FAQ 6.1: How is PvP (Player vs. Player) combat handled here?

How is PvP (Player vs. Player) combat handled here?

The popularity of evil and neutral characters waxes and wanes on this site, and with it tends to wax and wane the popularity of PvP combat. Even so, many people are curious as to how often it tends to happen here and what our feelings on it are. To wit:

Our Feelings on PvP: PvP combat can be an accepted part of roleplaying. If treated maturely and resorted to sparingly, it can enhance the RP experience without derailing ongoing plot too badly. However, it can very easily be abused or treated blithely, in which case it becomes a big pain in the butt. Basically, we don't ban PvP here, but if you can resolve your differences between PCs in any other way, we'd greatly appreciate it if you did so.

Also remember that, while risk is the part of the game that makes it fun, PC death itself is never fun for the player of the dead character. Any time there's a risk of it happening, we want to make sure an impartial DM is there to make sure everything happens fairly and by-the-rules (something I'm sure we'd all agree is for the best).

How PvP is Handled: First of all, keep the following note in mind: if PCs intend to start a fight with one another, a non-participating DM must be present. (Player DMs don't count for this, either; a full DM must be present and in a position to adjudicate the scene.) If a DM isn't around or in a position to adjudicate, PCs should either pause the scene or find some way IC to de-escalate the situation.

Let me reiterate, just to make sure it sinks in: If a PvP fight takes place IC without a DM present, it did not happen. Any IC effects are voided, and players will be instructed to act as though the fight never took place. Multiple violations of this policy may result in character loss or site ban.

Manfred's Training Grounds: This room is specifically set aside for non-lethal combat. PvP is both allowed and expected there, so long as the combat remains specifically non-lethal. If it turns lethal--that is, if one PC decides to specifically attempt to injure or kill the other, a DM must be present, as per the policy above. (And just so it's made clear: in a non-lethal combat, there is no way to 'accidentally' do lethal damage, through either a natural 1 or critical hit. That would defeat the entire purpose of the "DM must be present if there's a chance of PC death" thing.)

Some In-Character Thoughts to Keep in Mind: Silverymoon is generally a calm, peaceful city. There are a few neighborhoods that aren't that great, but all in all, the Rods and Knights combine to run a fairly tight ship, and violence is taken care of quickly and efficiently--even in the grungier sections of town, there are those that seek to avoid drawing the Rods' attention to the area, and will thus act to put down this sort of thing. On the streets, you can assume the Rods (or other NPCs in some cases) will show up rather quickly to any altercation, and they are not incompetents.

Put more simply, there are NPCs in most places that do not take kindly to violence. Your characters would know this (it is part of the city's reputation, and is quickly apparent to newcomers), and players at least should take it into account.

In-Character Punishment: Violent crime is dealt with on a case-by-case basis, but for a true brawl, characters can expect to spend at least a few days in the city dungeons, if not a few weeks depending on the fight's severity (and recidivism on the part of the partipants), and perhaps pay a fine as well. If the fight results in death and the perpetrator is caught (in a circumstance other than provable self-defense), expect to lose the character. Period.

Outside the city, the rule of law doesn't have much sway, so circumstances may vary widely.