Character Sheet Approval Guidelines

Dark Jedi Brotherhood

This article is part of the series: Voice Policies

Documentation

Fiction Center Character Sheet Guide Fiction Rubric 3.0 Character Sheet Database ACC Guide

Policies

Artifact Policy Brotherhood Canon Character Sheet Policy Cluster of Ice Policy Dominion Policy NPC and Alternative Characters Policy New Species Policy Voice Competition Policy

Current Staff

VOICE Idris Adenn P:VOICE Zentru’la M:VOICE Reiden Karr

The following guidelines are used by the Voice Staff to process and approve member-created Character Sheets. Failure to meet these guidelines will result in a remand from a member of the staff. Any remand, however, will contain clear instructions on how to make changes that will lead to getting the Character Sheet approved. The Voice Staff is available through both email and Discord. They actively try to get all character concepts to a point where they can be used while still meeting the requirements and expectations of the Character Sheet system.

Remands are NOT a negative thing or a mark against your ability or ideas. They are here to help you make the best character possible while maintaining a set of standards for all members.

Introduction

The purpose of this approval process is to maintain a consistent quality across all Character Sheets. The policies here are not meant to prevent members from writing or playing the character(s) that they desire, but to help ensure that all Character Sheets are held to the same standards within the Brotherhood’s fictional systems.

Please read each section carefully.

Finally, the Character Sheet system is inclusive and open to various forms of gender, orientation, and identity. There are different ways to explore these types of characters, and if you are concerned, curious, or have any questions please reach out to the Voice or the Voice Staff. We are always looking for new ways to make our system more inclusive.

For a step-by-step guide on creating your Character Sheet, please see the Character Creation Guide.

Notes From the Staff

• All Character Sheet reviews, approvals, and remands are based on the current policies. This means that a previously approved Character Sheet does not guarantee re-approval.
  • The Voice Staff is not and does not audit previously approved Character Sheets.
• The Voice Staff can only remand on the edited components that come to them for review. For example, if you have a physical description that does not meet the current policy, without you making an edit to that field it is not something the Voice Staff can actively review and remand.
• Any time that a member modifies a text field on the Character Sheets, it will require staff approval.
  • Applies to: Physical Description, Height/Weight, Custom Aspects, Lore, and Languages.
• Staff approval is not needed if you just want to change: Discipline, Skills, Force Powers, or Feats.

Physical Description and Species

The Physical Description field is meant to convey a basic, static image of what your character looks like as if looking at a photograph or being described to someone else. The purpose of this still image is for others to write your character's appearance accurately without making a mistake that could cause for loss of points in a judgement in which consistency was key.

Physical Descriptions should not contain notes on behavior or history that would go in Custom Aspects or on a wiki. They should not detail items or armor that belong in Item Aspects, or otherwise list any attire, as these are both under the purview of the Possessions system and covered on the Character Sheet in an attached Loadout.

Images should not be used directly within the Physical Description, but links to images and reference galleries are allowed. The Voice Staff will review these links to verify they do not lead to anything inappropriate.

Physical Appearance

• Details included in this field must be purely cosmetic in nature. For an approved sheet, you must make sure you hit all the basic six (6) descriptors:
  • Skin tone, eye color, hair color and hairstyle (default), body type, and distinguishing marks like scars or tattoos.
  • Not mentioning any distinguishing marks will imply that your character has none.
  • Please avoid out-of-universe references, such as Asian, Caucasian, or African, and instead use terms like "flat nose, angular eyes, pale features, exotic or dark skinned, coarse-haired."
• Descriptions must be static descriptions (things that don’t change day to day). If your character dyes their hair, you only need to list that color, but you will need to define a default style even if they frequently wear different styles or accessories. You are still free to write your character doing these things in fiction entries and stories as much as you like; but for the character sheet you MUST provide a single, static description for others to use for grading purposes. Saying that a character wears multiple hairstyles or changes their hair color will result in a remand.
• Descriptions must be current. Discussing what a character will look like when they grow or what they looked like in the past at length is not helpful nor does it provide a current image to grade with. You may write something such as, "her once blue eyes have corrupted to Sith gold" but you must provide and focus on the character's current appearance.
• Physical Descriptions must be written in full sentences, not in a list format.
  • Example: Listing, "Hair Color: red. Eye color: blue. Tattoos: tribal." would result in a remand. It should be written as, "Master Skystar has red hair, blue eyes, and wild tattoos with swirling lines."
• As there are no other fields for it, the Staff allows mention of makeup, piercings, and accents in the Physical Description, but as with anything else, these must be static. If any makeup is included, it should be a single style. Piercings should be assumed to always be present. You may include accents, but keep in mind that there is not an England or Southern United States in Star Wars — these fall again under out-of-universe references. Instead, you can use things like "aristocratic lilt" (English accent), or "slow drawl" (Southern United States). Accents are considered flavor for better describing a character's "voice" in dialogue writing, but any mention of them should be short and not delve into Character History.

