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What?! RP Battles with 10+ people?! Impossibru! Not quite. Yes, large battles that are conducted using roleplay combat as opposed to PvP can be difficult and confusing, I will not pretend that they are not. But this chaos can be managed if one is willing to focus and be patient... and perhaps practice these techniques. Before we delve into the guide itself, I'd like to note that this is not a debate on whether PvP or RP combat should be the default, nor should said topic and other relation topics be debated here. This is strictly a guide for those who are willing to try and participate in larger battles using RP combat. So, moving on... Why would I want to bother with focus and patience??? Well, there are plenty of reasons... most of which tend to be more selfless than selfish. 1: Roleplay combat makes room for more creativity and versatility than PvP does. Emotes can be detailed and many players prefer this more immersive style of combat. 2: Some players, such as magic users, have difficulty conducting combat in PvP due to the lack of a magic plugin. Many feel that replacing their powers with swords and bows, enchanted or otherwise, undermines both the work put into gaining the privilege to use magic as well as the actual act using magic. 3: Many players have low FPS (frames per second) rates due to their computers, suffer from poor internet connection, or otherwise are put at a disadvantage in PvP for reasons outside of their control. They feel that RP combat helps to minimize these unfair disadvantages. Now, if one isn't willing to cooperate and compromise with other players, then most of this is void. However, it should be noted that people tend to be happy and tend to want to cooperate when you avoid conflict and are nice to them... so. If you're looking to build good relationships with players, perhaps give these techniques a try some time, and see how it goes. Even attempting to compromise will earn you respect from most people. When is this applicable? When would RP fights of this caliber be conducted? Obviously, there are some situations where RP fighting in general is just not practical. Whenever there are mobs, there is an amount of players so massive (say, 30 or 40+), or most players on both sides want to PvP, it is impractical and unreasonable to do a battle using RP combat. However, in battles of say, 10-25, these strategies can be employed. Battles like this might occur during wars between small armies, events, antagonist attacks, or large scale raids. Enough lecturing... what are the actual techniques?! Why, I'm glad you asked! The techniques are simple in writing, but can be difficult in practice. They are as follows: 1: Don't try and follow every single emote. OOC, it's just... very overwhelming. IC, it wouldn't make sense for your character to know every single thing going on in a battle of that caliber. Instead, focus only on... 2: ... your character, and his actions. Make sure you know what your character is actually doing. 3: ... your target. Make sure you know how your target responds to your attacks. 4: ... your attacker(s). This may be the same person as your target, or it may be someone else. It may be more than one person. Make sure you are aware of what is happening to your own character. 5: If you see a player, but do not know the player's character, simply do /seen _______. This only takes up one line of text, and will allow to know how your target responds to your attacks, and vice versa. In order to do the above, it is best to simply scan emotes quickly for either your character's name, the name of your target, and any emotes that appear to possibly affect the entire battle. Other than that, simply dismiss the other lines of text. Below is an example of a chaotic RP battle. Using these techniques, see if you can identify which lines are relevant to your own situation and which lines are not. Below will be a spoiler with the lines highlighted, though I strongly recommend trying the challenge out for yourself before checking the spoiler. Since an in game text box holds 20 lines of text, you will be asked to review twenty lines here. Your character's name, in this segment, is Vashklov the Impregnator, and your target is Bojangles the Clown. The Dark Lord lowers his shield and swings his sword diagonally from high to low and his own right to left at The E-Trade Baby. Little Bunny Foofoo shouts to his comrades as he desperately presses his sword to that of The Edgy One. "Help! Help!!" Bojangles the Clown stumbles and falls to his side as he is rammed by Sir Trolls-A-Lot. The E-Trade Baby lets out a terrifying, loud, high-pitched scream as he is slashed across the torso, falling onto his backside. Gluk-Gluk turns to flee, fearing for his life more than anyone else's. Yolo Swaggins closes his eyes and concentrates as his hands begin to glow a dim blue, trying to block out the noise around him. The Based God shouts, pointing to the tunnel in which reinforcements are streaming from. "Archers, fire!" Squire Billy cries out as Bojangles the Clown's throwing knife impales itself into his back, falling to his knees. George Clooney ducks under Whiney the Poo's backswing with his axe, then swiftly stands, draws his knife, and slashes across Poo's chest on the draw, attempting to immediately bring it back down afterwards and impale the knife in Poo's neck. Vashklov the Impregnator hacks downward at Bojangles the Clown with his broadsword, hoping to take advantage of Sir Trolls-A-Lot's help. Baelif Stonesmasher raises his warhammer from Snooty Elf's mush of a head, letting out a cry of victory. Ser Lord Bastard Justifier Joseph of Tyrannia the Fifth lets releases the string of his bow, watching as the barbed tip of the arrow hurtles towards Vashklov the Impregnator. Below is the same example, with "important" emotes highlighted and noted. Green text shows actions being done to or by your target, yellow text shows actions being done to you, and red text shows actions that might possibly effect large parts or all of the battle, including you. As you can see, there is still quite a bit to keep track of. However, we effectively eliminated half of the distracting emotes from our radar. When more people are added to the fight, even less will be happening to you and your target relative to the flood of emotes, and you will need to focus on even less of what's happening. I hope this could be of some service to people. If anyone has any questions or (constructive) criticism about this method of managing large scale RP battles, feel free to send me a PM on the forums or ask below. Enjoy!

