AVARICE COMBAT RULES VERSION 1.2.2 UPDATED 7/26/21 The Avarice Battle Game is designed to have easy to learn rules and to feel competitive. Combat is usually player vs player (PVP) with objective-based scenarios. Points are assigned based on each side’s performance, rewards of in-game resources are awarded accordingly. Combat Marshals dressed in Yellow and Green will be present during all combat encounters to help insure a safe and fair combat. CONTENTS: Introduction........................................................... 1 General Safety Rules............................................. 2 Safety Calls............................................................. 2 Strike Safety........................................................... 3 Weapons................................................................. 3 Hit Points/Hit Zones............................................. 4 Armor..................................................................... 4 Death/Respawning................................................ 4 Healing................................................................... 5 Seige Engines......................................................... 5 Monsters................................................................. 5 Melee Weapon Standards..................................... 6 Bow/Crossbow Standards..................................... 7 Shield Standards.................................................... 7 Armor Standards.................................................... 7 Seige Engine Standards......................................... 7 Monster Standards (coming soon)....................... 7 Armor Type Examples........................................... 8 1. GENERAL SAFETY RULES • LISTEN TO MARSHALS: By participating in the Avarice Combat Game you are agreeing to follow the directions of Combat Marshals without argument. If a Combat Marshal tells you you’re dead, that you’re hitting too hard, or any other command related to the Avarice Battle Game you must comply--failure to do so may lead to a suspension or ban from the Combat Game. • PHYSICAL CONTACT: Participating in combat carries implied consent for other players to hit you with foam larp-safe weapons (within the confines of the rules, see below) and for healers to touch you on the upper arm or foot. Players can also roleplay dragging a body by touching the downed player on the upper arm and stating “I drag you,” and then maintain contact and move at a slow walking pace. • FAIR PLAY: Second only to safety, our primary goal is to have fair and fun battles. Count your hit points, not other players’. Do not cheat or use tactics that are not in the spirit of the rules. If you believe a player is playing unfairly please talk to a Combat Marshal. • REAL FIGHTING OR UNSAFE BEHAVIOR: Pushing, shoving, punching, kicking, shield bashing, tackling, lifting other players, repeated use of excessive force, or other behaviors that pose a risk to themselves or others will result the player being removed battlefield, suspended from combat, or banned from the game. • MINIMUM AGE: Minimum age to enter the battlefield is 16. • SKILLS/CALLS: There are no in-game calls and skills required to use any kind of weapon, armor, or shield; though some limitations are in place on how some equipment may be used. • DEATH: In Avarice battles, death does not have consequences for your character beyond the scenario you are in, typically you’ll just walk to the respawn point and rejoin the fight. Specifications for weapons, armor, shields etc can be found at the end of this document SAFETY CALLS • HOLD: If there is an emergency, anyone may shout “HOLD”; this temporarily pauses the game until the situation is resolved and a Combat Marshal says “play on”. • CAUTION: If a player sees another player about to be in danger (i.e. about to step backwards and trip over a hazard or other player) then a call of “CAUTION” is given to the player in danger. • TAKE 5: This safety call is used exclusively by Combat Marshals. It is a non-punitive measure to tell a player to take a 5 minute break from combat. This call might be used if a player is starting to become frustrated and aggressive or has early signs of heat exhaustion. 2. STRIKE SAFETY • STABBING/THRUST: Only weapons that have an open-cell tip are approved for stab/thrusts (i.e. B3IS weapons). No latex or molded foam weapon my be used to stab/thrust. Thrusts/Stabs are never allowed to target the head. • SUCCESSFUL STRIKES: Any strike that makes contact with the opponent; no matter how light, including strikes to garb and equipment (i.e. scabbards, capes, quivers, bows). Partially blocking a strike counts as a successful strike unless excessive force is used (see below). The only other exceptions are that some weapons (7ft + spears and arrows) only count if the tip makes contact with the opponent. • EXCESSIVE FORCE: Every player must pull their blows. Using the force of a blow to overpower an opponent’s block or push/pull a shield is probited. Repea­­ted warnings may cause expulsion from the battlefield, suspension, or ban from the Combat