The Kingdom of the Emerald Hills

From the list

And I'm going to work on it but giving assassins
1. More TOD
2. TOD through weaponn
3. Javalins
4. A faster poison at high levels
5. An altered teleport
6. Camouflage
and
7. Mimic
is too much. I know that some people feal that assassins got depowered, but adding all of these would be going too far in the other direction.

That is why I said pick two or three that you would really like to see. Or better yet, rank the whole list. That way if I find I can't get one of everyones top choices, I can pick work of the next choice.

--- In Amtgard-EH@yahoogroups.com, "Fytakin" <fytakin@...> wrote:
>
> As for the rest, they have all been mentioned as possibilities
>
> that is what Delphos is talking about.. make it happen man do your kingdom proud. make it more than a possability .................

_________________
A person is smart. People are stupid, panicky, dangerous animals, and you know it. - Agent K.

I appreciate your help in all this Tolken, and your right, we can't have the whole cake, but I'd rather have a smaller piece of cheesecake than a whole sh!t pie! (Joke btw!)

This is how I can see a field worthy assassin. (Class description reworded with viable changes I can agree on)

------------------------
Assassins
Assassins were once so powerful in the Middle East that Hulagu Khan had to storm their mountain fortress when they demanded tribute. Renaissance Italy and its setting of political intrigue made the courtly killing somewhat of an art form.
Examples: The Ninja, the Borgias, the Jackal, Hassan-I-Sabah, Sir Francis Walsingham
Garb: Black sash plus must wear a mask or concealing face paint. Mask may be worn around neck.
Armor: None initially
Shields: None initially
Weapons: Dagger, short, long, throwing weapons, javelins
Immunities: None
Lives: 4
Abilities & Traits:
Note: Each time an assassin plays in a battlegame, he must choose which abilities he is using for the entire battlegame. He can switch them between each battlegame as he sees fit.

Levels
1st - No additional abilities
2nd - Innate Ability (choose one):
a. May use a short bow (T)
b. Poison Weapon (ex) (2/game)
c. Trap (ex) (1/game)
3rd - Innate Ability (choose one from this list or any lower level ability not already taken):
a. Touch of Death (ex) (1/game)
b. Teleport (ex) (2/game)
c. Antidote to Poison (ex) (1/life)
4th - Up to two points of armor may now be worn (T)
5th - Innate Ability (choose one from this list or any lower level ability not already taken):
a. May now use small shields (T)
b. Assassinate (ex) (2/game)
6th - Innate Ability (choose one from this list or any lower level abilities not already taken):
a. Take Teleport again (must have already been taken once) Teleport becomes (1/life)
b. Take Assassinate again (must have already been taken once), Assassinate becomes (1/life)
c. Take Poison Weapon again (must have already been taken once), Poison Weapon becomes (1/life)
d.Take Trap again (must have already been taken once), Trap becomes (1/life)
e.Take Touch of Death again (must have already been taken once), Touch of Death becomes (1/life)

-----------------------------------------

tTeleport
Repeat loudly x5 “Teleport;” upon arrival loudly x1 “Arriving.”


tTrap
I: Repeat x2 "Bound and Trapped is what you are" or "Bound and trapped is your fate" (or some other snazzy wording)
R: 20 feet
E: As per Earth Bind.
N: May be used while moving.

Earth Bind
I:Repeat x2 “May mother nature bind thee.”
R:20 ft
E:Victim cannot move feet until each of his legs are struck ten times with a slashing or
bludgeoning weapon. Any attempt to free the victim must be accompanied by stating “free this leg” while doing so. Weapon strikes by opponent results in a wound.
N:May be used while moving.





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Tolken, of the list you provided I feel we:
1. Should have the ability to take TOD once per life at 6th level. It can replace taking the trap ability. And if people say it's overkill, fine, reword [6th - Innate Ability (choose one from this list or any lower level abilities not already taken):]
2.Don't need TOD through weapons, that only makes for a lazy assassin. It was stated that it simply becomes a glorified poisoned weapon. Agreed! Pass.
3. Yeah, allow javelins back on the list of weapons. Can you imagine a thrown Javelin o' TOD!? As it stands right now all we get is:
Weapons: Dagger (ultra ridiculous no grip dagger), short, long, throwing weapons (yeah, yeah, I think you get the idea.)
4. Should pass on faster acting poisons if the TOD once per life is returned to Assassins, if not, then poison should definately become:
tPoison Weapon
Denoted with black ribbon
May poison one weapon (allow us to poison one throwing weapon or arrow even, why just a sword?). People who are wounded by poisoned weapons die if they are not cured in a 100 count, if 6th level poison weapon is taken, people who are wounded by poisoned weapons die if they are not cured in a 50 count. A person may only poison one of his own weapons. This effect remains on the weapon for the entire life.
5. don't need an 'altered' teleport, just take it back to 'Arriving' x 1. That's all. Teleporting ass' should only be able to be tracked, I read how someone wants to make it possible to attack teleporting ass', well then that opens the possibility for ass' being able to attack while in teleport too. Not good. Cool, but not good for everyone else. *grins*
6. Camo would be neat, but I've played an ass pretty decently without it, if your playing assassin and you can't sneak up on a deaf dog, then try barbar. We can pass on this.
7. Mimic would be an awesome ability, but again, I think we're trying to get core elements taken care of with this class. So we can worry about this later. I'm sure the sash/baldric/whatever system isn't going anywhere anytime soon, so we can worry about this later.

