Note: If you feel the rules are unclear, you should ask for clarification and wait for an answer before taking any action. In general, take a conservative interpretation: what isn't explicitly allowed is forbidden.
Basic Rules
Which editor can I use?
Use the special CYOA editor here: https://cyoa.ltouroumov.ch/editor/
This editor has been specifically modified for the needs of the CYOA.
DO NOT use the ICC-plus editor by Wahaha303 or the standard ICC editor by MeanDelay.
Where do I upload the images?
Upload all images to the server here: https://cyoa.ltouroumov.ch/upload/
- You should create an account, it's free.
- Use the direct link to embed in Discord and the CYOA, the other options will result in a broken image.
- Remember to properly crop your images (see Image Rules)
DO NOT use images from Discord, Imgur, or another other upload site.
Can I vote on my own designs?
No, you cannot 👍 (upvote) your own submissions, it goes against the idea of having other contributors vote on your ideas.
You can vote for alternate images (using 1️⃣ 2️⃣ for example)
Who owns which powers, perks, drawbacks, etc.?
Search the Author Database, it's kept up to date by volunteers so recently added powers can be missing sometimes. If you aren't sure, ask in the Discord who owns what.
Moratoriums (Forbidden Topics)
The following topics are all but FORBIDDEN, you could in theory make a case for one, but each is a point that has been brought up numerous times, and are points that we're not actively allowing changes to without EXTREMELY good reasons
- Anything related to mental defenses against cognitohazards and the likes.
- Paragon-class powers (cost 120 SP or more)
- This is things that cost 120 SP or more BY THEMSELVES upgrade/add-on trees are allowed to skirt this within certain reasons
- Architect upgrades (Architect the Paragon to be clear)
- Section re-ordering proposals
- DC and Marvel power scaling (i.e. don't mention (Wo)Man of Steel )
- Updating the price of existing settings
Review Required
The following topics can be added to the CYOA, but require review and explicit permission from Lt. Ouroumov.
- Perks and Drawbacks (and addons on those), also perks or drawbacks that pretend to be powers or upgrades.
- Addons, Fusions, and Upgrades with a total cost of 120 SP or more.
- Content from the Shinza Banshou series.
- New settings with a price above "Gain 5 CP" are subject to review
- If you think a setting warrants a price above 5 CP, provide an explanation which gives enough context for someone with zero knowledge of the setting alongside the design. It needs at minimum an overview of the average danger level and strength (ex: not the MCs) and the major dangers that show up during the main plot.
- This review is to be posted on Settings Price Rebalance Thead and should explain any terminology well enough that someone completely unfamiliar with the franchise can understand what you're talking about. For example, if you wanted to explain a shinigami from bleach, using the word "Zanpakuto" without explain what it is, to someone completely unfamiliar with the series isn't going to explain things well enough.
Addition Rules
(Last updated 12th May 2025)
Only one (1) new power or object of power per contributor is allowed and there is a maximum of three (3) additions per contributor (across all categories). Additionally, the contributor doing the proposition needs to add it themselves to the file. You can't make a proposition and have someone else add it to the CYOA. (Due to the size of the CYOA, more and more users are experiencing lag so this rule is relaxed, people on devices that experience too much lag can ask someone else to add their stuff. This should be specified in the changelog.) The limit is per cycle, so it will reset next week. The lifetime limit for personal contributor OCs is raised to five (5), additional rules are in the OC thread.
New objects can include three (3) addons without taking any additional slots but only one addition can benefit from this, every group of three (3) addons beyond this uses up a contribution slot, up to a maximum of nine (9) in total. Addons added to existing powers follow the same rules. The addons you spend a slot for can be split between multiple objects but the free addons must all be on the same object. The same rules apply for alternate earths and their locations and any upgrades to powers that boil down to "select this to increase charges/slots/choices/etc"
Designs must stay for at least 24 hours in the CYOA Design Submissions thread, receive at least 15 👍 UPVOTES, and less than 20% of 👎 DOWNVOTES (rounded up) or 5 DOWNVOTES (whichever is lower) before they can be included. (examples: with 16 upvotes, the threshold is 16*0.2=3.2, rounded up is 4; with 30 upvotes, it would be 6 but it's higher than 5 so the threshold is 5). Only post powers you plan to include this cycle in the design channel. If you have an old design (more than 3 weeks ago), you need to resubmit it, leave it up for 24 hours and have enough votes.
If an initial design receives too many downvotes (i.e. was rejected by the community), you are allowed to submit one improved version during the same cycle (which must link to the original design for reference), if that version is also rejected, it cannot be resubmitted again for 1 month (4 cycles). If a designed is vetoed (by me or the authors), it cannot resubmitted again it for at least 3 months (12 cycles) by anyone. This includes modifications and variations on the same core idea (don't try to find ways around the rule). If the idea is shot down too many times, it might be added to the list of banned topic.
