T-1 Rules and Regulations

This guide is more or less not a rule set, but a helpful set of reminders. Here I will go in depth about things pertaining to certain aspects of T1 and character construction. This guide is not meant to teach people the basic rules of T1, but the more definitive little additions and tips to help people progress their T1. 
DISCLAIMER!- This guide is built off of my own experiences, beliefs, and opinions. Nothing stated here is proven law.
 If you wish to comment or pose a question about the material seen below, Post a comment under this guide. 
== ~How Combat Styles Differ~ ==
A room owner has the right to dictate what style of fighting is used in their room. A room owner also has the right to allow certain changes to a T-1 Rule set. Two good examples would be that in some rooms you have a damage counter (have to take damage once every three turns), and in other rooms you can stock preps (prep and then use that saved prep later in battle after having passed turns without prepping). 
== ~Main Types of T-1 Combat~ ==
RM: Realistic Melee is a form of combat where your characters have no racial advantages and you are presumed to be at a human level. Physical combat only, 
UM: Unrealistic Melee is a form of combat where your characters fight as what they are versus another with no magic advantages. Physical Combat only. 
EXAMPLE: A vampire versus a draconic being; the vampire and draconic being have no magic, but a vampire would still have inhuman speed and senses and the draconic being would still have the natural advantages of endurance and strength. (The Example given is a light opinionated example, and does not dictate the advantages an actual vampiric character would have over a draconic one and vice versa.) 
MP: Moderately/Moderate Powered is a form of combat that allows characters to use magic. MP Combat is for MP characters, meaning that this is suited to most characters in a fantasy manner on the IMVU Multiverse. MP characters are characters that have magic, but they're magic is reasonable and incapable of destroying whole planets or creating massive scale destruction on its own. 
PC: Power Characters/Combat is a form of combat that is for characters who are mostly magic and have extreme amounts or levels of magic. PC combat is probably the most unseen or rare because it's difficult to master; it rides hard on the line of God Modding. Usually if you have a PC character, you shouldn't battle people with your full potential unless you're going up against another PC character. An example of magic from a PC character would be the use of all elements or a lot of them, or magic capable of wiping out cities/planets/galaxies. 
== ~No-No's of T-1~ ==
No Autohitting: To autohit is to make an attack and force-land it without giving the opponent a chance to dodge/defend/deflect/counter/etc the blow. 
No God-Modding: To god-mod is to take a major / fatal / semi-fatal blow in a T-1 match and have your character get up from it like nothing happened without a viable explanation. Even with a proper explanation, this is a tricky line to follow around on. One of the major things to remember is if your character has a heart, getting struck there is fatal, and is not capable of being continued upon. If your character has a head (I believe it would be wise your character has a head Razz), to lose it via decapitation or to have a spinal injury, would be a fatal injury you could not easily continue upon. 
No Meta-Gaming: To meta-game is to use OOC information on your opponent, or information that you as the typist know but your character does not know, to gain an advantage or upper hand. Any use of OOC knowledge in an IC battle is forbidden. 
No Mixing: Mixing is a no no as well. Mixing occurs when people take feelings from OOC and place them IC. When you do this, you act out of line and do something ICly that has no reasoning or logic behind it. An example would be attacking someone with a docile character against someone you've not interacted with ICly, just because you don't like them in OOC. 
== ~A Helpful T-1 Intro Outline~ ==
?Entering the arena | Appearing in the field 
?Race 
--- Advantages (speed, strength, endurance, agility, flexibility, etc) 
--- Resistances (to poisons, certain magics, certain weapons, illnesses, etc) 
--- Unusual anatomical setup (if your character does not have a human organ or bone set up) 
?Appearance 
?Armor 
--- Bodysuit/Armor 
--- Gloves 
--- Boots/Shoes 
--- Armored accessories (paldrons, chain skirt, etc) 
?Weapons 
--- Compositions 
--- Resistances 
--- Range / Length 
?Magic 
--- Different Types (make sure to list them all with enough detail that it cannot be questioned easily) 
--- Magical strengths, weaknesses, advantages, disadvantages 
--- ONE Prep 
?Distance | Other 
--- Terrain 
--- __ feet from the opponent 
--- Direction facing 
--- Stance / Posture 
?Focus | Extra 
--- Looking at ___ 
--- Thinking about ___ 
--- Preparing for ___ 
--- Dialog (opt)
== In Depth about Differing Magic Styles ==
Stocking Preps & Multi-Casting: In some rooms you can stock preps and multi-prep. Doing this is to gather preps over a series of turns, and then cast while using those collective preps earlier made in battle. In doing this, one has to be careful to keep up with how many preps and casts they make. When you run out of preps after having cast, you have to begin prepping again. 
Single Prep Casting Only: In some rooms you cannot cast spells over one prep in turn gathering. Meaning that in one turn you must prep, then the next turn you must cast or you lose your previous prep. This method prevents overly powerful spell use. 
Multi-Prep Casting V.1: Multi-Prep Casting is usually the most common form I've seen around, but that does not mean it is the most common system of magic in T-1 combat. To multi-prep cast is to be able to gather preps without interruption (meaning you cannot go a turn without prepping or you lose all previous preps), then cast and forfeit all previous preps. In this, you can either prep once for a lighter spell, or gather preps to accumulate a more powerful spell after a series of turns. One version of this, which I will just note as Version 1 for personal purposes on this board, is where multi-prepping succeeds as long as the character does not forget to prep each turn before casting. 
Multi-Prep Casting V.2: Another version, which I will call Version 2 for personal purposes on this board, is where multi-prepping succeeds as long as the character does not forget to prep each turn before casting, and the character is not attacked between the first prep and attack. If a character is attacked, they lost the most recent prep. 
Multi-Prep Casting V.3: Another version, which I will call Version 3 for personal purposes on this board, is where multi-prepping succeeds as long as the character does not forget to prep each turn before casting, and the character is not attacked between the first prep and attack. If a character is attacked, they lose all previous preps.
== 
Intros & Bios ==
The intro post into a T1 battle is the first post that details out the information about your character, where they are in the field/arena, what they have on them, and what they are capable of. This post is one that takes time, and detail, to complete to a good form. Now, above I have posted a ?Helpful T1 Outline?, meant to offer help in constructing an entrance. But below, I?ll help you understand your entrance and the purpose of it. Then, I?ll help you understand the purpose of a biography when it comes to T1 battling. 
== Introduction Post ==
This is something that requires thought, and patience. You need to think about what you want to use, and accomplish in the upcoming battle, and then write out your post compiling these elements. 
1) T1 is turn-based, so there?s no need to rush. Of course, if you?re going to step away from the computer for any reason, or if you are going to jump over to do something else instead of writing for that specific reason, state that you are stepping away for a bit so that people do not think you?ve crashed or disappeared. Being turn-based, you need to be patient, and proof-read what you do. Check over your things, use an outline like the one given, and assure that you don?t rush. Rushing leads to forgetting key details that you?ll wish you had mentioned later in the RP itself. 
2) Putting your information together. My best piece of advice, is to pull up your bio. Check over everything, and remember what you need to write from there. Something important to keep in mind is that no one else knows your character better than you do. So think about how you want to go about doing it, then progress on to explain your character?s capabilities, strengths, and the things they can do and use- such as abilities and weapons. The ?Helpful T1 Outline? helps detail a basic outline you can use to kind of go along and post to while not feeling like you?ve forgotten something. 
3) When you?re posting in, do not attack. The introduction post is for information, resource, showing the potential and putting two characters in an environment where they are about to engage. The only time I can think that you do attack in your first post, is if you are ?rushed?. When you are posting, you may move along the field, gather/prep magic (but not cast!), and observe your opponent. Look into the surroundings, define your character. But do not attack in the entrance. 
4) Relax, it?s just roleplay. Don?t get all worked up, it?s just a series of words on your screen. Don?t half-ass it, you should still see to it that you try, if only for the sake of learning and expanding yourself. But getting all torn up, in tears, or shaky because of it is something else. I can understand excitement, hell I get excited sometimes with a good fight. Get those good jitters y?know? But in the end, you need to take a good, deep set of breaths, and put a level head on your shoulders. It?s time to have fun- not panic and get admitted before you leave your computer chair. 
For what is needed in an intro, I?ll reference you up to the top. The basic form of this outline is: 
-Enter the arena/field/environment 
-Race of your character 
-Appearance in the forms of your physical appearance and physique 
-Weapons on your character 
-Magic that your character has 
== Biographies ==
This is something important you should always have. Without a bio, how does anyone know that you aren't making everything up about your character. Below, I?ll have a blank bio, very detailed, so that you can see the idea of something in its full explanation. 
Just remember, a bio is important and every character should have one. And a bio should be everything about your character; if it doesn't exist in the bio then it shouldn't exist about your character. In a bio you should have things like name, age, race, gender, abilities, weapons/armor (opt), and history. Other things are also capable of being added. But a basic sheet looks like that, and the basics are indeed necessary. How a bio plays into combat is via the manner of checking abilities and racial stats. In a battle a bio serves as a back-up source to allow a judge / opponent to assure that you do not make up abilities on the go. It is the foundation and structure of your character, so make it well. And make sure you have it. If a judge asks for it in a spar, you can often withhold. But in a DM (death match), if it is asked for you must give it or forfeit/back out of the match.
== Weapon Construction ==
It has been brought to my attention that this topic may be necessary. Thus, I'll try my best to provide a little help and shed a little light. Foremost this section has been written to help people understand the dynamics of constructing a weapon. 
