PK Policy

[Inspector Orlok]

PERMA-KILL POLICY

Definitions​

PK (Perma-kill):​

Permanent Kill (PKs) are the complete removal of a character, making them unplayable.

NLR (New-Life Rule):​

New-Life Rule (NLRs) means you can keep playing after your character’s death, but they forget the events leading to their death (Gears/Skills can be refunded).
NLR No Refund means you lose everything you had when you died and no refunds given.

Good Faith:​

Good Faith means a Permanent Kill must follow the rules, policy, honest intent, and respect while serving the story rather than being the end goal and ultimately a PK is void if it involves OOC interference, disrespect, revenge motives, weak justification, or any action that undermines fair play. Before a PK can be requested or carried out, the character should have at least 14 days of active playtime; Civil Protection (CP) and the Overwatch Transhuman Arm (OTA) are exempt from this requirement.

Narrative Death:​

The death of a character resulting from a planned or developed storyline in which the character’s demise serves as a meaningful and deliberate conclusion to their story, impacting the broader narrative beyond a single encounter.

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What warrants a PK?​

All players are subject to the PK Policy and whether it will result in a PK or NLR (No Refund). This section will go into detail on the different PK criterias.​

PK By Default Criteria​

The following is a list of actions or conditions that will result in a PK by default, regardless of whether a specific character is directly targeted.​

High IC Value Characters:​

If an event and/or Combine Characters that hold important positions are killed, it is a PK by default. This includes:

1. Combine Command: Civil Protection Overseers, Captains, MCP Investigators,
2. Authority Figures: Combine Civil Administration, Overwatch Soldiers,
3. Tier 7 Commended Citizens (If assassinated),
4. Event Characters (as designated by staff),

Guard Rules

1. With guards: The character is able to be ‘downed’ to allow for MedRP or capture. If the guard fails, they can be executed (Please then refer to the Combat Criteria).

Voluntary Deaths​

1. Roleplayed suicides or sacrifices,
   1. This includes but is not limited to danger such as NPC’s or environmental factors (i.e. fire).

Combine Executions​

These are executions and punishments given by the Combine which results in a character’s death. For it to be valid it requires:

1. Proof that the character committed the accused crimes.
   1. With no/invalid evidence the execution will be NLR instead.

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Roleplay PK Criteria​

PKs can occur through roleplay escalation without direct combat needed. This is where PK requests come into play- outline below will be the valid reasonings for one to be approved.
There can be exceptions made in developing situations e.g. an active hostage scenario.​

Core Requirements​

The PK of a character must make sense within the story they have been a part of; they cannot be forced onto someone or be random. The character must have made a clear choice (or failed to act) that logically leads to their death.

1. The character’s arc logically leads to their death, such as betraying allies.
2. The characters PK must advance or significantly impact ongoing Narratives.
   1. They made deliberate and acknowledged choices leading to the PK (e.g., refusing to surrender).
3. The death of a character serves to advance the roleplay of others, not just remove the character.

Valid Targeting Conditions​

1. Your character automatically qualifies for a PK if they hold a ‘PK by Default’ role.
   1. Weeks/Months of character development between all characters involved leading up to the PK.
   2. Mutual escalation of conflict beyond threats of serious harm.
   3. Retaliation against credible, concrete lethal threats and/or actions.
   4. Revenge; Your character has perpetrated equal or worse actions against another character.

Invalid Targeting Conditions​

These reasons are never valid justifications for a character’s PK:

1. Out of character (OOC) personal conflicts and/or dislike.
2. Minor In-Character (IC) offenses.
   1. This includes theft, insults, non-lethal fights/disagreements and petty revenge.
3. Unsubstantiated suspicions.
4. Being in a specific faction (e.g., loyalist or rebel) without In-Character (IC) provocation.

Please note that these can eventually become valid targeting conditions if they escalate through weeks/months of RP.
For example:
Minor insults/threats → Credible lethal threats
Minor theft → Organised sabotage​

Combine Executions​

These are executions and punishments given by the Combine as the consequence of rebellion, disobedience, or suspicion. However, they must still serve the storyline and be grounded in consistent roleplay.
For a PK to be valid it requires:

1. A conclusion and/or escalation to a storyline
2. Proof that the character committed the accused crimes based on credible suspicion, narrative context, or deliberate refusal to comply with demands (not always “hard proof”).
3. A representation of a character’s loss of value to the regime, if your usefulness ends? So might your life.

