I am looking for someone to teach me some basic defence and combat strategies. I have purchased a couple good systems, and am willing to work with whatever one the instructor is most familiar with. Am willing to pay a fee for instruction, and I understand if you'd prefer to use an alt to teach than the main character. Kharaen's an Axelord with no tertiary, so it would be nice if the instructor was also an Axelord, or someone who's had experience with Axelord.

Please send inquiries via Forum or Lusternian messages. Thank you.

There is no substitute for experience here. Or, in the case of a warrior, of a solid selection of skills and possibly an artifact or two. If you have a system, know how it works, and have trans Axelord, just go spar people who beat you most of the time, but not so badly that you feel like you never stood a chance.

Problem is, I've never really liked killing anyone, so I have zero experience. I imagine most novices could beat me even with my trans Axelord. And novices would be perhaps too intimidated by my might to realize I'm harmless.

The RL stressors are getting painful from dealing with constant threat, so this is the only thing I could think of.

You're a combat noob. We were all there. No one can teach you how to retain focus and calm jittery hands when the text starts flying. Not over the tubes, at least. Just do it until it stops being a big deal.

PS: Log on.

What Xavius said, basically. You just have to give it a try. Ask for spars incessantly on CT and market. If the person is tougher than you then ask them to go easy on you (meaning play with less effective tactics than their optimal kill strat).

I'd offer to tutor you but I don't really know enough about Axelord.

I would add to this that a big part of getting over the jitters is getting used to being killed over and over. At first it is embarrassing, especially if you have lots of skills, are a high level, have artifacts, or are in a leadership position. After the first few dozen deaths, and the first few taunts, you start to realize that there is nothing much more anyone can do to you. At that point you can just see every fight and death as a way to learn and improve, knowing that over time you will get better.

Get in the habit of logging everything and reviewing the logs after each death to learn the moment where you made a mistake (or two) and work on not making that mistake a second time.

Good luck on your search for an instructor, I think it is a cool idea =)

Dying's just a bother because of my level. I got some help from someone, I'll try buying some poisons and making some alias' now.

Don't have a CT to bug people to spar me with though, heh. I don't like to bug people much either, I don't even advertise my trade much >>

Thanks for the advice, I'll try to follow it.

A big part of it is also knowing what the other guy can do to you. A really big part. And can't get that except reading lots of logs, lurking in the forums and listening to discussions about what's OP, and fighting. And dying. Though hopefully less of that last bit.

Poke me when you're available and our axes will meet.

I agree with everything Atellus said! It was so disheartening dying all the time with all the stuff I have and know, but asking some of the right people for advice and just throwing myself more into the fight while logging everything for later review really, really helps.

Also if you are really confused about what you did wrong you can post it on the forums and people will give you advice. I know I would like more combat logs I have been lurking the forums for a week and have seen I think only one.

Be prepared for a few people to be insulting and condescending to prop themselves up when you do this. Ignore them.

That generally happens to headstrong bastards or people who post logs alongside "lol how could i beat this!!1 combatantx is an op xwhore." Kharaen's not one of them!

It pretty much always happens.

I have only very rarely seen that happen when it wasn't warranted. When people post to the combat logs as a way of whining about something, they usually get knocked down a peg - and rightfully so. If you post a log and legitimately ask what went wrong and what you could have done better, you will almost always get a reasonable response. I've done it several times before.

They're both true: you virtually always get useful responses if you posted a real question, but there's virtually always someone who posts just to be a jerk and/or to proclaim how great they are. The point is to not let the one deprive you of the other.