UPDATE: Rules and Systems Explanation

[Darkmaster]

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/25978520/rules.doc

Go go go.

[Flimzy]

[align=center][font=Times New Roman][size=x-large]ARKNET Statistical Roleplay[/size][/font]
[i]Rules and Systems Explanation[/i]

[i]This section of the document strives to outline what exactly is allowed in this roleplay, how the various systems work, and the list of banned weapons, abilities, etc.[/i]

[b]Rules and Regulations[/b][/align]

1. No godmodding. This is defined as having the ability to do something beyond the power level of an individual character or party.
2. No full-on metagaming. There are some instances I will allow, like thought reading, provided the power has a fair limit.
3. Try to keep the story going on your own. Players shouldn't attempt to have their character “walk up, punch an ally and run away laughing” -- posts similar to that will be deleted.
4. Minimum of two medium-length paragraphs per post. I don't want any oneliners – the previous iteration of this roleplay was terrible for that. Try to have at least three sentences in a paragraph, though flowery writing is allowed. (Yes Eebit, I'm referring to you.)
5. Powers must be approved by the GM (Me) before they can be used, and there is a limit of three abilities per character.
6. No bubbling. This entails trapping a character in one post. Your character would not be able to do that in reality, and it isn't fair to the target.
7. Your character can have a maximum eight C-Spells. No exceptions.
8. Your character may also gain new Skills, determined by the GM on level up. No exceptions.
9. Party limit is 8 for my own sanity.
10. No Skills that increase Max HP. This is just ridiculous and borderline godmodding.


[align=center][b]SYSTEMS[/b]

[u]The BGM System[/u][/align]

The BGM system is exactly as its name implies – it allows the GM and the players to set specific background music for situations, battles, you name it.

Its functions are quite simple, for example, if the current BGM was say, Awakening of the Earth Spirits by ZUN, and I decided to show the players, I would write it in my next post like so:

[align=center][i][Current BGM: [b]<link-to-yt-video-or-download-titled-with-”Awakening of the Earth Spirits - ZUN”>[/b]][/i][/align]


And if I or a player wished to change the BGM to something else, they would type:

[i][align=center][BGM Switched! New BGM: [b]<link-to-yt-video-or-download-titled-with-”song-name - artist”>[/b]][/align][/i]

An individual character's theme is defined in their Profile.



[align=center][u]The Party System[/u][/align]

As per traditional D&D, upon which the rules for this roleplay are based, it is possible to have a party of up to eight members, though this limit is only to protect the sanity of both the GM and the players.

The party system is mainly used for combat situations, however, should the need arise for say, a search and rescue party, or a dungeon raid party, then the GM will allow for that. Parties may be formed at any time as long as the party leader notifies the GM of the number of party members and their IC names.

Parties are denoted as such, where bolded is the party leader:

[align=center][b]Jude[/b]
Jack
Dark
<name>
<name>
...
...
...[/align]

and a purpose for the party should also be defined, as well as alignment.


[align=center][u]The Spell System[/u][/align]

The spell/ability system in use here is different to the traditional statplay model. It is not based on MP, or Mana Points, but rather leveled 'slots'. For example, if one were to play a Level 5 Sorcerer, then the sorcerer would have a limited number of Level 5 spells available to use, usually starting at one or two, then scaling up with lower level spells until the cantrips, or zero-level spells, which have the most uses (unlimited at Level 10).

For example, a Fireball slot would be denoted as such:

[Fireball (Level 5); Fire Elemental; Level + CHA or INT modifier * 1D6 * 2 Damage Roll; <# of uses>]

And a cantrip in this manner:

[Light (zero-level); No Element; Causes Light (Level + CHA or INT modifier * D4 Rounds); <# of uses or “infinite” if level 10]


Spells may also draw from character Powers, and such spells are denoted like this:


[<Name> (<Level>); Element; Damage Roll; Effects; Usable By <Name> (Power)]


It is also worth noting that one type of spell from traditional, Statistical Colosseum-esque statplays will be making a return: C-Spells. As per Rule Seven, there are limits, but don't let this discourage you. They are formatted two slots above a spell of equivalent level normally, and are formatted like so:

[Combo Spell: <Name> (Power/Element); <Combined Damage Roll> (Effects); <Characters Needed> (Level)]

[align=center][u]The Level System[/u][/align]

Like any good Statplay, this version of ARKNET has a level system. Starting at level one and ending at level six, a character gains a level every five hundred experience points. This means at 3000 experience, you would be Level 6.

