What is your problem with magickers/magick?

[LoD]

My main issues with magickers are:

> Their rapid skill progression:

• Is attractive to the wrong type of players who want to embody the skills more than the role. In a similar vein to when free muls were running willy nilly.  They all but disappeared when their karma was raised substantially and were being held more tightly to adhere to the documentation and play slaves.  When that instant power was no longer easily attainable by players that simply wanted the fierce ability to kill, the number of roles began to drop.  Funny how that works.
• Fails to instill the appropriate sense of investment in a character which can govern and impact one's decision making process.  Why worry about dying due to rash behavior or unrealistic game play when I can have a similarly skilled mage in a matter of days?  Skill advancement in mundanes, especially as it relates to combat, is mitigated by several factors including the existence and accessibility of suitable partners/targets, access to suitable training areas, and several more IC factors that slow the learning curve.
• Erodes the sense of mystery surrounding magick in the game.  When magickers are capable of progressing so quickly, and they do - because I have, it cheapens the moments and experiences when you meet a mage capable of doing something wondrous.  Several people have claimed that years ago there were just as many magicker characters as there are today.  I don't know about that, but I do know that of the magickers that did exist, there were only a handful that were even remotely close to being extremely powerful.  Those few magickers had taken much time to accrue those powers and became semi-legendary as being one of the few magickers, or perhaps the only magicker, capable of a particularly devastating or powerful spell.  Now it's a far easier and less wondrous road, and world.

> Their power potential:

• Creates issues by expecting deep support in a shallow environment.  What I mean by this is that there aren't enough magicker peers and entities to appropriately populate the high level magicker game.  There's a precious few and they walk as gods amidst the player base.  Warriors, rangers, assassins -- no matter how powerful they become, their inherent vulnerability and accessibility will always keep them well within reach of the many PC mundane organizations and groups operating at any given moment.  The same cannot be said of the magickers.
• Encourages plot development at a level mundanes cannot compete.  As a few others have mentioned, and linked to the point above, powerful magickers are in a position to easily begin, manipulate, or oppose almost any type of plot.  Because they are so capable in this regions, the surrounding challenges and obstacles generally need to be of the same degree of difficulty so that they cannot be overcome so easily by said magickers.  This sets the bar extremely high and often excludes any meaningful participation to the mundane populace when such plots are put into action.  It's even been stated by the Imms that they will often used magick-based characters to drive plots because it's simply easier to do.
• Creates too much overlap between magicker and mundane strengths.  Mundanes and magickers should both provide unique and useful skills and abilities that have limited amounts of overlap.  Magickers should not have spells that trivialize what mundanes can contribute.  Their powers and abilities should be focused on areas and niches that mundanes cannot do, which can still be powerful and frightening.  Over time, magickers have been granted more and more "cool spells" likely because there have been folks upstairs that enjoy that kind of thing and it's much easier to create 'spells' than balance a new mundane ability.  Not only did magickers become less vulnerable and more capable of defending themselves, they grew in power more quickly, and they gained more spells than before while the mundanes, largely, stayed exactly the same.

I agree with the people that mention going back to a skill progression system that crawls at a snail's pace wouldn't be very exciting, and I also agree that a system which doesn't allow mages to learn another ability no matter how much they practice is a major contributing factor to that boredom.  If changes were made, I would want to see the killing power potential of most magicker classes reduced, their spells largely increased in the areas of utility and defense, and their abilities designed more for integration with mundane game play and daily life than for opposition to it.  In addition, I would want to see elementalists capable of learning a few other skills that would allow them to take on additional tasks or better integrate into the mundane world.

Leave the irrational fear for the sorcerers and truly terrible beasts that are purposefully kept restricted by number or special appication, and allow the player to allow their character (mundane or magickal) to instill fear into the hearts of their fellow player-characters through their deeds rather than through the documentation.  Anyone can play a hatred and feared character.  I don't see a lot of benefit to hard wiring those feelings into the entire population through the documentation, but to allow them to ebb and flow with dynamic state of the game.

-LoD

[a strange shadow]

I was going to post, but then LOD said it all...

Anyway, I actually enjoy magick related plots in moderation (but love mundane plots unconditionally).

My major problem is the extreme difficulty a mundane faces in impacting plots which a mage can affect much more easily, and often more effectively.

