Z-The Round System

Elements

## Abilities

These categorize the different activities an element can perform and how much corruption is needed to execute them. Each ability has a name so that it can be referred to OOCly, but ICly, elements do not have ability names, they are simply described. All of your character's actions with an element should adhere to one of these abilities, including its corruption cost and limitations.

I want to do something that I don't see described int he Ability List?

If you want to perform an action not listed in your element's abilities, be sure that it isn't listed in an element's limitations or Ascents, or in another element entirely. If you cannot find a way to do it using the abilities already provided, and it is not forbidden against or achievable elsewhere, request this new ability to @TINY HECK. If reviewed and approved, it may be added to the element list or given purchase rights for your character.

## Tiers

Each element has 4 levels of skill, each with their own ability lists. When a tier is unlocked, users will be able to begin learning the tier's new abilities. Users will begin their **Rookie** tier after their burst. **Expert** tier is automatically given once the character receives their graduating rank, but can be achieved even before then under certain circumstances. **Master** Tier is reached once both the player and character have proven an understanding of the element. **Grand Master** can be achieved after this if the player is willing to monitor all other users, including ICly and OOCly mentoring them until they are comfortable using it.

## Points

Points are used to set parameters about the character's strength in magic. Players should be fair about how powerful their characters are, especially against other players. The points system ensures all players start off with the same amount of power, which can increase, vary, or become more customized with character development. Each Elemental ability requires an amount of points to be used (Called Corruption), which is drained from the user's point total (Called a Corruption Pool or Power Pool).

How many Points does my character have **per Element**?

 Expert
 Master
 Grand Master

How do I **regain** Points?

Points are automatically generated each minute a character is considered out of combat. The regeneration process from 0 points will last about 6 real time hours. (This is generally the amount of time you spend "away" from discord, which is when your character is resting or idle). These are calculated estimations that are rarely used actively during RP. This is because 6 hours is an underestimation of average time spent AFK, and regeneration is so slow that once an element is depleted it will likely be unusable for some time, as intended.

 Expert
 Master
 Grand Master

Using Points

Points are a way for us to OOCly measure energy costs. ICly, there is no definitive measurement for a user's skill in their element. Your character doesn't know what "points" are. They are simply using their corruption. Players will learn how to reference, memorize, and shortcut their character's element during their character's element training. OOCly learning your characters element is inherently part of element training and is directly rewarded by a development of your character's capability. This can be further honed by finding new techniques, practicing new combinations, or using the element in many situations to gain experience with using it.

## Elemental Ascents

These are ability modifiers, extra customization, or new abilities your character can learn. For those of you who remember, this replaces our previous "addons". Each element will have one to two ascents with unique names and tiers which both mark the level of ascension and the cost of it. Ascents can be purchased with participation points (You are no longer able to buy them with money) in the order that they appear. Their cost is the same as their tier number. For example, if you would like an ability at tier 10, you must ascend through tier 1-9 first, and the total cost of getting to tier 10 from the starting level would be 55 participation points. If the tier's modification effects an elemental ability, your character must already know the ability before you are able to purchase that tier.

When referring to users or as user's titles, tiers are written as {Tier [#] [Ascent Name]} For example, Tier 3 Mastermind, Tier 9 Muse, Tier 1 Diviner, etc. When in combination with Elements, they may be written as {[ElementName] [AscentName]}. For example, Illusionist Mastermind, etc. The Elemental Ascents system (including the ascent names, tiers, and ability names) are for OOC purposes only. Your character doesn't know what ascents or tiers are. They are simply using their element.The Round System is a mechanic used to determine the passing of time between emotes when using elements. Rather relying on the arbitrary amount of moments between the actions of multiple characters, we will instead be determining moments by the sequence of emotes, not unlike Initiation in DnD.

## Emoting

VoS uses emotes to roleplay combat. This means your character's affinity for combat relies on your own ability to read and write. Much like chess, even some of the most prodigiously powerful characters can be defeated by a character whose player is better at constructing effective counter emotes.

Are Good Emotes a rule?

No, but that doesn't mean "bad" emotes are always exempt! We may ask you to rewrite emotes that violate our rules and limitations or are unable to be deciphered by multiple.

The person I'm RPing with is Emoting unfairly. What do I do?

Player(s) may request to end the fight if another player is consistently ignoring information in their counter emotes, violating element limitations or combat rules, or providing indecipherable emotes. To do this, simply stop engaging in the RP and tell an admin to review those emotes. We will find a way to ICly put an end to the fight or activity.

