Spars: Fights that are used for practice, fun, or training purposes. You can engage in multiple spars per thread.

Dominance: Fights that are used to establish dominance over another character. You can engage in one dominance challenge per thread.

Rank Challenges: Fights that are used to claim an open rank within the pride, or to take a rank from someone else. You can engage in one rank challenge per thread.

Theft Challenges: Fights that are used to steal a lioness or cub from another pride. You can engage in one theft challenge per thread.

Claim Challenges: Fights that are used to claim a rogue lioness or cub into your pride. You can engage in one claim challenge per thread.

Pride Challenges: Fights that are used to claim an open pride, or to take a pride from someone else. You can engage in one rank challenge per thread. Make sure to read over the leadership section of the Guidebook, here.

Maim Challenges: Fights that are used to try and maim (minor or major) another character. You can engage in one maim challenge per thread. Make sure to read over the maim section of the Guidebook, here.

Death Match: Fights that are used to try and kill another character. You can engage in one death match per thread.

Powerplaying: Controlling another roleplayer’s character without permission.

Attempt Words: Used to indicate a character’s intentions or attempted attacks. Attempt words include ‘attempting to’, ‘trying to’, ‘looking to’, ‘hoping to’, ‘aiming to’, etc.

Conditional Statements: Sentences that are dependent on a previous action having been executed successfully. Example: if X happens, Y will happen; if X is successful, Y will happen.

1. SETTING DEFENSES

• Setting defenses is not mandatory for fight posts, but it can be very helpful for protecting your character from their opponent’s attacks, and minimizing damage!
• Your opponent will have to take your character’s written defenses into consideration when responding, and you will have to take your opponent’s defenses into consideration as well.
• Some Examples: flattened ears, narrowed eyes, shoulders rolled forward to protect their neck, tucked chin, tail extended for balance.

2. TAKING DAMAGE

• Taking damage is mandatory for all fight posts when your character is being attacked.
• First, look at your opponent’s post and the attacks that they are attempting to make against your character. From there, you can reply by reacting, counter-attacking, and taking damage that is realistic.
• Ultimately, you control what damage is done to your character and where the attack lands. Your opponent ultimately controls what damage is done to their character and where the attacks against them land.
• Not taking enough damage can be considered powerplaying and/or godmodding, so please be realistic with the damage you take. Your character is in a fight, which means they are going to get hurt and get injured throughout.
• We do not expect perfection, but please be mindful and ask questions if you are confused.

HOW NOT TO TAKE DAMAGE ✗

JANET: Standing face-to-face with Ron, Janet would reach forward, attempting to snap her jaws shut and bite his muzzle.

RON: Ron, who is smarter and is able to move faster than Janet, would quickly swing his body to the right, dodging Janet’s attack and coming out unscathed.

• This is wrong because Ron is exacerbating their strengths and abilities (godmodding), and evades realism by completely dodging Janet’s attack.

HOW TO TAKE DAMAGE ✓

JANET: Standing face-to-face with Ron, Janet would reach forward, attempting to snap her jaws shut and bite his muzzle.

RON: Noticing Janet’s movements, Ron would attempt to adjust his positioning to try and brace for the incoming attack. Twisting his head to the left, Janet’s teeth would sink into his left cheek, instead of his muzzle, leaving lacerations where the attack had landed.

• This is right because Ron is taking note of Janet’s movements and attempting to react accordingly, while maintaining realism.
• Considering that Ron and Janet are face-to-face, it is realistic for Ron to be able to move his face from one direction to the other.
• Even though Ron adjusts his positioning, he still takes reasonable damage from Janet’s attack.

3. ATTACKING YOUR OPPONENT

• Attacking your opponent is not mandatory if your character is, for example, trying to escape the fight.
• If you are attacking your opponent, you, again, need to be realistic.
• Every separate attack and repositioning needs to use attempt words.
• You do not get to dictate what attacks land on your opponent, how much damage is done to them, or where the damage occurs. This is considered powerplaying and is against the site’s rules.
• Do not try and cram an unrealistic amount of attacks into one post, as this could be considered godmodding. Each fight post only spans the time of approximately 6-10 seconds.
• 1-2 attacks is most common.
• A 3rd attack in a single post may be possible, if it is realistic.
• Avoid conditional statements (see the Glossary of Terms).

HOW NOT TO ATTACK YOUR OPPONENT ✗

JANET: Standing face-to-face with Ron, Janet would reach forward, snapping her jaws shut and biting Ron’s muzzle in the process. At the same time that she’s doing this, Janet also raises her left paw, snaking it forward and hooking her claws into the right side of Ron’s ribcage. She would use this grip to keep a firm hold on him, sinking her claws in deeper with each movement that Ron makes.

• This is wrong because it does not use any attempt words.
• It also uses a conditional sentence.
• These attacks do not give Ron the opportunity to react or dictate the damage done to their character.

HOW NOT TO ATTACK YOUR OPPONENT 2.0 ✗

JANET: Standing face-to-face with Ron, Janet would reach forward, hoping to snap her jaws shut and bite Ron’s muzzle. At the same time that she’s doing this, Janet also raises her left paw, snaking it forward and trying to hook her claws into the right side of Ron’s ribcage. She would use this grip to keep a firm hold on him, sinking her claws in deeper with each movement that Ron makes.

• This is still wrong because it uses a conditional statement that assumes that Janet’s second attack (sinking her claws into Ron’s ribcage) is successful.
• This does not give Ron the opportunity to react or dictate the damage done to their character.

HOW TO ATTACK YOUR OPPONENT ✓

JANET: Standing face-to-face with Ron, Janet would reach forward, attempting to snap her jaws shut and bite Ron’s muzzle. At the same time that she’s doing this, Janet also raises her left paw, snaking it forward and trying to hook her claws into the right side of Ron’s ribcage.

• This is right because all of Janet’s attacks use attempt words.
• This gives Ron the opportunity to react and dictate the ultimate outcome of the attacks.

Also try to keep in mind P.C.L.R:

POSITIONING

• Be aware of your character’s positioning with their opponent, and use this to have realistic attacks, take realistic damage, etc.
• If you are confused on the positioning, reach out to your fight partner for clarification!

• Always try to be clear and concise with your fight posts, while still meeting the 100 word count minimum.
• Fight posts can be more cut-and-dry than normal posts, and do not need to be fluffed up with additional language or stylized writing.
• Clarity helps you and your opponent have an easy, stress-free fight.

• Similar to positioning, be careful when describing lefts and rights during a fight.
• If you mix them up, that’s okay! But please help your fight partner with any questions that they might have.
• If you feel as though your fight partner has mixed up the lefts and rights in their post, you can also ask them for clarification.

DO:

• Make sure your fight post is over 100 words.
• Pay attention to the fight timers.
• Remember to set defences, take damage, and to attack your opponent in each fight post.
• Always use attempt words when attacking your opponent, counter-attacking, or re-positioning your character.
• Remember to plug your character’s dice into the code, as per the Guidebook.
• Be clear and concise with your writing.
• Remember P.C.L.R.
• If you see your opponent breaking any of the site’s fighting rules, notify a Sr. Staff member.
• Be kind and have open communication during fights.

DONT:

• Forget to add the fight and dice codes to the bottom of your post.
• Powerplay or godmod.
• State what your opponent will do or control any aspect of their movements.
• Assume which of your attacks will land, where they land, or how much damage they do.
• Take too little damage or none at all.
• Edit your post without Staff approval.
• Use conditional fight statements.
• Try and confuse your partner with positioning or over-complicated writing.
• Request dice modifiers while your character is in a fight.