Anderius' PK Guide for Novices

Before I begin this guide, I would simply like to state that this guide will not cover EVERYTHING about PK. It will explain what PK is, and how to avoid it if you wish to do so. Not all of the techniques covered in this guide will work for everyone, but they are techniques that I find useful. Thank you.

What is PK?

PK stands for Player Killing. Often it is in reference to the many rooms across Alyria where Player Killing is legal. Player Killing, in short, is player versus player combat. In those rooms, anyone and anything is fair game for an attack. There are three types of PK rooms:

Lawful Player Killing (LPK) is the type of room you will enter for arena combat or similar battles. Fighting here has no gain or loss. Often, the battles are one on one. The victor lives, and the loser will be reincarnated immediately with a higher percentage of their HP/SP/ST than they would have from normal death. No gold or equipment is lost from this (unless the combatants arrange beforehand). You must be level 25 or greater to engage players in these rooms.

Neutral Player Killing (NPK) is a type of room where players can fight each other with lives at stake. No equipment will be lost in this type of room, but death here is treated the same as death due to a mob. Many places, most notably Maldra's Keep, have this type of room. In these rooms, you must be at least level 25 to be a target.

Chaotic Player Killing (CPK) is the most dangerous type of PK room, and as such is often avoided by most low-level characters. In these rooms, when killed, your corpse and possessions will remain in the room to be looted by any other players. Thusly, you stand to lose quite a bit of equipment here. You must be at least level 45 to engage in battle in these types of rooms.

Why should I worry about PK rooms?

Some higher-level players have been known to "camp" in PK rooms. This means that they leave their characters in said rooms and wait for any targets to pass through them. When a potential victim enters the room, they attack. Often, the PKer knows the victim's race, class, and total level due to frequent checking of the "where" command, followed by cross-referencing with the "who" command. This makes the PKer more of a threat because s/he not only has the advantage of surprise, but also knows the victim's weaknesses and capabilities. PKers often have equipment granting them Improved Invisibility or Sneak, and usually have some magic available for healing or offense. It is not uncommon for a PKer to cast Circle of Fire on a room to damage victims as they enter and give him another advantage. Many PKers who use this "camping" technique look for lower-level characters to fight, gaining yet another advantage. This does not mean that PKers always prey on those weaker than themselves, it merely means that you should not be surprised to be attacked by someone at least one class above you.

How should I avoid PK?

There are some strategies to avoiding PK. The first, of course, is to avoid the room. However, this may not be feasible. Therefore, there are other ways to protect you.

Know the area. By knowing where you are and what routes are available to you, you can flee from PK almost immediately if you are attacked… assuming the first hit does not kill you. Setting a speedwalk path can also be helpful; however, if you are attacked during the speedwalk you may not be able to input new commands.

Be prepared. Prepare yourself for a PK battle as much as possible. The following is a list of useful spells to have in a PK area, and ways to have these spells:

Improved Invisibility (Wizard's Cloak)
Detect Invisibility (Sand-Colored Ring)
Armor (Spell)
Shield (Ring of Shielding)
Sanctuary (Necronomicon)
Sense Life (Amulet of Meditation)
Ethereal Form (Spell surge only)

Have the best EQ you can. This applies to all situations. Having a high defense will increase your chances for survival, so do not be afraid to spend that extra gold. It will be worth it later on.

Use "where" and "who" frequently. In a PK area, "where" and "who" will be your two best allies. You can see who you may find in the area with "where", and by checking the levels of outlaws and suspicious characters with "who", you will know which rooms to avoid.

Know alternate routes. By knowing where a player is, you can avoid the player. After all, the person cannot be in two places at once. Have at least one alternate path through any PK area.

Get ready to flee. In a PK area, it is not a bad idea to attempt to flee immediately if you are attacked. This way, you have a much better chance of surviving by being able to instantly react.

What if I die in a CPK room?

Hope you have some powerful friends. If you die in a CPK room, most likely your corpse will already be looted by the time you get back to it. At that point, your only choices are to kill the player who took the stuff, or try to strike a deal to get it back, either by buying it from the player, or by getting someone else to get it back for you.

That is all the help I can provide in dealing with PK rooms. I avoid them as much as possible, but I have dealt with them before. Especially Vospire's Town Square. One final tip I can give is to watch where you are going. Listen for death cries and look around for Circles of Fire and the like. You may not always survive your PK encounters. However, I am confident that this guide will increase your chances of survival.