V9: Honor System

This page is part of the Official Amtgard V9 Alpha-Playtest Rulebook.

• The Amtwiki is the official home and primary source for Amtgard V9 Rules as of February 25, 2023.
• These rules are currently in Open Alpha Playtest. See the Playtest Disclaimer for more details.
• To learn more about Amtgard V9 Development, please visit Amtgard.com.
• To view the current Amtgard V8 ruleset, please see the Amtgard V8 Rulebook.

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The Honor System

Before you ever step onto the field, it is important that you align your expectations for how LARP, and Amtgard in particular, differs from traditional gaming and sports.

The brilliance of Amtgard combat happens when a field full of players can share the same imaginary experience together. A foam sword can sever Anne’s arm; a padded ‘fireball’ can immolate Alona’s shield; a magical incantation can bring Val back from the dead. This unique gaming experience is only possible through the willing cooperation and honorable conduct of each and every participant, friend and foe.

Amtgard puts a lot of weight on the honor system to manage it's rules because it would be logistically impossible to do what we do otherwise. Our referees, called Reeves, will do their best to keep everyone on the right track, but they simply cannot oversee each and every interaction. As such, the bulk of responsibility for honest and fair play falls upon the players themselves.

To support and foster the honor system within Amtgard, we have prepared a series of Honor System Responsibilities (HSR) that all players should strive to embody while participating in Amtgard activities.

• HSR #1: Participate Honestly & Act Good in Faith

Unlike a video game, Amtgard doesn’t have a central processor to guarantee all the rules are executed as intended. Instead, each player shares a responsibility to ensure the game mechanics are executed correctly, in good faith, and in line with the spirit of the rules.

Honor systems are extremely easy to cheat and exploit by their very nature and therefore it is crucial that all players participate honestly and trust others to do the same. Actions that erode this trust will inject suspicion and negatively impact how well our game rules function, ultimately worsening the experience for everyone.

Long Distance Communication

• HSR #2: Foster Clarity over Confusion

Unlike mundane sports, Amtgard draws on the imagination of its players to take physical “real world” actions and turn them into legendary battles and wondrous feats. Many aspects of our game are invisible and imaginary, such as grievous wounds or mystical protections.

Allies and enemies alike are responsible to help each other understand the imperceptible aspects of our game and prevent rule and gamestate-related confusion, even when it would be advantageous to do otherwise. Withholding or misrepresenting details makes it difficult for players to properly engage with the game and often results in interactions that feel ‘cheap’ or unfair. As such, when this type of confusion becomes apparent, we all share a responsibility to avoid exploiting it for advantage and instead help the confused individual realign their understanding with what is accurate.

What just happened...?

• HSR #3: Have Compassion in Chaos

Unlike a tabletop game, Amtgard is experienced in first-person and in real time. Whereas tabletop players can spend hours resolving a 30-second engagement (examining the scene from all angles and consulting several rulebooks along the way), in Amtgard those 30 seconds of combat are always done in exactly 30 seconds and different players will each see, sense, and understand those moments in their own way.

It is crucial to remember that everyone will process this game differently. Some players will need extra time to process, confirm, or ask for additional information in the middle of battle. Wounds and effects may be delayed and strategic timings will often be impacted. Ideally these players should not suffer negative consequences nor gain an advantage from this delay, but the chaos of live combat means that sometimes this will give an unintentional edge to one side or the other. While it may be frustrating at times, we must strive to be kind, compassionate, and patient; working cooperatively to resolve each engagement as it happens to the best of our ability.

• HSR #4: Expect Imperfection

To err is human. Every participant should expect there to be a multitude of honest mistakes made each and every day. Estimated distances may be slightly off. Incantations may be slurred. Effects may be misremembered or misapplied. And so on.

Amtgard rules can be very complex, especially in the heat of battle, so all players share a responsibility to work through these mistakes with grace and respect.

It is important to note that this should not be taken as a license to seek advantage under the guise of ‘honest mistakes’, for we also share a responsibility to be cognizant of our mistakes and prevent repeated or egregious incidents.

• HSR #5: Tread Carefully in Gray Areas

Gray Areas are 'technically correct' applications of the rules that appear to sit on the border of intended and unintended. However, since everyone views the game through their own lens, players may have different interpretations of what is or isn't 'Gray". This is inevitable. As such, all participants should be open to discuss potentially ambiguous rules respectfully when they occur and resolve them promptly but fairly in the moment until such a time that it can be judged by a rules authority or resolved by official update.

• HSR #6: Lead by Example

All Amtgarders share a responsibility to not just embody these Honor System Responsibilities themselves, but to actively inspire others to do the same. If someone is new or having trouble, we must help them learn and grow. If someone is acting in bad faith, we must help them climb out of their bad habits without lowering ourselves to their level. If we can become beacons of honor for each other, then together our game will flourish.

The Golden Rule

At the end of the day, Amtgard runs on the good will and honor of its participants. It is only through the combined cooperation of our players working together that we can continue to bring such a magical and memorable game to life. Respect each other, respect the game, and most importantly: Have fun!