[align=center][i]Tiers[/i]

Levels 1-6: 500 EXP/level
Levels 7-12: 1000 EXP/level
Levels 13-20: 2500 EXP/level
Epic Level (Levels 21-26): 4500 EXP/level
Epic Level (Levels 27-32): 9000 EXP/level
Epic Level (Levels 33-39): 15000 EXP/level
Epic Level (Levels 40+): 27500 EXP/level[/align]


The first 500 will be easy enough to get, as depending on your character's performance, your experience will scale and, if in a party, be added to everyone's totals accordingly, meaning being in a party maximises EXP yield.



[align=center][u]The Battle System[/u][/align]

The battle system is quite simple. Based on D&D 3.5 rules, a twenty-sided die is rolled for each character in the turn order to determine order of attack, plus any DEX or Feat bonuses. For instance, using a Dice Roller, with Jude having a DEX modifier of +6 and Improved Initiative, granting a total bonus of +10, an example roll would look like this:

[b]Jude [/b]rolls [b]Initiative! 26![/b] ([b]16[/b] + 10 = 26)


Once the GM figures out the turn order, we move on to Attack Rolls, which pits a roll + Base Attack bonus and any STR and Feat bonuses against the opponent's Armor Class to determine if an attack connects. For example, say Jack has +4 STR and a Base Attack of 12:

[b]Jack[/b] rolls [b]To Hit! 27![/b] ([b]11[/b] + 16 = 27; HIT!)


Once a character manages to hit an opponent or target, we roll Damage (depending on Weapon Class), and add either STR or DEX modifiers and any magical or technological weapon bonuses. For instance, Jack using his Explosive Shurikens:

[b]Jack[/b] hits with [b]Explosive Shuriken! 12 Damage![/b] ([b]4[/b] + 4 DEX + 4 Explosive Damage)


Prior to battle, it is my obligation as GM to describe the battlefield and provide a basic layout, and the battlefield format is much the same as Statistical Colloseum.


[align=center][u]The Skill, Stat and Feat System[/u][/align]

With every Level, a character is able to use four Skill Points to increase one or more of the many Skills available to them: Knowledge, Magic, Technology, Weapons, Medicine and Survival. These Skills are explained below.

[b]Knowledge:[/b] (INT-based): What do you know? What do you see? What have you found? All knowledge-based skills.
[b]Magic:[/b] (INT for wizards, CHA for sorcerers) How adept you are at magic.
[b]Medicine:[/b] (INT-based) Are you a doctor of sorts? How well do you know anatomy and the like.
[b]Survival:[/b] (CON- or STR-based) How well you can survive. Includes building stuff and the like.
[b]Technology:[/b] (INT-Based) How adept you are at using and building technology.
[b]Weapons:[/b] (DEX-based) How well you fare when using an unknown weapon.



Stats determine the core parts of the character, with CON being the most important. Every Stat is accompanied by a Modifier which helps to determine Skill, Attack and Damage Rolls. These are listed below.

[b]CON:[/b] The building block of HP. With low modifiers come low HP values. Determines FOR save.
[b]DEX:[/b] How quick you are in most cases. Determines RFX save.
[b]STR:[/b] Physical strength.
[b]WIS:[/b] How wise you are; how resistant you are to mind effects. Determines WIL save.
[b]INT:[/b] How intelligent you are. Used for Wizard spell bonuses and additional languages.
[b]CHA:[/b] How charismatic or talented you are. Used for Sorcerer spell bonuses.

[b]FOR:[/b] Fortitude save; used for attacks that physically harm the body.
[b]RFX:[/b] Reflex save; used for dodging.
[b]WIL: [/b]Will save; used for mind-effecting and non-physical attacks.

[b]HP:[/b] Hit points, obviously.
[b]AC:[/b] Armor Class; how hard you are to hit. Base is 10, add DEX modifier.
[b]SPD:[/b] Speed. Starts at 30, adds 10 for every +1 in DEX mod. Doubled by certain effects.


Feats are things that enable Skills to be used effectively. Use Magic Device, Bardic Knowledge, etc. I will even allow custom feats if they are properly explained.



[align=center][u]Actions[/u][/align]

Actions are fairly simple, so I will only list which actions use and do not use turns.

Free Actions (do not use Turns): Talking, Moving, loading Small Weapons, Preparing Spells.
Act Actions: Using Abilities or Feats, Casting Spells, Attacking, Using or Interacting with Items and Objects.

[align=center]---END DOCUMENT---[/align]

[b]Because not all of us want to clutter our computer with shit.[/b]
[i]Eebit Edit: I agree with Flimzy, but I reformatted the post to match the *.doc[/i]