1) No weapon is unbreakable. This means exactly what it says. In the multiverse, there is no such thing as an unbreakable weapon. That to many is considered a GodMod because you're saying something cannot be affected by another in any manner. Even if you're using an element like Adamantium, which in its fictitious origin source states it is unbreakable. Yes, in its source it is. But in the Multiverse, there always lies the chance that something stronger exists. So where lies a correction? It can be close to unbreakable. You can make a weapon that is sturdy, and durable, and go into detail about how it is strongly resistant to most forms of physical damage. But remember, your weapon has to be balanced... 
2) Composing a weapon with balance. Balance is key to creating a good, worthwhile weapon that doesn't come off as Godly. Foremost, you need to decide the basic of your weapon. Will it be a ranged weapon, mostly a magical weapon, a large powerful weapon, or a fast one? Take in ideas of stealth, speed, strength, power capability, and other such things. Then, begin work. Think of balancing your weapon between physical and magical ranges based upon a scale. The more weights you add to the physical side, the more the magical side tilts. Thus, becoming weaker. The more you add to magic properties, the scale tilts and becomes weaker in a physical manner. When you have a weapon built purely or solely for physical combat, it's made to be damaging and brutal, deadly even in a melee or ranged form. Most of these styled weapons are built for cutting, slashing, piercing, and tearing apart an opponent's body. These weapons tend to be more durable against breaking. If you have a weapon made purely or solely for magic, or with a great deal of magical qualities (enchantments, magical steel or mineral compositions, or a great magical effect attached to it), it becomes weaker physically. Magical weapons or enchanted weapons are often seen as cunning, and used to debilitate and harm the opponent in more than just a physical way. Remember resistances work in the same balanced fashion. You can be moderately resistant to magic and physical attacks, or you can master resistance in one or the other. .
3) Additions to a weapon {Physical}. There are many things you can do to make a weapon even better by adding to it. A weapon doesn't just start out perfectly, sometimes it has to be built upon, and worked at. Maybe the blade is normal in the beginning, and gains its greatness from the things given to it. 
- 
Such additions can range a variety of things. Such as putting a sharpened mineral edge on your blade, to give it a sharp slicing capability equal to a scalpel. Or perhaps a diamond encrusted edge, for the increased ease in cutting through most known materials. One can coat their weapon in something, such as a carbon-fiber layer, to reduce scratching and likeliness to fracture. They can also have guards over the hilts, or a small blade protruding from the back of the hilt. Even the hilt itself can perhaps be a hollowed chamber to hold something else. There may just even be a intravenous system dug into the blades surface that allows a poison to flow through it. Or, you can just coat a weapon in a poison (as long as the poison is not an outrageous one hit kill). Either way, there are many additions you can make. 
4) Additions to a weapon {Magical}. Just as there are things that can enhance your blade physically, there is also a magical set of advantages. But of course, make sure that your weapon's magical advancements make sense with your character, or at least have a backstory. 
- 
Such additions include magical resistances, enchantments, incarnated souls, psionic bonds, and status effects (which can occur through enchantments). You can have your weapon be resistant to an element or two, such as saying that a blade cannot be melted by fire or shattered by ice. But you cannot have a weapon be fully resistant to all elements, that's easily overdoing it. Enchantments can give your weapon a series of effects or abilities of its own. Such as an enchantment that gives strength to the wielder; thus if disarmed, the wielder becomes weaker. Or a status effect; as if saying that with a strike of the blade, one becomes blind for a series of turns. Or perhaps with every blow, the sword absorbs some of the opponent's strength- not becoming stronger itself, but weakening the opponent with the accumulation of landed attacks. Incarnated souls can offer a variety of things, such as an effect without an enchantment. This would be a weapon that is imbued with a soul, which can take on characteristics of the soul within it. Psionic bonds or a magical bond between wielder and weapon allows the weapon to act at the thought of the user. This does not mean the weapon can dance around on the battlefield by itself, but that it acts as if an extension of the user itself. 
5) Attention to detail. I'll put this simply. Attention to detail can cost you greatly. It can be important to define a weapon's prowess, so that the enemy understands the depth of it the way you do. 
- 
Remember to try to include the following: composition, length, weight, double edged or single edged, added physical elements, added magical elements, hilt or pommel detail, added poisons or enchantments, effects, what hand the weapon is carried in, coloring, designing and textures, edge style, etc. 
- 
Below I shall demonstrate the difference between a detailed post and a non-detailed post. 
EXAMPLE 1 : Non-Detailed : The man standing before his opponent wields a dangerous longsword that awaited the taste of blood. 
EXAMPLE 2: Detailed : The man standing ten feet from his opponent wields a shimmering longsword, its figure alone an intimidating testament to the bloodshed to come. The blade from the top of the pummel to the sharp, dangerous tip is sixty inches or five feet in length of refined Cortosis, a metal resistantWe to lasers and most forms of raw energy as well as being a physically resistant force. The blade is somewhat weighted, giving it a forceful bite when paired with the possible momentum of a swing. The blade itself came to meet a twelve inch hilt, a sturdy mineral thing wrapped tightly in a good worn in leather, allowing a tight, firm grip for holding this monstrous sword. As he turned the blade in his hand, putting his other hand beneath his left on the hilt, he'd let the double-edged blade be further examined. It had a unique shine, but it was not your ordinary glint. A sickly green glimmer hinted at a poison, but which one was unknown. Yet when one took a blow, they'd know immediately as the concentrated Nightbane caused rapidly forming hallucinations and conscious nightmares. 
- 
Can you see which weapon comes off as more dangerous? 
== Helpful Tips ==
Here's a helpful little list of fictitious metals/minerals for the fantasy weapon in you. 
Remember, you can use real metals too. 
Here's a usefulList of fictitious poisonsto help get some good ideas for poisons to use. 
Don't forget that you can use real poisoncan also pass. ers, look up the "Poison Index" by Suspect in IMVU groups. 
It will also have a topic for it in The DeLaRose forum pages, links will be given at the button of this guide. 
Here is a list of Status Effects from a Final Fantasy wiki- geeky, I know. But it's a good demonstration and place to derive ideas for effects your weapons can have. Remember, things like "Regen", "Doom", "KO", and other high up, overly powerful effects are too Godly for the RP realms.
:: Magic Construction & Tips About Magic Pt. 1 :: 
When making a character, I?m sure you consider whether or not they are going to have magic. If so, what kind of magic, how strong, how to use it, and how it can be countered or rendered useless. I?ve come upon in my day, a lot of people who do not put thorough though into the construction of magic within their character. As this has been brought to my attention, I shall attempt to offer my knowledge and experience below to help those who wish to utilize some help with the construction and creation of magic. 
:: Step One :: 
?Man, I really want some magic, but what kind?? 
When it comes to types of magic, schools of magic, and forms of magic, there is a great, nearly endless variety at hand to which you can pick from. Below I will flesh out what I can think of to help create a guide to which you may hopefully find aid in picking a magic type. Remember, you can mix and match things to suit them to your character. 
Arcane Arts 
Arcane Arts do not necessarily mean that they are magics attained through dark means. Instead, it applies to magic acquired through learning, studying, or possibly dark means. 
Abjuration- The magic revolving around magic that interferes with other magic or serves as a barrier from other magics. These include spells that can dispel, negate, and interfere with spells cast by another. An Abjurer can remove curses, enchantments, and seals as well. Abjurers also have the ability to cast the target of a specific spell of their magic to another plane of existence. And lastly of course, is an Abjurer?s ability to cast protection magic- such as magic shields and physical barrier shields. 
Alteration / Transmutation- Alteration magic revolves around the ability to transmute or alter the physical properties of someone, something, or some condition of being. There are spells in this category that pertain to altering the target?s traits (making them stronger, weaker, charismatic, etc) and physical aspects. 
Conjuration- This magic revolves around calling materials, creatures, or energy to caster. This can also work in the opposite function, of sending creatures or objects to other places, planes, or distances. Conjuration magic extends to summoning, calling upon the manifestations of creatures or energies in the current plane, some extent of healing via channeling energy, creating objects or basic creation, and some forms of teleportation in reference to teleporting to other planes of existence. 
Divination- Divination magic applies to divining or finding information that otherwise would be difficult to obtain. This includes spells for scrying, tracking, and reading intent of others. Divination also extends to sensory magic (the ability to sense objects and living things beyond the common five senses) and magic detection. 
Enchantments / Enchanting- This magic revolves around the ability to create an effect on a person or object. To enchant an object gives it a specific trait through magical means (i.e.: Imbuing with a magical attribute , while enchanting a person can summon the truth out of them, or draw out their intent, even allure them to your cause (i.e.: Charming). 
Evocation / Invocation- Evocation can deal with utilizing the energies around one?s self to cast out magics. These can be elemental attacks or conjurations of magical energy (i.e.: Attacks like a single bolt of lightning, or a wall of darkness). Evocation is a broad field of magic, and often someone who takes up Evocation has a very wide array of spells, but these spells would be weaker in the face of someone who attributes themselves to one aspect (i.e.: An Evoker using a fire spell would be lesser in the face of a Fire Elemental). 
Illusion / Phantasm- This particular strain of magic pertains to the abilities to alter the world around the designated target and fool the senses of the people within the environment given. This includes the ability to cloud another?s senses with scents, sounds, images, and sensations that are not there, bringing the minds of targets to perceive things in a different manner, and to create mental images that are thus projected into the mind?s eye of the target. Illusion also deals with stealth magic, such as invisibility, becoming soundless in walking, or passing through traps undetected. 
