Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 MindWandererB Jun 30, 2008 12:25:27	Welcome traveller! In these pages, you will find the rules for participating in the great Core Coliseum of Sagaris. These rules are divided into three sections: Introduction and Basics: This section explains what the Core Coliseum (CoCo) is all about, how it works, and the minimum you'll need to play. We hope that everyone will read this section, although if you're really in a hurry to get started, you can make do with only our [post=?????]Quick Start Guide[/post]. Player Rules: Once you've settled in, these rules cover everything you need to know about playing in the CoCo, including advanced character creation rules, fight formats, and so on. Pitlord Rules: When you're ready to begin running fights yourself, or, if you prefer, running quests or campaigns, these are the rules for you. They cover how to run a fight, assign rewards, determine monsters and other hazards, and the like. If you still have any questions after looking through the rules, please post in the Core Coliseum Tavern, or if you have a question that requires special attention, you can send a message to the [PM=366091]Game Master[/PM]. We hope you enjoy your stay! Important Links Reserved
#2 MindWandererB Jun 30, 2008 13:34:42	Reserved for roster
#3 MindWandererB Jun 30, 2008 13:36:12	Please send a [PM=245524]PM[/PM] to the Pitlords Board Avatar in case you want to change something in the list! Fights will be assigned based on pitlord experience, reliability, and number of fights (the more fights you run, the easier your assigned matches will be). The same criteria (plus being an Elder) applies to Requests. If you go inactive, your requests will vanish and have to be requested anew when you reactivate. Active Pitlords [indent] [PM=555909]Callix[/PM] (33°) [Late:0/30] [Offer: +1 fight] [PM=631454]CrazyArtificer[/PM] (16°) [Late:2/31] [Offer: +1 fight in emergency] [PM=494679]dulsi[/PM] (13°) [Late:2/18] [PM=329610]Erithmu[/PM] (40°) [Late:1/114] [PM=327901]Huan[/PM] (233°) [Late:14/34] [Offer: 1 miniquest] [PM=623255]Nabuchadnezzar[/PM] (-4°) [Late:0/1] [Offer: +1 fight in emergency] [PM=289372]Stormwind[/PM] (21°) [Late:1/8] [Offer: +2 miniquests] [PM=338608]TelinArtho[/PM] (32°) [Late:11/216] [PM=346290]templer10[/PM] (3°) [Late:7/170] [Request: no miniquests] [PM=565472]whitebaron[/PM] (48°) [Late:0/72] [Offer: +1 ECL 3-5 fight] [/indent] Inactive Pitlords Inactive or Retired Pitlords: [indent] [PM=370291]Abyssal Stalker[/PM] (-3°) [Late:4/60] [PM=443544]Airwhale[/PM] (1°) [Late:0/1] [PM=380913]Altaris13[/PM] (1°) [Late:4/3] [PM=310133]amalcon[/PM] (1°) [Late:0/1] [PM=437944]Anaconda[/PM] (2°) [Late:0/0] [PM=201580]Aramil Dunskar[/PM] (0°) [PM=236168]Argaud[/PM] (9°) [Late:0/5] [PM=376924]Ariel23[/PM] (10°) [Late:2/4] [PM=268291]Arstimis[/PM] (4°) [PM=317159]Ashenai[/PM] (32°) [PM=339047]Ayrynthyn[/PM] (14°) [Late:1/6] [PM=332834]ayyiniwindryder[/PM] (15°) [Late:2/11] [PM=256748]Barrelmaster[/PM] (4°) [PM=371759]Begferdeth[/PM] (30°) [Late:1/7] [PM=252478]Beldin[/PM] (-2°) [PM=240421]bgt[/PM] (1°) [Late:2/2] [PM=316776]Biota[/PM] (11°) [Late:1/6] [PM=360131]bluemage55[/PM] (-2°) [Late:4/3] [PM=398884]Book5[/PM] (35°) [Late:3/6] [PM=226573]Captain Mutilate[/PM] (2°) [PM=437595]CaptainStrong[/PM] (3°) [Late:0/3] [PM=154373]Caterane[/PM] (160°) [Late:0/35] [PM=233716]Cellardweller[/PM] (20°) [PM=327805]Cerebus13[/PM] (13°) [Late:0/2] [PM=375109]Deadly Assassin[/PM] (-2°) [PM=239640]Delusional Illusion[/PM] (1°) [PM=388463]Dr.Funk[/PM] (3°) [Late:0/3] [PM=244489]Druid Roxors[/PM] (17°) [PM=303884]Dracazar[/PM] (35°) [Late:0/5] [PM=565263]Durzulgor[/PM] (2°) [Late:2/6] [PM=422761]DSugui[/PM] (16°) [Late:15/96] [PM=336277]DTFarstar[/PM] (-5°) [Late:8/5] [PM=560519]Eamane[/PM] (-4°) [Late:4/22] [PM=340532]Einzelgaenger[/PM] (10°) [PM=387207]Ellorion Saenelle[/PM] (-4°) [PM=522983]Eluria[/PM] (12°) [Late:0/2] [PM=387506]Emrys Donovan[/PM] (0°) [PM=366749]Enterik[/PM] (2°) [PM=250300]Etiquette_Gnome[/PM] (4°) [Late:3/9] [PM=493519]False_Keraptis[/PM] (6°) [Late:0/4] [PM=334199]funnymanmike[/PM] (6°) [Late:0/3] [PM=361152]Gonbow[/PM] (2°) [Late:4/20] [PM=249294]graymocker[/PM] (4°) [Late:0/1] [PM=373126]GuardianAngel[/PM] (2°) [PM=451092]Hawkeye_60[/PM] (5°) [Late:1/1] [PM=497769]Highfire[/PM] (6°) [Late:1/4] [PM=495839]Hirumajoe[/PM] (22°) [Late:2/35] [PM=384641]hogarth[/PM] (18°) [Late:2/23] [PM=292611]Horatius[/PM] (7°) [Late:0/6] [PM=353515]Iced[/PM] (10°) [Late:13/24] [PM=471470]Jerrick_QueKiri[/PM] (-5°) [Late:4/2] [PM=251979]Jindl[/PM] (26°) [PM=351297]Jstorrie[/PM] (-5°) [PM=276552]Kaigan[/PM] (1°) [Late:11/24] [PM=240132]Kedi[/PM] (-13°) [Late:2/2] [PM=195315]KerlanRayne[/PM] (2°) [PM=208805]Khaim[/PM] (1°) [Late:1/3] [PM=262456]King Uther[/PM] (127°) [Late:14/48] [PM=315688]Kingside_Bishop[/PM] (1°) [PM=429798]klangley[/PM] (1°) [Late:0/1] [PM=275256]Korone[/PM] (2°) [Late:0/2] [PM=506188]Krytos[/PM] (13°) [Late:0/7] [PM=193073]LLMadCow[/PM] (13°) [PM=287656]lonewolf[/PM] (-7°) [Late:6/94] [PM=390349]LongArcher[/PM] (0°) [PM=430554]Lucanthrope[/PM] (-1°) [Late:1/1] [PM=233555]Luni[/PM] (9°) [Late:2/10] [PM=402982]Macbrea[/PM] (12°) [Late:6/60] [PM=260613]MadCowTemplate[/PM] (8°) [PM=252568]Magagumo[/PM] (5°) [PM=161820]Mal-2[/PM] (11°) [Late:0/2] [PM=309162]malakaiunseen[/PM] (3°) [Late:0/1] [PM=361808]Malither76[/PM] (5°) [Late:10/24] [PM=246119]Maraxus[/PM] (33°) [Late:2/22] [PM=342670]Maverick