General Site Rules Overview

Welcome to the General Rules! This is but a brief overview of the overall rules and systems on this site. Please take a glance at these rules as they will be bound to pop-up as you and your character progresses further down Spatha Naruto RP.
If any of these rules seem unclear to you, please speak with a member of staff for clarification

Ranking System
Here on Spatha, we use a letter-based ranking system to determine 'levels of power'. 
:: Techniques use Ranks
:: Stats use Tiers
:: Items use Levels
:: Characters use Classes
The system progression in power starts with E (being the weakest), D, C, B, A, S, and X (being the most powerful in most cases -- besides jutsu)

Learning Techniques
In order to learn techniques, players must type out a minimum amount of words, based upon the Technique's Rank, they are trying to learn. Certain, more powerful techniques, and/or abilities may require Usable EXP to spend in place of Word Count (Generally Bloodline and Restricted).  Techniques may not be trained during a Combat Topic. Exceptions are made when all participants post their consent to that topic.

Experience Points
Experience Points (or EXP) are the basis for character stat progression and can also determine the general Class of a character. EXP are earned as a standard reward for posting in roleplays (Solo and in groups), Group Missions, and Event awards. 

Skill Points
Skill Points (SP) determine how many Skills and Elements a character can have. A Skill or Element is unlocked by spending a single SP. AT this point, a character may learn and progress in that skill or element at will, which makes these points very hard to come by. A set amount is given at Character Creation, but beyond that, you gain SP by acquiring higher and stronger Classes.

Character Updates
Updates must be posted by the player and then approved by a member of Staff for a character to begin using anything:
:: Techniques
:: Bloodline or Clan Techniques
:: Ryo
:: EXP for stats/Class-Up
:: Anything else that requires an Update to be done

Ryo and Banks
All Ryo that your character possesses is assumed to be on your character's person unless specified being deposited in a bank. If the player owns a Store or Base, it is assumed the items are there if not specified. If the player does not own a store or base, then the items are assumed to be in your Character's House. Specification regarding the items on your character's person can be done via a periodic description in a post or via your signature.

Registering Customs
When it comes to registering customs (Items, techniques, etc), every player is limited to register 5 at a time. This means if you wish to register 10 different custom swords, you must post 5, wait for it to get approved, then register the remaining 5. This is to provide a more manageable workload for the staff and to ensure registrations are checked in a timely fashion.

Advantages
Only applying to stats. Advantages do not apply to the Power of a jutsu.

Two Tier Gap
The Two-Tier Gap between A and S is only relevant for the purpose of Stat Raises and Stat Boosing. It is not relevant for debuffs, Jutsu Power, or anything else.

Boosting Things from S to X
This is prohibited. The same is true for items, chemistry, summons, or any other ranked mechanic. The general presumption is that boosting to X is not permitted absent extraordinary abilities and/or explicit rules that provide otherwise (restricteds, Plot Items, etc)

Jutsu Power
Can neither be buffed, nor debuffed more than 1 Rank in either direction.

Acquiring Exclusives, Restricteds, and/or Artifacts
You must post the acquisition IC, in addition to claiming it via update. Failure to do so may result in the acquisition being declared invalid.

Posting Point of View
All roleplaying will either be performed in first or third person and is written in long form. Do not roleplay using asterisks to describe your action and no internet lingo like "LOL". If your character laughs, describe your character laughing.

Posting Order
A Posting Order is set at the start of each topic, beginning with the first poster and adapting to whomever joins afterwards. Skipping a player without waiting 48 Hours is forbidden, unless the topic is non-combative or the skipped player has given permission to do so. This must be validated by a post, either in the topic, itself, or in an Absence Post.

Controlling other PCs
Players may not control the actions of other player's characters (PCs) unless either permissions has been given or there is a justified reason

48 Hour Rule
Once a post has been made, players will have 48 hours (2 Days) to reply to it. After that time has passed, whatever actions occurring in that post are considered successful, regardless of the target's actions there-after. The player this effects will be unable to interrupt or react to it in anyway other than acknowledging that the action happened. When in a Post Order, each player's turn is 48 hours long. If 48 hours has elapsed and a player has not posted, then they have lost their chance to post that turn. They may not post for that turn without the other player(s) permission. Note: The player whose 48 hours has elapsed may not post, even if other player or players have not yet posted either.

There is a special exception to the 48 Hour Rule. When staff or another member is playing a Special NPC (Plot/Entity Fights/Etc). After 48 hour lapses, a member must give notice to the person playing the NPC as well as ALL members of staff. Staff is given an additional 24 hours to post. If staff does not post within this timeframe, then the player may call hits.

Editing Posts
Players may edit their posts freely until another player posts after them. If someone else posted and you would like to edit your post, you must request permission from the person that posted after you.

Remain Active
Staying active on your character is Important! If you do not make an IC post within three (3) OOC weeks, your character will automatically be admitted to the nearest hospital and shall remain in a coma (at which point, your Kage may demote you) until you post again.

