Battle System

1. Post once per turn. 

Each post by a user is considered a ‘turn’. You must wait for your opponent to reply before it is your turn again.

2. Once your HP or SP reaches zero, you can no longer fight. 

Your character is too badly beaten or exhausted to continue fighting.

3. Medicine cats, medicine cat apprentices, queens, elders, and kits may only fight in self-defense. 

In order to engage in official combat, these positions must have been attacked first. Medicine Cats receive a penalty for breaking this rule.

4. Some characters have stats that differ from their normal tier and must be accounted for in battle. 

This includes disabled stats or additionally given penalties or buffs based on current site happenings. Please refer to your opponent's signature or comment section for updated stats. If you believe their stats to be incorrect, reach out to them directly for an update.

5. You may only use the moves and damage available to your character’s rank. 

These are clearly outlined in the system below for easy reference.

6. You can only use your Clan's group-restricted moves and abilities.

7. You cannot use the same special effect move twice against the same opponent. 

When switching to a new opponent, your previously used special moves are free to use once again.

8. You cannot use two special effect moves in a row. 

A regular move must be used in-between. Clan moves are included in this rule.

9. A special move may not be used on a character who was afflicted by a status condition in the previous turn. 

If your opponent’s last post was a confirmation of stun or a pin, and does not include damage dealing move, you must wait a turn before utilizing another condition afflicting move.

10. No double-teaming a single cat unless there's no free cat left to fight. 

You must continue this in tripling up and beyond. You cannot stack 3 cats against one if there is still a cat you can double team left.

11. When double-teaming, the side with multiple opponents uses the same 12 hour timer. 

All cats on one side have 12 hours after the other side attacks.

12. No special moves are allowed when you are double-teaming a single cat. The victim of the double team can use these attacks as normal. This rule includes Clan Moves, but passive abilities are an exception.

13. You must post a confirmation when under the effect of a special move as your turn in combat. 

If your character is stunned, you must post saying “[Your Character's Name Here] is stunned for one turn.”

14. Follow the rules of each move as written. Each section of moves describes how and when to use these moves. Situational moves have special instructions detailing when to use them. If the system does not say you can do what you are attempting to do, assume it is not allowed.

15. Similar to the roleplay rules, during battle, you control your character and only your character. 

Selecting moves for your allies is considered godmodding and is strictly forbidden. You control your character and only your character. There should never be a situation where you are selecting or planning moves for multiple characters on one side unless you have multiple of your own player characters participating in a battle. This includes picking your teammates moves out of character. If someone needs help understanding the battle system, Staff and High Ranks are available to help.

16. Attempts to circumvent the rules or manipulate the system in favor of one side are strictly forbidden and are subject to consequences as deemed fit by staff. 

This ruling is lenient in cases where the system is being used for fun, but strict in official circumstances. Consequences may include having your character’s tier dropped to the previous rank, or a temporary ban, depending on severity. This includes telling others what moves they should use (controlling a character that is not your own is considered god-modding) as well as abusing the time restrictions to try to drag out the clock in your favor. In general, we want users to enjoy utilizing the system. Ignoring rules and not following the same system, makes things less enjoyable for everyone. The battle system is supposed to be a fun mechanic to add some chance to roleplay, and we want to keep it that way.

In addition to the above rules, these additional rules cover instances where the system rules are required for large-scale battles without a predetermined winner, including: skirmishes between clans, territory disputes, camp invasions, and other conflicts involving a large number of characters.

1. Official skirmishes and battles require the same number of cats on both sides. 

Whoever is organizing the battle must insure there is an even number of participants on both sides. No other characters other than these may participate. An attempt should be made to match ranks evenly on both sides.

2. A week long planning period is required for any large-scale battles, numbering more than 5 cats on each side. 

During this time period, the leadership of the clans or groups participating should prepare with sign-ups to see the number of available warriors and apprentices. Once a roster is set, information about the in-character situation of the battle, and information about which characters will be participating in the battle, needs to be sent to staff. Even if everything is set before the week-long planning period, the battle cannot start before the date that is set upon staff approval.

3. Medicine cats and medicine cat apprentices do not count towards the number of cats in battle. 

These characters are treated as auxiliary, as they should not be actively participating in battle as attackers. Penalties apply to Medicine cats breaking their oath, as well as those who are attacking medicine cats.

4. You have 24 hours to post in a group battle topic before the battle commences. If you haven't posted in that time period, you will be timed out of the fight. The date of the battle will be decided ahead of time and shared with participants.

5. You have 12 hours from the first use of the battle system in the battle topic post your attack or risk timing out. 

If fighting breaks out, and you do not post (and no character has attacked you) in 12 hours, you have timed out of the battle. If you are attacked, that timer resets and you have 12 hours from your attacker’s post.

6. Taking longer than 12 hours after your opponent posts is an auto-lose for you, no exceptions. 

If you fail to post during the 12 hours, no matter how close, your character is considered knocked out and may no longer battle. Characters KO’d by the time limit are not eligible to be revived. Whether or not this rule is followed in a small skirmish must be decided by the players beforehand.

7. You must wait for your opponent to post confirming their KO before moving on to the next cat. 

Since they have the chance to potentially dodge a final blow, you must wait until they post confirming their KO before moving to the next target. This is similar to confirming a stun or a pin. 12-hour auto-lose applies. If you are on the receiving end of a KO, you have 12 hours to dodge (if able) or confirm the Knockout. Should you succeed in dodging, the battle continues. Failure to post within 12 hours with a response to a KO is an automatic out, and your opponent may continue.

8. If your opponent is KO'd and there is no other viable opponent, you must notify staff. 

This is a very rare occurrence. Should you find yourself in this position, you must notify staff immediately, so we can confirm this is indeed the case. If it is, and we approve it, you may post a non-battle post during this time to reset your timer while waiting for an opponent to become available. If you do not notify staff, and simply post, your post does not count. If you do not notify staff, and simply do not post, you have timed out. Staff must be involved, and it must be approved before you can do this.

9. You cannot fight on both sides of an official battle. 

This is to prevent users from potentially fighting themselves or favoring one clan over another in battle. It also lightens the workload of those involved in timed, official battles. The exception to this rule is situations where a clan camp is being invaded.

10. By signing up to participate in large-scale combat, you agree to follow all of the associated rules. 

The timer is restrictive for a reason - to keep things flowing. No one is expecting long roleplay posts in combat, the focus should be defeating your enemies in a timely manner. When you sign up, you are saying that you understand the above and will follow these rules without exceptions or arguments. We understand users are busy and situations come up, and ask that if you are not willing or able to participate as needed that you hold off on signing up for a battle.

In the case of a group deciding to launch an attack on another's fortified camp, there is a special set of rules in place to make things more exciting.

1. The circumstances of how a Camp Invasion plays out is determined by the Camp Invasion Dice.

In the event of a Success roll: The attacking party successfully breaks through the camp walls and a special clause is triggered - every member of the defending camp, with the exception of kits, may battle to defend their home. The 12-hour posting rule is in affect from the first use of the battle system.

In the event of a Failure roll: The attacking party is identified before reaching camp, and the defending party must meet them on the territory with a predetermined roster. In the result of an unsuccessful defense, the attacking party has the option to continue on to the camp for a second phase, where every member of the clan may defend the camp. Status losses of HP and SP remain for the second phase of battle.

2. Attacking groups cannot bring more party members than what the defendant can match. 

Battle rosters should be submitted ahead of time as normal for staff approval.

3. Should a battle make it into camp walls, users may fight on both sides of a conflict. 

Every character is fighting for their life and in defense of their loved ones.