From Shahara

Revision as of 02:10, 4 June 2007

Policies

This page will contain a full list of policies for the game. All of these policies, as of right now, are in conceptual form. They are not yet approved.

Creating Your Character

When creating a character here, there are some things that should be borne in mind. All characters start at first level, except as described below. Character stats need to be filled in on a coded sheet, by a member of staff. Prepare a full sheet and email or @mail it to a member of staff.

Available Materials

When making a character, any material from a Wizards of the Coast 3.5 book, or from an approved 3.0 book, can be used. Dragon magazine materials cannot be used.

Approved books from 3.0 currently include the Book of Vile Darkness and the Book of Exalted Deeds. It's notable that the flavor text from these two books does -not- apply, only the actual feats and other materials such as items and spells.

Statistics

We do not roll for stats. 28-point buy, as described on page 169 of the DMG, is utilized. See the index, for "Ability Score Generation".

Skills

Skill points are as normal. The addition of certain skills will be mentioned on the House Rules board, including alternate use of the Heal skill for surgery, and crafting of some modern items. It will also be possible to obtain a "Drive" skill for professional drivers who have to control cars or other vehicles in crisis situations.

Feats

Very few feats from the "Available Materials" list are banned. The only ones which are at current include Spellfire, and regional feats for Faerun. All other feats may be taken as they normally would be.

Starting Above First Level

All characters start at level one. Those who wish their characters to start out higher must fulfill a few simple criteria.

• One of the player's characters, at some point in time, must have achieved the level the character is to start at. To make a new character start at level 5 equivalent, at least one of the player's characters must have achieved level 5 before.

• The player must fill out the application detailed below, and it must be approved by a member of plot staff.

• The character may not have more than one class level starting out. Only templates or races may be applied to make up all of the player's ECL, minus one. A character of level 4 equivalent could be a level one Fighter/Half Dragon (LA 3), but not a level 4 Fighter.

Application

The following application must be filled out and sent to plot staff via email or @mail, by anyone wishing to start above first level equivalent.

Name: (Self explanatory)
Starting Level: (Self explanatory)
Classes/Races/Templates: (Give the templates, races, and classes you have, and their equivalence, level wise)
Character Background: (Two to three paragraphs about character's history)
Character Personality: (What's the character like, how do they react to being whatever they are? Show off your writing skill, make us WANT to give you the higher-than-first-level-ness)
Character sheet: (Affix your entire sheet. Including alignment, age, height, weight, physical description, and stats/abilities/whatnot. Try to indicate which things are influenced by your non-class features, as best you can)

With any luck, we'll get back to you in a day or two. It's not like we'll make it rigorous, and if something's wrong, we'll always tell you how you can fix it.

Player Conflict

Player versus player conflict is regarded as an inevitability. It can add spice to plot, and occasionally, one of you is going to get mind controlled anyway. During plots, the DM has absolute control, but is generally advised to remind players that killing each other while in the middle of the enemy's lair, especially if that enemy is a necromancer who will revive the fallen, is a bad idea. Also, it hurts your overall strength. Outside plots, there are very specific rules, however. During plots, the DM decides if, upon hitting -10 HP, you die.

Under normal circumstances, consent must be mutual for one character to "kill" another. If a character is to reduced to -10 hp but has not consented to die, they are "stuck" at -9, and may need a hospital stay. In the event someone does something horrendously violatory of local law or custom, like killing a mess of children and doing... things, with the remains, or punching the local king, they may be locked up until someone rescues them. Consent is not a shield, or a blanket. It's a switch. You can turn it on or off, but it only turns on or off the lightbulb of your life. It doesn't prevent people locking you away.

Player versus player combat consists of effects which reduce the ability scores of any player temporarily or permanently, inflict damage, ability or otherwise, steal or eradicate posessions, inpose unwanted compulsions (not positive ones), or alter their physical being in undesired ways (not buffing spells, but transforming them into another race for instance). You may absolutely attack someone else in these ways. However, doing so means they may attack you back, likely without fear of repurcussions, and local law enforcement may come to stop you. There are no restrictions on who may attack who, but remember: gossip and rumors travel fast, and the leaders of countries pay attention to the times. IF you don't commit a crime in their country, they might not care, but it's important to remember PCs are not the world. NPCs will know if you run around cursing people, and they'll receive you accordingly, possibly with fire. ANY action can be seen as valid cause for beating the crap out of you. The only restrictions are to not be a jerk.

Rules On Modern

We know that intelligent players will attempt to apply their knowledge of modern equipment, conveniences and chemicals in an effort to defeat the enemy with cunning rather than brute force or the numbers. We like this. But something so crude as injecting an air bubble into someone's veins, or bringing chlorine and ammonia with you everywhere so you can mix them to make handy poison gas, is unwise. News gets around, and you don't know how air bubbles will effect non-human physiology, frankly. Be clever with modern items, but if a tactic seems more powerful than it should be, don't do it too much. Once in a while in an appropriate setting (the empty syringe trick in a hospital, the gas trick in your kitchen) is great! But think of unique stuff, so we won't have to pull out the administrative veto stick, please? As of right now, no ban on such tactics exists. Don't make me write one, my fingers hurt. When in doubt, ask. We'll always answer about whether or not a particular idea is good to use routinely. As to what's available, like it says on the Theme board, it's cutting edge technology available. We'll have equipment lists for modern stuff, with costs and stats, though. So don't feel left behind if you're not good at modern equipment, you can always ask us.

Don't Be A Jerk

Basically, it says admins always have the final say, and while we don't like putting our foot down, will. This could be done to prevent harassment in game, to interpret the consent rules and what is or is not going too far, and generally to state categorically that we won't approve of one person ruining the game for another. IT really is a way of adding: "Don't argue with us just because you don't like the call, understand that we have to be responsible for the whole game's balance and rules, but will always discuss the reasons for our calls before imposing them."

Example: Casting Quickened Silenced Stilled Five Turn Delayed Seething Eyebane through a handshake upon meeting someone for the first time, then leaving, without reason. Watching the acid, via scrying, splash on his beer buddies. We'd come to the scene, and you'd be in trouble. Most likely.

Crafting and Magic Items

House Rules

Be sure to read the House Rules board, it's vitally important. If curious about any given house rule, just ask. House rules may change, or crop up at random. They will be announced prominently. If you have a proposition for a house rule that you feel would ameliorate some observed unevenness in the game, let us know.

Running Plots

Encounters and Required Knowledge

Please have read the DMG. While material from any D&D 3.5 book published by Wizards of the Coast, and any 3.0 book we approve, is allowed, this book is paramount. Its details on experience distribution, rewards for quests, and so much else, are useful for creating plots. Of course, a DM can write a good plot with or without these guidelines, but try to stick to the rules for character development and advancement mentioned in the DMG (Including how much exp and loot is to be awarded by level, if at all able), and most importantly, have fun.

Dying

Who Can Run Plots

Applications

Stuff Not Covered