Rulebook

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This article is the official Next Gen Rulebook, which will act as your comprehensive guide on how to play this new and improved Warriors RPG. This game is called WCNG (or Warrior Cats: Next Generation) because it is basically the Warriors Adventure Game adapted for a more mature audience. As such, the rules and game mechanics have been altered a bit to enrich the experience and allow more possibilities and stories to be created than the limited campaigns provided with the original game model.
Don't worry, though! Just because the game has been adapted to be more intricate and immersive doesn't mean it has to be overwhelmingly complicated! This guide's goal is to make the game as easy to understand as possible. Everything mentioned in the guide will be thoroughly explained to an extent. However, we assume that some aspects of the medium and the lore are already understood by the player beforehand. If this is not the case, leave a message here and we'll answer your question as soon as possible.
If you have questions regarding anything mentioned in the Rulebook, feel free to leave a comment and we'll answer it ASAP. Answered questions will be added to the Frequently Asked Questions subpage.
Without further ado, let's dive into the rules!

To play the game, you create a character, store its information on a character sheet and give a copy of said sheet to the game host. Then, the game host creates a campaign (pre-made story) which all the players can play through and experience with their characters. Typically, the role of game host is rotated between campaigns to make things fair - and here is no exception.
In the original version of this game (Warriors Adventure Game or WAG), all of these things applied - creating a character using a sheet, writing stories to play through, and rotating the host of said stories. Warriors: Next Generation (or WCNG) also has these things. If you've played through either D&D or WAG in the past, then this game will be much easier to learn and adapt to than if you jump in with no previous experience at all. Still, we hope this game will be fairly easy to grasp and get the hang of no matter how well you know this style of game, thanks to this Rulebook.

## SECTION 1: CREATING A CHARACTER

To do this, simply type a name into the box placed below, and click "Create Page". From then on, you'll be building your character's page!
But wait! Don't enter that name just yet. If you're familiar with Warriors already and are confident enough in your knowledge, then you can skip the upcoming section and move on to Age. If not, keep reading (and possibly check out this page while you're at it, for maximum understanding).

What's in a Name?
The naming conventions in the Warriors books are easy to learn and understand, but difficult to master. However, my hope is to get you close to doing both for the best results.
When a cat is born in the Clans (ThunderClan, ShadowClan, RiverClan, WindClan and SkyClan - also known as the Big Five), their name is a word with "-kit" at the end. Note, however, that this word isn't just ANY old word - usually, a mother names her kitten (aka a "kit", hence the suffix) based the traits she notices at birth.
For example: Our example character Muddyclaw was named Muddykit when he was born, because his mother Grassdapple thought the brown spots on his pelt looked like mud stains. (You'll be seeing a lot more of Muddyclaw and his life in the rest of this Rulebook, so prepare yourself!
Another way to name a kit is to name him after a significant cat in either the parents' or children's lives. Usually this is by reusing the prefix of said cat's name (although it's not unheard of to use the suffix) for the kit's prefix. For example, the SkyClan leader Leafstar named her daughters Firekit and Stormkit, in honor of Firestar and Sandstorm respectively.
In the end, what you name your character is completely up to you. If you choose to not be part of one of the Clans, you can have ultimate naming freedom as a rogue or kittypet (even if it'll cost you in stats later). If you don't already have a name in mind, maybe use a placeholder name and think about it later, when your character is more complete.

Age
Warriors (and WCNG, accordingly) records time in descending order by seasons, moons, and sunrises. For now though, all you need to know is that moons are as long as a full moon cycle - so from one full moon to the next, or approximately a month (maybe a little less).
A Clan cat's rank depends on his age. From birth to 6 moons of age, he will be a kit (unless apprenticed early or late for some reason). Upon reaching 6 moons, he will become an apprentice, and the Clan leader will give him a mentor. The age for becoming a warrior can vary (usually because of training speed or other factors), but the average age of warrior promotion is 12 moons. The Clan leader and the apprentice's mentor will decide together when an apprentice is ready for promotion, so if you're curious about your character's progress or want an ETA for his promotion, just ask them.
While your character's stats are your responsibility to train in during gameplay for the most part (even after apprenticeship!), a good standard to stick by is getting +1 in a Skill or Knack for every moon he's been a warrior, and +2 Skills or Knacks for every moon he was an apprentice. (This is an especially good ratio for giving stats to NPCs.) For rogues or kittypets, it can vary much more wildly, depending on how much they've learned - or haven't learned - so far. Also, cats under 6 moons will have no Skills or Knacks, save for the 3 Skills they've been born talented in (including your Clan bonus, if it applies).
Our example character Muddyclaw is 21 moons old - or, in human terms, a year and 9 months. He is a warrior, having completed all the training necessary for him to become a full member of WindClan and function well enough to help feed and protect it. He went from kit to apprentice at 6, and from apprentice to warrior at 12 moons, leading up to this point.

