Subduals and Prisoners
During class battles, prisoners may be taken by surrendering or by being rendered
'unconscious' by a killing blow (torso or second limb shot) preceded by the
word 'subdue.' The person will then be unconscious for 60 seconds. The prisoner
may be subdued up to 5 times. Any more hits will result in his death. Armor
negates a subdual blow and instead takes damage as normal from the blow. If
this damage is sufficient to pass through the armor, then the target is still
affected by the subdual blow. A Subdual blow striking a person who is unaffected
by Subdual does not wound or kill. Stabbing-only weapons or stabbing with a
slashing weapon may not be used to subdue. A subdual blow to a limb will render
that limb useless for a 60 count. A prisoner's equipment must be kept within
10 ft. Of him and cannot be destroyed. Rescued prisoners must still count the
required time before they are considered recovered. Subdual blows cannot be
healed.
Deaths and Lives
Immediately remove yourself from impeding play on the battlefield once you have
died. If you want to get into the spirit of things, then fall down and scream.
Make it dramatic. Reeves may give you a bonus for a good death. Then report
to nirvana. The reeve in charge there will take your name and record your time.
Deaths are for 5 minutes though a bonus will subtract 2 minutes and a penalty
will add 2 minutes. The number of lives you get varies with level and class.
You are out of a battle once you have expended your last life and left the field.
When returning to life from nirvana you must return to your base and announce
'Alive' so that it is audible out to 50 feet before reentering the battle. Dead
persons on the field must hold their weapons over their heads. If the battlegame
does not call for a nirvana reeve, one must sit down in nirvana for a 300 count
before returning to life at one's base. Most battlefield effects will not work
on a dead person once he has left of his own choice from where he died, with
the obvious exception of not impeding play. Effects that will function on dead
players who have moved from where they died are noted as doing so in their descriptions.
Dead players (provided they are not affecting or impeding play) may stay on
the field as long as they want. A person may voluntarily take a game death at
any time, but must immediately go to nirvana and may not be raised from the
dead in any manner unless Summon Dead is cast upon them first. Dead players
may not move if they are currently the target of a magic or ability that affects
dead players such as Steal Life or Resurrect.
Holds
When a hold is called all players must stay where they are and be quiet. No
tactical maneuvering is allowed and weapons may only be collected if a reeve
gives permission. If you really do get hurt, yell 'hold.' Remove yourself from
the battle and reenter behind your own lines once you have recovered. Deliberate
faking of a game death or real injury is not allowed. Battlefield participants
should only call a hold for injuries or when a potentially dangerous situation
arises such as a seven year old child straying onto the battlefield. If you
are involved in a dispute then go find a reeve or remove yourselves from the
field until the issue is resolved.
Battlegame Rules:
1) Switching classes or sides during a battlegame is not allowed unless specified
by the scenario or by a reeve.
2) Never handle anyone's personal property without first having their permission.
3) There cannot be more than 1 bow to every 5 people on a side - round fractions
up.
4) Each side may only have one wizard, healer, druid and bard per ten people,
rounding fractions up. Therefore, a team with seventeen people may have no more
than two of each magic-using class.
5) Players who break the rules may be removed from the game by a reeve.
Battlegame Restrictions:
The following activities are strictly forbidden:
1) Maneuvering or engaging during a hold.
2) Striking at reeves or non-combatants.
3) Calling a hold to retrieve spent items or derive other advantages.
4) Trying to influence a game while you are dead.
5)Deliberately mimicking an ability that you do not currently have, such as
casting a 'pretend' Finger of Death as a barbarian. Grand standing and bluffing
is fine, as long as it can't be confused with a real ability.
6) Deliberately mimicking an ability that you do have, such as pretending to
cast a spell but using the wrong wording.
7) Using rules loopholes or gray areas to derive an advantage on the battlefield.
Game Etiquette:
While not absolutes, the following conditions have stood the test of time and
should be observed:
1) Do not use a hold to gather or retain spent equipment or valuable game items.
A reeve or the other team may grant a person the opportunity to pick up spent
equipment if they are simply asked.
2) Do not use a hold to avoid a death or get out of a bad situation.
3) While it is honorable to return the other team's spent equipment (magical
balls, weapons, expended arrows, etc.), it is not mandatory. Don't delay or
stop play to return equipment. Similarly, don't attack someone who is being
kind enough to return your own team's items.
4) As stated before, players should remove themselves from the field when discussing
disputed blows or rules. This is not always practical in the immediate heat
of the moment. If you see a dispute, do not engage or strike at those involved.
By the same token, don't use the excuses of returning equipment, a headshot,
or resolving a dispute to save yourself when the enemy has you dead in his sights.
Example: You are accidentally struck in the face, and simultaneously cleaved
in two from behind by another opponent; you are still dead.
Garb:
Each class has its own particular garb parameters. In addition, there are certain
other garb elements that denote special positions.
Note that all battlefield participants must be in 'period' garb (tunic, robe,
armor, etc.):
1) White belts (any belt more than 25% white), unadorned chains, and spurs are
reserved for knights and may not be worn by others. A knight may also choose
to trim a knights white belt with a color particular to that order of knighthood:
Gold for Crown, Silver for Sword, Red for Flame, and Green for Serpent.
2) Red belts (any belt more than 50% red) are generally only worn by squires.
3) Black belts with silver trim are generally only worn by men-at arms.
