Duriel's Guide to PK

This guide is meant for both the novices and semi-experienced players of Materia Magica, to help them get a better understanding of PK (Player-Killing) and to introduce them to the PK system and the rules governing it. This guide assumes that you already have basic knowledge of the game.

Introduction
What is PK?
Where can I take part in PK?
How do I know if I am in a PK room?
LPK, NPK, CPK. What do they all mean?
Tips and Tricks for Survival and Revival in PK
PK Techniques for Various Classes
Some Skills to Learn
The Challenge Arena
PK Lingo
Conclusion

Introduction to PK

This section details the world of PK in Materia Magica. It introduces types of PK and encourages (or discourages) you from taking part in this enjoyable (?) activity.

What is PK?

PK is the abbreviation for Player-Killing. It is the situation in which two (or more) players choose to battle each other for loot, fame, revenge or whatever reason. It is a popular activity that many Alyrians enjoy. There are also those who would rather avoid PK for various reasons.

Where can I take part in PK?

Due to its popularity, there are many areas in Alyria are designated for PK. In normal rooms, if you try to initiate combat with another player via the kill, attack, or murder commands, try to cast an offensive spell on him or her, lay down traps, cast offensive area spells, or any other offensive combat maneuvers (e.g. backstab, kick, etc), you receive the following message:

You are not in a playekilling zone. Type 'HELP PKILL' for more information.

In the case of offensive area spells (e.g. Circle of Fire), the player emerges unscathed.

PK can only take place in specially designated rooms that are coded with the LPK, NPK or CPK 'flags'. These flags are explained later. It is in these rooms that players may do battle with one another as they would with NPCs (Non-Player Characters).

How do I know if I am in a PK room?

When you enter a PK room, the first thing you notice is the presence of a warning just below the room's title:

Town Square of Vospire                                   - N -
(-------------------------------------------------) W <---(M)---> E
WARNING: You are in a NEUTRAL PLAYER KILLING room.       - S -
You are at the Town Square of Vospire. It's the busiest part of town,
where the merchants and prospective buyers madly run around in hopes of
making a profit. You stand in awe at the Mountain that looms over the town
in the distance. Long ago this very same active mountain wiped out the
town. The ashes of the eruption carried over many hundreds of miles sending
notice of the catastrophe that took place. It is believed that the fabled
city of Volcanus, near Mount Vesuvius, caused the eruption in order to
appease a Demon. 

Notice the warning just below the title? That warning, in this case, tells you that you are in a NPK (Neutral Player-Killing) room. This is either a sign to make a quick exit or to stay to hunt for prey.

LPK, NPK, CPK. What do they all mean?

LAWFUL PLAYERKILLING ZONES (LPK)

This is the most common type of PK room, and is found in all major townes (with the exception of Lasler). In LPK, you are affected by the attacks, spells and combat maneuvers of other players, but your items cannot be taken from you in any way, including the "steal" command. When you die, you reincarnate instantly, without spending time in the Void or the Faerie Plane, at the nearest recall point. Though in LPK equipment cannot be looted through death or theft, equipment without the unbreakable or insulated flags CAN be destroyed through the use of elemental magic (e.g. fireball). Once the equipment is destroyed it is gone forever so do take extra precautions.

NEUTRAL PLAYERKILLING ZONES (NPK)

This is the second most common type of PK you would find on your adventures. It, like LPK, is only found in certain townes and some parts of the wilderness. Attacking rules similar to the ones governing LPK apply here, save that you can now be robbed of your equipment via the steal skill. If you die in NPK, instead of reincarnating instantly as you would in LPK, you die, spending time in the Void or the Faerie Plane. The winner's reputation is also affected depending on whom they kill. Killing a Saint drastically decreases your reputation. The increase or decrease of your reputation may or may not be favorable to your character.