Knight[/PM] (-2°) [PM=324385]McJarvis[/PM] (56°) [Late:8/86] [PM=227401]Megrim Lord[/PM] (-2°) [PM=235606]Michael Noah[/PM] (8°) [PM=236835]Mind Rogue[/PM] (18°) [PM=366091]MindWandererB[/PM] (74°) [Late:0/46] [PM=420984]MitzaVolchenko[/PM] (23°) [Late:19/77] [PM=210944]Moherajikuyx[/PM] (2°) [PM=572355]mucki[/PM] (14°) [Late:0/3] [PM=248479]Myrridin[/PM] (16°) [Late:2/4] [PM=303794]MysticMonk2005[/PM] (7°) [Late:2/10] [PM=291017]MystErikEry[/PM] (7°) [PM=564638]namfrawd[/PM] (-2°) [Late:1/0] [PM=359673]nickbeat[/PM] (8°) [Late:1/7] [PM=334715]Nightbanegod[/PM] (6°) [Late:2/0] [PM=385209]NiQil[/PM] (47°) [Late:0/1] [PM=344887]Nurlithion[/PM] (3°) [Late:0/2] [PM=347741]Odin the Reaper[/PM] (-1°) [PM=347710]One_Winged_Angel[/PM] (17°) [PM=381885]Papapeperoni[/PM] (-2°) [Late:5/8] [PM=160179]Pauper[/PM] (1°) [PM=285133]Pittbull[/PM] (82°) [Late:0/19] [PM=296951]Piuro[/PM] (3°) [PM=515111]Rauul[/PM] (-4°) [Late:21/48] [PM=359641]Rim-Soulfang[/PM] (7°) [PM=179483]Salrantol[/PM] (3°) [Late:1/17] [PM=321957]SauroGrenom[/PM] (70°) [Late:0/58] [PM=273453]Scaryfroman[/PM] (9°) [PM=376509]Setzertrancer[/PM] (6°) [Late:0/1] [PM=424115]shadowmaster[/PM] (2°) [Late:2/3] [PM=364804]Shaken, not Stunned[/PM] (6°) [PM=305350]Sindorin[/PM] (10°) [Late:0/3] [PM=416973]Sjiggie[/PM] (17°) [Late:15/48] [PM=290673]Skojar[/PM] (18°) [Late:2/13] [PM=258152]Sloisel[/PM] (6°) [PM=186622]SnarkHunter[/PM] (24°) [PM=169117]Snommelp[/PM] (30°) [Late:2/13] [PM=516194]sonofzeal[/PM] (4°) [Late:2/11] [PM=168478]SoulLord[/PM] (13°) [PM=251642]Spasheridan[/PM] (8°) [Late:1/3] [PM=500905]stimpydoda[/PM] (8°) [Late:0/6] [PM=288745]StoneTree[/PM] (8°) [Late:3/5] [PM=249762]Sunwolf[/PM] (2°) [PM=242396]TaggIIV[/PM] (6°) [Late:1/1] [PM=505050]TARDIS[/PM] (2°) [Late:0/0] [PM=515516]Taureus_Drakken[/PM] (11°) [Late:4/16] [PM=381695]TCB[/PM] (-1°) [PM=167529]Tellish_of_Ket[/PM] (27°) [Late:1/10] [PM=342978]Thaylen[/PM] (-1°) [Late:1/1] [PM=372871]The Dread Dormammu[/PM] (-3°) [PM=363599]TheMagister[/PM] (6°) [Late:0/50] [PM=400427]The Undershadow[/PM] (5°) [PM=373519]Traevanon[/PM] (13°) [Late:0/9] [PM=621346]Turanson[/PM] (8°) [Late:0/22] [PM=157880]Turin[/PM] (19°) [Late:0/16] [PM=333551]T'Var[/PM] (38°) [PM=477457]UserNamer[/PM] (3°) [Late:2/18] [PM=269446]Usurpator[/PM] (37°) [Late:5/8] [PM=376903]Vathelokai[/PM] (6°) [Late:7/52] [PM=340656]Vecnoran[/PM] (4°) [Late:0/0] [PM=274019]Vivat Grendel[/PM] (-1°) [PM=394332]Warclone[/PM] (6°) [Late:1/10] [PM=214599]wayreth[/PM] (10°) [Late:0/8] [PM=331849]Xanadu[/PM] (23°) [PM=462301]Yitzi[/PM] (13°) [Late:0/27] [PM=456530]Zelck[/PM] (15°) [Late:0/24] [PM=318507]Zerone[/PM] (8°) [PM=342682]Zevox[/PM] (3°) [Late:11/132] [PM=303009]Zyme86[/PM] (-3°) [/indent]
#4 MindWandererB Jun 30, 2008 13:39:57	Reserved for maps, traps, hazards, lighting, etc.
#5 MindWandererB Jun 30, 2008 13:40:38	Reserved.
#6 MindWandererB Jun 30, 2008 13:41:23	Reserved.
#7 MindWandererB Jun 30, 2008 13:46:26	What is the Core Coliseum (CoCo)? [indent]If you've ever wondered how your D&D character stacks up against other characters, or which PC could beat which in a fight, then the CoCo can help you find your answers. The CoCo is a competitive D&D arena, where players create characters and pit them against each other in combat. We also offer opportunities for play-by-post quests and campaigns, as well as more global challenges involving guilds or even entire nations, but the heart of the CoCo is PC-vs.-PC fights. This format is useful for testing out various builds to see how effective they are before bragging about them to your friends, or committing to them in a long tabletop campaign. Although you don't need to be a rules expert to play, if you want to become a rules expert, the CoCo is also an excellent place to do that, because every fight is read by your peers here. If you're a DM at home, looking at the performance of the various characters here can give you an idea of what an optimized character is capable of, and can help you prepare challenges appropriately.[/indent] What does "Core" mean? [indent]By "Core," we mean all the material found in the three core rulebooks of the 4th edition D&D game: the Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual. Nothing outside these sources is permitted, with a few rare exceptions permitted in the Black Market. This allows us to make assumptions about what every player has access to, so your pitlords and opponents are never confused by material they don't own. It also standardizes the quality of the material, and reduces the risk of game-breaking combinations.[/indent] Do you have any house rules? [indent]D&D is not designed to be a competitive game, and it's not designed for a forum-based format with players constantly dropping in and out. To make it work for us, several house rules and implementation issues are needed--for instance, rules to prevent characters from taking an extended rest after every fight. That's what most of the rest of this rules thread is for. Don't worry--it's still 4th edition D&D in nearly every respect, and there isn't anything that should surprise you very much. The one major exception is in our "sub-games," which are games we design that revolve around the characters and events in Sagaris, but are entirely our invention. These games are entirely optional, and your character won't gain any benefits or incur any costs in their gladiatorial career regardless of whether you participate. They exist only to promote cooperation or competition on a scale larger than a single battle or quest.