Introduction

As the topic suggests, this post is a brief guide on how to carry out a plot that involves complicated types of conflict, such as assassinations.

Why a post on this subject? Because every now and then people ask us the same questions and, although the answer is always the same, the explanation behind it is quite lengthy and, apparently, not very easy to understand, given the fact that the issue keeps being brought up time and again, even by the same people.

The questions we so often hear are:

Q: "Do I have to RP with someone before I attempt to assassinate them?"
A: "Yes."

Q: "Even if I have RPed for two months about how I got this contract on their head?"
A: "Yes."

What usually follows is a series of complaints about how the rules screw assassins up (or thieves if the issue had been stealing).

The issue here is much, much more complicated than just a simple rule of what you can or cannot do. It, in fact, boils down to how to do what you want to do. More importantly, even, the real focus here should be on why you want to do this.

Why?

We can assume perhaps two major possibilities: i) this is something that you enjoy doing (you are going after this kind of storyline just for the sake of it); ii) this is something you feel that must be done (due to the story you are involved with or to your character's psyche or any other reason of this sort).

Both things are perfectly fine, since this is a roleplaying game, which means it is something we are doing for fun (it's a game after all) and for the love of telling and being involved with a story.

Let's keep those things in mind and move on to the next topic which is how to carry out something like an assassination.

How?

The first way is the one you are probably already trying to pursue, given the nature of the questions: simply stick by the rules and do your thing. However, as many have noticed before, it is not easy to do this, since you do have to RP with the other person and give them an alternative to PvP before attacking them.

The second way is to actually talk to the person you wish to assassinate and see where they stand on it. Try to establish some rules of engagement of your own so that the event can be enjoyable to both parties. The rules exist to protect players from getting griefed and if you are going to attack someone daily until you remove something like 40 life points, odds are they will feel griefed to death and quit, or complain to us about you.

So it all boils down to this: assassinating someone who does not want to be assassinated sucks ass. And that's just how it should be. Assassinations are just like any other plotline and you cannot force them over someone else. It's the same as if you were trying to get your character to date someone. Failing or succeeding at it can be equally fun, but it's only fun if the other party is into that kind of thing. If they have no interest in romantic RP, you're wasting your time and theirs.

Conclusion

In short, if you want to assassinate someone, make sure they don't mind being assassinated, so you two can work a way for an attempt (or a series of attempts) to take place in an interesting way, even with your own set of rules of engagement.

Remember: the game is about interaction, having fun and helping others have fun. Your standing as a player won't change one bit whether you succeed or fail at what you are doing. What matters is how you are doing it and how much fun you are providing to others. And by fun I mean real fun, without any drama or hard feelings.