CHAOTIC PLAYERKILLING ZONES (CPK)

This is the most dangerous kind of PK. Your experience here can be the most rewarding, but may also lead to a loss of equipment. It is advised that novice or low-level adventurers NOT take part in CPK unless they understand it and are willing to take the great risks involved. In CPK all attacks and spells are useable: stealing others' equipment via the steal skills is allowed, reputation is affected (more so than NPK), and equipment can be destroyed. However the most severe feature of CPK is that when a person dies, he or she leaves behind all of their 'on-hand' (not deposited in banks) gold and most of their equipment, which is then looteable. While looting others' belongings may sound very attractive, do not forget that you are also prey in the eyes of more powerful and experienced players, so be careful.

Tips and Tricks for Survival and Revival in PK

This section is for those who wish to traverse PK areas in as few pieces as possible. It includes tips on protecting yourself and your equipment from the ravages of bored, PK-hungry Archons. Discretion is the better part of valor. Some of us would rather avoid PK combat with another player. These are a few tips and tricks you could employ to flee from your opponent.

PUT ON A GOOD PIECE OF EQUIPMENT

Many times adventurers have forgotten the importance of good equipment. In PK the most dangerous things you encounter are spells, particularly area spells like Circle of Fire, which deal two hundred to three hundred damage points, enough to kill some low-level characters. PKers normally lay several offensive area spells around hoping to snare someone. Wear equipment with high SVS (Saving vs. Spell). This enables you to withstand a little more damage.

GET DETECTION SPELLS AND SKILLS IN PLACE

Never underestimate the importance of detection spells. They are your first and possibly only warning of an imminent attack by another player. PKers normally try to sneak up on you and get the first attack, which can come in the form of a backstab, a spell, or simply engaging combat, giving them that one round advantage. The solution: See them before they get you.

The following detection spells and skills are essential to all who venture into PK zones:

Sense Life

Psionics, rangers, rogues, and bards all have the ability to "hide" in a room. They normally sit patiently waiting for prey to pass by before they unleash a deadly backstab to take off a big chunk of HP (hit points). The only way to foil this tactic is to have the sense life spell in place. You can use this spell effectively by combining it with the look or scan commands, enabling you to see if there is any danger ahead.

Detect Invisibility

Invisibility and Improved Invisibility are the most common methods of concealment, spells that PKers never do without. As such, this is the most important detection spell, allowing you to see invisible people. If you must sacrifice other detection spells to have this, do it. The trade is worth it.

CAST ON YOURSELF ALL THE SPELLS AND PRACTICE ALL SKILLS THAT NEGATE POSSIBLE ATTACKS

Spells that negate attacks are very useful in the sense that they prevent combat altogether rather than making you last longer in combat. As a very welcome result you take absolutely no damage at all.

Spells that decieve and confuse:

Invisibility/Improved Invisibility

This is the most common method employed to conceal players. Though most players have Detect Invisibility to counter this spell, it is still better than having no protection at all. Although they cannot attack you directly, they can lay down area spells to take you out. Moreover, the Wizard's Cloak, the most popular item endowed with improved invisibility among the lower-levels, is easily flammable and a few burns from the Circle of Fire spell would destroy it, leaving you completely unprotected. Be prepared for such instances by carrying a piece of emergency invisibility equipment as a substitute should your primary equipment get damaged. You can cast the spell, too, if you think it is worth the practice points.

Shape Shifting/Mimic

This is the best form of PK protection. Shape shifting and mimic work by changing the 'short description' (the word that others would use to attack you - usually your name) of your character to that of another NPC. This then effectively prevents another player from being able to attack you without first figuring out who you really are. Thus you are able to remain where you are standing with a significantly lower risk of being PKed.

Skills that help to avoid combat:

Evasion

Tied in with shape shifting and mimic, this is the best prevention skill. Evasion works like a defense maneuver outside combat, allowing you to escape what would have been an initiation of combat. The emote that this skill displays when someone tries to attack you also serves as a warning that a particular player is hostile.

CHECK THE AREA FOR POSSIBLE THREATS BEFORE MOVING IN

When there are no players in areas, even in CPK, they become much less threatening. As a general rule no players present is equal to reasonable safety in PK. There are a few ways to check the number of players in an area.

