Avoid Kill Stealing Conflicts

i did not write this but i think it worth reading

A Guide to Avoid Kill Stealing Conflicts

--Kill stealing, it can happen anywhere, anytime, any game. What could start out as a complete accident can quickly be turned into a fight however without the proper steps kept in mind. So with that in mind, I have decided to put together a small guide of hints and tips to avoid those sticky situations with other players.

**Note: This Guide is not meant to say that all kill stealing issues are accidental. There are and will always continue to be cases of purposeful kill stealing, and there are tips to manage those here as well.**


Part 1- Accidents Happen

--Everyone is human, and everyone will make mistakes every now and then. It’s very possible that your “kill stealer” might have accidentally attacked your mob by clicking on it without seeing you, or even auto attacked it without realizing that there was another person in the area. It’s even possible to have this happen to you two or three times if you’re in a small grinding spot. The best thing to do in this situation is to stop and negotiate before things get out of hand.


1) If you are the kill stealer and have stolen someone else’s kill, don’t be afraid to apologize! Just attacking a mob and killing it then making no effort to apologize might lead some to believe that it was on purpose. Sometimes it’s just a polite thing to do to apologize and try not to do it again.

2) If you are the one that was ks’d, don’t immediately attack the other person! It’s best just to wait it out and see if it happens again then yell at them after the first time again. If it happens again, kindly ask them to not steal your mobs.

3) Whatever you do, do not steal kills back out of spite! If somebody accidentally steals your kill, it might make them angry to steal one of their mobs! This can lead to fighting and even major competition for mobs, and ultimately a ticket sent for harassment.

4) Negotiations! If your grinding spot is small but nice, somebody else might come along and try to grind as well. Remember, you can’t technically claim spots, so if they accidentally take one of your mobs don’t immediately attack them with words. Try to make peaceful negotiations to share the area by dividing it in half, or even invite the other person to your party if you have room.




Part 2- Repeated Kill Stealing And Harassment

--Yes, there have been cases and there will always continue to be cases of intentional kill stealing. These situations can be very stressful, but with a proper approach can be handled in a decent and nonviolent manner. In an intentional kill stealing situation there are several things that you can do to avoid conflict.


1) Attempt to make kind words and negotiations. Though this may not always work, it is worth a shot to negotiate with others to keep a peaceful and friendly atmosphere. If all works well, things should be settled within a short matter of time and everyone can continue to grind peacefully.

2) If the accused kill stealer is purposely kill stealing you as to a point where they are intentionally impeding your game play, do not be afraid to send in a ticket if you feel harassed. Harassment is no joke, and I myself am always wishing everyone a safe and happy gaming experience.

3) Evacuate the area immediately. Yes, this is not ideal if you are in the middle of grinding, but if you feel that there is no hope and tempers are going to a boil it would be a better idea to sit back and cool down. There are several grinding spots for each range of levels in the world of Shaiya, so feel free to venture out and find another spot to grind. This way you can still level without the pressure of somebody constantly taking your mobs.

4) Remember to keep your cool! If you verbally assault your kill stealer you are just as much at fault as they are! Even if they are harassing you by intentionally stealing your mobs, verbally harassing them back is not the answer. This could lead to the kill stealer to screenie and send in a ticket on you as well.

5) Contact a Game Sage. I myself as a Game Sage know that we have no ability to force anybody to leave a spot or to stop stealing your mobs, but if need be contact a Game Sage. If you are unsure of what to do in the situation or are frustrated and need to rant, I’m sure a Game Sage would be happy to assist you. Though it may not do much, we can always attempt to whisper the kill stealer and ask for peace. However, contacting a Game Sage is not a one hundred percent guarantee that your kill stealing issue will be solved.

6) If all else fails, log out and take a break. If it gets to the point where the kill stealing is so serious to the point where it is greatly stressing you, do not hesitate to log out for a little while. Whether it be only ten minutes or so, so you can come back and check to see if the ks’er is gone, or whether it be a few hours, taking a bit of time away from game would be great to avoid conflict.




Part 3- Respect For Your Fellow Players

--There have been several cases where kill stealing conflicts have come up due to innocent misunderstands or accidents that were not properly acted on. Remember that the person on the other side of that pixilated screen is also human, and most likely has emotions just like you. Showing respect towards your fellow players shows that you are kind and polite and will be beneficial to everyone.


1) Grinding spot lists is a big topic here. Grinding lists were created to hold an organized document of people that want to grind in a small area or spot that gives great exp. Chances are there are several people on this list at once and there is one person that is in charge of the list until they leave the area.

2) No! In no way am I saying that you must follow the grinding spot list for a certain area. If you want to go kill in that area nobody is going to stop you except the party that is already there. I am just explaining that respect for your fellow players by allowing them to grind in peace while you wait for your turn is the kind thing to do. This prevents any conflicts to occur from either grinding party and keeps a friendly and peaceful atmosphere.

3) If you feel that the person in charge of the grinding list is being unfair or impartial, attempt to wait it out until that person has left the area. If you intentionally go to that spot to kill steal their party because you feel that they were impartial, you have now set yourself up for a possible ticket for harassment.

4) Negotiations are always a key factor! If possible, try to negotiate a deal with the other party. Perhaps you can split the spot fifty-fifty, or maybe even take turns tanking the area. Though it may not be ideal, it’s always nice to get along with your fellow players than to cause conflict.





Part 4- Last But Definitely Not Least

--Keep in mind that this is a game, and it was designed to provide entertainment to everyone that wants to join, not to cause conflict with somebody that you can’t even speak to face to face. Sometimes it is just best to walk away for a while before a conflict arises than to start a fight yourself. Trying to keep everyone happy and their game play experience great is something we should all try and do for each other.

--This guide was meant to give a few tips and suggestions in what to do during certain kill stealing situations to avoid conflict. I would be more than happy to take suggestions to add to this guide, but please make them reasonable. I understand that people will want to add rants to this topic due to issues with kill stealing in the past, but remember this is just to try and avoid sticky situations. Just like we want to do in-game, let’s attempt to keep suggestions and replies to this guide friendly and