rank claims

On Mount Coronet, we allow players to create characters who have a bit more experience under their belt. This allows us to fill out the world and avoid any awkward phases where all the trainers-- even older trainers like the ones these rank claims might represent-- are running around with Level 5 Pokemon.

There are a few kinds of rank claims. There are standard rank claims that allow players to create characters at varying levels of power and there are “Site Canon” rank claims that allow players to claim spots like Gym Leader positions and higher ranks in the villainous team, Team Nova Galactic.

All rank claims come with special activity requirements and players who take rank claims-- especially players who claim Site Canons-- are held to higher standards of behavior on site and in the community. Simply put, if you choose to take a rank claim, staff expects you to not only be ready and willing to plot and interact with the site at large, staff also expects you to be on your best behavior.

Now onto the rank claims themselves. The varying rank claims and their descriptions are listed below.

Great-tier Trainer: The trainer is allowed to begin with three Pokemon at Level 15, up to Great-tier in terms of strength, and is allotted 4000 EXP for purchasing Trainer Perks.

Ultra-tier Trainer: The trainer is allowed to begin with three Pokemon at Level 30, up to Ultra-tier in terms of strength, and is allotted 5000 EXP for purchasing Trainer Perks.

Gym Leaders: They are allotted the same benefits as Ultra-tier trainers, but most fill out an additional application and are subject to additional rules.

Nova Galactic Admins: They are allotted the same benefits as Ultra-tier trainers, but are subject to additional rules.


Rules:

A generic rank claimed character is considered to be in a trial period for the first eight weeks it is active. During this time, you are expected to make at least two in-character posts a week for these two months. After eight weeks have passed, you are free from this requirement.
If you are going to be unable to meet the activity requirements, please inform the staff and we will be able to give you a two week pause at maximum for activity requirements. Please note, you must still meet the eight week requirement, which is exclusive of any pauses you might take.

If you fail to maintain activity during this trial period, you are welcome to try again twelve weeks after you are stripped of your rank. Please note, characters that fail their trial period are archived.

If you succeed in your trial period, you must wait 26 weeks before applying for a new rank claim. This is to ensure that other people get a fair shot at new rank claims as they arise.
Staff expects more fully realized back stories and applications for rank claimed characters. Staff also reserves the right to reject rank claims for any reason-- for example, a rank claim app being the third Ultra-tier app we have received in a short period of time whose character backstory consists of being a prodigy, thirteen year old phenom.

Gym Leaders and Nova Galactic Admin rank claims are subject to the same trial period, but are subject to further rules after the trial period has passed. Simply put, Gym Leaders and Nova Galactic admins are still expected to be active. While there is no strict requirement, players of Site Canon rank claims must be able to provide proof of activity when asked for it by staff. For Gym Leaders, this may be links to active challenge threads-- which they are expected to respond readily to. For Nova Galactic Admins, these may be links to active plots.

Site Canon rank claims are subject to the permanent loss of characters if they fail an activity check or are unable to produce sufficient evidence of activity. If you return from a period of unsanctioned inactivity, staff may choose to grant you a mulligan, a second chance at the rank claim with the same character upon discussing the circumstances with the player, provided the Site Canon has gone unfilled in their absence.

Site Canon rank claims are required to alert staff when there will be extended absences. Staff may choose to approve or deny these sabbaticals on a case-by-case basis, but in general, so long as the player has a history of good performance and good communication, staff is more than happy to be accommodating.

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Additional Gym Leader Application and Rules:

There are some additional rules and requirements for Gym Leaders.

Your Gym Leader application must be approved before your character application can be approved.
Your Gym must conform to a theme. While this theme might be related to Pokemon-types, such as the Water-type Gym Leader, it does need to be. Themes can instead be related to concepts, like a Knight-themed Gym Leader having a team consisting of Gallade, Bisharp, Corviknight, and so on.
While we do not require Gym Leaders to pre-submit teams for every badge tier at this moment, we do have some guidelines on how powerful a Gym team may be in correspondence to the challenger’s own number of badges acquired.
0 Badges: 3 Pokemon maximum, up to level 15, up to Great-tier.
1 Badge: 3 Pokemon maximum, up to level 20, up to Great-tier.
2 Badges: 3 Pokemon maximum, up to level 25, up to Great-tier.
3 Badges: 3 Pokemon maximum, up to level 30, up to Great-tier.
4 Badges: 4 Pokemon maximum, up to level 35, up to Ultra-tier. Gym Leaders may Mega Evolve in battle from this tier onwards.
5 Badges: 4 Pokemon maximum, up to level 40, up to Ultra-tier.
6 Badges: 5 Pokemon maximum, up to level 45, up to Ultra-tier.
7 Badges: 6 Pokemon maximum, up to level 50, up to Ultra-tier.
Gym Leaders must state their current team, its moves, levels, and any help items at the beginning of a challenge thread.
Gym Leaders may opt to use a higher tier team than is normally appropriate for an opponent’s number of badges with staff permission in a case where a challenger’s team is much stronger than the Gym Leader team in question.
Pokemon, held items, and Mega Evolution items are, in-character, leased out by the Pokemon League to the Gym Leader and not part of a Gym Leader’s personal team or arsenal.
If a Gym Leader wishes to have an additional gimmick, such as a gym puzzle or an odd battle condition, it must be cleared with staff and is to be written in the additional notes section of the Gym Leader application.
A character may become a Gym Leader in-character provided the rank claim is open, however they must go through an in-character interview and approval process, during which there is no guarantee they will be accepted for the position.

Gym Leader Availability:
Oreburgh City Gym: @
Eterna City Gym: @
Hearthome City Gym: estelle
Veilstone City Gym: @
Pastoria City Gym: @
Canalave City Gym: @
Snowpoint City Gym: @
Sunyshore City Gym: @

Gym Leader Application:
[b]Character[/b]: Please @ the character account that will be holding the position should the application be accepted.
[b]OOC Name[/b]:
[b]Desired Gym Claim[/b]: Please select from the available claims.
[b]Theme[/b]: Explain the gym’s theme.
[b]Additional Notes[/b]: