How do you feel about PC killing?

[Wastrel]

Of course it happens. And I'm sure this topic has been made a couple times before, however I think a fresh 2013-take would be neat. It must be a pretty big deal to some players. I've never had one of my PCs kill another PC (well one time I came across a dying dude on the verge of death, rifled through his possessions, then stabbed him to put him out of his misery - but thats different), and I'm sure if it came down to that I'd try to give that player his just due via proper roleplaying and do so with full knowledge that this is what my character wants. It must be a pretty big burden if you aren't completely callous. Killing someone's character, who they've put so much effort and love into crafting.

On the flip side, I could see other players sadistically getting off on the fact in the knowledge you just ruined that player's PC. It might even get addicting...

Share your experiences. Have you killed? Yes? No? How did it make you feel as a player? As a person? I guess it sort of depends on your character and that character's motivations. Like if you're putting down some bandits I'm sure you'd have no qualms about it - they were asking for it, but...what about coldblooded murder, murder most foul ?

[Marauder Moe]

Good topic.

On the flip side, I could see other players sadistically getting off on the fact in the knowledge you just ruined that player's PC. It might even get addicting...

I really hope no one feels this way.  As people, Armageddon players seem to be a largely respectful and mature bunch.

That's not to say that a player kill can never be exciting/fun/satisfying/whatever, but it would be so because of the drama of the story, not just because you get some glee from destroying someone's beloved creation.

My own feelings have ranged from satisfaction to regret.  It all depends on the situation.
(EDIT: Well, not always "regret" as in I feel like I did the wrong thing in the situation, but rather sorrow for the victim player/character's misfortune.  But sometimes actual regret too where I wish things had occurred differently.)

[Drayab]

The stories of all characters end eventually. The only question is how it happens. Some get killed by carru or fall of the shield wall. Some characters fade into the background when the player gets bored. The luckiest will get killed by another PC in an interesting scene. My favorite PC death was getting ninja'd for being in the wrong place with the wrong clothes on. I loved that character, but the death is what I remember most of all.

[musashi]

In the words of Tyrion, "Death is so final. But life ... is full of possibilities."

I don't shy away from killing characters if the circumstance warrants it, but I aim to try and make it memorable as well.
When in a grey area, I tend to lean towards something other than death be it disfigurement, robbing, humiliation, whatever.

[Wastrel]

The stories of all characters end eventually. The only question is how it happens. Some get killed by carru or fall of the shield wall. Some characters fade into the background when the player gets bored. The luckiest will get killed by another PC in an interesting scene. My favorite PC death was getting ninja'd for being in the wrong place with the wrong clothes on. I loved that character, but the death is what I remember most of all.

Ninja'd?

[Drayab]

aka backstab instakill

[Fujikoma]

I've never directly killed a PC, to my knowledge... That being said, I have witnessed a few incidents where my character may have inspired someone else to murder... And I was quite pleased with the ones I have knowledge of, but there was a good reason behind it.

[ShaLeah]

All my characters are okay with killing anyone. Even though some might struggle with the decision is they're attached they still worry about #1 primarily, fuck everyone else.

I personally think there should be more murdering.

[Kismetic]

It's worth noting that people will sometimes bring their RL notions of the "value of life" into the game.  Imagine the crappiest, most barbaric, child-slaughtering third world country possible, and you still have to multiply it to get par with the world of Zalanthas.  Do I have a problem with killing in this world?  No way!  It was them or me.

[Fredd]

All depends on my PC. I play some who are much more likely to ruin your life through rumors if they get pissed at you. And I play some that will take any measure they see fit to achieve there goals, including paying people to kill people, or doing it themselves, depending on there guild/subguild. I've also played some that wouldn't take a life of another humanoid period, and some that would only kill dwarves/breeds/elves because they are just animals anyways.


OOCly I have no problem PKing. But the one time I played a PK heavy pc (a raider) I always RPed, and only killed people that attacked, ran, or refused to pay up.

[Vwest]

It's worth noting that people will sometimes bring their RL notions of the "value of life" into the game.  Imagine the crappiest, most barbaric, child-slaughtering third world country possible, and you still have to multiply it to get par with the world of Zalanthas.  Do I have a problem with killing in this world?  No way!  It was them or me.

Sorry, even in the 'rinth that kind of thing wouldn't be tolerated.

That is another example of the GDB exaggerating things beyond belief. I have never seen 'child slaughtering', common racial cleansing or full on extermination of mass populations. I wouldn't be surprised if it has happened before, but in a world where every resource is precious and populations are low (Since we're using 'real' comparisons, most 'drive through' states have many times Zalanthas entire world population, I believe), that kind of thing would be impossibly devastating to any pocket of civilization.

Even in the wasteland where there is no tangible sense of law, it is rare for a tribe to become exterminated, as I understand it.

It's "murder, corruption, betrayal" not "psycho child mass murder cannibal land".

[Marauder Moe]

Agreed.

Zalanthas is a harsh world, but not unsustainably so.  It's been more or less stable for more than a thousand years.

[Hicksville Hoochie]

I've PKed very few times over my time played, and usually don't end up in positions where its needed, but the few times I have done so, they have usually been VERY awesome moments.

