Below is a list of rulings that have been decided though GM discussions, PD discussions and profile rulings. This list will constantly be added to and changed as more things are brought up and policy changes. I made this archive because I know I myself grew very frustrated with trying to keep up with changing policies that were decided in a profile and left there, never to be brought up again until another profile attempted the same thing, or someone asked about it.
So, here is the list in it's current form. Expect changes as things come up or change. If you oppose with something on here, I ask that you take it to the private discussion as to not clutter up this thread.
I will also note, that while this is posted by me and was my idea to make, all the decisions were a team effort and should not be pinned on one person.
Enemy zones are allowed to be accessed ICly and OOCly. IC entrance is allowed so long as there is a good explanation as to why the character is in that zone. OOC entrance is allowed so long as it is not disrupting RP in any way, shape or form. If a GM whispers a player about this, they should have a reason ready and not just made up spur of the moment.
Fel Mutations:
What is allowed with 'Fel Mutations' aren't really mutations at all, so much as they are signs of being exposed to toxic material. As a melee felsworn, one might get increased muscles, but this is due to training, not fel mutations. For everyone, signs of un-health would be allowed such as paler skin, dry lips, rings around the eyes and raw/red gums. Things like scales, claws and fangs are a no-go UNLESS a CMC is requested.
Can a Priest use both Holy and Shadow:
In short, yes. A priest can use both shadow and holy magic and are not bound to one one the other, unless a shadow priest is in shadow form.
Speaking in alternative forms[Druid/Shaman]:
Both druids and shamans can speak in their alternative forms.
Triggers in Profiles:
If a profile requires a trigger warning, it should not be put up, even in a spoiler. Profiles should avoid at all cost mention of uncomfortable topics such as, but not limited too: Sexual abuse, incest, child abuse and other such things. If anything, just make extremely vague references that don't set off any warning bells. If a GM/FH feels if something is too much, please respect all requests to remove it.
Dragonslayers:
Dragon/Drake slaying is something rather serious. When it comes to making an event around slaying a drake or whelp, the GM team would like a heads up that this is going to go on so any ramifications to the slaying can be acted out. Slaying full-blown dragons require GM approval, not just a notification. Slaying any dragon/drake is highly dangerous, but killing anything beyond the black flight is very risky and can likely result in character death via angry dragons and their sworn.
Death Gates:
Death gates cannot go anywhere but Acherus.
Tormentors:
Tormentors were a purely made up Prestige class and has no basis in lore, not even the RPG. As such, it is not a playable class and should not be used as one. The GM team is more than willing to work out a new variant with the current tormentors, just pop us a line in the PD so we can clear an idea or help you come up with one.
Remember, as with all classes, a variant class cannot be 'X but harder/better/faster/stronger'.
Blood Mages:
There are three kinds of Blood Mages, only one of which is playable. The Blood Magi that would be allowed would be warlocks who specialize in using fire and banishing demons. They are on par with magisters with their political rank and would require a special profile unless a player wished to be an Ex-blood mage with no political ties. They are allowed to summon a Phoenix, however they may only use it during battle and it works much like a warlocks infernal. It comes in, fights and leaves after a period of time. They cannot be summoned as a companion or mount. Verdant spheres are also allowed.
The types of blood magi that are not currently allowed are the ones like Kael'thas [Archmage Level with gravity bending powers] and the Bloodmages who actually use blood for their skills.
Cult of the Damned Potion:
The potion that binds a persons forever to the cult was an RPG source of lore. It was decided that this ritual of drinking the potion and being perma-bound to the cult would not be enforced here.
Spirit Walkers:
Spirit walkers may only walk/channel with members of their own race. They can speak with and see spirits of other races, however.
Mage conjuring/summoning:
Mages do not posses the ability to conjure/summon up living animals. Conjuration is for portals, the two 'food/drink' summoning skills and the water elemental.
Mind Control:
Mind control requires the full consent of the other player because it can be used. Mind Control cannot be used to force a character to kill themselves.
Knowing other Languages:
A character may know more than one language so long as they are profiled with the ability and it makes sense. However this knowledge cannot be enforced on other players. If other players do not want to include a character in on a conversation that they cannot understand due to game language barriers, they do not have to.
For example: A human knows thalassian and walks up to a group of blood elves speaking Thalassian. The player can request they start typing the [Thalassian] tag out so s/he can understand, however they do not have to do it if they do not want too.