Species

• The physical description must also be consistent with the Species choice. Variations may be approved, but they would have no mechanical benefit. Always check your Species infobox for information about what colors or features are standard to your selected Species.
  • Not every Species will have hair, or skin, but may have fur or a carapace. Whatever traits the Species does have, make sure those basics are covered.
  • Example: Standard Chiss have blue skin, black or dark hair, and red eyes. A hybrid Chiss may have paler skin instead of dark blue skin, but you may not add claws and fangs when their selected Species is Chiss.

Cybernetics

• Cybernetics and other “modifications” are allowed, but they are only cosmetic in our system. You can describe how they look, but cannot mention how they modify or enhance your character's attributes. Cybernetic limbs may not include weapons or armor, and additional redundant organs may not be added if the Species did not originally have them; a cybernetic may only replace an organic piece with a metal one.
• Cybernetics can be a good way to justify/explain the skill levels of your character, however.
  • Example: Your character is a lithe thin framed body with +5 Might and has cybernetic arms. Claiming the reason for this is that cybernetics give you strength is fine and is strongly encouraged, but the skill and its level must be actively set to that on your sheet.

• A system exception exists for members of the Technocratic Guild in the Collective, who get a unique feat that lets their cybernetics enhance other abilities. This is for NPC usage only for the rival faction.

Behavior or History

• Physical Descriptions cannot explain how a character behaves. Aspects are used for this purpose. Since the focus of this field is solely on the character's visual details, the effects of the character’s appearance or their behavioral traits should not be included in a Physical Description.
  • Example: Your character cannot "intimidate everyone they come across with their gaze." Your character MAY have "sharp, piercing green eyes" and "always wear a scowl." This allows a reader to infer they are intimidating, instead of dictating any effect on another character or describing a character's behavior.
• Physical Descriptions cannot be used for extensive character history of how and why a character behaves - this must be covered with Custom Aspects and/or supported by a Wikipedia article.
  • Example: You cannot say that your character, "was a lifetime slave under Jabba the Hutt and grew strong enough to defeat them and rescue their fellow slaves so they have large muscles and many scars". You MAY say that your character has "large muscles and many scars from a life of slavery". You cannot say that your character "was in a fight to the death with his master and stabbed in the gut, but survived and now he has the scars after defeating him." You MAY say your character's scar is "a thin white line from a knife wound."

Items and Armor

• Some species have unique equipment that is seen as a standard component of the species' appearance. As these are often required for the species to function, you may list these items in the Physical Description section instead of specifying them with a load out.
  • Example: Kel Dor require a breathing mask to function outside of their homeworld’s (or similar’s) atmosphere. You may mention the mask, and any styling on it in the physical description of the character sheet.
• Physical Descriptions cannot be used to explain the properties or functions of armor or weapons (such as material resistance or augmentation). These details can be displayed through the Possessions and Loadouts interfaces, and fall under the discretion of the Regent staff.
• A character's attire — often defined by their clothing style, preference, or details, as well as any armor they wear, no matter how often, belongs in the Item Aspects found in Possessions items that get equipped into the Armor and Back slots of a Loadout. Listing out attire in the Physical Description field will result in a remand. See the Creating Custom Item Aspects page for more details.
  • Example: You cannot say that a character's "pale skin, short-cropped dark hair, and hazel eyes are constantly hidden behind their Mandalorian helmet".
• Weapon selection/placement may not appear in a Physical Description. These details can be displayed through the Possessions and Loadouts interfaces, and fall under the discretion of the Regent staff.