[Fnord]

One issue that I've experienced is that while a solo magicker might be a threat, the fact that mages are ostracized nearly everywhere but 'Nak makes them band together. Is that realistic? Should mages trust each other? Doesn't matter. It's an OOC desire for interaction. Can't interact with the rest of the pbase? We're going to interact with each other, and form groups, and completely pwn your mundanes with our fiery-watery-electrical-shadow doom.

Solution? I've always thought more strain between opposite elements would be cool RP. Should Vivs and Krathis want to make sweet love? Maybe some documentation around which elements are sympathetic and antipathetic? As for allowing magickers to interact with the pbase more effectively so they don't seek each other out and form bands? You got me...

[Dalmeth]

Is attractive to the wrong type of players who want to embody the skills more than the role.

I honestly think this puts players of magickers in a bad light, but it's still a valid point.  People are attracted to magickers for their easy power.  The question is, why?  It's fairly simple.  It's the same reason everyone is attracted to great power.  They don't want to have to struggle to get what they want done.

It's this lack of struggle in magickers that rather irks me and disassociates them from a proper place in Zalanthas, where living is supposed to be a struggle.

[Gimfalisette]

*Ten years later, the game is ending. One can look to the history and timeline and come to understand why it is magick has become more prevalent. Guess what folks: it's because [SOMETHING IC HERE THAT FJ MENTIONED BUT WHICH I'M EDITING OUT]. He's brought hell with him. Furthermore, the world was originally close to being destroyed by magick. Zalanthas and magick are inextricably linked, joined at the hip rather, and for one to assume that magick should not be as prevalent as it currently is, well...is flat-out incorrect.

I'd be all A-OK with magickal super-plots being the only thing going if the world really was going to end in a month or three. But we're going on two years now since "The Announcement" and the beginning of the end of the world, and frankly it's just wearisome; and the true end is still nowhere in sight. I don't really give a fuck about [THE SOMETHING IC THAT FJ MENTIONED BUT WHICH I'M EDITING OUT]. I want to see -mundane- crime waves, -mundane- threats, -mundane- political plots, -mudane- drama. AFAIK, there hasn't been a large (multi-clan) imm-backed mundane plot since the conflict in Tuluk in fall '06. And so here we all are, holding our breath and waiting for the next uber-magickal happening. I'm fine with magick being prevalent, but I'm not fine with it being the only show on.

[Forest Junkie]

A character's world is dynamic, not static.  The moment a character points toward a town at the Hall of Kings, they begin adapting to their environment. 

I'm well aware of this.

It has nothing to do with OOC intention and everything to do with the IC environment that the mages are every bit as responsible for creating as the mundanes.  It's a 50/50 revolving door and if you don't like how it's spinning, you can do just as much to stop it as the others.

I already am. I plan mundanes.

That may be true if the documentation was being upheld on both ends, but it isn't.  Magick is not rare and mysterious.  It's common and overbearing in today's scene.  Within the first 2 hours of my latest PC, mining quietly outside of Allanak, I saw no less than 7 magickers, 2 casting outside of the gates within sight and 1 of them chasing me, unprovoked, down the road with obvious magickal properties.  Running in fear, I went into the local tavern to relay my tale of fright and wonder.  What I was met with were cold shoulder shrugs, two more magickers in the bar trying to defend themselves and their good intentions, and a handful of mundanes growing angry with me because I was making their magicker friends upset.

And? I haven't seen a single magicker with my pc as of yet. Another point to note is, you were around Allanak. Gemmed mages live there. There are pc gemmed mages. A+B=you will see magickers. I've never had a scene such as yours unfold, but if you'd really like to get away from magick, I suggest a loner hunter, or perhaps a character in Tuluk.

Neither is what I'd prefer to see, but it's a natural IC byproduct of the situation and not a series of OOC motivated schemes from other players.

You speak as if the game should be molded to your preference. Sorry, but that's just not the case. I agree with you that I'd like to see more grit and harshness, i.e. mundanes shunning mages, but guess what, it's the mundanes that are befriending them! No one is forcing them to be chummy with a wiggler, right?

If you are in the wastes and see a mundane or ten in an area, I have advice for you: stop going there.  Become nervous that you will be discovered.  Run away, go somewhere else!  Find a new spot to practice your magicks.  It's not like mundanes are crawling about like a hill of ants.  People are having knee-jerk reactions to any meaningful discussion about the flaws inherent in today's documentation and existing system and that is what's getting old to me.