Unusual Heights and weights:
Characters are only able to go above and below the 0.9 to 1.1 scale limit if they have an approved profile in which the height is explained. There must be a good reason as to why the character is so much larger/shorter than the average beyond 'because I want them to be'. Think about what the size would do to someone. How would being that large effect their ever day lives? How would being abnormally small hinder someone in combat? There's much more to it beyond 'lol I'm tiny/large'.
Worgen Curse:
The worgen curse can be given by either biting someone or allowing them to drink the worgen's blood. However, before someone is changed there is a couple things to note. First off is that it requires a character warning and a players full OOC consent. Second would be that it requires approval by two GMs in the private discussion. We do not want characters running around biting others just to change them for the sake of changing them, nor will we pass a change that's there for 'rule of cool'.
Magical Stealth:
Characters may use stealth/Camouflage as rogues/hunters, however it does not grant full invisibility. It does not grant the ability to hide in plain sight, but it greatly increases the chances of remaining undetected with extra effort is made to hide. In short, using magical stealth while in the middle of a path in front of your target is not going to help. Using stealth while stalking around the side, using trees and other clutter to hide will make you very hard to detect.
Night Elf Worgen:
Worgen who were once Night Elves are allowed, though there are a few restrictions. See here for more details.
Worgen Scent:
Worgen may follow their nose to find someone, but only with that person's consent.
Espionage/Spying:
No permission is required to watch an RP if the RP is taking place in a public location, but you must ask permission if the RP is isolated/private. If they so wish, the people who are being spied on may issue a Character Warning to the spy upon the spy's IC discovery. Any RPs that you simply do not wish to be overheard should be conducted in party chat or whispers.
Note: this, as should be clear, applies to IC spying only. Spying OOCly and then using that information ICly is metagaming, and definitely does not fall under this ruling.
Half-Breeds:
As of right now, Half-breeds be they NPC or PCs are not allowed.
Templars:
Templars are not special profiles, nor do the have the glowing yellow eyes.
Power Level Equality in RP
On CotH, it's been a policy since the abolishment of the Prestige System that "everyone's equal" in RP. It's an unwritten rule that's existed for a while, but it was about time we put it in writing to make it more clear: This rule means that the GM team will never enforce levels of power in RP between two individuals, but we will intervene if it becomes a problem between two players where one is claiming advantage over the other, unlawfully. We know and recognize that certain classes and characters have natural advantages against eachother in select situations and circumstances and we trust the players to use their own common sense and logic when determining the most likely and best possible outcome of a, for example, arena fight.
Every class & race have their own strengths and weaknesses but, in the end, they all have equal chances of besting one another as long as they can manipulate their circumstances in their own favor. Know your race and class and their limitations and be realistic, but don't wave your class title around as if it somehow gives you an automatic advantage; it doesn't. As long as you duke it out on a level playing field, everyone has equal chance of winning. Additionally, this rule is also enforced in Character Profiles in order to stamp out skills and abilities where people claim to be "more powerful" than the rest of their chosen class in any way because we don't want people to be able to point back to their profiles and use it to gain unfair advantage over someone else because "they got it approved".
Shadow Priests Expanded:
1) Telepathy is permissable as an active spellcasting endeavour. The sending of a message is not a casual gesture and needs to be focused on, much like casting any other spell. You can't engage in casual conversation and at the same time speak with someone else over the mental channel. That won't fly. It is encouraged that you emote clearly prior to sending a missive of any kind. Recipients are encouraged to react appropriately, and can ignore these messages. Only Shadow Priests can send messages, but cannot receive a response unless conversing with another Shadow Priest who sends messages back in the same fashion.
2) Mind Vision and Mind Control require permission prior to execution, and the recipients are very likely to be acutely aware of the invasion taking place. They can be resisted.
3) Mind Reading is only possible if you maintain physical or eye contact (at armslength) with the person whose mind you are trying to read, and you can only access the surface levels of their minds. To access any deeper than that, you need the recipient to cooperate with you and bring things to the surface for you to access. This, too, is an active spellcasting effort.
4) Any and all of these spells require the recipient's OOC consent. Lack of consent will result in the spells simply failing, or the character's mental resistance overpowering your spellcasting efforts.
Dragonslaying in profiles:
Dragon slaying in a profile requires a GMs approval of the slaying section. Once a GM has posted the okay in the profile, quoting the section, the profile can be addressed by the forum helpers.