Hybrid Species

While characters descended from two species (hereafter hybrid species) are permitted, they will be subjected to increased scrutiny by the Voice staff. The selected species should be from similar genetic styles, meaning you cannot merge a Reptilian based species with a Mammal based one. The following items are required for these sorts of characters in addition to the above.

• A hybrid Species must have only cosmetic elements of their Secondary Species worked into their Physical Description. This should be clearly defined by the writer and focus solely on the cosmetic details of what makes the Character a hybrid.
  • Example: "Skystar is a Chiss-Human hybrid with light blue skin and red-tinted, green eyes..."
• A hybrid species is a combination of two (2) different approved species. One is the primary that gives the species feats, and a majority of appearance specifics.
• A hybrid Species must have only cosmetic elements of their Secondary Species worked into their Physical Description. This should be clearly defined by the writer and focus solely on the cosmetic details of what makes the Character a hybrid.
• A hybrid Species will only get Feats from their Primary Species. They do not get Feats of the Secondary Species.
  • Example: Skystar is a Chiss-Human hybrid, but his selected Species is Chiss. He will have only the Chiss Feats and cannot use the Human Feats.
• Your character may be a descendant of multiple hybrid species, but for the Physical Description, you must pick the two core species that define their feats and appearance.
  • While we allow a great many appearance modifications for species, you do not get to effectively make your own personal species with feats you like from one while looking wildly different.

• For an example of an approved Character Sheet featuring a hybrid species, check out the Inquisitorius NPC Harry West featured in the ACC Qualification exams.

Character Images/Formatting

The Weapons Loadout field has been replaced with Possession Loadouts. In removing the text-based field, the option to directly embed images into Character Sheets has effectively been phased out. Members are still welcome to include a hyperlink to an image of their character or reference gallery, however, using Markdown syntax.

Example: [Character Image](https://characterimage1.jpg)

Please note: The Voice staff will inspect image hyperlinks to ensure they are appropriately linking to character art that adheres to the Brotherhood's PG-13 policy in terms of nudity and graphic content. Linking to inappropriate content is subject to discipline at the discretion of the Justicar and the Covenant.

Disciplines

Custom Disciplines are a great way for members more familiar with the CS system to further and better define their characters. Rather than being limited to the specific “class” options we currently have as defaults, starting at Equite 3, members can begin to request a custom combination of discipline feats for their characters. This includes some unique discipline feats not currently attached to any of our default options.

There are some restrictions. You can only request as many custom disciplines as you have slots available. Once at max, you will have to inform us which discipline you would like to replace. Selected feats must still fall within the same Force-user or Non-Force-user categories for the character. This means no Force user can select the “Smooth Operator” feat for their character, just as no non-Force-user can select “Battlefield Awareness”.

The max level of the feats also depends on your current rank. While default disciplines fully unlock based on your rank tier (NOV/JM are level one, EQ is level two, EL is level three) this system scales a bit differently due to the powerful new builds you are capable of making.

Equite 3 members get to use two level two feats. Equite 4 members get to use two level two feats. All Elder members get to use two level three feats.

This also depends on the rank of the character you are using. If you are an Elder creating a sheet for a JM4 ranked character, that one would still only get the level one feats out of it.

To request a custom discipline please use this form here

This process is entirely manual for the Voice staff. This means it takes time, along with and discussion and back and forth. This takes a lot longer than a sheet review to complete, please be patient we will process your request as fast as possible.

Naming and Descriptions

Custom Disciplines do require a name to go along with it. They must follow the following criteria for approval:

• Discipline Names must always have each word of the name capitalized.
• Discipline Names should be kept to under three words, and it is "heavily" encouraged to remain no more than two.
• Discipline Names should reflect the flavor of the discipline you are creating.
  • Discipline Names should also stay in line with the styles of other default disciplines.
  • Example: “Jod’s Custom Discipline” would not be approved.
  • Usage of non-English names is acceptable as well, but formatting should still adhere to using the standard characters. Unique formatting or emoji usage is not allowed and will be remanded.

All names are subject to review and may require some back and forth before approval. Prior approval on a name does not guarantee approval again.

Discipline descriptions are "not" a required component, but should you like to include them, they also have some requirements:

• Custom Descriptions not exceed 150 words in length.
• Custom Descriptions should be at least two sentences in length describing the concept of the discipline.
• Custom Descriptions should mimic the default discipline descriptions, and if possible list the two feats being used.
• Custom Descriptions should be spell-checked and proofed before submission. Descriptions with acceptable content may be remanded if it is too difficult to read or follow.

All names and descriptions are subject to review and may require some back and forth before approval. Prior approval does not guarantee approval again.

Max Custom Disciplines

Due to members having a limited number of character slots, and to prevent an overabundance of custom aspects you will not use there is a limit to the total number of custom disciplines you may have at any one time. This limit is set by the maximum amount of slots allowed by your current rank:

• EQ3 and EQ4 have four max slots
• Elders have five max slots

New Custom Discipline Frequency

For each of your character slots you can request one new custom discipline every 30 days.

Example: If you had two character slots, and created one on the first of the month, then the second on the 15th, you would need to wait 15 more days to replace one, then another 15 to replace the other.

Skills, Force Powers, and Feats

• If a Feat is taken that modifies a given Force Power or Skill, that Power or Skill must have one or more points placed in it. The Character Sheet Wizard will not show Feats unavailable to a specific character based on Rank or Order (eg NFU types will not see Force Power Feats). It will also warn the member selecting the Feats that a Force Power or Skill is required to use it if they try to select it without the Skill or Power on their Sheet.
• Skills and Force Powers should be consistent with one’s Aspects.
  • Example: if a character has an Aspect stating a preference for ranged combat, they should have Powers and/or Skills that allow them to engage enemies at range.
• If an Aspect discusses using Powers or Skills in a way that requires a Feat, but the Feat is not selected on the Sheet, the Aspect will be remanded.
  • Example: an Aspect discusses protecting other characters besides the user with Barrier, but the Sheet does not have the Static Barrier Feat that allows this usage selected.
• Dual Wielding allows your character to effectively handle two weapons at once. It does not make your character both left-handed and right-handed.
  • The ability to fight with both the left and right hands equally requires either the Journeyman Feat: “Ambidexterity” or the Equite Feat: "Alternate Wielding".

Specialization

This includes Lightsaber Forms, Martial Arts Forms, Lore, and Languages.

Forms

• You must have at least one Skill point invested in a Martial Arts Forms or Lightsaber Forms to select a form from the drop-down selector under the Specialization tab on the Character Creation Wizard.
• Form selection indicates your character's top two preferred forms of usage, while the skill itself allows you to use any. This is a reference for yourself, and others on what the character focuses on using.
• For additional information see the Martial Arts Forms page and Lightsaber Forms page.
• Primary/Secondary Weapon Specialization only applies for the Non-Force User Weapons Specialist discipline feats. It does not provide any advantage to any other discipline or character type.
• For Non-Force-Users, any Discipline but Weapons Specialist does not gain any benefit from selecting a Primary or Secondary Weapon Specialization in the Specialization selector. This is just for the Weapons Specialists to define their respective Feats.
• Do not select Weapon Specialization if you are not a Weapon Specialist.

Lore

• Lore can be chosen by using the skill in your skill ladder, with one topic opening up for specification per level the skill is at. IE +2 Lore gives 2 Lore slots.
• Lore (and Language) slots can also be earned from progression in multiple societies including SA, RP, and ACC.
• Lore Topics should be specific but brief.
  • Example: "The engines of starships in ISDs and how they function and repairing them in or out of battle" is not a proper Lore Topic. Instead, for a character to know about starship engines, the member would just put, "Starship Engines" or "Imperial-designed Starship Engines".
• All characters are expected to know broadly the history of the Dark Jedi Brotherhood, of the New Republic, and the current era and time period in general. It is also implied that your character will have a working knowledge/understanding of their Species-specific lore or history including culture and habitat. A Lore item is not needed to reflect this, as it is automatically applied to your Character Sheet. They would also not require a lore topic to cover areas of general education available to their Species.
• Lore topics should show expertise in an area of knowledge that would set them apart from others of their Order, Species, or Unit. They are the equivalent of a degree or master's program on a subject from a university or trade school, or of extensive empirical experience in a subject, such as a lifetime in a career field. Good examples are: "Poisons and Toxins of the Galaxy", "Xenobiology", "Droid Building and Repair," "Criminal Underworld of the Galaxy", and “Ancient Sith Artifacts".
• Lore topics cannot merely mention a Shadow Academy course the member has taken. Member activities such as these have NO tie-in to your character's Lore or knowledge. However, Societal awards or topics may be used, such as the topics granted to a member's Character Sheets at certain ranks in the Inquisitorius, Shroud Society, Shadow Academy Society, or Grand Master's Royal Guard.
• Click here for an expanded list of heretofore approved Lore Topics. This list is not a complete reference. It is recommended you ask the Voice Staff if you are unsure about a Lore Topic.