Why are you speaking to me as if it's myself who only plays mages and waltzes into a group of mundanes showing off my buffness? When I play mages I generally keep to myself and shy away from mundanes, unless I spot one I can possibly ally with. You're really preaching to the choir.

There are just issues with the current game that have grown over the last several years which impact magicker and mundane alike, and dealing with those has become increasingly difficult for the more vocal of the bunch.

You're absolutely right, but from the looks of it, the most vocal detractors are rather few in number in comparison to the rest of the mud's population. I know of many individuals who have no problem with magick in its current incarnation.

> Their rapid skill progression:

Halaster already posted on at least two separate instances that this was intentional. Besides, mundanes can become just as power on a relative scale if the player so wishes. It's merely more important to become more powerful with a rogue mage because if one has no friends, then they must rely on their magick to survive, correct?

[l

• Is attractive to the wrong type of players who want to embody the skills more than the role. In a similar vein to when free muls were running willy nilly.  They all but disappeared when their karma was raised substantially and were being held more tightly to adhere to the documentation and play slaves.  When that instant power was no longer easily attainable by players that simply wanted the fierce ability to kill, the number of roles began to drop.  Funny how that works.

Actually, I find it funny how you are drawing conclusions based on something that happened eight years ago. I also think it's pretty pathetic of you to make such accusations in regards to the playerbase. Obviously, if someone has karma for a mage, then that means the staff trusts them to handle the role properly. How about you exercise some trust in the staff?

• Fails to instill the appropriate sense of investment in a character which can govern and impact one's decision making process.  Why worry about dying due to rash behavior or unrealistic game play when I can have a similarly skilled mage in a matter of days?

Have you ever played a magicker? I'm of the opinion that it takes alot of time and effort to invest into a magicker in order to bring them and their surroundings to life. (nevermind, I read further down below)

[l

• Creates issues by expecting deep support in a shallow environment.  What I mean by this is that there aren't enough magicker peers and entities to appropriately populate the high level magicker game.  There's a precious few and they walk as gods amidst the player base.  Warriors, rangers, assassins -- no matter how powerful they become, their inherent vulnerability and accessibility will always keep them well within reach of the many PC mundane organizations and groups operating at any given moment.  The same cannot be said of the magickers.

I can honestly say that you are very mistaken. Try pissing off Kurac with a mage. Trust me when I say that you will not live long.

• Encourages plot development at a level mundanes cannot compete.

I explained earlier that mages were different, but not necessarily better, than mundanes. You can't expect the same type of plots with a mundane as you would with a mage. It wouldn't make sense. There are tons of mundane plots going on right now that would be killer to be involved with. However, if you're a mage, you're out of luck. The same could be said with mage plots and mundanes trying to get in on the action. Do you see where I'm going with this?

As a few others have mentioned, and linked to the point above, powerful magickers are in a position to easily begin, manipulate, or oppose almost any type of plot.

Really?

• Creates too much overlap between magicker and mundane strengths.  Mundanes and magickers should both provide unique and useful skills and abilities that have limited amounts of overlap.  Magickers should not have spells that trivialize what mundanes can contribute.

LoD, magickers are...magickers. They control the element in question they share an affinity with. How can they not trivialize what mundanes can contribute to their cause? The same can be said of mundanes trivializing what mages can contribute. I can't count the number of times I watched in awe with a particular mage as a ranger killed critters with a single arrow. This was something I couldn't accomplish unless I used all but my most powerful of spells, and even then, just watching them exert so little energy in the act made my character envious of them. The same can be said of other mundane skills, such as bash, subdue, scan, hunt, and skinning. These lack of these skills severely hinder mages, effectively leaving them as glass cannons. Hence, mages and mundanes have been balanced in such a way that it works better for them to team up. Something like this is possible in Allanak, whereas in Tuluk such a thing could bring about charges of treason. I hope I'm not rambling - does this make sense thus far?

Their powers and abilities should be focused on areas and niches that mundanes cannot do, which can still be powerful and frightening.

I don't understand - this is how the system currently works, for both sides of the coin. See my above paragraph.

Over time, magickers have been granted more and more "cool spells" likely because there have been folks upstairs that enjoy that kind of thing and it's much easier to create 'spells' than balance a new mundane ability.

