Bio Crit Process

[Pyro]

At FoF we offer two styles of critic or 'critting'. The first is relatively simple and marginally less time consuming than the second because we are only looking to make sure your cat's name and appearance make sense and its history fits the fof canon (meaning the sites IC history). The second method takes a little longer because its aim is not only to get your character acceptable for roleplay but to improve your writing skills as well. You may request either method by specifying which one you want on your bio (METHOD 1/METHOD 2). If you do not specify, we will assume you want the first method.

To get your cat checked out/accepted via either method, you need to post in the notification thread. This is so the staff do not have to have a scavenger hunt for bios that need to be checked out. You need two staff members to accept your bio before you may roleplay with your character in any place besides the pre-roleplay section.

A Look at Method 2

Accuracy and realism is key in all sections. Blackfoot, the ten moon old black-footed warrior who killed two clan leaders and wrestled a rattlesnake while only a kit will find no place here at FoF. Blackfoot, the forty moon old black warrior who is good on his feet and helped kill a badger, however, will find himself right at home. Legendary warriors can be made here, but the thing to remember is that they are made, not created and thrown in with the intention of making all roleplay center around them. Some characters are bound to stick out more than others, be it because of their belief, their appearance, or their past, but no character can be a supercat. Even our canon characters do not take the center stage, although some, like Owlheart, made a name for themselves in all the clans through their heroic deeds, and others, like Russetpelt find themselves with powerful friends. The point is, roleplay on FoF is about fun and letting your character make their own way, not 'first come first serve' on a small group of cats who control the fate of the IC world.


Step One| The name. The first thing we look at when critting a bio is the name. We're a traditional warriors site, which means we employ the traditional naming system. This means, in essence, that we only accept suffixes from the first six warriors books (-tail, -claw, -fang, -storm, -heart, -whisker, -nose, -stripe, -pelt, -fur, -leg, -throat, -stream, -flower, -step). We also like to make sure that prefixes make sense (meaning that they describe appearance). EXAMPLE:

Blackfoot- Acceptable
Dragonsong- Not Acceptable

Step Two| Beliefs. A section unique to FoF app's, we check this section to make sure your cats beliefs are laid out in an understandable manner. We're looking for what your cat believes, why they believe that, and how they treat those who believe differently. We also make sure it corresponds with the clan they're in. Believers from PineClan, for instance, need special approval because PineClan is a clan of nonbelievers. It is important to remember that disbelief in StarClan does NOT make a cat inherently evil. It may alter how others feel about them, but it doesn't make a cat automatically a part of the dark forces of the world. It is simply a difference in opinion. However, this doesn't mean you should take it lightly. Beliefs can be a powerful agent on FoF, and clashes of beliefs can alter the IC world. FogClan and PineClan, clans on the extreme ends of belief, for example, find themselves constantly at odds, and it seems it's only a matter of time before their hatred of each other boils over as war. StreamClan and PineClan, by contrast, are generally more tolerant of both believers and nonbelievers.


Step Three| Relations. This section receives the least amount of time because of its simplicity. We're only checking it to make sure you used the NP/DC/PC system and that all clan relatives have traditional names.


Step Four| Appearance. In this section, we check to make sure your cat's appearance is logical genetically and matches up with their name. EXAMPLE:

Blackfoot: should be a black cat that is good on their feet/fast; NOT a white cat with black feet.

There are many different factors of appearance to consider and many play a key role in deciding a cat's strengths and weaknesses. Appearances should include coat color/length, size, and body build, and create a clear picture of the cat in question. Quantity does not matter, only clarity.


Step Five| Personality. This section probably gets the most attention of all the areas on a bio. We're looking to make sure that the personality is well developed, understandable, and balanced. That's right balanced. It's important to include positive as well as negative traits. Nobody's perfect, and nobody's happy all the time. It's also important to include why your character acts the way they do and who they act like they do toward. What, how, who, why. EXAMPLE:

Adderfang acts SURLY around SHE-CATS because HIS MATE DIED and he is STILL NOT OVER HER DEATH.

Personality should also match up with history. We don't want to see cat's who saw their family killed and are bouncing around, happy as can be. Major events in someone's life affect how they act and view the world. If a cat was crippled by a fox, it might have a special loathing or phobia of foxes. If a cat was brought up by a hyper-religious parent, they might be hyper-religious or choose to completely reject the idea of religion. Let's go back to Adderfang for a minute. His mate was killed while they searched for the clans. So, why is he in a clan? Well, his mate wanted him to go on without, her, as cheesy as that sounds, and Adderfang figured he'd honor her memory and concede to this 'last wish'. But the death of his mate hasn't done wonders for his personality in the IC sense, and he isn't comfortable around she-cats. So, his interaction with them tends to be on the irritable and surly side. The event of his mate's death changed him and affected his personality. These are the sorts of things that need to be considered when writing and critting a personality. To every action there is an appropriate reaction.

Step Six| Skills. As in the personality, we're looking for balance in the skills. That means both strength and weaknesses. Strengths and weaknesses can be both emotional and physical, and should generally be about even with each other. EXAMPLE:

Strengths:
-hunting
-speed
-patience

Weaknesses:
-fighting
-blind side
-gullible

Step Seven| History. These can be long or short, we're looking for quality above quantity. First, we're looking to make sure the cat's history matches up with their age and that the history matches FoF cannon. Second, and more importantly, we're looking to see that the history matches up with the personality. A character's history is the why of who they are. It tells their story and explains why they act the way they do. It's the reason for likes, dislikes, fears, etc. Just like a real person's history they can be long or short, interesting or rather plain. Not everyone fought a badger or got lost as a kit or was brought up in an extremely religious environment. It is the fact that no two histories are the same that makes the saying 'no two people are alike' true. Characters may be similar, but the reasons behind the way they are are generally different.

Beyond explaining why a character is the way they are, a history should also be realistic. A kit who was attacked by a dog is not likely to survive the attack, just as a cat who cut their paw on a rock is not likely to bleed to death. Experiences with StarClan, if any, should also be kept relatively ambiguous because on FoF we neither confirm nor deny the existence of StarClan.