~A Guide on RPing Pain~ -Introduction- Hello! You may be wondering why such a guide is even necessary. Pain is something that has a common place in all our lives - we have all burned our tongue on hot coffee, pricked our fingers, stubbed toes, and so forth. Why then, do we need a guide on how to roleplay these things? The answer is simple: some roleplayers do not understand how ‘painful’ various types of pain can be, and the effects pain has on the body. I hope this guide clarifies that and proves useful. Pain: Localized physical suffering associated with bodily disorder (as a disease or an injury); also : a basic bodily sensation induced by a noxious stimulus, received by naked nerve endings, characterized by physical discomfort (as pricking, throbbing, or aching), and typically leading to evasive action. -Types of Pain- Lacerations/Punctures (Slashing/Stabbing) Perhaps the most common type of wound that occurs in LotC, this pain occurs when one is cut with a blade, impaled spear of some kind, or pierced with an arrow or bolt. The first thing to factor in when getting hurt with one of these types of weapons is the force put into the attack. Obviously, the deeper the cut, the more painful it will be. Another thing to consider is the sharpness of the blade; a dull blade will tear and rend the flesh, causing more damage and pain, while a sharp blade will cut easier, leaving a cleaner wound. Reactions to this form of pain can include opening of the eyes, pupil dilation, increased heart rate, faster and deeper breathing, and tensing up. Additionally, squirming, trembling, crying out, crying, shuddering, and whimpering may occur when this form of pain is inflicted upon someone. Vomiting and passing out sometimes happen when extreme pain is inflicted over a long period of time. Burning One of the more damaging types of attacks, burning pain can cause some of the most severe pain. Like all feelings of pain, it serves as a defensive mechanism which causes the body to get away from the ‘harmful stimulus’, preventing further damage to the body. If you have ever burned a finger on a hot stove, you know that usually you retract your finger quickly as a reaction. Prolonged burning, such as with a metal brand or hot poker, would cause much squirming and struggling. The reactions to this form of pain would also be similar to the reactions for stabbing and slashing wounds. Blunt Force Trauma This type of pain covers everything that involves getting punched, beaten, slapped, or hit with blunt objects. These types of wounds usually don’t break the skin, but they can cause broken bones, internal bleeding, and bruising. While one or two blows may only cause minor pain, as they occur more frequently breathing may be ragged and strained, with movement also being somewhat impaired. Blows to the head can cause dizziness, blurred vision, and eventual loss of consciousness. -A Note on Masochism- What is Masochism? Masochism is the enjoyment of what appears to be painful or tiresome, or when one receives pleasure from pain or from getting hurt. How it Works in Roleplay I would first like to say that being a masochist in LotC isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It can provide interesting RP opportunities, and add depth to characters if done right. A few things must be considered before you can properly roleplay your character as a masochist. How did they begin enjoying pain - were they tortured or conditioned to enjoy it? What types of pain does your character like, and what doesn’t he or she like? Another thing should be kept in mind - masochism should be very specific. Many types of pain, such as burning, getting torn apart by animals, or being flayed alive wouldn’t likely be enjoyable, even by the most extreme masochist. -Resistances and Racial Lore- Races Each race would respond differently to pain. Everyone handles getting hurt in a similar way, but some have more of a tolerance for it than others. Races like the dwarves and orcs would likely be able to handle pain better than others, such as humans and halflings. This should be treated very carefully however - just because you are an orc does not mean you can fight fully and easily when you have multiple serious injuries. Adrenaline Rushes and Orcish Bloodrages In stressful and intense situations, an adrenaline rush may occur, where chemicals are released in the body that act as natural painkillers. When doing this in roleplay, one must keep in mind the effect wouldn’t be too strong, and it wouldn’t last very long. There is a difference between a slight tolerance to pain due to an adrenaline rush, and ‘going numb’ as adrenaline courses through one’s veins, the person shrugging off pain and fighting as normal. The latter would be an incorrect way of emoting. As for Orcish Bloodrages, I believe the effect is similar to an adrenaline rush, but on a much grander scale. (If anyone would like to clarify this that is knowledgeable with Orcish lore, I would appreciate it!) Tolerating Pain Many people are built differently, and the reactions people have to pain differ. Some may be affected differently. Think of a battle-hardened soldier compared to a normal, peaceful merchant. Both may be the same race and size, but one will have a higher tolerance to pain, having at least experienced combat more. Naturally, a peasant would be much more fearful in a fight, while a soldier or mercenary would be more brave and confident in their abilities. -Final Note- Thank you for reading, I hope this guide proved somewhat useful! Please leave any comments or suggestions you may have, as well as clarifications or corrections to any mistakes. Have fun getting hurt!