The "Where" Test

Typing "where" to check the players in an area is pretty basic but in PK anything is worth it. However, it does not display shape shifted or mimicked players, nor players who are invisible (unless you are affected by the detect invisibility spell).

The "Who" Test

Using the "who" command you can do a quick, though somewhat inaccurate check on the people in significant PK areas. The "who" command gives names, level, class and general location of where people are. The following are all the possible "who" locations.

Towne	This means that the player is in a towne (Rune, Sigil, etc).
Wilds	This means that the player is in the wilds; not very useful unless you are a paranoid player wandering around on the continent of Beltane.
At Sea	This means that the player is in the ocean; not very useful unless you are in the NPK Ocean underground.
Home	This means that the player is currently in his or her home.
Social	This means that the player is currently in social mode.
Office	This means that the player is currently in one of the Immortal areas, usually because of breaking the rules.
Underworld	This means that the player is currently in the Great Alyrian Underground. However, there is the possibility that the player is in Avarice, an NPK and CPK area.
Planar	This means that the player is either in the Ethereal Void or the Faerie Plane. This is normally due to player death. However, if the "deceased" flag is not on the player, and you suspect that the player is alive, a CPK opportunity awaits!
Tower	This means that the player is either in Verity Isle's Tower of Riga or the Tower of Art. If you suspect that the player is in the Tower of Art, an NPK or CPK opportunity awaits! Alternately, danger awaits and you would be better fleeing.
Dungn	This means that the player is in Dungeon Wroth, Dungeon Deceit or Templeton Catacombs. If you think that the player is in Dungeon Deceit or in the Templeton Catacombs, an NPK or CPK opportunity awaits!
Castle	This means that the player could be in any of the many castles around the world.
Arena	This means that the player is currently in the challenge arena.

The "Shout" test

Using the shout test it is possible to estimate the number of players in the area. A quote from a shout is a follows:

[13] people heard you shout 'Hello everyone, it's time for Player Killing lessons.'

The number ([13] in this instance) indicates how many people heard you. Before entering a PK area, shout a message to check the number of people in the area. There are a few drawbacks to this trick, though. The first drawback is that it announces your presence. Although you know of the presence of others, you have forfeited your stealth. This trick is not foolproof, though, as people with the shout channel turned off would not appear as having heard your message. They are still undetected, though they don't know you're present. And the same rules governing shape shifting, mimicking and invisibility also apply here as well.

PK Techniques for Various Classes

Wizards

LPK/NPK Techniques

Avoid using silence or slow if you are a wizard as it costs an astral reagent. Remember to avoid the black square in the Challenge Arena (see the section on the Challenge Arena for more information) because you will not be able to cast any spells there. This would be a great disadvantage to you because you are a wizard that can cast a whole lot of spells.

Spells to Cast in LPK/NPK

Try to cast web first, but cast other spells if your enemy resists it often. Web prevents your enemy from fleeing, bashing, and throwing herbs. It is also a very good spell as it filters the enemy's spells. It is wise to get a spell delivery amulet, as it would allow you to cast web within a round. The next spells to cast in LPK/NPK are plague and poison. This reduces your enemy's regeneration. However, you must always remember that fey and sidhe are not affected by poison-based spells and are resistant to disease-type spells. Look at your enemy to find out their race so as not to waste your spell points and your rounds casting poison. Make sure it does not say ' A noxious cloud of green gas swirls from your fingertips to <your target> for a moment, but nothing else seems to happen.', but 'A noxious cloud of green gas pours from your fingertips, swirling about <your target>.' Plague resistance will show as '<your target> seems to resist your magical plague.' If your spell had landed it will show 'Ghastly looking sores start cropping up on <your target> body as you inflict the plague upon <your target>!' Poison and plague are spells that can be resisted.