Gender
Your character's gender is important for roleplay interactions, but not as much beyond that - it has no impact on real in-game performance (such as your stats), negative OR positive. With this in mind, still consider your cat's gender as seriously as you would the name.
A cat's gender is typically male or female, but WCNG is open to characters not lying within the gender binary, to an extent. We also allow transgender (FtM and MtF) and nonbinary/agender as valid identities, with the implication of "they" pronouns for nonbinary.
We will most likely NOT tolerate any identity outside of those, for simplicity's sake - no special pronouns or unusual/otherkin-related genders (xe/xir/xemself or snowself, etc.) just because it's both way too unreasonable within a Warriors RP context and way too many outlier genders to keep track of. Please be reasonable - if you show that you can't, we won't hesitate to block you indefinitely.

Sexuality
Most of the same things apply here which apply to Gender.
The typical sexuality is heterosexual, but WCNG is open to all kinds of characters and will accept homosexual, bisexual, pansexual or asexual cats accordingly (and without requiring permission first!). Any other sexual identity will have to be turned down, just for simplicity's sake - please be reasonable, we don't mean to discriminate against anyone with these rules. However, panromantic/demisexual/otherkin sexuality/etc. are all too complex of concepts to apply to these characters without having to explain them all over and over again to the uninitiated.

A character's Clan (or lack thereof) can determine a lot about their appearance, personality and history, along with gameplay stats.
The 5 Clans at the Lake Territories are as follows:

**ThunderClan:** *Fierce and Brave, Ponder +1.* ThunderClan lives in an oak forest with a maze-like floor full of undergrowth for them to weave through. Their favorite prey is mostly rodents (mice, voles and shrews), but other creatures are hunted as well. They seek peace in relations with the other Clans, but aren't afraid to fight with everything they've got for a cause they believe strongly in.
**ShadowClan:** *Wily and Proud, Sneak +1.* ShadowClan lives in a pine forest with a damp marsh floor, shrouded in darkness and broken only by cold winds. Their favorite prey is mostly slimy creatures (snakes, lizards, and frogs), but other creatures are hunted as well. They are proud of their lifestyle to the point of arrogance in public, but in private they are quiet, solitary, and find the shadows are good company.
**RiverClan:** *Clever and Strong, Swim +1.* RiverClan lives on the wetlands ...
**WindClan:** *Swift and Loyal, Sprint +1.* WindClan lives on a vast moor shining green and gold with tall grass thickets and patches of colorful wildflowers.
**SkyClan:** *Agile and Determined, Jump +1.* SkyClan lives in ...

The Ranks
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Your Status tells whether your character is living or dead, as well as any notable health conditions or other information.

**Active**: A character is being actively used by their player in a campaign. Typically players will only use one character at a time during roleplays just to keep things simple (and it's encouraged), but it is possible to use more than one character at once in a campaign, or to even join multiple campaigns at once with different characters.
**Inactive**: A character is not being actively used by their player in a campaign. Typically any characters that are temporarily retired during a campaign, or characters that are created as a backup for if/when their main character dies use this.
**Discontinued**: A character that will never be used by their player in a campaign again. Typically discontinued characters are those that have died during a campaign, or those that belonged to players who quit the game entirely. We keep these characters and their pages for the archive, but they are no longer active.
**Example Only**: Applies to character(s) created for the sole purpose of illustrating concepts, such as examples in this very rulebook. Currently this status only applies to Muddyclaw, our example character.
**Blind**: A character who is permanently blind, either from birth, injury or illness.
**Deaf**: A character who is permanently deaf, either from birth, injury or illness.
**Crippled**: A character who is otherwise permanently crippled (i.e. broken legs or spine), either from birth, injury or illness.
**Injured**: A character who is severely injured, to the point of requiring a break to recover with the medicine cat in their Clan.
**Sick**: A character who is severely ill, to the point of requiring a break to recover with the medicine cat in their Clan.* If required, a further status may be **Quarantined** if their illness is highly contagious, and they require quarantine from other Clan members. This is often used in the case of epidemic plots, to mark characters affected by the epidemic.
* Another addition may be **Poisoned** if their illness is caused by something external, like a poisonous plant or substance within the territory. This can be a useful label for plots such as epidemics or crime investigations.

Choosing Skills
Your character's skills depend on his age. Upon apprenticeship (at 6 moons usually), a cat will be given 3 points to place in any Skills they like, as well as +1 in whatever their Clan bonus gives them. From then on, you must train in a skill or complete a campaign to add points.
For more information on Skills, see Chapter 10.

Choosing Knacks
Depending on how old your character is at creation, he may or may not have knacks. Apprentices must be trained in Knacks by their mentor, and Warriors must learn Knacks from other cats who already know the Knacks - whether they're a part of the same Clan or not.
For more information on Knacks, see Chapter 11.

