Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

[Golden Anbu]

Since we are a large guild with many systems, I decided to make a thread of the questions we answer frequently. Look for the answer here before asking.

Starting out questions
Profile questions
Request Questions
Timeline Questions
More than average (MTA) Character Questions
Magical Creatures Questions
Wizarding World Questions
Quidditch Questions
Miscellaneous Questions

The Crew reserves all rights to add, remove, or rephrase any questions, categories etc. at any time.

 

[Golden Anbu]

Starting out

I’m new, so where do I start?
The best place to start would be to refer to the New to MoM&WW? Read This! thread on the front page of the forums. There, you can get good instructions as to how to start your journey into the Ministry of Magic and Wizarding World!

Who do I talk to if I need help, or advice?
If you need specific help on a matter, like profiles, wand requests, job applications, etc, here is a list of jobs each crew members have.

If you need roleplaying help and advice, you're in luck! Helpful tips are located here.

If the subject in which you need help does not fit anywhere, just post in the Wizard's Handbook; Someone will definitely answer you.

Will it count as inactivity if I'm not posting in OOC chats and such until May when I can start roleplaying?
Roleplayers will not be considered inactive unless they have only posted less than two times in the guild within a three month period, or haven't posted at all in a six month period. So worry not! If you're really concerned about activity, you can create a professor, a Hogsmeade shop owner, or a magical creature. All three of which you can start roleplaying as soon as they're accepted.

My profile is posted, can I start roleplaying?
No. The profile has to be accepted by a crewmember before you can begin posting in roleplaying areas. Until then, feel free to post in the Chatterbox subforum.

 

[Golden Anbu]

Profile Questions

Why isn't my profile accepted yet?
The profile checkers most likely got busy and can't sit down and analyze each new profile. It may take awhile, but chances are, the profile will be checked within a week, if not three days. Please be patient with them.

Do I have to use the skeleton?
You don't need to, as long as all information required on the profile skeleton provided by us is in your profile.

How will I know someone looked over my profile?
The most obvious way would be seeing "~ Accepted" (or any of the other titles, like "Needs Editing") next to your character name. Other ways would be to check the crew comments at the top of the profile (if there is one) or the crew signature at the bottom of your character profile.

What is the difference between "pending" and "accepted"?
Those who are "pending" have not yet applied for their jobs. To be approved, you must be accepted at your job first. You may still roleplay the pending character, but not in their place of employment.

How do I do a job application for my "pending" adult if he's been working in the same department/job for years, but I'm just starting out?"
When filling out an application, keep in mind how old they were when they first applied. If a character is forty years old, and has been an auror for ten years, then mark their age as thirty and continue the questions as though they were that age.

On what conditions will a profile be rejected?
If you're not in the guild or if you argue with a profile checker about the necessary edits.

What if I find the necessary unfair and I want to make a case for myself?
If you feel that way, contact the profile checker (they will leave their signature on your profile) nicely through private messages and tell them why you find a certain edit unfair. They will explain why they asked you to change certain things. If you still feel it is unfair, you are more than welcome to take it up with the Student Profile Manager.

What are the profile warnings?
Profile warnings are considered to be a third of a normal warning. How you can get them:
1) If you remove crew comment.
2) If you change your title to anything but "~ Edited", "~Please Delete", or "~ Needs Crew Review".
3) If you remove a crew's signature.

If my character is an alumnus, do I pick their house?
Yes, however, please make sure that they fit the house. It should be noted that if your character was actually roleplayed as a student, they must keep that information from their school profile.

Can I post if my wand is still pending?
Yes, you may, but please refrain from mentioning too much detail of your wand before it gets accepted, because if it gets rejected, then you might have to go back and edit your previous posts to accommodate to your wand.

How many characters am I allowed to have?
As many as you wish, just be sure to know how much you can handle. If you’re new, it might be best to wait until the end of your first year before making any more characters; that way, you can get a feel of what’s expected.

I made a mistake and need to delete a profile. How should I do it?
Don’t panic, just edit the title of your characters profile to say, “~Please Delete.” IE: Tom Harkins ~ Please Delete

How do I put my character on hold if I'm away for a while?
First, make sure you post in the Absences thread. Then, go ahead and PM the Student Profiles Manager that you would like to put your character on hold. Also, feel free to change the title of your character to "On Hold". Please note that, while this does keep us from deleting your character and moving it to the The Graveyard subforum for a while, the character is not guaranteed to be there forever.

What will happen if my character is a Mary Sue/Gary Stu?
It is unlikely that a character will be a Mary Sue or Gary Stu, but in the case that it happens, simply tweak the personality and biography a bit; That usually solves it. Though we wouldn't be too concerned about it (just be careful). As most of us know, Harry Potter was a Gary Stu. However, if you really don't want your character to be a Mary Sue/Gary Stu and have no idea how to approach this, PM one of the profile checkers to come to a solution.