Necromancy- Also known as the magic and manipulation of death itself. Necromancy is known for its control of the dead, either in reanimating and manipulating those who?ve felt death?s touch. It also extends to offensive spells that utilize the Necromancer?s way of manipulating life energy to inflict damage unto others (i.e.: A spell that causes one to undergo feelings of death, siphons life energy out of them, or causes the body to rot). 
Divine Arts 
These arts are often holy or light in concept, and are not gained through studying. Instead, one gains Divine Arts via bloodlines, or through a blessing from a deity. Many forms of the Arcane Arts can be learned by Divine means. 
Healing- This magic is attributed under Divine as the ability to heal wounds. Often this is used in a manner of light, being able to cure and outcast disease and restore a person?s health or wound utilizing an almost clerical energy. 
Divine Evocation- Evocation can deal with utilizing the energies around one?s self to cast out magics. These can be elemental attacks or conjurations of magical energy (i.e.: Attacks like a single bolt of lightning, or a wall of darkness). Evocation is a broad field of magic, and often someone who takes up Evocation has a very wide array of spells, but these spells would be weaker in the face of someone who attributes themselves to one aspect (i.e.: An Evoker using a fire spell would be lesser in the face of a Fire Elemental). The difference between this and the aforementioned Evocation beneath Arcane Arts is the fact that Divine Evocation is often granted unto a caster by a patron deity. Evoking qualities often reflect the deities to which they?d gained Evocation from. 
Prayer- The magic induced by prayer is often a clerical attribute. It allows one to heal, restore abilities, and fight against Undead or beings that have succumb to Necromancy. Prayers also increase faith, strength, and one?s self given attributes. They often reflect the patron deity who is prayed too. Thus, in example, if one prayed to a deity of Fire, their spell thus casted would have fire attributes. 
Incarnum Arts 
The utilization of the soul or the energies of the soul. These can be self-trained, or adept via bloodline/race. 
Soul Magic- This magic only affects the soul of the target or caster. Soul magics revolve around the ability to capture souls, release them, granting soul-bound abilities, and drawing out energy from one?s soul. Such spells in this category include soul traps and offensive soul-based attacks. 
Primal Arts 
These abilities and traits are gained by fighters or races/beings who have an adept skill with animals and nature. They can be bred traits, or traits/abilities gained by experience. 
Animal Calling- The ability to be of one link with animals. This is used to communicate with nearby animals via the mind, understand animal habits, as well as the ability to call animals in to one?s aid. 
Beastial Instinct- These magics pertain to granting the user animal like qualities or traits. Such as the strength of a bull, or the eyes of an eagle. These do not even need to draw upon a specific animal, as some casters can use pure primal magic to cast ?buffer? spells that increase a certain aspect of their physical form for a specific time period (i.e.: A spell to increase the caster?s strength for a minute or two). 
Earth Bonding- This category extends out to the connection one has with the world around them. This can be an unreal sensitivity to changes in the environment, the ability to communicate with plants and the habitat, and even as far as to blossom into the abilities of earth and nature bending. 
Elemental Arts 
These arts focus on the magics of the elements. They can be acquired a great many ways. Through arcane or holy means, or through studying and experience alike. They can also be abilities tied to one?s race or being. 
Earth / Terrakinesis / Mineral Magics- This is the variety of magics that are based off of and rule themselves around the earth itself. Stones, soil, minerals, and even metals are that the advantageous hand of an Earth user. Earth magic is known for its raw physical strength and often can be used for purposes such as barriers and blunt attacks. 
Wind / Aerialkinesis / Air Magics- A more witty and dexterous of elements. This magic revolves around air currents and the motion of air itself. Utilizing this to one?s advantage, a caster can create large gales of wind, kick up a flurry of sand/leaves, and even attempt to disarm or disorient opponents. 
Fire / Pyrokinesis / Heat Magics- The rage of true heat. This magic revolves around the element of fire and the blaze of heat. Utilizing this, one can create attacks that can boil or melt aspects of the environment or the opponent?s attire, and can even strike the enemy as an openly offensive blow that inflicts damage by charring the flesh and boiling the blood. Some who use fire magic can also control thermal temperature in the form of raising the heat in the room. 
Ice / Cryokinesis / Cold Magics- This magic revolves around the ability to freeze and create/manipulate ice. With this, one can conjure ice and drop the temperatures around them to a freezing degree. The caster can use this to their advantage by freezing aspects of the environment, or going more forward by using ice-based attacks on the opponent. 
Water / Aquakinesis / Aquatic Magics- This magic revolves around the ability of water. With this cunning ability, one can create a slick environment, cast over a hazing mist/fog/rain, or even threaten to drown the opponent with the right moves. 
Lightning / Electrokinesis / Electrical Magics- This magic revolves around the control of electricity or lightning. With this, one can cause forward damage by electrocuting opponents with up front lightning attacks, or they can use it in the manner of disarming, statically charging, and becoming a tool of cunning in the right hands. 
Light / Holy / Divine Magic- This magic revolves around holy, pure, and light-based energy. It is best served against demons, undead, and unholy creatures. Holy powers are often seen as the root of some healing, but also can be damaging when used against a dark opponent. They can also be used in tow of cunning, such as being expelled as a blinding agent. Some who wish to get unique can alter some properties of holy magic to suit them. Such as using it to create conjured creations of light (i.e.: The orb of light within her palm began to morph and extend, soon becoming a tangible shortsword born of holy magics). 
Dark / Unholy / Shadow Magic- This magic revolves around darkness, shadow, sin, and unholy energies. This is best served against angels, innocents, clerics, and paladins. These are often seen as the root of offensive dark magics, and often are used in dangerous methods of violence. Darkness can be manipulated and conjured into a tangible form more often than not (i.e.: He had charged the darkness within, and now let it flow free from his veins, pushing out of his back to form several long tentacles of physically manifested shadow). 
Psionic Arts 
These arts pertain to the mind. It is often learned and sometimes born into a specific race. Trained by meditation and practice, Psionic arts attack the mind and sometimes can tap into the physical realm from the power of one?s own consciousness. 
Empathy- This ability is often idle, and allows one to sense and feel out the overall condition of one?s emotions. If used in a stronger sense as a magic, it can be prepped and unleashed to detect conditions of the environment, and feel out the wavering emotions of another person to premeditate a move. It also can be used in a stronger magic to expel, using an empathic field to alter the emotions around that person. 
Omni-Abilities- These abilities are the abilities to learn rapidly and know things with a capability unlike others. Omniscience is the ability to know anything with the right method of gathering it. Omnilinguism is the ability to understand any form of language and know how to speak it after only hearing it. This also extends in Omniscience and Omni-capabilities, to the abilities to track another or learn what they see rapidly. 
Astral Projection- The ability to part from one?s body and wander the realms. This is often not used in battle. When another is sleeping, Astral Projection can be used by the caster to leave their body and slip into the dreamer?s dream. 
Mental Projection / Mediumship- With mental projection, one can cast their consciousness unto the astral plane for any such reason as perhaps coaxing the dead to offer aid, or to seek out an object/person. Mediumship is the other route, where without the projection, one can see and interact with the dead while remaining within their body. Though they are not capable of wandering the astral plane during mediumship. 
Telepathy- This ability allows the caster to speak into the mind of the receiver. Stronger telepaths can reach into the minds of their targets to try and pick up thoughts, images, or ideas. This also works in reverse, as they- when stronger or at their strongest- can push thoughts, images, and ideas into another?s head via Psionic Persuasion. 
Telekinesis- The ability to extend one?s consciousness to the world around them, thus manipulating physical objects around them, lifting, throwing, or breaking them using an invisible force of energy controlled by the caster?s mind. 
Astral Trapping- The ability to cause an astral projection or astral being/soul to remain trapped on the astral plane, sometimes in a specific place. 
Mind Control- The ability to alter the perception of others, often to gain control of their actions or to make them move abiding by the caster?s desire. 
Possession- Sometimes this ability coincides with Astral Projection. With this, the caster can extend themselves and take over, inhabit, or control the body of another individual. 
Psionic Blast- This ability allows one to thrust a great deal of their energy at an opponent?s mind at one singular time. This often causes an overload of the target?s mind, causing pain, memory loss, unconsciousness, and even a comatose state. 
Psychic Weapon Conjuration- The ability to utilize psychic energy in such a form that it takes on a nearly tangible force, though remains without physical manifestation. This energy forms a weapon of whatever shape the caster chooses, and when striking the opponent attacks the mind and not the body. 
Energy Arts 
These arts often are attributed to energy-users or martial artists. They can be learned by self-discovery and meditation more often than not. Exceptions do exist to this of course. 
Energy Sourcing- The ability to draw power from large or small sources of energy. People who energy source can often draw out of thermal, radial, solar, or kinetic energies. Sometimes the caster can hold onto this energy, charge themselves with it, or expel it in another form of energy for their own use. 
Chi / Qi- This ability is most often attributed to martial artists. It is the flow of energy within the body and is used to deal more damaging attacks. Chi/Qi is often references to as the focus of a fighter, and when expelled allows more critical hits with more ease. Sometimes Chi/Qi can come out in a concussive manner as well. 
Concussive Energy- The ability to create or cast out waves, beams, pillars, or bursts of energy that rolls outwards from the caster quickly and deals blunt physical damage most of the time to the target struck. Often this energy is invisible, and can also be caused by Chi/Qi gathering. 
