Character Accomplishments: Detail or No Detail

[Sanada Tomo]

I had a conversation with a member about what character accomplishments and actions should have what amount of backstory to them, they suggested that I post a thread about it here. After talking to them I've realized that I have had to revise members quite a few times on what they need to add detail to and what they don't. So, I'll be explaining to you what sorts of actions and achievements will require a lot of detail and which ones don't, as well and why and who it will benefit/make things easy for, in addition to stating what types of detail are absolutely necessary and can halt a thread if not included. Technically this is a rule, but at the same time it's more for formatting purposes and therefore it's necessary to categorize in the "how to" area.

Some of the subjects that I will be discussing will be kind of a grey area, because it's predominantly the situation and occassion of occurrence that determines the detail needed.

For this purpose, I will address character accomplishments in three areas: General Accomplishments and Actions, Planning/Blueprint/Project type Accomplishments and Actions, and Battling/Fighting Accomplishments and Actions. They will be broken up into two different categories each: What sort of details you should use for your Profiles and what sort of information you should use for your threads.

If this is confusing, or if you are in doubt of anything in the future regarding this and related topics, Please PM me!

*Definition of special abilities = any attack or magical ability that has a side effect, whether it be on the user or the one receiving the magic. Elemental Magic is not considered a special ability EXCEPT in cases where induce an affect on the user or receiver. For specific examples, please PM me.

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General Accomplishments/Actions:

These are the actions and accomplishments that you use to gesture at the things that your character has done, or the things that you add in the character's profile. Usually these are all past actions or accomplishments, meaning that they have already been completed.

Accomplishments:

Things in your Profile:

• Magic-based accomplishments: These require a moderate amount of detail in terms of describing how your got stronger, learned this ability, how you got into the situation, etc. I'm kinda tired of saying this over and over again, but you cannot use a special ability unless it's in your Profile. That's the entire point of putting it there. If you went through the trouble of RPing how your character obtained an ability, why wouldn't you put it in your profile?
  
  
• Encounter/Fight based accomplishments: You can list the people that you've fought and defeated, but be prepared for someone to manipulate that plot. If you list an NPC being defeated by you (dragons, fae, etc.), anyone is allowed to create a character or NPC to come after you for revenge. However, your opponent must match up to the power that you are claiming your character to have, and nothing more.
  
  
• Personal accomplishments: So long as your character's personal accomplishments don't involve either of the two types of achievements listed above, you do not need that much detail for personal accomplishments. The exception is when there are other character involved, or your accomplishment will affect many other characters potentially, or if it supposedly advances part of the plot in some way. There should be as much information in a narrative or interaction thread to back up everything you mention in your profile. If you only mention a little, then you need virtually no reference, but the more intricate it is the more reference you need.
  
  

Things in a thread:

• Magic-based accomplishments: When stating things you've done in the past in a thread, there should always be another source somewhere on the RPG that backs it up. The exception to this are accomplishments that have happened on the old boards. I remember the majority of these, and I assure you I won't let anyone get away with doing something unfair when it's unsubstantiated. I'm also updating the Timeline so that I have somewhat of a reference point when reminding new members of what's been done in the past.
  
  
• Encounter/Fight based accomplishments: see the above note. If you have a fight with an NPC there needs to be either a narrative explaining the details, or some of it should be in your profile [for old battles from the last boards]. Small battles with insignificant people that did not magically or physically change your character can be referenced without reprecussion.
  
  
• Personal accomplishments: see the above note.
  

Actions:

Things in your Profile:

• Magic based Actions: You have to explain the abilities that your character has. Depending on what sort of effects you're trying to inflict on an opponent later, you have to include a lot of detail. Listing status affects without explanations is not acceptable, as this is what we call a special ability, and they require detail. However, you may list an element in general, and abilities that manipulate the properties of that element. As long as it doesn't include a status change on yourself or an opponent, you're good. EXAMPLE: If you control sound, it would be logical for you to be able to cause an earthquake by creating fierce vibrations. If you tried to make someone with sound poison another person, though, that wouldn't make sense at all. Your ability to poison someone is separate from your elemental abilities. It's a special ability based off of some other skill.
  
  NOTE: You CANNOT use a special ability that isn't part of your profile. If you're too lazy to add it in there, then it's your own fault and folly.
  
  
• Encounter/Fight based Actions: If you have abilities with a specific weapon, please list how skilled you are. Everyone can't be a master. You should list how long they had to practice to get that good if they are a Master, and make it realistic, please.
  
  
• Personal based Actions: This applies more to your honorable and dishonorable deeds, and your History. Please, don't make your character so great that they don't have any doubts about anything that they've done, or make them so evil that they've never done anything good, or any other combination of the two. No matter what the character, they should have deeds that they think did the most good or bad to someone else or themselves. If they aren't emotional, then answer the question of what the most effective or the least effective decision they've made.
  

Things in a thread:

• Magic based actions: There has to be an explanation for the magic you used in a certain situation, and how it affected the person involved. The more intricate the magic, the deeper explanation, even if it's just a reference.
  
  
• Encounter/Fight based actions: If you're referencing something that's happened in one of your character's past fights, make sure that there is a thread on the RPG to validate it, or that the summary of the fight in question is in your profile. If it's a fight that was small or didn't affect your character in any way, you are allowed to reference it without validation. For example, if you fought a human to strenghen your skills when you were child, you can reference it without worry. If you begin to reference the same fight often, however, I expect you to eventually put it in your profile.
  
  
• Personal based actions: These don't really require any real detail. It's pretty much just as account of what your character was thinking while doing something, so you'll be okay just describing your character's reasoning or thoughts.
  

[Sanada Tomo]

Planning/Blueprint/Project type Accomplishments/Actions:

Achievements in this section deals with planning that your character has completed in full so that you can put it in your profile. Actions refers to planning that your character is just starting, in the middle of completing, or is in the act of trying to finish up.

Accomplishments:

Things in your Profile:

• Magic-based: This refers more to projects than planning. If you've constructed a place magically from the ground up, it's necessary to have a thread somewhere refering to how you started ans such. If it's a place that doesn't have magical reinforcements or any special armaments, you don't need excrutiating detail. Just enough to reference what the building is, why you're building it, generally where, and who the muscle is in general. For much more complicated structure, I expect a lot more detail.
  
  
• Encounter/Fight based: If you planned to fight someone to complete a mission or something, it's not necessary to have the details of the fight in your profile. Just list that the plan included fighting whomever it was, and explain whether the fight went well or badly, and how that affected the plan.
  
  
• Personal based: If you've got personal plans, or a project that involves doing something purely for you, such as finding something or someone in particular for yourself, and it doesn't involve anyone else, I require that you please have at least one post for each state of your venture. There has to be something there to make things valid in your profile. If the object/person was small or easy to find, then I don't require anything other than mention that had you had to find it and that you did.
  

Things in a Thread:

• Magic-based: if you're referring to plans that have already been completed, there just needs to be pre-existing thread about the plan or project, discussing the general idea behind it, explaining the logic of why the magic would work, and how it worked while it was being put in place. For buildings, there needs to be an explanation of how the magic is helping the buiding to be constructed. For big projects that have been completed, there needs to be a thread explaining the entire process, or small threads that explaing the progress as things go along. Yet again, the exception here is the old board stuff, and I know of all the plans and projects that were actually executed or completed, so don't worry about it.
  
  
• Encounter/Fight based: If you completed a plan that involved fighting someone, please add that the reason for fighting WAS to actually complete a plan, or that fighting a particular person wasn't part of the plan. You should already have the fight on the boards, unless it was a small skirmish like taking down a guard, or of course if it was from the old boards.
  
  
• Personal based: If you're referencing a personal plan that involved a battle, you need to list if the fight was intentional and what you gained from it. The more involved the fight, the more detail is required.
  

Actions:

Things in your Profile:

• Magic based: If you're just starting out a plan, it's not necessary to have it in your profile. If you're in the middle of one, you can put what you've accomplished in your profile if you like. But, if you're almost done with your plan, at least a little of it should be up, or what the plan is supposed to accomplish in the end, and through what means (what type of magic).
  
  
• Encounter/Fight based: see the above note. If your plan involved a fight and it's finished, the person you fought and the outcome should be in your profile, as well as how that affects your plan, even if it's not finished yet.
  
  
• Personal based: see the note about magic based plans.
  

Things in a Thread:

• Magic based: No matter what phase of the plan you're in, you should state what magic you're using to accomplish what, why the magic you're using is capable for the job, and how it should work. If you're the one in control of how it works out, please detail what affects the magic had to make things successful/non-successful.
  
  
• Encounter/Fight based: There's no reason why the details of a fight wouldn't be given, even if you're doing an NPC fight, so there's not really anything to worry about here.
  
  
• Personal based: Explain what you're doing and why it helps your plan. It's that simple.