Ninja-ism is just *wrong*.
Thus far I've seen it with all my alts' skills with the exception of Enchanting. There is no excuse not to know if someone that has killed the beast, fought their way to the chest/mine/herb intends to harvest the fruits of those labors.
Intent - Assume that someone that has gone to the trouble to get NEAR that resource is fully intending to harvest it. If they are engaged nearby, simply doing a right-click and whisper will allow YOU to ask if they intend to harvest said resource.
I've been amazed how many times people have replied with some shock that someone asked when I asked their intent. The tool is available for all to use, yet apparently isn't all that much.
*shakes head*
That said, if there is noone close (within sight) to a skinnable critter I will assume that said critter is up for grabs and get the little knife busy. But, if I err on that I will at least apologize.
To help any decent sorts that might be wondering if I intend to skin my kills, I try to do so as soon as the sharp things quit whizzing around in the air too. That *may* mean that I have to step 6 steps away from my last kill to close on another irritated critter. I also will (typically) heal (other party member, pet or self), eat and sharpen weapons before I start 'harvesting'.. that is simple prudence. I've been jumped by unseen or respawns too many times to *not* be as prepared as possible.
This does NOT suggest I'm relinquishing the rights of the victor at all. And I will be sure to /t anyone that presumes otherwise.. ;)
....
I have had the almost evil pleasure of letting kismet come around on ninjas too. :) My favorite to date was recently in Westfall. My warrior alt killed her way into a mine and harvested a nice load of Tin. Following her in, a slightly lower level was working on an occassional Defias. She'd get a couple Defias further in.. start axing on them .. and the lower level started working on those around my warrior.
Okay, he's trying to be helpful.. right? Well.. maybe. More and more it seems that he's letting me play meatshield for him. Let the mobs aggro on me.. slip in a first lick here and there and 'drop off' the mobs for me to finish... something about aggro there is strange.. but. I can live with a little of that.
But, as I set into the three Defias at the silver vein ahead.. he waits and zips in for the silver just as the last of those 3 fall, pick in hand and going for it. If the game was coded to allow it, he'd have put the pick in my head!!
I watched him.. and waited... muttering wonderful thoughts to myself. Ahead.. there is a copper vein. He heads for it.. but quite short runs afoul of a gnoll.. and a Defias. I walked on by that little group and started harvesting copper, watching the battle off to the side.
I know it sounds bad.. and it kinda is.. but I was grinning a little as his health dwindled and failed.
"B*tch!!", he types out /s.
I /t'ed him to ask why in the world would he call me such a thing? His response, 'You took my copper and let me die.'
I told him, "No. We aren't in a party, your survival is your problem. Would that be 'your' copper in some manner similar to 'my' silver you ninjaed?"
He said, (I loved this part..) "That was MY silver!".
I LOLed at him and said, "So, I can kill my way to a silver vein, kill off mobs there so YOU can zip in and mine said silver without the slightest consideration .. because it's YOUR silver?"
He said, "Arguing with you about this is a waste of my time, I got what I wanted."
"Oh, and because *I* walked over (and I did indeed toggle off running) and got the copper.. ie, I got what I wanted, I'm a 'b*tch'? Nice logic."
Oddly, that was the last I heard from that one. :)
In other circumstances, had he bothered to make any effort to converse, I'd probably have helped him get some ore and romp through the mobs. But, I guess I just didn't respond that well to being 'used', eh?
Anyway.. Down with Ninja-ism!!
Sorry about the ramble .. ;)
Decke