Combat Rules

Let me first begin by saying we are a combat-friendly site. All test of rpng is not dependent on someone's combat abilities, but this is (from my generation) the greatest measure of your ability overall and a neglected skill set that SFU staff desire to re-instill the value of in the rpers of our community.
Combat ability is extremely important. Stories are driven by struggle of some kind, and that means fighting. So we want general guidelines for everyone to be aware of in order to fight better and know how to survive in the lion's den.

I also advise those of you who are less experienced or whatever, to take on a "sensei" or whatever, who will teach you how to fight IC and OOC. Those of you who think you are strong and don't need that, think again.
Rather than teaching the juicy secrets of effective fighting etc. I will simply lay down some ground rules that will help everyone judge their own stuff in the future and not need mod ruling as often.


Timeline

Timeline is the order of events that take place in an rp thread, combat or otherwise. Timeline becomes extremely important when fighting because it enables a person to interrupt the actions of another through careful timing and attention to the other person's post. Rather than preach strategy I will give you some guidelines on how this CAN and CANNOT be done.

1.  Using "seconds" or "minutes" or "hours" means nothing in rp. It does not. Saying that you do something in relative to normal measurement of time means nothing because time does not work the same way in the rp world as it does in the real one. I'm frightened to realize that this new generation of rpers has not realized this, so let me spoil the secret. Saying that you shot an arrow that would hit someone "in a second" is invalid. The only thing that matters is the stat speed of the arrow and when it takes place in reference to other confirmed events within the time line.

2. Which leads me to point two. A confirmed event in a timeline is something that you or your opponent posts as having done, that is not contradicted or interrupted by the immediate post of the person after them.
If I am fighting Kikato and I say that I drew out my sword, and the next post Kikato says he saw me draw my sword, my drawing of my sword is an officially confirmed event in the timeline. Meaning it definitely happened. There is not going back or interrupting it from that point on.

3. An unconfirmed event is an event that your character or someone else's post as having done and is a new thing to be potentially added to the time line.

"Ever draws his sword."

"Kikato laughs as he sees Ever draw his sword because he Knows ever is slow and he is going to die soon."

^Stein just confirmed that I drew my sword by not interrupting it.

"Ever would then reach into his pocket and pull out his Glock and point it at Kikato smiling and laughing. He would insult Kikato and make comments about his mother before firing off at him fifty times."

^This is an event that Ever would write that has not yet come into affect and must be confirmed or interrupted by Kikato. Kikato obviously has plenty of room and time to stop be from doing whatever I am going to do etc. and therefore it is unlikely that everything in my post will actually become a part of the real time line.

What becomes a part of the timeline is an action by a character that is not interrupted by the actions of another.




Calling a Hit

The funnest part. So a hit happens when you make an ACTION and your opponent fails to come up with or be capable of coming up with, a REACTION that will enable them to escape the harm or force of your technique in some way, shape or form.
Firstly, a hit is not called on the same post that you attempt to attack someone. That is the ACTION part of your character, and is an UNCONFIRMED EVENT in the timeline. Once your opponent posts, then you can judge if you are able to call a hit or not.
This is determined by various factors, but suffice to say this. If your character attack someone and they respond by doing something that you deduce via the rules, the stats, and situation -that they cannot do, or in doing so would not escape something you (in your previous post) hurled at them - than you may call a hit.

Procedure: When you believe that you hitting them should or has become a legitimate part of the timeline despite their efforts, you may post evidence to suggest such and provide evidence in a (polite) response to your opponent's post. If your opponent disagrees, he/she may ask for a mod and then a ruling can be pronounced. The person challenging your evidence needs to provide evidence to the contrary themselves as well; not just object to being hit in general.

A mod will then look it over and make a decision. You have the option to reply but please do so in a sincere fashion.

If the hit i confirmed, you may decide how much damage is done to your opponent and to what degree. This is subject to too many variables to have a cemented rule on; but suffice to say, don't embellish or go over board with what minor hits do - or it will get denied.