Therefore, if your enemy's saving versus spell (SVS) is too high, try to continue with other spell effects first, and come back to these later. The next spell that you should cast is curse. Curse reduces the enemy's save versus spell and armor resistance. Curse is quite an easy spell for dwarfs and gnomes to resist. The next spell is faerie fire. You do not need to care whether had that spell landed because it is a 'sure hit' spell. Weaken is another spell like faerie fire, irresistible. After casting these spells, you can go back and cast the spells that your enemy had resisted, or continue with other spells like frost. Then 'spam' (cast repeatedly) enervation or lightning spells against dwarves, and fire spells against minotaurs. This is only in the case of wizards.

CPK Techniques

Silence the enemy first. This ensures that you will win the battle. Cast room shield on exits. Blind them. It is not essential to web them as the exits are blocked. After that, just spam some damaging spells to finish them off. However, if you see them drinking cure blind potions, blind them again to prevent them from trunking their equipment. Once they're dead, loot their corpses.

Psionics

LPK/NPK Techniques

If you are a psionic, always remember to sneak into the room where your enemy is. You should then mesmerize them with your silent web. Once you web them, run out of the room immediately as they will cast web or some spell when they noticed you. Enter the same room when they have completed (and failed) their spell. Once you enter the room, cast memory drain on them. Do this 2 or 3 times, hoping that their memorized spell 'cure blind' will drain. However, if they have already mastered it or have cure blind potions, it is a waste of spell points. Later, you enter combat by casting Irritation. After you have entered combat, you spam disrupt sight to stop the enemy from casting spells. They may drink cure blind potions to remedy their blindness, though. If you want to spam blind, remember to disarm their weapon while they are blinded. This makes them think that they are still wearing their weapon. You can also blind them in the first round, then telekinetic explosion (need spell delivery amulet to cast within 1 round) them the next round. This deals a lot of damage. You should be able to kill them before your spell points run out. This method works better if you are also a cavalier, wearing a lance, dealing a lot of damage to your enemy, you can kill them before they can even cure themselves.

Always remember to disarm them so that they deal very little damage to you. You need not heal yourself while doing this. Healing yourself wastes spell points and rounds. If you are lucky, you need not even spam blind - that is, if your enemy has lost the memory of cure blindness, has not mastered it, and does not have cure blind potions on-hand. If this is the case, you win that fight. Psionics can also fight by casting effect spells on the enemy, blinding them frequently. However, if the enemy is a dwarf or a gnome with very high saving versus spell, it is advisable to use the first method.

CPK Techniques

Sneak into a chaotic player killing room that your enemy is in and immediately cast mesmerize to web them while they are unaware of your presence. Psionics fight almost the same in CPK as LPK/NPK. You must remember, though, to blind your enemy before you memory drain them. This prevents them from trunking their equipment. However, they can still cure blind. You have to act quickly and memory drain them. You can also just engage combat with them and spam disrupt sight, stopping them from trunking, and try killing them quickly by casting telekinetic explosion.

Druids

LPK/NPK/CPK Techniques

If you are a druid, you should, as usual, web your enemy with earth evocation. Then play effects spells and blind your enemy with smoke evocation. Another way to kill your enemy is similar to the psionic method. Instead of spamming telekinetic explosion, spam ooze evocation. This causes your enemy to lag a little when they fall down in response to the spell. It causes them to miss the next round if they were casting a spell. Ooze evocation is useless if you do not have spell delivery amulet, though, as you would need more than one round to complete its casting. Druids are severely affected by slow. Once you are slowed, you cannot cast ooze evocation in one round, and it is basically useless. You are at an advantage against a wizard/rogue. They will likely not cast slow on you, as it will cost them an astral reagent! You happily cast ooze evocation on them, winning the battle easily and quickly. The enemy misses a round to heal themselves, and is also affected by the web filter if they are using cure critical, cure light, or cure serious. When this happens, they cannot time their spells properly and have trouble healing themselves.