You know what? You're absolutely right. And no, I'm not being snarky here. It's true that a particular immortal decided to spend the bulk of their time working on the magick system. If another immortal sought to, I'm sure they could work with the mundane skills in a similar fashion.

Not only did magickers become less vulnerable and more capable of defending themselves, they grew in power more quickly, and they gained more spells than before while the mundanes, largely, stayed exactly the same.

Agreed. See above.

[Forest Junkie]

*Ten years later, the game is ending. One can look to the history and timeline and come to understand why it is magick has become more prevalent. Guess what folks: it's because a goddamn dragon, THE dragon, the size of the Superdome, has returned. He's brought hell with him. Furthermore, the world was originally close to being destroyed by magick. Zalanthas and magick are inextricably linked, joined at the hip rather, and for one to assume that magick should not be as prevalent as it currently is, well...is flat-out incorrect.

I'd be all A-OK with magickal super-plots being the only thing going if the world really was going to end in a month or three. But we're going on two years now since "The Announcement" and the beginning of the end of the world, and frankly it's just wearisome; and the true end is still nowhere in sight. I don't really give a fuck about Echri and his evil henchmen of d00m. I want to see -mundane- crime waves, -mundane- threats, -mundane- political plots, -mudane- drama. AFAIK, there hasn't been a large (multi-clan) imm-backed mundane plot since the conflict in Tuluk in fall '06. And so here we all are, holding our breath and waiting for the next uber-magickal happening. I'm fine with magick being prevalent, but I'm not fine with it being the only show on.

Gimf, no one is stopping you from creating a mundane plot. I reiterate, you do not have to have an immortal to back your plot. If you get enough players involved, I can promise you a staff member will take interest and pick up the plot line to help move it along.

Also, please refrain from posting such IC information on the boards. I know you're frustrated, but bringing in information other players may not have knowledge of is not really polite.

[Desertman]

I dont like them because they can kill me in one hit. I could say..."I dont like it because the DOCUMENTATION says they should much more rare."...But I will live up to it. I dont like it because they are extremely powerful, and thus, can kill me in one hit....I dont think I need to explain why that bothers me.

If I didnt have one-hit wonders walking around me constantly, it wouldnt be so bad. But I can only encounter so many PC's that are capable of destroying entire units of mundanes before it really starts to lose its luster, and just becomes annoying.

"Oh look, another uber magicker, thats the third one today...Get me another ale."

I have always been in favor of keeping magick, just limiting the number of active non-mundanes the game can have at any time.

We already do this with psions, and noone cries and complains. (And yes, we do, I can post the Staff email if you want to disagree with me about it, it is OOC'ly limited)

Why dont we just apply the same OOC staff enforced regulation to Elementalists? I dont see what the big fucking deal is.

If someone wants to cry and complain because they want to play a Krathi, but there are already five Krathi's in game....Tough fucking luck, shut up and make something else, or dont play.

Of course, keep in mind this is coming from someone who doesnt play magickers. I dont enjoy playing magickers. But I also feel an OOC responsibility to not add to the problem of "Too Many Magickers" as it is.

I think we all have that OOC responsibility, and if people would live up to that, and stop being douche bags who just want to be "powerful", we wouldnt have this thread right now.

Yes, I called them douche bags. I didnt point out anyone imparticular, that was just a general overall statment not aimed at a specific being, and therefore, not a flame, but a widespanning expression of dissapointment. 

[Forest Junkie]

I agree with Desertman, though I think reviewing how the karma system works could be more appropriate. The reason psionicists are limited is because they require the maximum amount of karma attainable, and they are also the guild with the most potential for power in the game.

Same with sorcerors.

[Desertman]

I agree with Desertman, though I think reviewing how the karma system works could be more appropriate. The reason psionicists are limited is because they require the maximum amount of karma attainable, and they are also the guild with the most potential for power in the game.

Same with sorcerors.

When it comes down to...ONE HIT KILL....It doesnt really matter if its a fireball, or having your brain melted.

A one hit kill, is a one hit kill.

Its like argueing if you want to be blown to bits with a hand grenade or a stick of dynamite...Same end result.

I just propose we limit the ALL one hit killers, and not just some. Doesnt make any sense that we dont really.

[Gimfalisette]

Also, please refrain from posting such IC information on the boards. I know you're frustrated, but bringing in information other players may not have knowledge of is not really polite.