Other Notes
Rank Requirements
To be promoted within a Clan, your character should meet these specific requirements; naturally, not all circumstances allow enough time for these to be met, but it's highly suggested you do for the best performance.
Leader: To qualify to become the Leader of your Clan, you must have at least the following: 1. All requirements to be the Clan deputy (but it's assumed you are already the Clan deputy before you become the leader) and 2. At least level 3 training in the Orate knack, and at least level 5 in the Ponder Skill. Of course, if your leader happens to die before you reach these requirements as the deputy, do not fear: these are just the suggested stats for best performance as a leader. Having less than this in these scores may lead to an unhappy and/or disloyal Clan that doesn't respect you as much as they would a qualified leader.
Deputy: To qualify to become the deputy of your Clan, you must have at least level 1 training in the Clan Lore knack, and at least level 3 in the Focus Skill (alongside the canon requirements, such as having trained an apprentice into a warrior prior).
Medicine Cat: To become a fully-realized medicine cat in your Clan, you MUST have earned at least level 4 training in both the Herb Lore and Medicine Lore knacks.
Warrior: To become a fully-realized warrior in your Clan, you MUST have earned at least level 4 training in one skill, level 3 in two other skills, and level 1 in a knack

Birthplace Bonuses
Where your character was born matters both for roleplay and technical reasons. Technically, your Clan (or lack thereof) determines what bonuses you receive throughout life.
ThunderClan: Your cat gets level 1 training in the Ponder Skill. (Upon becoming a warrior, they may also receive level 1 training in either the Pathfinder or Track Knack.)
ShadowClan: Your cat gets level 1 training in the Sneak Skill. (Upon becoming a warrior, they may also receive level 1 training in the Stalk Knack.)
RiverClan: Your cat gets level 1 training in the Swim Skill. (Upon becoming a warrior, they may also receive level 1 training in the Paddler Knack.)
WindClan: Your cat gets level 1 training in the Listen Skill. (Upon becoming a warrior, they may also receive level 1 training in the Dash Knack.)
SkyClan: Your cat gets level 1 training in the Climb skill. (Upon becoming a warrior, they may also receive level 1 training in either the Balance or Spring Knack.)
Rogue: Your cat automatically has level 1 training in the Alertness knack. (Upon becoming a warrior, they will not receive any new skill bonuses or knacks.)
Kittypet: Your cat automatically has level 1 training in the Twoleg Lore knack. (Upon becoming a warrior, they will not receive any new skill bonuses or knacks.)
Some footnotes:
* If your character happens to be born in one Clan (or outside of one) as a kit, then is taken away to join another Clan before they are of apprentice age, they may take advantage of that Clan's skill bonus; however, if they join the Clan at 6 moons or older as an apprentice, then they will not have that skill bonus.
* If your character happens to be born in one Clan (or outside of one) as an apprentice, then leaves and joins another before they become a warrior, they will NOT be able to take advantage of that Clan's knack; they will have to train to learn it on their own time.

ALIGNMENT:
Alignment is a phrase which briefly describes the character's moral standing. It is based off of the system from classic Dungeons & Dragons, and spans from Lawful Good to True Neutral to Chaotic Evil (and everything in-between!) As a character ages, it develops different facets of its personality, and in turn its alignment. Typically kits start out as pure blank slates, then as apprentices they choose a path of either lawfulness, chaos or neutrality, and only into warriorhood do they determine whether they fight for good, evil, or neither. Alignment will often affect first impressions of a character to others, where a Lawful Good character will strike off well with other Lawful or Good characters, but clash badly with Chaotic or Evil characters by nature.
TRAITS:
Traits can be thought of as "passive abilities". (Un)Surprisingly, a character's personality can affect gameplay as well as interaction with other characters! Many traits are simply automatic bonuses or penalities for Skills; for example, a cat who is Forgetful but has a Silver Tongue will have a penalty in the Remember Skill, but a bonus in the Persuade Skill. However, not all traits have this effect; some only activate under specifc conditions. For example: during battle, a Merciless character will always try to "finish off" or otherwise reject an opponent who surrenders during battle; this makes them immune to many crit-hit moves caused by letting one's guard down during a surrender. Traits can stem from a number of things in a cat's life: some traits are immediately added to cats of a specific Clan (such as the RiverClan trait, "Webbed Paws"), a specific family (such as the trait of Firestar descendants, "Chosen Ones"), or can be learned from their parents', mentors' or friends' behaviors (as many classic personality traits are, such as "Stubbornness"). Traits are typically developed very rapidly during youth, but slow down once a character is a warrior.

The Alignments
A character's alignment summarizes their moral stance. As a kit, a character technically has no alignment yet; they're still developing it from birth. As an apprentice, a character decides the first half of their alignment; whether they are Lawful, Neutral on Law/Chaos, or Chaotic. As a warrior, a character decides the second half of their alignment; Good, Neutral on Good/Evil, or Evil. Many factors during a character's upbringing can swing them towards one side of the spectrum; however, two cats raised the same way can still have differing alignments. Alignments are a key part of a character's personality, but don't necessarily need to be explicitly mentioned in it.
The 9 Alignments are as follows:

**Lawful Good:*** This cat has strong ethics, and strives to do the right thing whenever he can, considering it his duty. He also follows the Warrior Code (or whatever other laws he lives under), often to the letter, and respects the law and the authorities protecting it. He believes the Code is the key to maintaining peace and warding off evil in the world.
* However, the Code and righteousness don't always agree, so these moments of choice between law and good cause inner turmoil for him.
* An example of a Lawful Good character in Warriors is Firestar.

