Bounty System

Palidon

I for one would like an explanation on the bounty system. They way I read it, if your are seen stealing, caught pickpocketing or seen killing someone then its a crime. The key words here are seen and caught. If that is true then why have I got a bounty for stealing things in a remote merchant area in the wilderness and then killing all the witness's to the theft? Now I am hunted by the law which is a bunch of bull. Every time I enter a city the law is chasing me and I can't get to a fence to pay any bounty off. If you are not seen stealing something or if you take care of any witnesses then there should not be a bounty placed on you. The Justice System is a joke and now a pain. Lets get real on the Bounty System.

Samadhi

Palidon wrote: »

I for one would like an explanation on the bounty system. They way I read it, if your are seen doing something then its a crime. If that is true then why have I got a bounty for steeling things in a remote merchant area in the wilderness and killing all the witness's to the theft? Now I am hunted by the law with is a bunch of bull. If you are not seen stealing something or if you take care of any witnesses then there should not be a bounty placed on you. The Justice System is a joke and now a pain. Lets get real on the Bounty System.

If you killed them after they witnessed it your bounty does not go away. More similar to pre-Skyrim than to Skyrim itself.
If you take more than one attack to kill an NPC, you generate a bounty that does not go away upon their death.

jeevin

Yeah I had the same issue with it. I two npcs in a remote home and stole everything that I could and still wound up with a bounty. Maybe it still needs some work?

dawnhawk

The simplest explanation is - Reports happen immediately and there are no "take-backs".

So if you are spotted stealing - that gets reported. Killing the witness does not make it "unreported" - the report already happened. It's just a different mechanic and makes it easier on a MASS level.

As for being hunted...if you are in the wilderness just stay there for a bit. The bounty decreases to 0 if you leave it long enough and don't want to pay.

And from now on...one-shot the witnesses first.

Valmond

We understand how it works, everyone does.
What people may have issues is why it happens, as it makes no sense.

jeevin

Do witnesses use mental telepathy to the guards? It's stoooopid! On a side note quest npcs can attack a town right in front of a guard and the guard will do nothing! Guards only police players!

dawnhawk

What part of the "why" makes no sense?

You committed the crime. You got caught. It got reported. You have a bounty. The only part that is questionable is "how did the report get to the guards" - but we have magic and the ability to magically bounce from continent to content via "shrines". It's fantasy...run with it.

And as mentioned already this is very similar to how it worked in Morrowind.

Islyn

Palidon wrote: »

I for one would like an explanation on the bounty system. They way I read it, if your are seen stealing, caught pickpocketing or seen killing someone then its a crime. The key words here are seen and caught. If that is true then why have I got a bounty for stealing things in a remote merchant area in the wilderness and then killing all the witness's to the theft? Now I am hunted by the law which is a bunch of bull. Every time I enter a city the law is chasing me and I can't get to a fence to pay any bounty off. If you are not seen stealing something or if you take care of any witnesses then there should not be a bounty placed on you. The Justice System is a joke and now a pain. Lets get real on the Bounty System.

Invisibility Potions.

nerevarine1138

You guys realize that Skyrim is the only Elder Scrolls game where witnesses could be assassinated to cover up a crime, right?

Skjoldur

Palidon wrote: »

I for one would like an explanation on the bounty system. They way I read it, if your are seen stealing, caught pickpocketing or seen killing someone then its a crime. The key words here are seen and caught. If that is true then why have I got a bounty for stealing things in a remote merchant area in the wilderness and then killing all the witness's to the theft? Now I am hunted by the law which is a bunch of bull. Every time I enter a city the law is chasing me and I can't get to a fence to pay any bounty off. If you are not seen stealing something or if you take care of any witnesses then there should not be a bounty placed on you. The Justice System is a joke and now a pain. Lets get real on the Bounty System.

Did you see that there are two entrances to get to the fence? one is always outside the city.

That being said: Yes, some things about the justice system are weird.

Skjoldur

nerevarine1138 wrote: »

You guys realize that Skyrim is the only Elder Scrolls game where witnesses could be assassinated to cover up a crime, right?

A good system that should have found its way into ESO... especially since it was implemented years after Skyrim had it.

GreySix

Skjoldur wrote: »

nerevarine1138 wrote: »

You guys realize that Skyrim is the only Elder Scrolls game where witnesses could be assassinated to cover up a crime, right?

A good system that should have found its way into ESO... especially since it was implemented years after Skyrim had it.

Skyrim didn't have way shrines either, so reports likely couldn't have reached the guards before the reported criminal reached a location containing them.

Now, they can.

nerevarine1138

Skjoldur wrote: »

nerevarine1138 wrote: »

You guys realize that Skyrim is the only Elder Scrolls game where witnesses could be assassinated to cover up a crime, right?

A good system that should have found its way into ESO... especially since it was implemented years after Skyrim had it.

I agree it's a good system, but it's a little bit harder to implement in an MMO setting, especially when we take the upcoming PvP elements in to account. Who counts as a witness? Should unkillable NPCs be blind? If a player witnesses a crime, can they now be killed?

It's not as "accurate" as Skyrim's system, but it makes more sense for this kind of game.

Sacadon

While we wait for clarification on your question which I too am curious. There are several refuges that are accessible without any heat from guards.

Although, if your really committed to your line of work, no need to really ever enter the city. My bounty is at 180K gold now... No big deal. But I get that many may not want to go this route.

Gidorick

nerevarine1138 wrote: »

You guys realize that Skyrim is the only Elder Scrolls game where witnesses could be assassinated to cover up a crime, right?

If they were going to do this, which I would be all for, I would like NPCs to be a lot tougher. Don't make it easy to dispatch witnesses.

Enodoc

Lore-wise, consider this: every NPC has a spell called "911" ("999"/"112") which they cast as soon as they witness a crime. Your crime is then reported, and there's nothing you can do about it.