With no/invalid evidence the execution will be NLR instead.​

Interrogation and Suspicions​

Characters may be executed for what they know, represent, or fail to provide rather than just what they did. Suspicion PKs are ONLY valid if the narrative supports it, for example:

• Your character is tied to a group, cell, or movement through consistent roleplay, leaks, or captured logs.
• They are unable to clear their name, or refuse to talk.

These deaths must still follow high quality roleplay and contribute to an overall story or will default to NLR or even a voiding of the scenario.​

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Combat PK Criteria​

General Combat PKs​

Aggressor​

1. The individual who initiates the conflict or attack is automatically PK-eligible.
2. This applies even if they lose the fight.

Defender and/or Target​

1. Victims who did not start the fight are subject to NLR unless they meet the following:
   1. Roleplay PK Criteria
   2. PK by Default Criteria
   3. Environmental PK
   4. Has an valid/active PK request on them

Sweep* PK’s and NLRs​

Scenario​	Outcome​	Example Scenario​
Not an involved party but engaged in combat​	NLR (No Refund)​	Pending
Not an involved party without engagement in combat.​	NLR (Refund)​	A citizen hides in their apartment and is amputated due to witness sterilization; They never attacked anyone and had no involvement in the events leading up to his death. Accidental victim of a shooting exchange.
Involved party without engagement in combat.​	NLR (No Refund)​	A medic follows their squad into combat but only provides healing, they never fire a weapon. They’re killed while bandaging a teammate. They were involved in the situation and knew the risks but didn’t take part in direct combat engagement.
Involved party with engagement in combat.​	PK​	A character who decides to willingly and dangerously engage another party and/or character.
Involved and engaged in sweep outside of designated danger zones.​	NLR (No Refund)​	Civil Protection and rebels clash in the city plaza; you die during the attack but weren't in designated danger zones.
Involved and engaged in sweep inside of designated danger zones.​	PK​	A character who actively engages in dangerous conflict within dangerous locations and breathes one's last.
Death through shotcop**​	NLR (No Refund)​	A character who willingly engages or is engaged, without prior provocation and succumbs to said engagement.

Large combat encounters are subject to the combat PK criteria. Once the large combat encounter is over, and the crime timer is done, any subsequent sweeps caused by the initial combat encounter will be subject to roleplay PK criteria. Example: A large shotcop occurs, rebels win, a few days later Civil protection sweep and subsequently find a rebel who was apart of the original shotcop, they are amputated.

Their death will fall under the roleplay PK criteria.​

*A sweep is a OWF’s response to any uncivil or unrest procedures occurring within city bounds. Most often if not always based on a group of OWF officers and/or soldiers collectively walking into the slums and/or sewers to capture/quell/eliminate the aforementioned cause for a sweep.
**A shotcop is where any party willingly and actively engages any OWF member without it being a reactionary action from said party. It essentially boils down to a direct, unprovoked attack on the Combine.

Civil Protection may capture those who were uninvolved and not targets of the sweep. The IC information gathered can be used however it will be a 'no-name' character that gave said information. The captured character will be NLR'd+Refunded after.​

Exceptions To Civil Protection Combat PK’s:
All Civil Protection deaths during a Retaliation or Reactionary sweep will result in a PK.​

Civil Protection Demotion Table

Rank​	Penalty​
Rank Leaders​	They do not get demoted. They can receive a new character equal to their current Intention or lower.​
Intention One command units​	Demotion to Intention 2​
Intention Two command units​	Demotion to Intention 3​
Intention Three units​	Demotion to Intention 4​
Intention Four and Five units​	They do not get demoted They can receive a new character equal to their Intention or lower.​

*This table serves as an indicator on how Civil Protection demotions may or may not be handled once faced with an NLR or a PK. This ultimately falls in the hands of the Rank Leaders or High Command. This is always subject to change.

Bleedout Protection​

When a character enters Bleedout (0 HP in an S2K engagement), a 5-minute grace period is in effect.
During this time:

• The character cannot be PK’d without deliberate, story-driven actions.
  • Killing the character during bleedout is not allowed unless it is part of a deliberate, well communicated, and roleplayed actions. Random or reflexive kills during this time undermine the narrative immersion and fairness, such as /me shoots character’s head off.
• Medical roleplay should be respected.
• PKs must be earned by isolating or removing the downed character from medical reach or through a deliberate process of roleplaying an execution rather than a reflex.
  • No ‘minge grabbing’: Players must engage with intent and respect for the narrative, not just rush to grab and drag without meaningful RP.
  • No rushed or lazy /me’s: All actions, especially executions and PKs, must be properly roleplayed with detailed and deliberate /me descriptions.
  • No keybind spamming: Instant or mechanical actions that bypass proper RP are not acceptable.