**Neutral Good:*** This cat will do whatever is best, letting his sharp moral compass guide him to justice moreso than a law system or lack thereof. He doesn't care for the law, but appreciates it when it does outstanding good for the world. He believes keeping a balance between order and chaos is the best way to fight evil.
* An example of a Neutral Good character in Warriors is ...

**Chaotic Good:*** This cat does good just as often as the other Good alignments, but he harbors a hatred for the law and authority and takes any chances he can get to rebel against them. Authority in his mind is a root of evil, and he's happy to break otherwise good laws to bring down bad leaders, or just to speak up and argue when he disagrees with others.
* An example of a Chaotic Good character in Warriors is Cloudtail.

**Lawful Neutral:*** This cat believes in and follows the law above all else. They may seem to lean towards what happens to be good or evil occasionally, but everything they do is in the name of and governed by either a personal code of conduct, or the official Warrior Code.
* An example of a Lawful Neutral character in Warriors is Hollyleaf.

**True Neutral:*** This cat leans nowhere at any time. He doesn't believe in good and evil or law and chaos, but intead believes the natural order of things involves a balance of all four.
* Some True Neutrals actively enforce the balance of the four forces by working for whatever side is weaker at the time, while others simply accept whatever happens and go with the flow with a belief that everything will even out on its own eventually. Still others just don't care at all, doing whatever they please without any regard for good, evil, law or chaos.
* An example of a True Neutral character in Warriors is ...

**Chaotic Neutral:*** This cat despises the law, authority, and anyone having any power over them whatsoever. Instead of fighting laws in the name of justice or freedom to do evil, he fights just to fight. He believes rules of any kind are the worst of the worst, and go to extremes to express it, not caring who or what he tramples on in the process.
* An example of a Chaotic Neutral character in Warriors is ...

**Lawful Evil:*** This cat uses the law and authority to carry out evil. They abide to a code, usually within an organization, that liberates them to do any wicked acts they like, and they appreciate this.
* Sometimes the code they live by is simply a cover or an excuse to act evilly, while other times the evil is a readily accepted consequence of the code they happen to live under.
* An example of a Lawful Evil character in Warriors is Blackfoot (before he became a leader).

**Neutral Evil:*** This cat is evil right to the core. Not caring about the dichotomy of law or chaos even in the slightest, he sees both as mere tools to aid him in whatever evil plans they want to carry out. He'll gladly play along and follow or fight against the laws in place so long as it caters to his personal desires. The moment they stop being useful, he's more than happy to flip sides.
* An example of a Neutral Evil character in Warriors is Tigerstar.

**Chaotic Evil:*** This cat loathes both law and good, choosing to fight all authorities and using chaotic methods to do it.
* An example of a Chaotic Evil character in Warriors is ...

Deciding an Appearance
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Writing Personality & Believable, Rounded Characters
When writing your character, you should get to a point where you've created something reminiscent of a real individual. Someone who's lived a life, who is still living, and who you could interact with. This character should have dreams and aspirations, friends, enemies, strengths, flaws, and everything that makes us human. Just because the character isn't human doesn't mean they shouldn't be as developed as one!
If you're not very skilled at writing personalities for your characters, keep reading and learn some tips that can help you.
One of the first - and best - things you can do is pick out some traits. Get a very shallow version of your character based on a handful of good and bad traits. If you like, you can even get inspiration from other characters or pick some (inoffensive) stereotypes to build off of. Your character's Alignment, Skills and Knacks all play a role in their personality as well - so if you happen to know these beforehand, it'll make the process easier.
When you have a good idea of what this collection of traits is, compile it into a very shallow person. What would you know about this person on the surface level? Summarize these traits into a quick few sentences to make a short paragraph. This is your personality "thesis".
Once you have that, look over all the traits you've gathered, and analyze them. What are all the facets of these traits, and which ones can you exploit and elaborate on? Pick them out and describe them. Make sure all interpretations you use of these traits don't contradict each other - a character with conflicted traits can seem fake. An exception to this, of course, is a young character who is still exploring their own headspace as well as the world.
Something to consider when making your character's personality is mental disorders. No, we don't mean the cliche and edgy "insanity" you see in old Warriors AMVs and fanfiction - we mean actual registered disorders! Conditions like ADHD, OCD, BSD, PTSD or even ASD can all be fascinating traits of a character's mentality when done right and treated with care. However, be cautious and make sure to research conditions thoroughly before using them - if you misuse a condition, it can turn out VERY badly and offend people who actually have the condition. Try to avoid just basing the disorder on surface-level stereotypes and explore various aspects of a disorder - it can help make your character more realistic and well-rounded.
Just in case any of this confused you, we'll use our friend Muddyclaw as an example.
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Crafting Your Character's History
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What's the Bullet System?
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What Goes In My Gallery?
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## SECTION 2: HOW TO PLAY

Health determines how many points your character can lose before he dies. These stay full as long as you aren't injured or ill. Keep an eye on this, because if this ever goes down to 0, your character is dead, and will never come back! To replenish this, seek out a medicine cat (or a cat with substantial training in Herb and/or Medicine Lore) to get healed.