Energy Construction- This ability is much more refined than concussive use. But it is also more cunning than it too. With this, one can create physical shapes, sometimes complex ones, out of their energy (i.e.: Making a cage around another being out of solidified energy). 
Force Field Construction- The ability to not just create energy, but hold it in such a manner that it becomes a barrier and shield. People who utilize force fields can expel them like concussive bursts, but also create shields against some magics and physical blows. 
Other Magics 
Here is a quick list of other such things. You can look them up if you like, if they sound good to you. 
-Energy Conversion- The ability to convert one energy into another 
-Gravity Manipulation- The ability to manipulate and alter gravitational pull 
-Magnetism Manipulation- The ability to manipulate and alter magnetic fields 
-Plant Manipulation / Geokinesis - The ability to manipulate and control plant life 
-Weather Alteration / Manipulation- The ability to alter the weather 
-Density Control- The ability to alter one?s own density or the density of objects touched 
-Disintegration- The ability to disintegrate an object with a touch 
-Phasing- The ability to phase through solid objects 
-Mass Manipulation- The ability to manipulate and alter one?s own mass or the mass of objects touched 
-Microwave Manipulation-( has nothing to do with your home microwave) The ability to manipulate and conduct microwaves (not microwave ovens) 
-Radioactivity- The ability to exude and conduct radioactivity 
-Sound Manipulation- The ability to conduct and manipulate sound wavelengths 
-Probability Control- The ability to alter the chances of success or failure of an object or move 
-Flight- The ability to take flight through numerous means 
-Planeswalking / Realm Travel- The ability to travel to different planes or realms 
-Elasticity- The ability to stretch one?s body and limbs with an inhuman elasticity 
-Size Shifting- The ability to grow larger or smaller at will 
-Substance Mimicry- The ability to transform a limb or object into a mimicry of another substance 
-Substance Detection- The ability to detect the composition of an object with just a touch 
-Technopathy- The ability to communicate with, and control, machines 
-Power Augmentation- The ability to enhance or weaken the powers of others 
-Power Bestowal- The ability to jump start latent abilities or bestow powers 
-Power Mimicry/Absorption- The ability to mimic, copy, or absorb the powers of those around you 
-Power Negation- The ability to negate or cancel out the abilities of others 
-Power Sensory- The ability to detect others with power 
-Bone Manipulation- The ability to manipulate the bones in one?s own body 
-Shapeshifting- The ability to shapeshift forms, most often into animals 
-Matter Ingestion- The ability to consume any matter without ill effect 
-Poison/Toxin Generation- The ability to naturally generate poison(s) or a toxin(s) 
-Reactive Adaptation- The ability to rapidly create immunities to substances or environments 
-Muscle Memory Adaptation- The ability to perform the physical feats one sees visually 
-Superhuman Features- The added strength, speed, endurance, agility, or other traits that is inhuman 
-Special Vision- Night vision, heat vision, x-ray vision, or other forms of exceptional vision 
-Alchemy- The ability to transmute objects into potions or to even alter metallic composition 
-Light Wavelength Manipulation- The ability to manipulate visible light 
Do know that these are just a few things. You can always go the extra mile to create a magic specific to your character. Even more so, you can create a spell list if your character is a mage or studier of the Arcane. Just remember to be specific about what you do. Please do not be like ?I control elements, and my environment.? That sounds rather Godly and inappropriate. If you have any questions on the aforementioned abilities, just contact me. And remember, you?ve got the internet at your disposal if you want to go around and look for other unique types of magic.
:: Magic Construction & Tips About Magic Pt. 2 :: 
We?ve already gone over what types of magics are out there. I hope my aforementioned list offered some good help when trying to decide the magic one wants to apply to their character. But it?s a lot more to creating magic for a character than just picking one out. It?s actually a rather complex thing, and now that you have an idea of what you want to do, it?s time to run it through a check list to assure that that specific magic makes sense with the character you?ve created. 
:: Step 2 :: 
?Wait? Does this even make sense?? 
1) What I am, versus what I can do. 
Always think of this whenever you are deciding on magic or working it into your character. Things need to click, by historical means and a racial understanding. Also think of the alignments of your character, what deity/deities they may worship, and any kind of moral standing they have in a sense of conscious belief of the world and sense of being within it. Foremost, I?ll be focusing on what the character is and the ability at hand. 
Foremost, keep in mind the differences of a physically adept race versus a magically inclined race. If you have some form of character that is more physically capable, they probably won?t be very magically endowed, considering that most physically adept creatures are not born with great prowess in learning or having magic. Try to remember that if your character is a natural born warrior or a race that isn?t known for its abilities in a more mystical sense, then magic will be a push racially. You are always free to take creative license, but there?s a difference between being creative to suit a character to how you want them, versus having a character that is disobeying the very logic of their race. 
Next, is what kind of magical preference does your character?s race lean for? It?d seem unlikely for a race that is naturally proficient in the darker arts to be a master of Psionics. A good example in this case, would be angels and demons. Creatures of opposing alignment. It is obvious in most cultures and mythologies that angelic or celestial creatures have holy magics, while demons or fiends have unholier leanings. So you wouldn?t really see a destructive demon walking around blasting holy light from his/her palms, now would you? 
There is the case of hybrids, as many do exist, and that too needs to be settled here and now. Many people out there believe that because they have a character that is half of this, and half of that, that they can have mastery over abilities from both sides. Flawed, without good reason at least. A hybrid does not have the pure, full potential of their parent because they are not pure-blooded. They can have ease with learning specific magics, but not be born with them. Or they can be born with magics of both parents, but only be able to use each to a certain extent. 
2) If I wasn?t born with it, how else do I have magic? 
There are multiple ways of acquiring magic outside of just naturally having it. So you don?t have to get upset if you have a character that?s not magically inclined by race, but you want to have magical qualities in. 
First off, you can acquire it by learning it. Easy, right? In your character?s history, they can have been taught and trained in a specific magic. Be it by a parent, friend, sibling, or just a teacher that they sought out at whatever age for whatever reason. That?s reasonable, correct? If your character sought out a skill, it would make sense to pursue someone who was extremely fluent in said skill to be taught. 
A character can always have taught themselves. Tired of being incapable of a certain magic, so they used even the smallest sliver of potential and began to train it, using whatever they can to help. Often, it?s good to have some kind of object to help here. Like saying that they stumbled upon a spellbook/tome/scroll on a specific set of magics. 
If not taught, then how else can a person gain magic without being born with it? Well, they can have gained it through experience. Now please be careful with this, as I?m going to try and explain what I mean and how this differs from being self-taught on the subject of magic. This can break out into a variety of things. One is circumstance and exposure. This is where a character is caught in a specific event where they are affected and end up being magically endowed upon leaving the scenario. Another would be blessings and endowments. This would be another scenario where someone gives the powers to the said character. This could be a patron deity, or a strong magical warrior. It can even progress onwards to a storyline event in the past where a person passed on their own power into the character at hand. 
I?m sure that out there somewhere there is another form of gaining magic. If you can think of something, while keeping a realistic outlook on how it was acquired, then go for it. If you are unsure if what you are doing with your abilities makes sense, then ask someone. Out there around you is a vast community of roleplayers who are your peers, and in that sea of your roleplay comrades, someone is bound to help you if you ask. Remember, the only dumb question is a question not asked. 
3) Where my magic should be to coincide with my character?s present date existence. 
It?s always good to make sure that your magic makes sense, not just racially and how it is acquired, but in where you are at in your character?s present time. By this, I mean that your character?s level of magic is not too novice or too advanced for their current progression in development. If you don?t quite get the idea of what I mean here, don?t worry, you will. I?ll be further explaining all of this below? 
The amount of magic a character has plays a role in this. If your character has say, three abilities, you have to determine how those levels stand. I will try to explain this in greater detail using a hopefully helpful example. 
- 
~EXAMPLE~ ---> A character has three abilities. These abilities are fire manipulation, wind manipulation, and teleportation. If this character is a master of fire manipulation, then they will not be as skilled in wind or teleportation. If they are strong in wind no less, then their teleportation will be probably the weakest aspect or at least incapable of battle use. Now, the levels can also be shifted. If all three skills were evenly matched, then they would have moderate fire use, moderate wind use, and the ability to teleport when charged up enough. 
- 
If they had more abilities, and all abilities were evenly leveled to be the same strength, then the more magic they had, the weaker each magic would most likely become. That is because someone who is heavily trained in one magic, and has known only that magic, practiced in only that one skill, and has devoted all their time and knowledge to learning this one skill, in and out, they are most likely stronger in that magic than someone else who uses say, a handful of magics and has trained in each one. That is because while the first person has devoted to only one ability, the other person has been juggling multiples, thus would not be as trained in one individual strength because their attention is spread over a series of things instead of a sole one.
Age is a key factor in deciding how advanced your magical skill is. Age and years of experience are something you have to keep up with when it comes to your character?s magical abilities. If someone is just a child, say eleven years old, and they?ve been practicing magic for just a few years under another?s tutelage, then they will still be rather novice at it, but getting better. But a person who has been training all their lives, and are perhaps in their older years, or of a longer lifespan, they would be stronger. They?ve had more time to develop magic. That is, unless they did not start learning or touching up their skills until they were in their later age. So keep a definitive hold on how old your character is, and when they started training/learning/using their magics, so that you can get an idea of what level to have it at. When you do this, also remember your character?s race to help define an age. If it is an elf, elves are known to live very long lifespans, thus an elf in their later years would most likely be more knowledgeable in magic than a human who has trained for a great deal of their lifespan, because humans have shorter lifespans and thus a shorter age/set of years to keep that skill up. 
