Sub-styles:
Realistic Melee (RM): In a realistic melee, characters are restricted to real life HUMAN standards. Magical Powers, Magic Based Innate Abilities, Innate Abilities for non-Human races, and the like cannot be used. Your character isn't human? Don't fight RM, or if you do, restrict your character's abilities, powers, properties, etc to the confines of the style. [Example: Mixed Martial Arts.]
Unrealistic Melee (UM or URM): Unrealistic Melee allows the use of Innate Abilities, though strength of said abilities should be kept in mind. Combatants may take advantage of super-human strength, speed, sight, etc. Outright magic can NOT be used. No fireballs, arcs of lightning, or blasts of ice. [Example: Underworld.]
Moderate Powers (MP): Yay! Magic! Moderately powered magical attacks may be used here. Magic Missiles? Go for it. Fireballs? Absolutely. Arcs of Lightning? You betcha. Keep in mind that it is not moderately powerful to use all elements at the same time. To do such things, one must prep. Prepping will be covered later. Keep in mind that attacks that destroy entire planets, galaxies, universes, etc are never acceptable during an MP fight. Just keep in mind, moderation. [Example: Dragon Ball Z/Avatar: The Last Airbender.]
Powered Characters (PC): This is the most difficult of all sub-styles to master. Intricately developed powers, advanced character histories, and high level attacks are only a handful of the things commonly employed. Some for example use scientific principles, quantum mechanics, and other sub-categories of Physics in this style of combat. The complexity of the powers and the characters used by someone skilled at T1 PC gets them labeled as god-modders more often than not, when this is USUALLY not the case.
The Rules:
1 ) Don't talk about Fight Club.
2 ) Introductions:
An introduction must contain the following: A description of your character, including what s/he is wearing; a list of equipment carried by your character; all of the powers/abilities your character might use in the fight. Remember, if you did not include it in your introduction it does NOT exist for the duration of combat. Forgot to describe your clothing? Looks like you're naked. Didn't include a weapon? Guess you're fighting unarmed. What's that? You're in a T1 PC and forgot to list any powers/abilities? Guess you're dead. ANYTHING left out of an introduction is not applicable in the fight. Period.
The first person to post their introduction cannot attack. This is because their opponent has not entered yet. If you are the first to post, NEVER and I mean NEVER include anything in your post regarding the location of your opponent. Characters aren't present until a post has been made. Furthermore, the first person to post their introduction has the right to describe the setting--traditionally. This was instituted at the birth of T1 as a Fighting Style, before the existence of "Virtual" worlds such as IMVU and Second Life. When using chat clients such as IMVU, it is best to agree OOC'ly before the beginning of the fight if you don't intend to use the room as the battle's setting. Also, keep in mind that it is against T1 Rules and Regulations to use pre-typed introductions. A new introduction MUST be typed for every fight.
3 ) Post in turns. If you have a lengthy post, use continuances such as (C),
4 ) No God-Modding. Never state that an attack is unblockable, unavoidable, or undeflectable. It is true that not everyone is capable of stopping every attack, however the skill of the combatants dictates whether or not an attack is successful. Do NOT ignore the effects of an attack that has been successfully landed (I.E. If you take an arrow to the knee in an RM, do not continue to walk around as though it never happened.). Logic is the ultimate determining factor in T1. If you take a hit and logic dictates that your arm is no longer useable, DO NOT use that arm.
5 ) No Auto-Hitting. Every attack or counter is attempted. Do not state in your attack post that the hit landed. Your opponent ALWAYS gets a chance to block, deflect, etc.
6 ) Post Matching. In order to block/dodge/counter/deflect an oncoming attack, you must match the length of the ATTACK SECTION of your opponents post. This is generally estimated. Only the most a**l-Retentive T1'er will actually take the time to count words. Generally speaking, as long as you put equivalent effort into your post, your opponent will accept it.
7 ) Proper Keyboarding. If you are in a T1 Match and your opponent makes a post that is, or is borderline hieroglyphic, it is your right to request a repost. For this reason, one should always make sure that their posts are legible. DO NOT request a repost because of a few typos.
8 ) No Meta-Gaming. Do not use Out-of-Character (OOC) knowledge In-Character (IC.) Just because you know it, does not mean your character does. This becomes especially important when combatants must debate OOC'ly the effects of a power or the success of an attack. Rare insight into an opponent's character can be gathered here, but can NOT be used unless your CHARACTER finds out through legitimate means.