Spellbreakers:
Spellbreakers are special profiles if they still maintain their rank and status officially. Spellbreakers that no longer have their rank or influence [retired for example] are normal profiles.
Worgen Children:
Recently we have been asked by a number of people to discuss and make a decision on if worgen can or can not have children and how those children would even work. This discussion has been in progress for a while, however Blizzard beat us to the punch. After more discussion with the team, our stance was decided to go with what Blizzard has stated as lore.
This means that yes, worgen can have children. However the children will not be worgen and will be human.
Priestesses of the Moon:
After a recent revision PotM are now Special Profiles. Their base class has been solidified to be hunter and because of such they are allowed to profiled with a healing spell under the Skills and Abilities section.
CMCs and Immunity:
We have had CMCs in the past and present that are immune to certain means of combat, however this is not fair to current combat rules of everyone having an equal chance against everyone else unless they willingly make themselves weaker. As a result, CMCs cannot be immune to anything and instead may have resistances against things. They can still get hit by what they are resistant too, and should emote in a way that makes sense for it, and dodges can be explained as the resistance preventing the hit form landing.
An example could be an elemental getting hit on their armor section or bracers [depending on what they are] on a successful hit and the sword passing though their body harmlessly on a fail roll.
Magical Artifacts:
Magical artifacts require PD approval. Be sure to list out clearly what these items do, vague is not good!
Accidental Magic and Self Teaching:
Magic is something that cannot happen on accident. A character cannot just one day wake up, hiccup and accidentally burn a village down due to a sudden magic affinity. They have to be taught in some form, or have the means to teach themselves. In order for a spell to happen, a person must want it to happen. Magic is not an easy art to learn and most will not grasp the concept at a younger age, nor will most train a child to be a mage due to the risks that can come from it. Teaching yourself magic is akin to teaching yourself a new language with no translations, or learning calculus without knowing basic addition.
Special Profile Test-Run
Players are permitted to roleplay their Special Profile character prior to profile approval provided they follow a few select steps and ask GM permission before they begin roleplaying. Details can be found here.
So, here is the list in it's current form. Expect changes as things come up or change. If you oppose with something on here, I ask that you take it to the private discussion as to not clutter up this thread.
I will also note, that while this is posted by me and was my idea to make, all the decisions were a team effort and should not be pinned on one person.
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Entering an enemy Zone:Enemy zones are allowed to be accessed ICly and OOCly. IC entrance is allowed so long as there is a good explanation as to why the character is in that zone. OOC entrance is allowed so long as it is not disrupting RP in any way, shape or form. If a GM whispers a player about this, they should have a reason ready and not just made up spur of the moment.
Fel Mutations:
What is allowed with 'Fel Mutations' aren't really mutations at all, so much as they are signs of being exposed to toxic material. As a melee felsworn, one might get increased muscles, but this is due to training, not fel mutations. For everyone, signs of un-health would be allowed such as paler skin, dry lips, rings around the eyes and raw/red gums. Things like scales, claws and fangs are a no-go UNLESS a CMC is requested.
Can a Priest use both Holy and Shadow:
In short, yes. A priest can use both shadow and holy magic and are not bound to one one the other, unless a shadow priest is in shadow form.
Speaking in alternative forms[Druid/Shaman]:
Both druids and shamans can speak in their alternative forms.
Triggers in Profiles:
If a profile requires a trigger warning, it should not be put up, even in a spoiler. Profiles should avoid at all cost mention of uncomfortable topics such as, but not limited too: Sexual abuse, incest, child abuse and other such things. If anything, just make extremely vague references that don't set off any warning bells. If a GM/FH feels if something is too much, please respect all requests to remove it.
Dragonslayers:
Dragon/Drake slaying is something rather serious. When it comes to making an event around slaying a drake or whelp, the GM team would like a heads up that this is going to go on so any ramifications to the slaying can be acted out. Slaying full-blown dragons require GM approval, not just a notification. Slaying any dragon/drake is highly dangerous, but killing anything beyond the black flight is very risky and can likely result in character death via angry dragons and their sworn.
Death Gates:
Death gates cannot go anywhere but Acherus.
Tormentors:
Tormentors were a purely made up Prestige class and has no basis in lore, not even the RPG. As such, it is not a playable class and should not be used as one. The GM team is more than willing to work out a new variant with the current tormentors, just pop us a line in the PD so we can clear an idea or help you come up with one.