Languages

• Languages can be chosen by using the skill in your skill ladder, with one language opening up for specification per level the skill is at. IE +2 Language gives 2 Language slots.
• Language (and Lore) slots can also be earned from progression in multiple societies including SA, RP, and ACC.
  • Sith tongue, as referred to on Wookiepedia, is Ancient Sith in our system. Mind notes like these listed for each Language, such as that New Canon has merged Ryl and Twi'leki into one Language now simply called Twi'leki.
  • If a Language has multiple names, the Languages page will tell you which to use, such as Binary instead of Droidspeak.
• Mind your spelling when typing your selection into the Language field.
• Each Species gets their native tongue by default, as well as Galactic Standard Basic. This is coded into the website and is done automatically. Do not put Basic or "Human/English" as Languages.
• Aspects may make references to a specific cult, upbringing, or other factor that could be used to explain a small smattering of words from a Language such as Mando’a without the character knowing the whole Language. The character will be unable to fully speak it or understand it, but know some words without needing to spend a Skill Point.
• Click here for an expanded list of many approved Languages in our system. This list is not a complete reference. It is recommended you ask the Voice Staff if you are unsure about a Language.

Aspects

Brotherhood members can develop Custom Aspects to better express their characters. Custom Aspects define what makes your character unique and describe the core of their personality.

All Custom Aspects are reviewed by the Voice Staff for approval before use. Previously approved Aspects that have been slightly modified or edited do not guarantee reapproval. The review process takes time, and while the staff works to have the review done as quickly as possible, it may take time for a Custom Aspect to be completely processed.

For tips on how to write Custom Aspects, check out the "How To" section of the Aspects article.

Custom Aspects are expected to adhere to the following criteria for approval:

• Custom Aspects must always have the first word of their title capitalized, and have each letter of each subsequent word capitalized, except for the following: a, an, the, at, by, for, in, of, on, to, up, and, as, but, or, and nor.
  • Example: "This Is How You Title an Aspect" or "I Titled an Aspect and All I Got Was This T-Shirt"
• Custom Aspect title lengths should remain as a short phrase rather than a full sentence. Pop culture references, song lyrics, words in foreign languages, etc are all perfectly acceptable to use as titles. Excessively long or inappropriate titles may be remanded at the discretion of the Voice staff.
  • Usage of non-English titles is acceptable as well, but formatting should still adhere to using the standard characters. Unique formatting or emoji usage is not allowed and will be remanded.
• Custom Aspects must have at minimum two full sentences and not exceed 150 words in length. They may be broken up into “paragraphs” for readability. If you are using more than 100 words, we recommend carefully evaluating if additional words would add or detract from what you are trying to get across in the Aspect.
• Custom Aspects should be spell-checked and proofed before submission. Aspects with acceptable content may be remanded if it is too difficult to read or follow. This is important so that other members and competition judges may easily read and understand the Aspect.
  • Proofreading is up to the user and is not a primary criterion for Aspect approval, but readability is. Aspects must be easily read and understood. If you cannot find a proofreader in your Clan or summit, ask the Voice staff and they will help you.
  • Voice Staff may note spelling and grammatical errors in addition to a remand for a different reason, but if the aspect is readable as is, they will not remand it only for that reason.
• Your Custom Aspect needs to revolve around a single, connected theme; that is, convey a single piece of information about the character. Avoid disjointed attempts involving multiple partial Aspects merged into one or contradicting oneself.
  • Example: A major part of Skystar as a character is his heritage, so a General Aspect is dedicated to his half-Human, half-Chiss upbringing and his views of the culture, mainly focusing on how being raised that way makes him act. He is also a pilot, and so a Combat Aspect may be dedicated to his ability to dogfight, while a Personality Aspect could focus on his quiet manner leaving him few friends but his loyalty inspiring those he does keep.
• A Custom Aspect must pertain to how your character acts or behaves. These cannot be an explanation of your character's history, which belongs on the Wiki, but focus on how they function and interact with the world around them. You can use an element of your character's history, or a specific event, to quickly explain why your character behaves a certain way or has a quirk, or to give context to a behavior, but the behavior, not the reasoning behind it, is the focus of Aspects.
• Custom Aspects must pertain to the base/typical status of your character. Much like how the Physical Description must be about how your character currently looks, Custom Aspects should reflect their current typical behavior. If your character has a split personality, one still has to function as the core personality to build off of. Characters need at least some form of a foundation that can be predictably built off of.
• Custom Aspects should be supported by the character's Skills, Feats, and Force Powers. For example, if you have an aspect that says, “Blademaster of the First Echelon!”, it is expected that the character will have at least a +3 in Bladed Weapons, and perhaps a Feat to enhance it.
• A Custom Aspect cannot dictate how other characters act or perceive your character. How a character reacts to another character is a unique thing for every character.
  • Example:
    Good: Voorhees is prone to very little verbalization, relentless stalking, and violent tendencies. This has made it difficult for him to make friends.
    This line works as it reinforces how Voorhees behaves and how his behavior has had an impact on his life. It does not force all characters to not like him or find him creepy outright. Some might appreciate these things about him.
    Bad: No one likes how Voorhees is silent and violent. They all find this at best creepy and disturbing, and at worst, outright attempt to kill him.
    This line provides some insight into Voorhees’ behavior but shuts the door to how any individual character might perceive him.
• Custom Aspects can refer to your unique relationship to your Clan or the DJB at large, but please keep in mind that there is a fair bit of fiction that needs to be respected. Any Aspects relating to a specific element of Clan/subunit fiction must not contradict that fictional development. The same goes for the Brotherhood as a whole. It is highly recommended that if you’re going to create such an Aspect you speak to your Clan leadership or the Voice office before you submit your Sheet.
  • Example: an Aspect that focuses on the character's role as a critical agent in a battle in a specific Brotherhood update, but the character was not mentioned in that update.
• Custom Aspects may link away to other Character Sheets, especially if referencing an important bond between characters, but should not link to non-DJB sites or sources, for quality control. Like with imagery in the Physical Description, the Voice Staff will check any links, and anything linking to inappropriate content may be subject to discipline.
• Custom Aspects are expected to have some form of balance. This can be either explicit or implicit depending on what the Aspect is attempting to do. This is one of the most important factors contributing to if an Aspect can be approved or not. Every Aspect needs to be “perfectly balanced, as all things should be.” The final judgment on whether an Aspect requires an explicit form of balance comes from the Voice staff. A good rule is if you are not sure if an Aspect needs it, include it in some manner.
  • Some Aspects are “self-balancing” in that they provide no major *merit* to “buff” a character. These are more general-purpose in nature. These Aspects can be seen as having an implied form of balance.
    • Example: “Technically Legal”: Natasha prefers to push the rules to the absolute limit. While she is unlikely to break rules or disobey orders, she toes the line between what is allowed and what isn't at every opportunity.
      This Aspect gives a clear insight into how the character works. There is no major benefit granted to her because of it, it is just a personality trait of hers. The balance of this is implicit.
  • Other Aspects are meant to give a clear form of a benefit to the character. These “buffs” to a character must clearly illustrate a flaw to maintain balance.
    • Example: “I Can Fix That”: If it has an electronic circuit or gear, Tony thinks he can fix it; everything from holopads to starships. To Tony, even the most random assortment of scraps from a junkyard can be used to create something useful. He has a knack for fixing things that are broken, and his confidence in this ability borders on arrogance, and if he fails to fix something, he is prone to fits of anger and annoyance.
      This Aspect grants a clear benefit in that Tony can fix things really well. This “buff” to the character had to be balanced out with how that can hinder/hurt him if he cannot fix something. The balance of this is explicit.