Game. • CHARGING: Players should remain at least one arm length away from their opponents. • WEAPON TRAPPING: Trapping/pinning an opponent’s weapon with your body, shield, or weapon is prohibited. If accidental trapping occurs both players should pause to untangle them before continuing to fight. • OFF-TARGET ZONES: Strikes to the groin, face, side of the head (even if they are wearing a helmet), and throat are prohibited. WEAPONS All weapons must be checked and marked by Avarice Combat Marshals prior to entering the battlefield -- regardless of manufacturer or prior approval. See weapon Standards for details. • SHIELDS: All players may carry or wear 1 shield with a maximum size of 12sqft. • DAMAGE: All weapons deal 1 point of damage. Weapon types are: • 1 HANDED: 12in - 48in • 2 HANDED: >48in - 84in • Players must maintain 2 hands on their weapon to attack or block. • 2 HANDED SPEAR: >84in - 108in, may thrust only, may not target the head. • Players must maintain 2 hands on the weapon to attack or block. • One hand must remain above a raised RED marker 20 inches from the butt end. • BOW/CROSSBOWS: may not target the head • THROWN WEAPONS: Unless stated otherwise in a scenario description, there are no thrown weapons in the Avarice Combat Game • MUSKETS/PISTOLS: Unless stated otherwise in a scenario description, there are no muskets or pistols in the Avarice Combat Game 3. HIT POINTS/HIT ZONES • HIT-ZONES: Players have 6 hit zones with 1 hit-point (HP) each; crown of the head (above the ears), each arm, each leg, and torso (waistline up). You can add hit points to areas with Armor. • CRITICAL HIT ZONES: The head and torso are critical hit zones, if either is reduced to 0HP, the character is dead until healed. • MAIMED LIMBS: If the arms or legs are reduced to 0HP they are disabled and cannot be used until healed. • You cannot attack or defend with a disabled limb. • Shields can be held at your side, but they do not provide protection when held with a disabled limb (you are allowed to wear a strapped shield, it cannot be moved with a disabled limb). • If one leg or more is disabled, the player may not crawl or hop and must remain kneeling or seated and may only pivot on their knees. ARMOR • ARMOR COVERAGE: Armor adds hit points to the specific area it cover. Armor only counts if it’s actually covering the hit location, therefore gaps in armor are a prime target. • ARMOR TYPES: • LIGHT ARMOR +1: Padded cloth armor, gambesons, leather armor, woven armor • MEDIUM ARMOR +2: Flexible metal armor: chainmail, scalemail, lamallar, other plates under 4x4inches • HEAVY ARMOR +3: Rigid metal armor, plate armor, brigandine, coat of plates, other plates over 4x4inches • OVERLAPPING ARMOR: Only count the highest class of armor where the strike hits. Armor points do not “stack”. For example, chainmail (+2) under plate (+3) gives a maximum of +3 HP. • POLYURETHANE/FIBERGLASS ARMOR: Cinema-grade plastic and fiberglass armor is accepted as whichever armor type it looks like as long as it convincingly looks likes real armor. DEATH/RESPAWNING • WHEN YOU DIE: Kneel or sit with your weapon turned upside down (or for polearms, you may hold the weapon vertically and hold a dagger upside down). For your safety and that of others, do not lie down on the ground when dead and do not lay polearms sideways • FEIGNING DEATH: You may not pretend to be dead or injured. When asked if you are dead you must respond truthfully. • MOVING WHILE DEAD: The dead may not move except to a safer location or to return to respawn. You may return to respawn immediately after dying or wait to be healed. Once you move toward respawn you cannot be healed. • SPEAKING WHILE DEAD: The dead may not speak except to state they are dead when asked, or to talk to a Combat Marshal or Medic. • WALK DON’T RUN: The dead must walk to respawn, not run. 4. HEALING All healing varies by scenario, read the scenario description to understand the respawn/healing conditions during the battle. • MAGIC HOURGLASS: Typically the only “magic” on the battlefield is healing, represented by 1-minute hourglasses. Hourglass healing completely restores life, HP, and armor HP Hourglass healers may heal themselves,and must have at least one hand to do so. Hourglasses are provided by Avarice Combat Marshals. • HOURGLASS HEALING PROCEDURE: The healer must make and maintain physical contact with the injured/dead player. While healing, you may not move, neither party may attack (they may defend), and if contact is interrupted or either party attacks, healing must be restarted. You may heal yourself, you must have at least one usable hand to heal this way. • BANDAGE HEALING: ALL players may carry a reusable bandage that is not less than 18inches long. This can be used to heal 1 maimed limb per use. They do not resurrect dead players or restore armor points. You may heal yourself, you must have at least one usable hand to heal this way. • BANDAGE HEALING PROCEDURE: The player must wrap the bandage once around the limb that is maimed, tie 3 knots, and then untie those 3 knots. This restores the limb to use, it does not regain armor.