So Stardog and I, as well as a few others in IRC, had this little idea. Right now, I'm just looking for feedback.

What if we made a boxing circuit? Not comprised of adventurers or regular PCs, but characters that were exclusively for boxing matches held every Monday/Friday/Whenever. By day, I suppose the boxers would be assumed to be your average Joe- carpenters, smiths, fungus farmers, whatever. But once a week, they were stars. Stars of the bare-knuckled, no rules matches.

The Boxers would never quest and thus would never gain experience normally. I'm supposing that if a boxer ever did level up, it would be exclusively from DM granted experience.

Boxers would open up an entirely new kind of RP, since they would be far less fantastic (for the most part) than your average adventurer, since they would be just commoners for the most part.

Now, don't limit your thinking as to suppose boxers would all be the same 18 STR, 18 CON fighters. There are LOTS of possibilities- perhaps a boxer that used magic to gain an advantage on his enemies. Or a dexterity-based boxer. Or even perhaps a monk boxer (though honestly, I can't see why a monk would fit into all this). There are a great deal of possibilities, not to mention all the different kinds of Fighter Feats that could be used to make different kinds of boxers.

Now regular PCs would still be involved, don't take me wrong! Someone has to announce the fights, someone has to run the betting! Heck, maybe two PCs can make opposing groups of boxers, like opposing gyms! Think big!

Thoughts?

I like it.

ehhhhhhhhhh.

In it's proposed sense, this would split up the server. Normal players. And...um...boxers. The way you propose the experience gain and progression sorta makes it sound like you would have a set group of pre-applied for fighters, just constantly....boxing.

If you're going in that route, someone needs to make a fight club server that enforces this. :P

I don't see why the fighting circuts that come and go would not already satisfy most of this. My totally awesome scripted boxing idea could still work to provide an entertaining way of engaging each other, rather than just normal combat like usual.

Bottom line as to why I don't vouch for it is that you would be creating something that could only be enjoyed by creating a specific character for that purpose. The entire module is devoted to what it can already do. This would be more appropriate for it's own separate module.

I think something in the lines of Gladiator fighting is more appropriate. Maybe have a set group of NPC Gladiators and then any PCs that want to join on any given regular tourney where the fighter can win some gold. More in lines of a fighter's Quest actually. And wagering is obviously encouraged.

If there is to be any boxing, I'd rather see a Monk Sect located in one of the unused buildings in either upper or lower that offers competitive sparring and periodic unarmed tournaments.

Strife: I agree with the first line. Yes, it would split up the server, but only for one to two hours a week. Only during fightnight hours would anyone play their boxer normally.

Of course, out of the ring there might be some business to take care of by the way of managers talking with their fighting boy and the like, but that's a total anomoly.

Strife, why don't you put up your idea from the discussion up here?

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

Bindragon: I would love to see that too. So much so, that I actually tried to make that happen with the original Commonwealth Gladiator Games. It was originally designed so that large groups (such as the Spellguard, the Tigereyes, the Watch, the Crone... etc.) could have a gladiator that they would champion. Sadly, none took up the offer and the sponsorship was left to individuals, almost exclusively. I hate to be a downer, but it isn't as easy as it looks.

Of course, from my experience, just running a small tournament of six to eight is the most fun. Ending it with a nice all out melee- good fun right there.

-------------------------------------------- Everyone Else: Keep ideas, criticisms, etc. coming!

Garem

Bindragon: I would love to see that too. So much so, that I actually tried to make that happen with the original Commonwealth Gladiator Games. It was originally designed so that large groups (such as the Spellguard, the Tigereyes, the Watch, the Crone... etc.) could have a gladiator that they would champion. Sadly, none took up the offer and the sponsorship was left to individuals, almost exclusively. I hate to be a downer, but it isn't as easy as it looks.

Of course, from my experience, just running a small tournament of six to eight is the most fun. Ending it with a nice all out melee- good fun right there.