I was wondering if I could leave my new character I'm in the process of creating with only one listed strength, then add one later on (for the limit of two) once they figure out what they are good at magic-wise.
Yes, of course! Just make sure that after you update your profile, write "UPDATED" next to "~ Accepted (#)" so a profile checker can look over the changes.

How do I know what year my character graduated in?
The current school year is always located in the Hogwarts main forum under the Weather & Calendar, please keep in mind that students must be 18 at the age of graduation, unless their birth month is during the summer months (June-Aug). Squibs are also required to have a graduation year, ie: private school, home schooling, or muggle public schools, unless they did not attend or dropped out before completion. In which case, please state so.

 

[Golden Anbu]

Request Questions

Plot Requests

When should I submit a plot request?
This thread explains everything about when a special plot request should be needed.

Am I allowed to submit more than one plot at a time?
Yes.

How long will it take for a request to be accepted or denied?
Usually within two days. The special request moderator can get busy at times, so give them at least a week.

On what conditions will a request be denied?
This cannot be accurately answered, since it's almost always on a case-by-case basis. Usually, plots that are too explicitly violent, drag in roleplayers who do not wish to participate, and/or doesn't make sense to the timeline will be rejected. Reasons will be provided, of course.

What if a plot interferes with another plot?
You can assume that the two plots happen at a different time, just within the same thread. If confusion is a problem, simply PM the person with the other plot and work out a time frame during which the two (or more) plots can unfold without any frustration.

Wand Requests

I don't see the wood/core I want for my character. What should I do?
Because there are so many woods and cores, chances are, we missed a couple. Simply send a request to the person in charge of wand requests and wait for a response.

How long should I wait before I should get worried?
Typically this will take about one to two days, however sometimes the person in charge of accepting wand requests does get busy. If this happens, wait a week before sending your application again.

Why did my request get denied?
If too many people have asked for a material and received it, the material may become unavailable for a while. In this case, it is best to find a new material. Occasionally some requests are for wands that make no sense for the character to have.

What if I'm interested in upgrading my character's wand by having him/her make their own wand?
This would require a plot request, and also for the character to take wandlore studies.Otherwise, it is not likely that they would have the knowledge required to do so.

I don't know what wand would be for my character. Help?
Simply ask Violet the Maestro or Cara MiaKitty for assistance. They are our resident wand experts and will be more than happy to help you.


Pet Requests

Can I request for a pet that is outside of the list?
Yes you can, but you may need the Captain's approval, since some things may suit the environment but are itself not on the list.

Do I have to have a pet?
No, you don't need to.

Face-Claim
Um, if I wanted to use a different celebrity for my character when they're older would I have to send in a new request form when they gets there, or can I just include all the details in the one form?
You can include all the details in one form, just be sure to request that the old face gets removed when it is no longer needed.

Can I change my character's picture throughout the year?
Yes, so long as you use the face that you claimed for them.

 

[Golden Anbu]

Roleplay Questions

When does this guild take place?
It has been about 25 years since the Second Wizarding War.

I was reading the information about the list of knowledge, and I noticed we are only supposed to check off things covered in classes we attended. Unfortunately, none of my classes in my first year managed to cover all of the things listed as required knowledge for first years. I did attend all classes, the teachers simply didn't have enough classes to cover everything. What do I do? Did I fail first year, do I need to double attend, and what if those topics still aren't covered in the next year?
You will be moving up into second year. You have been attending the classes you need and have been active, so mark everything you were supposed to learn as learned.  

[Golden Anbu]

More than average (MTA) Character Questions

How do I become More Than Average?
Check this thread for detailed information regarding the acceptable More Than Average Types, and how one goes about petitioning for one.

Why limit the amount of people who can be More Than Average?
Simply put, the books are quite clear on the fact those with more than average skills are quite rare. It wouldn't make sense to have 50 animagi running around Hogwarts.

My student/professor/store owner is pending to be a Vampire/Werewolf, but the guild no longer has them running around in the Forbidden Forest. What should I do now?
You could always check the Ministry of Magic and Wizarding World guild to see if there's a vampire or werewolf there willing to change your character. Also, they might pop into Hogsmeade every once in a while, so that might be your chance as well. Here is the information on Vampires. Here is the information on Werewolves.

If I want my character to develop an MTA ability later on, do I still include this in the profile?
Because it would not happen until later on, simply include this information in an OOC note in the profile in order to secure yourself a spot.

