V9: Introduction
- 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.
Introduction Diversity Statement · What Is Amtgard? · New To Larp And Boffer Combat?
Contents
Introduction
What Is Amtgard?
What is Amtgard?
Amtgard is a free-to-join, fantasy-themed, boffer-LARP community with options for both combat and non-combat participation.
Amtgard meetups are typically hosted each week by local parks, with large celebrations and Kingdom events every 3 months or so.
Amtgard's flagship activity is Class Battlegames: live-action, team-based, arena-battles that take full advantage of our fantasy class system, including bow-wielding archers, spell-flinging wizards, and armor-clad warriors. Other popular combat activities include 1-on-1 tournaments and story-based adventures.
Amtgard combat is full-speed and medium-contact. Medium contact means that players will often make physical contact with each other using approved equipment but grappling, head shots, and most other forms of non-padded contact are prohibited.
Amtgard encourages all players to dress and present themselves in line with the heroic fantasy genre, however Amtgard as a whole is not an immersive roleplay LARP. Instead we support a casual, relaxed roleplay environment that allows each member or even groups as a whole to roleplay as much or as little as they wish, akin to what you might find between different tabletop RPG groups.
Roleplay is only expected when participating in dedicated roleplay activities, such as Quests and Scenario battles. Amtgard roleplay activities are typically episodic in nature, with the settings and narratives for each one driven by local-level organizers with no oversight from Amtgard International.
Amtgard also offers a wide variety of non-combat activities to explore and participate in. Our community boasts a diverse base of crafters, cooks, writers, performers, and visual artists, as well as game designers, roleplay organizers, referees (called reeves), and a multitude of other leadership & logistics volunteers. Many of our members develop and hone lifelong skills through the support and motivation offered within the Amtgard community.
Lastly, Amtgard has a robust award system designed to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of our players across our all facets of the game, both in and out of combat.
Interested?
Find your nearest Amtgard park and join us!
New To Larp And Boffer Combat?
New to LARP and Boffer Combat?
For those who have never explored LARP or Boffer Combat before, welcome to your new favorite pastime!
What is LARP?
LARP stands for Live Action Role-Play and it encompasses a wide variety of games where the main connection is players assuming the role of a character and playing the game with their physical bodies and imagination (instead of digitally). If you've ever participated in an Escape Room, a Murder Mystery, or just 'played pretend' with a child, you've participated a form of LARP.
Different LARP activities have different levels of required roleplay. Whereas Escape Rooms typically require little or no roleplay on the part of the participants, conventional LARPs encourage players to create a character and embody them through their actions and appearance (costume).
Some LARPs, including Amtgard, allow participants to choose an occupation or "class" that grants access to equipment and special abilities. Abilities can be represented by physical objects, such as using yellow foam balls to represent Lightning Bolts, or they can be entirely imaginary, such as a spell of Healing that allows one player to aid another with only their voice.
More than anything else, Live Action Role-Play means using your body and imagination to have epic battles and adventures LIVE with other people who are just as excited about it as you are.
What is Boffer Combat?
Boffer combat refers to a specific style of safe combat where players engage each other with foam-padded weapons, often referred to as 'Boffers'.
Boffer Combat is a safe way to enact fast-paced fighting for large groups of players without the need for extensive safety gear such as helmets or pads. Most players can safely participate in Boffer combat wearing only their normal clothing!
What is a Boffer LARP?
Amtgard is a Boffer LARP. That means we combine the roleplay and imagination of LARP with the mechanics of Boffer Combat to form the basis of our rules. Participants can choose a class and use special abilities alongside full speed boffer combat to engage with other players and the game around them.
Join Us!
If all this sounds exciting to you, you're only pages away from joining one of the best fantasy Boffer LARPs in the world!
Getting Started
Getting Started
Getting started with Amtgard is quick and easy. Here's some essential information for any new player.
Minimum Age for Combat
You must be at least fourteen (14) years of age to participate in Amtgard combat activities. Some restrictions apply.
For full details please visit the ' Age of Combatants' section.
Characters, Progession, and the ORK
Setting Up Your Account
On your first day, you will be asked to choose a name for your player account on Amtgard's Online Record Keeper (ORK). This account will be used to store all the progress and milestones you achieve throughout your Amtgard career. Most people will use the name of their 'Main' character, however your ORK account name can be whatever you like and changed at any time without affecting your progress.
Your ORK account will be set up for you automatically after you sign in to your first Amtgard function. After that point you can reach out to the officer responsible for ORK Updates (usually called the Prime Minister or Chancellor) and they can provide you with your login information.
Character Creation
In Amtgard, progress is tied to the player, not the character. All levels and achievements listed on your ORK account are player-specific and can be immediately applied any to new characters you create. You do not need to level up each character individually. Because of this, creating a new character in Amtgard is as easy as picking a name.
Unlike immersive LARPs, having a developed character is not required to participate in most Amtgard activities. With that in mind, even though most activities can be played out-of-character, members are still encouraged to build their garb and aesthetics around a particular character concept or fantasy that excites them.
Can my character be permanently killed? / Can I lose my progress?
No. Only you can decide when your character is gone for good and since all your progression is tied to your ORK account, killing off or retiring a character is purely a roleplay decision with no effect on your levels or achievements.
Theme and Setting
Theme
The core theme of Amtgard is Heroic Fantasy.
Heroic fantasy is the name given to a subgenre of fantasy otherwise called "sword-and-sorcery". It is a story of action and adventure laid in a more or less imaginary world where magic works and modern science and technology have not yet been discovered. Such a story combines the color and dash of historical costume romance with the supernatural thrills of the weird, occult, or ghost story.
When done well, it provides the purest fun of fiction of any kind. It is escape fiction wherein one escapes clear out of the real world into one where all life is adventurous, all problems simple, and there's nothing that can't be solved with a good quest."
- - Paraphrased excerpts from Heroic Fantasy on Wikipedia
Setting
The shared fantasy setting of Amtgard is limited to just a few details, the rest of which are left up to local communities and roleplay organizers.
- All Kingdoms and Parks exist in the same plane, called "Amtgard" or "Amtgardia". Historically-inspired themes and garb are allowed, however this world is distinctly not Earth so players should act accordingly.
- All Kingdoms and Parks are geographically arranged similar to how their real-life locations are arranged on planet Earth, often with similar topography, landmarks, and/or water features (rivers, coastlines, etc.)
- There are 12 constellations that can be seen in the night sky no matter where you are in the plane. The orientation of the stars is always the same but the names, imagery, and mythology attached to them may vary from region to region.
- Phoenixes are sacred creatures, though like the constellations the nature of this sanctity may vary from region to region.
What to Expect From Amtgard Roleplay
Amtgard has a wide variety of game modes and ways to participate. Only activities specifically designated as "Roleplay Activites" will ask players to be in-character and roleplay. All other activities happen out-of-character but participants are more than welcome to roleplay just for the fun of it, so long as they don't expect others to play along.
Social spaces and non-game areas are also out-of-character, however some players will use these spaces for Sandbox Roleplay.
Since roleplay only happens during roleplay activities, your personal Amtgard experience may vary based on the activity preferences of your local Kingdom and Park. There are groups that roleplay every chance they get and some that rarely, if ever, roleplay. Check with your nearest park to see what kinds of activities they like to run so you can prepare and set your expectations accordingly.
When you finally enter a roleplay activity, you will notice that Amtgard roleplay is free-form, decentralized, and often episodic. Amtgard does not have a single unified story connecting all Kingdoms. Instead, local communities each craft their own stories, maps, and regional lore independent of one another, much like different tabletop RPG groups.
Last but not least, there are no penalties for accidentally breaking immersion or speaking out-of-character during a roleplay activity, although you are obviously encouraged to avoid impacting the experience of those around you whenever possible. Amtgard roleplay is generally easygoing and the rare high-immersion activities will come with proper notice so you know what you're walking into.
Check out the Roleplay section to learn more.
What to Bring On Your First Day
It is totally acceptable to show up to your first day with nothing but the clothes on your back. Amtgard parks will often have a small collection of basic loaner equipment and sometimes even garb (costumes) that new players can borrow during the day until they are able to craft or acquire their own. While there is no guarantee that these will be always be available, many of our members will often be more than happy to lend a new player some of their own equipment for the day.
That said, if you want to come prepared, connect with your park ahead of time to see what is available and/or check out the Garb and Equipment sections to learn more about building or buying your own costume, weapons, shields, and armor for Amtgard combat!
Who is Responsible for Helping New Players?
When you attend an Amtgard event or function for the first time, introduce yourself as a new player and ask to speak to one of the local Officers in charge of the group who's event you are attending. They will be best suited to help you learn the ropes or point you towards another capable member who can assist. Be honest about how much you know (or don't know) about LARP and Boffer Combat and you'll find yourself primed and ready for your first battle in no time!