Vague Manipulation

This is the most controversial aspect of rp, and we feel the need to address it in a few ways. Firstly let me say that vague manipulation does not mean you can create and randomly make any and all things that your opponent did not specifically state existed or did not exist. Meaning the fact that their post does not include talking about what they are wearing, does not mean you can make them naked.
It is about including important and realistic details that your partner might not; like how far they are standing away from you.

You may include:

• The specifcation of details your opponent does not. Like how far away you or he/she is from each other etc.
  
  
• The climate and what is going on with the weather generally. Though this cannot be taken to mean lightning hits your opponent randomly etc.
  
  
• You may use your own techniques in unorthodox ways in order to be more effective in combat/battle, even if they are not specifically stated to be able to be used this way. This will be heavily monitored, but we like to keep creativity as a part of rp.
  
  
• You may describe exactly what happens to your opponent when they are hit and twist it to your fancy - as long as it does not get out of hand. You cannot say that a pencil hitting them in the hand kills them, for example. You cannot say that a rock with 40 more endurance than their head is an automatic knockout and kill.
  Be reasonable please.
  
  And if you go too far with what a hit can potentially do, you will be denied. There is no specific way to gurantee which hits will do what; so use good judgment and class.
  
  

Vague manipulation basically is including details that are not otherwise included. If you try to include silly ones that are over the limit or over the top; or contradict something, you are liable to being denied. If you do something silly with vague and your opponent does not time line (interrupt or object) what you do/say, than it is allowed as a fact in the thread. So it is up to you to make sure your opponent doesn't do anything insanely silly and it goes unnoticed.

• Metaphorical Attacks - If your opponent writes something that involves a hidden attack, something that at face value cannot be interpreted from the writing - it is possible that this could be valid. It is also possible that it could not. Using metaphors and vague descriptions to describe fighting is very tricky and will be monitored on both ends. If you try to use too strong a metaphor so that it is impossible to tell that you are attacking - you will be voided. On the other hand, it can be a post that is metaphorical but sensible enough to be proven as a clear out attack - and thus if you misinterpret you are liable to be hit. There are not concrete rules since this is situational, just know that using metaphors can be tricky for both parties. Those who are hit by this will be angry no doubt, but if you are not careful to read and pick up logical hints - you will be hit. And for those who use metaphors - be careful not to stray too far away from stating what you are actually doing, or else a mod might see that as invalid and therefore voided.
  
  It is up to you to read and discern the meaning of a text, which you fully know well can be manipulated by you or your opponent if either of you is sloppy with details in your posts, or interpreting details in someone else's. However if someone includes something in their post that if false or cannot be done, you have the right to reply with a post that denies the existence of said action, as long as you include why in a spoiler at the top or bottom of your page. Inform them of their supposed error. And they may argue it by asking for a mod or continue the thread accepting your claim.
  
  If someone sets a trap in their post in other words, and you fall into it because of a lack of careful reading or understanding - you are held responsible. If every attack had to be made plain and obvious, fighting would be useless as people would auto-know and auto-dodge.
  

Post Errors
What happens when your opponent posts something that is inaccurate or is considering illegal? Basically, when the person you are rpng with does something that you consider to be metagaming, an improper use of a technique, or doing something that overall is not possible or non-sensical?

1. Provide evidence of what in their post you disagree with specifically, and ask for the ruling of a mod.

2. A mod will come and judge whether or not your claim is correct and if so, what corrections must be made or penalties paid.

Now let me explain in further detail how this works in certain situations. Basically, when your opponent makes a mistake in their post, depending on how large it is, depends on the general ruling of a mod.

• Lack of Handseals - So your opponent performed a technique without specifically posting hand seals. Technically this is wrong, however this is a minor post mistake if one at all. This would only be considered a real offense if hand seals in the given situation would affect the timeline in a noticeable way. If not, than the most a mod will usually require is that the person make an edit to include specifically that he/she has made hand signs. That is all.
  If it does affect the timeline, than the person who errored will be asked to edit and the person who is responding may be given the ability to edit their post to respond differently.
  
