Greetings,
We update the PK system on October 5th, the main addition being the implementation of a Bad Karma debuff in some situations. Here is an update to the FAQ below.
We understand the new rules are welcomed by some players, while others won’t like them – but players experienced with PK in PC MMORPG are surely familiar with those. 🙂
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Arcane Online allows PK (Player Kill / Player Killing) in very specific zones, called "Disputed Zones". You can see these zones from "Chapter 3: Kalad City" when you open the world map, the first one being in Kalad Canyon (Lv.31+)
The PK system in MMOs is very different from PvP, here is how the PK system worksin Arcane Online since Octovber 5th:
- You can only do PK in the specific PK zones, where you can attack other players or are at risk to be attacked by other players; any other zone is safe except during a Guild War.
- PK attack is only possible if you turned your PK status ON.
- You cannot PK your guild or group members.
- If you PK aRelic Legacy Holder(item from World Bosses), you can steal the player’s Relic Legacy! if you already have a Legacy, the Legacy item will just return to the World Boss.
- If a PK ON player attacks a PK OFF player, the PK OFF player’s status is ‘self defense’ and he/she can kill the PK ON player without penalties. The PK ON player will then have aFugitive Status (‘purple name’)for 2mn and can be attacked by anyone without penalties, even if the player didn’t kill anyone (no red name)
- If a PK ON player attacks a player with no PK Status (no red name) and kills him/her, aWanted Statusand aPK Status (‘red name’)will be applied to the player.
- The Wanted Status last 2h and means you will be attacked and killed by guards in town if they see you. The Wanted Status disappears if you get killed by Guards, but will be renewed to 2h everytime you kill a player with no PK Status (no red name)
- The PK Status (Outlaw > Criminal > Murderer > Serial Killer > Public Enemy) will last 90mn until Criminal then will refresh and extend by 30mn if you kill more players. While you have a ‘red name’, any player can attack you without penalties, even outside PK zones.
- (NEW 10/5) If you get killed by anyone while you have a PK Status of Criminal or higher, aBad Karmadebuff will be applied after you die. The Bad Karma will lower all your stats by X%. If you continue to PK and your PK Status increases, then get killed again, you will get the new corresponding Bad Karma and the timer will refresh. Once you are a Public Enemy and get the -25% to all stats, the Bad Karma timer will not refresh.
Additional Notes:
- If you do not die and your PK Status timer ends, you will not receive the Bad Karma debuff.
- You cannot get the Bad Karma debuff if killed in Siege War, Duels, Arena, Battleground, Raid Boss; however it will be applied if you have it before entering.
- Some areas are ‘safe haven’ for PK players, like the Rebel Hideout, Giants Den, Dungeons, Raid Boss, Siege War, Guild Hall, and generally speaking instanced zones.
- (NEW 10/5) The Guardian Protection cannot be used when you have a PK Status (red name)
- The debuff percentage and duration of Bad Karma may be adjusted in the future.
- You can check your PK Status and Bad Karma in your character stats, Buff/Debuff section.
- If you get attacked when you are ‘PK On’ the character will automatically counter attack even if you didn’t activate the Auto Hunt (it will not if you are ‘PK Off’)
Note that some players may refer to " PK Griefing," which is defined as the act of killing over and over the same player and ruining their fun, usually by "camping" the player at a respawn point.
However PKing someone who is doing some PvE farming for Trophies, Quests or else, letting him return and killing the player again shouldn’t be considered as griefing, as the player has the opportunity to go somewhere else or bring back up from their guild or friends, and the PK player faces the risk of Bad Karma.
In a game like Arcane Online where only some zones are subject to PK, it would thus be extremely rare to have "griefing" situations, but you may experience "ganking" where higher level players or group of players may attack and kill you. We consider PK part of the game, may change or improve the mechanisms over time, but won’t warn or suspend or else players who PK other players.
Arcane Online does also provide you with the option to AFK in "auto hunt" and still get some experience and items, but keep in mind that being AFK farming in a PK zone is at your own risk, and it is very likely you will get killed by other players…