Menhirs Fate Wiki - User contributions [en]

Rules/Combat Rules

2026-04-08T12:12:52Z

Amelia: Added rules around removing/donning armour in play.

== Global Hit Points ==

In Menhirs Fate, each player character starts with 3 global hit points, which can be increased with armour and skills. For the purposes of global hits it does not matter where you have been struck. You lose one hit every time you are struck in combat. A normal unarmoured character can take three points of damage before entering a ‘critical state’. Any increase to your hits also increase them at a global level. You cannot gain different hit points on different sections of the body . 
 
All Characters regain their full amount of hit points at sunrise. There is no other way to naturally regain Hit Points

=== Head hits ===

Head hits are not a viable targets at Menhirs Fate. The head should not be targeted in melee or at range. Characters should aim elsewhere during a fight. We understand accidents happen and if you do accidentally strike the head then give a quick apology. Being struck in the head does not inflict any call or damage. 
 
We do not expect people to use their head to block and this will be dangerous play and may result in combat warnings or bans.

=== The 1 second rule ===

Being hit and receiving damage in Menhirs Fate follows the 1 second rule. This means you can only lose 1 hit from each source of damage every second. It does allow you to take more than 1 damage per second if you are hit by multiple sources of damage such as two separate people hitting you at the same time. The ambidexterity skill may allow you to attack fast enough to hit multiple times very quickly but you will still only cause 1 damage per second.

=== Ranged Magic ===

Ranged spells do not cause a point of damage except the Cantrip elemental blast. However all ranged spells cannot be blocked unless they are counter spelled or resisted by the target.

== What is an Encounter? ==
An encounter is any time you leave Haven through a rift. Many abilities in Menhirs Fate are usuable on a per encounter basis and will recharge when you return to Haven ready for the next encounter you go on.

Sometimes things occur in Haven that require you to use per encounter abilities. In these cases, you may recharge in 30 minutes if there is no clear 'encounter' boundary. This is reduced to 10 minutes in the 'Nature's Rest' rite area effect

For other abilities, you still recharge only on the recharge trigger or between events, or by spending 10 minutes in the 'Nature's Rest' rite area effect.

== Sparring ==

Menhirs Fate does not feature non lethal damage as a mechanic. In the safety of Haven you may spar or otherwise practice with larp weapons and not do any damage or require healing afterwards but only for sparring purposes. Any other kind of combat will inflict damage as normal. You may roleplay that you have received minor training injuries if you wish and give healing roleplay to those playing healers but this will not require mechanical efforts to fix.

== Sanctioned Combat and Grappling ==

At Menhirs Fate grappling is not allowed during normal combat for safety concerns. In certain circumstances we will allow for Sanctioned Combat that may allow for grappling and other stage fighting elements to be used. This must be done under the guidance of a Ref who will check if both participants agree to these elements and also check the area to make sure it is safe for Sanctioned Combat. Generally this will be within Haven in situations such as duels or sparring but occasionally may be occur on a skirmish that is specifically set up to accommodate it. These fights still follow all other combat safety rules and while Stage fighting is allowed you may not land punches and kicks.

== Armour ==

Armour does not count as separate hits for the purposes of healing. When the character is healed their global hits are recovered with no distinction between hits provided from their base hits, armour or other sources.

The coverage system below describes locations but coverage may be achieved by any number of actual armour pieces. Chainmail, Articulated plate arms or a set of shoulder armour and bracers would all achieve the same mechanical effect. 
For armour to be effective and provide benefits, you must have at least partial coverage as described below. Only then will it stop damage calls and increase the number of hits a character can withstand before entering a critical state.

===== Partial coverage =====

Armour safety can be found [[Rules/Weapons and Armour Safety#Armour_safety|here]]

To gain Partial Coverage of the whole body you must have any 4 of the locations in the list below. This will grant you the hits listed in the relevant armour types partial coverage section.

* Head
* Upper torso
* Lower Torso
* Upper Arm (Left or Right)
* Lower Arm (Left or Right)
* Upper Leg (Left or Right)
* Lower Leg (Left or Right)

===== Full Coverage =====

Armour safety can be found [[Rules/Weapons and Armour Safety#Armour_safety|here]]

To gain Full Coverage of the whole body you must have one torso location covered and any other 5 of the locations in the list below. This will grant you the hits listed in the relevant armour types Full coverage section.

