Posted by Axzwerlich on May 26, 2000 at 10:29:51:
I posted the note I would have posted on the MUD on the Char board but I thought I would say a few words here since I think the majority of the people look here first...
I started this char over a year ago while Abernyte was still the leader of Battle. It was the first felar I had ever played, and the first assassin I had played since a very long time ago. I have to admit, I got off to a rough start, not sure of my skills, and nearly deleted before I even applied to Battle.
I trudged on though and that became Axzwerlich's way, trudging on no matter what happened to him. I applied to Battle after mastering tiger claw and soon found myself in the thick of things. I can't even remember the names of all the people I fought during that time but I tended to get whooped a lot. I kept going though.
Daerkshyn and I got thick as thieves after a while and I kept trudging my ways up the ranks, even though I was having to drop every train I got on con just to stay alive. I travelled with Thror during my journies to hero-dom and did everything I could just to keep up with him. It was a lot of fun though during that time. The three of us were often the only Ragers around, though during that time I had started a new job and I couldn't be around as often as I would have liked to have been. Needless to say, between Empire and Masters, we were getting our butts handed to us every day for a while.
I didn't talk much over any channel and I don't know if anybody ever picked up on how difficult it was for Axzwerlich to speak the common tongue. I tried to play it off but I don't know how well I actually did. I also played this char as someone who did not let his temper get away with him. I have to say that was perhaps the hardest part. I would often have to take deep breaths before replying to someone just so I did not come off as angry.
I hero'd with an 18 con, which was better than I thought I would do. I didn't really care about this char much after Thror immort'ed and most of the people I had run around with had died of old age, con death, or deletion. I came on, talked to the Village a little, ran around a little, and logged off. I think I would have let my char auto-delete if Thror hadn't sat me down and talked to me about dedication.
For some reason, what he said stuck and I gained a new interest in Axzwerlich. I began playing much more often, ended up getting a con quest, and played so more. I had always played this char as somebody who didn't fear death but now I pushed the limits of what I could do, often coming after people wearing nothing but my tattoo (which nobody could see anyway, heh) and my claws. I died a lot but I also got away a lot, which I think surprised some people.
Axzwerlich followed the sphere of Concealment and was a Jullias worshipper, and I think I did a fairly good job of playing both. Thankfully, Jullias never asked me to do anything that conflicted with my duties to the Village, so I never had to choose between religion and Cabal.
Well, all in all, I had a good long run and the only regret I have is the fact that I never mastered owaza. It was a cool skill and very useful at times. I only ever had one successful assassinate (Sorry, Qanoon) but I think I was very often used to scout and silence not kill, and I imagine my pk record would prove that. I would be surprised if my win/loss ratio was 1/3 but I had a lot of fun regardless.
I know this has been rambling but I didn't really have anything set down in stone to say here, I just thought I should say something. Well, I guess I did that...
Finally, I have three pieces of advice for anyone who wants to play a felar assassin rager/scout:
1. Master spell evasion. There are a lot of ways to do this if you think about it. I got away with some of the craziest stuff because I had this mastered. Ask Kylora and Serinka about the time I whooped up on them at the golem, fighting all three.
2. Use your claws. Keep a weapon in reserve for fighting against axes, polearms, and maces, but for the most part, just lose your claws. I very rarely lost a one on one fight to any warrior-type (I think there was maybe four who could beat me consistently) and between tiger claw and backfist, it really just makes sense.
3. Never allow yourself to become dependant on any piece of eq, skill, or trick you might have. Keep people guessing about what you are going to do next. Fighting Mithadris once, he was stunned that I used kotegaeshi on him. I could have kept him there with tiger claw, mountain storm kick, but it was much more fun to make him lose his sword and then take pot-shots at him with my claws.
Finally, one piece of advice to everyone on the MUD... Have fun. Don't get so upset when your character dies that you delete or say things you might regret. It is just a game, after all. The amount of imagination and hard work that has gone into this game simply amazes me. Step back from playing it every now and then to admire that if nothing else.
Well, I'm sure I'll be back in one form or another but for now, goodbye.
Axzwerlich