Remember, as with all classes, a variant class cannot be 'X but harder/better/faster/stronger'.
Blood Mages:
There are three kinds of Blood Mages, only one of which is playable. The Blood Magi that would be allowed would be warlocks who specialize in using fire and banishing demons. They are on par with magisters with their political rank and would require a special profile unless a player wished to be an Ex-blood mage with no political ties. They are allowed to summon a Phoenix, however they may only use it during battle and it works much like a warlocks infernal. It comes in, fights and leaves after a period of time. They cannot be summoned as a companion or mount. Verdant spheres are also allowed.
The types of blood magi that are not currently allowed are the ones like Kael'thas [Archmage Level with gravity bending powers] and the Bloodmages who actually use blood for their skills.
Cult of the Damned Potion:
The potion that binds a persons forever to the cult was an RPG source of lore. It was decided that this ritual of drinking the potion and being perma-bound to the cult would not be enforced here.
Spirit Walkers:
Spirit walkers may only walk/channel with members of their own race. They can speak with and see spirits of other races, however.
Mage conjuring/summoning:
Mages do not posses the ability to conjure/summon up living animals. Conjuration is for portals, the two 'food/drink' summoning skills and the water elemental.
Mind Control:
Mind control requires the full consent of the other player because it can be used. Mind Control cannot be used to force a character to kill themselves.
Knowing other Languages:
A character may know more than one language so long as they are profiled with the ability and it makes sense. However this knowledge cannot be enforced on other players. If other players do not want to include a character in on a conversation that they cannot understand due to game language barriers, they do not have to.
For example: A human knows thalassian and walks up to a group of blood elves speaking Thalassian. The player can request they start typing the [Thalassian] tag out so s/he can understand, however they do not have to do it if they do not want too.
Unusual Heights and weights:
Characters are only able to go above and below the 0.9 to 1.1 scale limit if they have an approved profile in which the height is explained. There must be a good reason as to why the character is so much larger/shorter than the average beyond 'because I want them to be'. Think about what the size would do to someone. How would being that large effect their ever day lives? How would being abnormally small hinder someone in combat? There's much more to it beyond 'lol I'm tiny/large'.
Worgen Curse:
The worgen curse can be given by either biting someone or allowing them to drink the worgen's blood. However, before someone is changed there is a couple things to note. First off is that it requires a character warning and a players full OOC consent. Second would be that it requires approval by two GMs in the private discussion. We do not want characters running around biting others just to change them for the sake of changing them, nor will we pass a change that's there for 'rule of cool'.
Magical Stealth:
Characters may use stealth/Camouflage as rogues/hunters, however it does not grant full invisibility. It does not grant the ability to hide in plain sight, but it greatly increases the chances of remaining undetected with extra effort is made to hide. In short, using magical stealth while in the middle of a path in front of your target is not going to help. Using stealth while stalking around the side, using trees and other clutter to hide will make you very hard to detect.
Night Elf Worgen:
Worgen who were once Night Elves are allowed, though there are a few restrictions. See here for more details.
Worgen Scent:
Worgen may follow their nose to find someone, but only with that person's consent.
Espionage/Spying:
No permission is required to watch an RP if the RP is taking place in a public location, but you must ask permission if the RP is isolated/private. If they so wish, the people who are being spied on may issue a Character Warning to the spy upon the spy's IC discovery. Any RPs that you simply do not wish to be overheard should be conducted in party chat or whispers.
Note: this, as should be clear, applies to IC spying only. Spying OOCly and then using that information ICly is metagaming, and definitely does not fall under this ruling.
Half-Breeds:
As of right now, Half-breeds be they NPC or PCs are not allowed.
Templars:
Templars are not special profiles, nor do the have the glowing yellow eyes.
Power Level Equality in RP
On CotH, it's been a policy since the abolishment of the Prestige System that "everyone's equal" in RP. It's an unwritten rule that's existed for a while, but it was about time we put it in writing to make it more clear: This rule means that the GM team will never enforce levels of power in RP between two individuals, but we will intervene if it becomes a problem between two players where one is claiming advantage over the other, unlawfully. We know and recognize that certain classes and characters have natural advantages against eachother in select situations and circumstances and we trust the players to use their own common sense and logic when determining the most likely and best possible outcome of a, for example, arena fight.
