I dunno G, I dislike dying from a single hit almost as much as i dislike being bullied or picked on... Unfortunately both are pretty realistic... someone hits me properly with an axe or sword, or even a somewhat skilled person with a dagger--much as i may dislike it--I'm dead... if they are holding one in each hand & hit me with one after the other in fast succssion? I'm not just dead, i can't have an open casket... Regarless how agile, strong, (en?)durable, or skilled i may be with any form of armor--unless i block or dodge i should have more than 3/4 chance of death... well unless hit on foot or hand (
but even then considering whatever appendage they may cripple makes me 1/2 as likely to be able to defend myself against getting killed with the next hit, it's not like showing me getting hit more changes anything--on a different but related note--how great would it be if a powerful enough hit to a hand makes that hand drop its item? I mean a hit to the hand shouldn't kill really unless it goes thru to wrist, which still takes a while, or thru whole arm & into chest thru shouulder--but when hit for that much damage on the hand it would be neat if you took 3/4 as much hp damage & have to drop item--how's that as a motivator to avoid pointless fights?)
to reply to the other stuff:
that last post there--umm to be honest I'm wondering with npc client [from what i'd read lately] being a real pain of late, how many ACTUALLY maxed chars are there these days... you know with that... newish stuff, that... shouldn't.. really be... discussed...y'know? --For all people know it could be balanced better already...if not, i'll admit, taking back a bit of what i said above--armor could stand to do more with regard to reducing damage rather than just blocking-- even when someone lands a very skilled hit, armor would take the brunt of the damage, or at least in some way still protect you... Tho the next hit to same spot should do a lot more... I still think armor should get damaged each time you take damage on that body region with it on and that you shouldn't really be able to repair if they get to low enough quality; it should be like cars & nylons--made to work, but not so well you don't need to get new ones each time one gets a giant hole. Even weapons should be irreperable if they have been repeatedly damaged without getting repaired between... but i'm getting offtopic somewhat again..
there should totally be trainable walk/run skills [as i think was suggested in other threads] and they should affect falling, run spped, endurance impact on stamina, & if it's put in-- the way your combat skills are affected by doing them...
not allow running during combat =feast for ulbers...When should people not be able to run?--when wearing full heavy armor...what's the flaw in that idea?--then they shouldn't be able to run when carrying it either..but it could work if it just greatly reducs physical stamina when worn compared to carried..
To lose a duel because you ran too far is a tad unrealistic & confusing, in that if you hit me & then run, i can still hurt you, but if i choose not to pursue, who really gave up? --if we run opposite ways because i misjudged where you went, who loses? --but admittedly if it's tied with certain things like entering hydlaa or oja's walls it sounds like a good idea--but if tied to boundaries there would need to be a way to know... sort of like the tutorial, a popup the first time each character approaches a duel boundary... sounds tricky, & annnoying first times, as long as it's not jut mapborder based or actual distance based it sounds good... my main issue with actual distance, assuming a liberal distance is already given, inn magic battles some would run & cast healing in hiding befor engaging again & i felt it was fair despite my inability to claim victory..
The game is absolutely coded with stationary combat in mind--that's why there are spells that have varrious ranges.. that's why the settings (tho i forget where) reffer to what presumably should be introduced later with regards to the 'reach' of a longsword vs shortsword or dagger... that's why spells are interrupted when you run but not when you walk... that's why spells that require you to be in touch range to initiate & complete allow you to not be in touch range for the time between, and thats why some npcs, once engaged in combat, give chase--better yet that's why you can run & attack while unable to run & cast spells... Jeez it should be obvious it's coded with stationary combat in mind, you shouldn't need someone pointing that out & explaining why...

Absolutely Ulbers should be able to run at 1 & 1/4 playerspeed, & turn on a dime, moreover in fact they should be able to give players death by choronary failure just by their being within your visual range if your will is too low --unless you had already cast the realm 1 brown way spell "Stones of Steel" (not to be mistaken for the combined Brown & Blue way realm 2 spell "Stones of Steel-Blue").
(

i have to admit that your suggestion falls under the thinking of a run skill--in which case making ulbers faster & more agile would be a pretty rockin' plan)
(EDIT: March 4. added bold after Nikodemus' 2nd post)