Just a quick refresher for some people of the rules from the EfU website, seeing as a lot of PvP seems to be going on lately.

If you attack someone, you must always set the other character to dislike (hostile). However, being set to dislike (hostile) is not an IC act: it does not mean that someone is looking at you angrily and characters have no IC knowledge that this mode has been set. Setting someone to hostile can be done at any time and for any reason, not necessarily as a precursor to PvP. Being set to hostile does not mean that you are individually being targeted, sometimes players will set an entire server to hostile for their own reasons.

For those who don't know, this is entirely necessary for the game engine to function properly. So please, follow the rules and set people to hostile before you attack them.

Even though I always observe that rule, does anyone know what happens if you DONT set to hostile and attack?

You do not recieve opportunities of attack, under any conditions. This is incredibly lame as it gives a huge advantage to a caster.

There are certain spells that do not affect non-hostiles as well.

....and you also get a spot/listen bonus V hostile targets to represent your heightened awarness looking for them.

If you don't set to hostile, you cannot kill them (sending to the fugue). Though Attacks of Opportunity, are negated, things like Sneak Attacks are not. That's why when you get 'confused' by a spell and you start attacking someone on your team, having anyone with Rogue levels can sometimes cripple and otherwise strong team.

You can VERY WELL kill someone who is not on hostile, as in, fugue kill. It all comes down to what subdual mode you are on. If you are on full damage, it means buh-bye, even w/o hostile.

What if something happens between two characters who -were- on dislike, and your character would intervene but you're not on hostile? For example, an assassination in your presence, and you attempt to cast Hold on the assassin while he flees?

What stops you from setting them to hostile also?

And yes, you can send people who aren't on hostile to the fugue.

Time would stop someone from setting another to hostile; the assassin isn't going to wait around for you to set them to Hostile before you cast your spell or initiate attack.

If, because of the surprise of the attack, you shouldn't be able to react unless you were prepared for it, I understand that. In the situation I mentioned, I almost didn't do anything because it was so unexpected. Then I remembered I had several Hold spells prepared, and thought to use one.

The server rule states that you must set someone hostile before attacking them. Even in the case of a surprise attack. Always do this.

If someone should attack you without setting you hostile first, please alert a DM, as this is against server policy.

EDIT: If you are attacking someone and they are with allies, please set their allies hostile as well, to avoid them losing reaction time due to you not being hostile.

You should set people to hostile at the soonest possible moment. If PvP is even suspected for a second, do it.

Usually, though, PvP happens in the most unsuspected times. In response, as soon as I log on I set all my enemies and their friends who are online to hostile. It means any PvP which might happen during your session is likely already handled, in terms of hostiling.

In spite of the clear rules, though, people who intend to initiate PvP still don't do this. I've been in two circumstances in the last week where whole groups have disregarded this rule, and its me on the defensive who has to avoid them all while setting to hostile. Luckily, I survived, but if I didn't, I'd be pretty pissed.

Please, just set to hostile!

Seriously, though. It's not just an issue of asking nicely. If we receive reports that a player is attacking people without setting them hostile, warnings, deletions, bans, etc. may result.

The iron fist of SONG OF ORPHEUS will descend unto your head.

Is there no way to set up some kind of script that sets "factions" for people who are friends / allies? That way, if someone decides they want to become "hostile" to one person, all their friends / allies become hostile too... leaves out the guesswork and the time delay in setting all the people who are friendly / allied with the intended target to hostile as well? Also, known enemy factions can be set hostile to one another.

Clear examples are the DM and Player Factions. Anyone who joins such a faction should also be set as a "faction" in terms of game mechanics, unless / until that's manually overridden or they get booted from the faction, etc.

Godspeed, Delron

ASBay Time would stop someone from setting another to hostile; the assassin isn't going to wait around for you to set them to Hostile before you cast your spell or initiate attack.

If, because of the surprise of the attack, you shouldn't be able to react unless you were prepared for it, I understand that. In the situation I mentioned, I almost didn't do anything because it was so unexpected. Then I remembered I had several Hold spells prepared, and thought to use one.