The drop looked momentous, the rapidity of the river looked enough to sweep him from his feet. Yet there he stood, his legs outstretched along the rim of the cliff; not too far from the rustic house he had purchased two weeks past from one Count Adam Green. His eyes flicker as he leans back from his rolled over state overlooking the river and hanging bridges below and he stares out towards the healthy tops of the canyon cliffs across from him; his elbow dug into moist dirt as he rests from a hard day of labor. That is what he knew, how to break sweat and produce from his spent time and physical effort something to show; the real outweighing the abstract. An aura seemed to be cast as he is joined by a man with a swarthy complexion. The man runs his gritty fingers through a long and narrow beard as he chuckles upon spooking Sertorius. The man greets him in native tongue, recognisable to Sertorius and they trade niceties. "Yoo' shawld' knaw' thawt' the Khagan is rawlin' in his grave" "Da? Yer' know I am ner' help ter' what plagues him within thar' scape af' drims. We banked from sail an' within few months, the spawn of the Four are pickin' fights and wallawin' in mud like male pigs try'na insist they defendin' honor of the she-pig. In the end, they all sire with tha' 'Urth. How can one man stop this?" "Tha' Khagan hawd' raised a Hurde' in tha' pawst', yoo' shawld' remembur' this! Howevur', it is no lawng'ur yoo'r place tew' thraw' yoo'r hand tew' tha' saddul' an' bridul', yoo' mawst' seek the inwawrd' path." With the last two words, Sertorius ***** an inquisitive brow towards the man bearing merely simple woolen pantaloons, a leather jerkin, and a mere spherical cap atop his shaggy and jet-black hair. They sit together in an odd state of conversation as night falls, the moon rising whilst they engage in terse terms concerning the 'inward path'. As the moon boomerangs to the opposite side from whence it rose, Sertorius stands from the compressed dirt that he laid upon and stares out into the stary horizon that embroiders the land in front of him. "Very well, yer' ter' tell me this may werk'?" The nomad, as imaginary as may have been, seemed to have placed within the heart of Sertorius some earnest knowledge. "Yoo' shawld' seek tew' persuade thaw' pee'pul tew' break ther' swards' intew' ploughhewks', seek tew' better tha' lives awf' tha' livin' rathur' than see haw' many can be subtracted by arru'gawnt' men. This is the path yoo' shawld' take." With that, the nomad turns on his heel and rotates his body with his head held low; upon doing so, his body dissipates. Sertorius dared not look back, but only closes his eyes. ~~~~~~~~~The Idea of the Sophists~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~The Sophisticated Path~~~~~~~~~ The Sophists are those who inspire to become cordial with all, enemy to none. The Sophists have recognized that through the passing of two worlds, people have shirked against the lessons that were obvious in both Aegis and Asulon. They recognise the futility of warring, they addiction towards the desire to own more, to rule more, to command more and compare it nicely to a toddler who endeavors to scoop sand towards them, only to have the sand spread out after a certain point. The Sophists set forth in three manners they deem beneficial: to spread information, to labor on behalf of people no matter their standing, and to build structures that have a function. The Three Paths of a Sophist 1. The path known by the phrase, "To sweat clay into my hands to mold" or simply refered to as "Work of the Sophist" is when Sophists head forth to different areas in Anthos; inspiring to help any sort of people, faction, or nation gather resources. The Sophist or group of Sophists endeavoring to take this path should be wise to ask within the request if they can keep a portion of the resources. It is frowned upon if a Sophist declares this path and works for a faction or nation that they are loyal to. If you as a Sophist request to work under a person or group who are not friendly to possible loyalties you have, you must not show anger; simply turn yourself away and look to seek the path elsewhere. 