How often your character uses it, and their level of study and upkeep donates a great deal to this too. Some characters with magic only use it when it is absolutely need it, training it only as an emergency skill. Others use their magic freely, every day, even for the simplest things- like lighting a cigarette with a small flame conjured at the fingertips. Someone who uses it every day, would be more versed with calling it easily and quickly, while someone else who has not trained daily or used it frequently would have to take more time to effort out the same result. Did your character train in a magic for combat, or for casual use? Is it a natural, fluent skill, or is it something that has to be really, deeply focused into? This is a thing to keep consideration in, as it?ll help you assure that your character?s magic is thoroughly defined and well thought-out. 
Picking, choosing, and defining the magic of your character in the end is ultimately up to you. But always try to remember to keep the little things in mind. The more you detail something out, the easier it is to use and display to others when you write, mostly because you as a typist have written out and created a much more definitive feel for your own character.
:: Magic Usage :: 
Now hopefully the past two articles about Magic Construction have helped you out enough that you?ve ideally figured out your magic. Or, you?re coming regardless of them with magic already in mind wanting to know some better ways to define using it. One must remember, that not every character will use magic the same way. Even characters with the exact same ability, will not call it and expel it in the same manner. Individuality strives in this department, as there are a great number of ways to go about this. Listed below, I will cover what ground I can, and offer my aid in teaching a few about a handful of ways to use magic. 
:: Step 1 :: 
?Are there different ways to gather magic?? 
Yes, yes there are. There?s a vast and unique variety of options you can go about when it comes to prepping and preparing magic. Just remember that it must be done and made, even if vaguely, obvious enough that you can point it out in your own posts to say that it is there. Now, onwards to the methods at hand. 
1) Verbally invoking magic. This means that you are preparing to cast, but before you can really cast that spell, you need a specific chant or set of words that deeply draws the power out of you, that molds it to the specific intent. Mages or characters who use specific words to call their magic, tend to use a different word for each spell or for different uses of a given ability, making it so that a list of words allows them to more easily call out and produce the specific magic they seek. Magic that is called verbally is often thought of, and the word comes to mind, and they either say the word preemptively so that the attack comes out a moment or two after it is called upon by name, or said upon the release of the attack. Verbally calling magic is a great thing for wizards or people who study as purely spell-casters or Evocators. 
2) Using bodily gestures or somatic motion. Have you ever seen a movie or video game, where the character at hand has to move their arms and hands a certain way to call out magic? To refine it to a key point before expelling it? This is called a somatic gesture or movement, when a spell or cast requires a specific motion to be completed so that the spell is unleashed. If the motion is not completed, the spell will either not be cast, or will fail to meet its full expectation. Somatic gestures is good for characters who utilize hand signals (I think it?s called ?Ninjutsu? for those ninja fans out there ;3), arm motions, or more Tai Chi styled figure progressions. It?s also a big thing for characters who use a Chi/Qi styled energy, because in many cases, the energy must travel through the body as it creates a fluent movement and expels when the body ceases said movement by creating a vent (I.E.- A fighter moves his arms back and down to his left, pulling them back into his side while winding them upwards as if creating a circle, and when coming back up, forces both hands outwards allowing a small burst of raw energy to thrust out of the hands, having been gathered over the period of his uninterrupted motion). But don?t think somatic preparation is just for ninjas and monks. Anyone can use a specific motion as a form of preparing and calling magic. A much simpler thing is when a person starts to snap their fingers, creating heat between their thumb and fingertip. A seemingly harmless gesture, but it could be a taught way and remembered method for said person to begin gathering their magic to produce fire over the fingertips or within the hand after a set number of snaps. 
3) Time to focus. Foremost, all spells require some level of focus, but this is about using abilities that solely revolve around being called by being focused upon. Concentration, one of the most prominent ways in my experience, of preparing a spell. It is when one takes on the thought of their desire, knows what they want and visualizes it. Their body opens up to the gathering of energy/magic, as they siphon their own power into the form of their goal. Focusing on magic requires thought to be ever present. Focusing can stretch out to many things, and is a rather broad topic in terms of gathering magic. Yet it is a preference for many. When focusing, some can hide the fact that they are preparing to cast something if their character?s got a good enough poker face on. As well, focus is simple to describe, and is very personal. Often a character who teaches themselves magic by experience or without the aid of a tome, will use focus because it is a great method of calling magic out when one is not taught other ways of bringing power out of themselves. 
4) Finding power around you. This is where you do not draw from yourself, but from the world around you. If you are a wind user, and there is a breeze, then you?ve got the base of what could be your next cast. It is the expansion of one?s self unto their environment, where a character sees something around them or finds something that will aid them, and draws on it. They can simply pay attention to it and press out their consciousness to the surroundings to grip and manipulate something existent (I.E.- He felt his mind reach out, and soon he could feel the wind, empowering him as it brushed to and fro over the land.), or they can take something existent and absorb it into their own selves, to then cast out later (I.E.- The present breeze was enough to fuel him, an idea, and something greater. Opening his vessel to be not just for him, but for the raw potential of this element, the soft zephyrs tussling the trees would come to cease as the wind seemed fade to silence while the man felt the soft gale roiling under his skin.). This is also how some will create a ?prepping effect? (I.E.- She began to draw the present moisture out of the air, creating an aura of dry, thin air around her as she coiled away every hint of dampness around her to create something with a rather dangerous splash.). 
5) Giving energy to a weapon/item. This is where the magic is not your own, but in your weapon. You can only concentrate, and give to it, feeding it the magic it needs. Over time, the weapon will accumulate enough power that it can release at the wielder?s will, or perhaps not depending on if there is a story or desired effect of the weapon. Now with a weapon used, the level of magic often comes down. There will most likely be no intricate spells or many different methods of using one ability if it?s coming from a weapon. Though a good example of a magically inclined weapon, would be a sword that when given the energy it needs, can unleash a wave of fire upon a swing. 
6) Having a channeling tool. This would be the use of staffs, wands, books, tomes, etc. Here one uses a specific item to help them refine and expel their magic. A tool that allows them to sharpen a specific desired effect and cast it out when the natural effect without the said item would be much more flimsy and raw. Often these kinds of items allow a person a smoother and more successive sense of magic while in their possession, and can even allow someone an ability to be at their disposal if the item is, again, on their person. Overall, channeling tools are good, as one begins to focus on their desire, and channels that focus into the item itself, allowing it to finish the polishing process once there before being cast. 
7) Preparing to cast with a sacrifice. Now there are multiple ways to go about sacrificial preparation. One is with a trigger item. These are items that when broken or used allow the user to gather the power within them. One example is a magic-user who uses crystals, and draws the power out of one crystal for one prep, gathering her power to later use from the crystal itself. This can extend to most mages, and even warriors who use a little bit of magic. The applications for using a trigger item are vast, and ever waiting to be finely explored. The other form of sacrificial gathering can be referred to as self-sacrifice. This is where one gathers magic from a toll taken out on themselves. The best example I can think of, is one of a blood mage, who makes a cut upon their skin so that the blood may drain- thus gathering their magic in the form of the seeping blood. The ways people can work with the self-sacrifice method alone is astonishing. One can make scratches on the skins, puncture themselves, break small bones (such as fingers or toes), and other such means. Self-sacrifice works great for more dark or voodoo styled arts. And lastly, of what I can think of, is a sacrificial being. This is a NPC, or another player whom your character gains power from when offering them up. This can be used in terms of character A gaining power from the wounds or pain of another character whom they are tied to. This could also go in key with the death of a NPC that in sacrifice allows their power to function when it is otherwise nonexistent. Again, a variety of uses exist for this one, though sacrificing another for the gathering of power is a bit more pushing the edge for active battle unless it?s storyline or it coincides reasonably with your character. 
All in all, there are a vast many methods to which one can gather and prepare magic. Be it by incantation, sacrifice, or other means, an option always exists. Be unique, be creative, and remember that your choice for how a character gathers a magic should flow smoothly with your character. But now that you know how to prepare your character?s magic? Well, how to expel it? 
Step 2 :: 
?Blowing up sh*t? I mean, casting.? 
I guess some would say, this is the awesome part. If only it wasn?t meant to be educational, hehe. Now that we?ve gone over gathering magic and some of the ways to do so, it?s time to take on the next step. Unleashing that magic once it?s there? 
Major Casting Classes :: 
1) Supportive Magic 
Supportive magic is magic that is meant to aid one?s self or allies on the field of battle. These spells have no offensive value, but often serve as defensive measures through indirect means. Often ?Healers? are the most common seen form of characters with support magic out there. 
<Target> of Support Magic is either one?s self, or allies. 
<Requires> a varying amount of preps for the spell itself. Though many support spells can be cast with a small amount of preps. 
<Spells> include any kind of healing spell, or spells that serve as buffers, such as: raise strength, vitality, cure blindness, make one move faster, etc. 
2) Defensive Magic 
Defensive magic is magic that is meant to protect one?s self from oncoming physical or magical attacks. These spells have no offensive value, but instead serve to protect the user or the target of said spell. A variety of magic users use defensive magic, but some of the most common are ?Abjurers? and ?Psionics?. 
<Target> is one?s self or their allies. 
<Requires> a varying amount of preps dependent on the spell itself. 
<Spells> include any kind of shield-construction, force fields, magic barriers, armor-construction, etc. 