4) The Phoenix is the symbol of Amtgard. White and Black Phoenixes are reserved
for knights. Gold Phoenix on a red background is reserved for Warlord. Otherwise,
the phoenix is generally only worn as part of kingdom heraldry.
5) A diagonal slash of a guild's distinct color, worn on a belt, baldric or
tunic, is the mark of a class master.
6) Guildmasters are entitled to wear favors marked with the symbol of their
guild.
7) The use of crowns and coronets is reserved for royalty and nobility, although
their retainers may wear the symbol of a crown on their garb.
8) Most companies and many individuals choose to register their personal symbols
and colors. While not specifically disallowed, it is considered bad form to
use another's coat of arms without his agreement. Personal symbols and colors
should be registered with the Guildmaster of Heraldry and the Prime Minister.
9) Single color belt favors are indicative of a fighter's relative standing
within the fraternity of Order of the Warrior.
10) The garb of a page is a yellow belt (not a sash as per wizard) and is generally
not worn by others. A non-fighting page must also wear a gold 'enchantment'
strip if on the field.
11) The use and application of good garb is important in creating the correct
mood of the Amtgard battlegames and events. All members must be garbed in a
'period' fashion. Newcomers should have their own garb (and weapons) within
a month of having first attended Amtgard. It is easy and inexpensive to fashion
a T-tunic or tabard, and plenty of people are willing to help. If you have questions
about garb or any area of the rules, then all you have to do is ask.
12) For the purpose of determining what class people are playing, class sashes
must run diagonally across the chest from one shoulder to the opposite hip.
They must be at least two inches wide. You may not wear sashes for classes you
are not currently playing. Paladin and Anti-Paladin symbols must be at least
5 inches by 5 inches.
Non-Fighting Types
If you do not want to fight but wish to participate in a battlegame there are
a few classes that do so:
Reeve - The garb is a gold tunic, headband, or sash. The reeve is a referee
for the battlegame. The reeve should be impartial, fair, have a good eye, and
be well versed in the rules. The reeve has the last say in any decision in a
battlegame. The reeves do not fight and should not be purposefully hit or touched
in an offensive manner. The Guildmaster of Reeves shall deal with biased, unfair,
or incompetent reeves.
Page - Garb consisting of his master's device is optional. Non-fighting
pages may retrieve spent equipment, but may not retrieve or carry new or extra
equipment. Must wear a gold enchantment strip around right wrist.
Color - Garb is encouraged. It is not a class, yet includes everyone
else who wishes to participate in the mood and ambiance of Amtgard. Examples
include minstrels, water bearers, serpent knights, and many others.
Arts and sciences guilds - Artisans, smiths, garbers, etc.
Fighting classes are listed in the following manner:
Name: The name of the class.
Historic Examples: This lists historical or fantasy examples of each
class plus a brief overview.
Garb: All participants must dress in a tunic, robe, armor or other period
garb. This lists additional garb that is required to denote playing the class.
You are expected to dress in medieval-looking garb in addition to this class
specific garb. Failure to do either will result in playing the peasant class.
Requirement: A few classes list experience requirements. If you do not
meet these requirements you may not play nor gain credits in that class.
Armor: This lists the maximum point value of armor the class may wear.
For example a scout can wear three points of armor. Thus, he could wear average-quality
chain, exceptional-quality leather, or poor-quality augmented mail. Note that
you can always wear armor with a point value higher then you are allowed use
of, but in these cases the armor simply gives you the maximum allowed for your
class. Example: a scout wearing full plate still only gets three points from
it.
Shields: Largest size shield available to a class.
Weapons: This lists what types of weapons the class can use.
Immunities: Lists what the class is immune to. If a creature or player
has immunities, these take precedence over losing points of invulnerable armor
or normal invulnerability. Immunities never extend to any sort of non-invulnerable
armor or equipment of any sort. For example, scouts are immune to Lost. If Lost
is cast on a scout who has a Protect on, he does not lose a point of invulnerability
from it. For purposes of immunities, traps are any magic or ability with the
word 'trap' in the name, and poisons are any ability or magic with the word
poison in the name.
Lives: This lists the number of lives the class has.
Limitations: Some classes have restrictions. For example, barbarians
are restricted from wearing enchantments.
Traits: Traits are class attributes that function all of the time without
activation being required. This includes such things as extra lives and the
ability to wear extra armor. Traits are denoted with a (T) and are always non-magical
in nature.
Abilities: Powers or skills that must be activated to be used. Abilities
are denoted as either Magical (m) or Extraordinary (ex). Unless otherwise specified,
class ability enhanced equipment cannot be used except by the player who enhanced
the equipment. For instance: a warrior cannot loan his Improved Weapon to another
player, even another warrior.
If you wish to fight or participate in a battlegame, you must conform to one class for each game. A person may advance in level in a class after having the requisite credits and passing a class test administered by your class Guildmaster. Only one attendance credit may be given on a single day. You must play the class you wish to gain credit in. If no class is played but fighting takes place, you may take a warrior credit. All classes gain new abilities and levels at the following rate:
1st Level - less than 13 credits of experience in that class
2nd Level - at least 13 and less than 25 credits of experience in that class
3rd Level - at least 25 and less than 37 credits of experience in that class
4th Level - at least 37 and less than 49 credits of experience in that class
5th Level - at least 49 and less than 61 credits of experience in that class
6th Level - 61 or more credits of experience in that class