I'm not exactly a new player, but I had this question and I thought the answer would be good for new players to hear as well.

Ok, let's say you're playing a rager wanna-be (or whatever cabal). You got your skills up pretty good, and you're looking for someone to pk. You check who pk and find that there's only one mage (if you're a rager) logged on in your pk range. However, you've fought this dude twice before over the last two days, and both times, he died without hardly scratching you. But, it's been a while since the last time you killed him, so you go wax him again. You take a look at his race, notice he's a drow and suddenly realize, you don't have a mithril weapon for dealing with drow (even though you don't need it with this guy, there will be other drow eventually). So you go get yourself a nice jeweled dagger, come back, and as you walk into galadon, there's the same guy you've waxed three times, no longer a ghost now, and sleeping at Market Sqare. No tribs around, no witnesses, you don't give a jack about tribunal laws, what do you do? Do you wax the guy again, even though you've nailed him three times already and the last time wasn't long ago (and you know that with the jeweled dagger you'll probably one-round him), or do you take pity on him and leave him be, turning down the chance to kill a mage when you're applying for the village? I always feel sorry for the guy in situations like this, but if my character has a crusade to kill (such as a rager), would it not be bad RP to pass up the chance? Or would it be worse RP to spam kill someone who doesn't stand the tiniest chance of survival? Decisions, decisions!

Menilin

You sort of change the scenario midstream. First I haven't killed him today, then it hasn't been that long? Anyway...

I would have said kill the mage, and then afterwards give them helpful hints. e.g. "How dare you show such contempt for me that you do not even cloak yourself in the simple spell of invisibility that would have completely saved your life? I hope you'll treat me with more respect now that I have proven my strength." Hell, do that after the first time you kill the guy if you can tell he's that green.

But I'm more of a #### than Twist or Kasty, and their answer is also good.

Well actually he says that he killed the dude, takes the time it takes to go get a jeweled dagger, then sees the dude recently unghosted sleeping at market square. THAT's why I said I'd wake him up and do what I say. If he hasn't killed him yet that day (or even in the past couple hours)? MORE BLOOD MORE BLOOD MORE BLOOD!!

Just want to put my stamp as Battle God on what he said. PK is one way to show magi the error of their ways. RP is another, and I would say it's probably even harder to take the time to go that route.

As an aside, I've spot inducted people for doing something along these lines in the past.

Kastellyn the Devourer of Magic, Lord of Legends

I walk up to that mage, wake him, tell him something like:

"Only a damn fool mage would sleep in the middle of town. You need someone to teach you a thing or two, don't you, boy? Why don't you put down those spellbooks, pick up a good sword, and I'll show you how to fight like a man."

"Hmm, those arms look a little weak. We'll need to build up muscle. Maybe a dagger first. Give up your foolish magic, it only makes you weak."

Basically give him a chance to actually *play*. He may snort at you, or cast invis, or try to attack (if he's stupid), or whatever. Maybe he'll even listen (or pretend to listen).

In any of the above cases, you're sticking to your role as a rager wannabe, but you aren't making the player in question decide that this whole MUDding thing is stupid.

(And then later on when that dark-elf destroys you at hero levels with some ubermojo that is totally unfair, maybe he'll remember that little bit of RP-instead-of-PK and return your shinies.)

Another option is to attack him, but take care not to lag him at all. I've done that before w/ people. Not surprisingly they usually get away, which was sort of the point.

Couple things about doing this:
1. The player behind the mage is probably new to the game (sleeping at market square?), and will likely not realize that you didn't *try* to kill him, really. He/she may just see it as "that jerk attacking me again."

2. The original poster mentioned that he figured he would one-round the mage in question, which would make the attack-but-don't-lag option not really work.