Effect

Special Effects are a common language used to define battlefield events. Special Effects typically trigger when a player or object is hit by a weapon, Magic Ball, or targeted by a completed Verbal. A single event typically only has one relevant Special Effect. For instance a Destruction Arrow is both Armor Destroying and Shield Destroying, but there is no situation in which both of those matter simultaneously. Likewise a sword may be both Armor Breaking and Wounds Kill, but players are not affected by Armor Breaking and armor is not affected by Wounds Kill.

When using a melee weapon which causes a Special Effect you must declare it to your opponent at the beginning of an engagement and periodically during the engagement when reasonable. Example: A Barbarian moving to engage an unarmored Scout need not announce ‘Armor Breaking’; however if an armored Paladin moves into the engagement the Barbarian should announce ‘Armor Breaking’ at their soonest reasonable opportunity. The game flows more smoothly and everybody has more fun when Special Effects are stated ahead of time rather than kept as surprises.

Special Effects granted to equipment are always Extraordinary. They have no associated School, except for Wounds Kill, which is always of the Death School.

Armor Breaking

A hit to armor from a weapon, Magic Ball, etc. with the Armor Breaking Special Effect will immediately remove all Armor Points from the location struck if the location struck if it currently has three or less Armor Points. Otherwise, the armor is affected as per a normal hit.

Armor Destroying

A hit to armor with weapons, or abilities with the Armor Destroying Special Effect reduces the Armor Points to zero in that location.

Shield Crushing

A shield that has received any Shield Crushing hits is damaged. A shield that has been damaged any amount may be repaired. Three hits to a shield from a weapon, Magic Ball, etc. with the Shield Crushing Special Effect destroys the shield. Hits do not all have to be from the same source; hits from different sources are cumulative. Denoted by declaring “Shield Crushing”.

Shield Destroying

A hit to a shield from a weapon, Magic ball, etc. with the Shield Destroying Special Effect destroys the shield. Denoted by declaring "Shield Destroying".

Weapon Destroying

A weapon hit by an effect with the Weapon Destroying Special Effect is destroyed.

Wounds Kill

Players wounded by objects with the Wounds Kill Special Effect are killed. Denoted by declaring "Wounds Kill".

Rulebook 8.6.3

Official Clarification

The following is an Official Clarification by the Kingdom Rules Representatives and should be considered a part of the Rules of Play, even though it may not be in he current rulebook. For a listing of official clarifications, visit the Amtgard Documents page.

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Special Effects granted to equipment via Enchantments are always Extraordinary. They have no associated School, except for Wounds Kill, which is always of the Death School. [1]