Tips on creating fun conflict/combat RP
This is not meant to be a total guide on RP combat.  This is just meant to provide some tips on things that are good to avoid, or do, to ensure combat feels somewhat balanced and entertaining for those involved, instead of a frustrating waste of time.

The summary:
-There should be a purpose for RP combat - getting someone to stop doing something, capturing someone, stealing something, training, fighting for the fun of it
-Remember, OOCly, people are not out to kill your character
-Never assume someone is down to be raped/taken prisoner/kicked out of an area they're already in just because its a rape sim or you're interested.  Conversely on the receiving end, calm down, don't be silly getting offended if someone is interested in doing so to your character.
-Establish OOCly the aims of what you want by winning/losing with the other person.  Defender, give someone an idea of their chance so they attacker knows whether to even bother on an OOC level.  Attacker, give someone the idea of what you want to happen if you win, and remember that just because you want your character to win, does not mean they deserve it.  (Examples of ways to ask are at the end of this NC)
-Being hyper evasive, extremely durable, or always hitting is extremely not fun for others involved and is not exciting at all
-Avoid starting combat off with an instant escape, or hit.  Take a hit or start to get caught, then wiggle free or let someone slip out...just for the sake of building tension and interest
-Avoid letting more than 3 of your emotes go by where you don't get hit and allow someone elses emote to succeed. That incoming sword slash doesn't have to cut your character's arm off, but could nic and draw blood and startle your character.  If you can't do this, immediately leave combat for everyone's sake who's involved, as well as admins.
-Avoid playing characters that are impervious, but have one achilles' heel, where that one thing will completely destroy them. 
-Don't rage.  If someone seems problematic, you're really creating more of a problem for you, your friends, them and their friends, and possibly admins if you start going off on someone about how they're not doing something right.  Contain yourself, whether you were the defender or not.

The Details
In many sims, there is going to be combat or some kind of opposing situation.  For most people, death is not going to be the goal of combat.  This is something we really need to remember - I don't know anyone who's really out to kill someone's character in a fight or trap them in some kind of permanent enslavement.

Keeping this in mind, we really don't need to be afraid of losing. Yeah, it might dethrone our image of our character as some precise master, some legendarily evasive rabbit, or some unshakeable, soak everything tank of a person....but it is really, really not fun for the other person.  When you are up against someone who constantly narrowly escapes, or isn't affected by your actions at all, it isn't fun.  There's no action, its just "HA-HA!" all over you.  You are probably doing the exact thing you fear that might happen to you if you lose, to them while the fight is going on.

You dont always get what you want
When you plan on capturing/shutting someone up/stealing something, accept that it might not happen.  Also, realize that hey, if you lose/fail, you can probably try again another time.  You can let that hot ass go and don't have to pursue her for 3 hours on end trying every trick you know in the book if you really aren't getting anywhere, and maybe just try for oh..10, 30 minutes (adjust accordingly for 5 or 10 min/post people of course).  Come back later and try again.  If you reach and don't grab, ah well. You may have created some useful RP just in doing that, because you've given someone something to talk about and build character with.  Basically, every encounter does not have to be the end all be all epic RP encounter where your characters will never meet again.

Losing is not so bad
You might be concerned that if you let this person win, everything is over.  You don't have to lose a limb or end up in eternal servitude if you lose a fight, or end in a draw.  You can end a fight exhausted, bruised, and not necessarily have to totally yield to some character's whims.  If you've already agreed on victory loss conditions OOCly, then really, losing probably isn't half as bad.

Balance is key
What can you do to make combat feel more even?
Take a hit, build some chance of failure into your retaliation after you get hit, or try being generous and if you evade once or twice in a row, trip and get off balance to give your opponent an advantage in the next emote.  As a general rule, if you go three emotes without taking a hit, and it affecting your charcters next/next few actions, you're probably overdoing it and already triggering some 'is this a godmodder?' reactions.

The 'Brad Pitt' syndrome
My character is strong/evasive/until you find their weakness
When a character is extremely untouchable in some way or another until their weakness is exploited, it doesn't work out nearly as well in practice as it does 'on paper'.  While it may sound cool or like there's an element of a puzzle for people to figure out, you'd be surprised how easily people will not get your puzzles, whether they seem smart or not. Its generally not fun to be on the other end, and to have all of your attempts hinge on some narrow condition that must happen.  If you've ever DM'd a pen and paper RPG or done any directing in a LARP, you probably know this firsthand quite well.

Keep your cool
This person is the biggest godmodding/clueless idiot ever
It'd be silly to say you're not going to encounter people to make you think such things.  Saying it right off the bat however, isn't going to be productive in any kind of way.  Sometimes people get caught up in the moment and really want to win, or don't want to see their character mutilated by someone they're not comfortable with OOCly.  If you get a bad feeling, be watchful, but instead of withdrawing and denying them victory, give them a little piece.  You'd be surprised how many situations can suddenly calm down when someone doesn't have to try as hard because they got a little bit of ground. We all have encountered those people who try for a mile once they get an inch, and sometimes you respect that for the effort they'll go through for your character...sometimes you just want to get out.  Work with some measure of patience, even if things look a little off, and you're going to help everyone out around you.  Don't rage.

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