more vulnerable (not city-born rangers), don't be in the cities so much.
Don't push your luck - if you throw a rotten fruit at a PC half-elf gemmer, maybe he'll just scowl at you and walk off.  Then again, maybe he'll ambush you the next time you leave the city with your friends and cast a spell that makes you all look like gith.
Don't just eat and drink strange things that you find without taking precaution such as making someone else taste it first.

If you're going to do something dangerous, plan it thoroughly in advance and be ready for anything.  Are you going to explore a cavern?  You better bring a shovel in case there's a small cave-in!

Know your allies, know your enemies and know the neutrals and don't underestimate any of the above groups.  Some people act stupid 90% of the time but still kick your ass during their 10% of brilliance.
Know when to ditch your friends - only an idiot stays on a sinking vessel.

And lastly, don't jinx yourself and don't underestimate Ginka's sense of irony - if for some reason you find yourself saying that you're absolutely not going to lose your character today, keep in mind that the reason, in truth, might be Ginka trying to teach you some humility.

[Rhyden]

-Keep a steady supply of water and food.
-Fear what should be feared.
-Don't be stupid.

People who don't have food, are fearless and are stupid tend to die the most, the quickest and the easily-avoidable deaths.

[jmordetsky]

- If you find yourself saying "Man I'm bored, I need something to do." Log out, or go to the Gaj.

- If you find yourself saying "Ooooooh whats in here?" Run away.

- If you find yourself saying "Alright, thats not too bad, I could still win, but one more shot and I'll flee." Flee now.

- Avoid Muls.

- Avoid Elves.

- Never use the follow command. Ever.

- Don't rat on your friends. Especially if they are fairly powerful mages.

- If you think for a moment that you shouldn't be hunting something because it's so immense and large, you are probably right.

- At day 2, you aren't NEARLY as tough as you think.

- At day 5, you aren't NEARLY as tough as you think.

- At day 10, you aren't NEARLY as tough as you think.

- If you get put in the dungeons, cry. Cry and plead.

- If it's hunting you, it will find you and it will find you soon.

- Play a ranger

- Your not safe behind your warrior buddy (who is not as tough as he thinks at day 10).

- If it has a weapon that you have never seen before, flee.

- If it does "something" you've never seen before, flee.

- (twink rule) If you are fighting a normally inanimate NPCs and it starts to talk to you, run away.

- Don't show up to RPTs.

[picklehead]

1. Don't give your trust too easily.
2. Don't get into vulnerable situations with people you don't trust.
3. If your instinct is to run.. you probably should.
4. Don't ever make the mistake of thinking your enemies have forgotten about you.

[Delirium]

Curiosity.

Are these supposed to be IC tips (which could be ignored if it's IC) or OOC tips?

I'm seeing a lot mixed in here.

My OOC tips are:

Don't stay in a fight you aren't absolutely sure you can win.
Water and food are more important than phat gear.
Pay attention at all times, or prepare to suffer the consequences.
Get to know the code and commands for your guild's skills very, very well.
Get to know the area you are playing in very, very well.  This means the spoken and unspoken laws, the PC and NPC life, the customs, the current events and rumors, the current political balance, and the layout of the area itself.

[spawnloser]

The biggest rule is caution.

Oh, and Aldiel, for a Helper, you're tossing about IC information a bunch recently...would you please remove all indication of who branches what from your first post on this thread?

[jhunter]

1. Don't stay logged in if you are OOCly bored.

2. Watch your back at all times.

3. Never think for a moment that the one guy you pissed off years ago forgot about you.

4. It's alright to fear/hate mages, but just stick to the fear part. Open hate gets you BBQ'd by one eventually.

5. Don't explore/hunt/forage alone.

6. If it looks big, mean, and nasty, it most likely is.

7. If the place you happen to be looks like somewhere you probably shouldn't be...get the fuck outta there and don't look back.

8. Templars don't like it when you hit on them.

9. Don't play drunk. Ever.

10. Don't play while you are sleepy. Ever.

11. It might be fun to go gallivanting around the 'rinth in full armor with a backpack full of 'sids, but you will die.

[Yang]

The only opponent is within.

[Eternal]

The only opponent is within.

And by this we mean...

Within the city
Within the desert
Within the tribe
Within the clan
Within the tavern
Within arm's reach
Within an hour
Within a second

Lord Templar Hard Nose says, in sirihish:
"The only thing you have to fear... is fear itself.  Hello, I'm Fear.  Nice to meet you."

[James de Monet]

If you come across someone you suspect of being a mage, do not try to find out how uber a mage they are. Treat them like you would a loaded gun in RL.

Code Select Expand

get uber
You get the uber, pissed-looking mage.

:tucks ~uber into ~leggings with a sly look around and a pleased smile.

I must say.  This sounds like very bad advice.     Also, don't try to help your friends using 'subdue'.  ICly it sounds like a good idea.  OOCly it almost never ends well.  

Corollary idea: Maybe we could get a non crim-flagged 'subdue' that required acceptance (or another version of nosave)?  Perhaps 'support'?

[Anonymous]

Oh, and Aldiel, for a Helper, you're tossing about IC information a bunch recently...would you please remove all indication of who branches what from your first post on this thread?

I didn't read anything in Alidel's post that isn't included in the warrior help file.  Was there something else that was edited?

[spawnloser]

You know, now that I check the helpfile, I must admit that you're right.

[Morfeus]

I was about to say that for me usually works "do what is IC for your character" (which usually involves not leaving the city too much, not spam-hunting or spam-foraging, not running to the opposite city-state just because of boredom...), but then I realized that my character usually dies for the very same reason - because I do what is IC for them (trying to save The Important Person, doing their work, trusting superiors/templars..).

[path]

Don't play while drinking. It seems like it would be so much fun...and...admittedly...it is, but more of my characters die that way than any other I can think of. Not raging incompetent drunk, just tipsy and not thinking as quickly as would be ideal.

Don't cut your losses. There's mostly likely a way out in nearly every instance.

[Anonymous]

Come up with a plan, OOC and IC to make money and/or get food/water.

That should be your first and chief objective.

If that means joining a clan, fine. If that means foraging, fine. If that means trading, fine. If that means conning or performing, fine. But it should be the first thing you do IC, all other goals, objectives, and actions are secondary until you establish what you're going to do there.

After that, indulge every curious whim. Travel everywhere you can. Talk to as many people as it makes sense for you to.

Dying in new and creative, horrific and exciting ways is seriously underrated.