Energy
Energy determines how many actions your character can take before he passes out. This depletes over time, with every Roll costing you at least one point. You should keep a close eye on these as you take actions, because if you act too much without replenishing your energy, you're out! To replenish this, make time to eat periodically (usually by hunting) and get substantial sleep every day.

**See**—Used for finding and recognizing things visually.
**Listen**—Used for finding and recognizing things by hearing.
**Smell**—Used for finding and recognizing scents.
**Ponder**—Used for figuring out things by thinking.
**Persuade**—Used for convincing others in some way.
**Recall**—Used for remembering information from the past.
**Sneak**—Used for moving undetected.
**Sprint**—Used for running towards or away from something.
**Jump**—Used to leap away from danger.
**Climb**—Used for going up and over things or standing on ledges.
**Swim**—Used for safely navigating in water.
**Yowl**—Used for projecting your voice to catch others' attention and convey messages.
Pounce—Used in hunting to catch prey, or in battle to attack enemies.
Bite—Used in hunting to kill prey, or in battle to wound enemies.

There is also a limit to how many times you can use a Knack in one session, unlike Skills. Typically, the limit ranges from 1 to 5 times per session, but it depends on what type, what it does, and how powerful it is. A general rule is weaker knacks have more uses, while stronger or more useful ones have less.
If you decide to learn a knack, you can train in it just like you can with normal skills. The higher level you gain by training in a Knack, the more powerful it will become when you actually need to use it.
Be careful - because Knacks can only be learned from other cats with it in the Clan, you should work to learn all the Knacks you can which you think are useful. You never know when the last cat with that Knack dies and leaves the Knack extinct in your Clan!
When a Knack has gone extinct somewhere (whether in a specific Clan or the entire forest), it will be marked here. Also marked are the Skills each Knack affects and the number of times per session it can be used.
The full list of Knacks are as follows:

**Regenerator** *(Passive, Health)*—Your cat has a great immune system, and recovers from wounds or injuries more quickly than others. Add +1 (or more) Health for every day that passes w/ an injury or illness, regardless of healing or not.
**Thick Skin** *(Passive, Health)*—Your cat has a great immune system, and loses HP much less quickly than others. Skip losing every other Health point for the next 15 turns (or until your cat gets medical attention).
**Nutritionist** *(Passive, Health)*—Your cat has a big appetite, and recovers energy from food and sleep much more quickly than others. Add +1 (or more) Energy for every piece of prey your cat eats.
**Boisterous** *(Passive, Energy)*—Your cat has great stamina, and loses energy less quickly while acting. Skip spending Energy for every other action for the next 15 turns (or until your cat eats or sleeps).
**Alertness** *(+See, +Listen, +Smell)*—Your cat is more attentive to things going on near him or her. Add +1 (or more) to the next 5 sense rolls (See, Listen and Smell) your cat performs. Can be used 1 time per session.
**Track** *(+See, +Listen, +Smell)*—Your cat is particularly good at following someone using his or her sight, hearing, and sense of smell. Add +1 (or more) to the next 5 sense rolls your cat performs when used to track down another cat or a wild animal. Can be used 3 times per session.
**Serene** *(Action)*—Your cat is more relaxed during stressful situations, and less likely to panic when there's danger. Add +1 (or more) to the next 5 thinking rolls (Ponder, Persuade and Recall) your cat performs.
**Focused** (+Ponder)—Your cat can easily block out distractions while thinking.
**Imaginative** (+Ponder)—Your cat has an active, wild imagination which helps them to devise creative solutions to tricky problems.
**Strategist** *(+Pounce)*—Your cat is well-trained in battle strategy, and able to read and/or predict an enemy's moves. When used against NPCs, guess. When used against other players, y.
**Interpret Dreams** *(+Ponder)*—The ability to get accurate meaning out of dreams and prophesies. Add +1 (or more) to a roll in Ponder when used to determine the meaning of a dream, prophecy, omen or other sign from StarClan. *(Medicine Cat Exclusive\*)*
**Pathfinder** *(+Recall)*—Your cat has a very good sense of direction and almost never gets lost.
**Twoleg Lore** *(+Recall)*—Your cat has a great deal of knowledge about Twolegs, their nests, and their beasts. *(Kittypet Exclusive\*)*
**Animal Lore** *(+Recall)*—Your cat has a great deal of knowledge about other animals (except Twolegs).
**Clan Lore** *(+Recall)*—Your cat has a great deal of knowledge about the Clans and cats in general. *(Clanborn Exclusive\*)*
**Herb Lore** *(+Recall)*—Your cat has a great deal of knowledge about healing herbs and how to treat illnesses. *(Medicine Cat Exclusive\*)*
**Medicine Lore** *(+Recall)*—Your cat has a great deal of knowledge about illness and injuries. *(Medicine Cat Exclusive\*)*
**Flirtatious** *(+Persuade)*—Your cat is skilled in the art of flirting, and has the upper paw when seducing others.
**Charisma** *(-Pounce, +Persuade)*—Your cat is "too adorable/beautiful/handsome" to be doing bad things.
**Intimidating** *(+Pounce, -Persuade)*—Your cat is very "scary-looking"; good for battle, bad for convincing.
**Orate** *(+Persuade)*—Your cat is good at giving speeches and motivating others.
**Silver Tongue** *(+Persuade)*—Your cat is a great liar, and can talk his/her way out of almost any situation.
**Manipulative** *(+Persuade)*—Your cat has a wealth of underhanded tactics (blackmail, gaslighting, guilt-tripping, etc.) to manipulate others into believing or doing things for you.
**Hide** *(+Sneak)*—Your cat is particularly clever at finding spots to sit still and hide.
**Stalk** *(+Sneak)*—Your cat is particularly clever when it comes to sneaking up on others.
**Dash** *(+Sprint)*—Your cat can run faster and farther than most.
**Dodge** *(+Jump)*—An improvement on the Jump Skill, useful to avoid damage in fights.
**Leap** *(+Jump)*—Your cat can Jump over a farther distance than normal.
**Spring** *(+Jump)*—Your cat can do a special kind of Jump that goes very high straight up in the air. Useful for reaching very high spots or surveying terrain in quick glimpses.
**Balance** *(+Climb)*—Your cat is better suited to moving safely along branches, fences, and other precarious places.
**Born to Rise** *(+Climb)*—Your cat is adept at climbing tough terrain, like tall trees or rocky slopes. *(SkyClan Exclusive\*)*
**Lightning Roar** *(Action)*—Your cat can do a special loud yowl (which doubles as a battle cry) that echoes through the camp, deafening and/or confusing opponents. Add +1 (or more) to a Pounce roll following this. *(ThunderClan Exclusive\*)*
**Duststorm** *(Action)*—A fighting strategy where you quickly run in circles around an opponent (or group of opponents) and create a thick cloud of dust to fight in, confusing them. Add +1 (or more) to a Pounce roll following this. *(WindClan Exclusive\*)*
**Lunge** *(+Pounce)*—A special Pounce which has a 50% chance of Biting your opponent within the same turn.
**Chomp** *(+Bite)*—A stronger Bite that immobilizes your opponent temporarily.
**Blind** *(+Scratch)*—A fighting maneuver where you scrape dirt or sand into your opponent's eyes, temporarily blinding them.
**Feint** *(+Scratch)*—A fighting maneuver where you use misdirection and quick movements to improve accuracy and confuse your opponent.
**Power Swipe** *(+Scratch)*—A fighting maneuver where you slap your opponent with your claws, doing extra damage.
**Belly Rake** *(+Scratch)*—A fighting maneuver where you rake your claws down your opponent's underbelly, often with devastating results.
**Pin** *(Action)*—A fighting maneuver where you immobilize your opponent by pressing your paws on their chest or shoulders, pinning them to the ground.
**Launch** *(Action)*—A fighting maneuver where you fling your opponent away by kicking them in the belly.
**Pummel** *(Action)*—A fighting maneuver where you pound your opponent's underbelly hard and fast with your hind paws.
**Fake-Out** *(Action)*—A fighting maneuver where you fake defeat, then escape or attack your opponent while they gloat.
**Frog Kick** *(Action)*—A fighting maneuver where you slip from under your opponent (if below them) and kick their face on the way out. *(ShadowClan Exclusive\*)*
**Tidal Trauma** *(Action)*—A fighting maneuver performed from water where you splash so much onto the shore and your opponent that they slip into the water with you, and you use your body to create a small tide pool around them, sucking them below. *(RiverClan Exclusive\*)*

To act in WCNG, all you have to do is declare an action, and roll a die. If the number you roll meets or exceeds the requirement to perform that action, you pass the check you've just performed, and you're a success. Most actions are split into two groups: Skills and Knacks.
SKILLS:
Skills are the fundamental set of actions every character in WCNG can perform. Even though every cat in the game starts out withessentially the same values in their Skills, cats who train in Skills (and improve them) can have an advantage, because they have Skill points.
Skill points are points you can spend to increase the value of your Skill checks. For each time you train in a specific Skill, that Skill receives a new Skill point. There is no hard limit to how many points you can earn, or how many you can spend at a time, so if you want you can funnel all of your training as an apprentice into learning Jump and spending all of your points on one Jump check (as impractical as that might be).
KNACKS:
Knacks are a special type of action which only certain characters can use. A character can only use a Knack if they have learned it at least once in the past. Knacks are connected to Skills, and could be thought of as "Super Skills". Unlike Skills, Knacks have a 100% accuracy rating, and they must be declared specifically to use. There is no die to roll to perform a Knack, but using a Knack will take up a turn just like a Skill would've. Knacks' power increase with each time you train in it, but you also must spend that number of Skill points to use the Knack; for example, if you have the Knack Spring and have trained in it 3 times, you could have 3 extra points to add to how effective it is; however, you would also have to spend 3 Skill points from the Skill Jump (which it is connected to) in order to do it.