3) Offensive Magic 
Offensive magic is any magic that is meant to harm the opponent or inflict damage. Offensive magic is often expelled in the direction of the opponent or takes place in a specific area, and does not aid to the caster of their allies. Most magic users or casters utilize offensive magic. 
<Target> is the opponent(s). 
<Requires> more preps with the more strength or lethality a spell has. 
<Spells> include too many to be individually named. This expands to evocation, elements, psionic attacks, energy attacks, dark/light casts, etc. 
4) Cunning Magic 
Cunning magic is any magic that is meant to harm the opponent or put them at an open disadvantage in a more indirect manner. This magic is often not expelled onto them directly, but instead placed in the environment or in the vicinity of the opponent. Often the users of cunning magic are ?Illusionists?. 
<Target> is the opponent or the environment. 
<Requires> a fewer amount of preps than an all out attack, but varies with the spell itself. 
<Spells> include things such as creating magical mines, trap holes, illusions, mirages, imitated smells or sounds, decoys, magic cages, etc. 
Ways of Expelling Magic :: 
Now remember that there are many ways to expel magic, beyond what is just listed here. These are just some ideas, rough and still capable of being expanded to the thoughtful and imaginative mind. This talks of a few of the different spell types when it comes to expulsion. 
1) Direct action spells. This is when the spell you?re unleashing comes from your character, and unleashes directly towards the other. Bursts, beams, orbs/spheres, and anything of the like falls into this category. These spells are often avoided by dodging out of the way, and yet are some of the most dangerous because being hit is a full blow of perilous magic. 
2) Indirect action spells. These spells are ones that sneak up on the target. Indirect action means that when they are cast, the energy is not sent directly from the caster, but placed within the environment and then moved to the opponent. Best examples of this are explosions, earth-spikes, or anything that comes not from the body but from the ground, sky, or vicinity near the opponent. 
3) Direct aid spells. These are the ones for healing and support. Buffering spells and shields, that are cast directly from the person to the target, even if it is one?s self. When cast, these spells flow out of the caster and then to the target, affecting them upon contact. This would be any kind of spell that visibly or invisibly leaves the caster and then reaches the target. An example would be if one person cast a cleansing spell to clean another?s blood of poison from a distance of ten feet, and when they cast it, a faint shimmering translucent energy flowed from them rapidly towards the target, where it would wrap around them and then sink in to take effect. 
4) Indirect aid spells. These are much like the last one, meant for shields, healing, and support. The difference is that the energy is cast not from one?s self to the other, but from the surrounding area of the target or the environment itself. One example of this would be if the caster prepared a defensive spell, and then around their target some odd ten feet behind them, without any connection or transfer of energy from the caster to the target, a wall of earth rose up protectively around the target. Another example would be if someone cast ?Cure?, and instead of an energy passing through the air from the caster to the target, an aura formed immediately around the target and healed them, without any direct connection or transfer from the caster. 
5) Still Area of Effect spells. These are cast often not to hit one person, but to be hit by a person. These spells are cast to one area on the field, and that area of effect spans out. It?s not one direct attack but instead a motion to attack/affect a vast area. When a still AoE (a shorter term for Area of Effect) is cast, it usually is meant to hit the area that the opponent is in, or strike an area where it can be walked/ran into to capture the opponent. A good example of a still AoE would be a trap spell that slows the body movement, that expands across the ground about 6 ft. by 6 ft. and activates when stepped into. 
6) Free Area of Effect spells. Unlike a still AoE, this one moves. A free AoE can drift around the field for a short period of time, or move from caster out towards the opponent in a straight line that dissipates as it goes. A good example of this would be a large, loosely shaped darkness sphere that drifts around the battlefield for a few short turns, and if stepped into or if it moves over the opponent, leaves them temporarily blind via a veil of darkness that clings to their eyes even after removal from the orb. 
Timely Casting :: 
One thing you should always make sure of, is that you?re not doing something completely unreasonable. Make sure that your character has gathered enough power to pull off the spell they?re going for, otherwise it?ll seem overly powerful. So here, I?ll talk about recommendations (key word) for prepping magic to match the cast you?re going for. As well, remember these vary for character too, as a purely magic character versus a more physically inclined character would have different preps. 
? One Prep 
The quickest collect and expulsion of magic/energy. This is best for small, non-fatal spells. When a character has prepped once, they?ve gathered minimal energy. Such uses for a single prepped spell would be a small fireball (imagine a fireball with a 6?? inch diameter), enough to singe clothes or heat up armor, maybe even offer some burns to the flesh dependent on where it strikes. Or a healing spell for an ally, that clots and begins healing a gash, making it into something of a slightly deep scratch, allowing it to cease bleeding and scab over. Spells vary with caster, but regardless, any one-prep spell will not destroy worlds, or even wreck the entire arena by itself. 
?Two Preps 
Beginning to gather more, you?re now moving past just a quick cast for distraction or support. The magic is growing, becoming more potent- but not quite fatal yet. With two preps behind a cast, a person is exhibiting a bit more power to their attacks. That fireball now burns a bit hotter, and is a bit larger, while that healing spell makes that somewhat moderate gash now almost completely disappear. As preps begin to accumulate, the possibilities begin to come to greater fruition. But for two preps, you?re going to gain more in supportive and cunning magic than you will defensive/offensive. 
?Three Preps 
Here?s where you?re really talking. Now at this point, you?ve been gathering energy/magic for three turns, and it is your fourth turn- the turn to cast. Now while you have been doing a little thing here or there previously, now you can launch an effective and much more dangerous attack. At three preps, you?ve got a suitable attack spell readied. This means most of your common attacks meant to really inflict damage, go here. Not your super duper off the wall over the top blows that are capable of leaving a Spartan Hole in the ground where your opponent once stood. That fireball? Is now a threat, rolling towards your opponent with the capability to sear their flesh and maim them while superheating their armor. Much more threatening, see? Healing and support spells up to this point mostly go into lasting effects and stronger ordeals. If a caster preps this many times then heals an ally, they will probably be giving the ally recovery from most given wounds, except missing limbs as that?s a bit more than just healing. Cunning spells are now capable of tricky traps and illusions that more easily fool the opponent into a not so advantageous circumstances. All in all, here is the point where offensive magics begin to do damage, and other magics become more complex and capable. 
?Four Preps 
At this point, you?re not just trying to hurt someone. You?re trying to end the fight. With four preps behind you, you?re aiming to bring someone to submission by leaving them weakened, defenseless, or too badly hurt to continue. Or, you?re about to put a well injured opponent out of business. Stronger attacks fall into this category of preps. Attacks with wider ranges, and more bite than before. Quick and deadly, but it has to be built up. Other magics beyond offensive capabilities at this point are reaching nearer to a high point. Healing could begin healing deep wounds and seaming up a man nearly cut in half. Cunning magics would be well on their way to creating a much more lasting trick that could leave the last few minutes of the battle spent with the opponent thinking they?re upside down because of the illusion that the world is reversed. Regardless, this is the final point and the strongest of attacks that could still be labeled as ?moderate? or ?intermediate?, and that?s pushing it to call them that. 
?Five Preps and Beyond 
Fatality, or so they call it in Mortal Kombat. Five and plus preps is for magic that?s meant to be fatal, and ensure the end of battle or the definite desire of the opponent to quit. These attacks will be powerful, broad, and extremely lethal to be in contact with. Five and up preps can allow many magics. Supportive magics are now allowing full heals and long-lasting buffers, while cunning magic is now a trap that?s going from a distraction to a method of tangling someone down and letting them die in more cruel manners. Transformations, large AoE attacks, environment-altering spells, and concentrated attacks capable of pushing long distances and tearing through many if not most materials. At 5+ preps, I?d say you?re set to really blow off some steam, and do some worthwhile damage (<.< Understatement). 
~Notes of Thanks~ 
I have to pause to say something. The above section titled ?Timely Casting? was helped by the outline I found in ?The Carrendar Chronicles? [ thread ?T1 : 2011 IMVU? ]. The specific quote about magic, towards the bottom where it spoke of the level of preps, inspired me to try and detail it out more in a loose manner for others to understand, as it?s hard to find something like that around to help guide a roleplayer or give them an idea of what?s ?doable? versus what?s a little more far-fetched. 
Again, it is not a set thing, you don?t read this and go ?Oh poo, I?m doing it wrong?. This is meant for readers to look over and see if they are in the basic area. People should be able to nod to this and go ?Hm, yeah this looks about right?, or ?This makes sense, perhaps I?ll refine some of my abilities to flow more easily, and get a better idea of how I want to go about casting and prepping?. This is all meant to help, not to smack any roleplayer?s hand and tell them they?re not right, that they?re wrong and whatever blab la bla. That is not how I do things, and if it was, I wouldn?t write the things I do here. 
Well, that about wraps this one up. I hope that this offers a great deal of you some help when it comes to ideas about casting and releasing built up magic. I?ve yet to come up with a definite on what the next article may be about, so if you want, drop me a message about something you may want to see here, and I?ll look it over. It may not be done immediately, but I?ll try to get around to it soon enough. ^^
~Proper RP Etiquette~ 
Now this has nothing to do with T1, for the most part, but it does however have a lot to do with Roleplaying. 
Below, I will hopefully help in instructing some of you in a very basic manner, the basic rules of proper RP. This is to serve you all as an aid for your RP, so that if you feel as if you are doing something wrong, or are directed to learn, you may come here to be reminded or taught. 