[/indent] What about different interpretations of the core rules? [indent]The D&D rules aren't always written in the most clear manner, and sometimes it's necessary to make an interpretation of how to implement them. When deciding how to make such a ruling, we first look at the online errata or updates; then the exact text in the rulebooks; then the FAQ, Sage Advice, or Ask Wizards column; and finally any other official online sources (such as 3e's Rules of the Game series). If none of those sources clarify the issue to the satisfaction of everyone involved, then the pitlord handling the case makes the final decision, and the topic goes to the Courtroom thread to establish a ruling for future pitlords. Even if the Courtroom decision goes against what the pitlord decided, the pitlord's call stands for that one case.[/indent] What is this "Sagaris?" [indent]Sagaris is both the name of the fictitious city the Core Coliseum is located in, and the name of the newest incarnation of the Core Coliseum. Originally, the Coliseum was a lonely thread in the 3rd edition [forum=339]Character Optimization[/forum] board. Moherajikuyx created it after seeing the debacle of more than one non-core arena. By limiting usable material to Core-only--material found only in the three core rulebooks and the online SRD--this arena instead became a board all of itself. In January of 2005, the Coliseum was taken over by a new GM, Caterane, and a host of new options were added. Quests and Campaigns were added, a true XP system and a proper time progression was introduced, spellcasters and manifesters were re-balanced, and many more changes were wrought like a whole world had been created. The result of these changes was a world that seemed more "alive", and less like a simple arena for people to fight in. Gladius was the name of the city the 3rd edition Core Coliseum arena was in. This incarnation was named Living Gladius. Sagaris, the 4th edition Coliseum, continues this tradition. The goal is to create an interactive enviroment where you can roleplay your character, be it in combat or in a social setting, where you get the feeling that you're really walking the streets of Sagaris. There's still much to be done but as long as we don't stop, only the sky is the limit.[/indent] What part does roleplay take in the CoCo?[INDENT]Is this a role-playing board? Yes and no. While roleplaying has always been a part of the Core Coliseum (and has become even more important with the advent of Living Gladius), the foundation of the Coliseum has been, and always will be, characters fighting each other. There are plenty of people here who are not particularly interested in role-playing, and that is compeltely all right. If you wish to see the Coliseum as a place to simply test character builds, you are certainly welcome to play it that way. If, on the other hand, you enjoy developing your character's personality and having him or her interact with the other denizens of Sagaris, you'll find many people who share your enthusiasm. With every character, the world grows; improving the roleplaying aspect and creating a social setting is one of our main goals. An important aspect of the Core Coliseum, however, is its rules. While you're encouraged to roleplay your character as you like, rules are never bent or broken for the sake of roleplaying. If you're used to a more "freeform" style of roleplaying, this place will take a little bit of getting used to.[/INDENT] How do I get started?[INDENT]Joining is simple. All you have to do is create a pair of characters in the [thread=?????]Characters of Sagaris[/thread] thread, preferably using the [post=?????]default character sheet[/post], and send a PM to [PM=245524]Pitlords[/PM] with your team's name and a link to the character sheets. This will get your character on the [post=?????]roster[/post] and eligible to participate. When you're ready for the arena, set the sheet's title line to: [indent]LVL 1: Ready for MM/DD/YY[/indent] where MM/DD/YY is the date of the next Wednesday. When Wednesday comes around, your character will be paired in their first battle. You may also want to post in the Tavern to introduce yourself and your character; it's always nice to say hi, and our more experienced players can help vet your sheets for mistakes (better to catch them before than during a fight). You don't need to be a rules expert (although it can help), but you do need access to the Player's Handbook. Pitlords (the volunteers who run the fights) will also need access to the Dungeon Master's Guide, and sometimes the Monster Manual. No other books are required or even allowed.[/indent] Wow, this thread is really big.... [indent]Don't worry about it! Although all the rules in purple are recommended reading for all newcomers, you can make do with just the [post=?????]Quick Start Guide[/post]. You can read through the rest of the purple section at your leisure. The blue section is for advanced rules and minor details; it can wait until you've been here a while. The green section is only necessary if you want to start running fights, quests, or campaigns.