being able to move a corpse would have a huge impact on game balance.

I don't see this as something that could topple game balance. Please share your unique and interesting ideas on just HOW this would upset game balance.

I see looting ability as a part of game balance.

For example, I think advantage is gained as a necro by blinding someone and summoning them before killing them, so that they don't know where to find their corpse.

It gives you longer to loot.

By allowing the dragging of corpses you extend that advantage to all. It is not inconceivable that someone could drag a corpse into a hidden room either, rendering them unable to find it.

Not being able to find your corpse affects game balance. This change would affect the relative balance between different classes abilities to loot/hide corpses.

Also, for example, you might spend time looking to see where your corpse has been moved to when in fact it got butchered. But you don't know that because even though you know where you died, your corpse could be nearby. Meanwhile your "ghost time" that you could use to reequip has been depleted.

-I see looting ability as a part of game balance.

-For example, I think advantage is gained as a necro by blinding someone and summoning them before killing them, so that they don't know where to find their corpse.

-It gives you longer to loot.

I can't really understand this point, aside that you think there is a class advantage for looting. This can be remedied by any class that knows where to find a merc store.

-By allowing the dragging of corpses you extend that advantage to all. It is not inconceivable that someone could drag a corpse into a hidden room either, rendering them unable to find it.

"..To prevent possible exploitation perhaps create limits on where corpses can be dragged, for example never within a Cabal, on or in water, in the air, and a substantial lag to prevent moving completely a few areas away.."

-Also, for example, you might spend time looking to see where your corpse has been moved to when in fact it got butchered. But you don't know that because even though you know where you died, your corpse could be nearby. Meanwhile your "ghost time" that you could use to reequip has been depleted.

"..Allow for bloody tracks or impressions showing the path a corpse has been dragged through, and perhaps have these disappear only when the corpse itself purges.."

Returning to the room you died in yields three posibilities: a corpse, an empty room, a set of tracks leading to the next room. Rinse/repeat.

-Not being able to find your corpse affects game balance. This change would affect the relative balance between different classes abilities to loot/hide corpses.

Any class is capable of looting a corpse. "Hiding" a corpse I will assume refers to butcher, animate dead, devour, etc., which I don't really see as hiding, but as class-specific skills designed to manipulate the corpse, not affect the loot.

>-I see looting ability as a part of game balance.
>
>-For example, I think advantage is gained as a necro by
>blinding someone and summoning them before killing them, so
>that they don't know where to find their corpse.
>
>-It gives you longer to loot.
>
>I can't really understand this point, aside that you think
>there is a class advantage for looting. This can be remedied
>by any class that knows where to find a merc store.
>

Not really. Most mercs give stealthy classes away. Also, mercs need boats or flight to cross water. Mercs also often die in the fight. How many mercs are going to survive when you fight a hero invoker?

Mercs can also be bribed, and often cannot full-loot a corpse.

>-By allowing the dragging of corpses you extend that advantage
>to all. It is not inconceivable that someone could drag a
>corpse into a hidden room either, rendering them unable to
>find it.
>
>"..To prevent possible exploitation perhaps create limits on
>where corpses can be dragged, for example never within a
>Cabal, on or in water, in the air, and a substantial lag to
>prevent moving completely a few areas away.."
>

I'm thinking more along the lines of a room exit where you cannot see an exit. A fair number of areas where pk happens a lot include these.

>-Also, for example, you might spend time looking to see where
>your corpse has been moved to when in fact it got butchered.
>But you don't know that because even though you know where you
>died, your corpse could be nearby. Meanwhile your "ghost time"
>that you could use to reequip has been depleted.
>
>"..Allow for bloody tracks or impressions showing the path a
>corpse has been dragged through, and perhaps have these
>disappear only when the corpse itself purges.."
>

>Returning to the room you died in yields three posibilities: a
>corpse, an empty room, a set of tracks leading to the next
>room. Rinse/repeat.
>
>-Not being able to find your corpse affects game balance. This
>change would affect the relative balance between different
>classes abilities to loot/hide corpses.
>
>Any class is capable of looting a corpse. "Hiding" a corpse I
>will assume refers to butcher, animate dead, devour, etc.,
>which I don't really see as hiding, but as class-specific
>skills designed to manipulate the corpse, not affect the
>loot.

My point is, if I come back and don't find my corpse (and no track has been left) I might waste time looking for it when in fact it has just been butchered. This leaves me with less time to re-equip as a ghost. Alternatively, I might decide that my corpse has been butchered, go to reequip, and have my stuff looted from the pit. (I was referring to butcher etc as you surmised.)

I am not saying your idea isn't an interesting one, but I was considering the issue in game just before you first posted it, when I was looting someone I'd just killed. It occurred to me how useful it would be if I could just drag their corpse out of the area (only one room), so that I wouldn't be seen looting it.

Being able to drag a corpse would be useful. It would be a lot more useful for some classes than for others. For example, mages could suffer from the chance because you could drag a corpse from the mountain pass east of the Araile into the desert. It is then that much harder for a mage to pinpoint the corpse with locate object, meaning that those with locate object are now somewhat disadvantaged in finding the corpse before you finish looting it.

Even if tracks are left while dragging a corpse, you still allow someone to drag it into an area where they will not be spotted, and can make it harder to locate. If a trail was always left, then it might be reasonable. It still seems to me as if the ability to move a corpse favors some classes/races more than others. For example, a giant with big containers can often full-loot a corpse on the spot. A felar, however, has to sort through things, which takes time, particularly if he needs to use lore a few times to see what is worth taking.

A merc isn't the great equaliser here, because I've often escaped pk's because of someone's merc giving them away. Even sneaking mercs give you away if the other person sneaks in on you.

nt