Guards didn't insta-kill

[Corbin]

I just remembered this while looking at the other issue on guards.

I use to let guards chase me when they popped up. They would hit and do a considerable amount of damage, but you could run away and they would give chase. You could also kill them if you were really good.

[Kaivan]

The ability to run away from guards was a bug introduced with the UOR expansion. Specifically, the bug forced guards to obey the range and LOS checks that existed in combat, which they were not forced to do before then. This bug was later fixed with a UOR patch that gave guards the lightning attack that would deal the same amount of damage as their halberd. However, it is possible to be hit by a guard with a single attack and survive, although the damage you receive is nearly 100.

[Corbin]

The ability to run away from guards was a bug introduced with the UOR expansion. Specifically, the bug forced guards to obey the range and LOS checks that existed in combat, which they were not forced to do before then. This bug was later fixed with a UOR patch that gave guards the lightning attack that would deal the same amount of damage as their halberd. However, it is possible to be hit by a guard with a single attack and survive, although the damage you receive is nearly 100.

Ahh, that explains that then.
TY for clearing that up.