[/indent] Where can I post? [indent]The Core Coliseum Tavern is where you should start: say hi and ask any questions you may have. Pretty much anything (that doesn't violate the Gleemax Code of Conduct) is okay to post there. The Characters of Sagaris thread is reserved for PC character sheets. When you create a new 2-PC team of characters, it goes there. You'll also find the character sheets if all your potential opponents (and allies) there. The Battles of Sagaris thread is where the battles are posted. Only pitlords should be posting there; when your fights are completed, that's where you'll find them. It can also make for entertaining reading. The Fights of the Week (FotW) thread is where the week's pairings, news, and discussions go. Many players find it helpful to post here when they've sent their tactics to their pitlord, in case they go astray. Pitlords should post here to link to fights they've completed. Commentary on the fights, including criticism of the way your pitlord did something, should go here. The Prison of Sagaris is where people will post if they find an error on a character sheet. It's wise to check this thread at least once a week to see if any of your characters have been reported. If your character has a mistake that goes uncorrected for too long, they will get a [P] next to their name on the roster and will be ineligible to participate in battles until the mistake is corrected. Check the Prison thread right away if you see one of those tags next to your character; if you didn't get paired when you thought you would be, check the roster to see if it's because of a prison violation. See the Prison thread for more detailed rules. The Council of Sagaris is where we discuss board and game function, discuss house rules and new game elements, and so on. Although the final decisions are made by the Game Master and the Elders, anyone can (and should!) contribute to the discussions. The first post of the Council thread contains an index of previous decisions, and is the first place you should visit if you've been gone for a while and then return. The Courtroom of Sagaris is where rules debates take place. If you have a general rules question, you should post it in the Tavern before bringing it here. Only if a rule or rule interpretation is hotly debated should it be brought up in the Courtroom. The first few posts of the Courtroom thread contain a history of previous rulings; you should check there first if a sticky situation comes up. Ignorance of the way we've made a previous ruling doesn't exempt you from it! The Black Market of Sagaris is reserved for requests to "purchase" things with credits earned through volunteer work in the forum. Certain perks (such as custom items, creating characters above level 1, or making changes to a character beyond what the retraining rules permit) are reserved for those who have and are willing to spend the credits on them. Please do not discuss Black Market requests in that thread; if something there looks strange or otherwise deserves comment, please post it in the Tavern. Quests, Campaigns, and play-by-post battles use individual threads of their own. The title will state the purpose of the thread. Please do not post in such a thread unless you are one of the participants! If you have a comment on something that happens in one of these threads, please post it in the Tavern or FotW thread. Please refrain from creating other threads without the GM's permission. It's vital that important threads, like active fights, quests, campaigns, and special discussions stay on the first page of the forum, so please don't clutter it up.[/indent] Who should I know? [indent]The Game Masters (GM) are the people who run boards like the Core Coliseum. They should not be confused with the WizO's, who are Wizards of the Coast employees making sure that the Code of Conduct is followed. Game Masters have no authority to enforce the Code of Conduct; their job is to create rules concerning the CoCo system, to arbitrate in rules disputes, and to do the many little jobs needed to keep the Coliseum running smoothly. A Game Master's word is law regarding the rules of the Core Coliseum. The current Game Master of the Core Coliseum is [PM=366091]MindWandererB[/PM]. He's a friendly guy; feel free to send him a PM if you need help with anything. The Core Coliseum Elders are a number of reliable regulars who are respected in the Core Coliseum, and are both very familiar with the rules and have a lot of experience with the Coliseum's workings. Many of the elders have one or more Domains over which they have authority, such as the Prison, Guilds, or Black Market. An Elder's word about issues related to their domain is law, and can only be overruled by the Game Master. Another purpose of the Elders is to create, review, and change the rules of the Core Coliseum related to the D&D system, which will be done by polls. While the Game Master can overrule a Council decision, he almost never does; the opinion of the Elders is very highly valued indeed. Similarly, the Elders will be consulted when it comes