V9: Custom Rules and Accommodations
- 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.
Custom Rules and Accommodations
In order to encourage fun and enjoyable experiences, Game Organizers are allowed to modify the way the game is played or create new rules that are only in effect for their particular game or activity.
To give a better understanding of how custom rules and mechanics can be useful, consider the following:
- Game-Specific Balance: With the infinite variety of potential game modes and objectives, it is possible that some rules or abilities can end up being too dominant or impactful in a given activity. In these cases, it could be beneficial to modify or prohibit them altogether to preserve fairness, fun, and/or competitive integrity.
- Enhancing Flavor or Immersion: Custom mechanics can be used to present more immersive experiences beyond what is normally allowed, such as lava pits, breath attacks, weather effects, and more!
- Accessibility & Accommodation: Game Organizers and Rules Authorities are empowered and encouraged to create custom rules to help include those who may need accommodation in order to participate, whether due to an injury, disability, weather conditions, or another reason.
With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility
Custom rules can quickly turn a game into something that doesn't feel like Amtgard anymore. All modifications should strive to be in line with the actual Amtgard V9 Rules of Play whenever possible and work to support the source rules, rather than completely change the way the game is played. In all instances, custom rules and mechanics must be clearly explained to all participants before the game begins.
Accommodations
Amtgard seeks to be an inclusive, welcoming, and empowering experience for all players. Game Organizers and Rules Authorities are encouraged to make exceptions or special accommodations as necessary to foster this inclusive environment whenever possible.
Accommodations are intended to enable fair participation and should never been seen as something to be optimized or sought out for gameplay advantage. Rather, they are intended to cut through the red tape of the written rules and help our members participate more easily, safely, and sometimes even at all.
- Players with disabilities or injuries could be granted special rules to help offset their condition and make it easier to participate. A player with a speech impediment might be allowed to use pre-recorded lines to cast magic; a players with mobility issues could be allowed to respawn further up field instead of walking back to base after each death; a fragile bow-user might be stationed as an immobile turret with a cardboard target nearby that players can attack instead of them.
- Players fighting in the heat, cold, or other weather conditions could be allowed accommodations so they can properly dress for the situation. Perhaps players are granted armor points without wearing the physical pieces when it's hot. Perhaps Look-the-Part is awarded for free when everyone is bundled up for winter.
The Pink Sash
A very common accommodation is creating a way for certain players to participate in combat activities without being struck. To help support this common accommodation, Pink sashes are universally reserved as an indicator for players who should not be struck. The Pink Sash is purely intended to support approved accommodations, not to be used as strategic choice.
If you see someone with a pink sash:
- Avoid striking them.
- Speak to the Game Organizer, a Rules Authority, or the player themselves to find out what accommodations are in place and how you can engage them when necessary. If you joined the battle late, you may even be able to ask a team mate to fill you in.
If you wish to wear a pink sash yourself, please note the following:
- You must speak with the Game Organizer before entering the battle. If you wish to wear a Pink Sash during a combat activity, you must first speak with the Game Organizer so they can determine how your accommodation will function for their game. The Organizer can find helpful suggestions in the V9: Game Organizer Guide.
- You cannot derive a gameplay advantage from this accommodation. You should never place yourself into situations / engage others in such a way that would leverage your accommodation to gain a gameplay advantage that was not directly intended by the Game Organizer.
- Wearing the sash does not guarantee that you will not be struck. Amtgard is a contact activity and participation is always at your own risk. Combat is chaotic and you should expect to be struck accidentally every now and then. In these situations, you must still follow the rules and take the effects of any accidental hits that may occur. That said, repeated or egregious offenses should be reported to a Reeve for investigation. If you absolutely cannot be struck, do not participate in combat activities at all!
Developer Note: Ultimately, the goal of the game is to have fun. While certain accommodations can alter game balance or disrupt competitive strategies, that aspect should only be considered so far as it impacts that overall experience. Since Accommodations will often be created on a case-by-case basis, they will not be perfect on first conception. Accommodations should be tweaked and adjusted to avoid disruptively powerful effects, and communities should be supportive, respectful and compassionate towards Rules Authorities and affected players that are trying to make accommodations work.
Combat Activities Core Game Mechanics · Game Modes · Custom Rules and Accommodations · Game Organizer Guide
