1. Objective
The Rōnin Dan Board is designed to provide a structured, competitive ranking system for local scenes. The primary goal is to progress through the Dan ranks, from Shodan (1 Dan) to Judan (10 Dan), by competing against other players in sanctioned ranking events.
2. Event Eligibility: "The Gauntlet"
- The "One Rank" Rule: A ranking event can only include players who are, at most, one Dan rank above or below the majority Dan rank of the participants.
- Example: If an event has five 3 Dan players, two 4 Dan players, and one 2 Dan player, the event is valid because all participants are within one rank of the majority (3 Dan). However, a 5 Dan player or a 1 Dan player could not join this event.
- Purpose: This rule prevents high-ranked players from "farming" points from lower-ranked players and ensures that every match is a meaningful challenge.
3. Match Flow & Point System
- Starting Order: The event begins with the top two players listed in the current Dan rank order. The highest-ranked player plays first.
- Point Distribution: The winner of a match receives +1 point. The loser of a match receives -1 point.
- Winner Stays On: The winner of the match continues to play, facing the next player down the list in the event's player order.
- Loser Rotates: The loser of a match is moved to the very bottom of the event's player order rotation. They will play again once their turn comes up.
- Character Lock: Each entry on the Dan board represents a specific player-character combination. Players are permanently locked to the character associated with that entry for all matches.
- Handling Draws: In the event of a draw, no points are awarded. Both players can agree to either replay the match immediately or both move to the back of the player rotation.
- Player Readiness: A player must be present within three (3) minutes of their match being called. Failure to appear will result in a forfeiture of the match and a loss of -1 point.
- Disputes: A designated Tournament Organizer (T.O.) has the final say in all rule interpretations and disputes.
4. Ranking Up (Promotion)
- Promotion Threshold: A player who reaches +3 points is immediately promoted to the next Dan rank.
- Points Reset: Upon promotion, the player's points are reset to 0.
- Gauntlet Reset: As soon as a player is promoted, the current Gauntlet event immediately ends and resets. The board order is updated, and a new Gauntlet can begin with the next two players in the new order.
5. Ranking Down (Demotion)
- Demotion Threshold: A player who reaches -3 points is immediately demoted to the Dan rank below.
- Points Reset: Upon demotion, the player's points are also reset to 0.