to creating new board rules, or changing existing ones and the Game Master takes the opinion of the Elders seriously. Elders have important responsibilities, however. They are expected to take an active interest in the everyday goings-on of the Coliseum, and to vote on all issues in a timely manner. An Elder who is not performing his or her duties, or is inactive for a long time, risks becoming an "Oldtimer" instead. The opinions (and votes) of oldtimers are still valued, but do not carry the same weight as those of active elders. The term "Pitlords" means two things. Pitlords is a board avatar used by the GM; if you have game requests, such as adding a new character to the roster or adding or removing yourself from the list of active pitlords, send a PM to Pitlords. The pitlords are also the volunteer players who run fights. In traditional, tactics-based fights, each player sends their tactics in a PM to the pitlord assigned to that fight, and the pitlord follows those instructions to determine how the fight plays out. In a play-by-post battle, the pitlord acts mainly as an arbiter, making rules decisions and handling things like invisibility or readied actions. Questlords and Campaignlords are basically the DMs for a quest or campaign, respectively. They act in almost every way like a DM in a normal tabletop campaign, except that they are constrained to following the CoCo general rules. You can find pictures of many of our past and present members [post=7048390]here[/post]. Getting your own picture added to the gallery is an easy way to earn credits. Each forum on Gleemax has one or more Forum Leads. It is the job of these Forum Leads to give feedback to Community Management about what improvements can be made to the system. If you have any requests relating to the forums (e.g. Code of Conduct, technical issues, etc.), post them in the Forum Lead thread or PM them to one of our Forum Leads. The GM is always a Forum Lead; there may be one or more others who are valued members of our community.[/indent][/color]
#8 MindWandererB Jun 30, 2008 13:48:06	"Welcome Traveler! You have just entered the City of Sagaris! If you wear your weapons and spell components for more than to impress the Ladies, enter the Core Coliseum, and prove it in front of cheering audiences, a place where you can find fame and fortune in no time, and death even quicker! I am Alathar Vierce, former undefeated gladiator, now arena organizer. I will give you a tour through the Core Coliseum (CoCo) and assist you in helping to create a gladiator. Leave this window open as I explain the basics to you." A Tour of Sagaris Before we begin, allow me to give you a brief tour of the Core Coliseum, so you don't get lost. [thread=1054439]The Rules of Sagaris[/thread]. This contains all the rules for the Core Coliseum. Don't panic! It may seem like a lot, but there's a lot you don't need to know, at least not for a long time First, you'll find a roster of every character there is; click on the name to see the sheet. Below the roster, you'll find other useful information: the week's pairings, the lists of pitlords and mercenaries, and the maps. After that is the full set of Core Coliseum rules. Beginning characters use only a small subset of these rules, which I'll explain a little later. For now, it's enough to know that this is where the full text of the rules can be found. [thread=1061395]Characters of Sagaris[/thread]. This thread contains the character sheets of every gladiator in the Coliseum. This is where you will post your own character sheets later on, and where you will find the sheets of your opponents. [thread=?????]Battles of Sagaris[/thread]. Every fight that has ever been held in the Core Coliseum can be found here (or in one of its predecessor threads). When your character participates in a fight, that fight will be posted here. You can also browse older fights to see what kinds of tactics have worked (or not worked) in the past. The Core Coliseum Tavern. Since the location of the Tavern changes from time to time, it's impossible to guide you there, but there's so much traffic there that you'll easily find it. This should be where you make your first post, by dropping by and saying hello. Anything that doesn't belong in another thread goes here, especially questions about the rules. [thread=1064195]The Prison of Sagaris[/thread]. This is where we keep track of gladiators who have not... followed the straight and narrow, shall we say? If someone discovers an error on your character sheet, they will post that error here. If you don't correct it in a timely manner, the character will not be permitted to fight until the error is corrected. Sometimes people will report you and forget to let you know that they've done so, so you need to check the prison every once in a while to make sure you're not in it. Fights of the Week. There's a new one of these every week. This is where the fights are discussed, and will probably be where you spend most if your time. I'll tell you what do to here when we talk about fights a little later. [thread=?????]The Courtroom of Sagaris[/thread]. This is where we debate rules, putting them to an elder vote as necessary. The thread contains a large list of previous rule adjudications (in posts #9 and #10): rules