Guide to playing an assassin

[Riya OniSenshi]

KJV is better =P

Anyway, while interesting, it's not too descriptive - but then what do you want from something thousands of years old...

Only thing I can add is the less likely you are to seem an assassin, the better... Though sometimes that has the opposite effect and makes everyone think you're up to something...

[DustMight]

I'm for dropping the guild completely, myself, especially if there are excellent options in the extended subguilds.
I'm not sure the game, as a whole, gains anything with assassin guild characters - especially as has been mentioned in the thread you don't need to be an assassin to BE an assassin. 

derail
And we should just combine warrior/ranger and get rid of the individual guilds also.
/derail

[titansfan]

I like having all the options. There are plenty of uses for assassin guild, ranger guild, and warrior guild. Any consolidation of guilds will only make things more dull imo. I strongly believe the main guilds are fine where there are.

[DustMight]

My .02.

The FAQ asks this question:  "How do I practise backstab/sap with the appropriate RP?"

The FAQ never answers the question "how do I practice backstab/sap" at all...so adding "appropriate RP" is, I think pointless.

You could say how to practice <insert any skill> with appropriate RP" and have the same paragraph underneath.  I think what happens is that new assassins (or newbie assassins) quickly get frustrated because they don't know how to practice their skillz.  With a warrior, it's pretty straight forward.  With a thief it can be pretty straight forward.  With an assassin - maybe it's not.

That's my only critique.  The FAQ question promises a lot but delivers very little.  Newb assassins will continue to make the same mistakes.

[Creslin]

I like having all the options. There are plenty of uses for assassin guild, ranger guild, and warrior guild. Any consolidation of guilds will only make things more dull imo. I strongly believe the main guilds are fine where there are.

Agree 100%. I enjoy the choices, variety and specialization this brings to the game - no need to change this.

[Patuk]

My .02.

The FAQ asks this question:  "How do I practise backstab/sap with the appropriate RP?"

The FAQ never answers the question "how do I practice backstab/sap" at all...so adding "appropriate RP" is, I think pointless.

You could say how to practice <insert any skill> with appropriate RP" and have the same paragraph underneath.  I think what happens is that new assassins (or newbie assassins) quickly get frustrated because they don't know how to practice their skillz.  With a warrior, it's pretty straight forward.  With a thief it can be pretty straight forward.  With an assassin - maybe it's not.

That's my only critique.  The FAQ question promises a lot but delivers very little.  Newb assassins will continue to make the same mistakes.

I'm starting to fear that I'm sounding like a troll far too often, but.. Well. Do -you- have any suggestions?

[DustMight]

My .02.

The FAQ asks this question:  "How do I practise backstab/sap with the appropriate RP?"

The FAQ never answers the question "how do I practice backstab/sap" at all...so adding "appropriate RP" is, I think pointless.

You could say how to practice <insert any skill> with appropriate RP" and have the same paragraph underneath.  I think what happens is that new assassins (or newbie assassins) quickly get frustrated because they don't know how to practice their skillz.  With a warrior, it's pretty straight forward.  With a thief it can be pretty straight forward.  With an assassin - maybe it's not.

That's my only critique.  The FAQ question promises a lot but delivers very little.  Newb assassins will continue to make the same mistakes.

I'm starting to fear that I'm sounding like a troll far too often, but.. Well. Do -you- have any suggestions?

Hell no.  I have never played a success assassin. 

[Yam]

Kill stuff/mug people.

[jstorrie]

I'm starting to fear that I'm sounding like a troll far too often, but.. Well. Do -you- have any suggestions?

1. Leave backstab/sap for last; you don't start training your warrior by focusing on trample and blind-fighting, do you? Learn the basics of stealth and of melee combat, which are fairly easy (sneak around and spar with people).
2. Find a PC who can train you via the teach command, so that you can get up to a moderate level of experience without having to 'grind' as much.
3. Backstab people and/or monsters for some valid in-character reason.
4. If you really want sap, consider choosing a subguild which starts with it.

Honestly, backstab and sap are sweet, but the average assassin-classed PC is going to get a lot more mileage out of poison, parry, throw, and basic weapons skills. You absolutely do not need to train backstab or sap to start assassinating people, either.