This system protects character arcs, allows meaningful rescue attempts, and ensures PKs reflect story-driven consequences, not just reflexive kills.​

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Environmental PK Criteria​

Environmental hazards are to be treated with realistic lethality, they are as dangerous as any enemy/player you might face. Environmental PK’s encourages authentic survival behaviour, maintaining the narrative consequences of a high-stake danger zone you may find yourself in.​

Dangerous Locations​

These are locations that are hazardous by nature, but PKs in these areas are only valid with the proper roleplay, informed character choices and narrative escalation:

1. Outlands,
2. Sewers.

Regions can be considered hazardous by nature due to (but not limited to):

1. Environmental factors, such as:
   1. Toxic gases (Sewer spores, chemical leaks),
   2. Extreme weather (Radiation storms, blizzards),
   3. Structural dangers (Collapsing buildings, electrified water).
2. Hostile conditions, such as:
   1. NPCs (Headcrabs and zombies),
   2. Player-created dangers (Triggered traps),
   3. Faction warfare (Judgement waivers, rebel ambushes)

A character must knowingly and willingly choose to enter a ‘dangerous location’ with the proper understanding of the potential consequences, including the potential death of their character.​

OOC Locations​

1. Outland events,
2. Expedition servers,
3. Short Stories server,
4. Event- specific areas such as the admin box,
5. Cross-server transfers (Such as transfers from the Main to French server).

This criteria must be filled for PKs to be valid in these locations:

• The character must choose to engage in the area’s conflict or mission willingly.
• Death must result from a developed, logical chain of events.
• Environmental dangers should be foreshadowed and roleplayed.

​

Lethal Environmental Injuries​

Fatal injuries resulting from the environment that leads to NLRs include but are not limited to:

1. Being struck by fast-moving or large mechanical objects (Such as trains).
2. Incidental contact with physical objects that directly led to the character’s demise.
3. Falling from a great height due to negligence or poor judgment, resulting in fatal injury.

What does not warrant an Environmental PK?​

1. Accidental prop related incidents like prop glitches.
2. Non-consensual player actions where no PK authorisation was given (e.g., being randomly pushed into a train).

Player Agency and Voluntary Entry​

PK validity concerning ‘dangerous locations’ relies on the principle that players choose to enter these hazardous zones knowingly and willingly. This consent is a core part of the Environmental PK Criteria.

Dragging and Executions​

It has come to our attention that some players have been deliberately exploiting part of the PK policy to secure PKs without proper roleplay or narrative justification. In the past it may not have been an issue but with the server calling for more narrative concerning deaths, it has been changed.

• Dragging a downed or incapacitated character into a 'Dangerous Location' from a 'Safe' or NLR Location to perform an execution invalidates the PK - it removes player agency and contradicts the voluntary nature of entering PK zones.
• If a character is dragged into a Dangerous Location without proper roleplay or against their will, the PK may be considered invalid and subject to review.

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Additional Notes:​

In cases where a character’s death would impact the OOC stability of a faction, a character authorization request may be submitted to the appropriate Faction Leads to allow a new character to resume the same or higher position previously held by said killed character.
Certain roles are considered to be more OOC in nature and are not solely dependent on IC functions. In such instances, a new character may be created following the consultation of the respective Faction Leads.​

Rule 2.2 is being re-iterated here to address any concerns about power gaming and unfair play during high-stakes roleplay, particularly in PK scenarios. In the past, players have been subjected to actions forced upon their characters without proper emotes or realistic interaction—sometimes leading to wrongful player kills without consequence. This rule reinforces the importance of mutual roleplay consent, realism, and fairness. It ensures that every player has a reasonable opportunity to respond and that severe actions like PKs aren't driven by OOC bias or handled negligently.

2.0 - Powergame & Fairplay
-- The act of forcing an action onto a Character without the consent of the other involved player. This means forcing an action onto via a /it, /me or anything else is Powergame.
---- It can also be called Powergame when you perform an act not possible in real life.
----- You should always roleplay an action that another player could realistically act upon or notice (e.g stealing something during a search)
------ Even if the person has agreed to a /charsearch, you must still appropiately /me attempting to take away items from their inventory.
------ Looting downed characters during an active firefight is considered Fail-RP and a form of Powergame.

 

[Gr4Ss]

After a successful run i17, the PK policy has been updated to essentially use the same rules on C24. That means combat deaths are now always a PK with very few exceptions.