that were ambiguous at one point, so the final ruling was recorded and is now official. These sometimes change in response to changes in the official FAQ or errata, or a particularly cogent argument, but otherwise you may consider these to be just as binding as the Player's Handbook. [thread=?????]The Black Market of Sagaris[/thread]. This is where you come to spend hard-earned credits, or make other requests that go beyond the scope of the core rules. If you have had a fight or two and realize that your character has a glaring flaw that you need to correct, you may post the request here (per the guidelines at the top of the thread) rather than scrapping the character and starting over. If the CoCo rules change and your character is affected, you can also post requests to make appropriate changes for that reason. Once you have some credits under your belt, you'll come here to spend them. [thread=?????]The Council of Sagaris[/thread] For beginners, it's enough to know that this thread exists. If you go away for a while and then return to us, you'll be able to check up on rule changes here. Otherwise, this is the thread where we debate and implement those changes. Creating a Character So, are you still interested in joining us? Good! Let's get you started. First, visit the Characters thread. Scroll down to post #2, the Character Sheet Template. Click on the button at the bottom and select "Open Link in New Window." Delete the title line (where it says "Re: Character Sheet Template"), leaving it blank for now. Delete the part that says "[QUOTE=MindWandererB;16354331]" at the beginning. Replace "Month Day" in the first line with the month and date of the upcoming Wednesday. Now it's time to fill out the rest of the character sheet. You'll notice that there's a lot of showing your work required--we need that to make sure everyone's character is legal. Other than that, if you know how to create a character in D&D, you know how to do it here, although here are some general guidelines: You can use only material from the Player's Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide, and Monster Manual. No other content is allowed. If there's a rule or piece of content that appears in one of those books, and an updated version exists in some other source, you may use only the original version that appears in the core rulebooks. Exception: Official errata (or "updates" as they're now called) apply if they can be found in a free, online source. Your first characters start at ECL 1, with 0 XP and 100 GP. The budget of 100 GP applies to each character; they may not pool their resources. If you start with a free ritual book (cleric or wizard), you must keep that book rather than selling it. You may use Method 1 or Method 2 (array or point-buy) for your ability scores. There is only one restriction on how you can spend your money: you may not buy potions or poisons. When you get to the bottom, delete the "[/QUOTE]" at the very bottom and hit "Submit Reply." Now, head on over to the Tavern. Let us know that you've posted a new character and you'd like some more experienced players to look over it to make sure it's all legit. You can ask for character-building advice, too--we're happy to give it! When you make this post, you'll need to link to your character sheet. To do this: Go to your character sheet and figure out the post number. One way to do this is to mouse over the number at the top right corner of the post (to the right of your name, above the Join Date). In the status bar at the bottom of your browser window, you'll see something that looks like: "http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=8233659&postcount=643". Write down or memorize the number in the middle (after "p="); that's the post number. In the post you're making in the Tavern, type the following: "[post=########]Character Name[/post]" where ######## is the post number from step 1. That will turn the name into a link that leads to the character sheet. When you're satisfied with folks' opinions, head back to your character post and hit the button, then the "Go Advanced" button. Copy the entire line that begins with "Ready" (except for the [b] and [/b] tags) into the title line of your sheet. Double-check the date to make sure it's correct, and save the changes. Send a PM to Pitlords (click [PM=Pitlords]here[/PM]) with a link to your character (the same way you linked it in the Tavern), saying that the character is good to go. Wait until Wednesday and get ready to fight! Your First Fight So, Wednesday 12 PM PST/3 PM EST is here. What do you do now? Do not edit your character sheet for any reason until the fight is complete. This will result in forfeiture of your fight this week. At some point around now, someone will create a new "Fights of the Week" (FotW) thread. When the pairings for the week are done, Pitlords will post them in this thread. You can also find them in the last post of the Battles thread (which will be linked from the second post of that thread). Look in the section headed "LEVEL 1 FIGHTS." Your character should appear somewhere in that section, looking something like this: Fighter McFightsalot (Bob) vs. () : Somebody[Arena] If not, post in the FotW thread asking why, and someone will help you figure it out. You can see from