 

[Golden Anbu]

Magical Creatures Questions

Am I allowed to make a magical creature that's not listed (ie: pegasus)?
It is possible here.

Why don't you have the option for werewolves or vampires/I remember there being an option for werewolves and vampires, what happened to it?
We decided it didn't make sense to have some stray vampires/werewolves with no past, running amuck in the Forbidden Forest. There would be more of a system to them, which is what we created. Here is the information on Vampires. Here is the information on Werewolves.

When does a student go from being "in training" to being registered by the Ministry?
Simply take the class. Once your character has passed the class they will be considered registered by the Ministry.

 

[Golden Anbu]

Wizarding World Questions

If I have a muggle-born character, how do they get to Diagon Alley to buy their school things?
They are escorted by Hogwarts School Governors. The Governor will arrive at the home of the muggle-born, explain the situation to the parents, and take the child to London for shopping for their supplies. The muggle parents may attend as well.

If my character's birthday is September Ninth, when would they go to Hogwarts?
They would go to Hogwarts when they are eleven turning twelve.

Is posting before school starts required?
No it is not, but it is encouraged.

Do I have to join the Ministry of Magic & the Wizarding World Guild in order to go to Platform 9 3/4 and board the Hogwarts Express
You don't actually have to join to post in the guild, as it is a public guild, however it is advisable since the guild is where summer takes place as well as many other events and plots. It is also a great place for your character's family to interact as well as a safe-haven for your character. However, to answer your question, no, it is not required to join the Ministry of Magic & Wizarding World guild to post on the Hogwarts Express. You could even bypass the Express and post at the station with your student.

 

[Golden Anbu]

Quidditch Questions

How long do I have to wait for someone to respond to my post in a match/practice before I can post again?
We have a 6+ hours waiting period, if the character hasn't replied to you within six hours of when you orginally posted your can post again.

I took a shot at the goal but the keeper hasn't rolled to block it, how long do I have to wait to consider it an open goal?
This answer is the same as above, 6+ hours waiting period comes in effect. if the keeper hasn't posted within the waiting period then it's safe to consider an open goal.

What does Natural Flyer do?
Natural Flyer is actually a skill that is still under development, but right now, it adds a +2 to your AC. However, once brooms are figured into the game, it will assist with that as well.

Can I change my skills in Quidditch if I didn't choose good ones/got picked for another position other than the one I wanted?
No, you may not. However, should you take Advanced Flying II, you may, as that class teaches the different positions, and it can easily be seen as your character discovering a better way of doing things in the game. This is only a one-time change, however. That means you need to choose your skills wisely.

What does Quidditch Experience really do?"
It adds a year to your Experience playing Quidditch. That means, those who happen to take it can consider themselves one year higher in that category. However, please keep in mind that you cannot take the MTA unless you have been in the guild for 3 months.

Do the -1 modifiers affect everything, or just your rolls?
They just affect your modifiers for rolling. Your AC remains the same no matter how many bludgers or what the weather conditions are actually.

Does the modifier you get for years playing quidditch and the class go to everything you roll for including those you don't have a skill for? or is it just for the skills you have?
Those modifiers go to your AC and your skills. If you happen to have a +2 from your years in quidditch and no extra modifiers for, say shooting the quaffle, you would still get that +2. It is the generic modifier for everything, while the special skills are for certain actions. Thus why you need to choose what you have carefully, since not everyone has the same skills.

 

[Golden Anbu]

Miscellaneous Questions

In the rules, underage magic must be refrained to only self defense, but, what if my character wants to illegally learn magic at home?
That is completely up to you, as the roleplayer to decide, but just keep in mind that in the Ministry of Magic and Wizarding World guild, there might be repercussions to doing so. There are jobs that are available to curb that sort of thing and may get your character into trouble with the wizard law. Just keep that in mind.

Can we bring cellphones, laptops, iPads/iPods/iTouchs, or any electronic device to Hogwarts?
No. This also includes battery-powered devices. The reason being: "Electricity and electronic devices are not found at Hogwarts. Hermione Granger indicates that due to the high levels of magic, substitutes for magic used by Muggles, such as computers, radar and electricity "go haywire" around Hogwarts. Radios, however, make an exception. Rowling explains this by saying that the radios are not powered by electricity, but by magic." (Harry Potter Wiki)

I noticed that there are a few skills that cost '40 Galleons' in order to get. What does this mean?
This is simply an in-character payment. Remember, nobody in the guild will ever ask you to pay real gold or money for purchases made in character.

Is there a dueling system?
At the moment it is currently under construction.

Hey this is a good idea! Can I use it for my roleplay?
The answer will likely be yes as long as you ask and credit us. We put a lot of hard work into this place and get very upset when people steal.