Enemy of the State (EoS)

[Budgie]

At present the playing area in Das2 is too small to have a faction playing EoS. Hopefully it won’t be very long until this changes so I thought I would like to start a thread dealing with this and any related subjects.

Having played, and thoroughly enjoyed playing, an enemy of the state in Dasaria 1, I decided to write this epistle, not only as a means of sharing my thoughts but also to clarify them to myself. Please don’t take this as advice, I am aware that the majority of members on this forum have far more experience in role play than have I.

It appears to me paradoxical that if one wishes to persecute ones fellow players, one is better off playing on the side of ‘good’, in as much as it enables one to kick the stuffing out of anyone who is not good, providing that the rules governing ‘griefing’ are observed. One also gets help to do this and applause and slaps on the back, figuratively speaking, for doing so.

Should one be ‘not good’ or EoS, then the rules are a lot different.

It must be borne in mind that no matter how powerful ones character is, if the role is played properly it is going to get absolutely creamed quite often. The main point to bear in mind is that to play EoS is to play a character in order to give ones fellow gamers enjoyment. One is effectively playing an ‘Aunt Sally’ and one’s own enjoyment comes from the planning and execution of this, and of course the obviously different slant on the roll play aspect involved. To do this effectively requires a great deal of thought, for instance, to hastle a low-level character in a way that is realistic and enjoyable to both without actually attacking it. If the player runs off and tells the local citizens it can then get to be really entertaining.

Lurking at the towns edge knowing that any attempt to enter is going to promote a severe buttock booting from all the high level characters within is very frustrating; especially when you know there are a multitude of characters within the town walls who are roll-playing being sociable rather than coming out so you can get a bit of the action.

Playing EoS properly can also bring good insight into what being an ‘outlaw’ in the old days really implied; at least playing in Das1 which had lots of space round the centres of civilisation. When one cannot go to buy certain supplies without the shopkeeper screaming blue bloody murder for the Redboots to come and slaughter one,engenders a healthily nourished persecution complex.

A few pointers that I hope to remember when I next get to play EoS are as follows:

Always look at the action from the other person’s point of view. I remember actually griefing a player’s character because I completely misunderstood the way it was being played. It was no good complaining later that he brought it on himself. I broke the rules and asked for the heap of criticism that ensued. As an EoS player I was expected to be ‘whiter than white’

Leveling up can be a lot harder. Fighting overgrown, magic wielding, lizard like humanoids in deep dark caverns can be rather difficult; add to this a bunch of dedicated role playing gamers in the same area and….Oh well, never mind.

I must really get to grip with the server rules. Become a barrack room lawyer for my own safety.

It is very easy to take an offence of any description against ones character as personal. Maybe the theft of all ones belongings from a drop sack when one is killed. It has to be remembered that although experienced gamers will take only one item or maybe nothing and even guard my sack till I return; they don’t have to and I chose to play an EoS character. So just put it down to experience and remember get the ****** the next time I see it on its own in the wilds.

Lastly in my opinion, no one should even think of playing an EoS character until they have had a good deal of experience developing normal characters and role playing them.

[Grayle]

For those who might not know, "EoS" refers to "Enemy of State". This is a campaign legal status of a character or group of characters who are considered enemy combatants, whether criminal or military. They are treated much like Monsters by most NPC. The status is semi-permanent. It is administered by the DM staff, but it is a reflection of Role_playing choice to be a known evil villain.

For example, after a tiume within the first campaign, in reaction to constant Drow attacks, all Drow were made EoS. This status could only be revoked by the in-game rightful authority (The Queen) and this pardon very rarely given.

These EoS cannot interact normally with major communities. Guards attack them on sight. They have been historically limited in what quests they can do when compared to a normal 'Law-Abider.'

I tried an EoS status character for a brief time, and found the experience overwhelmingly difficult.

Great discussion, Budgie. I agree with many points you made.

[Stormknife]

Yeah, I have to say...there was a point in Das1 when it seemed like "good" drow were coming out of the woodwork (in this case, we're talking Drow that were just saying they were good guys, whether they actually were or not). So I made a drow blackguard. His purpose: Be a hunting, killing, sacrificing bastard.

And lemme say...it was a hell of a lot of fun playing him, but good lord was it difficult.

[lockethrowsknives]

In my experience, when being a villain is difficult it makes for a better experience for everyone on the server, as the ones who stick with their evil characters are dedicated to the cause and are mature enough to accept responsibility for their unique role. There's nothing worse than easy evil.

[muletang]

I had some great fun playing EoS, a lonely bitter fun, in a lonely bitter world surrounded by stupid orcs and filthy drow - but i got to torture and kidnap and extort, which was great. I also died more times than I can count, and got made to look very foolish much to my IC disgust.
Yeah it needs responsibility, you can't kill everyone in town even if you can do it easy, cos you've spolit everyone elses fun.
good points well made, good for people to think about it now in these early stages too, nice.