that entry that your character is fighting Fighter McFightsalot (or whoever), whose player is Bob. You can now scroll up in the Rules thread, find Fighter McFightsalot in the ECL 1 listings, and check out his character sheet to plan your strategy. On the far right is the word [Arena]. That's the map you'll be fighting on (at ECL 1, it will always be the Arena). Scroll down in the Rules thread to post #4 and read up on the properties and layout of that map. Remember that you'll be fighting four battles in a row, with only short rests (and one milestone) in between. Conserve your resources (daily powers, action points, healing surges, and ammunition) appropriately. You don't need to use your healing surges to heal up in between fights, but you do use them up for second wind, healing word, etc. On the right is the name of the pitlord in charge of running the match ("Somebody" in this example). When you've worked out a strategy for beating your opponent, send it to that person via PM. Remember to include: Your character name Your starting position within the starting box What items you'll be holding in your hands at the beginning Your specific plan of action Any contingencies or reminders you think might be appropriate. Each pitlord has certain quirks and preferences; you can read about those [thread=643948]here[/thread]. You have until Friday 9 PM GMT to get these tactics in, or else your default tactics will be used. If you have no defaults, you will forfeit the match. Some time before Tuesday 9 AM GMT, your pitlord will post the fight in the Battles thread. Read through it carefully to see what happened, and who won! Now it's finally time to update your character sheet. At the bottom of the sheet, there's a section labelled "Fight Summary," which includes "Current Fight Cycle" and "Results." Within the "Fight 1" sblock under "Current Fight Cycle," copy and paste the summary from your fight. This should indicate all resources you expended during the fight. Using the template in the standard character sheet, link the results of your fight in the "Results" section. Add one Victory Point if you lost, and two if you won. Delete any expended items from your equipment section. Change your title line to reflect the date of the next Wednesday, and change "Fight 1" to "Fight 2." You're now ready to do it again next week! Continuing your Career past level 1 Here are some things you'll want to keep in mind as you progress through the ranks on your way to the next league. When you finish your 4th fight, you need to update your sheet a little differently, because you finally get some downtime. If you didn't like the way you spent your money when you first created your character, you can change your equipment now. Pretend your original purchases never happened. Expended ammunition is restored for free. You can prepare different spells, if you are a wizard. Delete your existing "Current Fight Cycle" information. You get an extended rest, and all your expended resources are restored to you. For your next fight, you put "Fight 1" in the title again. When you accumulate 6 victory points, your characters will level up! To make sure that everyone has someone to fight, you'll be skipping level 2 and going straight to level 3. Your GP budget goes up to 1750 GP. At this time, you have to keep the equipment you already had (unless your level-up corresponds to the end if your fight cycle), but you can spend your new 1650 GP as you like. You'll have to wait until the end of your current cycle if you want to re-allocate the 100 GP you started with. You gain an utility power, a feat, and an encounter power, as usual for a level 3 character. If you choose a daily utility power, it's available to you now. Per the retraining rules (PHB p. 28), you can swap out and combination of two feats, powers, or skills. If you retrain a daily power that you already used during this fight cycle, the replacement power cannot be used until your next cycle. There will also be some other changes for you: you may face more than one team of opponents (or even have allies), you may be fighting in a different venue, and you are now allowed to go on quests. We're always working on new ways to improve our game; other features may be implemented at a later date. Congratulations, you're well on your way to becoming an arena legend! Be sure to share your experience with new players, or demonstrate your expertise (and earn credits) by becoming a pitlord or questlord!
#9 MindWandererB Jul 15, 2008 16:18:12	Level and XP [indent]Rather than using experience points to track character level, we use victory points (VP). Winning a fight earns you two VP; losing earns you only one. Every 6 VP you earn increases your level. You skip even-numbered levels until you reach level 30. If your XP value matters for any reason, it's equal to the minimum for your current level.[/indent] Money [indent]The budget for characters is always fixed, based on their level. We don't track what equipment you used to have, only what you have now. Thus, you don't need to sell old equipment, track expended ammuntion, etc. However, the same restrictions exist as when you first created the character: each character has their own budget and may not pool resources, and you may not buy potions or poisons.