  
• Techniques: Description or Definition? - So when responding to someone's post, what if they make an error in their use or description of a technique? Should you go by definition or description? You have one of two options; you may go by their description, and if they described it wrong react thus while at the same time not contradicting the integrity of the technique (not bypassing what it can do by definition), OR you may ask a mod to require them to edit that part of their post.
  
  Overall, description and definition are things that need to fuse when writing. You must describe your technique in such a way as to promote the way in which it is being used, while at the same time holding fast to the limits of the technique. It is a courtesy to post the techniques used in your thread in a spoiler; but not a requirement all the time as that would ruin the point of traps and such.
  
  
• False Positioning or description? - If you're opponent falsely describes something you have written or completely ignores a relevant factor and walks over it; a factor like a wall standing in front of them - you are able to call hits or reply in such a way that denies their description and affirms yours.
  
  If I say that there is a stone wall one foot in front of my opponent, and that I am twenty feet behind it, my opponent cannot do the following:
  
  Post saying that they sprinted directly towards me with raging speed to attack me with a kunai.
  
  ^If such a thing were done I am within my rights to say that in rushing towards me they smashed through the wall; and in doing so (if stats and situation permits) they knock themselves out. Thus, I would be calling a hit due to my opponent's false understanding and description of the situation and positioning.
  
  OR you can call a mod and request a voiding of a post, a rewrite or something to that affect depending on how bad it is.
  The point is, when your opponent makes an error, you are within your rights to use it to attack and hit them, or you may force them to re-write their post with better acknowledgement of timeline confirmed events and environmental obstacles etc.
  

Overall, we do not want people being afraid to not be perfect in their posts in order to battle. Most of the time if an error is made you will be given a chance to correct the first time; and if necessary your opponent will be given the option to make a different response if appropriate. If more serious or egregious errors are made, or made multiple times - your post may be voided. Please abide by the rules. We don't void a post entirely because you didn't mention your hand seals  -but please mention your hand seals. Because in the event that something small like that changes the time line drastically, you may be asked to rewrite the entire thing or whatever else.

Last note - God Modding and Meta-gaming. Please understand all that god modding is when you take control of the decision making process of another person's character that contradicts or supersedes what they have stated to have done in their post. Vague manipulation is not an excuse for this either. You may not say that a person trips, falls, or scratches their balls randomly. You can only describe what you see from what they have done, or how what they have done has affected the world around you.
In combat, you may describe what will happen to your opponent IF XYZ hit connects. But you cannot state that it indefinitely connects until your opponent's first reaction to it at least. If their reaction is inadequate, you may post saying the results of the hit and even bring a mod for ruling. But you may not simply decide someone being hit is an irreversible part of the timeline the same post that you attack them.

Metagaming means making it so that your character is inherently omniscient and never able to be taken by surprise or to fail to react to something. This will be watched heavily and if you screw this up in battle, mods have the right to call a hit on you if it is insanely bad abuse. You will likely be let off with a warning the first time, after that there will be issues.
You may indeed use your surroundings to enable you to gain information, but if this is seen as intensely arbitrary and absurdly used - you will be denied. And that does not mean you will be denied if you wisely use your environment to predict or react to events - but if it is silly stuff. this is subject to mod discretion.


Conclusion
Battle rp is about carefullness of reading and writing. It tests the mind and the emotions because you know your ego and character are on the line. It is best to approach the topic with humility guys. Learn how to do it; and you learn by doing it and losing. No shame in fighting and losing. You can always make another character. In addition, you are free to practice fight anytime or ask someone to teach you who you think is worthy and able.
Lastly, use common sense and creativity guys. Those are two of the biggest weapons you can have. All the cool techs and the highest stats won't save you if those are lacking.

This thread is not meant to be the all-comprehensive guide or word to how all of battle rp works, but the most fundamental levels of it. We hope this is a tool for those new to battle rp to sharpen their skills and grow in them. And for those "veterans" also to improve to the best of their understanding.


Lastly, enjoy it!