[Grayle]

A big problem with EoS is venue. The character can no longer "RP evil" in town once they are EoS. If they aren't an organized faction that knew EoS was thier goal, they end up wandering the road outside of town, waiting for some solo or duo to come along so they can bushwhack, or have some 'diabolical dialogue.' Or they get bored and attack the guards, quickly leading to player PvP and becoming horribly out-numbered. EoS characters are usually single entities.

The status requires content to be effective, at least for EoS factions, and this usually simply turns into the "PvP zone", disintegrating what the EoS group was hopefully trying to encourage: The enemy evil, played smart and thoroughly, with tone and feel being added to the battles.

Players involved in the previous G'elle faction would be invaluable in this conversation.

[Hillslayer]

Roleplaying an 'EoS' can be quite a rewarding experiance both for the RPer and those interacting with the world. In an old MMO called Jumpgate there were one or two pirate groups that really role-played thier job well and when groups of other players finally grouped together to take them down it was the talk of the server for a couple months. This was not because they had "got the griefers" but because they had "removed the pirate threat". This is a subtle but important distinction as the first destroys immersion and enjoyment while the second improves both.

[Mensha Khaine]

Towards the later part, EOS really needed to be able to get into the village walls to get some RP happening. Although I'm not sure how an EOS would be here, I mean a Paladin could easily become EOS, so this could be a rather strange and entertaining experience.

[Tslisher]

I played an EOS for a time, and let me say it was a wonderful.. but rough experience. Let's just say it helps to have friends. I was lucky enough that the EOS status arose from true role playing experience in game and a small faction (the southerners) rose from the result. I was also lucky enough to role play in town for a good first portion of the characters history (and levels), before being declared EOS.

It was very rewarding, but MUST be played with maturity. There is a great difference between "I'm evil... kill everything" and a true foil to the other players in the game. In part this means never attacking lower level characters than yourself. Also, lots of evil banter before any battle with other players was a must. One of my most fond memories of DAS I was when other members of my group were imprisoned in Daris, and the DM's created a senerio where my EOS character was allowed to try to rescue them before execution. It was a great time, hopefully for those heros trying to fend off the evil, as well as myself.

And oh yeah... be ready to die... a lot!

[Minuvas]

Don't have an experience on this as EoS, but I have traditionally played "Evil" characters. My previous server almost under no circumstances allowed PvP, which gave me alot of ability to develop a character who was evil, and learned more to plot - and be viscious, rather than to draw weapons.

[Deodeath]

I'm still fairly in-experianced when it comes to RP'ing, but I've set my goal around trying to stay in a Semi-Neutral state (mostly because my character is aligned to be Chaotic-Neutral) and try to neither stray too far into a "good" character and not too far into "evil" but im sure down the road he'll have to make the choice someday...

As for other characters I'm making they might be more straightforward from the start and will be made when the server probably has aged a bit more so I can start them off knowing a lot of the dasarian lore.

[Del]

Playing a EoS can be alot of fun, but can also be very very frustrating. Trying to RP with Baby in town was very hard with everyone and their dog wanting a piece of Sin. But the G'Elle had great support from GMs and other players. If you can get a good group of mature players EoS can be a heck of alot of fun. I would say the server is a good bit off being able to support a EoS Faction, but I’ am sure when all is sorted this will happen.

Just people need to remember that playing evil is more than just killing NPC's and PC's, when it comes to PvP its important that both people enjoy the experience. For example, Sin would never use timestop,IGMS,IGMS no fun or skill in that.

[Greyshore]

Well, I know I wouldn't be able to play an EoS. Meh, morals and niceness get in the way. Though goody-two-shoes aren't my thing either.


Chaotic Neutral rocks.

[Deodeath]

Aye it does hehe Chaotic Neutral is too much fun sometimes...

And if we do get an EoS Faction might be nice to have them not respawn in the middle of town (especially if guards are going to re-agro them everytime). Also more open-space areas with randomn caves to hide in after a raid on a city or something.

[Vahene]

I wasn't EoS with any of mine during Das1, though for a while it looked pretty darn likely with my sorceress, Heaven. I can comment on playing evil though, because despite her name, Heaven wasn't a nice girl at all. When you play someone that's evil, that doesn't necessarily automatically make you EoS bound. Both of mine right now in Das2 are evil. Celintra's NE, and Challes is LE I believe.

However, you do have to understand the consequences of your actions. Heaven poisoning a Redboot--I understood fully as the player that if my character was caught, she would probably be EoS bound. I knew it was a possibility, but I did it anyway. I've played other games where just worshipping an evil god had consequences. You have to be prepared for that, whether you're serving Nergal or Girru.

Also, for the comment upon spawning in another place as EoS, in Das1, that existed for EoS, as far as I'm aware, however, I know from personal experience it wasn't easy at all for those EoS to communicate with others that weren't. From Heaven's interactions with Kell, as an example, Heaven got arrested once simply for being seen talking to him.

However, it was a lot easier to hide in Das1. With Das2, my personal recommendation is for everyone to lay low for the moment and wait for more .. ehm.. hidable areas before you even consider EoS, not that it should be something to consider to begin with. We're in a nation that now supports evil dieties. Those that are playing the outlawed gods need to be careful until they have a place to hide.

-K