#10 MindWandererB Aug 21, 2008 4:00:26	General Rules [indent]Here are a few key points to remember about battles in the Core Coliseum. Leaving the arena: If your character should somehow leave the map entirely (e.g. through a teleport effect), there is a 10-round cumulative limit on how long they can be gone for. A character that spends a total of 10 rounds off the map is instantly eliminated. Definition of "defeated": For all battle types, a character is considered defeated when it reaches a state in which the character can in no possible way harm its opponent, that neither the character, nor allies, nor the passage of time, nor the cessation of concentration of the opponent, is capable of reversing. It is not necessary for a character to "bleed out" to be considered defeated, but if they still have their second wind available to them, then the pitlord must roll their death save every round to see if they spontaneously recover (with a roll of 20). In a multiplayer fight, it is possible for a character to be rendered unconscious, recover on their death save, and return to the fight to win--although their opponents may be wise to finish them off while they're down.[/b] Challenges: If you wish to fight a specific opponent, or would like a particular fight format, you can request it from Pitlords. You can even choose special house rules for the battle, or choose a format that doesn't normally happen in pairings, as long as Pitlords approves. Your opponent(s) must agree to this format as well, and each involved person must send their own PM to Pitlords. This costs each player 1 credit, although one participant may cover the cost for another if desired. Make sure to put the request in your character sheet's title line as well so Pitlords doesn't forget. Pre-Fight Actions (prebuffs): Typically, your character is not allowed to do anything to prepare for a fight, such as using utility powers, in advance. However, there are some exceptions, such as recharging a magic item that uses healing surges. Basically, anything that lasts for 1 encounter and/or for any period of time less than 1 day cannot be prebuffed. If you wish to have your character do anything after the previous fight and before the next one (other than taking a short rest), indicate it on your sheet. Restoration between fights: After each fight, your gladiators are restored to full hit points, and any lingering negative effects are ended immediately. Any destroyed or stolen equipment is also restored to you, even if an opponent used it (e.g. if an opponent steals a healing potion from you and drinks it, you get it back anyway). Otherwise, you recover as with a short rest. [/indent] Starting Positions [indent]Characters begin play within one of the starting boxes which are marked on each map. This is randomly rolled by the Pitlord. The characters, however, can start at any space within their starting box, which must be mentioned in the tactics. If this information is missing in the tactic, the gladiators starts by default at the center of their starting box. Characters may start prone. They may also choose to be flying (at 0' altitude) if they have the ability to hover. You may choose what items your characters have in hand at the beginning of the battle as part of your tactics (i.e. you don't have to prebuff held items), but worn items (armor, boots, etc.) are considered prebuffed by default and must be specifically designated as not being worn in your "Pre-Fight Actions" section. All equipment must be carried or worn; you may not opt to have any of your equipment start off on the ground, or be left at home, unless you designated it in the "equipment at home" section of your character sheet (in which case you may not start with it on your person).[/indent] Resolving Fights [indent]Although by default fights are resolved by sending tactics by PM to the pitlord and having them resolve the outcome using those tactics, if you, your opponent(s), and the pitlord agree, you can use another method for resolving the fight. One common method is to create a thread specifically for the fight and resolve the battle in a play-by-post format (posting the results in the Battles thread when it's over). This gives each player greater control over their characters' actions, but can be difficult to finish in one week. You can also use an online tool, such as the D&D Game Table, rptools, or OpenRPG, or you can resolve the battle over an IM client, but in any of these cases the pitlord must keep a detailed log of the fight (positions, rolls, etc.) and post it in the Battles thread along with the results. This method of course grants ultimate control, but can be difficult to schedule. The choice is up to you, but if all parties cannot come to an agreement, then the usual tactics-based system must be used. When using any alternative to tactics-based battles, all players are equally responsible for getting the fight done. This means that if the fight isn't finished and posted by the deadline, the players as well as the pitlord receive the credit penalty! Don't agree to a nonstandard format unless you trust the other participants to be punctual. If one of the participants PMs Pitlords and says that the delay was their fault, the credit penalty for the others will be waived, but whining to Pitlords and saying it wasn't your fault will get you nowhere. Caveat emptor.[/indent] Fight Types [indent]There are several different fight formats in the Core COliseum. Monster Fights: These usually occur when there aren't enough gladiators in a league for everyone to have an opponent. In this case, the gladiators will face one or more monsters (level TBA). If there are multiple monsters, they all start in the same start box. Team Fights: These battles pit two allied teams of gladiators against two other allied teams. Allied teams all start together in the same start box. For special events, more than four teams may be involved, but these types of battles will never be assigned randomly. Free-For-All Fights: Also called "All-vs-All" or "FFA," these battles involve three or four gladiator pairs all trying to be the last ones standing. Each pair starts in a different start box. Only the last team with a non-defeated member is considered to have won. Inter-League Fights: This unusual format places one gladiator pair of a higher league against two of a lower league. The higher-level characters will be 4 levels above the lower-level ones. As in a team battle, the allied teams start in the same box. [/indent] Arguments [indent]First of all, always remain civil! Violation of the Code of Conduct will get you banned, so keep your calm if you feel like you've been wronged. Step away from the computer and go do something else for 10-15 minutes. Now you can post your concern in the Fights of the Week thread (please do not PM your pitlord, it's best to keep these things public). After a complaint, there is generally some brief discussion on the subject. If no agreement can be reached, the pitlord's decision stands, and if it's a rule issue, it will be taken to the Courtroom to clarify for next time. If there was an error, the pitlord responsible is encouraged to correct it, rerunning the fight if necessary. However, he is not obligated to do so, and if he does, he is doing you a favor. If the pitlord doesn't want to rerun, another pitlord may decide to step in and fix the fight. Again, though, no one is obligated to do this. It's clearly in your best interests to present your complaint in the calmest and most explicit manner possible. When pairings come around again, the fight is considered finalized, unless the pitlord sends a PM to Pitlords stating that there will be a delay, or that a previous result needs to be overturned.[/indent] [/color]