The WWF of Underdark.

the potential rp out of this would be huge in my opinion, boxers taking bribes to throw fights to feed their familys. Boxers taking part in illegal street fights just to prove how tough they are. Boxers being assassinated just before their big match! boxers being framed for murder due to their bad reputation and many more am sure...

Two more days of discussion before I wanna start getting names of the interested.

Got thoughts? Let's hear them now, whether you want to partake or not and especially if you're against the idea!

Thing that comes to my mind, if everyone is a 'boxer' and does nothing but box; then you're bound to have nearly everyone with one of two or three builds. Likely a lot of half-orcs too.

I like the idea of keeping the 'boxers' all equal levels. Most "fight night" types of contests generally wind up being a "who is the highest level from questing" contests actually. Perhaps limit the 'boxers' to not doing any scripted "ADVENTURES" but still letting them do fed-ex types of things up to level 4 or 5 to give them a little more room for building their skill/feat/ability sets up to encourage little more difference.

If it were a once a week sort of thing, operating just during fight nights, and the rest of the time, the boxer players just play their normal characters, I don't see a problem with -everyone- playing one.

The most desired method, I'd think, would be for a DM with a special interest in this idea to oversee it all and grant XP for each fight, more for the winner, less for the loser.

They wouldn't be actual characters, just essentially Commoners who log in once a week and beat the snot out of eachother for fame and fortune.

Of course, it would be exceedingly difficult I think, to enforce any set of rules preventing people from logging in and powergaming and such.

But if this idea does take off, I'd definitely like to take part as a boxer in my spare time away from Grumpy McScowls.

If a discussion is ever held on the potential rules and method of enforcement/etc, I'd also like to be present for that.

I'd also help out in my spare time! Rules like no Half Orcs and no monks are easily enforced! XD

I'm all for this.

Oro: That's possible, but I doubt it. Being pretty low levels, there are pretty big limitations, but there are a lot of different things you can do. You'll have your KD fighters, your raging barbarians, your fighter/sorcerors, your dex fighters, parry combattants... there's quite a few different builds. Also, it will all be somewhat moderated, so I don't think it'll be too stacked on any one build, though Imp. Unarmed will be the main requirement.

Naga: What kind of help are you offering? We could use an OOC and/or IC administrator of it all to help me get things up and running.

Kotenku: I think Arkov was interested in this, but I don't know how committed he can or will be. If enough interest gets raised, I'm sure the DMs will more than add in a few sparklers.

Keep stuff flowing!

Not that I'm ever around it, but #EfUBoxer is our discussion channel, when and if a discussion ever takes place. When and if this happens, that will be our pre-fight meeting area. (Except for immediately following this post, if you want to drop in!)

I like this idea. I'm gonna be gone for nearly a month fairly soon though, so I may not be the best person to count on for this!

I guess I dont understand the point of having a character that you only log in with for these fights. I do like the idea, and I do understand the reasoning, but it seems a little inappropriate for the server. Your character should be accessable for out of the ring RP. Like taking bribes, or doing his day job, or taking challenges in a back alley. With that in mind, I think this idea could be nice if fleshed out a bit. Purhaps a gladiator faction or something of that nature.

Hookswords: You are exactly right. I apologize if this was confusing- yes yes! We want all these things, and we're definately going to allow other things to go on outside of the ring! The misleading statement was meant that these characters will not be normal. But in the sense of this world, they will be very normal- commoners, in fact. We want heavy RP as well as heavy (though non-lethal, for the most part) PvP that is very controlled, though still BAREKNUCKLE boxing.

Bribes! Sponsorships! Training! Coaches! Rigged fights! Bookies! All of these are great things that I'd love to see happen.

WE HAVE A FORUM! I invited people who have already shown interest, but I left the forum open for now, so if anyone's interested send me a PM or join our usergoup!

This is getting started in approx. 5 hours from this post. If you want in, catch me on IRC or PM as SOON as possible!