Template:Escalation Clause: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 17:26, 31 May 2026

Escalation Clause

1) In-game conflict is expected to follow some natural course of escalation, with responses to hostile actions being met proportionately. We expect players to behave in a way that respects the narrative and spirit of collaborative fiction while still doing what makes the most sense within the roleplay. There is no set checklist for 'proper' escalation, but your actions should have a decent rationale and be proportional to the inciting deed. Examples of hostile actions can be both narrative (e.g. insults, scheming against another character, taunting or goading another character) or mechanical (attacking, using disciplines, stealing, breaking and entering).

Some examples of appropriate escalation can include:

A kindred confronting, then attacking a diablerist when they are alone
A kindred defending their domain from intruders or frenzying and attacking someone that insults or disrespects them or their domain.
A garou acting against characters acting in clear service of the Wyrm
Police officers firing on a dangerous or hostile suspect
A hunter attacking someone who has shown clear evidence of being supernatural
Hounds (and other kindred, in more dire circumstances) taking action against a vampire that has violated the traditions

Some examples of inappropriate escalation can include:

A character going to individual lengths to totally wipe out law enforcement to cover up a crime or breach of secrecy
A faction attempting to overtly purge an enemy faction over a lower stakes conflict between two individuals.

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 == Escalation Clause ==
+)  In-game conflict is expected to follow some natural course of escalation, with responses to hostile actions being met proportionately. We expect players to behave in a way that respects the narrative and spirit of collaborative fiction while still doing what makes the most sense within the roleplay. There is no set checklist for 'proper' escalation, but your actions should have a decent rationale and be proportional to the inciting deed. Examples of hostile actions can be both narrative (e.g. insults, scheming against another character, taunting or goading another character) or mechanical (attacking, using disciplines, stealing, breaking and entering).
-) Escalation resulting in murder/torpor is only acceptable within reason. If your life is in danger, you may always reply with lethal force. In most cases, fights end when one party enters critical condition, or is otherwise incapacitated. Theft, break ins, destruction of property, being victim of a prank, and other inconveniences are not, without aggregating context, reasons to kill another player or force them into a life or death situation.
+Some examples of appropriate escalation can include:
-You do not need to explicitly express intent to a player you intend to escalate against. Acts such as moving within melee range, drawing a weapon, speaking into a radio, or other means of manipulating a scene are considered minor escalations and a cue of additional escalation, heeded or otherwise.
+*A kindred confronting, then attacking a diablerist when they are alone
+*A kindred defending their domain from intruders or frenzying and attacking someone that insults or disrespects them or their domain.
+*A garou acting against characters acting in clear service of the Wyrm
+*Police officers firing on a dangerous or hostile suspect
+*A hunter attacking someone who has shown clear evidence of being supernatural
+*Hounds (and other kindred, in more dire circumstances) taking action against a vampire that has violated the traditions
-*1.1: What goes around comes around; reciprocal response as well as proportional escalation is expected against aggression.
+Some examples of ''inappropriate'' escalation can include:
+*A character going to individual lengths to totally wipe out law enforcement to cover up a crime or breach of secrecy
+*A faction attempting to overtly purge an enemy faction over a lower stakes conflict between two individuals.
-) If you appear hostile, expect to be treated as hostile. Contextual clues such as appearance, equipment, and other abstract qualities may be considered for escalation.
-Some non exhaustive examples include:
-*Police officers with rifles, inside of gang affiliated territory
-*A Gaian werewolf leading protest in Wyrm territory
-*A diablerist inside of a Camarilla (or Free State, depending) holding
-) Similarly, over escalation is prohibited. Over escalation is, briefly, going far beyond the required means to resolve an issue, or using violence inappropriately instead of words.
-Some non exhaustive examples include:
-*final deathing a vampire for a mild to moderate breach of domain
-*beheading a BSD werewolf for taking harassing a player inside of Gaian territory (outside of a sept)
-*hiding a crit body/corpse to prevent rescue, without reason
-*shooting a suspect to death because you didn't have a taser, baton, or handcuffs on hand
-) During a blood hunt, the '''target of''' the hunt is considered to have been previously escalated against. The subject of the blood hunt may in turn freely escalate against any party '''they believe to have hostile intent.'''
-*4.1: Being the target of a blood hunt does not allow that player to freely kill any single person in their way.