TOURNAMENT: The Rise of the Discussion!

[Shorn]

1st Annual Adventurer's Tournament:

Come one, come all, test your mettle and might against others who's battle hardened techniques have brought them through battle with forces untold and unimaginable. If you've ever wondered how you measure up to others in battle, ever sought to have your name forever remembered in heroic tales, or ever sought riches and fortune, you will find such here. All are welcome, who come to fight, but be warned, the peace will be kept, outside of the venue of battle. If you have differences, settle them there, and let only your skill and bravery be the determinant of who comes out victorious. This is not a battle to the death, entrants will be healed of their wounds upon conclusion of the battle. Honorable and skillfull combat is the aim, not battle for the sake of bloodshed.

3v3 Team Battle:
Teams of three are to be formed. These will face off against other teams in a three versus three, tournament style bracket. There will be a consolation bracket for third place, if there are enough entrants. Teams may be composed of any and every combination possible, although I would ask that you try to avoid "power groups" and instead try to make interesting combinations that will give a good show. This is by no means a rule, or anything other than a suggestion to improve the event itself.

Free for All:
This will be the final event of the tournament, with the survivor being awarded the prize, as well as the glory that goes with the majestic victory.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tournament and Free For All Rules:
1. Pre-match Spellcasting: Non-spellcasting warriors and rogues are allowed three pre-match buffs, wand usages, or potions, so long as they come from within the three man team. Paladins, rangers, and bards are allowed two spells prematch. Wizards, clerics, druids, similar classes are allowed one.

2. Potions: All entrants are allowed the use of two potions of any kind during the match, healing or otherwise.

3. Wands: Wands may be used before the match to protect your allies, but once the match starts, the use of wands is disallowed. This is to prevent a player from overabusing a financial, rather than skill or power based advantage to win the match.

4. Hide in Plain Sight: Hide in Plain Sight may be used [color=#FF0000]before the match starts[/color], while the countdown is beginning or earlier. Once the match has started, you are allowed one in battle use, if your natural dexterity is above twenty, due to the confusion of battle. Furthermore, if you cast a spell such as invisibility upon yourself, or yourself or an ally casts darkness, you may use the ability again. This is to prevent the commonly heard of "HIPS" spamming. Yes, they can hide within even a small shadow within ten feet, but a few dozen uses of that should be enough for a sufficiently massive circumstance bonus, and therefor, it is being limited in the interest of fun on all sides.

5. Etherealness, and similar spells: Etherealness, and by extension, fully buffing yourself while under the effects of the spell, is also prohibited. This is for two reasons, the first being that it allows, basically, complete circumvention of the prebuffing rule, and secondly, because shifting to another plane removes you from the place of combat, thus counting as retreating from the fight and forfeiting. This does not apply to invisibility, or any spell similar to invisibility.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Time and Date:
TBA

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Prizes: TBA

First Place:

Second Place:

Third Place:

Tournament Champion:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is a preliminary layout and ruleset for the forum. It is now opened to discussion, and I would like for all of you who plan to attend to do several things for me. First, please begin gathering your team, and indeed, have some RP around if if you so desire. Second, please post what days of the week work best for you, and what time, in GMT, preferably.

Thirdly, this is to be a serverwide event. I plan to allow all factions to attend, and no particular faction will be sponsoring it. Peace will be kept forcibly. As a player, I cannot guarantee that I can really do this, so I ask that you please keep the spirit of the event in mind, and try not to turn it into a free for all "hey lets kill the enemy" fest.

As a final addendum, I welcome anyone who wants to place bets, watch, cheer, heckle, or any of the above. This is an RP event, in addition to a tournament, and I welcome all the participation I can get.

Tell me what you think, let me know if you're interested, and when you can come, and basically, discuss.

[Wired]

There are some rules posted in the Arena itself, which are sort of the default 'house rules.' You're free to have your own of course.

Having seen a few of these types of events, I would recommend simplifying though. I might suggest for the main event:

• No invisibility/eternalness or HIPS. It's a fight.
• No pre-buffing; If you want to cast a spell or drink a potion, do it after the fight starts
• No healing
• No deathmagic

A lot of complicated rules and allowances for conditions under which this or that is acceptable is just going to lead to lawyering.

Then for the Free-for-All, have no rules. Last humanoid standing.

Here's what's actually posted in the arena:

1. <b>IT IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN TO INTERFERE WITH A CONTEST.</b> This includes the injury of or casting of magicks upon any competitor in a lawfully sanctioned contest. Compliance with this rule will be magically enforced.

2. <b>IT IS FORBIDDEN TO ENTER THE ARENA DURING A CONTEST.</b> Oddsmakers will hold all contests until citizens have cleared the arena floor

3. <b>RULES OF ENGAGEMENT FOR PERSONAL CHALLENGES MUST BE AGREED IN ADVANCE.</b> Otherwise the following house rules apply:
a. Use of <i>pre-combat</i> bolstering magicks, irrespective of source, will be limited to two (2) per challenger
b. Use of etherealness, invisibility, or similar magicks is expressly forbidden
c. Use of death spells is forbidden
d. Use of healing potions, wands, scrolls, kits, or magickal spells is forbidden

4. <b>VANQUISHED CHALLENGERS MUST LEAVE THE RING. </b> Use of restorative magicks to repeatedly assault the winner of a challenge subsequent to their victory is both dishonorable and strictly forbidden.

[Shorn]

By nature of allowing all factions entrance, it will unfortunately not be something that can be held in the arena itself. That would rather preclude the Canites from being involved, as well as any EoS. Our faction battles are good, but I would kind of like to bring the server into this, as a whole. If there were some way to work around this, that would be great. The Arena is a much better place to hold these things, given choice.

The reason for the rules is because I've always felt them necessary for a fair, enjoyable fight. Financially buying a fight due to your available funds can make a challenging battle easy, and ruin any enjoyment for one side. HIPS spamming, and full party buffing, as well, can ruin such. The latter would not be so much of a problem, save that we are medium magic, and I'd contend that no logical argument can be made claiming that a class such as a cleric or mage, given opportunity to buff, would lose to a non-spellcasting counterpart once the battle was entered, or indeed even come close to such.

That said, this is for you guys. If you feel there are too many rules, and too restrictive, speak up. This is for you guys, I'm just organizing this. Input is important, I don't want this to be run based off solely off what I see as the best way to run it.

[Alterity]

nd I'd contend that no logical argument can be made claiming that a class such as a cleric or mage, given opportunity to buff, would lose to a non-spellcasting counterpart once the battle was entered, or indeed even come close to such.

I've almost beaten a mostly buffed cleric with a completely unbuffed fighter

However, you might want to restrict what kind of magic is allowed. Bigbies spells kind of make wizards win against any melee fighter, and word of faith rather makes it impossible for anyone to beat a cleric. It might make it most fair to limit casters to level 6 and below spells or something similar. That cuts out most of the more super powerful spells that make the casters impossible to beat.

Of course, that would only be needed for fights where it is caster vs non-caster, although Word of Faith and Bigbies should always be banned. Alternatively, you could just ban 'saveless' hostile spells, which would ban word of faith, bigbies, IGMS, power words etc.

Edit, I mentioned something about the Canites but have rescinded the statement because it offended some people. I apologize to anyone it offended, that wasn't its purpose

[Ve'keer]

I would be interested in this, depending on time and date, get those up and I'll give you a reply on whether or not I can make it. ( If it matters I'd play a typical dwarf fighter, I'd play a rogue.. but I fear that he'd be easily torn apart without HIP spamming life insurance )

[LordAers]

Too many rules.
Make two brackets - casters and non casters.(rangers/paladins fall under non casters)
Non casters get no spells, wands, potions, etc.
Casters get to pre buff.

Allowing the canites will make it particularly difficult to keep it IC. It would be more appropriate, in my opinion, to have them play a different character if they want to participate.

Thanks for that, Alt.

[Aglet Blacksoul]

We are all creative people, I am sure we could come up with a reason for an uneasy truce IC. And a handshake for good behavior OOC. These sorts of little events are a good way to bring the server together. Maybe that is just wishful thinking, i don't know

[Alterity]

Too many rules.
Make two brackets - casters and non casters.(rangers/paladins fall under non casters)
Non casters get no spells, wands, potions, etc.
Casters get to pre buff.

Make it 3 brackets: High Magic, Medium Magic, Low magic. Let the people choose which bracket they want to be in.

High Magic: Magic before and after the battle starts, includes prebuffing and magic during the fight.
Medium Magic: Prebuffs only, no magic during the fight (or Limited).
Low Magic: No magic at all, no prebuffs, no magic during, only magic items(enchanted items worn on the person).