BASIC ACTIONS:
Basic actions in WCNG are controlled chiefly by dice rolls. Depending on the situation, every action taken will normally have between 4 and 6 results, based on what you roll during your turn. The consequences of each roll are determined by the CM, either predeterminedly in the campaign's storyline, or on-the-fly as the need arises. Typically, the higher the number you roll is, the more successful your action is. Almost all actions you can take are based on either Skills or Knacks.
Skills
Skills are the most basic set of actions which any character can perform. Cats who receive training in a Skill will have Skill points for each time they train in it. Skill points are points which can be added to the roll for any check of that Skill. Players will often add Skill points to rolls they really want to succeed at, such as very difficult and dangerous tasks, or other places where passing/excelling a roll would be useful. Players are free to add as many of their Skill points as they like into a Skill check at a time, as there's no limit to how much you can spend in a turn; however, it would be smart to conserve Skill points as much as one can, because once those points are spent, they're gone. Skill points do not get replenished until the character's next sleep session.
Knacks
Knacks are a special type of action which can only be performed by character who's learned it. Knacks, unlike Skill checks, require the player to spend Skill points to be used. While Knacks have a 100% accuracy rate (unlike Skills), they also cost more to perform; for every time you train in a Knack, you must spend that many points to use it. However, training a Knack up also means you increase its power; while the use of a Knack essentially means an automatic success, you can make your action even more powerful using the additional points in that Knack. Knacks spend your Skill points, and for a low-level character, they may end up using your points very prematurely; for this reason, it's suggested that the player waits until they reach a higher level before investing training into Knacks.
Other Actions
Sometimes, actions cannot be classified under either Skills or Knacks. In this case, it depends highly on both the player and the CM as to what is legal or illegal, and how much the player must roll to pass the special check.

APPRENTICE OR YOUNGER:
When a character is just starting out learning how to hunt, they must pass a check in all 4 steps of hunting - detection (See, Listen or Smell), stealth (Sneak), pursuit (Pounce, maybe Sprint), and execution (Bite) - in order to catch their prey. This will likely be difficult unless the character has received training in these Skills beforehand, but not impossible. Skill points and Knacks may be used for these checks to help their accuracy/effectiveness, but it isn't suggested because it could be a waste of points unless the hunt was especially important.
WARRIOR OR OLDER:
When a character is promoted to warriorhood and recognized officially as an "adult", the hunting process is made much simpler. Hunting only requires one check, known as the "Hunting check", which only requires one roll to give a final result. This can change depending on the character's health (whether they're blinded or injured/limping), the environment (noisy or otherwise tough terrain), or the prey itself (being unusual or particularly challenging for some reason), in which case extra rolls may be required to overcome these conditions.
A warrior can also choose to go through all 4 checks if they want, as they won't be restricted to the one-check-for-all method, but it's discouraged because of how time-consuming it is.

HUNTING
As an Apprentice or younger
When a character is just starting out learning how to hunt, they must pass a check in all 4 steps of hunting: detection (See, Listen or Smell), stealth (Sneak), pursuit (Pounce, maybe Sprint), and execution (Bite). Passing all 4 checks is required to catch any prey, making hunting a challenge for especially inexperienced hunters; however, with training and practice even the most challenged of apprentices can get it down pat before their final assessment. Skill points and Knacks may be used to pass individual steps as applicable, but unless the prey in question is important it tends to be discouraged.
Technically, kits aren't allowed to hunt until they become apprentices, but in the chance that a kit violates the code and hunts prey anyways, the same rules apply. Because of their young age, hunts are much more likely to fail than they would for an apprentice with proper training.
As a Warrior or older
When a character has been promoted from apprentice to warrior/medicine cat/etc, and therefore formally entered adulthood, they may forego the complex method of hunting in place of a bundled "Hunting check" whenever they want to hunt something. This check takes only one roll and the result of the hunt is given in one concise answer instead of being spread out across multiple turns, thereby saving time (and energy!) on the player's behalf. If the conditions of the hunt are challenging (ie the character is blinded or injured, the terrain is difficult to maneuver/noisy, or the prey itself is unusual or challenging to catch), a hunting check may span across up to 4 rolls as necessary, but this tends to be the exception and not the rule.
A warrior+ may choose to hunt the longer way if they want, and they can even spend Skill points on a roll during a hunt just like apprentices if they so choose. However, it will still take the same amount of time to perform, and most situations would benefit from a boost in speed.

