************************************ *****SOCK's official RULE GUIDE***** ************************************ Matt Demers - Updated July 26, 2006 ----------------------- The SOCK (Spectacular Ongoing Contest of Knowledge) is a fun competition that combines some crazy trivia usually relating to RPGs with bizarre items in a quest to obtain some neat prizes or chances to host Q&A yourself! To get involved, just e-mail slimey@rpgamer.com or qna@rpgamer.com to send in your answers for the day. If you get a question right, you'll get SOCK points. If you get both of a day's questions wrong, you'll get 200 consolation points just for trying. You can choose to SPEND points to obtain any of the prizes, if you have enough points to do so. If you do so, just let me know through e-mailing either of those addresses that you wish to buy something, and we'll make arrangements from there, simple as that! Important: Answers must be submitted before the next column appears on the website, because answers to the previous day's questions are revealed in the conclusion of each day's Q&A. Columns usually go up on Tuesday through Friday, mid-afternoon through mid-evening EST, and there is generally at least 22 hours between each column. SOCK Items: ------------------------ If you reach certain point benchmarks, you will receive (usually) your choice between two SOCK items, which you can then use to get a leg-up on the competition; I'll contact you with an e-mail asking you which you'd like to take. IF YOU DO NOT RESPOND WITHIN A WEEK'S TIME, YOUR OPPORTUNITY PASSES AND YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE AN ITEM! There are all sorts of SOCK items, and new ones can appear at any time. Some of them are permanent, some are automatic, and some are good for one use only. To use a one-time-use item, just say so along with the day's guesses in an e-mail message. I'll take care of the other types myself. I keep a record of everyone's items; if you can't remember what ones you're carrying, just ask, and I'll let you know. ------------------------ Item Acquisition Issues: ------------------------ The "best" or most powerful items will usually be found neither at the highest scores or the lowest scores. The "(2 left)" or "(3 left)" besides any item name in the column indicates that after the specified number of that item are claimed, the available item will change to a different one at my discretion. However, if it says "(1 left)" and two different people select that item on the same day after crossing the benchmark at the same time, both will receive it, and the available item will still be switched on the next day. ------------------------ Claiming a Prize: ------------------------ Prizes are all first-come, first-serve. If you really want something at the shop, but you know that other people may want it as well, e-mail me as quickly as possible to try and beat them to it. Otherwise, you're out of luck. ------------------------ Order of Events: ------------------------ In general, the order of events that occur on any given day are: -People obtain items/spend points on prizes ---> -Item use occurs ---> -New Points are awarded for the day ---> -Damage-causing Status Effects (such as Curse), and automatically-damaging weapons (such as Dark Swords) take their toll Thus, if someone with 10,001 points gets targeted by a spell that reduces their points, but that someone wants to buy a prize worth 10,000 points, they manage to do so successfully. Note: It IS possible to have negative points at any time. In the case that the use of one item by one person affects the use of an item by another, the one who sends the e-mail command in FIRST will be the first to have their item take effect in the "Item use occurs" stage. ------------------------ SOCK Question Submission: ------------------------ At any time during the competition, any competitor can suggest a SOCK question of their own; if I choose to include it in a column, the submitter will receive DOUBLE the normal points obtained for getting it right, and the submitter will receive those points on the day that the answer to the question is revealed. The submitter can still answer the other question posed for the day as normal. To increase chances of having an accepted question, take the following advice: a) Construct the question and include all five possible multiple choice answers. Don't make ME think up half of your question! b) Make sure that the question entails something that can't easily be discovered through a simple online search. c) Be creative! Do something different, and surprise me. ------------------------ Randomness? ------------------------ Anything requiring Randomness is determined by using random.org. ------------------------ ITEM LIST: ------------------------ Annoying Curse: (1-time-use) (attack) Throws a "Curse" status ailment on any one person in the Top 35 of your choice ("Top 35" will always refer in these rules to the people actually appearing on the scoreboard on the MOST RECENT day of the competition). If that person fails to write in an actual Q&A letter on any day for the duration of the curse, they will lose 10% of their SOCK points. The Curse has a 10% chance of wearing off each day of the competition, though it can be relieved by an Esuna spell. ------------------------ Apocalypse Spell: (1-time-use) (other) Truly