Summon help

[Dresan]

Within the game I believe non-combat RP oriented character are sometimes too vulnerable especially given their social and economic power.

I don't think the game adequately reflects how easy it would be for one of these PC to summon a soldier or guard to their aid if required. Again lets face it, ideally everyone would want to call their militia buddy if in trouble, but RL realities do not allow for this. I think the game should do a bit more to reflect the economic wealth and social status of certain PCs. Additionally I like the idea of players earning more commands or abilities with in the game that don't involve becoming magickal creatures. 

The ability summon help is simple. As PC who has earned this ability is able to call a (human) guard or nearby solider for help over way, who would rush over and scan the area, maybe even guard then for a very short while until PC leaves the room. If the PC is attacked or is being attacked, they would incriminate the offender and engage the attacker and rescue the PC. If the PC is fine, the solider/guard would leave returning to their original location after a short while if nothing has happened.

This ability would have a financial cost. At least 1000 sid would immediately be withdraw from your bank account to every time you use it, if you do not have this fee then no one is coming to help you. Additionally a fee (bribe) would have to be paid monthly to the local powers to ensure guards or soldiers are willing to give a shit about you, aides (certain clanned merchants) may have this fee waived. This isn't an ability everyone starts with or will ever have, it is something PC should earn though social or ecomonic means.

Some fancier apartments would have soldiers or guard nearby, PC clans have their guard too who could respond to help clanned merchants, etc etc. Again if you live in shitty location you might find the solider or guard will need to run a long way before getting to you so you may need to invest in good location. Ultimately this doesn't replace having PC friends, but just because a merchant's PC friends are not around shouldn't mean they are as helpless as they currently are in game.

Basically any civilized location should provide the valuable squishies with more means of protecting themselves and the money they generate for the local powers.

[AdamBlue]

I can get behind people not literally being gunned down in the streets and the guards just shrugging and pretending nothing is wrong because the attackers have master hide and ergo do not exist.

[Dresan]

To be clear not just any soldier or guard would care or come. These soldier/guard would be in specific locations and would need to come over.

Poorer locations or less savory location would probably not have these guard/soldiers anywhere nearby, after all these guys are basically coming to help for the money, locations without playing customers are not worth their time to hang around in.

Again it just means that for merchants/aide that want to feel safer they'll have to ensure are living in the right (more expensive) areas etc.

[NinjaFruitSalad]

I mean, I like the idea of being able to summon a guard over to help you out...   but you lose me at the part where it costs 1000 coins.

For one thing, I think many militia buddies would likely be willing to run over without a fee. Also there's the fact that somehow, 1000 coins magically get transferred over to someone else's account...

I think the idea is good without a fee, though it ought to be logged and seen by admins and the militia captains eventually, just so we know nothing is being abused. ICly, the militia captains can then ask said player what is going on and revoke such a privilege if they feel it's being abused.

[Kyviantre]

For one thing, I think many militia buddies would likely be willing to run over without a fee. Also there's the fact that somehow, 1000 coins magically get transferred over to someone else's account...

I think the idea is good without a fee, though it ought to be logged and seen by admins and the militia captains eventually, just so we know nothing is being abused. ICly, the militia captains can then ask said player what is going on and revoke such a privilege if they feel it's being abused.

1) It is Allanak...this is what one would call 'a bribe', it is how Allanak functions, I'd even say -especially- the militia!  Excusing the occasional 'doing it because I believe in it!' character (corruption is the name of the militia's game!).

2) I imagine it isn't 'magically transferred', but is representing you getting rescued then 'gently' frogmarched to the bank to 'say thank you' for the kind militia soldier's help to rescue you.

1000 sid seems particularly steep to me (all my political characters have had very little money...ironically my non-political character is rolling in it - but that could be because for the former, I keep cash rolling around), but definitely something higher ups would happily fund as a perk ("Keep this 1k in your account in case you need it, because you are worth the money to keep alive").