- - - -Posting Into an Active RP Room- - - - 
You come into a RP room, and at first it is quiet. You do not know if they are OOC (Out of Character) or IC (In Character). If it takes too long to find out, then you assume RP is currently going on, and ask if it is in brackets. 
Brackets = [ ] , { } , ( ) , (( )) , < > , || || 
Example: 
Anaya: [ Is it IC or OOC at the moment? ] 
Person1: ((IC, please post an entrance after loading)) 
So now you know. If it's OOC, well that's easy enough to go along with. But what if it's IC? How do you go about posting? 
You make an entrance. 
When you post an entrance into a room, it brings your character into that RP in a legal, logical manner. It is literally the explanation of your character coming into that setting. If you don't, then who knows how long your character has been there, and why or how? You leave out a lot of details, and thus are acting unreasonably and illogically in that situation. One thing about RP is keeping the realism to it. That doesn't mean exiling the fantasy aspect of it, but instead keeping it in line or held by an "order" of actions. One such piece of this order, is making sure your actions make sense. 
Example: 
Anaya: Enya, after a long trial to find her way around the city, at last had come upon the large steps and doors leading to the capital. With a sigh of relief, almost as if she was proud of having come this far, Enya began up the steps and pushed open the doors, slipping quietly into the capital's main hall where she would remain rather quiet, but ever curious until acknowledged. 
- - - -Roleplay, Away!- - - - 
Now you're in the actual RP, as you've entered your character ICly. You're legally and logically there, and vulnerable to be responded to with conversations, threats, hugs, whatever. You're basically here and need to pay attention. Well, what's left to do, hard part's out of the way right? Not at all. 
It's time to actually RP. In each individual post, try to have some form of detail in it. What you are doing, always mention who you are talking to, and be specific to separate your IC actions from your character dialogue. 
Example: 
Anaya: Enya began to move inwards as the King called to her, asking her name. Once she had come before his thrones, she paused and bowed out of respect, jittery with nerves since she had been waiting to meet the Royalty for quite some time now."Greetings, my name is Enya Duprey, it's my greatest pleasure to meet you." 
In that example, given above, I used " " quotation marks to signify speech from my actions. But there are other ways too. Such as putting hyphens around your actions. 
Example: 
Anaya: - Enya began to move inwards as the King called to her, asking her name. Once before the thrones, she paused and bowed, speaking up excitedly.- Hello, my name is Enya Duprey, and it is my greatest pleasure to meet you. 
That's using hyphens to differentiate actions from speech. 
Hypens = - - , ~ ~, = = 
Always signify the differences between such so that people do not get confused. Trying to write in a literate manner helps other writers understand you, and helps an overall RP progress easily. 
==The Big No No's of Roleplay==
Here's a big one. Firstly, do not Mix. 
Mixing is the illegal act of stirring your Out of Character commentary with your In Character speech or actions. It is also using your character to ICly respond to an OOC action or comment. When you Mix, you are not just confusing the other writers, but acting invalidly. 
Whenever a post is caught with Mixing, it is Void. Thus is because of the fact that it can lead to MetaGaming, beyond the fact that you are breaking the boundary between Typist and Character. 
You see, you, the person on the other side of the screen reading this, are a Typist. A Typist is the person who puppets their characters, you are the one who writes for them, and chooses where you place them and who you RP that character around. A Character is the fictitious cast member that you have, that has no idea you exist, and lives basically inside a fantastical multiverse (or closed RP) world where you can look in but they cannot look out. 
As a Typist, you cannot speak your intentions and words through your Character. Your Character does not always feel what you feel, they feel their own set of emotions, and you should convey them as such. Hence the biggest note: 
We are NOT our characters, as they are not us. 
Another one, is MetaGaming. 
MetaGaming is the illegal act of using information obtained OOCly within your RP ICly, without having learned it ICly. This is a big one, and often can come from Mixing. You as a Typist may know everything there is to know about another person's Character, but that does not mean you can use it. Everything your Character knows about other Characters, has to be learned In Character. 
MetaGaming is especially frequent in combat, which is why often in a serious match, you want to have a neutral Judge present, or in my preference, three Judges (one for each participant, and one neutral). 
MetaGaming can be avoided by practicing the rules of proper RP, and remembering the simple fact of keeping all of your character's knowledge of others and your knowledge of others, separated. 
And then there is GodModding. 
In other words, don't be a God. GodModding consists of doing things that fall out of the Realism in RP. 
One such thing is being able to take fatal blows, over and over, and keep on moving. Limits are your friend, set them to create that realism, to create a more fun environment for your fellow RP community to interact in. Another would be being able to dodge anything and everything, to survive the explosion of a planet without a reasonable explanation- actually, to do anything without a reasonable explanation as to how. 
And of course, GodModding may include taking up actions that cancel out the opportunity for others to respond, and react. It's invulnerability to most or all magics, most or all physical weapons, or even an invulnerability to actual wounds. The ability to be undefeated by means of being overly powerful. Extremely, overly powerful. 
And lastly, for the big, big No No's of Roleplay...
No Autohitting. 
An autohit occurs when one Character strikes another Character without giving them a chance to respond. Every attack you make needs to be attempted, instead of successful, until the target of said attack either disregarded the attack or took it. THEN, you land the blow, but you never hit someone without them having a chance to respond to your action. 
Autohitting is extremely frowned upon, and autohitters are often seen as completely invalid RP'ers. For those beginning to learn T1, it's understandable that you have to get a grasp on making legitimate strikes and attempts. But this is a big lesson to be learned, as it's Void to post an autohit. 
- - - -The Golden Rule- - - - 
And here's a quick one, called Respect. 
"You'll catch more flies with honey than vinegar". AKA, be respectful. This means that you don't come in acting like you're better than anyone else, even strangers you treat in an honorable regard. You never know who might make a valuable friend or ally. And not just that, but you yourself will be treated better and respected in return, if you show respect. It's a bigger thing than many think, and the domino effect of utilizing respect in the RP community is much greater than you may think. 
==~Summary~==
-Always assume a RP room has RP going on unless told otherwise 
-Make an entrance, and even try to be a bit descriptive with it 
-Post with separation of dialogue and actions, either by hyphenated actions or by quotations around your Character's speech 
-Try to be descriptive, mentioning the major things. Who, what, when, why, and where, if you can 
-Don't Mix OOC and IC, keep them separated and remember, you are not your Character 
-Don't MetaGame, remember that your Character only knows what that Character has learned ICly, not what you as the Typist may know about other Characters or RPs 
-Don't GodMod, remember that everything has flaws, and that being realistic in your limitations will make RP more interesting than being invincible- a very touchy and illegal trait to have 
-Don't Autohit, remember that all attacks and physical offensive gestures are made as attempts, and will not go through until the opponent or target has had a chance to respond 
-And lastly, show respect, even to those you do not know. Respect will get you farther than you think, and it helps to create a cooperative, enjoyable RP environment
~Tips on How to Revive & Rekindle Deceased or Retired Characters~ 
So I think the title pretty much says it all, aye? I?ve been inspired to touch on a topic that is often seen as taboo and silent. Below I will offer what help I can from personal experiences and of my own opinion about bringing back a dead character or one that hasn?t been used in a long time. I?ll also try to help stir up some more creative ways to do these things, while offering a helpful guide of what is also inappropriate to do in the process. Hope this helps! 
Part 1 :: 
When to Revive a Character :: 
First off, I?m going to explain the several ways to write out reviving a character. One is by use of NPC?s, another by allowing other Roleplayers to participate, and of course there is the solo route. This will hopefully help flesh out a variety of methods, for those who aren?t sure how to go about it. > The first is by using NPC?s to aid the revival. For those of you who do not know, NPC stands for Non-Playable Character. These are characters that help drive storyline or fill in space such as say, an audience when you?re playing a singer or entertainer. They are also often able to be lightly controlled or noticed by all players in a room. So don?t feel like you have to go it alone, you can always utilize NPC?s to possibly drive your return. Just please make sure it makes sense. 
{Example 1} Your character is a valuable part of a dark empire- a beloved professor of magics who has many friends and some followers even. Upon meeting the grave by personal means, your character?s disciples of arcane sorcerers and mages unite to seek a dark, strong magic powerful enough to bring your character from the grave to continue their work in the shady realm where they reign from. > The next is by having actual RPC?s bring the character back. These are actual Roleplayers that know your character. If you are going to use other players to help drive your story of return, you should always consort with them OOCly beforehand. This way you get down an idea and help to push for a goal without confusion and OOC drama bubbling up. Also, try to be open to other?s ideas. If others are going to participate, you should give them a little freedom to help figure out how their characters would actually react to the scenario, and how they would realistically move towards achieving the goal of returning your character. 
{Example 2} Your character had the poor luck of drinking tainted wine. Soon enough, they slipped away after the fatal drink, and now everyone is in mourning. But a few, close family and friends, are determined to do more than just praise the grave- they find this death undeserved. No, with magic and knowledge ever in tow, the results are limitless. These characters come together, and soon enough, find just the way to bring back the dead. > And lastly, is the good old fashion do it yourself from beyond the grave. This can be a lot more tricky, and needs a lot more detail to make sure it plays out reasonably for your character. Doing this often means going on a solo adventure into the afterlife, and maybe finding a meaning to come back, or a means to return. It also can mean placing things about carefully, and using this scenario to turn a good storyline in the actual RP you are in. 
{Example 3} A peaceful death, one that happens in the sleep. The body shuts down but the soul lives in, and a great adventure begins. A hazy passage into the middle grounds of afterlife, where memories play through your character?s mind and they realize they have more to live for, and aren?t done just yet. Turning back to conquer the puzzle that is purgatory and return to their body before it?s too late, your character seeks to overcome all obstacles for the sake of returning to those who need them most. 
