These next posts are your go-to guide for everything you NEED to know about this thread, in terms of battle, thread physics, point tables, and all similar facts. It is advised that you read these points before you make a bio, and, if there is a problem (especially with combat), this is probably the first place you want to check for an answer.
So, without further explanation about the section itself... let's get started.
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-/DaCre\-
Okay, so you've read the introduction, and still probably had your head wondering, 'Okay, that's nice, but what exactly is a DaCre?' Well, if that's the case, you've come to the right place to learn. If not, well, you still need to know this important information.
'DaCre' is a contraction for 'Data Creature'. To put it simply, it is an animal-like computer program that people create, design, and store in watches or other portable electrical devices, to compete wirelessly against others. As seen by the introduction, these also refer to the animate creatures in the other realm the game model represents, integral to the plot as a whole.
These are oddly animate programs that are capable of making their own decisions in battle, as well as following the human's instruction- this is what helped make it a cult hit in this era, as it is essentially pitting two minds against two minds.
As such, when a human creates a DaCre, it can take an indefinite number of shapes or forms, depending on the type of DaCre that a person desires to make.
However, the following facts are true about all DaCre:
1) All DaCre have the capability to change form from one 'rank' to another.
2) Each DaCre has one innate ability that carries through all of its forms; the higher the rank of a form, the stronger the manipulation of this innate.
3) Each DaCre has three attacks per form other than the innate manipulation. A DaCre of a higher rank CANNOT use the abilites of a lower rank.
4) A DaCre is typically more aware of its physical condition than the human is: at a certain damage point, it can entirely refute a human's orders to protect itself.
5) All DaCre have the ability to sense other DaCre.
6) DaCre have a predisposition to fight other DaCre.
7) Once physical, a DaCre also has a predisposition to protect its creator.
These facts are true about the DaCre being tested in the new server.
1. Only Innates may have a "manipulation" type ability. This is because manipulation type abilities are obviously the strongest, even with the GE-system. I would have to either really clamp down on their GE's, so that Manipulation type abilities wouldn't be really impressive and important to your character anymore, or do this. Also, non-manipulation innates will be getting a boost to compensate. Finally, manipulation innates will be differentiated in GE on whether or not your "element" is easily obtainable, whether you can summon it from nothing, and how useful it is.
2. You may only have one passive ability per Rank. It may be a boost to your manipulation innate, but it will only improve it by a bit. A good example of a passive ability is "physical boost". This does not apply to "single use" passives like armor that doesn't regenerate.
3. You may not "charge up" abilities to become stronger unless it's part of the ability. You may however, ready an attack to launch at normal power.
4. As a corollary to the previous rule, you may only use one ability at a time (other than your passive). If one person uses a shield ability and another person fires an ability and follows it with another, then it will be assumed that the shield regenerates from the first attack and meets the second at full strength. Assuming the DaCre's shield held against the first attack and that DaCre didn't die or something, of course. As a corollary to that, if someone readies an attack and then launches it simultaneously with another, then the shield will not get to "count twice" so to speak.
5. To balance those three previous rules, if you do not make a passive ability (as I don't want to force everyone to have to take a passive ability), you can add a "free" small passive effect onto another ability. A good example would be a charge up attack that very slowly charges up even when you aren't focusing on it and using it as your active ability.
6. As always, oddball characters that break the rules are quite possible, but those will need special attention, and I'd prefer if we didn't make TOOO many. Especially for the characters who will be in the test where they're trying the balance system out.
-Combat-
Alright, so its clear that DaCre are far more suited to fighting than a human could ever be; however, a few of the same rules apply: they "bleed" red dust, they feel pain, and they have vital points common to whatever they're based off of.
However, there's a few things to keep in mind about a DaCre in combat. Since a DaCre is made of data, it makes more sense to say that powerful attacks have the ability to destabilize a DaCre's data. When a portion of a DaCre is destroyed, or when a DaCre is killed, they do not leave a corpse: instead, it converts into a red dust, which is often called wasted data. A DaCre can heal itself (or, if in PERFECT health, make itself stronger) by absorbing wasted data (all DaCre can do this), but there are a few rules applied to this.
1) The closest DaCre absorbing will absorb all of the available data.
2) Absorbing data takes total focus: you can and will get flanked if there is still an enemy nearby.
3) A DaCre cannot reabsorb its own data.
4) A DaCre completely destroyed or a dead DaCre cannot have its data reformed back into its live form.
5) Absorption of data always heals first, before adding to power potential.
Aside from destruction, another form of damage that a DaCre can take is known as 'fracture'. A fracture occurs when a DaCre takes a considerable blow, similar to the force required to cleanly snap a thick bone. When 'fractured', a DaCre's fractured area looks 'cracked', out of place, and shifted. A DaCre can still fight in this state, but it may lose control movement of the fratured part, and, if it is struck again by another fracturing blow, the area will be destroyed.
Unlike data absorption, however, 'fractures' will naturally heal over time, as the data corrects itself. The speed of healing is enough so that if there is a considerable break after the battle, it will heal. It also automatically corrects itself when a DaCre goes up or down in rank (also unlike data absorption, in which the damage carries).
-Forms and Upgrading-
Alright, the format says 'D', 'C', 'B', and 'A'. Quite obviously, these refer to the different shapes your DaCre can take. Overall, C is stronger than D, B is stronger than C, and so forth.
