DESCENDING

Welcome all, to the Descending master post. This post is to serve as a reference for everyone regarding the Descending story-line, such as event rules, combat functions, expectations of the attendees, and more. In this post you will find by section, what to follow when participating.

   1. RULES


(1a): In Descending events, participants are expected to not godmod their characters beyond what their true power is. All characters are placed at a balanced setting, meaning, that throughout the events of the story, all characters are set at the same health pool (excluding those that are "heavily armored", see 2b). Character's unique abilities do NOT need to be limited to their classes capabilities so long as it is kept reasonable.

(1b): In Descending events, participants are expected to treat other participants with respect. Characters will inevitably argue about the ongoing events and what to do for them, but the moment it becomes too much and threatens the well-being of player relations, it will be strictly stopped with a zero-tolerance mindset. Everyone at these events is attending to have fun.

(1c): Take the storyline as it is. Silliness for comedic relief is fine, but excessive foolishness to diminish the events of the story is not appropriate.

(1d): Participation is not strictly exclusive, albeit with some exceptions: You must be willing to follow the ruleset, as well as respect it. You must also be a member in good standing. Should a person not follow the ruleset, they may be excluded as I see appropriate, for either a single or even indefinite amount of Descending events, depending on severity.

(1e): IC participation is not strictly exclusive, albeit with some exceptions. Alts will be welcomed to the events so long as they follow the new alt guidelines that were recently set (i.e., in moderation). There will be strictly ZERO DUAL-BOXING at Descending events, ESPECIALLY for combat-related affairs.

(1f): If something is not entirely clear, always ask me first.

  2. COMBAT

Have you ever suffered from waiting absentmindedly for your character's next turn to come up? Have you ever been rudely woken by your DM, shouting at you to alt-tab back into the game now that it's your turn? Have you ever suffered from a brain aneurysm?

If your answer to the last question was yes, then you probably aren't reading this, but combat in Descending is far from lacking interaction! Descending events will correlate with a typical turn system in mind, but also with many opportunities to interact between your turns. The main form of which, are mechanics!

Mechanics of boss fights, combat, and all are all hidden from the player until the encounter begins. Participants must learn and adapt at a moments notice in order to best their foes. Keep in mind, Descending boss fights are designed strictly for the players to fail, so paying attention and keeping an eye out is key for success. You must prove your character's wit and ability, prove why they can succeed against all odds.

(2a): Dealing damage in combat is not strictly based on beating the opponent's rolls in Descending. A modified D20 system is used for combat encounters. Damage from attacks will always deal some amount of damage, regardless of roll. For example, blocked attacks will still deal at least one point of damage, depending on circumstances. Damage done is calculated solely by the DM of the events. Keep in mind, that the modifiers on damage are rolls, enemy/player reaction, and enemy/player resistances. Higher rolls will yield an increase in damage, albeit minimal. Enemy and player reaction, as well as resistances, are calculated further by the DM. There are no "critical hits" in Descending.

(2b): Armor and its modifiers count as "resistances." Armor, depending on its type, IC enchantments, and limits of its armor type, will be treated accordingly. Plate and mail are not as easy to strike through as a piece of fabric, and thus, cloth-wearing players are more susceptible to damage. A player wearing full plated armor as well as a shield can be considered "heavily armored." Use your own wit, and judge accordingly. Do not act like someone in full plate gear can run full sprint and perform martial arts without running out of stamina. While it is a fantasy setting, pretending like plate armor is as light as a feather will result in your plated armor being treated like it is made of feathers.

(2c.) Direct combat and abilities will use two meters, Hitpoints and Stamina. Hitpoints are set at (10), and Stamina is set at (5), for all players, at the beginning of the Storyline, and will progress as characters progress. Only through performing the correct actions will characters properly progress, meaning that it is important for characters to interact and uncover artifacts as the story continues. Hitpoints and Stamina are to be listed in the player's RP addon profile and be tracked by the player. The DM will also be keeping track, as to avoid any cheating the system.

(2d.) Stamina is used for characters to attack, defend themselves, and overall use abilities. Stamina recharges at a rate of (2) points per turn cycle. There are many functions to perform in Descending during combat, such as ACTIONS, LIGHT ATTACKS, HEAVY ATTACKS, HEALING, and DEFENDING.

Actions will use zero stamina, unless they involve object interaction outside of the player's own inventory. Actions involving lifting a heavy object, throwing an item, or sprinting will consume some Stamina. Moving to avoid mechanics is not considered an action, nor is it considered sprinting.

Light attacks consume (1) Stamina, and deal less damage than a heavy attack.

Heavy attacks consume (3) Stamina, and will deal increased damage.

Healing will consume (2) Stamina, and will exhaust players from recovering stamina that turn cycle.

Defending will consume (2) Stamina, and reduce damage taken. Characters may only defend themselves from attacks.

Characters who are heavily armored, and have shields have this directly upgraded to BLOCK, which reduces damage further, and consumes only (1) Stamina. They may also defend other friendly characters from incoming attacks.

(2e.) Mechanics are meant to increase player activity, get their brains flowing and get into the groove of combat. Many are indicated by certain abilities, raid markers, and raid warnings during combat. Following them is important to surviving the encounters, and can be difficult at times. Lag and bad connections will be accounted for, but by no means, do not cheat the system and the DM's generosity. Doing so will quickly lead to an indefinite exclusion from Descending events.


Combat is going to be the bulk of Descending's adventures, and it's critical that players work together, think things through, and use their wit! The system is meant to stop players from feeling left out if their attacks miss altogether, and also to provide more activity than just waiting for their turn.

  3. NON-COMBAT EVENTS

While combat is intended to be the main focus of Descending's story, storyline can and will be pushed through non-combat means on occasion. During these events, character choice will yield the bulk of the interaction. Exploration, puzzles, treasure finding, and more are all a part of Descending's theme, and are important to progressing.

Character choice may change the entire course of the story. So much as killing a roach on the floor can alter events as they progress, so be sure your characters think carefully, and use their better judgement.

(3a.) Characters interacting with objects outside of combat may require rolls if it is outside of your character's innate ability. A weaker character trying to lift a heavy rock may result in a strength check, and even then, a perfect roll may not be enough. Luck is only so reliable.

(3b.) People can freely interact with objects, but before performing a magical interaction, or trying to lift an object, etc. it is important to whisper the DM to see whether that action is performable.

(3c.) Be reasonable with your character's limits. This falls under the godmodding rule, but it is important to restate it.

(3d.) Your characters are expected to react accordingly to interactions. Such as the previous example, a character trying to lift a massive object, but having weak arms, is expected to be exhausted for a while. Certain interactions may affect your character's hitpoints and stamina even outside of combat. This is important to remember, as it will not be regenerated unless noticed.

   CLOSING

It will be important to refer back to the rules sometimes, to be sure they are clear. Eventually, throughout the progress of the storyline, they will become completely subconscious, and everything will smooth out!

I would like to state one final thing, keep posts for interactions and combat thorough, but brief. Events can last a long time, but for clarity it is important to be sure everyone is on the right page, as well as wrap up events in a timely manner.

Thank you all for reading the Descending ruleset. When events begin rolling out, this will be an important set of guidelines to follow for the players, and is critical to the events. Be sure you read and understand all of the rules above, as well as follow and respect them.