So all in all we would be worried about:
1. Replace 6th level trap with TOD or add to 6th level list and minimize 2 options to 1.
2. Return javelins to weapons list
3. 'Arriving x 1
4. Reword the trap incantation

Items related to assassin but not limited, so they shouldn't really count as assassin specific are:
1. Better dagger mechanics and tech, improve handle size reqs.
2. Decrease thrown weapons diameter to 2.25", that's not too small and I am willing to say they have less momentum than a swung sword.
3. Clarify Earthbind

Did I miss anything?
S

_________________
The general who advances without seeking fame and retreats without fearing disgrace, whose only thought is to protect his country and do service for his sovereign, is the jewel of his kingdom. -Sun Wu

I call it an alternate teleport because we would need to rename it. One of the goals of 7.0 was to remove ablities with the same name but different effects

Here is what has been proposed for all teleports

I: Say "Teleport"
R: Self
E: For 20 seconds you are removed from the game and may move freely on the battlefield and be unaffected by other players, weapons, and battleifield effects and be unable to affect anything yourself. You must repeat "Teleporting 1" through "Teleporting 20". May end ability at any time before the 20 seconds are up.
L: Some abilities (ie. Tracking) may allow people to interact or even attack you during teleporting

If you wanted to make it to make it assassin specific, change it to something like Move Silent. Also, if you made it assassin specific, change Scout Tracking from Teleport to Move Silent. It makes more sense for a scout to be able to track an assassin who is being sneaky as opposed to a magic user who physically disappears.

_________________
A person is smart. People are stupid, panicky, dangerous animals, and you know it. - Agent K.

You've got a great point about the renaming of dis-similar abilities.

The biggest disadvantage of teleport for may not be as much on an open field battle game (where people tend to be wary of teleporting folk, as it's been mentioned, people naturally move towards an opposite location to the teleporters destination), but in a forest/dark scenario anyone teleporting is basically announcing their presence to the amtworld by stating 'teleporting 15, teleporting 16, etc." Not cool.

How does one end the ability before the 20 count? By stating "Arriving", and if so how many times? If this version passes, heck, might as well keep the 'arriving' count to x5 since everyone in hearing distance is privy to where you are now. If teleport is changed to a unique assassin sneak then 'arriving' should be trimmed down to x1.

Perhaps naming it 'Sneak', 'Invisibility', 'Cloaked' or something that an assassin would do to make themselves 'unseen', since it's not an actual 'temporal' removal from the game, simply that they appear to disappear would make trackers ability to attack and be attacked much more rational.

I like the WOW version of the thieves ability to become invisible.

What if we changed out teleport with invisibilty and it can read:

Invisibility:
May only be used on self.
Innate Ability
C:Assassin 3
I:"Now you see me, now you don't" x2; upon reappearance say “Shazam” x1
R:Touch, Can be cast while moving
E:Renders caster 'invisible' and is treated in game by actively tracking player, able to interact with any player tracking them. Invisibility is ended if caster interacts with a non-tracking player, tracking player or "Shazaam" has been stated.
L:May not be followed (Exception - Tracking).

I never really liked assassin's teleport because it was way to limiting and even more disabled with the new rules.

What assassin would waste a cool trick like this to only pick one spot on the field? What assassin is going to be able to sneak up on the bad mofo monster when he has to state "Arriving" x5?

I say we allow assassins to have "Invisibility/Sneak" and this is why.
-Assassins will love roaming freely while invisible, not bound to pick a goofy spot and not having to talk to a reeve. I've seen a game or two where people complain that an assassins teleport is null cause they didn't confirm destination with a reeve in foresty-reeve is 5 min walk-away battlegames.
-Tracking players will be able to follow them and attack em and be open game as well.
-Assassins will immediately become visible if they randomly attack a non-tracking player or interact with a tracking player.
-Assassin will make better use of suprise tacticts when they only have to state "Arriving" x 1.
-Assassins will not advertise to the world where they are in deep forest/dark game scenarios.
-Interacting is anything physical including using trap.

