Playerkilling

Interaction between players on Discworld is restricted unless both players are part of a common league.

• By default players are not player killers which means that other players cannot kill them, steal from them, loot their corpse or place contracts on them at the various assassin guilds.
• In the past, this was called 'player killer' status, but now this works by joining the Playerkillers league.
• The other leagues are temporary.
• You can only interact as player killers with another player if you are in a common league.
• It is also possible to fight as player killers in the PK Arena even if you don't join any league.

Player Killers are commonly referred to as PK. In opposition, those who are Non-Player Killers are referred to as NPK.

WARNING: There are drastic changes happening to PK. See: Playerkilling/2020_changes and news.

Leagues

A league allows players to have PK interactions with other players that are in a common league.

• The Playerkillers league is permanent.
• Any player can create temporary leagues for consensual PK with willing participants.
• An open invitation policy means that anyone can join automatically.
• A closed invitation policy requires an invitation to join.

The league command is used to get information about a league or to create, join or leave a league.

• league list - List all available leagues.
• league create <name> - Create a new temporary league.
• league info <league> - List members and other information for a league.
• league list members of <league> - List the members of a league.
• league list for <player> - List the leagues that a player is in.
• league join <league> - Join a league
• league leave <league> for <reason> - Leave a league.

Temporary leagues (all except the Playerkillers league) last for 10 days, or until their creator disbands them. These are intended for player-run events, or just for sparring with friends or having a wedding brawl.

Playerkillers league

Changes to PK, now known as the Playerkillers league, are ongoing and the information presented here might be out of date at any given moment.

• For more information see this page and this announcement.

Player killers (PK) are now referred to as members of the playerkillers league, the permanent league of Playerkillers.

• Members of a league can kill other members of the league (and overall engage with them as a PK).
• The league name/designation was changed from clan.
• League members who have been in the league for at least 2 days of playtime (or everyone who was a PK at the time of the change) can vote in an election for league leader.
• This election uses preference-based voting.
• Candidates need someone in the league to second them.
• NPKs are allowed to stand for the position of PK leader.

The elected Leader of PK, a player, has the following powers:

• remove someone from the league (all members will get an inform about this)
• invite someone to the league who was previously removed (or is too young to join)
• see when someone previously left (and whether it was voluntary or not)
• write a message in the league log file for future leaders to see (for example to note why a player was removed)

It has been stated that the leader of PK can be removed through an option to hold a vote of non-confidence (VONC), which has now been implemented.

Currently the commands for PK status changes and information are available with the league command:

• league list members of Playerkillers - List the members of the Playerkillers league.
• league join Playerkillers - Become a player killer.
• league info Playerkillers - List members and other information for the Playerkillers league.
• league leave Playerkillers - Stop being a player killer.

marshal: Reva
Officers: Eviscerator and Kwik
Policy: The league has an open invitation policy: everyone is free to join, except for those who have previously left or been removed.  (These players need to be invited before being able to join.)  Once you have joined, you must play for a full day before being able to leave.

Being PK

Many people are worried about becoming a playerkiller due to the perception that weak characters will be mercilessly victimised repeatedly. (This reportedly does happen sometimes.)

Since the 2020 changes it is now possible to leave PK if you have been in the league for at least a day of playtime.

However if you leave you might not be able to join again, since you'll need to be invited by the PK leader. Depending on who that is and their policies this can be a formality or it can be impossible until the next PK leader.

Theft

Yes, you will be stolen from. If you carry items of sentimental value or that are hard to replace, you may want to either stay NPK or consider vaulting them. But in general, you won't be stolen from that much (unless you are), and most thieves are willing to sell things back to you or even just give them back if you explain why the object holds such value to you (unless they don't want to). Obviously this doesn't apply if the object in question was taken because they were trying to hurt you, but if you're reasonable and polite, you shouldn't have a problem (but you might).

The main annoyance is that if you have low perception, you basically can't carry coins. Go to the bank when you want to buy something and don't idle on your pk character and you'll be fine (maybe).

Random attacks

This will happen, but not as often as many fear (unless it does, for example if someone dislike you enough for any reason or no reason at all). Spend your xp frequently as a precaution, and if someone attacks you, take it with good grace. Random attacks can be a fun part of the game, either trying to get away from your opponent before they kill you, or turning the tables on them. Or in more even match-ups, using various skills and tricks to try to come out on top.

Assassination

This happens even less often than random attacks, due to the cost. Most people won't bother with more than warning contracts, because those are much cheaper, and even real death contracts aren't much of a problem due to the coded time limit on the frequency of contracting. Make sure you always have a few spare lives and try not to repeatedly annoy people with a lot of cash and you'll barely even know about contracts.

"Pk-checked"

For an action to be pk-checked generally means that playerkillers can do it only to other playerkillers, and non-playerkillers can do it only to NPCs. Broadly, this applies to:

• Attacking or stealing
• Casting offensive spells
• Performing offensive rituals
• Picking locks on real estate, although if a pk is permitted in the house then any pk can pick the lock
• Things that interfere with covert actions (the Light ritual, spraying perfume, etc.)

There are other, more specific, things that are checked. These include (but may not be limited to):

• The Calm and Chant rituals. These may, however, be performed on players who are grouped with you.
• The Celestial Anchor ritual

Some actions have a less strict check:

• Find Corpse can be used on npks, and can be used on pks after being permitted
• Tempt is only checked for poisoned fruit
• Track can be used on npks

There is also something called a pk assistance check, which means that npks can't perform the action on pks who are in combat with other pks. It applies to the scrying systems.

Action that used to be possible, but that cannot be done anymore, having been removed from the game:

• Corpse looting without being permitted.
• Stealing furniture and items from them without being permitted in that room or house.

External links

• Discworld concept help: Playerkilling
• Discworld concept help: Playerkilling rules