If you can get a PC, grand...they'll likely be bribed with something more tangental (fancy food, praise to higher ups, round of ales, etc), but this is a back-up plan where you are asking someone you haven't already been grooming (through social interactions) to come to your assistance...and they don't know you're 'good for it', so they want cash up front (or at least prompt bribery payment post-rescue).

In short, I imagine the pathfinding and coding would be a -nightmare-, but it would be a nice idea.  Very quick responses in the noble/templar quarter (just in case some naughty person gets in either), fairly quick in the merchant quarter and the immediate area around the west/east gates, quick between Templar's Way and Red's (and that side of Miner's/Stonecarvers), as well as the Bazaar/Water Temple/Temple of the Dragon/Arena, pretty slow elsewhere in the Commoner's quarter (and roads around the edges of the bazaar), lolno in the Gemmer quarter, and roflfuckoffyou'rehavin'alaugh! to the Labyrinth?

[Spiceoflife]

I think this idea would just further take away the people willing to take the risk of even trying to play an assasssin.

[Dresan]

This isn't supposed to replace PCs. As I mentioned PCs friends would be much better solution then using this ability.

However reality is that sometimes they just aren't around and PC who have focused on securing wealth and social status shouldn't be vulnerable because people have real lives.

As for the fact that this might deter people from attempting assassination...good. I actually don't think it will but rather just add another element of challenge for PCs without assassination skills.

Sorry but  a PC with this ability has accomplished this through RP which which would have taken both time and effort.  Killing one of these PC should take a bit more effort and planning then just rolling a dwarf with strength prioritized.

[Khorm]

i thought this was reflected in important characters having NPC guards. i always thought that nobody gave a shit about the lower tiers of social folk.

i'd be supportive of a system like rent where you had to pay wages for an underling that functioned as an NPC guard.

otherwise i feel like the ability to summon help at a moment's notice waters down the essential thematic elements of the game. it's supposed to be dangerous, life is supposed to be cheap, and all but the most elite are more or less replaceable.

if people are just rolling dwarves with priority strength to pk characters, that's a problem that needs to be addressed through other means. I don't think that adding a mechanic is going to deter people from being abusive.. particularly when that mechanic is open to abuse itself.

[Dresan]

This mechanic would not only function to reflect the power of wealth/social status some PC outside of nobility can earn with the game. It would also be a money sink for those character, by having a monthly cost as well as a cost per use.

Frankly harassing someone to the point they call for help, might also be an interesting tactic to nibble at people's wealth.

[Vex]

Ok, but only if, celves can call in air strikes, as compensation.

[Lotion]

Ok, but only if, celves can call in air strikes, as compensation.

And breeds should be allowed to summon the half-giant goon squad

[triste]

My first reaction to this was admittedly a sarcastic "yay, another perk only 17% of our player base will ever get to use due to the way noble roles are selected."

I've decided I am only in favor of this because it would reduce the abuse of one noble perk by giving them a new perk.

Just a few months ago someone posted a long thread complaining about nobles hiding in their estates to avoid PKs. And yes, nobles [and any elite clan member] will do this. And to clarify for anyone saying elites hiding away is realistic [it is], this is something players have been known to do in reality-defying excess such that these sponsored role characters end up hardly interfacing with the playerbase at all as they hide. If adding guard PCs let PK-terrified nobles get out of the estate and actually interact with commoners, then by all means add this -- but only if the command comes at a cost, monetary or otherwise.

It's fine for this game to have elites, but it's still the responsibility of those playing elites to try and involve as much of the game as they can while they enjoy their fancy elite lives. Even if that interaction means passing by with a retinue of guards in a palanquin and paying no heed to the commoners as they pass -- at least the commoners still get to see them and at least the setting is enriched. If this feature gets terrified elites out of their estates, awesome, but make it costly enough to always incentivize the hire of a PC guards more.

[Dresan]

This isn't really for nobles who already have NPC guards.

This would be more geared towards commoners who have achieved some social status, wealth and influence, most of these PC often being squishy who may find paying for this 'service' to be worth their coins.

[valeria]

Ok, but only if, celves can call in air strikes, as compensation.

I think with celfs, it would probably work more like this: