[Fawn]

Roleplay Guidelines
(last updated: 3/27/25)

Below is a list of roleplay rules that should be followed at all times while on Warrior Cats Online. When unsure if something is allowed on the site, check here or send in a ticket to our Support team. If you see someone disobeying the guidelines on the forums, simply report it by using the red triangle on top of the post.

Rules are in place to maximize your experience and everyone else's, too. Note that these guidelines are subject to change. As a user, it is your responsibility to remain acquainted with them as you agreed to upon registering.

Rules in italics are not punishable by staff unless in the case of repeated offenses. It will be left up to the high ranks to decide what a suitable form of in character reprimanding will be.

General Rules:

• Put OOC (out of character) messages in parenthesis or brackets.

• You may have as many characters as you wish as long as you are able to handle them. The current limit for active characters per Clan is 7 each, and there is no limit on outsiders or missing characters.

• The Resources categories listed under Roleplaying (OOC) are for the Main Warriors Roleplay only. Do not use it for Non-Warriors or Alternative Warriors Roleplay purposes, as they have their own Resources.

• You may not roleplay as a cat from the books. Your character can share a name with one, but can't actually be the character. Please do not write histories for original characters that include characters or events outside of our site's canon history.

• Character appearances should be within the realm of semi-realism and should not include colors or markings that are not naturally occurring. Examples include, but are not limited to: plain blue fur, vibrant red, pink, green fur, purple. Terms like blue-gray or russet can be used instead! If your character appears to be hinging on too unrealistic, you may be requested to alter it by a staff member.

• Unless your character is a former kittypet or loner, avoid labeling them as a purebred and be mindful of the breed's rarity. Wild cat and domestic cat hybrids are not allowed in an effort to keep characters from being overpowered. Cats who are Clan-born with no distinct outsider heritage should be labeled as mixed breeds, but they can share the appearance of a purebred.

• When roleplaying, please try to keep your character's actions semi-realistic. A cat wouldn't know the lyrics to "Make A Man Out Of You" but can attempt to mimic birdsong, and while cats are not effective dancers they are free to wiggle and bounce and tap in their own form of interpretive dance. Unfortunately, "vegetarianism" or "veganism" is not a viable option for a character, as cats are carnivores and require a main diet of meat.

• Roleplaying another person's character (regardless of whether or not permission was given) is against the rules.

• Cats cannot kill other characters without roleplayer permission.

• Powerplaying without permission from your roleplay partner will not be tolerated. Powerplaying can be anything from explicitly landing blows on another character, giving your character extreme strength or agility (e.g. always winning fights or dodging attacks) or having a power, as examples. Powers can only be acquired by use of a power card, which is distributed by staff during special events. Note that some actions, like grabbing or moving, may be powerplayed on kits or apprentices by warriors and higher ranking cats, as realistically an adult-- especially one with experience-- could control the juvenile character without issue. You can read more about Powerplaying here.

• Spirits cannot be roleplayed outside of dreams, StarClan, or the Dark Forest without staff permission or the relevant purrk.

• Reincarnations and resurrections require the Reincarnation Purrk and Resurrection Purrk respectively. Possessions are prohibited.

• Once a death roleplay has started, characters should not be used outside of it unless the roleplay is explicitly stated to be before their death. In public events or plots, please check with the organizer to avoid confusion.

• Creating prophecies or omens is not allowed without high rank or staff permission.

• Extensive herb knowledge is restricted to cats who have obtained the knowledge via roleplay. Without this training, characters who have reached the age of 6 moons may only know minor herbs, such as cobwebs (stops bleeding), sticks (bite down on to distract from pain), poppy seeds (eaten to lessen pain; dosage is 1-2 seeds depending on age) and deathberries (poisonous). Cats with the Herbal Knowledge purrk do not need to roleplay learning the knowledge of their selected herbs out.

• Kits cannot have any romantic interests or have a mate.

• Cats must be at least 13 moons before they become pregnant or have kits, and cannot be in an apprentice or kit rank.

• Litters should not exceed five living kittens without the respective purrk, and Queens may only have three litters per year (real life time). There is no limitation on how many kits a cat can adopt/foster, as long as they can handle it.

• Queens should be roleplayed as being pregnant for at least a month (real life time) however two months is preferred. Births started before 28 days have passed will be considered early and require complications; the severity dependent on how early the kitting is. New character created as pregnant or characters with the Baby Boomer purrk are exempt from this, and may give birth at any time. Pregnancies should not exceed 2.5 months (real life time) to maintain a level of semi-realism; pregnancies that surpass this duration will result in deadly complications by the 3 moon mark.

• Characters are welcome to get sick but should not die from illness without having prior symptoms in previous posts. If you are engaging with a Clan, very contagious sicknesses like Whitecough, Greencough, and other similar -coughs or communicable diseases should be discussed with the Clan's high ranks before having your character contract them.

