Okay, here are the rules and guidelines.

Rules

• Only basic items are allowed, they will be listed further below.
• Any magic at one's disposal is permitted
• Any techniques at one's disposal is permitted
• You may use your surroundings to your advantage. And keep in mind that elements are weakened by an area of inverse element. At the same time strengthened by an area of the same or similar element.
• Fight creatively, but try not to go over the top. Totally audacious moves will be marked against you in the final decision. However, don't be so realistic that one hit kills you, unless it's a piercing blow to the head or heart that is unevadeable.
• Two actions are permitted in a post, but the very first posts from both players are to have no fighting. The first person enters the area, the second person enters, the fighting ensues after that.
• Unless you're an Elf, you currently lack the ability to outwardly control your element of choice. So for simplicity, no element weilding outside of Charged Techniques will be allowed.
• Fight to win, but remember that winning the fight doesn't win you that duel.
• Be descriptive and creative with your writing. You only have two major actions per post, but add dialogue, descriptions, details. Make it an interesting read!
• Finally... Don't FORCE HIT people. This is when you make an attack, then while setting up your section action in the post, you state that the move hit, and state what it did. Leave that to the opponent or it will mark against you.

Once we know how many people are involved, the areas where the fights will occur shall be prechosen, then the contestants will be matched up via randomization into certain arenas, and against certain opponents. This will hopefully make things more fair for everyone.

Our rating system is as follows (on a scale of 1-10):

Tactics: Originality and intelligence in your attacks. Demonstrate planning to recieve the big points

Regulation: How fairly and realisticly you use, or don't use your spells or techniques. Back to back spells in one turn will obviously leave you open to attack as well as drain your vitality. Anyone apparently with unlimited stamina will lose points here

Quailty: Back to originality, as well as following the rule of only 2 major actions in a turn. This means that if you want consective attacks, you leave yourself open and defenseless. Poor grammar and spelling could also hurt you here, so in a duel be sure to take extra care.

Fairness: How fair were you? Did you force any hits on your opponent?

Technicaility: Ability to overcome oppents attacks in creative and realistic ways. A well aimed attack from your foe is likely to at least glance you, so find ways to minimize your damage.

Overall: The Sum and Average of the above guidelines. In other words your points are added and divided by five. This is the score that determines the winner. Therefore it is possible for you to score a 10 vs a 8.5 in Tactics, but still lose the match....

((For the sake of not being hypocritical, and for being fair when it comes to mental property. This rating system came from the Dueling systems for .hack//DIVERGENCE. If theirs came from elsewhere, I do not know. But it is a good, stable system that has already been proven to work. So I'm just going to use that, with permission of course.))

Here's a side note from a post about forcing hits, hopefully this clears up any confusion (Also taken from .hack//DIVERGENCE):

Megami Tokki: Here's how it must work.
Megami Tokki: No matter what.
Megami Tokki: You may not force hits on your opponent.
Megami Tokki: You may perform two attacks per post.
Megami Tokki: However.
Megami Tokki: As long as your opponent manages to successfully evade or stop the FIRST attack-- the other misses automatically.
DUDE911666: interesting
Megami Tokki: So that's why it's important to look carefully at the opponents post, to make it so it's nearly impossible for them to dodge your attacks.
Megami Tokki: And if they can figure out a way to, it may be far fetched
Megami Tokki: and that's where the judges come in and say whether it's plausible
Megami Tokki: got it?

If that's hard to understand, PM me, but I need to make sure people don't FORCE HITS on your opponent. This is the best way to make it fair without using something ridiculous like Dice. Try to abide by this as much as possible and avoid saying what HAPPENS to the opponent when you attack. Just say what you think 'may' happen and be general.

IE: "Because of her high level, the slashes aimed at her opponents back would do a great amount of damage and possibly knock him to the floor."

Something like that. Thanks so muuuuch :D

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Regulation Items

Tonic of Life: (Light Healing Item)
Tonic of the Mind: (Purges The Mind Of Weak Poison)
Tonic of the Spirit: (Purges The Spirit <Body> Of Weak Poison)
Bread Wafer: (Medium Healing Item)
Hendilin Exctract: (Slows Poisons Of All Strength When A Tonic Isn't At Hand - 2 uses)

Any Other Items Used Will Result In An Automatic 0 In A Category For The User Of The Item.
Only Large Tournaments Like This Will Have The Item Regulation Rule


Okay, now onto what you're all looking for!!!

REWARDS

If we have 8 contestants, the Rewards will be as follows:

Money - A reward of 1,000 Gold will come to the victor of each individual battle. For the semi-finals (after the openers), an additional 500 is added to the victor, and the loser only takes 500. In the finals the victor gets an extra 1500 and the 2nd place gets an extra 1000. So for the absolute victor, this would result in 5,000 Gold. The second place would take 4,500 Gold. Third places would take 1,500 Gold. Fourth place would yield 0 Gold.

Levels - If you can score a 8.5 or above you will gain 1 level from the battle. If you can manage a 9.5 or above you will gain two (assuming you won the actual fight - a 9.5 and a loss of the actual fight will only get you 1 level.) Winner of the Final Match will get an automatic two levels.
THIS IS THE ONLY TOURNAMENT THAT WILL HAVE THIS LEVELS RULE

Items - The winner of the Final Match may take any piece of armor or any weapon that they may actually equip that is in their level bracket or in the bracket just above their current level for free.

If we have 16 contestants, the Rewards will be as follows:

Money - A reward of 15,000 Gold will go to the victor. To the second placed contestant will go 8,000 Gold. Finally to the third place contestants will get 4,000 Gold.

Levels - The levels rule will stay the same.

Items - The winner of the Final Match may take any two weapons or two pieces of armor, or any piece of armor and any weapon, that they may actually equipwithin their level bracket or in the bracket just above their current level for free. So that amounts to a total of 2 pieces of equipment: 2 armors, or 2 weapons, or an armor and a weapon.


So join up in the tournament, fight hard, and reap the benefits of this wonderous event!