9 ) Preparations (Preps). Attacks cannot start out at maximum power. To build the power of your attack, Preps should be implemented. It is up to you to decide what is a reasonable amount of preps to achieve a specific amount of power. You can only prep once per turn. If you choose to spend your turn prepping, you forfeit the ability to attack, block, etc for that turn. If you get attacked, you must decide what is more important--dodging, or prepping. Once you have prepped, and unleashed your attack, it is time to resort to basic elementary math to decide if you can overpower your opponents block. Say, for example that you throw a fireball at your opponent with three preps behind it. Your opponent blocks with Dispel, but has only one prep backing his action. The fireball overpowers the dispel by two preps, and therefore carries through. Keep in mind, that to prep correctly you must actively take actions to build power/energy.
10 ) Hypotheticals. A hypothetical is where person A posts that, if person B dodges to the right, person A will throw a left uppercut. Hypotheticals are follow-ups and apply only if the required circumstances are met. They require forethought, and are therefore considered IC planning. Hypotheticals can be used in nearly any situation, though you must always make sure that they MAKE SENSE.
11 ) Interrupts. An interrupt is where you react before the end of your opponents turn. To understand an interrupt, you must first realize that even though you and your opponent are taking turns posting, the fight is happening in real time as far as your character's are concerned. Your character's aren't literally taking turns, and therefore, can react within your turn based posts within a real time setting. If Person A posts that they are charging towards Person B, the chances are they will include what their actions are at the end of the charge. However, Person B reserves the right in their turn by changing the course of events through interrupting, by either running away, or attacking Person A mid-charge. Keep in mind that interrupts require you to keep an accurate mental timeline of events and an understanding of elapsed time over the course of one or multiple actions.
12 ) Logic. Logic is GOD in T1 Combat. If an action doesn't make sense, don't do it. For example, don't try to counter an attack your character did NOT see coming. That doesn't make sense. Logic is possibly the most important principle one should implement in T1, no matter the sub-style.
13 ) Death Matches (DMs.) In order for a DM to take place, ALL participants must agree that the fight is to be a DM prior to the start of the fight. This is one of the various Out-of-Character agreements that must be made before combat can proceed. Remember that deaths suffered in DMs are PERMANENT. If you accept a DM and die, you CANNOT Be resurrected. Your character is dead. The End.
14 ) Quitting. If you quit a fight before it is over, you lose by forfeit. This means that you take upon yourself whatever the consequence may be for a loss. If you quit a DM for example, you die. This is an automatic recourse, and so you should always be sure to finish any fight that you accept. If you need to postpone, however, this is an available option. You should speak to your opponent OOC'ly about continuing the fight at a later date. Keep in mind however, that your opponent does NOT have to allow the fight to be continued. For this reason, you should only enter into serious fights when you know without a doubt you will be able to finish.
15 ) Defender's Rights. The defender always has the right to choose the sub-style. If you outright challenge someone to T1 combat, it is ultimately their decision as to which sub-style will be used. Often times, however, people choose to compromise on a sub-style that is fitting to all participants. Attacking someone In-Character IS challenging them.
16 ) Acceptance. If you post an attack, and your opponent states in their next post that they accept the attack (I.E. the attack lands), they may NOT change their mind later. Once you accept the course of events, they become permanent and finite. Accepted deaths in DMs cannot be disputed later. If at any point in time you think you are being cheated, the issue is to be addressed immediately. DO NOT accept something you thing is illegal because you will NOT be able to argue the point later.
17 ) Consent. Any rule in T1 can be changed for the duration of a fight--under very specific stipulations. Say for example, that you are your opponent are about to fight T1 RM. This style allows you to use weapons, however you and your opponent AGREE that weapons will not be used. The use of weapons, is therefore forbidden in the fight. T1, like all role play should be is about consent. In order to make a change you feel is necessary, or would make the fight more enjoyable for you and your opponent, ALL participants must AGREE to the change PRIOR to the start of combat.
18 ) Fun. T1 isn't supposed to be stressful. It is meant to be fun and is just another part of role play. Loosen up. Enjoy your bout. Your opponent's character is your enemy--not the person playing him/her. There is no reason that two people should not be able to get along OOC'ly because of the course of IC events. If you feel yourself becoming agitated, or think you might become aggressive OOC'ly, ask your opponent if it is alright to pause the fight so that you can cool off.
