Rules change proposal: Negative WoL

[Topaz]

From my standpoint, I do not see anything wrong with the system of WoL as it is. As such, I'm not inclined to run a test basis of Once a Month zeroing out of records in DoS.

I'm in total agreement with Gnort on this.

[Topaz]

There are all ready multiple functions built into the game that help new comers advance, any more just waters it down more than is needed. Talon of Redwin, Ring of Klytus, Panther's Claw, All Ranks Tournament, Squire/Mentor program. It is one thing to offer tools that help the new players gain rank, it is another to entirely baby them and coddle the new players.

Point of order here.

In one of the last two recent so called lower ranks tournaments, the Talon was won by a Grand Master, which technically by the rules is the highest rank eligible to go for the prize. However, this tournament was set up so that the truly lower ranks could get an advantage in fighting, at least to my understanding. The +1 fancies bonus puts the Grand Master effectively at Warlord status.

In the last All Ranks Magic tournament, out of the fifteen participants, four were Mage Emeritus (Lem, Vinny, Xerzes and Wulfson), then there was the ArchMage (Sivanna), and three were Magician rank (Xanth, Shadow and Kalinda). The rest were either Enchanter (myself and Paradise, but Paradise is also a Tower holder) or Apprentice (Yejix and Twidge) or not even on the standings (Lume, Angelica, and Rock).

I make a point of this because in Magic, the higher ranks (Mage and above) have their own tournament, where the prize is challenging the ArchMage. Considering the top prize in the All Ranks Tournament was a rank increase, what is the point of someone with an already high rank competing in that tournament?

Granted there are some opportunities for the lower ranks to compete, in comparison with past years. I for one am grateful for what bones the lower ranks are thrown.

However.

The upper ranks have their own bones to gnaw on, metaphorically speaking. Please leave the lower ranks' bones alone.

My proposal for all the lower ranks tournaments is to limit the entries to the middle rank in each sport (Ruby, Master at Arms, Magician) and below, so as to truly fulfill the intent of these tournaments.

We used to have tournaments that were limited to commoners/glasses/apprentices. Instead of seeing mages/warlords/emeralds we got to see a multitude of new characters, played by the same people. We had a lot of ooc discussions about the morality of that practice of just making new characters. I think the all rank tournaments are preferable. At least there everyone knows who of the characters is played by someone experienced, or at least more often than not. Just something to consider when asking for low ranks only tournaments.

And yes, I'm guilty too of making a new character to duel in a commoner in the past.