Arena Rules & Guide

Welcome to the PawVersus Arena! Here's everything you need to know to play, vote, and dominate the leaderboard.

1. How the Battle Works

The core of PawVersus is simple: You decide which of the two displayed pets is cuter, funnier, or simply the best!

  • See Two Challengers: Two random, active pets from the community will be presented side-by-side.
  • Cast Your Vote: Click the VOTE NOW button under the pet you believe should win.
  • View the Result: Immediately after voting, you will be redirected to the Battle Report page, which shows the score change for both pets.
  • Keep Battling: Click the "Next Battle" button to continue voting and shaping the leaderboard!

2. The ELO Ranking System

We use a modified ELO rating system (similar to Chess rankings) to determine a pet's standing in the Arena.

How Scores Change

  • Win Against Higher ELO: Your pet gains a large score bonus.
  • Win Against Lower ELO: Your pet gains a small score bonus.
  • Lose Against Higher ELO: Your pet loses only a small score.
  • Lose Against Lower ELO: Your pet loses a large score.

Key ELO Facts

  • Starting ELO: All new pets start at 1000 ELO.
  • K-Factor: We use a variable K-Factor to ensure new pets climb quickly, while veteran pets' scores stabilize.
  • The Goal: Reach the Top 10 Leaderboard by consistently winning battles!

3. Bring Your Own Challenger

Want to see your pet rise to the top? It's easy to join the Arena!

  • Sign Up: Create a free account to manage your pets.
  • Submit: Navigate to your Dashboard and click "Submit New Pet."
  • Go Live: Once submitted and approved (if applicable), your pet will automatically be entered into the battle queue with 1000 ELO.
Submit Your Pet Now!

4. Arena Fairness & Anti-Abuse

To ensure a fair competition for everyone, we strictly enforce the following:

  • Rate Limits: Voting is restricted to a certain number of times per IP address (e.g., once every 30 seconds). Attempts to bypass this limit will block your votes.
  • No Bots or Scripts: The use of automated tools, bots, or scripts to vote or manipulate rankings is strictly forbidden and will result in permanent suspension.
  • No Inappropriate Content: Pet names, descriptions, and images must be family-friendly and comply with our Terms of Service.