1.) When You the Typist Kills Off the Character / Character Suicide 
This is when you as a typist decide that it?s just that time. Maybe the RP your character was in has finally jaded down to nothing, or maybe you?ve played the character out as best as you can. Maybe their IC emotions are leading to this dark, final decision of death. When you as a typist decide that it?s time for your character to go, you are making that decision yourself and carrying out your own sentence. This means that your character does not die in a battle with other RPC?s, or dies in a legitimate fight. They are killed either by your own NPC?s, or by means of your choosing without influence of other actual RPC?s. When you kill off your own character, you can bring them back later on down the road. But the golden rule here, is just like with any character revival / return. It has to make sense, no matter what. Try not to overstep the boundaries of what is and is not possible for the environment you are in. If I may provide an example, I killed off one of my characters and the process of bringing her back to life took a series of months to fully complete from beginning to end, and built a great deal of storyline for that character. Not just that, but taking it slow was fun for myself as a writer, and my peers who took part in the roleplay that the given character was a part of. 
2.) When Your Character Dies in Active Story-Driven RP / Storyline Death 
This would be when your character dies in a planned or building event in the RP itself. I?d best describe this as something that multiple characters agree to, and participate in. When you do this, it may not be solely for the sake to put your character away. This may be done with the plan that your character?s going to come back. Character deaths are great ways to build up storyline and turn a story. A belief amongst quite a few Roleplayers, is that drama is very good for a roleplay, as long as it?s In Character and not Out of Character. When your character dies in these scenarios, it needs to be discussed beforehand. This way it?s okayed with your group of peers that you?re going to perform a resurrection or return of some sort after the character?s death. This prevents other people from calling you out about trying to do something illegal or on a whim. Including the members of your RP in these kinds of events can also help build a bond with your little slice of the community here, and strengthen your RP itself while preventing confusion and pointed fingers. 
3.) When Your Character is Killed Legally in Battle / Legitimate Death 
Now here?s where I?m going to be a bit more opinionated than before. This is in the event that you get into a fight, let?s say T1 since that?s my area of practice, and you die. You accept the death given unto you, in a fair and good fight. You might be sad to see your character go, but there?s no way out of it, and your character has now bitten the dust. When you die in a legitimate fight, and you want to revive or resurrect that character in some way, even reincarnate them, I?d personally say ask the person who killed you for their permission. If you accepted the death, and they bested you in a match, it is only respectable to ask them to help you build a storyline return for your character. You?ll also have to know a lot of people won?t say yes to this. To me, that is being fair and understanding that if someone defeated you, you have been fairly beaten and that character is good and gone. But, alas, there are some who want to bring back a character even after their death in a match. And I?ll admit, in some very slim circumstances, there are ways about this. 
-One way is reincarnation. That?s right, the soul departs from the deceased body, and soon enough is placed into a new one. Know that you may not be able to do this by yourself. Actually, I say it?s highly unlikely that most characters would be able to do this themselves without outlying magic and assistance from others. And in truth, this is not something to be used by everyone. This new one may be an empty doll or mannequin created by another, or a newborn baby. Either way, you are not being put into the same body. So some limitations for this exist. Do not look exactly the same as before.
Try to avoid having the same abilities as before, or at least having all the same ones.Know that some knowledge can and probably will be lost in transfer. Memories washed aside, faces erased, and skills or trades learned in life now jaded and perhaps forgotten.
Remember that if a character is placed into a new body, they are not going to be even half as skilled as they were once before. Magic has to be re-learned and physical skills have to be polished all over again. So your character is starting at a basically novice level and working their way up. Take your time recovering the skills lost in transfer, because this makes things much more realistic when you?re bringing back a character that died in battle. 
I?m going to add a little side note here as a personal example. I myself have a race of characters that are born without bodies, and have to take host bodies later on to exist in a physical form. If that body is killed, and an attacker does not kill / destroy / capture their soul, then they simply lose the host body and must find another. But I obey the above rules. They do not have their skills back, and their first few months in a new body is stiff and robotic, unable to be used for combat because they are sitting at a new dashboard of controls. These are limitations I set up myself to keep things understandable and fair. In a measure of Real Life time, I set myself with the goal of at least one month must pass before their new bodies are capable of moving around easily, possible of light combat though nothing series. Several months I tend to wait before that character learns a magic to a skilled adept or mastered level. Mind you this is Real Life time, and includes possible RP time skips to pass time ICly, as ICly, this kind of learning and recovery may take years. 
-Another way is being raised from the dead. I?m talking good old dark arts, necromancy, or maybe a holy power. Here, you?re probably going to see great changes. Your character?s body is obviously damaged or maybe even dismembered from battle. Your character?s body has probably been sewn back together, never to be the same and is heavily scarred. It probably is a bit less likely to function as smoothly as it once did, depending on the time that passed between death and revival. I am going to say here, with this option, that you should get the permission of the Roleplayer that killed your character in legitimate combat before doing this. It?s a stretch, and a lot will call GodModding if you do so without the agreement of someone who went through combat to put that character down. If that fellow RP?er agrees, perhaps even offer the chance to let them help. It may even unravel into a story of the killer returning the killed for personal reasons or regret. If you return, you?re probably going to be deeply scarred from combat unless given a form of illusion to hide this.
Your magic may be worn down a bit, just as your mind.Take it upon yourself to be realistic, and create a major lingering flaw from the battle. A disorder or trauma that hinders the ease of daily life as it once did.
Remember that revival takes an extreme toll. Maybe your character is not themselves anymore, not like they used to be. Maybe a piece of them passed on already, and left them as a ticking clock waiting to return to death. A lot of physical, mental, and spiritual problems would realistically arise if a character actually was revived from death. 
Overall though, I?m going to push this emphasis. If you die in a legitimate battle, and you died fairly with judges that agree that the death is indeed valid, I?d say stay dead. That, or ask the permission of the person who killed you if you can return that character. Since they killed you, and are expecting you to be lying six feet under for quite some time. It?s only fair to notify and ask them of this, if they took the time and effort to beat you fair and square. If they say no, and you don?t have a legal and smart way around this that they probably know about or were hinted to in your entrance and character biography, just let your character slip away. Make another one, and don?t let a character death build into OOC drama. 
Part 2 :: 
Alternatives to Character Death :: 
You?ve been playing this character, and they just don?t fit. You know that feeling when you make a good character and you can really get into almost any roleplay with them. They fit like a glove, snug with no air pockets or without space to breathe. But sometimes, a character may not fit. That, or they?ve just worn themselves out. Done all there is to do, seen all there is to see. Traveled the Multiverse to the ends and back, maybe twice now. It?s just tiring to keep playing them, or maybe it?s just too dramatic. Either way, no matter the reason, you?re needing to put down a character because of any given reason. But wait, don?t draw your dagger just yet and prepare to commit character seppuku! There are many alternatives to killing a character, alternatives that allow you much greater ease in fetching them later on down the road if you ever decide you want that character back. Below are just a few ideas to throw around should you want to put down a character without killing them off. 
1.) The Comatose Dreaming 
Some tragic circumstance has come about, and yet they have not died. No, they?ve just? fallen asleep, without having woken up the next day like they normally would. For whatever reason, be it poison, stress, or a physical ailment, maybe even a magic curse, your character has become comatose and won?t wake. Now they are asleep and dreaming- maybe even astral traveling- for an undetermined amount of time, exempt from whatever roleplays they may be in until they wake- whenever you are ready to pick them up again. 
2.) The Great Solo Journey 
Something has come up recently, or maybe it was a longtime dream. Something has pushed your character to the point that they feel it?s time to pursue this goal of theirs. This secret quest that pulls at them. So up in the night (or at dawn, time really doesn?t matter), they pack up what they?ll take and off they go. To learn a forbidden, sacred magic, to see a long lost loved one, or to simply attain mental and spiritual clarity. There are many, many reasons to say your character has just up and gone somewhere, but no matter the reason, it?s a nice and eventful way to put your character aside for an undetermined amount of time until you?re ready to pick them back up. Plus side here is when they return, they could have made changes such as personal growth, and a little bit of touching up on skills maybe. Depends on the story you choose for their absence. 
3.) The Unwanted Departure 
Just as it says above, your character has accidentally been strewn to another realm, or another plane of existence. Trapped! It?s horrible, I know, but they?re sent off and now unheard from. Didn?t even leave a note, though some few scarce clues may be lying around. Now while you put that character down, until you feel like picking them back up and saying that they found their way home after great trials and tribulations, they build a rich story of whatever plane / realm / world they went to in the meantime and had to manage to return from. Who knows, your character could?ve even been trapped in a genie?s bottle belonging to some crazy NPC of your imagination. Either way, this is a vast and great set of options for also building storyline in absence. 
Well, I hope that helps. Just remember a few key tips and ideas: 
---	You don?t always have to kill a character to put them away for a while. 
---	Character death or absence can be a great way to turn a storyline if used properly. 
---	If you have fellow Roleplayers help in the telling of your return, hear them out for ideas. 
---	If you are killed in a legitimate match, try to either accept the death or talk it over with your character?s killer. 
---	Don?t be afraid to use NPC?s in your own story to guide revival or a return. 
---	Be creative no matter what option you take. Being out of the box never hurt anyone. 
---	And lastly, make sure it makes sense. Make sure it?s plausible all around in the method you take.