Shardworld - the Game (Guide thread)

[Amaterasu]

Player VS Player

The Shardworld has PvP tacked on, so to speak - chances are that players looking for a fight won't be very satisfied. But, it exists, and has its own rules.

PvP is an optional component - unless you have an Elder Shard on your character
There is no part of the base game requiring you to defeat a player opponent in order to progress. There are a few optional quests, and events usually bring some form of PvP to the mix, but it is technically possible to go from the starting island to being a legendary warrior without ever crossing blades with another player.
The exception to this is if you own an Elder Shard or more, and are carrying it on your character. Elder Shards are like artifacts, they are limited and you must be willing to fight for them in order to keep them.
Enemy players can challenge you to a fight over an Elder Shard provided that they are near you, and if you refuse you automatically forfeit the Shard to them. Like an artefact, it is dropped on your character's death. If you want to avoid losing your Elder Shard, store it in an Omniverse Base Vault.

PvP always goes by Omniverse standarts, not Shardworld standarts.
Let's say you are about to engage in combat against someone - what moves and powers are you able to use? Does that "Enchanted Unholy Crossbow" you wield in the Shardworld count?
The answer is no. Any and all PvP happens by Omniverse standarts - which means that everything on your Shardworld character sheet is ignored. Your normal moves, stats (including stat increases), artefacts and items all apply. As with any fight, you are judged by normal Omniverse standarts too. Elder Shards (currently) do not provide any PvP advantage!

PvP is virtual only
All participants are treated as if they were using VR stations to access the Dataverse, even if they are using an Uplink station. If you win a "virtual" fight the most you can do is to kill your opponent and they will respawn in a minute or so, losing any Elder Shards they may have on them.
"Real" death, banishment and bounty claiming are not possible as you are not actually defeating your opponent - only a virtual representation of them. If you want to "really" battle your opponent, track them to where they are hooked up to the Dataverse in the Omniverse.

Fights and rules function like any Omniverse fight
Post length limit, number of rounds, time call and judging happen as they do with any regular Omniverse fight.

Themed arenas can be enabled
When entering PvP, players will get thrown into an arena that can be modified to follow a "theme" which enables environmental elements instead of "random elements". By default the arena will be a wide circular space with no special terrain like a gladiator arena. Players can however select to include a "theme" which will turn the arena into one of many possible terrains. Themes can be "frozen mountain", "volcano slope", "Metropolis" and so on.

NPC spectators will often be around in the arena, waiting for a fight to happen. Players can also opt to spectate by selecting from a list of ongoing matches in the Shardworld menu.

Game Masters
An optional component to any PvP fight is to have a third party, an impartial Game Master, set up the game. They can set up rules and terrain to make the fight interesting for the players. Game Masters may also double as judges for the fight.