NOTE: All duelers MUST read and agree to the below BEFORE participating in the dueling club.
NOTE: This post was originally posted by Tazenhani and later continued by hermionesclone so all credit goes to them. I simply copied and pasted it with interest to continue on with the club ^^
------------------------------------------------



Overview: The dueling club will be designed around a tournament in which students will compete based on a point system. Pairings will be determined, first by random draw, and then by the ranking of the point system as duels are completed. The winner of the dueling club or each year/tournament category (to be determined based on how many participants sign up) will have the opportunity to duel in a final battle against a dueling club guest. Points will also be awarded to the winner of the tournament category.

Text Cut: Example

A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H are duelers.

Duel 1 (random selection):
A vs. E
B vs. G
D vs. F
C vs. H

E, B, D and H all won their respective duels

Duel 2 (based on winners):
(between the winners)
E vs. B
D vs. H

B and D won their respective duels

(between the others)
A vs. G
F vs. C

A and F won their respective duels

Duel 3 (based on the winners):
B vs. D (for first and second place)
E vs. H (for third and fourth place)
A vs. F (for fifth and sixth place)
G vs. C (for seventh and eighth place)

Purpose: The purpose of the dueling club is to enhance the dueler's ability to perform magical combat. The dueling club will focus on using magic as the main tool, but will encourage physical tactics as well as creativity and ingenuity, problem solving and quick thinking. Creativity and uniqueness in the application of spells and execution is encouraged. The aim is to create well-rounded minds which can quickly evaluate and adapt to dangerous and unpredictable circumstances.


Format:
The dueling club will be divided into two sections:

• Official Meetings
  (Contains a seminar and tournament duels)
  
  Text Cut: Official Meetings

  • The Official Meeting will consist of two parts.
    • Seminar:
      • The theoretical/housekeeping section, where Malachi will go over tips for dueling, standings and announcements for the club.
        • First meeting will discuss rules and set-up of the dueling club, as well as finalizing sign-up (see Tournament Duels).
          • To this end, there will be an official sign-up announcement which will be posted after the feast closes. Anyone who wants to be in the dueling club MUST sign up before the first Official Meeting. Otherwise, unfortunately they will have to wait for next year. This will allow us to hold a tournament without having to figure out how to accommodate new arrivals.
          • That being said, as exclusion is no fun, new arrivals or 'Club Potentials' are free to sign up for a 'Practice Room ONLY' section, where they can use the Practice room and sit in on sessions. They will not be able to participate in the actual tournament.
      • Q & A will/can may occur during the section (depending on time and interest).
      • Spell Assignments and Challenges will also be explained during these Seminars (see Practice Room)
      • Seminars should run max of 3-4 days
    • Tournament Duels:
      • The second part of the Official Meeting will consists of Tournament Duels.
      • These will be duels scheduled to occur (by staff), with rankings and pairings in a tournament style.
        • Once paired up, duelers will have their own individual thread to duel with their assigned opponent.
          • Any fans/observers are asked to post in the 'Stands' thread. This will make tracking and managing the points of the duels easier, if it is just the two duelers posting in their assigned threads
        • Duelers MUST complete their duels by an assigned date. If they cannot/there is no official winner at the end of the time period, the points of each dueler will be considered the final scores.
          • Any extenuating circumstances MUST be discussed with DaniDiNardo
        • Standings are determined by the remaining points at the end of a Duel, and will determine each dueler's rank in the tournament and as such who they will duel next
          • Dueler's may NOT challenge another dueler in the Tournament. Practice time can be used for this, and is encouraged. (See Practice Room)
        • The first duel will be a random draw
          • Please note that cross-year pairings may occur
      • Meetings will be scheduled as 'classes', and will appear on the Class Schedule list.
        • The exception to this is that the 'Tournament' portion of the meeting will not be scheduled on the class schedule list. Tournament duels are to be completed by a date assigned by the DADA Professor, and are to be treated like 'homework' assignments for the Official Meetings.
• Unofficial Meetings
  (Unscheduled/optional practice time, Spell Assignments, Challenges)
  