* Head
* Upper torso
* Lower Torso
* Upper Arm (Left or Right)
* Lower Arm (Left or Right)
* Upper Leg (Left or Right)
* Lower Leg (Left or Right)

Mixing armour types may be done for aesthetic reasons but you only gain armour for the lowest armour type involved in the coverage 
e.g 2 leather greaves and 2 padded arms would result in light partial coverage. 
2 leather greaves, 2 padded arms and a leather torso would result in medium coverage

Stacking armour layers does not increase global hit points; only the highest layer is considered for hit points. For example, wearing full coverage heavy over full coverage light will not grant eight global hits. The heavy armour will grant five hits and the light armour will not be counted

Armour is then categorised by type of the armour worn:

==== Light Armour ====

* '''Partial Coverage:''' A character wearing light armour, such as soft leather, furs, Mage armour (this covers all clothing that looks like armour), or padded material (excluding simple cloth), gains '''two '''global hit points
* '''Full Coverage: '''A character wearing light armour, such as soft leather, furs, or padded material (excluding simple cloth) on all locations gains '''three '''global hit points

''Note: While wearing Light armour you are able to cast any Spell/Rite/Ceremony and the “CRUSH” damage effect only does one point of damage''

==== Medium Armour ====

* '''Partial Coverage:''' A character wearing medium armour, such as heavy leather, studded leather, or leather scale, gains '''three '''global hit points
* '''Full Coverage:''' A character wearing medium armour, such as heavy leather, studded leather, or ringmail on all locations, gains '''four '''global hit points

'''''Note: '''''''''While wearing Medium armour you may not cast any spell/Rite but you may cast Ceremonies. ''While wearing Medium armour the “CRUSH” damage effect only does one point of damage''

==== Heavy Armour ====

* '''Partial Coverage''': A character wearing heavy armour, such as chainmail, flexible plate (latex/poly plate), or scalemail/brigandine, gains '''four '''global hit points
* '''Full Coverage:''' A character wearing heavy armour, such as chainmail or ringmail, flexible plate (latex/poly plate), or metal scalemail/brigandine on all locations - This gives you '''five '''global hit points

''Note: While wearing Heavy armour you may not cast any spell/Rite but you may cast Ceremonies. While wearing Heavy armour the “REND” damage effect will do only one point of damage ''

''e.g. if you are wearing 50% light armour. You will have 3 global hits and then 2 additional global hit points that will be conveyed by the light armour. Meaning you will have 5 hits total.''

=== Removing armour in play ===
Removing armour in play will reduce a character's global hit points depending on what was removed.

* A character with full-coverage armour removing enough locations to drop to partial coverage would have their global hit points reduced by '''one'''.
* A character with any armour going below partial coverage will lose '''all''' global hit points gained by armour.

''e.g. If a character is on five out of seven global hit points and removes partial-coverage heavy armour, their new global hit points would be '''three'''.''

=== Putting armour on in play ===
Putting armour back on while '''out of combat''' and inside Haven will increase a character's global hit points by the value of that armour.

Putting armour back on while in combat or an encounter will increase a character's maximum global hit points, but '''not''' increase their current hit points.

''e.g. If a character removes full-coverage medium armour and then puts it back on in an encounter, they would be missing '''four''' global hit points, but benefit from an increased maximum. This includes removing armour to perform a rite or weaving.''

An encounter will usually be a combat or non-combat situation outside of Haven, or through a portal. Players should ensure they do any appropriate healing roleplay in Haven before donning armour where possible, as it is not a substitute for healing (for an extreme example, you cannot take off your armour, go to 1 global hit point and then put armour back on to heal yourself as this is "power gaming" and against the spirit of the rules).

''Note: If this is being done for safety reasons (e.g. heat exhaustion, armour becoming unsafe), a referee may take a player out-of-character to change and advise a player of their new current hit points before timing them back in.''

== Weapons, Foci and Relics ==

In Menhirs Fate all larp safe weapons are categorised as either a “Weapon”, “Relic” or a “Foci”.

The descriptions below indicate what sort of physical representation you would need for each type and the safety requirements for them. As there is some amount of crossover in these phys reps, (a staff may be a melee weapon or equally a foci, a wand may be a foci but could equally work as a relic) you must decide which it is to begin with. If you have decided your phys rep is of one type, it may not then be used as another.