There is only one minor change: when TBC is turned off during a JW (which it usually is), deaths will still be a PK. The JW should serve as enough warning to the increased risk. This is essentially already how we did it on i17, so just writing it into the rules to avoid confusion on whether or not it is a PK.

 

[Imperator RAD-X]

PK Policy Update:

"PK by Default" criteria
Subsection 5:

Deaths within the sewers as a result of a barnacle, player, or NPC.​

What does not warrant a PK?
Subsection 2:

Deaths by NPCs not inside the sewers.​

​

That's all.

 

[Gr4Ss]

Small update to the case of being amputated for multiple lower-level crimes: the rule that you must have actually committed the crimes you are accused of counts for ALL the crimes used to justify the amputation. Some people apparently only believed your last crime in the series had to be one you actually committed, but that is not the case.

 

[Gr4Ss]

Updates:

1. Combat PK policy no longer mentions TBC. S2K fully qualifies for PK's too now.

Changes for the current map/state of things:

1. Given the limited room on the map, and the linearity of the slums/sewers, 'collateral deaths' of a sweep no longer results in a PK. We wish to give rebels that lay low more room this way without risking a near-certain PK the moment someone causes a sweep.
2. Given the power imbalance between end-game rebels (of which there are many now after the last 2 arcs) and Civil Protection, and to offset the lessened risk for rebels in the slums/sewers, CP players are exempt from PKs if attacked/provoked by rebels while inside the City/Slums.

 

[Gr4Ss]

Changes for the current map/state of things:

1. Given the limited room on the map, and the linearity of the slums/sewers, 'collateral deaths' of a sweep no longer results in a PK. We wish to give rebels that lay low more room this way without risking a near-certain PK the moment someone causes a sweep.
2. Given the power imbalance between end-game rebels (of which there are many now after the last 2 arcs) and Civil Protection, and to offset the lessened risk for rebels in the slums/sewers, CP players are exempt from PKs if attacked/provoked by rebels while inside the City/Slums.

As the map has been changed, and we've had a few days to settle in (read: I forgot to do this earlier), these 2 rules are removed again. There is plenty of space for rebels to operate without breathing down CPs their neck and plenty of room to hide from sweeps. Conversely, cops are losing their immunity to rebel attacks.

Now please don't go fuck around, because you will find out.

 

[Imperator RAD-X]

THE PK CRITERIA AND POLICIES HAVE BEEN UPDATED TO SUIT A MORE
NARRATIVE INVOLVEMENT FOR ALL CHARACTERS ON THE SERVER.
​

This is inherent of a serious roleplay server and should be treated as such.

​

It is important to note we are addressing Combat, Good Faith.

Regulations involving Roleplay PKs & Deaths are also adjusted. Thank you.
_______
EDIT 1: Revengenace Guidelines moved to Combat Rules to signify running-and-gunning into the main point of roleplay (The Plaza, CWU Clinics & CWU Workstations) can result in PKs.

 

[Robert]

PK Policy updated once more- still a work in progress but overall most of the fixes have been implemented.

 

[Robert]

This is undergoing a simplification update which may come with a few changes. Will take some time as following a process.

 

[NitroSky]

After discussions with Robert and approval from RAD-X, the PK Policy has been revised.

Definitions and Criteria have been simplified some for easier understanding.

 

[NitroSky]

Civil Protection PK/NLR rules have received an update.
Reform comes after working extensively with ClapTrap and Ozziekiel. (And having to wait until OCIN was back up ingame)

Changes are effective immediately.

 

[Robert]

Per request, clarity was added to the important characters ruling

 

[Neonity]

Effective immediately, T-6 loyalist characters are no longer considered PK by default.

More changes will follow.

 

[Cengiz]

• PK Policy update
  
  Expeditions / Short stories or other Outside-Main* settings will always lead to a PK, unless prior exceptions are agreed upon by Admins or GMs
  
  changed to
  
  Expeditions or other Outside-Main* settings will always lead to a PK, unless prior exceptions are agreed upon by the PK Managers / CT Coordinators

 

[ultima]

*Outside-Main to include Outlands, Admin-Box Events, Expeditions, Short Stories, Cross-Transfer servers, and anything else that is considered an Event-Only Area. While PK by Default, exceptions are allowed only if agreed upon by Admins and GMs.

Adjusted.

• PKs where all parties consent to another outcome (such as NLR). This consensus can either be reached on the server with an admin present or on an appeal.

Removed.

*Outside-Main to include Outlands, Admin-Box Events, Expeditions, Cross-Transfer servers, and anything else that is considered an Event-Only Area. While PK by Default, exceptions are allowed only if agreed upon by Admins and GMs.

Replaced

• Suicide or Sacrifice that is roleplayed, where you willingly die. Running into danger and/or lack of fear also applies

Adjusted

Combat PK Criteria

Rewritten.


(Ignore format inconsistencies, forums is kill.)

 

[ultima]

Updated again

What does & doesn’t warrant a PK?​

Shortened the combat criteria so it doesn't repeat itself

 

[ultima]

The Roleplay PK Criteria​

Outside of combat, roleplay may simply develop to a point where a PK happens, without there necessarily having been a fight. In this case, there are 2 basic criteria for any roleplay to result in a PK, keep in mind all PK's require a valid PK Request to be made before it can be carried out, below are the reasonings that would usually be able to authorize such, this does not include events, exclusively player versus player interactions.

1. PK must suit the narrative that a character was involved in. They cannot be forced onto someone or be random. Your character must choose to do (or not do) something that was:
   1. Decisive in the Narrative for the PK to happen, Important to the Narrative of the PK, and you were aware of PK being a possible consequence..
2. Your character was either:
   1. In a ‘PK by default’ situation.
   2. Specifically targeted as the result of RP.
      1. It must matter that it was YOUR character that got PKed and not a random character.
      2. Valid reasons to target a character include (but not limited to):
         1. Extensive character development between all characters involved - ‘extensive’ assumes this happened over the course of weeks, if not months.
         2. Escalating conflict where both sides clearly stepped up the conflict beyond inflicting serious harm
         3. Retaliation against credible, concrete threats made against your character, where retaliation is vital to survive.
         4. Revenge killing against characters that have perpetrated equal or worse actions.
      3. Reasons such as: Personal dislike, verbal insults, vague/uncredible threats, wanting items or money, someone stealing your items, assaulting you or a friend without lethal force or suspicion all do not count towards a PK. This includes killing someone merely over being Rebel or Loyalist.

Big change, make sure to read up and remember.


Edited to clarify.

 

[Neonity]

(The Combine marking you as a known Anti-Citizen is considered a defacto PK auth).

A little note was added to the PK policy.

If the Combine knows who you are, and marks you as a known Anti-Citizen, that is considered a PK auth and you can be killed by them whenever caught and identified. Combine forces do not need to create a subsequent PK request on you (assuming the reason they marked you AC is legitimate, but that's a given).

Technically this was already the case under the "targeted as a result of RP" part, but this hopefully adds additional clarification.

 

[Imperator RAD-X]

CITIZENS

::: GUIDELINE DISABLED :::​

"PKs resulting from being targeted ICly for actions your character did not actually do or based on suspicion without any conclusive evidence of your character committing the actions."

::: GUIDELINE ENABLED :::
​

``Character deaths as a result of crucial levels of suspicion on your character being part of the following list:
- Group
- Cell
- Criminal gang
- Corrupt officialisation
-- If your character is unable to prove otherwise by any means of manipulation, truth telling or "living as a usefulness" to the Combine, you will likely be met with a swift end.
-- CPs cannot just simply execute someone in on the initial basis of their word. If the suspicion and evidence level outweighs a defence - the character is doomed.``

Other PK criteria changes may occur as we fix this bloody server.

 

[Imperator RAD-X]

PK BY DEFAULT CRITERIA changed to:

• 
  
• Some event characters and/or Combine Characters holding important IC positions
  1. CP Overseer, High level CA and Overwatch characters (Good faith applies)
  2. CCA are also included into PKs if assassinated under any circumstance that allows them to be killed.
  3. With guards, it would means the important character will be 'downed' to allow for MedRP or capture. They can be executed if guards fail to save the important member. It refers to combat rules in this regard.
  4. If without guards and reduced to bleedout or assassinated in a way without involving combat, the character will be PK'd.
• 
  
• Execution / Punishment by Combine Factions such as Amputation, for which crimes where the character has actually committed all crimes accused of.
  1. Appropriate evidence to confirm a level of appropriate relation to the crime / the investigation must be provided by the Combine player. Without, NLR will apply.

What doesn't constitute to PKs changes:

1. Death by Overpowered / Broken NPCs - ( Though if you ran into it on your own terms that's still a PK. )
   1. Does not apply to the deployment of synthetics (Striders, hunters, etc) - That's considered a deployment by Overwatch leads.
      1. That must be appropriate to the threat scale persevered.