>Is it considered outing yourself if your do any thief only thing in the open, such as disarm blind, harvest, analyze, carving a lockpick, backstabbing, etc? If it is, is there a way I should roleplay this, being a guild first thief? Is there a person to tattle to or something? It kind of disturbs me - a thief "fundamentalist" - when peolpe out themselves....

I think what people are referring to when they talk about being "outed" is anything that is a dead giveaway to another player (note: the player - not the character) that you are a guilded Thief.

A classic example of something that used to "out" Thieves was the 'closes his eyes and concentrates blah blah or whatever' message that everyone in the room used to see whenever a Thief started a khri. If we were all perfect RP'ers, that would mean nothing, since anyone of any guild can close their eyes and concentrate. But since the players behind the character know that that particular message could ONLY be done by guilded Thieves, they automatically knew you were a Thief - even though it made no sense for them to know.

Apu

Nothing to do with disarm is outting at all. The only truly thief only aspect to disarm is the harvesting, and the maneuver itsself is just shown as another disarmstep. They see you fiddle with it and grin er something. The only thing that would give this away is if tehre are three traps, and then you harvest, they'd see it appear as though you disarmed it 4 times, which is known to be impossible. But quite honestly, I doubt anyone has eevr paid close enough attention to count the times someone disarms. The only other aspect of it that would give it away, is if they see you put the spring, pin, etc away. If you use the slip verb, they'll never know.

As for carving and backstabbing, yes. Both of these are thief only skills, and both will out you. As far as the guild is concerned, backstabbing ain't a problem. If you're actually trying to hide your identity for your own IC purposes though, then yeah, folks'll figger it out, so try ambushing instead. still teaches backstab, and any guild can do it.

Lockpicking carving...Some folks get funny about. I personally carve 'em in public, cos everyoneI'm ever around knows full well that I'm a locksmith anyway...But some folks will ask you why yer doing it in the open, espeially if it's a populated place.

>> So, in the nature of good roleplaying, what kind of action can my character take when he sees someone lockpick carving or backstabbing?

To be IC with it, there's no way a CHARACTER should be able to tell you backstabbed. A backstab is just a thrust from hiding, which can be done with ambush as well. It's only the players who actually see the word backstab, in which case....Abandon hope trying to RP it with them. Best bet would just be to say "Looks like the jumped outta hiding and ambushed him with a thrust" kinda thing...But they're more likely to say "Didn't you see the word BACKSTAB????" and ruin the fun for ya. You'd be better off just letting it slide.

As for lockpick carving...Goes both ways a bit. Realistically, there's no reason a non-thief couldn't carve a lockpick. Game mechanics limit it. So again, it really depends on whether you want to try to bring those ooc limitations into your roleplay. When possible, they're both really better off ignored.

As for backstabbing in PvP....If you are witnessed doing it by too many nonthieves, the guild will have you deal with for flaunting guild abilities. Other than that, 99% of thieves have no moral qualms with stabbing the snot outta anyone who gets in yer way.

If you really wanna be based in honour and code, and secrecy, then you'd really be limited to never backstabbing, and never carving in public....All depends on how closely you wanna follow that code.

Well, as far as me.... Backstabing has come in handy more than once. Not that I PVP, but if someone is being an arse and really, really and I mean really needs to be taken out. If I miss or they live then I deal with it as they decide to play it. Most of the time they run. Not much of a running conflict as they realize they are out matched. Use the tools given to you and move forward. War Mages cast... <Not a stab at War Mages just because they are DUM>, We just sortta make things happen.

The funny thing is most of my IG friends come to me to pop boxes and most of the "new to me folks" think I am a XXXX. I love the chalange of staying in character and in guild. RUNES RUNES RUNES. Sorry did I say that? <cough><duck><babble> <hugs a GM>

Laslowe


Psychiatrists say that one out of four people are mentally ill. Check three friends. If they are okay, you're it.

So basically, play it by ear. Like here is your answer grasshopper, and it is no answer at all.

::Mutters somting in the air about confucious was mentally retarded::

>>Just off the top of my head, "Play Hodierna's lilt." or glyph tracing, or rejuving, or any manner of things.

Well- I'm not primarily a thief though I do have a couple of them. But I can give you a couple of excuses!

"Play Hodierna's Lilt"- You could frown at your instrument and say something about it being broken. That won't work if you were jut playing though!

Glyph Tracing- You could mutter something about having a tanked soul or tanked soul pool.

Rejuv- Easiest of all! You could literally say that you don't know that spell. And considerring the number of clerics that have not rechosen it since magic came back no one would be too surprised.

Ryeka


Sometimes the key to happiness is not assuming it is locked in the first place- Ziggy

what's good about plat is that most characters over there don't INTENTIONALLY try to out you.


What's bad, is that unintentioned things still out you.

Would really be nice if the Ranger handshake functioned like the Barbarian handshake.


~only the shadows know~

>Would really be nice if the Ranger handshake functioned like the Barbarian handshake.

No where run to No where to hide,..It WILL happen sooner or later.

~Nakeeta