havoc-wreaking. If you happen to obtain one of these, you may use it on any one day to FORCE every single person in the Top 35 to use one of their expendable items randomly. Fire spells will go off, Warp Stones will do their tricks, and all HELL will break loose, at your command. ------------------------ Auxiliary Point Generator: (permanent automatic) (support) If you're lucky enough to possess one of these, you will obtain 200 bonus points with every single actual letter you mail into Q&A, whether I decide to post it in the column or not. As long as you have it, you don't need to indicate that you're using it in order for it to work. ------------------------ Bainick's Wand of Chaos: (1-time-use) (attack) When used, this item will randomly select a spell from the following list and cast it upon random targets in the Top 35. Fire/Fira/Firaga (1-7 targets) Blizzard/Blizzara/Blizzaga (1-7 targets) Thunder/Thundara/Thundaga Confuse/Confura/Confuga (on 1, 3, or 5 targets respectively) Demi/Demira/Demiga (on 1, 2, or 4 targets respectively) Drain/Drainra/Drainga Haste/Hastera/Hastega Slow/Slowra/Slowga (on 1, 3, or 5 targets respectively) B.Ultima (does 1,000 damage to every single person in the Top 35) ------------------------ Blind Spell: (1-time-use) (other) This exciting item will allow you to effectively obscure the vision of every other SOCK competitor for the next day's questions. The questions will be greatly obscured and distorted in the column, but the user will know what the questions are because I'll e-mail the clear, unaltered version to him or her. ------------------------ Blizzard Spells: (1-time-use) (attack) With these, you can reduce the scores of anyone or any combination of people out of the Top 35 by a certain number of points. For example, you could target Colabottle and reduce his score by 750 with a Blizzara spell, or you could target Alexander and Kanato for 500 and 250 respectively. The targets may be affected by the "Freeze" status ailment, which will cause them to be doubly susceptible to further attacks. Blizzard: 750 damage total + (10 / number of people targeted)% chance of "Freeze" Blizzara: 2,500 damage total + (25 / number of people targeted)% chance of "Freeze" Blizzaga: 5,500 damage total + (50 / number of people targeted)% chance of "Freeze" ------------------------ Confuse Spells: (1-time-use) (attack) You can target any number of Top 35 SOCK Competitors with this spell to cause them to fall under the effects of the deadly "Confused" status... Confuse: ... with a (100 / number of people targeted)% chance of success. Confura: ... with a (250 / number of people targeted)% chance of success. Confuga: ... with a (500 / number of people targeted)% chance of success. Confuse causes SOCK items to be changed randomly and items to be used haphazardly. Read more, below. ------------------------ Damage Deflector: (1-time-use) (defense) If you are in possession of this defensive item and you are hit by a damaging item, you may use this in order to have half of the points lost be spared; the damage will then instead be redirected to a player in the Top 35 of your choice. This will NOT work against points lost from Warp Stones, and is good for one use only. ------------------------ Dark Converter: (1-time-use) (support) A rare, evil item that changes you into a dark version of your normal self. While in this "Dark" status, any points you collect for the day will instead be channeled into damage upon every other person in the Top 35. Read more details under the Status Ailments section, below. ------------------------ Dark Sword: (permanent automatic) (attack) While in possession of a Dark Sword, 10% of all of your accumulated points every day, including those obtained through item use, APGs, but not Warp Stones, will be inflicted in damage to a random member of the Top 35. ------------------------ Demi Spells: (1-time-use) (attack) With these, you can cause incredibly devastating damage to competitors in the Top 35. The amount of damage and the number of targets depends on the spell in particular. Demi: Reduces one competitor's score by 25%. Demira: Reduces one competitor's score by 50% -OR- reduces two competitors' scores by 25%. Demiga: Reduces one competitor's score by 75% -OR- reduces two competitors' scores by 50% -OR- reduces four competitors' scores by 25%. ------------------------ Drain Spells: (1-time-use) (attack) With these, you can target people on the Scoreboard's Top 35 to effectively steal the points they obtain for that same day and add them to your score. Note that even if the damage is blocked by the target by use of an item (such as armor), the caster will still gain points nonetheless; while the armor nullifies the damage done to the target, the Drain-user him or herself will still gain those points. Drain: Steals the points from one other competitor and adds them to your own score. Drainra: Steals the points from two other competitors, and adds double that amount to your own score. Drainga: Steals the points from three other competitors, and adds triple that amount to your own score. Good for one use only. ------------------------ Economizer: (permanent automatic) If this amazing item is in hand, you have a 25% chance of automatically recovering any expendable SOCK item after it is used, so that you can use it AGAIN someday. ------------------------ Esuna Spell: (1-time-use) (support) Can be used any one time to relieve all status ailments currently afflicting you or any other player in the Top 35. If the target is not afflicted by any status ailments at the time, and you use this item, it goes to waste. ------------------------ Fire Spells: (1-time-use) (attack) With these, you can reduce the scores of anyone or any combination of people out of the Top 35 by a certain number of points. For example, you could target Bainick and reduce his score by 500 with a Fire spell, or you could target MagRowan for 200 damage, Erika for 200 damage, and BigWook for 100. The targets may be affected by the "Burn" status ailment, which will cause their obtained points to be halved for the next four days. Fire: 500 damage total + (10 / number of people targeted)% chance of "Burn" Fira: 1,500 damage total + (25 / number of people targeted)% chance of "Burn" Firaga: 3,500 damage total + (50 / number of people targeted)% chance of "Burn" ------------------------ Gold Armor: (semi-permanent automatic) (defense) If you own Gold Armor, you will be defended against the next 2,500 points of damage that would normally be inflicted upon you. The attack that brings that sum OVER 2,500 will still not cause any damage, but will break the armor. This works against point loss by any means EXCEPT for that incurred due to status ailments on the wearer. ------------------------ Haste Spells: (1-time-use) (support) Causes "Haste" status on the target. Haste: Causes Haste status for a minimum of two days. Hastera: Causes Haste status for a minimum of three days, and turns into a Quick Spell that is added to your items. Hastega: Causes Haste status for a minimum of four days, and turns into two Quick Spells that are added to your items. Allowing multiple guesses to be made for every usual guess. Read more, below. ------------------------ Hyper Beam: (1-time-use) (attack) This spell will target one opponent in the Top 35 to cause exactly 6,000 damage. Because of the power of this attack, you'll have to take the next day of the competition to recover, and no points will be obtained at that time unless hit by someone else's item. ------------------------ Item Bomb: (1-time-use) (other) Use this on any point benchmark to hide a trap in the item of your choice. The next person who chooses to take the item you hide the Bomb in will have it explode on them, causing "Burn" status to be inflicted and the item to go to waste. ------------------------ Item Destroyer: (1-time-use) (attack) Use this on anyone in the Top 25 to attempt to destroy all of his/her weapons. There is a (100 / number of items held)% chance of each individual item being lost to this attack. ------------------------ Item Magnet: (permanent automatic) If you're lucky enough to possess one of these, you hold a 25% chance of OBTAINING one-time use items that target you specifically, after their effects are felt. This does NOT include normal Sword or Staff attacks (though it DOES include Killer Sword's special attack), and does NOT include Blind Spells or Wait Modes. ------------------------ Killer Sword: (permanent automatic AND/OR one-time use) By having this sword in hand, you automatically carry a (25 / number of people targeted)% chance of doing DOUBLE the normal damage that you would otherwise inflict when using an attack item of any kind except Demi Spells or Warp Stones. Alternatively, this sword can be "thrown" alongside any other attack to have a (100 / number of people targeted)% chance of doing TRIPLE the normal damage that you would normally do; doing so destroys the sword, however. The sword will automatically work its doubling chance until you choose to throw it. ------------------------ Light Converter: (1-time-use) (support) By using this item, you will change into a radiant version of your normal self. While in this "Radiant" status, all points obtained are increased by 50% and other things happen. Read more, below. ------------------------ Magic Pearl: (permanent automatic AND/OR one-time use) By having this pearl in hand, you automatically carry a 10% chance every day of having your obtained points DOUBLE. Alternatively, this pearl can be crushed at any time to give yourself an instant score boost of 25x the current consolation points (5,000 points); doing so destroys the pearl, however. The pearl will automatically work its doubling chance until you choose to crush it. ------------------------ Merton Spell: (1-time-use) (attack) Here by popular demand (really), this deadly and risky attack will cause 10,000 points of damage on the Top 35 target of your choice, but will cost the user 2,500 points of his/her own. Both the user and the target have a 50% chance of being inflicted by "Burn" status. ------------------------ Mythril Armor: (semi-permanent automatic) (defense) With this in hand, your points will be defended against point loss at the hands of another player. It will continue to defend point loss until 500 points of damage have been inflicted. Any attack doing more than 500 (or the remaining amount to be defended) will be completely defended as well, but the armour will break. This works against point loss by any means EXCEPT for that incurred due to status ailments on the wearer. ------------------------ Mythril Shield: (1-time-use automatic) (defense) This will automatically deflect the next "attack" item, and nullify all of its effects, before breaking. Bear in mind that this includes defense against indirect attacks such as Sneak Gloves and Annoying Curses, too! Damage from Dark Swords and status ailments does not count. ------------------------ Mythril Sword: (permanent automatic) (support) While in possession of a Mythril Sword, you will receive a bonus 10% to all points normally obtained in the competition. Point Multipliers or other items used to boost points at the same time will be used AFTER the 10% is added. Points "received" from Warp Stones do not count. ------------------------ Nightmare Staff: (semi-permanent non-automatic) (attack) This staff makes its possessor very, very powerful. As long as this staff is held, the owner may choose anyone in the Top 35 at random on any day. Any questions that the chosen competitor fails to answer on that day will cause them a loss of points equal to the value of the questions and a 20% chance of falling into "Curse" status. Using this staff can be exceptionally useful to hold back up-and-coming competitors, or to keep people from rising too high, too quickly. There is a 5% chance that the staff will break whenever it is used. ------------------------ Point Halver: (1-time-use) (attack) You may use the Point Halver to cut another Top 35 competitor of your choice's obtained points in half for the day. Good for slowing people down if they're getting too far ahead. If one person is targeted by two Point Halvers at once, their points are quartered instead. ------------------------ Point Multipliers: (1-time-use) (support) If you obtain one of these, you may use it any ONE time to double/triple/quadruple/etc ALL of the points obtained from the SOCK competition on that day, whether from question-answering, APGs, and item use (except for those obtained by use of a Warp Stone). Just indicate that you would like to use it alongside your answers. If you use two Point Triplers at a time, the points are NOT tripled and then tripled again; they are tripled twice and added together (i.e. (3 + 3) x points, not (3 x 3) x points.) and the same goes for if you use any other combination of Doublers/Triplers/etc at one time. ------------------------ Quick Spell: (1-time-use) (support) Use this on any day to make an extra guess on -BOTH- of that day's questions. Useful if you're not quite sure what the answers are on high-point days. Use two Quick Spells on the same day to make three guesses for each of the day's questions, and so on. ------------------------ Rename Card: (1-time-use) (other) Use this at the same time you use an attack item, and you'll get to choose an opponent to blame instead of yourself. When I e-mail the victim to tell them of their misfortune, I'll lie to them and say that any other competitor (it's your choice who) did the deed. ------------------------ Scan Spell: (1-time-use) (other) If you Scan another competitor, you will discover what items that any person in the competition has in his/her inventory. Useful if planning a cataclysmic attack that you want to go off without a hitch. ------------------------ Slow Spells: (1-time-use) (attack) Causes "Slow" status to be inflicted upon the target(s) selected in the Top 35... Slow: ...with a (100/number of people targeted)% probability. Slowra: ...with a (250/number of people targeted)% probability. Slowga: ...with a (500/number of people targeted)% probability. Slow status limits the number of questions competitors can answer. Read more, below. ------------------------ Sneak Glove: (1-time-use) (attack) Use this on another player in the Top 35 to yoink one of their items from them at random to include in your own inventory! If you target someone without items, this goes to waste. ------------------------ Staff of Aid: (semi-permanent non-automatic) (support) This staff can be extremely helpful to the person who wields it. As long as this staff is held, the owner can select any member of the Top 35 on any day, and 50% of the points that the target obtains for that day in SOCK will be matched and given to the user as well. Possessing this item could be KEY to victory, but the staff has a 5% chance of breaking every time that it is used. ------------------------ Super Sneak Glove: (1-time-use) (attack) Use this on another player in the Top 35, and you'll get to specifically select which of their items you'd like to steal after I list them for you. If you target someone without items, this goes to waste. ------------------------ Thunder Spells: (1-time-use) (attack) These spells cause damage to random targets in the Top 35 competitors. The amount of damage and the number of attacks depend on the level of the spell. You, yourself, cannot be hit by this spell. Each thunderbolt carries a 10% chance of causing "Confuse" and a 10% chance of causing "Burn" in the unlucky targets. Thunder: 3 thunderbolts hit random targets @ 500 damage/thunderbolt Thundara: 5 thunderbolts hit random targets @ 1,000 damage/thunderbolt Thundaga: 8 thunderbolts hit random targets @ 1,500 damage/thunderbolt ------------------------- Ultra Sneak Glove: (1-time-use) (attack) This is your chance to steal many different items at one time! This is how it works: This item targets one person in the Top 35, and you'll be able to attempt to steal as many items as you choose from that person. If you choose to steal one item, you will steal it with a 100% success rate. If you choose to steal two items, you'll have a 50% (1 in 2) chance at stealing each one. If you choose to steal three, you'll have a 33.3% (1 in 3) chance at stealing each of those, and so on. The items themselves are selected at random. ------------------------ Vanish Spell: (1-time-use) (support) Use this spell to become invisible on the SOCK Scoreboard for the next four columns. If you're in third place, for example, it will appear as though fourth place is in your spot, etc. Other people can still target you with items, but item-users risk having them go to waste (since they won't really know whether you're in the Top 35 or not, and most items generally only work on people in the Top 35) ------------------------ Venom Spell: (1-time-use) (attack) Use this spell to cause "Poisoned" status in one other Top 35 SOCK competitor, a deadly ailment that is difficult to get rid of. Read more, below. ------------------------ Wait Mode: (1-time-use) (other) This is an amazing and very rare item that will allow you to freeze the entire competition for a day. Thus, if you need a break for any reason, no new questions will be asked and no points will be scored until the day after. Useful if you need to go on a trip or something. ------------------------ Warp Stone: (1-time-use) (attack) A very risky but awesome item that switches the points of you with another competitor in the Top 35 at random. If you're lucky, you might end up moving very quickly up the ranks by using one of these, but you could also be very unlucky, too! Use with caution. --------------------------------- ------------------------ STATUS AILMENTS: While inflicted by a status ailment, game mechanics change for a SOCK competitor. Those affected by status ailments will have their names show up on on the scoreboard in a [DIFFERENT COLOUR] indicated after the name of each description below. ------------------------ "Burn" [CHOCOLATE] - Obtained points are reduced by 50% until the status is healed. Also curable by means of a Blizzard Spell. 25% chance of automatic recovery per day after the second day. ------------------------ "Confused" [MAGENTA] - Every answer given will have a 50% chance of being replaced with a random choice of answer instead. Additionally, there is a 20% chance on any given day that a random one-time-use SOCK item in your inventory will be used. 20% chance of recovery per day, after the second day. ------------------------ "Curse" [GRAY] - SOCK score will be reduced by 10% per day that you are cursed, unless an actual Q&A letter is sent in on that day. 20% chance of recovery per day, after the second day. ------------------------ "Dark" [BOLD] - Affected contestant assumes a Dark version of his or her usual self. All attacks and attack spells (including spells such as Confuse) increase 50% in damage and/or effectiveness, but point Multipliers and Warp Stones may not be used. All points obtained each day do not increase the player's score, but are instead are converted to damage on every player in the Top 35. Thus, obtaining 500 points for the day would instead not increase your score at all, but inflict 500 points of damage on every other player (unless they are equipped with Armor, etc). The effect has a 50% chance of wearing off per day after the second day, though it is also curable by using an Esuna spell. ------------------------ "Freeze" [CYAN] - SOCK points will be doubly susceptible to further attacks until the status is healed. Also curable by means of a Fire Spell. 10% chance of automatic recovery per day after the second day. ------------------------ "Haste" [RED] - Under the influence of this condition, two options may be selected for every question, for every option that would normally otherwise be given. Generally, two options may be chosen for each question instead of just one, but by using a Quick Spell during the duration of Haste status, FOUR may instead be selected. The effect has a 25% chance of wearing off per day after a certain amount of time, though it may be ended prematurely if hit by an Esuna or Slow Spell. ------------------------ "Poisoned" [GREEN] - Competitors under the effects of Poison status will lose twice the consolation points per day (200 points) every day until it is cured. The effect has only a 5% chance of wearing off on its own, so Esuna could become very important. ------------------------ "Radiant" [GOLD] - Affected contestant assumes a Light version of his or her usual self. All obtained points are increased by 50%, and all attack spells (causing damage or status ailments) targeting the contestant bounce off and hit another Top 35 Contestant at random; however, all attack spells of any kind cannot be used BY the contestant him/herself while in "Radiant" status. The effect has a 50% chance of wearing off per day after the second day, though it is also curable by using an Esuna spell. ------------------------ "Slow" [PURPLE] - Affected contestant may only attempt to answer one of the two questions per day of the contest. There is a 25% chance of recovery per day after the second day, though it may be ended prematurely if hit by an Esuna or Haste Spell. ------------------------ The SOCK competition changes all the time, so be prepared for twists and turns. Most of all, just have fun! Good luck!