Battles begin with two fighting cats, known as the attacker and defender. The attacker is the cat who begins combat, by performing a check to enter battle; the defender is the cat being attacked. (The defender is called the defender regardless of if they are actively defending themselves from the attack or if it is a mutual battle.) Unlike other actions, a check performed to instigate battle is done by comparing the stats of the two fighters, not by a die roll. Battle begins if the attacker's points exceed those of the defender; if they are equal or the defender's points are greater, the defender can choose to enter battle anyways (and get the first attack) or to flee and escape battle. From there, battles can be split into 2 categories:
WRESTLING:
A wrestle can have 2+ fighters. Wrestles progress in a method known as "dueling"; all cats involved will choose an action they want to take, and then they each roll a die. The fighter who rolls the highest value will have their action succeed, while the rest will either wait or take damage, depending on who the winner was targeting and what action they took. This continues until all fighters but one have either fled, fainted or died. Surrender is not an option in a wrestle with 3 or more fighters. Skill points and Knacks may be used during wrestles.
STANDOFFS:
A standoff only has 2 fighters at a time. Standoffs progress using slightly modified versions of actions known as "attacks"; each of the fighters take turns performing actions, but instead of using die rolls to determine the outcome, the fighters' stats are compared. The fighter with the larger stat has their attack succeed, which takes damage. Battle ends when one of the fighters flees, surrenders, faints or dies. Surrendering will give the losing fighter a chance to strike back with a critical-hitting attack, but it also leaves the fighter vulnerable to a critical strike from a savvy opponent, as well as being vulnerable to an opponent without mercy (if the surrender is genuine). Skill points and Knacks can be used during a standoff.

BATTLES
Battles in WCNG can be divided into two types: Wrestles and Standoffs.
Wrestling
Wrestles are battles between 2 or more cats at a time, and are the only way to have 3+ cats engaged in combat at a time. Compared to Standoffs, Wrestles are restricting, but they tend to be quicker as well.
A wrestle typically begins with two cats; the attacker and the defender. The attacker is the cat who wants to initiate combat; the defender is the cat being targeted (regardless of whether they want to enter the combat or not).
Standoffs
Standoffs are battles between 2 cats at a time, and facilitate drama and story-telling most easily. They begin like Wrestles do, with the attacker performing a check against the defender to enter battle; if the attacker's score is higher than the defender's, they enter the Standoff.
From there, the attacker and defender will take turns performing attacking actions on one another. Skills and Knacks related to battle are both valid attacks, and in a Standoff Knacks will cost one less Skill point to perform than in other situations UNLESS the user is 5 or more levels above their opponent's level.
If one of the fighters of a Standoff wish to break off the combat, they can perform a Flee check. If it passes, the cat flees the battle and can no longer be attacked until they engage in battle again. It is suggested that a character flees if they get low on stamina or health, so they can distance themselves from the rest of the fight and recooperate. The fighter can also choose to surrender to their opponent instead, but a surrender leaves the fighter much more vulnerable than if they fled; surrendering will give the fighter a
A Standoff will last until one of the participants either flees, surrenders, faints or dies. The winner of a Standoff will be the cat who does not flee, surrender, faint or die (depending on what the loser does to exit combat).

Apprentices can only learn one skill or knack per in-game day, so the player should create a plan for which bonuses or knacks they want to gain on which days in order to complete their training. Make sure to talk this schedule over with your mentor as well, and find days where you'll both be free to train without real life issues or in-game plot distracting you.
As soon as a training session ends and the apprentice gains a level in that skill or knack, update your character's page and notify the host of the change.
Luckily, apprentices have an advantage when it comes to training - the player gets to pick out who mentors them! While an apprentice can choose any cat from their Clan they like to train them (provided the cat doesn't already have an apprentice), it's suggested that they pick a mentor who has all the skills and/or knacks they'd like to learn. Note that apprentices cannot learn any skills or knacks from a mentor who doesn't have them - so, until you become a warrior and can find a cat who has it within your Clan, you also cannot learn it. Review all the apprenticeless warriors' stats in your Clan before choosing your mentor, and make sure they have what you like. While you MAY request a change in mentor if there are issues, we will NOT switch if there is no in-game reason to do so.
Warriors can train just like apprentices can! In fact, you can train your entire life if you want! However, note that once again, you cannot learn anything that the cat you're training with does not have - in other words, if your Clan has no cat with the specific knack you want, then you can't learn it either unless you train with cats outside of your Clan... which isn't exactly welcomed.
An alternative to this is gaining an "experience bonus"- if what you do in the campaign has taught you something without being trained in it, then you can get a bonus in that skill or knack because of it. For example, if you journey to Twolegplace and learn everything about them and return, then you've technically trained yourself in that knack. Experience bonuses are given on a case-by-case basis, so if you think you may have earned one, contact your host and negotiate it with them.

NPC: Non-Player Character; any character created solely for a campaign, or to fuel the world it takes place in.
Bonuses: Anything which modifies the level of a Skill in a character. These can range from points earned by training (both as an apprentice and as a warrior/medicine cat), by genetic factors (such as clan or physical/familial traits), or as Knacks that may be picked up along the way during adventures.
generation: a specific time frame which contains a collection of co-related campaigns. arcs represent the different generations of the clans at large, beginning typically during a generation's kithood and going all the way until their kits' kithoods.
campaign:
session: irl day; any day when we advance roleplay. irl days are not counted as 'sessions' unless we hold an official roleplay during them (which is typically 2 or 3 times a week, depending on availability)
checks: a 'check' of stats in two parties of characters (a pc and an npc, a pc and a pc, or an npc and an npc) to determine if an action succeeds.