Officers are also the best people to speak to if you have any other questions, issues, or complaints that you would like addressed.
Choose Your Own Adventure!
Amtgard is more than just a combat LARP. It's a vibrant community that offers a multiple of ways to participate whether your weapon of choice is a sword, a needle, a pen, or even a spreadsheet!
Now that you've finished with this section, follow these links to explore the various facets of Amtgard:
Garb (Costume)
Garb Requirements and Goals
All Amtgard participants are encouraged to wear a costume (colloquially known as "garb") that fits within the Heroic Fantasy theme of Amtgard.
Garb is not required to participate in Amtgard activities; however all members are highly encouraged to wear garb when possible due to the many benefits it brings to the ever-growing Amtgard community.
- Garb ensures our participants are easily recognized and stand out from regular passerby.
- Garb presents an appealing and engaging image to the public. It shows that we are not just random friends in a park, but a community and organization that they can actually approach and join.
- Garb improves the overall atmosphere of the game and enhances the Heroic Fantasy experience for other players.
As a rule of thumb, any garments, accessories, and body-costuming are fair game as long as the pieces are incorporated together in such a way that the complete outfit is visually suitable for the Heroic Fantasy theme of Amtgard. This can include prosthetics, tattoos, body paint, accessories, etc. in addition to traditional fantasy clothing and armor pieces.
Dress Accordingly
- Players should be encouraged to garb appropriately for their local weather and climate conditions. Safety always comes first.
- Players must always adhere to applicable, real-world clothing regulations and decency laws.
- Examples of Different Levels of Garb
Discouraged
T-Shirt and Shorts under a Belt and Sash
Basic
Simple Tunic and Wrap Pants
Encouraged
Accessories, Color Scheme,
Extra Garments and Layers as appropriate for the weather
Garments to Alter or Avoid
Amtgard seeks to limit the amount of obviously modern-looking items at any given function. We ask that players minimize their use of the following items unless they are altered or incorporated so that the complete outfit is visually suitable for the Heroic Fantasy theme of Amtgard.
- Obviously modern clothing such as blue jeans, white shoes, camouflage patterns, baseball caps, sports jerseys, etc.
- Clearly mundane logos or fabric prints.
Prohibited Garments
The following items may never be worn, even if they are incorporated into the Heroic Fantasy theme.
- Inappropriate, disrespectful, and/or distasteful use of real-life cultural garments, symbols, and/or body paint.
- Real swords, knives, or weapons of any sort (even in sheaths or cases) may never be worn or carried during combat activities.
Personal-Protective & Medically-Necessary Apparel
Modern safety apparel (such as sunglasses/goggles, sport footwear, knee pads, gloves, etc.) and anything required out of medical necessity is extremely important to ensuring the safety and comfort of our players.
Participants are encouraged to wear their safety or medical gear whenever they feel it is necessary however we highly encourage participants to minimize their modern appearance where possible by altering, covering, or incorporating those items into their garb in such a way that the complete outfit is visually suitable for the Heroic Fantasy theme of Amtgard (or at least more suitable than it would be without any action taken). Safety will always be our first priority, however we sincerely appreciate players who strive to be both safe and immersive.
More information about Safety Equipment can be found in the Safety section.
Reserved Symbols
Amtgard has a number of symbols or garments that are reserved specific purposes. Only players who meet the criteria below may incorporate these features into their garb or equipment. The reserved symbols are:
| SYMBOL | RESERVED FOR |
|---|---|
| Phoenix Imagery | |
| General | The Phoenix is the symbol of Amtgard and may only be worn in the following circumstances:
|
| White or Black | Knights |
| Gold | Masters. The background upon which the phoenix is placed represents the type of masterhood. |
| Belts | |
| White (with or without trim) | Knights. it is common to trim the white belt in the colors of the knighthood path(s) of the wearer. |
| Red | Squires |
| Black with Silver Trim | At-Arms |
| Yellow | Pages |
| Sashes | |
| Mono-Colored | Classes. All class identifiers are reserved in combat and roleplay for players who are actively playing those classes. |
| Mono-Colored with Silver Trim | Paragons of the associated Class. |
| Light Pink | Special Accommodation: Light Pink sashes are universally reserved as an indicator for Non-Melee Participants. |
| Other Symbols | |
| Unadorned Chain | Knights |
| Spurs | Knights |
| Mono-Colored Belt Favor with Silver Trim | Apprentices of the associated Class. |
| Vertical black-and-white stripes (invoking modern Referees) or black-and-white checkerboard patterns. | Reeves |
