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Combat in Charm City



Combat in Charm City



While Charm City is not meant to be considered a combat sim alone, IN CHARACTER conflicts are going to occur. We know this adds to the adventure and drama of the experience and hopefully to the ongoing story of your character. We do not employ HUDs or Meters at CCRP so any form of combat will be done exactly as the rest of our RP unfolds: good, thoughtful freeform roleplay. So with that in mind, these are some guidelines to adhere to for combat so we can keep conflict IC (In Character) and hopefully never have it spill into OOC (Out of Character).


YOUR CHARACTER IS NOT YOU. We get invested in our characters, and honestly that is one of the things that make for great RP, however please remember that if your character is being attacked, it is not the same thing as you being attacked personally. We do realize that sometimes there can be OOC feelings thrown into the mix and that is strongly discouraged from any party involved.


BE MINDFUL OF THE LIMITS OF YOUR OPPONENT/PARTNER. It is not mandatory, but it is strongly encouraged that each player have in their profile a list of roleplay limits. This includes things like DEATH, DISMEMBERMENT OR OTHER INJURIES, CAPTURE, KIDNAP, SEXUALITY AND OTHER ADULT SITUATIONS, ETC. Please remember limits go both ways, Charm City is an adult themed sim and therefore adult situations can happen between other players that won’t involve you, so long as this is within SIM rules and doesn’t involve you directly, no player has to cam or remain within chat range of RP (combat or otherwise) that makes you uncomfortable.


COMMUNICATE. In large format events, sometimes posts get missed. Sometimes a particular move needs to be explained further. All the time good communications through IMs help a scene go smoother and will help scenes end up with a more satisfying or exciting conclusion. Questions are usually better than comments if there is confusion. Don’t assume you or your posts are being ignored, ask if a post was missed. AND PLEASE BE KIND with both questions and answers, we are only making enemies IN CHARACTER, we want to encourage friendships OOC all around.


CHESS NOT CHECKERS. Combat scenes that are only for the purpose of winning or proving the “toughness” of a character will usually end up not very satisfying. At CCRP, we encourage character development and furthering storylines even in combat. Sometimes that comes as much through defeat as it does winning or using strategy as much as force. We have set up our powers list so that no player has a supreme advantage over another (Except for “Boss-style” characters regulated by sim management which are universal threats and intend to add to the over-arching storyline of the sim and encourages team-work from the participating players). It is important to employ strategy as much as powers or proof of combat acumen.


KNOW YOUR CHARACTER’S LIMITATIONS. By this point, you’ve spent time putting together an amazing character to play, you likely agonized over your powers, put together uniforms or costumes or outfits, and come up with a backstory that is going to set the stage for some amazing RP experiences. Don’t forget your character’s weaknesses or limitations. There is a section regarding power level usage and the limitations and cooldowns that may be involved, so be sure to go over that. The point is, remember in combat, and in particular in SUPERS combat, you are not only going to be using powers and attacks, you will be having powers and attacks used against you. Play accordingly.


RESPOND AND REACT TO ATTACKS LEVELED AGAINST YOUR CHARACTER. In my early days in SL, I started in a sim that had a “Rubber Chicken Rule” in their combat guidelines. Put simply, every attack deserves a response, and that response needs to be more than always dodging, even if you are attacked with a rubber chicken. Now, this is not meant to be ridiculous, it is simply a respectful way to play. While this is not suggesting that you take every punch thrown, it is saying that simply dodging every attack leads to a very boring scene and will likely cause people to avoid you in the future. More than three consecutive dodges in three consecutive rounds is deemed excessive. Instead of “dodges the fireball then stands up and grins saying, ‘You missed.’” Try this: “The fireball narrowly misses, the heat singes the hairs along YOUR CHARACTER’s arm, his sleeve still smoking when he gathers himself, reeling from the near-miss and pawing for any loose object of weight that he can hurl at his ferocious attacker. The park bench he finds takes a little effort to break the bolts anchoring it to the ground, but it is flung at the flamethrower…” The first post was dismissive and can be considered taunting OOC to some, the second makes both characters mighty… In super style RP, make your opponent mighty as well as yourself. Watch as most players will respond positively to this sort of interaction because it breeds respect.