No bracket can use wands or potions, only things they can personally cast. Bardic Music counts as magic for prebuffing and magic during rules. Spell like abilities count as magic (such as the Assassin Invisibility spell like ability, or RDD dragon breath), as does lay on hands. Smite evil, (improved) Knockdown, Feint, (improved) Disarm, Smite good, smite infidel, impromptu Sneak attack, Flourish do not count as magic, and can be used.

In general, High magic will see casting clerics, wizard, sorcerers and warlocks. Medium magic will see buff and bash like martial clerics, EKs, Martial bards, paladins and rangers (if they want to buff). And Low magic will see anyone that doesn't use magic, like Fighters, unbuffing rangers, unbuffing paladins, Barbarians monks etc.

[LordAers]

Too many rules.
Make two brackets - casters and non casters.(rangers/paladins fall under non casters)
Non casters get no spells, wands, potions, etc.
Casters get to pre buff.

Make it 3 brackets: High Magic, Medium Magic, Low magic. Let the people choose which bracket they want to be in.

High Magic: Magic before and after the battle starts, includes prebuffing and magic during the fight.
Medium Magic: Prebuffs only, no magic during the fight (or Limited).
Low Magic: No magic at all, no prebuffs, no magic during, only magic items(enchanted items worn on the person).

This brings up the question, what bout multi classed wiz/sorc? like arcane archers, or HIPSing wizards? that seems more medium magic, with high magic being pure casters.

[The Explorer]

Guys the answer is simple their playing the bad guys and doing it well so far. So let them decide to either take part in the full event as alternate chars or do what bad guys and DM's have been doing since their inception and gate crash the free for all with an appropriately timed OOC tell from one of us saying now.

@Shorn mate how about some bonus reward for best Rp Knockdown/Death scene and a bonus reward for anyone managing to pull off the whole Black Knight script from Monty Python during their match? (Actually if it gets as bigger turn out/laggy/crashy as before that could be a problem to supervise but would be funny as hell)

@DM's if there's a bunch of you turning up (I happen to spot 2/3 of you online at the same time these days) could on of you play Marius the Odds maker to get some proper betting action non fight Rp going?

@New Players: Just because a bunch of lvl 20 players that have been here for years are going to make a mess does not mean your not welcome or that you won't have fun there is always fun for everyone even those lvl 1 chars with little Rping ability. Yes your char will probably die during the event no it's not a problem someone will raise you do not respawn.

[vastgoten]

...
@New Players: Just because a bunch of lvl 20 players that have been here for years are going to make a mess does not mean your not welcome or that you won't have fun there is always fun for everyone even those lvl 1 chars with little Rping ability. Yes your char will probably die during the event no it's not a problem someone will raise you do not respawn.

Amen to that!

(There is not even necessary to be part of the actual fighting. One can play a spectator or gamgler or a pick pocketer seizing the day, or what not....)

[Alterity]

Too many rules.
Make two brackets - casters and non casters.(rangers/paladins fall under non casters)
Non casters get no spells, wands, potions, etc.
Casters get to pre buff.

Make it 3 brackets: High Magic, Medium Magic, Low magic. Let the people choose which bracket they want to be in.

High Magic: Magic before and after the battle starts, includes prebuffing and magic during the fight.
Medium Magic: Prebuffs only, no magic during the fight (or Limited).
Low Magic: No magic at all, no prebuffs, no magic during, only magic items(enchanted items worn on the person).

This brings up the question, what bout multi classed wiz/sorc? like arcane archers, or HIPSing wizards? that seems more medium magic, with high magic being pure casters.

Which is why they get to choose. I originally thought of putting 'spellsword' category, where they'd include EK, arcane archer, etc, however if you let them choose then you even the playing field. The spellsword category would pit EKs vs AAs, where an AA just might not have the buffing capability to keep up with an EK and might be better of just passing on their magic altogether!

The EK could go and do high magic, but they'll be weaker than a normal wizard, but if they go medium magic then they only contend with other 'buff and bash' types, like clerics. An arcane archer can highly benefit from buffs, but if it can't contend with an EK, it might be better off choosing to go in the low magic without their buffs. Technically someone that really wants a challenge could bring their fighter to the medium magic bracket

[vastgoten]

What I would pay money to see is two mages, with only one defensive spell allowed pre-combat, throw their magic at each other in the arena.

[Alterity]

Psh why do they need a defensive spell? Just have at it!

Most mages would just dispel the defensive spell if it was a problem anyways.

[LordAers]

What I would pay money to see is two mages, with only one defensive spell allowed pre-combat, throw their magic at each other in the arena.

I could go for that.