Turns

### **What is a Party Round?**

A Party Round is a series of emotes made by multiple characters. One round will start with the first character to emote and end with the last present character's emote. In other words, it is a sequence of emotes made by a party with one emote per party member.

 c Turn 1

### What is a Round?

A Round is the measure of emotes required to cycle back to an individual's emote. Rounds are possessive when applied to a sequence of turns. In this case, a Round will begin with a party member's emote and end with the same party member's emote. This is how an individual player is able to measure cooldowns and cast times for their character's abilities.

 b Turn 1

#### **What is a Turn?**

A Turn is another word for an emote when applied to the Round System. Traditionally, character will have 2 Turns per round and 1 Turn per Party Round. This is because a Party Round is the measurement of the party's emotes in sequence, while a Round measures one complete cycling of a party member's emotes.

**Party of 1**

Sometimes Rounds are required for abilities whether or not the character is in combat. In this case, the characters emote will both begin and complete a Party Round. This means a character can make a second emote immediately to their first if they are not violating limitations on Paraphrasing.

## Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing is the act of bulking the passing of time described in an emote. Paraphrased emotes are usually written in past tense, but can sometimes be present or a mixture of the two. Paraphrasing is not acceptable when characters are in unknown territories, foreign lands, while in combat, or while committing a crime. While paraphrasing can be used during mundane training (such as rules or hunting), it should not be used for element training. This is because it is not an acceptable way for a player to learn their character's element and therefore it will not help them advance in tier. However, you may continue to paraphrase element training so long as you are confident in your ability to play the element correctly and pass review.

### Examples of paraphrasing:

 -- Potato's player doesn't give other character's a chance to react, likely in order to avoid the consequences of his actions. The player also incorrectly paraphrases travel time because their character has committed a crime. Realistically, Potato would not make it very far before he would be apprehended by multiple characters.

 -- This is called Double Posting, a form of Paraphrasing where the turns of other characters are unfairly skipped. In this example, Potato and Carrot very clearly emote one after the other. However, Potato's player has decided to skip Carrot's turn in order to make another emote. Because of this, Carrotboy's player is allowed to ignore Potato's double post UNLESS other players have already responded to it.

Double posting can also happen during Party Rounds when a character emotes before the round has made a full cycle from their previous emote. This is a little trickier to determine because it doesn't always apply to every character that is present during RP. You should wait for any character who is in combat or potential combat with your own to respond to your emote, but you do not have to wait for any characters on the sidelines until they jump into combat.

If the player/s do not make an emote within a reasonable amount of time, you may skip their turn if:

* a.) The player agrees to it.
* b.) An Admin determines that they should be skipped IF they cannot be contacted or are unable to emote.

## Using Rounds in Ability Cast Times & Cooldowns

Let's take a look at this ability and determine how to use the Round System to perform it.

The numbers on the second line determine when we are using corruption and how long the ability takes to perform. According to this line, Shapeshift requires 20 corruption to activate, Shapeshift requires 1 round to complete, and Shapeshift will drain 5 corruption for every emote made after the cast time.

When using Rounds to determine cast or cooldowns, 1 Round will ALWAYS equal 2 Turns. This is because in order for an action to begin before a round and end after a round, two emotes must be made. One to begin the cast time, and one to complete the cast time.

When a cast time is placed before a channeling number, channeling will only begin after the cast time has ended. In this example, 5 corruption will be drained per emote starting on the character's 3rd turn. This is because the ability has not completed during Turn 1 and has only just finished completing by Turn 2. Therefore, channeling will begin on Turn 3.

When applied to Cast Times, 1 Round = 2 Turns. One for the start of the cast time, and one for the end of the cast time, with 1 Party Round in between.

 b Turn 1

The same is true when applied to cooldowns. In this case, the cooldown would begin after the ability is fully activated and can be used again after the rounds have completed. If an ability has a cooldown of 3 Rounds, the cooldown will begin on the ability's completion and cannot be emoted again for 5 more Turns.

As this chart depicts, sometimes b and c's turns are between A's rounds. This is because when applied to ability usage, A's Rounds will always begin and start with A's Turn. A's cast begins, A's cast ends. A's cast begins, and so on. Although this may seem mathematically confusing, just remember that A's round always requires 2 of A's Turns, b's Round always requires 2 of b's Turns, etc. When placed in sequence, this flow is simultaneous to Party Rounds.

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