Every class & race have their own strengths and weaknesses but, in the end, they all have equal chances of besting one another as long as they can manipulate their circumstances in their own favor. Know your race and class and their limitations and be realistic, but don't wave your class title around as if it somehow gives you an automatic advantage; it doesn't. As long as you duke it out on a level playing field, everyone has equal chance of winning. Additionally, this rule is also enforced in Character Profiles in order to stamp out skills and abilities where people claim to be "more powerful" than the rest of their chosen class in any way because we don't want people to be able to point back to their profiles and use it to gain unfair advantage over someone else because "they got it approved".
Shadow Priests Expanded:
1) Telepathy is permissable as an active spellcasting endeavour. The sending of a message is not a casual gesture and needs to be focused on, much like casting any other spell. You can't engage in casual conversation and at the same time speak with someone else over the mental channel. That won't fly. It is encouraged that you emote clearly prior to sending a missive of any kind. Recipients are encouraged to react appropriately, and can ignore these messages. Only Shadow Priests can send messages, but cannot receive a response unless conversing with another Shadow Priest who sends messages back in the same fashion.
2) Mind Vision and Mind Control require permission prior to execution, and the recipients are very likely to be acutely aware of the invasion taking place. They can be resisted.
3) Mind Reading is only possible if you maintain physical or eye contact (at armslength) with the person whose mind you are trying to read, and you can only access the surface levels of their minds. To access any deeper than that, you need the recipient to cooperate with you and bring things to the surface for you to access. This, too, is an active spellcasting effort.
4) Any and all of these spells require the recipient's OOC consent. Lack of consent will result in the spells simply failing, or the character's mental resistance overpowering your spellcasting efforts.
Dragonslaying in profiles:
Dragon slaying in a profile requires a GMs approval of the slaying section. Once a GM has posted the okay in the profile, quoting the section, the profile can be addressed by the forum helpers.
Spellbreakers:
Spellbreakers are special profiles if they still maintain their rank and status officially. Spellbreakers that no longer have their rank or influence [retired for example] are normal profiles.
Worgen Children:
Recently we have been asked by a number of people to discuss and make a decision on if worgen can or can not have children and how those children would even work. This discussion has been in progress for a while, however Blizzard beat us to the punch. After more discussion with the team, our stance was decided to go with what Blizzard has stated as lore.
Quote:The Chadster @killermonkey78: Can worgen reproduce naturally or only through a bite or blood? Would their child be a worgen or normal?
CDev Response: The worgen curse is exactly that: a curse. Its origins are rooted in the druidic "pack form" that was later altered by the Scythe of Elune. The end result is the worgen we see today, beings that can transmit their affliction to others via a single bite.
In theory, if two worgen were to mate and produce an offspring, that offspring would not be a worgen. The child would merely possess the genetic material of his or her parents, like any other child sans the curse.
This means that yes, worgen can have children. However the children will not be worgen and will be human.
Priestesses of the Moon:
After a recent revision PotM are now Special Profiles. Their base class has been solidified to be hunter and because of such they are allowed to profiled with a healing spell under the Skills and Abilities section.
CMCs and Immunity:
We have had CMCs in the past and present that are immune to certain means of combat, however this is not fair to current combat rules of everyone having an equal chance against everyone else unless they willingly make themselves weaker. As a result, CMCs cannot be immune to anything and instead may have resistances against things. They can still get hit by what they are resistant too, and should emote in a way that makes sense for it, and dodges can be explained as the resistance preventing the hit form landing.
An example could be an elemental getting hit on their armor section or bracers [depending on what they are] on a successful hit and the sword passing though their body harmlessly on a fail roll.
Magical Artifacts:
Magical artifacts require PD approval. Be sure to list out clearly what these items do, vague is not good!
Accidental Magic and Self Teaching:
Magic is something that cannot happen on accident. A character cannot just one day wake up, hiccup and accidentally burn a village down due to a sudden magic affinity. They have to be taught in some form, or have the means to teach themselves. In order for a spell to happen, a person must want it to happen. Magic is not an easy art to learn and most will not grasp the concept at a younger age, nor will most train a child to be a mage due to the risks that can come from it. Teaching yourself magic is akin to teaching yourself a new language with no translations, or learning calculus without knowing basic addition.
Special Profile Test-Run
Players are permitted to roleplay their Special Profile character prior to profile approval provided they follow a few select steps and ask GM permission before they begin roleplaying. Details can be found here.
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