[Synthesis]

Teach is basically useless from what I've been able to gather, but the rest of the advice is alright.  You don't need to grind backstab and sap, because they increase very, very quickly if you understand the mechanics of training and know how to maximize your failure rate.

[Is Friday]

I'm starting to fear that I'm sounding like a troll far too often, but.. Well. Do -you- have any suggestions?

1. Leave backstab/sap for last; you don't start training your warrior by focusing on trample and blind-fighting, do you? Learn the basics of stealth and of melee combat, which are fairly easy (sneak around and spar with people).
2. Find a PC who can train you via the teach command, so that you can get up to a moderate level of experience without having to 'grind' as much.
3. Backstab people and/or monsters for some valid in-character reason.
4. If you really want sap, consider choosing a subguild which starts with it.

5. Try not to act like Batman or an anime character, it just makes people want to kill you.

[jstorrie]

You don't really need to grind backstab or sap at all, in all honesty.

Just have your PC learn how to fight, like any other PC would, and then use backstab or sap to initiate fights where possible. You'll skill up quickly enough.

5. Try not to act like Batman or an anime character, it just makes people want to kill you.

Lies. Everyone knows that the skull-shaped, skull-embroidered blackened skull-beast skull codpiece gives +5 to backstabby.

[Synthesis]

The whole point of having backstab is that your character sucks at fighting, so he cheats a little.  Thus, advising people to "train combat" before learning how to backstab kind of defeats the purpose.

I guess it's good advice for staying alive and all that, but it's terrible advice for roleplaying a dirty scumbag.  I guess it comes down to "ninja assassin" vs. "gangs of new york assassin."

[jstorrie]

But the character class that starts with backstab does not suck at combat.

If you want your PC to be a guy who kills guys, it makes sense for you to get him some combat training, whether he's a ninja or a dirty scumbag, I think.

[Synthesis]

But the character class that starts with backstab does not suck at combat.

If you want your PC to be a guy who kills guys, it makes sense for you to get him some combat training, whether he's a ninja or a dirty scumbag, I think.

Every class sucks at combat when they start out, so I'm not sure what you mean by that.

And I suppose it all depends on what you think is implied by "some combat training."  If getting in a bunch of street scraps counts, then I agree.  However, I think being sat down and taught and/or demonstrated to is a scenario that isn't necessarily universally applicable.

[Jingo]

You don't really need to grind backstab or sap at all, in all honesty.

Just have your PC learn how to fight, like any other PC would, and then use backstab or sap to initiate fights where possible. You'll skill up quickly enough.

This is the truth of it. You arn't going to be able to train backstab without getting into fights of some kind. I feel for the elf assassins that can't join a military clan.

[spicemustflow]

The whole point of having backstab is that your character sucks at fighting, so he cheats a little.  Thus, advising people to "train combat" before learning how to backstab kind of defeats the purpose.

murder

[Synthesis]

The whole point of having backstab is that your character sucks at fighting, so he cheats a little.  Thus, advising people to "train combat" before learning how to backstab kind of defeats the purpose.

stuff

That isn't even partially intimated in the help files, so you probably should go back and delete it, whether it's true or not.

[Dar]

He doesn't have to delete it. He's voicing his opinion. It does feel a little weird and off, but whatever.

[Synthesis]

There are certain things about game mechanics that are better left unsaid on the GDB.

I know this, because I've been banned for it before.

[spicemustflow]

K, I'll edit it out. I should probably add that I have a talent in drawing wrong conclusions about the code

[chrisdcoulombe]

You need to kill all the witnesses. 

[Schrodingers Cat]

I feel for the elf assassins that can't join a military clan.

Elven assassins can join the Byn and save the stabbing for while on contract/desert patrols/training, etc.  But then that has a whole bunch of other problems like being a elf in the Byn that actually goes on contracts.

[Is Friday]

Elves can join the Kuraci Fist, too.

[Schrodingers Cat]

Elves can join the Kuraci Fist, too.

I hadn't thought of this.  But this might be and even better clan for an elven assassin wanting to become a competent/bad ass fighter.