Player Killing

Killing other players has consequences. This article explains murder counts, the bounty system and the penalties that come with life as a red (murderer, or "PK"). See the PvP overview for combat mechanics.

Kill counts

When you are killed by another player who actually damaged you, you get the option to report them for murder. The game tracks two counters per character:

• Long-term kills determine your alignment:
• 0–4 kills: you are a lawful citizen (blue).
• 5+ kills: you are a murderer (red).
• One long-term kill decays after 40 hours of in-game time (time actually played, not real time).
• Short-term kills determine your resurrection penalty.
• One short-term kill decays after 8 hours of in-game time.

Members of the Thieves Guild cannot be reported for murder when they die — but a thief who is reported for their first murder is suspended from the guild.

The bounty system

A bounty is a reward offered for the death of a murderer.

Placing a bounty

If your killer is already a murderer (5+ long-term kills), the murder report window lets you place a bounty on their head. The amount is withdrawn from your bank and added to any existing bounty on that murderer. You can place up to 10,000 gold per report (limited by your bank balance).

The top 10 bounties are listed on the Bounty Boards found at city banks, and the top 10 most-wanted murderers wear their bounty rank above their name ([Bounty Rank #N]).

Claiming a bounty

1. Kill the wanted murderer.
2. Use a bladed weapon on their corpse to carve off their head.
3. Hand the head to any town guard within 24 hours of the death.

The guard pays the bounty into your bank, minus a 50% tax, and the bounty on that murderer is cleared.

Penalties for murderers

Resurrection cost

A red with 5 or more short-term kills must pay a fee to resurrect:

Resurrection cost = 500 gp x short-term kills + current bounty on your head

The fee is withdrawn from your bank. After paying, your short-term kill count is set back to 4. Deaths in outlaw regions, or while PK-locked (see below), are free — no fee is charged for those.

PK lock

When a red (5+ long-term kills) is reported for murder, their next death at the hands of another player triggers a PK lock lasting 2 hours of in-game time. While locked:

• The red cannot take harmful actions against innocents (blues) or their pets.
• Innocents see a yellow [PK Locked] tag above the red's head (and above their pets).
• If the red dies again while the lock is active, that death costs no resurrection fee.

Beware: the lock only protects innocents who leave the red alone. If you attack a PK-locked red first, they are allowed to fight back.