Im getting back into rolepalying again, and I thought it might be a good idea to try out Arena roleplays. But there is no official guide or anything to tell you how they work, so I am awfully confused. A few questions --

- How do you decide who is the winner?
- Do you just make a bunch of characters and you pit characters against other peoples characters with no real context or story connection?
- Just over all how in the lord's name does it all work?

Thank you so much

Best thing to do with any Arena questions is head over to Arena FAQ, or RPG Ranked, or just general Arena Chat.

However.

1. Usually you're fighting to decide that, it is essentially a competition, which rewards originality and thinking on your feet, as well as detailed and realistic attacks. Usually I've won fights by beating my opponent into submission, but in some tournaments the winner has been decided by a judge.

2. Depends, the whole point of the Arena HQ is establishing a multi-verse where rivalries can form, but many other people fight without a greater story connection. Personally I like to establish rivalries and interconnected stories with other fighters.

3. That depends on how you want to fight, there is an established system in place where you essentially fight in 'turns' which involve an attack, a defence, movement, etc. When someone launches an attack at you, there are three initial choices based off logic. One, if your character can't avoid an attack because of the situation you take a 'hit' where you describe what your opponents attempted attack does to you. Two, you avoid the attack, which is usually the safest option but not always possible. Three, you defend yourself, raise a shield, parry, whatever you want. After this you have the chance to either counter attack, where you launch your own attack, or allow proceedings to reset. Ultimately it all depends on the flow of combat.

If you're still interested you can start learning some of the more complicated stuff like preps and how magic works into this system, but like I said I'd recommend checking out that FAQ or Arena Chat, there are plenty of people there who can answer any questions you have. Also, check out some fights and you'll see how they go down.

Hope you give it a try, see you around.

Type 1: Turn Based Combat is a good read as T1 is by and large the most used and recognized set of rules for textual combat.

And like that talking melon mentioned, FAQ thread in the Arena section is a good place to ask some basic questions you have and perhaps even set up a practice match to ease you into the Arena.

@GreivousKhan @MelonHead

Where is this FAQ thread you speak of? Ive browsed the Arena roleplay sub forum and cannot find it. Im sure Im being stupid and am not seeing it, but a link would be greatly appreciated.

Just been reading that link @GreivousKhan posted and have always wondered myself how an arena fight is supposed to work. From what I can gather it tends to be broken down into step by step stages, am I correct?

And out of curiosity, if someone was to create a mock thread to help be tutored to understand how it's all meant to work by simply practising, would there be anyone willing to just essentially "spar"?

Just been reading that link @GreivousKhan posted and have always wondered myself how an arena fight is supposed to work. From what I can gather it tends to be broken down into step by step stages, am I correct?

And out of curiosity, if someone was to create a mock thread to help be tutored to understand how it's all meant to work by simply practising, would there be anyone willing to just essentially "spar"?

Essentially, yes. T1 breaks down into a fairly simple though fluid when in practice stage by stage dance of sorts. Someone attacks, then the one who is being attacked must then post a logical defense of dodge to that attack and then counter if they can.

As to tutoring, generally if you place up in the Arena interest check that your looking for a practice match, you should be able to set one up easily enough. @Skallagrim happens to be an excellent teacher of sorts, he has the most experience in that role I believe. He's also broken down Textual Combat before into basic form before.

I am the Heretic!

Let me tell you the truth on how it works:

Step 1: Learn to hide crap under the radar.

This means making your arena character as mary sue as possible without anyone finding out. Give a extremely detailed backstory where you can find loopholes to pull abilities or knowledge your character was not explicitly stated to have, out of. Things like that.

Step 2: Make all that crap look original.

Want a BFG without someone calling you out as unoriginal? Make that BFG shoot from something that isn't on your character! Want that Harpoon that poseidon has? Make it do all the same things but electronically! People are gullible enough to think something is original just because some fluff is changed, look at all the arena characters out there - the most genuinely original characters don't have a stellar record.

Step 3: Type alot.

No one wants to read walls of text, not 3 paragraphs describing how a single limb moved. But you see it anyway. Why? Because in those 3 paragraphs your opponent hides phrases that can be used against you if you did not read them. Block that kick with your sword? But that leg is ethereal and can't be blocked by weaponary! Didn't you read that one word in line 52 of the 8 paragraphs when I was so detailedly describing that leg? You didn't read and remember all of that? Shame on you!

Missing one word can be your downfall, that's why people post like that. To make you miss as many words as you can.

Step 4: Create multiple accounts to vote on your own posts.

Do it, do it now! It's against the site's rules but majority of them do it anyway. Because it is forum steroids STEROIDS, if you aren't in - you're out! How else do you explain those random compliments from out of literally nowhere on those really, really bad posts? Hey, it is not a coincidence. There are no coincidences in the arena!

Step 5: profit.

In the end, the very existence of arena is based upon a concept which all that Roleplaying well goes against: win.

As I said, I AM THE HERETIC. Thine rotten tomatoes cometh forth mine way!

(This is by no means how arena should be, but I'm just being crazy, never aspire to do the things I said! Seriously.)