With that in mind, we have to take power into consideration. Without question, two identical C-ranked attacks will cancel eachother out, while a B-ranked attack similar to a C-ranked attack will beat the C-ranked attack. This is not to say that a C-ranked DaCre cannot beat a B-ranked DaCre, however- this is merely a measure of power.
When a battle begins, typically, both DaCre would be D or C in rank. To upgrade in rank, the controlling human (or the DaCre if it's a wild DaCre, more on them later) needs to focus for a post, and, after that post, the DaCre must be far enough away from the other opponent to have the room to evolve. That said, if you're being beaten and the other DaCre has its foot on top of your DaCre's head... well, too bad.
A D always goes to a C, and a C, going upwards, goes to a B. There is no skipping ranks in this process (A D cannot go to a B).
When a DaCre takes significant enough damage to have the need to downgrade (which usually happens in place of destruction, if the attack is not lethal or overly severe), or when the time limit for the rank runs out (see the points table below), the reverse process ALWAYS ends up going to the D-rank, which leaves your DaCre vulnerable.
These limits apply to all player-owned DaCre. Certain DaCre within plot can spend unlimited time in an ascended rank, but the vast majority follow the proper rule.
Power Levels:
D 'Child rank' = 1
C 'Adult rank' = 3
B 'Perfect rank' = 6
A 'Ultimate rank' = 12
Four C-ranks can roughly fight on even terms with one A-rank, and S-rank is now nonexistant, due to multiple shennanigans with that ordeal. Please consider the above table when making your character.
-The Human Element-
The process of ranking up for a DaCre by itself is ordinarily a long and arduous task that takes much practice to master, drawing vasts amount of energy to change form. Ranking up as a wild DaCre in the human world takes two posts. Fortunately, this is where the human element comes in.
The DaCre's creator shares an unexplained bond with the DaCre. By focusing something similar to soul energy into the device the DaCre was made from, after a post's focus, the DaCre has the ability to upgrade in rank. If the focus is broken by some matter that requires the human to release the device, the upgrade process halts. (This only refers to physical battles- over the net, its a matter of pushing a charge-focus button, which, after a short while, upgrades the Dacre. For net battles, none of the below risks apply)
In a physical fight, this creates an interesting relationship. Although for a D, the human feels no strain, for a C, the human begins to feel the DaCre's mental exhaustion, as fatigue passes through the link. It is less than distracting, but more than noticable for the first few times this link is made.
When a DaCre hits B-rank, however, more then mental exhaustion passes the link. Whatever pain the DaCre feels, the human will feel in direct proportion to what the DaCre felt. If the DaCre is slammed against a wall, the human will feel the wall, and the concrete grazing against the body. In a B-ranked battle, if the DaCre dies, the human is put in critical condition, at the very least.
A-rank is possible in two conditions: the human fuses with their DaCre OR two B-ranked DaCre fuse to create an (APPROVED) A-rank form. If this is the former condition, if the DaCre is deleted, the human simply ceases to exist and is also 'deleted'.
-Point Table-
Wait, you thought that you were just going to get rank upgrades for free? Well, I admire your hopefulness, but, sadly, this is not the case.
This is not going to be as complicated as the experience table on stat threads, so, don't get too stressed out about it. Just listen carefully.
Points are earned through battle, either net or physical. For losing any sort of battle, but still surviving, you earn one point. For winning, you earn a minimum of two points.
Here's the breaks:
If you defeat these ranks:
D : 4
C: 8
B: 16
A: 32
If you are above the rank of your opponent:
x .5
If you are below the rank of your opponent:
x 1.5
If you utterly destroy your opponent (physical only):
x 1.5
If you absorb data:
+ Bonus (Interpretation score by me or a TM/GM. Remember, healing occurs before power)
Points are gained according to MAXIMUM RANK ATTAINED in battle. If you fought most of it in a B, and won in a D, it would be as if you fought as a B. Got it?
Simple enough?
One more thing. A D-rank with 95534 points is still comparable to a D-rank with 0 points. Power is determined by rank, not by number of points. So, what do collecting these points earn you?
Well, take a look.
Point Chart:
-0 points: Able to maintain C for three posts.
-4: Maintain C for five posts.
-8: Maintain C for ten posts
-10: Maintain C indefinitely
-15: Maintain B for two posts
-25: Maintain B for five posts
-35: Maintain B for ten posts
-50: A-rank is perceivable, but a 'wall' is present. Until this wall is broken with true need for the one at this level, A-rank will never be achieved.
-50*: Maintain A for two posts/ Maintain B for fifteen posts
-70*: Maintain A for four posts
-90*: Maintain A for six posts
-110*: Maintain A for eight posts
Explanations of Attacks.
Attacks are pretty much anything. They are kind of "three random things that make you more effective"
These range from everything to "I have heavy innate armor" to "I am made of nanobots that can fabricate anything physical I need out of my own body".
However, in this thread, we're not going to say that "if two equal ranked attacks meet, unless otherwise stated, they're going to be equal power".
What this did was give people who just used all their abilities to manipulate an element at will (say, light) an advantage over those people who came up with cool, unique, and fun moves that followed a set pattern.
So, moves will have what is called a GE, that is a percentage, such as 140%. That means that the move is 140% of a normal move of that rank. If a normal move of a rank (say, C) has a strength of 3 (in units arbitrarium), then that 140% GE move will have a strength of 4.2.
Look at a few bios to get a good idea.
Subject: The Specifics Behind DaCre 
Sun Mar 25, 2012 11:53 am