TAKE TWO. We ask that if your character is using firearms that you follow the two round post rule (one post per round). Drawing, aiming, and firing your weapon should take two rounds of RP posting to happen. For instance in your first post, your character will draw their weapon from the holster and begin to present the firearm. The second post will consist of aiming and firing. If your character already has their weapon drawn, “Bill slowly exited the police cruiser as a sense of unease settled upon him, his hand slowly moved to the butt of his service pistol, his eyes keen and sharp as the Beretta slid from his hip holster and into his hand.”, then be sure to adequately RP aiming and firing the weapon so your RP partner has a chance to respond.


COMPLETE YOUR TURN AND WAIT FOR POSTING ORDER BEFORE POSTING AGAIN. We discourage “rapid fire one line” posts as a general rule for RP at CCRP. In other words things like: “Bill looks up”....”He dodges the bullet”...”smiles”... “aims his gun”...”shoots the bad guy”. All short posts in quick succession (with a dash of powergaming) before anyone else has a chance to respond. We don’t require multiple paragraphs, but it is the player’s responsibility to put all their actions and reactions into one post during one round. If it is one line or three paragraphs.


DISENGAGE. If you are in the midst of chaos and find yourself surrounded by enemies, you may want to get out of dodge. To flee, you must first use an action (one post) to actively try and disengage from the scene. Please keep in mind, this may be difficult if you are not surrounded by allies. After your attempt is made and if it is successful, you may then use your next post to flee the scene.


If you do not disengage before leaving the scene, this will provoke an attack of opportunity. An attack of opportunity means your enemy gets one free melee attack that HITS automatically. If you are surrounded by more than one person, and are visible to those people, this means EACH person gets a free attack against you.


BE REASONABLE. ​If you enter a scene as the aggressor and end up surrounded by enemies, prepare for the consequences. While we understand it may be frustrating to be put into this situation, please recognize you have put yourself there. Do not attempt to end a scene just because you're losing. That's not fun nor fair. If a member of our team sees this occurring, it will result in your character being apprehended by the authorities immediately.



Power levels and you



In Charm City, when applying as a Metahuman, the player is asked to determine three power levels for their specific character. The admins at Charm City determined that this would help create a diverse group of unique Metahumans. Along with power levels, Metahumans are required to choose a weakness. Balance is very important in Charm City. We hope that this will provide an overall enjoyable experience not just for Metahumans but for Humans as well.


Level One is the most basic usage of ability that expends the least amount of energy or effort. It might be considered a passive ability (durability for instance), but for the majority of powers it does require will and effort to use and use effectively, or it can become a detriment to the character (for instance a telepath that can’t shut off the voices of other people’s mind and becomes unable to sift through them). Level one can always be employed so long as the player is conscious and present in a scene. It will be strongly diminished or harder to access after a level three attack.


Level Two is an advanced usage of ability that demands more focus, control, effort or energy. Of course this is a greater display of ability and therefore can lead to exhaustion with prolonged usage. This could be limited by distance, loss of focus or attention, and exertion or over use of power. Level two usage will also be subject to cooldown after three consecutive uses in a scene and will be unavailable after a level three usage.


Level Three is the upper limit of an ability. It demands the highest exertion of focus, control, training, effort or energy. This would be a complete unloading of whatever a character has "left in the tank". Usage of a level three ability should be limited to once per RP scene. For instance, if a teleporter has to evacuate a group of people from a burning building, such a use would completely expend their power reserves.


Paladin type characters are tanks by nature and typically display level one or two level abilities. The exceptions will be STRENGTH, DURABILITY, and ENDURANCE, these in particular all have upper level uses (LEVEL THREE) and should be played as such. While durability on the upper level might make one bullet-proof, the prolonged impact of a sustained attack from a mini-gun or multiple assailants attacking at once will overwhelm such an ability and be expected to take a toll during a scene.




WEAPONS FOR CIVILIANS IN CHARM CITY



For the most part, normal, obtainable weapons are sanctioned for civilians in Charm City. Most non-firearm and non-explosives are included in this (i.e. blades and bludgeons as well as tasers and mace or pepper spray). Law enforcement, Vanguard Genetics Security, and Omega Watch have fewer restrictions because training and weapons handling are part of their job, but remain under similar legal scrutiny if misused or abused.


Firearms for civilians will be classified into two categories: Legal and Illegal.