I've been kill-spam PK'd before, and it wasn't exactly fun or remarkable though, so I try to remember that if I ever have to kill someone's PC, and do what I can to make it fun for them!

[ShaLeah]

It's worth noting that people will sometimes bring their RL notions of the "value of life" into the game.  Imagine the crappiest, most barbaric, child-slaughtering third world country possible, and you still have to multiply it to get par with the world of Zalanthas.  Do I have a problem with killing in this world?  No way!  It was them or me.

Sorry, even in the 'rinth that kind of thing wouldn't be tolerated.

That is another example of the GDB exaggerating things beyond belief. I have never seen 'child slaughtering', common racial cleansing or full on extermination of mass populations. I wouldn't be surprised if it has happened before, but in a world where every resource is precious and populations are low (Since we're using 'real' comparisons, most 'drive through' states have many times Zalanthas entire world population, I believe), that kind of thing would be impossibly devastating to any pocket of civilization.

Even in the wasteland where there is no tangible sense of law, it is rare for a tribe to become exterminated, as I understand it.

It's "murder, corruption, betrayal" not "psycho child mass murder cannibal land".

Infanticide and filicide are both forms of murder. I suspect the reason we -don't- see it is because the start are is 13 and they're considered adults compared to modern day and no matter how great a roleplayer you are, there is gonna be some shit you cannot live with.

I agree with Kismet though my personal spectrum isn't quite as extreme. The famines we see on those feed the children commercials (sans do gooders trying to save them), the genocide... I'd say it's worse on Zalanthas.

Just because one place "civilizes" barbaric behavior doesn't make it any less barbaric, it makes it even more so.

[Cutthroat]

I've had a few PKs (including "proxy PKs" like telling someone to kill someone else). I don't feel good or bad about it as a player - it just moves the story along. I prefer to let my characters have a good reason to kill - as a last resort or simply the only means to an end (or of course, when the victim deserves it). I think random murder can be indistinguishable from griefing if you're not careful with how you roleplay all these killings.

I think a society like Zalanthas has answers for people who kill more than they should, where that special amount is determined by the person's lot in life.

[Kismetic]

It's "murder, corruption, betrayal" not "psycho child mass murder cannibal land".

The point I was trying to make facetiously was that your average Zalanthan's morals and your average player's are far and wide apart.  I used that as an example, because I count it as the least moral act in our society, hopefully (no, not really) driving the point home that the world is gritty, and people will do some downright evil shit for a sip of water.

In a world like that, I, as a player, have no problem being the executioner or the one hanging in the gallows.  It's all Zalanthas.

[Wug]

I enjoy it.

[Refugee]

I'm ok with it, if it makes sense.

For instance, if you've decided to play a raider or a rogue mage, or to venture into lands where you know you shouldn't be, or to insult and taunt the big bad warrior, you've tacitly given your permission to be PK'd.  I'd not give a second thought OOCly to taking you down, depending on my PC of course.

I'm not really interested in playing someone who just goes around killing people because I can, for no other reason than to take their stuff, but it makes sense that there are people like that in Zalanthas.  I like that they are few and far between, and usually seem to prefer to RP than to kill.  Anyway it makes good plots to find them and take them out!

[Fredd]

I enjoy it.

But when you do it, don't you end up killing entire groups of us?

[RogueGunslinger]

PK has always been an elusive, romanticized, distant dream for me in Arm. I've always had visions of setting up the perfect assassination, or having my character fly off the handle in a key emotional scene and slaughter someone out of rage, or outwitting another more skilled PC into a position that was advantageous for me... But the only times I ever got the chance to PK it was like having sex for the first time. I was nervous, it was over all too quick, and I had this weird shameful feeling like I didn't something wrong. Or at least didn't do it right enough.


I've only PK'd 3 or so people, so I feel like I haven't really been able to get any better at it and give people the death they deserve.

[musashi]

I enjoy it.

[Fredd]

PK has always been an elusive, romanticized, distant dream for me in Arm. I've always had visions of setting up the perfect assassination, or having my character fly off the handle in a key emotional scene and slaughter someone out of rage, or outwitting another more skilled PC into a position that was advantageous for me... But the only times I ever got the chance to PK it was like having sex for the first time. I was nervous, it was over all too quick, and I had this weird shameful feeling like I didn't something wrong. Or at least didn't do it right enough.


I've only PK'd 3 or so people, so I feel like I haven't really been able to get any better at it and give people the death they deserve.

I wonder how many of these were me..... >.>

[roughneck]

I had the opportunity to fire someone at work a little while ago, for the first time in my life. It felt enough like pk'ing someone's beloved character that I actually compared the two as I ruminated on the day's events on my drive home.

Pk is exciting and dramatic, I love it.

[Norcal]

PK rocks if you do it right. I only regret the ones I did wrong, and not the fact that I PK'd but the fact that I did not do a good job with the RP. I really kick myself for that.

I do not agree with the sociopath PC that goes killing for no real IC reason. PK has to make sense.

So I am ok with PK. In the end, everyone has to die and if it can be done artfully then how cool is that?

[Barsook]

Pk is exciting and dramatic, I love it.