Also, druids have evoke salt and invoke salt (cure poison and cure disease) that can be cast in battle. This is a great advantage, as you need not calm and cure poison or cure disease, as a shaman, priest, paladin, or monk has to. You can fight the defensive way, casting earth invocation to heal yourself. Druid's earth invocation heals more than priest's and shaman's heal spell. You need a spell delivery amulet to cast that spell within a round, though. Like ooze evocation, earth invocation is also seriously affected by slow. It cannot be cast within a round when slowed. This results in casting cure serious if you are a monk. Most druids choose to go monk or paladin due to this disadvantage, and because druids do not have the spell cure blindness. Monk or paladin classes help druids. It is definitely easier fighting someone who is not a bard, and who is not likely to slow you.

Bard

LPK/NPK/CPK Techniques

Bards are specialized in music and has always been well known because of their slow song that does not require an astral reagent. This big advantage had made a lot of people to choose bards as their thief class. (Rogue also has its advantages, having evasion stated above.) Bards' music is affected by slow and could easily backfire if bashed. Slow could be a very good spell as it removes valkyries' second defense, removes one additional attack, and affects druids badly. Just to think that you could cast it for free… if you are a bard, slow should be cast right after you web your enemy. Always remember to web them first because if they would have to bash you, you might just slow yourself. Bard's song also requires not only spell point but also stamina to cast. Therefore, remember not to waste all your stamina in bashing your enemy, as it is very essential for you. Bard's songs are also no-target. You would have to enter combat with your enemy before casting spells on them. This is quite bad as you could not sneak into the room and try to web your enemy with your instrument.

Some Skills to Learn

Catching your enemy

Trying to catch your enemy is another skill that one needs to know during player killing. You should always be alert when you are fighting. You must note when your enemy calms and you should quickly enter combat again with them. This is to prevent your enemy to cure poison or cure disease or casting memory drain or even challenge quit during arena. You must also know when your enemy breaks free from the web and when the web is dissolved. However, your enemy could flee before you could web him again. Hence, you need to train how to chase your enemy and get them before they could run away. When you notice your target fleeing west for example, quickly type in "w" followed by a "k <First letter of target's name>. You have to be very good at this to be effective, as there are only a few seconds lag when your enemy flees.

Timing your attacks/spells

This is a very, very important factor in deciding the outcome of a fight. As you would have noticed, combat comes in "rounds", where you and your opponent take turns to lash out at each other. After everyone has attacked, there is an approximate three-second delay until the next "round" begins. Those three seconds make all the difference in a fight. The highest damage weapon in the game is the "seashell axe" or the "blessed lance of Decara". Anyone with the right sense would try to get hold of these to get every outside combat advantage. If both opponents were equally armed, would that result in a victory for the person who attacks first? That is why it is especially important for the underdog who is being attacked to time the return attacks. By effectively timing your spells, you can maximize the number of spells you can squeeze into the three-second delay or over a few rounds. The following are the approximate times required for the more useful spells to take effect once you start saying the words of the spells, and some common attack maneuvers.

Offensive damage magic

Magic dart	3 round(s)
Lightning	? round(s)
Enervation	1 round(s)
Ice Whip	1? round(s)
Reflective Fireball	1? round(s)
Chain Lightning	1? round(s)
Counterspell	? round(s)

Offensive affect magic

Faerie Fire	? round(s)
Web	1? round(s)
Curse	1 round(s)
Blind	1 round(s)
Poison	? round(s)
Plague	1 round(s)
Weaken	1 round(s)
Frost	1 round(s)
Slow	1 round(s)
Silence	1 round(s)
Dispel magic	1 round(s)

Curative Magic

Cure Light	? round(s)
Cure Critical	1 round(s)
Cure Serious	1 round(s)
Heal	1? round(s)
Cure Blind	1 round(s)

Attack Maneuvers

Bash	2 round(s)
Kick	2 round(s)

Using these values, plan your PK strategy, try to land all your affect spells within x number of rounds. In addition to that, the damage spells must be timed carefully. Holding down a macro key to spam spells are a no-no. This disrupts the fluidity of spell casting, making combat a confusing affair for you. Contrary to the belief of some, spamming attacks is not the way to squeeze the most spells or attacks into rounds. In fact, it slows you down. Furthermore, spamming attacks such as bash causes you to lose your defense maneuvers; it is better for you to time it at regular intervals so as not to lose your defenses maneuvers.