LEGAL FIREARMS for legal civilians (including no criminal record) are those weapons that are:

  1. Sanctioned by the city with a weapons permit
  2. Firearms that are legally obtained (not stolen from a previous RP)
  3. Firearms that can be easily concealed carried meaning revolvers or semi-automatic pistols. Sawed-off shotguns and sub-machine guns do not fall into this category because they are Federally restricted under the National Firearms Act of 1934.
  4. Firearms used for home defense (used within your rented property-does not include shooting out your window or sniping) such as revolvers,semi-auto pistols, shotguns with an 18.5 inch or greater barrel length, and rifles (discouraged because rifles are heavy penetrators and can open up the user to a wanton endangerment charge). Legal firearms of all types may be transported in appropriate cases and must be unloaded while in public, except for sanctioned concealed carry firearms.
  5. No fully automatic weapons can be issued or purchased by citizens as they are outlawed by the National Firearms act of 1934 without a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (BATFE) without an extensive background check and tax stamp. (There is no mechanism in CCRP for this so all full-auto weapons by legal citizens is prohibited)

ILLEGAL FIREARMS are defined as anything falling outside the stated parameters of the above legal firearms. Possessing, brandishing, use of in commission of a crime (including intimidation), and discharging of illegal firearms will make the offender legally liable with potential arrest and jail time. Additionally:

  1. Full automatic rifles, submachine guns, shotguns, personal defense weapons, and handguns usage, while cool, are going to be subject to particular and heavy scrutiny by both IC law enforcement and OOC administration (play fair, play nice).
  2. Casual open carry of ANY firearm-related weapon by a civilian. INCLUDING normally legal under the Second Amendment weapons. Baltimore, under the circumstances in our world, is under heavier restrictions sanctioned by the state and US Government and upheld by the US Supreme Court. You will be under scrutiny and potentially arrested for carbines, rifles, shotguns, revolvers and pistols, etc that are not properly concealed or cased (see e under legal firearms). This can be temporarily suspended in case of extreme civil emergencies that will be sanctioned by an official announcement by the staff with admin approval.
  3. Ridiculous violations will be met with overwhelming response. Pull up with that mini-gun or grenade launcher or Ma Deuce and YOU WILL BE OVERWHELMED WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT (Including Omega Watch) OR THE FIVE OR BOTH. Punisher-type characters are not unwelcomed, but Frank Castle is a vigilante that is subject to arrest if caught. Mainly, play smart and play fair and play nice.
  4. Illegal weapons CAN be trafficked in CCRP like illegal drugs, but must be done with the same care to avoid detection by law enforcement or concerned citizens. In other words, alleys, tunnels, warehouses, and back rooms can be your friend.

EXPLOSIVES exist and can be utilized in CCRP under certain conditions.

  1. Essential to the story or scene(for instance robbing the bank and needing to blow the vault)
  2. Understood that usage should be limited
  3. Understood that usage must be approved by a Mod or Admin
  4. Understood that usage must be consensual with other players in the scene
  5. Understood that explosives are not easily obtained or created
  6. Understood explosives are dangerous to transport
  7. Understood that usage will draw attention
  8. Understood that usage will have legal IC consequences.
  9. Teargas (CS), Smoke, and Flashbang grenades are considered not lethal unless modified. Modified usage must have prior approval. Unmodified usage is exempt so long as their usage is not excessive within a scene (more than twice in a scene).

LASERS, FOCUSED ENERGY WEAPONS, FUTURISTIC AND ALIEN TYPE WEAPONRY.

Such things are in existence in our world but are expensive, rare, and require large or exotic power supplies not easily found or created or re-created. Omega Watch has access to alien tech, as does the Vanguard Corp, and, to a lesser degree the Order of the Black Hand. OW does employ energy weapons, but they are large, heavy, and usually ground or vehicle based and primarily used in defense roles only because of this.


IF there are any budding Tony Starks out there and you want to create armor, if you are a human you MUST have CRAFTSMANSHIP and RESOURCES as skills or if you are a paladin meta with level 4 intelligence and, you MUST have RESOURCES as a skill, OR you must partner with RPers with these skills.


You must have been RPing regularly at Charm City for at least a month and gained approval from a Mod or Admin, and the process and progress of building and refining must be RPed. NO exo-skeletons or combat armor will be allowed to be invincible or supremely powerful and MUST have stated capabilities (including computing and tactical) as well as weaknesses including and not limited to battery life prior to use.


Upgrades must also have approval and may be asked to have trade offs to keep players balanced.


Giant mecha-style creations will not be permitted outside Omega Watch. Your armor must be worn, not just piloted.


Superweapons fall under the same restrictions as power armor.


Please note: These rules are subject to change at any time.




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