Alright then, let me chime in since I have read my name on a couple of accounts.
First of all, the main reasons I have heard that the Assassins did not get another Touch of Death was due to a) the class is already "balanced" and b) the actual physical contact.
Several players across the different forums feel that Assassins are NOT balanced and that Scout is a more powerful class to play.
Kodiak stacked Sins against a few other classes and they came up short.
Forest seems to think Sins can carry and use a small shield AND a short bow. Though this is allowed, it is highly impractical since Sins nor any other class can wear their shields on their backs. ?Ever try to hold a shield and use a bow? It doesn't really work too well.
All in all "Assassinate" is really not very functional if the Sin wants to stay unobserved. Yelling anything in a battle kinda goes against our nature.
Trap, is a good example for those Sins from the old school. Its really hard to cast a verbal when your trying to be sneaky. Also, since the victim can now move all but their legs, it hardly represents a true trap, that is suppose to incapacitate.
ToD was suppose to be a "stealth" attack which made Sins unique. When 7.0 came out we lost all but one. Yet Anti-paladins, who are mostly Warriors with special abilities from their Evil Natures are still allowed 4. This along with Healers having the opportunity to use 4 as well, makes the "physical contact" argument null and void. How can it be Okay for one class and not another.
Now, I don't remember a Vote at any Althing to reflect the "populace" opinion on the proposals. What I saw was one week prior to Clan, the Queen made a attempt to pass out the sheet with ALL the Kingdoms proposals and asked for feed back.
After Months of working with the Rules Rep, the Assassins had been the major class trying to make a change and yet received little or, some would say "nothing" in return.
In reading across the boards, though I am indeed a "little FISH", I find this is a common complaint.
If you ask me "why didn't you attend the meeting"?
I would say that last year I did in fact attend and was accused of "filibustering". I did not want to stand against that charge again.
I let those who were suppose to represent the "players" vote how we had described. I thought I had done the right thing... I was Wrong!
I was told that Kurse, not Brennon would chair the meeting. After all Brennon claimed he was done with the rules changes.
When I asked Kurse why Brennon had done so this year, he told me that Brennon had "asked" if he could and Kurse agreed.
So, perhaps things went askew... I do not know.
I do know that the Major consensus from many is that Assassin is considered an underpowered class.
The question remains... What can be put in place to achieve a "balance"?
Or rather, what will we be allowed to do to try and achieve a "balance"?
Several suggestions have been made, including more verbals (don't like that), more distance attacks (didn't get javelins, guess that's out), and different killing attacks from HFS.
From all of these... please tell me just what you folks who fight to keep the "physical contact" out of our class will allow. I see this as an issue which goes beyond gameplay.
Remove ALL Touch effect attacks, or its simply NOT fare.
I say, perhaps going with that "Back Stab" which goes through Armor and perhaps an Arrow which does the same. This would allow Assassins to once again become a feared Class in the "Stick Jock" World of the current Amtgard.
Would this be something that the "Monarchs" could agree on, because the Reps work seemed to have been ignored when it came to a Vote.
Or should I start collecting signatures on a petition again, and be accused of Cheating, Lying and Stealing...just to get my way.
You see, I only want to "follow the rules" and make a difference, not be made out to be some kind of "criminal".
Let's try and work "together" and make this an equitable situation.
Delphos Darkheart
Guildmaster Emerald Hills Assassins