  Text Cut: Unofficial Meetings

  • This is open duel-room time. This will be on-going BETWEEN official meetings, and the Practice Room will be open and free to use to dueling club MEMBERS only.
    • Members include both those who have signed up for the tournament, and new members who can use Practice Time only
    • Students who are not members of the dueling club can use the Duelling Arena to practice their spell work
  • As this time is for Practice, it will not be scheduled in the class schedule thread
  • During this Practice Time students may do the following:
    • Duel:
      • Duelers may voluntarily challenge anyone in the club (regardless of whether they are paired for a tournament or not, or within the same dueling group).
        • The exception is that only younger students can challenge older students (older grades cannot challenge younger grades). The exception is that 7th years CAN challenge 6th years.Will be an exception for 7's being able to challenge 6's, due to expected numbers)
        • Duelers may duel according to dueling club rules/point-system (and are encouraged to do so for practice), or by regular RPing (without the point system)
        • Duels that take place during this time will NOT count towards the tournament, or any other points (for the dueling club or otherwise)
    • Spell Assignments:
      • Duelers are encouraged to complete 'Spell Assignments', discussed during the Duel Seminar
      • 'Spell Assignments' are specific spells which duelers must learn and practice on their OWN time, before they can be used in the duel club (practice duel or tournament).
      • Only those duelers who have completed these Assignments can use these spells in the Tournament
      • There is no 'due date' for 'Spell Assignments'
      • Requirements for completing the Assignment will be outlined in the Seminars or may be posted in the Practice Room
      • Only ONE 'Spell Assignment' or 'Challenge' can be completed by a dueler at a time, and they cannot be combined.
    • Challenges:
      • Duelers are encouraged to complete 'Challenges', discussed during the Duel Seminar
      • 'Challenges' are tasks that aim to increase dexterity, ingenuity and creativity during a duel, and usually occur in a unique setting (which the Practice Room has been charmed for. Each challenge will have specific tasks or obstacles to overcome in order to complete the 'Challenge'
      • Benefits will be afforded to those duelers who complete 'Challenges'. These may be health, magic or fatigue points or an advantage while dueling. Please note that any points you gain from challenges will be added to the next duel you take part in. So if you complete a challenge halfway through Duel 1, the points you gained from the challenge will be applied to Duel 2 and further duels, not Duel 1.
      • Only ONE 'Spell Assignment' or 'Challenge' can be completed by a dueler at a time, and they cannot be combined.
    • All 'Spell Assignments' and 'Challenges' MUST be completed in the Practice Room. Duelers must label their posts as to which 'Assignment' and 'Challenge' they are completing, or who they are practice dueling with.

How the Tournament Works:
As with the last dueling club, the tournaments and scheduled duels, will be determined on a point-based system. However, unlike the last dueling club, there will be 3 Point Sections:

• Health
• Magic
• Fatgiue

For anyone who has played a computer RP game, this may sound familiar, and works in the same way. Each dueler has a set amount of points in each category. The duel ends when one dueler loses all points in EITHER their Health or Magic. The remaining points will be totaled and determine the dueler's ranking in the tournament.

If a duel is not finished, the standing will be determined based on the points up until that moment. Therefore, students are encouraged to complete their duels. If circumstances arise in which a student cannot make the duel club time, alternate arrangements for the duel will be made by DaniDiNardo.

It is important to remember that points do NOT regenerate during a duel. The only exception is if a caster uses a spell which gives them a bonus of points in a category. However, duelers will start out with a full set of points appropriate to their age/grade, at the beginning of each duel.

SPOILER!!: The Point System

The Point System:
ANY action taken by a dueler will cost them points (unless they have cast a spell with an advantage that says otherwise). There is no limit to the number of spells or actions a dueler may make in one particular post, save for how many points they have.

Each spell and action has an assigned number of points, which will affect the subject on which the spell is cast. All casters must lose the Magic points specified by the spells, as it costs magic to cast any spell. Similarly, any physical action/defense/maneuver will cost Fatigue points. The points lost by the subject of the spell, depend on whether that spell is cast on the caster, opponent or an inanimate object. Some spells will also have enhancements/benefits/detriments to them which MUST be followed.

It is important to remember that a caster CANNOT determine the outcome of their own spells on an opponent (on an inanimate object, yes). Likewise, to defend against a spell, the dueler MUST use magic or fatigue (unless by advantage of a previously cast spell).