DO NOT delete designs that are rejected or vetoed, doing so will result in a warning.
The designs must be proofread (meaning that the grammar and spelling must be impeccable), formatted (use paragraphs you barbarians), and as clear as possible in their description. (Power names must use the APA Title Case Capitalization) At minimum, the power or OOP must describe its core mechanics in clear terms in a relatively short amount of words. Some fluff is allowed but it must not be to the detriment of clarity. Design's with requirements need to show their cost and advertise the total price.
- Example: if your design is an upgrade to a 30 SP power, and costs 20 SP itself, it should show that it's total cost by the time you purchase it and it's requirement is 50 SP
Designs also need to be in the correct place. If it's from a franchise which already has contributions in the section, it needs to be placed beside it.
- The various Object of Power sections have their own format, all contributions that are not franchises, are at the start of the section, while anything from a franchise is grouped with its franchise, and with the franchise names being in alphabetical order; FAILURE to do this WILL result in an infraction
- The Alternate Earth section is ordered alphabetically; FAILURE to do this WILL result in an infraction.
Can I set a custom ID code for my object?
YES but you have to follow the rules.
- The ID must not already exist (check with the "ID list in the editor")
- Creating an ID conflict will result in a ban, no warnings
- The ID must be between 4 and 16 characters long
- Too short:
PM,OFA,Ina,F - Too long:
WhyHaveJustOneMiraculousWhenYouCanHaveAllNineteen(length: 49)SometimesYouJustReallyWantToCauterizeAWoundWhenYouHaveFireimmunity(length: 66) - Valid:
3ft56a(default ID),LowerGate,genericworld
- Too short:
- The ID can only contain the following ASCII characters:
- Uppercase and lowercase Latin letters (
a-zandA-Z) and numbers (0-9) - Symbols:
.(dot),_(underscore),-(dash) - NO SPACES
- Uppercase and lowercase Latin letters (
- Acronyms must be compressed (to avoid excessive dot usage)
R.C.A.S.D.A.S.->RCASDAS
Image Rules
If you chose to add an image, it must be cropped with a 5:3 aspect ratio, in the form of a link (hosted on the upload site), and be related to the power.
Can I discount a power when another is selected? (conditional scores)
Cross-power discounts (where buying one power lowers the price of another) are forbidden.
Do I need to ask permission to create an addon, upgrade, or fusion for a power?
Yes. addons, upgrades, and fusions that depend on a power require the consent of the registered contributor of the power (Lt can give permission for any unknowns or for contributors who are inactive for more than 30 days.)
- Permission needs to be granted ON the design in question, and to be put on EVERY design being given permission. Any designs which do NOT receive such visible permission are not considered to have been approved.
Modification Rules
There are TWO categories of modifications
Minor modifications, such as grammar or spelling fixes, changing the size or position, etc., only need to be posted in the design thread for 24 hours, and receive at least 5 Thumbs-Up Emoji's (the 30% downvote rule applies but with a minimum of 2 Thumbs-Down Emoji's). This rule applies to individual powers, large-scale implementation of minor changes (such as reordering an entire section) require my explicit approval.
Major modifications, such as those which affect the price or mechanics, modifying how a power behaves in certain circumstances, balance changes, lore accuracy chances, etc., require the consent of the attributed author of the power (on the Wiki).
- For anyone who's been absent from the Discord channel for 30 days, Lt can be asked for permission instead
Section-Specific Rules
Breaking section specific rules will result in infractions and can escalate to warnings and bans in case of repeated violations.
Objects of Power (OOP)
- OOPs must be ordered in the sub-sections
- Objects without a source material are at the beginning of the section, ordered alphabetically
- Objects with a source material follow, ordered alphabetically by the title of the source material, then by the name of the object
Alternate Earths
- Alternate Earths must follow the Pricing Rules
- Alternate Earths are ordered alphabetically
If you think a setting warrants a price above Gain 5 CP, provide an explanation which gives enough context for someone with zero knowledge of the setting in the Setting Price Proposals thread. It needs at minimum an overview of the average danger level and strength (ex: not the MCs) and the major dangers that show up during the main plot.
Tier 1 Shard Powers
- Powers should be sorted by cost of the power, going from 1 SP, to 15 SP.
- New contributions should be added at the end of their price (a 4 SP power should be after all the other 4 SP powers)
Crossover Companions
- The buttons to open the fandom specific subsections should all be in Alphabetical order
- The rows for the fandom specific subsections should also be in Alphabetical order
License Information
By contributing to the CYOA, you agree to release your content under the Creative Commons CC-BY-SA 4.0 license.
What this means: You allow other people to copy or remix the content you submit as long as they provide proper attribution and use the same terms. This means that the content you submit can stay in the CYOA forever, even if you don't want it to.