The Challenge Arena

This section is devoted to exploring disputably the most popular PK area in Alyria. The Challenge Arena is a massive randomly generated player killing area for players to challenge one another in combat to the death (well…not a permanent death). Once a player issues a challenge to another, the sepulchral voice announces it and if the other player accepts the challenge, both the players are instantly teleported to the Challenge Arena where they slug it out in mortal combat.

The Structure of the Challenge Arena

The Challenge Arena as stated previously is a massive randomly generated player killing area. As such, it is impossible to tell in advance how the arena will turn out. It is up to the player to wander around the arena and hunt down his or her opponent. There is some system however in the Challenge Arena's seemingly indecipherable chaos. The Challenge Arena is actually randomly generated from different preset colored rooms that have different attributes that will be elaborated on later. These rooms are then fitted together like building blocks to create a different Challenge Arena every time. A list for the different rooms and their attributes are listed below:

White Square	This means that the square is normal and there are no special enchantments affecting it.
Black Square	This that means the square is anti-magic, and no magic, regardless of it being beneficial or offensive.
Blue Square	This means that the square is filled with water and the same rules applying to the lakes and seas are present here, except for the winds. You need to be levitating to enter the rooms and if you somehow lost your levitation in the square, you take damage from drowning.
Red Square	This means that the square is fire enchanted and if you speak via the say command, you suffer some fire-type damage.
Purple Square	This means that the square is projectile enchanted and periodically drops projectiles like boulders or icicles from the roof that damage you or kill your mount.
Green Square	This means that the square is vine-enchanted and vines grow in the room and attempt to snare you as you move about.
Yellow Square	This means that the square is low regeneration-enchanted. You and your opponent regenerate your Hit-points, Spell-points and Stamina half as fast.

Tips for Arena Combat

It would be to your advantage if you choose your combat grounds carefully. Although all of the rooms give everyone a disadvantage, some affect your opponent more than you. For example if you are an ogre, you have physical prowess, while lacking magical inclinations. If you are up against an elf with great magical abilities, then he or she probably lacks physical power. Be smart; choose the room that would disadvantage a player depending on magic more. Choose the Black Square. By doing this you can actually severely limit the elf's power. In a contest of physical prowess, the ogre wins hands down.

PK Lingo

In the world of Player-Killing, a kind of lingo has emerged, probably used by CPK paranoids to save a few seconds. In this section, I will explain the lingo behind the wonderful world of PK.

Trunk/Trunking	When a player says this, he or she is referring to the act of removing all of his or her equipment and putting it into a Vandemaar's Trunk to avoid letting it fall into their opponents' hands should they get killed in CPK.
Landing	If a player says that his or her spell has "landed", it means that his or her offensive spell cast on another player has taken effect without the player resisting it.
Moat camping	This refers to the act of waiting in the CPK "moat" outside the Proving Grounds to CPK the unsuspecting.
Arena	If a player invites you to "arena" him or her, he or she is challenging you to fight in the Challenge Arena.
Full loot	If you have CPKed a character and come away with a lot of their equipment, this is considered a "full loot".
Full gear	If you get CPKed, this means you got CPKed while wearing all of your normal (usually most valuable) equipment.
CPK gear	Equipment that's not hard to get and is easily replaced if you get CPKed.
Running naked	You're considered "running naked" if you take off most of your equipment and put it in your locker or other storage area before entering a PK area. This technique is usually used when you have to get through a swath of PK rooms in order to get the other side, so you run as fast as you can through the area. And if you get CPKed, it's not as big of a loss.
Puzzle	Calming/fleeing a fight and using one's Agrippa Puzzle device to escape certain doom!

Conclusion

This then concludes my manual on Player Killing. I hope that the information here has been useful to you and you have gotten a better understanding of PK. My clan and Materia Magica friends have kindly provided the techniques and advice in the manual, though some of the ideas are my own. I wish you luck in any of your future PK exploits. Good luck! (You'll need it.)