Duelers may cast multiple spells, or combine the effects of spells. Similarly they are encouraged to cast spells on their environment to aid in the duel (either as opposition or defence tactics). Above all, duelers are encouraged to use their points and spells creatively.

An approved listing of Spells for the club, and their associated point system, can be found HERE.
(Note that + refers to points gained by the subject (caster or opponent) and - refers to points lost).

The Three Point System is as follows:

• Health Points:
  • As it sounds, health points are is the amount of physical 'health' that students have.
  • Any spells that cause damage, and are taken as a 'hit', will decrease the 'health' of the student (the number of points)
  • If a student loses all their health points, the duel is over and that person has lost the duel
    • Note that loosing Health does NOT equate to loss of limbs, blood or life, but more accurately to the health one has before serious injury occurs.
    • Once all health is lost, it will be the equivalent of a knock-out (even though the student does not have to be unconscious at the point of loosing all health).
    Text Cut: Health Points Per Grade

    • 1st Year: 100
    • 2nd Year: 150
    • 3rd Year: 200
    • 4th Year: 250
    • 5th Year: 300
    • 6th Year: 350
    • 7th Year: 400
    • Professor/Staff: 500
  
  
• Magic Points:
  • These are the amount of 'magic' a student is able to cast (as magic takes physical and mental effort, this is not unlimited)
  • The amount of points are based on grade, as the older and more experienced a student gets, the greater their ability to cast spells and the longer they can do so for
  • EACH and EVERY spell cast will use up magic points, regardless of if the spell is effective (hits) or not
  • Some spells may cause damage to Magic or Fatigue points rather than to 'health' points
  • A student CANNOT cast a spell that has a greater Magic 'cost' than the number of points they have. (If they do, the spell will automatically fail and all the remaining magic points will be depleted).
  • Note: Non-verbal spells ARE allowed (and may be needed to get out of some binds). However because of the complexity of the spells, only 5th years and higher may cast spells non-verbally and they will be at a standard magic cost of -25 on TOP of the points required to cast a spell. So, if a spell costs -20 points to cast and if the dueler wants to cast it nonverbally, their total points loss will be -45 points.
    
    Text Cut: Magic Points Per Grade

    • 1st Year: 100
    • 2nd Year: 150
    • 3rd Year: 200
    • 4th Year: 250
    • 5th Year: 300
    • 6th Year: 350
    • 7th Year: 400
    • Professor/Staff: 750
  
  
• Fatigue Points:
  • These refer to a student's physical ability to move (stamina)
  • Students MAY avoid spells cast against them by physical maneuvers. However EACH maneuver will cost 'fatiuge' points
  • This third point system allows students to duel both magically and physically
  • Physical combat is NOT encouraged, but there is the option to make a physical attack on an opponent (to keep it realistic). However, such tactics WILL cost all remaining 'fatigue' points
  • Once all 'fatigue' points are depleted, students MUST either magically defend against spells or take the hits (they cannot RP not being affected by an offensive spell)
    
    Text Cut: Stamina Points Per Grade

    • 1st Year: 15
    • 2nd Year: 15
    • 3rd Year: 15
    • 4th Year: 20
    • 5th Year: 20
    • 6th Year: 25
    • 7th Year: 25
    • Professor/Staff: 50
    
    
  • The following is the cost of physical actions/maneuvers:
    
    Text Cut: Cost of Physical Actions

    • Roll: 5 pts
    • Sidestep: 5 pts
    • Duck: 5 pts
    • Jump: 5 pts
    • Dive: 5 pts
    • Climb: 10 pts
    • Punch/Kick/Physical Attack OR Defense against physical attack: All points remaining are lost
    • Physical Inanimate Object Damage: 10 pts

While DaniDiNardo will be referring the duels and tracking points, duelers MUST keep track of their own points as they go. At the top of their post (in the tag line) they must include their current standing of points, as they are at the BEGINNING of that post. At the bottom of their post, they must include a 'spoiler' tag, including the spells which they've cast (and the directionality of the spell, so the opponent can easily reference the potential damage to themselves), the spell(s) that have affected them (if any) and their own final Point Standing for that post.

