While weapons are not required to play in Auxientia, some players may opt to have them. Weapons are not allowed to be used in game unless first approved by Nathan Pease at check-in on Friday. Weapons will only be approved if LARP-safe. Most major LARP website weapons are safe. We recommend LARP-safe weapons from Epic Armoury and Calimacil. NERF Elite 1.0 and 2.0 blasters that have been modified with paint and other decoration to fit Auxientia’s steampunk aesthetic are allowed so long as some safety orange is clearly visible to distinguish it from a real gun. Real steel weapons are not allowed. No weapon may be used in game in any capacity without staff pre-approval. If you are at all unsure about a weapon purchase, please reach out to Nathan Pease first.
No-Gos and out of bounds for fighting:
Larp fighting is not real fighting. Yes, granted, you are swinging weapons around and sometimes shooting things at people you’re at least pretending not to like, but those weapons and projectiles are foam weapons which only hurt if you’re doing something reckless with them. Which you won’t.
Real fighting is messy and involves things like shield bashing, recklessly swinging your weapon, or continuing to hit someone when they’re down. These are not allowed in larp. Additionally, strikes to the hands and wrists, feet and ankles, neck and head as well as sensitive areas such as groin or breast are not targets, do NOT count. Other players cannot be struck there purposely. Players may not punch, kick, bash, or grapple each other. Do not attack fallen players. Any player blatantly and repeatedly violating these rules will be removed from combat by staff (see Code of Conduct).
This LARP runs on the rule of Lightest Touch, meaning that a light tap to the shoulder equals the same amount of damage as a huge swing. LARP fighting is theatrical combat and just as much part of your story as the clothing you wear, the words you speak, and beliefs of your character. Combat is primarily roleplaying. When you strike a blow, revel in it! When someone strikes you in a battle or duel, show us your pain and anguish!
Calling “Hold” (see also LARP Signals). If there is something unsafe happening or someone might be injured, a hold is called. Anyone can call a hold, however it should only be invoked during an emergency, and is not a time-out or a pause. Players should take a knee while under the hold, unless their own location is unsafe, in which case they may move to another location. Only an Auxientia Plot Team or NPC may break the hold with the phrase “Is there any reason for this hold to continue?” If there is no response in the affirmative, the staff will then count down from three, and call “Stand To!” which means the fight is resumed.
Making a hit:
Giving damage to your opponent depends on two things– their HP and where the strike hits. Remember, strikes to the hands and wrists, feet and ankles, neck and head as well as sensitive areas such as groin or breast do NOT count. This means broadly that above the wrists to the shoulder; most of the torso, back, and abdomen; and above the ankles up the legs is viable to hit.
Hit points:
Everyone starts out with a basis of 10 HP. When a viable hit is made, the person who was hit calls the contact by announcing their new HP status (ie if a player goes from 10 HP to 9 HP they call out the number “Nine!”) and then the combat continues. One hit to the torso equals two points of HP reduced. One hit to a limb equals one point of HP reduced. It’s based on the honor system when the fighter reaches 0 HP, unless there’s been a pre-established rule for the fight (see Dueling below).
A valid hit to the torso causes HP to reduce by 2 points. The torso includes the chest, stomach, as well as the upper and lower back (breasts are out of bounds).
A limb includes the top of the shoulders to above the wrist for arms, above the ankle to upper thigh for legs. A valid hit to the non-dominant limb reduces HP by 1 point and causes a “wound” in which the limb cannot be used. The wounded arm must be placed behind the player’s back. A hit to the dominant arm holding a melee weapon reduces HP by 1, but the limb may still be used. An arm can be struck more than once.
A wounded leg must have the knee on the ground. This is different from being Fallen (see Falling to 0 HP below). You are not allowed to hop on the unwounded leg, though you may crawl as long as you keep your wounded knee on the ground. You are allowed short springs from the ground using your good leg to propel you. If the other leg is hit, you must have both knees on the ground. Being struck in the foot or ankle does not count as being struck in the leg.
A leg can only be struck once. Subsequent strikes to the same leg do not count. Remember, LARP fighting is theatrical combat and a perfect place to roleplay those injuries.
Falling to 0 HP:
So you lost all your HP. It’s alright, it happens to everyone at least once. More will be explained at the workshop. If you’re at 0 HP, you’re not dead, just Fallen (If you are looking for a character death, message our Plot Team), and no, you shouldn’t literally fall over. People might accidentally trip over you, which would be unfortunate for everyone. Take a knee when you’re at 0 HP and place any weapons in your hand on the ground in front of you. In the event that an opponent mistakes you for being injured and not fallen, place your hands on your head. Again, do not attack Fallen players.
When you’re down to 0 HP in a battle, there’s a 15 second window where you are Fallen. It’s your responsibility to count to 15 out loud before heading back to your respawn point.
In the middle of a pitched battle where everyone is fighting, there will be a designated respawn point. If you are ever unsure where that is, ask staff. When you respawn, you’re brought back to full HP.
Where pitched battles can happen: Not every solution needs combat and we, the designers, shouldn’t assume that combat will be your preferred resolution to a conflict. However, we should all recognize that within a faction not all players are fighty. We have created a new addition to the negotiation mechanic: “Battle.” If a faction wishes to engage in a pitched battle, the faction leader(s) must first use the negotiation mechanic, “Negotiate: Battle.” We do this so we can sort out a safe place to engage in combat, establish boundaries, and to take a moment to sort out who is fighting, who are our healers, and what role non-combatant players (helpers) will take in the fight. Non-combatants will be asked to holster or drop their weapons and instead display an orange headband provided by the organizers. Anyone wearing an orange headband will not be targeted by NPCs in combat. Anyone holding a weapon will be considered fair game. These roles, once set, are not interchangeable in combat to gain advantage. A player can opt out of the fight, not change roles back and forth. We will assign a task to the non-combatants so they are still valuable contributors to the success of their faction while honoring their consent. Another aspect of the negotiation may be helpful guidance so we are not placing a battle where non-participants could be actually injured, damaging the site, or suggesting a time where the battle won’t run over an important moment for a player already in progress. All participants must wait until staff call, “Stand to” before beginning the battle.
Dueling: One of the ways someone can fight is dueling. This can be spontaneous or may be a much more planned affair as players are strongly encouraged to discuss this OOC (please see pre-negotiated scenes). A duel can consist of any rules and does not even necessarily have to be with weapons. For example, a duel could be a dance contest, a compliments contest, Rock-Paper-Scissors, or an agreement not to use any magic in a fight. Participants could opt for the “best out of three rounds” or “until someone is reduced to 0 HP” just as examples. Staff must be present to officiate a duel.
