Althanas FAQ

The two most common forms of role-playing on Althanas are Battles and Quests.

In the past battles meant just that: threads where two or more characters face off in combat. Recently, battles have been expanded to include all forms of competitive RP. The primary difference between a battle and a quest on Althanas is that each participant will receive individual scores in a battle whereas only one score will be given in to the entire group in a quest.

Battles occur primarily in The Citadel, a temple found in the region of Corone, but can also in any region. At the end of the battle, the quality of each character’s writing will then be reviewed by an Althanas moderator. The winner of the battle will be the player who receives the higher score based on our rubric - a set of criterion used to determine who is the best writer in a role-playing thread. The player who receives the higher score and wins the battle will receive significantly more EXP than the loser (unless in the rare case of a draw, in which case equal EXP will be awarded). Keep in mind that it is possible that you may win a battle in-character (and even kill your opponent) but lose it based on the score.

To start a battle or competitive quest, all you have to do is a post a new thread in The Citadel or any of the regions forums and indicate whether your battle is "open" to all challengers, or "closed" to a particular player. You may do so by posting a short OOC message somewhere in the post, or by adding Open/Closed to the title of your thread, which is what most players on Althanas prefer to do.

There are no set rules for what must be in an opening post, though it is highly recommended that you describe the setting for your battle in the post. After you've posted, you must then wait for a player to enter the battle by replying to your first post. If your battle goes for more than 7 days without a reply, you have the option of either reposting it, bumping it, or closing it.

Once someone replies, both players in a battle will take turns making posts in an attempt to defeat their opponent. You are allowed to do anything within your character's abilities to defeat your opponent, but "Powergaming" and "Bunnying" should be avoided. The battle can last as long as both players want it to, although it is not recommend that you go above 30 posts, or less than 10. A battle ends when either or both characters are physically incapacitated, and/or both players indicate that they want the battle to end. Battles should normally take no longer then 1 to 3 weeks to finish.

When a battle is completed, it is your job as a player to fill out our Judging Submission Form, found at the bottom right hand corner of each forum post. Filling the form out only takes a minute, and once you've completed it, one of our judges will score the fight using the Althanas Battle Rubric. Once the judging is completed, the Moderator will close the thread, and one of our EXP Editors will add all of the rewards for the thread to your profile. Battle EXP will be determined using a Battle EXP Formula based on user scores and levels. Once all of that has taken place, the thread will be moved to an archive forum in the "Crystal Ball" section.

Pacing: An important and often misunderstood score in the Battle Rubric is Pacing. The Pacing score is determined by the flow of your writing - do you overuse imagery and detail in a battle when a shorter post and a speedier pace would be more appropriate? Battles that receive the best Pacing scores will be fast-paced, exciting, and therefore easier to read. The length of time between posts will also be factored into the score - players receiving the best Pacing scores will reply to their opponent's posts after no more then 24 hours (if not much sooner).

Powergaming and Bunnying: Two things you want to avoid in a battle are powergaming and bunnying. Powergaming is when your character performs an action that is above their abilities. This also is when they perform some sort of special move or spell that is not in their profile, and usually leaves the other character defenseless against the attack. Bunnying is when you control another player’s character without getting permission to do so. For example, in a fight, having your player cut off the other player’s head without that other player allowing you to do so would be considered bunnying. Both powergaming and bunnying will usually result in a loss for the offending player.

Selling Moves: An important part of writing a good battle is "selling" moves. Selling a move is when your character gets attacked by the other player, and the other's attack hits. This then results in a tangible effect on your character. For example, if the other PC shot you with a fireball, selling would involve your character being hit somehow with the fireball and being burnt as a result. Or if some character threw yours against a wall, your character might be groggy and less effective in combat. Selling moves is an important part of any battle, because it keeps the battle from lasting forever, and also adds a flavor of authenticity to it. If your character gets hit with a bunch of moves, but never goes down or suffers any ill-effects from it, then it isn’t very realistic . Although your character shouldn’t be invulnerable, they also shouldn’t “oversell” moves. Just because someone swings a sword at you, doesn’t mean your character’s head will be cut off automatically or they will shoot fountains of blood. The best battles will involve players who cause damage to the other by attacking with moves (that aren’t powergaming) that the other player can’t realistically escape from. These types of moves will earn additional point in the Action category of the rubric.