Heck I'd even be willing to change
3rd - Innate Ability (choose one from this list or any lower level ability not already taken):
a. Touch of Death (ex) (1/game)
b. Up to two points of armor may now be worn (T)
c. Antidote to Poison (ex) (1/life)
4th - Teleport (ex) (2/game)

Yeah,
I could see this as a major improvement.
S

_________________
The general who advances without seeking fame and retreats without fearing disgrace, whose only thought is to protect his country and do service for his sovereign, is the jewel of his kingdom. -Sun Wu

That could work, but just don't call it sneak. There is an ability in the Dor8 by the same name and several of the reps want to bring the Dor8 up for the COM as is.

Other possible names.
Skulk
Stealth
Infiltrate
Ambush - I like this one

_________________
A person is smart. People are stupid, panicky, dangerous animals, and you know it. - Agent K.

I really really really like the idea of changing Assassin Teleport to a version of invisibility. Here is my suggestion called: "Ambush."

Ambush:
May only be used on self.
Innate Ability
C:Assassin 3
I:"Now I vanish into shadows, there to lie in wait."x2; upon reappearance say “Now I rise to attack.”x1
R:Touch.
E:Others may not take hostile actions towards the player, nor target the player or his equipment with magic or abilities. Cannot harm others nor be harmed while in Ambush. Treat as Out of Game until "Now I rise to attack." has been stated.
L: Cannot carry nor affect game items while in Ambush. Players in Ambush may not impede the play of other people in any manner, and must immediately remove themselves from any such situations they find themselves in. The player may move around while in Ambush, but they must keep at least one foot on the ground at all times and may not run. May not be followed (Exception - Tracking). Ambush is broken if the Assassin comes within 20 feet of a base.

Here is something I have always wondered: Why do people like TOD? It seems to me less effective than other attacks, and mostly useable only in role-play (court) settings as opposed to a battlefield situation. Yes, I have seen and heard stories about how someone got TOD off on someone, but that seems to be the exception, not the rule. I would think that a different ability that was more effective would be what assassins would want.

I do not play the class, so this is just an outside observation.

_________________
Forest Evergreen

Puppet Master of the EH

"Of course you are Forest. You're like the Mr. Burns of EH." - Finn

(insert titles and awards here)

In answer to your question, Forest (and I can only speak for myself as a Monk, not an Assassin), I like TOD because it is an invisible weapon. No one sees it even with a black strip unless you hold your and out to them announsing it. It is also a good backup if your weapons get destroyed, heated, etc., and many times I've been able to take someone out with it before dying as a result. This is, of course, when you are unable to get it mended.
I've favor these functions for TOD more than the Monk Cruise Missile. Again, I am only speaking for myself here.

In my case...

Javilin- "Shane come back!!!!"

TOD - I have had good and bad experience with TOD as both an Assassin/AP or a Monk. There have been times (battlegames) that I never thought of using TOD and others when I went out with plans to not only use the ability but to use it (all the charges) before I lost my first life. I will never agree to the TOD on a stick, and I will rag on anyone who says its a good idea. I'd rather just enchant my weapon.

Teleport - is a teleport by any other name. Change the name? I don't care. But leave the "arriving" thing to one time at least. If we can get the "exit" thing to be down to 2-3 times all the better. Right now I try to use the ability in a defensive mode, striking my target multiple times in the chest with a dagger, while standing behind them, and reciting the "teleport" chant at the same time seems to be working for me under most circumstances. Invisibility would be a cool new name.

Stronger Poison - good luck with this one. I'm all for it but I doubt the masses will feel the same.

I know Forest has doubted the use of TOD's in general, and all I can really say is that not all of the fighting classes abilitys are useful in all situations. Thats why spell casters have more spells to choose from then they can ever use in any one single battlegame. Even us low life assassins have to decided at the start of the game which of our abilitys are best suited for the upcoming battlegame. And I have always thought that the people who desire to play a class will always find a way to use their choosen class to the best of its and their own abilitys. Not all of us can play a sneaky Assassin, some do better as a front line Assassin. Just as some Wizards are better with verbals and not so hot with spellballs.

just my 2cents worth...

_________________

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I swear, Delphos and Brennon really just remind me of a couple of bad Spock and Bones impersonators.

"Nevron disagrees with and dislikes me. He is, however, rational".- Brennon

"I'll admit, I trolled the smack forum." - Shady Troll