Heyo!

A few changes to the first strike penalties are now live in Prime & Platinum, with TF to follow in a few days. Here are the details, some new, some old.


* The penalty for a basic first strike in combat has been substantially reduced.

* Use of the Challenge verb should still negate first strike issues.

* First strike penalties should not apply against someone the paladin recently caught stealing from them.

* Attacking hostile GMPCs should not incur first strike penalties.


As you might have guessed, there are a few provisos and quid pro quos...


* If you are initiating a first strike against someone who is unable to fight back due to being stunned, immobilized, unconscious, and so on, the penalty is increased (but still lower than before).

* If you are using a non-lethal spell that is flagged as offensive (and this will include debuffs and holds henceforth), the penalty is reduced, but there will still be a penalty.


At some point in the next few days, the penalty for killing another player will be revisited. GM Ssra reduced the penalty for killing in order to balance the penalty for first strike. Since both have now been reduced, there will be a new consideration -- if you start a fight (first strike) and kill the target, the penalty will be greater than just the combination of murder and first strike...but still lower than it was before either set of tweaks.

Big thanks to GM Zeyurn for assisting in getting this fixed.


- GM Dartenian


If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right. - Henry Ford