Post by Admin on Feb 14, 2012 11:44:54 GMT -5
When your character is in combat - whether they initiated the fight or not - please remember the following rules.
Defending against an attack -
No one is invulnerable, no matter how powerful or fast they are. If a character takes part in combat, they will get hit and they will get hurt.
For every three posts a PC makes in combat, only two of them can be used to completely block, dodge, negate or ignore the damage from an attack.
- This is called a "Block" for short, but all of the above methods for shrugging off an attack are considered Blocks.
- Whether this is the first, second or third post doesn't matter, nor does it have to be the same post for each group of three posts made.
While this rule is a game mechanic, please keep in mind the physical and magical nature of things in game. A Tier 0 who dodges a magic blast without harm is using a Block. A Tier 0 who stands there and takes the same magic blast cannot just say they take no damage because they're "using a Block," nor could a Tier 1's magical defenses stand up directly to a blast from a Tier 4 without harm.
When a player is not using a Block, then they must take some damage from being attacked. They do not have to take the full damage or effect from an attack, but they must have taken some harm or shown that they've been weakened by it.
For example, Character A raises her gun and shoots a bullet at Character B. Character B is out of Blocks, so he must take damage. Character B can either let himself be hit by the bullet in a vital area, be hit in a nonvital area, or be grazed by the bullet. Character B could also prevent being hurt by the bullet entirely but get hurt in the process of doing so - like being thrown back by the force when the bullet hits a bullet proof vest, or getting hurt by landing hard on something while dodging it. All of these examples are considered taking damage.
Attacking a fellow PC -
Whenever your PC is attacking another PC, if the attack is anything more complicated than shooting or throwing something at them, you the player should write in the future tense - to write what will happen or should happen from the attack, if the attack actually goes through. This is true both for mundane things like a grenade (describing the size and kind of explosive), and most magical things in general (describing the effects of a Curse or Charm).
Under no circumstance may you write in your post that an opposing PC takes the hit, takes damage, or is otherwise affected by your attack, magical or otherwise. Those details are explicitly under the other player's control. To violate this is akin to godmodding. You most certainly cannot write that you kill an opposing PC in your post.
Attacking a minor NPC -
Whenever your PC is attacking a minor NPC, you the player can safely write what happens when your character attacks. Unlike PCs, a minor NPC cannot use a Block on their own. However, it is still preferable to write in the future tense if there are other PCs in combat, as they may wish to use a Block to defend for them.
For most situations, a minor NPC is a usually unnamed individual, who is Tier 1 or 0, without any significant training or defenses. If a more powerful character is fighting a group of mages, then the weakest ones may be considered minor NPCs.
Do note that: 1, it is almost always better writing to take down minor NPCs a few at a time than to use your character's strength as an excuse to nuke a ton in one sentence. 2, if someone has put effort into or grown an attachment to a certain character, they can Block it in character or ask you not to out of character.
Please be courteous. If someone asks you not to harm/kill an NPC they like or had plans for, please edit your post accordingly. If you do not do so, we the Admins will make an executive decision on the matter.
Attacking a major NPC -
Whenever your PC is attacking a major NPC, you the player must treat them as if they are a PC and should write in the future tense. Unlike minor NPCs, a major NPC can only use one Block in three posts, but a PC can use a Block to defend for them.
For most situations, a major NPC is usually a named individual of some magical or political authority. For a NPC with neither of these to be considered "major," a player must have put significant time and effort into them. Just giving them a name and a job does not qualify them for this status. A PC's personal family members may count as major NPCs if the player intended for them to be recurring characters in the PC's life. You the player may also request this status ahead of time.
If you spend enough time on a major NPC, you should consider just making them a PC outright to avoid any confusion between being a minor or major NPC.
When a major NPC is in combat, please designate them as such by placing "(MAJOR NPC)" after their name, once per post. Using this once per post will help people remember who is fair game and who is not.
Familiars -
Non-item intelligent familiars count as major NPCs. That means they can use one Block in three posts. However, if a familiar is in combat with their mage, then the mage can use one of their Blocks to defend them. The player could also give one of the mage's Blocks to the familiar out of character, for the familiar to defend themselves instead.
The number of Blocks between mage and familiar do not stack. If mage and familiar are together, they still cannot Block more than two out of three posts.
If a familiar has been attacked enough times, when they didn't have/use a Block to defend, then they must leave the battle. Whether they are knocked out, dispersed, blasted away, TKO-ed, or actually killed is up to the player's choice. Being able to heal the familiar in battle does not matter. The mage suffers the penalty for not having their familiar at that time, but may regain both familiar and the appropriate benefits after the battle has been completed.
- If a partially dependent familiar has been attacked two times when they didn't have/use a Block to defend, then the familiar must exit the battle.