I guess you completely missed the part where the IC info is contained in your post? Maybe you should edit. I edited your quote in my post, for reference if you need it.

Gimf, no one is stopping you from creating a mundane plot. I reiterate, you do not have to have an immortal to back your plot. If you get enough players involved, I can promise you a staff member will take interest and pick up the plot line to help move it along.

You continually smokescreen the issue of plots. The question at hand is about imm-backed super-plots that have the potential to involve many, many characters. You are attempting to divert attention from the problem by claiming that those who want MUNDANE plots of this kind somehow have the power to whip them up. Having played mundane leadership characters for a good long while now (with, in theory, imm backing), I have to say your perspective on the issue is naive.

[LoD]

Edited to keep focused on OP's topic.

[Lizzie]

But it is SO common, that it's easy to just shrug it off and say "so go kill them, and don't forget to pick me up a quart of milk on the way home."

Desertman wrote:

"Oh look, another uber magicker, thats the third one today...Get me another ale."

I agree with Desertman...

...

[Is Friday]

I hate interacting reacting to magick and talking about magick IC because it seems like mine are one of the few characters around that is genuinely afraid across the board. Seems pretty casual conversation in my experience, to everyone else.

[Morrolan]

On topic (What is your problem with magickers/magick?):

My problem with magickers is that much of magick is centered around combat.

Maybe most players dont want to play a magicker who can find someone's lost sword, assist with childbirth, put a curse on a thief, and make a lucky charm and a love potion...

...but I guess I do.

Morrolan

[a strange shadow]

A great point by Morrolan.

[AmandaGreathouse]

On topic (What is your problem with magickers/magick?):

My problem with magickers is that much of magick is centered around combat.

Maybe most players dont want to play a magicker who can find someone's lost sword, assist with childbirth, put a curse on a thief, and make a lucky charm and a love potion...

...but I guess I do.

Morrolan

Wow, I don't have the karma to play a mage and have always wanted to, but that killed it for me. Killed it DEAD. I would think, with as much as I have seen on here about the 'awesome different ways that magickers skills are/work/branch', that I was really hoping for something that was, primarily, well, noncombative.

*said the girl who loves a good merchant/crafter role where you never have to fight anything but prices*

If this is true, I see myself playing one, just one, just to see what its like before the curtains close. Same as I have with other classes which were tailored -skillwise- around stuff I had no real interest in.

[Marauder Moe]

Wow, I don't have the karma to play a mage and have always wanted to, but that killed it for me. Killed it DEAD.

Don't listen to him.  You should still play a magicker.  They're fun.

[Rahnevyn]

The way the pot is being allowed to boil over. Why don't the staff step in and make some definitive rulings? Instead, we're left to argue among ourselves, with the only result being increased ill will.

I'm sure many of you won't want to take my word on this, but I believe the issue here is as much player perception as anything else. By and large, the players I see running mages right now are doing a good job. They don't seem to be obnoxious, they don't seem to be too numerous, and they don't seem to be smashing down plots. For whatever reason, magickers seem to be used as a scapegoat for everything that is perceived wrong with the game at the moment, but oftentimes I think the blame is unfairly placed.

Of course, I have a perspective that you all don't. As a player, I actually agreed with many of the sentiments I see expressed in all these threads. One of the surprising things I learned when I came on staff was that the actual situation in the game isn't nearly as bad as one would think when you read the GDB. Many staff are also making a conscious effort to keep plots mundane, or focused on mundane characters.

So please, if you can, just trust us. Step back, take a deep breath, and go play your character in the game. Start creating all these mundane plots -- many of you posters are in a position to do it, and have done it before. Don't worry about other players so much, let the staff police them. It's our job, yours is to have fun.

If you'd like, feel free to email me at Rahnevyn@armageddon.org (and cc mud) if you think you have specific, current issues with the magick code or mage characters that are absolutely ruining your plots or your fun in game. I'll extend my ear to you so you can all vent. I'm not promising I'll reply, or that anything will be done, but I'll take a look at things and perhaps note them for Higher Attention. I'm interested in community feedback on this.

But please, everybody, cool down the GDB a bit.

[Gimfalisette]

Wow, I don't have the karma to play a mage and have always wanted to, but that killed it for me.