• Animals other than cats can only be roleplayed in the main section of the site when described in relation to your characters. [e.g: "a bird flies overhead" or during an attack]

• Animals cannot be roleplayed speaking or interacting with cats in any manner of communication unless the Bilingual Purrk has been purchased. While cats cannot effectively heal other animals, they are allowed to try - but cannot successfully befriend another species and may be injured in the process. Clan cats may face additional repercussions for using Clan resources on animals outside the Clan.

• Characters should undergo age adjustments every 2-3 months to ensure coherence between their age and the events in which they are portrayed. Should a significant disparity between a character's age and their involvement in certain events arise, you may be asked to make appropriate age modifications for the sake of maintaining realism.

Clan Rules:

• High Ranks are earned. You may not join as one. To remain a candidate, demonstrate consistent activity over the course of thirty days, abide by all Guidelines, and be an active, friendly, and contributing member of Warrior Cats Online. More information can be found by reading our selection process and expectations.

• Clan names are primarily controlled by Clan leaders. Our Official Name List provides hundreds of options native to the territories and surrounding area, but be aware leaders do have the final say over what their character would allow in their Clan. If a leader believes a character's name is unfitting of the character or the Clan, they have the authority to change it.

• There is no need to ask to join a Clan but do respect the leader's joining rules, found in each Clan's Resources.

• Cats cannot take over the Clan(s) without staff permission.

• Imprisoned cats cannot escape without leader permission.

• If you wish to speak to a leader or be healed by a medicine cat, message them first or fill in a healing request - do not have your character enter their den and expect to be catered to.

• Large-scale plots, such as natural disasters or attacks on a camp, require staff and/or high rank approval. This ensures most plots are small enough that those who do not wish to be involved can avoid it.

• Clan kit names must end in 'kit', regardless of their background.

• Kits are not permitted to be involved in any battle or fight.

• Kits cannot join or train in the Dark Forest.

• Kits and younger apprentices should not be able to significantly wound or kill another cat as they are too weak to cause serious harm until 6 moons of age.

• Kits and younger apprentices should not be able to make it all the way to another Clan's territory or camp without being caught. Short escapes from their own camp are allowed, but may result in your character being disciplined by a higher rank if discovered.

• Apprentices can have crushes, but they should not have serious romantic relationships such as 'being in love' or taking a mate and having kits. Keep affection limited to occasional licking or nuzzling. Kits may not participate in romance in any capacity.

• An apprentice cannot win in a fight against a warrior, unless the odds are in their favor, and this has been discussed and agreed upon by both roleplayers. Unless trained or in the case of accidents, apprentices should not kill other characters.

• Apprentices should not know how to hunt or fight properly until taught. Basic knowledge is okay, but nothing too extreme.

• Apprentices need to have at least two training sessions (one hunting, one fighting) with a minimum of three posts with the apprentice in each roleplay prior to requesting their warrior ceremony. These sessions cannot be the same as the final assessment.

• Forbidden relationships are allowed, but characters involved run the risk of demotion, exile, or in extreme situations, execution if/when they are caught. Clan cats, and especially high ranks, are under watch consistently and it is unlikely long-term relationships can stay secretive for extended periods of time. It is recommend you check with your Clan's high ranks to see what may occur if discovered. Characters reacting to the forbidden romance revelation are encouraged to treat it as taboo and inappropriate, as straying from the Clan can be seen as a conflict of interest and a sign of disloyalty. High ranks, if your character is found to be in a forbidden relationship, their rank may be revoked at the discretion of uninvolved high ranks or by the vote of the Clan, circumstances depending and with staff permission.

• Leaders are responsible for deciding what punishments misbehaving characters will receive, and they are free to exile at their own discretion.

• All high ranks have the ability to perform powerplay executions with staff permission. While it is preferred a high rank handles chaotic situations, appointed social ranks (Hornets, Enforcers, Lionhearts, and Furies) can neutralize any perceived threats to their Clan on their behalf once staff permission is granted. Threats include, but are not necessarily limited to, cats who are randomly and openly hostile or aggressive toward Clan-mates (e.g. attacking or threatening cats, endangering the lives of others) and outsiders who refuse to cooperate with instructions, such as leaving the territory. As it is unrealistic for cats to infiltrate Clan camps without being confronted, characters who skip Territory and Clearing threads or Clan defenses are liable to be executed without an OOC warning.

• Triggering topics such as (but not limited to) suicide, self-harm, descriptive violence, and extreme emotional duress should not take place at Clan meetings, events, gatherings, battles, or any other large scale public roleplay without high rank approval. If allowed, all posts involved must contain obvious content warnings, and the triggering content must be contained in a spoiler. This allows those who do not wish to partake in such roleplays to proceed accordingly and keeps our High Ranks informed on what their characters will have to handle.

Outsider Rules:

• Factions that have not been authorized by staff are prohibited. Groups can have no more than seven cats total, can not have a name or be called a Clan/Tribe/Syndicate, etc, and can not have any authority figures or ranks. It is recommended the group consists of acquaintances, family, or friends, but is not required.

If there are questions or concerns regarding these rules, please contact the Support Hotline.