2. The path known by the phrase, "To turn out knowledge should null all secrets" or simply refered to as "Teaching of the Sophist" is when Sophists work together in a group to gather knowledge from different parts of Anthos and compose what can be called 'newspapers'. These 'newspapers' should inform denizens of Anthos about occurrances, but withhold personal business to individuals. The information to be composed into the newspaper should be written down and kept in safe-keeping. [OOC: Try to keep the information gathering to in-game book items, rather than relying solely on the forums to pass it around] 3. The path known by the phrase, "To raise a roof is to raise the soul" or simply refered to as "Building as a Sophist" is when Sophists work together to renovate or build structures that serve a function; even if that is to shelter people such as homes. Forges, stone-mills, pastures, and more can be idealized and built for any one person, faction, or nation. It is earnest to ask for pay for this, it is desired that a Sophist builds upon his own gathered resources; but can equally build with the helped person's own supply. [OOC: Even though a stone-mill for example doesnt have the best 'MC' function, it allows Rp to take place there and thus can be built. This thread lists quite a few improvements that can be ideally built throughout this path: http://www.lordofthecraft.net/forum/index.php?/topic/57941-system-of-land-control-and-improvements/?hl=levanthus] The Manners of a Sophist A Sophist is someone who seeks a philosophy that favors control over one's consciousness rather than to be manipulated into manners of ill behavior or killing. A Sophist is not a pacifist by any means, but are those who do not hearken to those who have good reason to push the Sophist into combat. A Sophist can be anyone whether a King of a peasant, he obeys an outside hierarchy if present, so if one of the Elves were to become a Sophist; they will support their government as a sign of cooperation rather than anarchic foolishness. The Sophists only hear to the words of the Tender who merely organises larger groups who collectively want to pursue any of the three paths; he is deemed intelligent to not group those who have antagonising loyalties [so no Orcs with Halflings, White Roses with Elfs]. Likewise, those who pursue the Teaching of the Sophist form a hierarchy of their own to organise the manner of releasing information to the public in the forms of official pamphlets. The Head Columnist will see to information being gathered into the final form for release to the public and interprets appropriate pricing. Seekers of News is simply a title given to those pursuing the Teaching Path and collect the information into dossiers [in-game writable books]. Rank and Application Tender: Sertorius Cagan [Gaiusmarius8] Head Columnist for Teaching Path: N/A Seekers of News: N/A

Now upon reading the title you may be wondering some questions. What is this simple guide about? Well this is my way of addressing the general population of Lord of the Craft, my favorite server of all time. Most questions and problems can be solved through roleplay. Now how is this possible you may ask? Well it is quite simple really, roleplay can almost solve everything. You want information on construction progress of a city? Get on the server and roleplay! But what if they are offline? Well that is a simple answer: Use the forums! The forums are one of your best tools and should be utilized. If the server happens to be down or they are offline just send them a roleplay PM or if it addressing a general population then give them a nice topic in the roleplay section of forums. Found here. You see roleplay can easily solve anything related to your character, whether it be the whereabouts of a city. (Remember, no metagaming.) All questions related to roleplay can be solved through roleplay. Please don't metagame. Don't know where the human capital is? Ask a traveler on the Anthos highway. They just might answer your question AND avoid metagaming all together. This specifically addresses newer players, now I know this entire topic is rather tiring and everyone gets it. But new players sometimes forget and get on global OOC and ask questions such as, "Where is x" or "I'm lost, where do I go?" Roleplay is literally the answer to every single problem EXCEPT: List of Common OOC Questions: -All questions about VIP. -All questions about staff positions, the entire concept of staff is strictly for OOC purposes. -Debates -How to configure chat, how to use commands, ect. -Teamspeak related -Clearing up some unclear or confusing RP -Other Off-topic questions -Most applications are OOC (Except for guild or roleplay) I hope this simple guide helped any new player who needs a refreshment on rules and how you can solve most of your problems. From, Nord