Even if magickers could do lots and lots of nifty non-combat stuff, the fact is they'd still be limited as to how and when they could do these things while the documentation stands that they are feared/hated and that magick is dangerous to even be near. There will never be a Vivaduan midwife practicing regularly on mundanes, no one will openly go to a Whiran for luck charms. Magickers wanting to practice in this manner would have a very difficult time finding a clientele; I've seen it tried and slapped down ICly by PCs in authority, even. Magick would have to be widely regarded as safe and acceptable for this to happen openly.

I also see this as a drawback of mages, not being a huge fan of combat myself. It's disappointing that there are not more options for mages.

[Mood]

My problem with magickers is that rangers always twink-kill me before I branch.

[Is Friday]

One issue that I've experienced is that while a solo magicker might be a threat, the fact that mages are ostracized nearly everywhere but 'Nak makes them band together. Is that realistic? Should mages trust each other? Doesn't matter. It's an OOC desire for interaction. Can't interact with the rest of the pbase? We're going to interact with each other, and form groups, and completely pwn your mundanes with our fiery-watery-electrical-shadow doom.

Solution? I've always thought more strain between opposite elements would be cool RP. Should Vivs and Krathis want to make sweet love? Maybe some documentation around which elements are sympathetic and antipathetic? As for allowing magickers to interact with the pbase more effectively so they don't seek each other out and form bands? You got me...

In my opinion, being that most magickers come from ignorant commoner breeding, they hardly understand their own element--let alone others. The unknown breeds fear. I don't think any magicker should feel comfortable with any other magicker, for fear of what they might know that you do not, (if you're the same element, or sometimes in others,) or for mis-understanding or fear of what a krathi might be capable of (says the rukkian/drovian/viv/elkran... and obviously vice versa.)

The fact that so many magickers are played as "I have a deep understanding of what is happening, how things work, even in other elements..." is irking to me. This probably stems from players who play magickers liking to play them semi-often.

There is no reason for magickers not to fear themselves, even after they come to terms with what they are. Magick is not a science IC. Most "science and philosophy" in Zalanthas is based on superstition and what the eye can see, not to mention fear.

Where is the fear these days?

[Mood]

It's really not difficult to see gemmers learning a fair bit about their elements, and magick in general. After all, according to the descriptions of rooms in the elemental temples, and the NPCs that populate the Elementalist's Quarter, gemmers do a lot of meditating and pondering, presumably on their elements.

[Desertman]

My problem with magickers is that rangers always twink-kill me before I branch.

Sorry about that...Seeing them floating about in the distance makes my bow arm tingle.

[Janna]

To the OP: I have no problem with mages, the class/guild (I've played a grand total of 3 in four or five years out of like 30 characters)

I -do- have a problem when the -players- of -mundanes- or leaders ramrod a spoon down your throat to like/accept mages because they're important to them/some plot/friends IC or whatever the case may be and toss the docs clean out the window.

Now, with that said, I'm going to completely screw this thread up and give a -kudos- to the whole of the playerbase. For the last three months (from my perspective of course, others can disagree) I have seen some of the BEST RP from everyone. With the exception of the occasional blip, everyone has been stellar. Mages doing their thing, mundanes doing theirs and all mostly within the docs. I've seen plenty IC (naturally I won't speak of them) to deal with fear/loathing of mages, racial put-downs, mages being scary etc, etc.. So..awesome job to everyone.

As to mundane plots not being made and/or uber compared to magickal ones, I'm afraid I have to disagree but the proof as to why I say so is way to recent. Also, to touch on mages or mindbenders 'wrecking' plots - ....I'm afraid I just haven't seen this either. I can understand wanting to go up at something mundane to mundane (I love this myself) and being a bit disappointed if a bender or mage nosed in on it, but wouldn't that only open up three -more- options for RP? Have the noisy mage/bender killed (it's still not that hard if you work at it) Use them to help you in some capacity, or start some sort of rivalry with them? Forgive me, but it seems a bit rude to me to say a comment like that that players of mages or benders 'wreck plots' by getting involved in them. It has the same ring to it as inviting all the school classroom to your birthday party except little Amos because he has the one lazy eye (who cares about his fun or feelings?)

It's a bit of a fine line to walk in such cases, because maybe having Amos there ruins your fun in order to give him some. You just -can't- please everyone. It's impossible, so sometimes (and our playerbase is far more then capable of this) take one for the team, and likely you'll get the same favor in turn? Give and take?

Trust your fellow players/staff, take a breath and have some fun with the game.

my sids.