- If a fully dependent familiar has been attacked four times when they didn't have/use a Block to defend, then the familiar must exit the battle.
Defending against an attack -
No one is invulnerable, no matter how powerful or fast they are. If a character takes part in combat, they will get hit and they will get hurt.
For every three posts a PC makes in combat, only two of them can be used to completely block, dodge, negate or ignore the damage from an attack.
- This is called a "Block" for short, but all of the above methods for shrugging off an attack are considered Blocks.
- Whether this is the first, second or third post doesn't matter, nor does it have to be the same post for each group of three posts made.
While this rule is a game mechanic, please keep in mind the physical and magical nature of things in game. A Tier 0 who dodges a magic blast without harm is using a Block. A Tier 0 who stands there and takes the same magic blast cannot just say they take no damage because they're "using a Block," nor could a Tier 1's magical defenses stand up directly to a blast from a Tier 4 without harm.
When a player is not using a Block, then they must take some damage from being attacked. They do not have to take the full damage or effect from an attack, but they must have taken some harm or shown that they've been weakened by it.
For example, Character A raises her gun and shoots a bullet at Character B. Character B is out of Blocks, so he must take damage. Character B can either let himself be hit by the bullet in a vital area, be hit in a nonvital area, or be grazed by the bullet. Character B could also prevent being hurt by the bullet entirely but get hurt in the process of doing so - like being thrown back by the force when the bullet hits a bullet proof vest, or getting hurt by landing hard on something while dodging it. All of these examples are considered taking damage.
Attacking a fellow PC -
Whenever your PC is attacking another PC, if the attack is anything more complicated than shooting or throwing something at them, you the player should write in the future tense - to write what will happen or should happen from the attack, if the attack actually goes through. This is true both for mundane things like a grenade (describing the size and kind of explosive), and most magical things in general (describing the effects of a Curse or Charm).
Under no circumstance may you write in your post that an opposing PC takes the hit, takes damage, or is otherwise affected by your attack, magical or otherwise. Those details are explicitly under the other player's control. To violate this is akin to godmodding. You most certainly cannot write that you kill an opposing PC in your post.
Attacking a minor NPC -
Whenever your PC is attacking a minor NPC, you the player can safely write what happens when your character attacks. Unlike PCs, a minor NPC cannot use a Block on their own. However, it is still preferable to write in the future tense if there are other PCs in combat, as they may wish to use a Block to defend for them.
For most situations, a minor NPC is a usually unnamed individual, who is Tier 1 or 0, without any significant training or defenses. If a more powerful character is fighting a group of mages, then the weakest ones may be considered minor NPCs.
Do note that: 1, it is almost always better writing to take down minor NPCs a few at a time than to use your character's strength as an excuse to nuke a ton in one sentence. 2, if someone has put effort into or grown an attachment to a certain character, they can Block it in character or ask you not to out of character.
Please be courteous. If someone asks you not to harm/kill an NPC they like or had plans for, please edit your post accordingly. If you do not do so, we the Admins will make an executive decision on the matter.
Attacking a major NPC -
Whenever your PC is attacking a major NPC, you the player must treat them as if they are a PC and should write in the future tense. Unlike minor NPCs, a major NPC can only use one Block in three posts, but a PC can use a Block to defend for them.
For most situations, a major NPC is usually a named individual of some magical or political authority. For a NPC with neither of these to be considered "major," a player must have put significant time and effort into them. Just giving them a name and a job does not qualify them for this status. A PC's personal family members may count as major NPCs if the player intended for them to be recurring characters in the PC's life. You the player may also request this status ahead of time.
If you spend enough time on a major NPC, you should consider just making them a PC outright to avoid any confusion between being a minor or major NPC.
When a major NPC is in combat, please designate them as such by placing "(MAJOR NPC)" after their name, once per post. Using this once per post will help people remember who is fair game and who is not.
Familiars -
Non-item intelligent familiars count as major NPCs. That means they can use one Block in three posts. However, if a familiar is in combat with their mage, then the mage can use one of their Blocks to defend them. The player could also give one of the mage's Blocks to the familiar out of character, for the familiar to defend themselves instead.
The number of Blocks between mage and familiar do not stack. If mage and familiar are together, they still cannot Block more than two out of three posts.
If a familiar has been attacked enough times, when they didn't have/use a Block to defend, then they must leave the battle. Whether they are knocked out, dispersed, blasted away, TKO-ed, or actually killed is up to the player's choice. Being able to heal the familiar in battle does not matter. The mage suffers the penalty for not having their familiar at that time, but may regain both familiar and the appropriate benefits after the battle has been completed.
- If a partially dependent familiar has been attacked two times when they didn't have/use a Block to defend, then the familiar must exit the battle.
- If a fully dependent familiar has been attacked four times when they didn't have/use a Block to defend, then the familiar must exit the battle.