Assassins

[Phil Croft]

Question,

Are there resources for playing an assassin somewhere?  If not, can someone offer me advice?

Thanks!

[Mr.Camel]

If you mean info on how to play an assassin, as in skill tree and branches and whatnot, no one will discuss that, it ruins the game.
You can, however find someone IC who can teach you how to be an assassin, in character.

[Anonymous]

I don't know of any resources, but my advice would be to determine what sort of character you are playing, regardless of guild, and then go from there.

Playing the assassion role (as opposed to the collection of skills comprising the assassin guild) takes time, lot's of time.  Not only do you have to work on your skills, but you also have to develop relationships, earn trust and keep a low profile.

Playing the assassin guild can be done by anyone and played in anyway, even if you never fight.

Whenever I've played shady PCs, the one thing I've tried to do is slink around at nighttime only until I feel like I've got a real good knack for moving through crowds without drawing attention to myself.  I don't know of nor believe there is any coded advantage, but realistically your chances of not getting caught or, at least, not getting indentified, seem to increase dramatically when there's less light around to get a good look at you.

[Phil Croft]

Yeah, but how does a guy even know where to start...?

[Marauder Moe]

I'm not aware of any advice specifically for assassins outside the assassin guild helpfile.  Though, I suppose a lot of what is in the "Thief's Bible" might apply.  http://www.armageddon.org/rp/thief_bible_new.html

Best advice, though:  if you're new to the game, being an assassin will be very difficult.

[Rindan]

That is kind of a vague question, so let me answer what I can.  There are no known open organizations for assassins.  Now, don't take that as evidence that they don't exist, but there is no place you can show up and say "Hi, I want to be an assassin." And they will give you a uniform, training, and then send you on proper missions.  Now, that said, in Tuluk you can buy an assassin's license.  This is a way to declare yourself an assassin to the tempelerate and potentially get a few jobs.   All major organizations and houses also have uses for assassins, but how you go about setting up a contract for yourself is something you will need to deal with ICly.

The path of an assassin is a rough path.  It is doable, but very hard.  The hardest part is just finding a way to practice your trade and become good enough to execute it.  Even after you get to the point where you think you could practice it, you then need to discreetly get a contract and execute it.  I would say that it is without a doubt harder to be an assassin then it is to be a magiker.

As to what resources there are, well, not much.  There are no real conventions around being an assassin.  How you pull off an assassination is your own business with no real set standard.

[adgohan]

The simplest I can recommend, if you play Guild Assassin, have a completely different character idea in mind. That is, don't go in with the expectation that guild = job. For assassin, this not the case. Try starting off as a subguild, maybe a house servant, that sort of thing. Build reputation VERY subtly.

Any good assassin I have seen has been something else first. They've also given a lot of time to their character to expand and blossom in personality and character before they begin along the killing path. As someone mentioned, anyone can be an assassin, regardless of class, pretty much.

[Wizturbo]

Definitely a difficult class to play.  From the start, i'd say its almost impossible to effectively get jobs as an assassin.  My suggestion to you, dont think of yourself as an assassin yet.

Your not.  Think of yourself as a soldier, or a guard, or something else, with the mind and the stomach to be a silent killer in the future.  Build your way up in a house/organization, and slowly but surely, reveal your potential to enact your houses/organizations will at the point of a poisoned dagger.  

You might never live long enough to actually assassinate anyone, but think about it.  If someone is hiring an assassin, expect to kill someone that might be much more skilled then average, or extremely powerful and important.  A magicker, a noble, maybe even a templar.  Surviving the actually assassination will require a great deal of skill and planning, and likely amazing equipment or special poisons.  But honestly, surviving the assassination is the EASY part.  Its afterwards that your really in for it.  The only way you'll survive after with who knows how many enemies looking for the assassin that killed their noble, ally, etc is through a very strong connection with some organization be it a house or a otherwise.  

Some excellent potential for roleplaying, but at the same time, a role that requires so much finesse and planning that it wont be easy to pull off, and just when you manage to actually start doing assassin jobs, thats the time your most likely to die and lose the character, when stuff starts getting good in the RP sense :-)

Good luck.

[Gar]

And don't forget that you don't need to be of the assassin guild to be an assassin.  This is probably most often misunderstood by new players.  A warrior makes a very fine assassin.  So does a ranger.  I imagine there are other coded guilds that'd work too.  My warrior type PC's have been hired on several occasions to do some "dirty work."  A mercenary warrior might hire out as an assassin on occasion.  A warrior has a much better cover as a guard, soldier or mercenary too.  Don't restrict yourself to the coded guilds.

[Anonymous]

Thats quite interesting when you think about it.
What makes a assassin? If you ignore the islamic tribe from 11th century called assassins most peoples image of assassins is the Japanese ninja.
I think this line (from a dictionary) summons it up pretty good: "One who kills, or attempts to kill, by surprise or secret assault; one who treacherously murders any one unprepared for defense."

But I think that definition lacks a few things. In my view the assassin implies a (political) plot behind the killing. The killing itself is not the reason but rather the effects it will have, but thats just my personal opinion. It also implies that the assassin is simply a "tool" or service that can be payed for.

I think the nature of the victim make the killer. Or rather the methods you need to employ. Rich powerful, well protected and plenty of bodyguards. How do you get close enough to actually kill one of these guys?
Thats where the assassin comes in. He would find a way to kill this person no matter how well protected. A good assassin would certainly need to be creative to be long lived. Backstabbing, poison, arrows... its all based on the circumstances. Picture the posionous dart fired from the flute of a bard that just got a private performance (hard to do in game tho).
The possibilities are endless... but one thing is certain. A good assassin would be a person not expected to be one. Preferably someone most people either would not suspect or simply deem to unimportant to even consider.

[crawly]

Bah, got logged out while writing that post... hence the "Guest" tag...