Example:

SPOILER!!: Points

• Spells Cast:
  • Name of Spell:
    • Caster Points:
      • H: Pts
      • M: Pts
      • F: Pts
    • Opponent Points (if cast at the opponent - otherwise indicate if it was cast at an object or other; don't include any points if cast at an object)
      • H: Pts
      • M: Pts
      • F: Pts
    • Additional Effects: If any

---------------------

• Affected by Spells:
  • Name of Spell:
    • Caster Points:
      • H: Pts
      • M: Pts
      • F: Pts
    • Additional Effects: If any

---------------------

• Dueler Name:
  • H: Spell Pts + Spell Pts = Total Points
  • M: Spell Pts + Spell Pts = Total Points
  • F: Spell Pts + Spell Pts = Total Points

---------------------

SPOILER!!: Duelling Etiquette

Dueling Etiquette:
Duelers will face-off in a turn-based system (post by post, as with regular RPing). The first to cast is determined by random selection by DaniDiNardo.

In a post, the dueler must at least defend (respond to the cast/offensive move of the other dueler) and they should make an offensive move (offensive or enhancing spell). Students CAN cast multiple spells or a series of spells, but they MUST keep track of their points accordingly. Duelers CANNOT RP the outcome of their own casts towards their opponent.

Duelers are encouraged to make use of their surroundings and their environment. The point system still applies while doing this, and there is a maximum of -10 points for damage caused by any physical/inanimate object.

RPers are asked to RP realistically, as they will determine the outcome of their opponent's spells. They MUST abide by the Dueling rule system (if they are going to avoid a spell, it must be by the use of a defensive spell, aka Magic points, or by the use of Fatigue points to dodge). Once Fatigue points are used up, the student CANNOT physically avoid the spells (this should help to encourage realistic RPing in the dueling club - no godmodding).

Duelers should keep in mind that getting hit by a spell does not automatically mean they are out of the duel (hit will decrease Health, Magic or both - enhancements of spells may cause additional damage). Duelers are also allowed to RP getting partially hit/affected by a spell (such as bombarda) however ALL points must be removed as if the full force of the spell had hit.

Duelers are also allowed to end their OWN character's ability to duel (i.e. if caught in a full body bind and cannot find a way out) before Health and Magic points are completely depleted. Duels MUST be a minimum length of 3 posts per dueler (6 posts total).

While injury is allowed it should be kept minimal. All Dueling Club Rules and SS Site rules apply, and as such excessive violence, blood or gore will NOT be tolerated. Any serious injury that is RP'd will end the duel immediately (regardless of remaining points) and standings will be determined up to that moment in the duel. Rematches will not be allowed.

So, keep it CLEAN please. Remember that the purpose of the dueling club is not to injure fellow-classmates or Professors. Duelers should keep this in mind. Any attitude or actions that are deemed out of the spirit of the dueling club will be dealt with accordingly IC (and OOC if absolutely necessary).

Above all, students are asked to RP realistically, fairly and to the ability of their characters. Not every duel has to be won. Play to the strengths (and weaknesses of your characters) and most importantly have fun!

The Unbreakable Dueling Club Rules:

• All SS Site Rules apply
• Act with decorum and a good sportsman attitude (OOC and IC)
• Be realistic with your character (IC); this means no godmodding
• Follow all dueling guidelines (outlined here)
• No excessive violence or gore
• No inappropriate language
• No use of weapons as per SS site rules
• No use of Unforgivables
• No food in the dueling club
• Respect yourself, respect your opponent, respect magic, respect the duel
• Ask questions
• Use common sense
• Be creative, be ingenious
• Don't die

The End Goal:
The end goal of the duel is to be the top in the tournament, at which time there will be a prize of points and the opportunity to duel against a guest. Most importantly, to have FUN!


Infractions and Penalties
All members on the Dueling club are expected to act with decorum both on & off SS website. Any abuse or perceived unsportsmanlike conduct behavior by any member of a House (dueler or not) can result in House Point deduction, detention, banning from the Dueling club, loss of the duel, and/or expulsion from the site.


Questions or Concerns:
The Dueling Club, while a fun place, is a complicated one. If you have any questions about it, please do not be afraid to ask! Please PM DaniDiNardo with any concerns or questions that you might have. Or any suggestions. Feedback is always welcome!

Note: If you are signed up for a duel and you cannot complete it by the assigned date, you MUST contact DaniDiNardo. Please do not leave your dueling partner hanging!