Going Inactive
Players going inactive from the site, for any reason, can post an absence thread (in the Absences Forum), describing whey they are leaving and for how long. Absences can absolve one's character from being subjected to the 48 Hour Rule, however, it is expected that the character (at least) attempts an exit. Absences can be overridden by staff if a player is believed to be abusing the system.

Important characters (Village/Organization leaders, etc) that enter an inactive status or whose players often take extended absences may be subject to losing their position In-Character. Staff will not step in to bestow a character rank or standing to someone else, but may grant permission for another character to roleplay taking over, even if the important character's player is on a posted absence.

Thread Tagging Rules
Here on Spatha, we don't use OOC thread tags such as (Open), (Private), and (NK), etc to tag threads except for very particular reasons. Those tags are considered Informal Highlights and do not actually prevent death nor disallow other players from entering. The ONLY OOC thread tasg that will ALWAYS be enforced are: (M) for Mature Topics and (FB) for Flashback topics. Staff reserves the right to void and archive topics that do not have the appropriate tags. Under special circumstances, such as certain events, there may be new OOC tags which will be enforced. These will always be detailed in the Event Announcement, so make sure to read that thread!

OOC Thread Tags should be in the Thread Title upon thread creation. We understand that sometimes the nature of the topic changes part way through, and if that occurs, the Thread Tags can be changed as long as all current participants are in agreement.

Noting Actions
Any actions taken, whether using an item, using a technique, using an ability, anything that might affect your character or others MUST be noted at the end of your post. This is to avoid player deception that could lead to conflicts and arguments.

Specifying Handseals
Players must describe their character performing handseals, in writing, for those techniques that require it.

Rank Comparisons
There are multiple references to ranks with regards to stats and techniques on the site. These ranks vary from E (being the weakest) to X (being the strongest). Damage inflicted by stats or techniques can compound according to the following:
:: 2 D Ranks = 1 C Rank
:: 2 C Ranks = 1 B Rank
:: 2 B Ranks = 1 A Rank
:: 2 A Ranks = 1 S Rank
:: 3 S Ranks = 1 X Rank
However, collaborating lesser techniques can only collectively increase damage to a total of 2 ranks maximum.

Collaborating techniques of various elements can yield a slightly stronger result. The following combinations will increase the amount by 1 rank:
:: Wind + Fire
:: Wind + Water
:: Fire + Earth
:; Lightning + Water

Sealing "Live" Jutsu
This means sealing jutsu that are currently being used in combat. Sealing Live Jutsu will be extremely limited. Such sealing techniques will have a 5 post cooldown before they can seal another technique. One must also pay the base cost of the rank of the jutsu, regardless of what the caster pays. Fire Sealing Method works in this fashion.

Alternate Characters
Players are allowed up to 2 Alternate Characters (Alts) up to 3 total characters. These characters must be played with separate accounts (create another account) and cannot interact in such a way that either character will stand to benefit.
PROTIP: When creating a new account, you may use the same email address but with an email modifier. If your Email is NarutoHokage1@gmail.com, you can make the email for your alt NarutoHokage1+Sasuke@gmail.com or NarutoHokage1+8985263@gmail.com. Adding the +Sasuke or +8985263 (in this example, it can be whatever you want) will work. But you MUST have the + and then anything else afterwards.

Players may be granted permission for further characters from the administration. A third alternate character may be approved after having passed two consecutive activity checks, and permission for a fourth alternate character may be granted after having passed another two consecutive Activity Checks. There is a cap on characters played by a single player of 5 total characters. One main and four alternate characters. If a player displays exceptional levels of activity and responsibility, they may be granted special permission to make alternate characters beyond this.

Staff will monitor player activity to ensure the privilege of alternate characters is not abused.

Dropping a Character
Dropping a character is defined as retiring a character within 6 IRL months of creation -- regardless of storage usage will result in an alt warning which lasts 1 IRL year upon issue. If a player accumulates 3 alt warnings within 1 IRL year of the first Alt Warning, this will result in an Alt Ban.

During the Alt Ban:
:: The player is limited to the characters they currently have (including any in storage)
:: Upon the death of any of their characters, they may only register a character which consumes no slots (in if the death of that character puts them below the 3 normally allowed). These slots are defined as (Dual KKG, Restricted Clan, Jonin Rank, Enhanced State Slots, etc).
:: After successfully passing one Activity Check and displaying good behavior, the player may be granted 1 alternate character slot back by the staff (if applicable). This alt slot is part of the 3 character slots (1 main and 2 alternate characters) that members have a right to and cannot be beyond this.
:: Gaining an Alt Warning during an Alt Ban will extend the length of the required activity checks to be allowed to make alternate characters by 1 Activity Check per warning.

Staff EXP
Staff and or Members assisting with Roleplaying NPC/Bijuu and the like may be granted 30 EXP per post for their efforts. Staff also gain +150 EXP for the month for performing their Mod/Staff duties.

Staff Ruling
All Staff Rulings must be written and documented on the forums in the form of a post. All Staff rulings that AREN'T on the forum will be considered INVALID until the user actually posts the ruling on the forum.

Dice Rolls
A member of Staff must be present for all dice rolls.