''Jess Bobbins has a Wand and has the ability to cast cantrip spells and also some cleric ability. They decided to bring their wand along and use it as their Foci. Later when they want to do a cleric ceremony, Jess must find a different phys rep to use as their Relic, but that's okay, they have a rather cool looking amulet that they use instead. ''

=== Weapons ===

In Menhirs Fate we would encourage players to use weapons that fit with the themes of the game and the themes of the nation they are playing within. We suggest that all weapons look like just that; weapons. The Phys rep should also be larp safe as per the weapons guidelines. When looking at any item that we consider to be a ‘Comedy weapon’ we will follow the rules of:

* Is the Item safe for all participants and does the Item conform to weapon safety
* Could the item parry a sword

The rules for weapon phys reps and safety are [[Rules/Weapons and Armour Safety#Weapon_safety|here]]

=== Focus ===

Foci may be physically represented by a staff, stave, wand or similar. The important part is that it looks like a magical tool as opposed to a weapon as above. The only exception to magical weapons is daggers which must look sufficiently magical e.g made of crystals.

The Phys rep should also be larp safe as per the weapons guidelines.

The rules for weapon phys reps and safety are [[Rules/Weapons and Armour Safety#Weapon_safety|here]]

=== Relics ===

Relics in Menhirs Fate are items of iconography that Clerics and Paladins use to channel their faith and perform ceremonies with. These items are never used to make physical contact with other players and as such we do not require them to be larp safe. These may be physically represented by amulets, symbols of their gods, small effigies of importance to them and their gods.

If there is any confusion on Weapons, Relics or Foci then please contact us (Contact@menhirsfate.com) or speak to a Ref at one of our events.

[[Category:Rules]]
[[Category:Menhirs Fate Wiki]]

Rules/Weapons and Armour Safety

2026-04-08T11:00:01Z

Amelia: Added bow competency guidelines around archery cards, and clarified domed arrowhead definition.

= Weapons & Armour =

== Weapons ==

* All weapons must be at least 8” (20 cm) long
* All weapons must be a phys-rep of a weapon
* Some categories require you to use a set grip to fight with the weapon
* All weapons, bows, arrows, shields and armour, must be checked by a member of the weapon checking team

=== Daggers/Foci ===

* Must be between 8” and 24” Long

=== One-Handed weapons/One handed Foci ===

* Must be between 24” and 42” Long
* Flail length is measure from bottom of handle to head full stretched
* Flails must be made with Foam links if more then one link. One link can be a leather link.

=== One-Handed Spear ===

* Must be over 60” and up to 84” long
* You must hold the weapon within 6” of the center of the shaft
* Must be a phys-rep of a spear
* Must have a thrust-safe tip and only be used for thrusting

=== Two Handed Weapon/Two-Handed Foci ===

* Must be over 42” and up to 72” Long
* You must hold the weapon in both Hands

=== Polearms/Polearm Foci ===

* Must be between 72” and 84” long
* You Must hold the weapon in both hands with at least 18” separating them
* Can have Thrust-safe tip

=== Pikes ===

* Must be over 84” and up to 108” long
* You must hold the weapon in both hands with at least 18” separating them
* Must be a Phys-rep of a Pike
* Must have a thrust safe tip and only be used for thrusting
* Pikes count under polearm skill
* Pikes cannot be used to make any Calls

=== Thrown Weapons ===

* Must be between 8” and 36" long
* You cannot throw shuriken, rocks, or other small throwing weapons below that size
* Any core in a thrown weapon must be appropriate in weight and stiffness for its size, and non-rigid cores are preferred
* Throwing javelins in particular must have a “Collapsible” tip and a relatively lightweight core
* Please be mindful of avoiding the face when using thrown weapons
* You may only use thrown weapons every ten seconds
* You must not throw normal melee weapons.

== Weapon Safety ==

Weapons must meet the following guidelines:

* The rigidity of the foam must protect the core and must not have degraded and become too soft
* The layers of foam must be securely bonded to each other and not be delaminating
* The right kind of foam must be used. High-density foam is the basic material and low-density foam must be used appropriately in collapsible tip weapons or in large hammerheads. This stops weapons being too heavy and having too much momentum
* The whole length of the core must be held securely in place and must not be moving freely inside the weapon
* The tip reinforcement must not be protruding through the surface of the foam
* The core of the weapon must be made of an appropriate material such as fibreglass or carbon fibre - not of aluminium, wood or bamboo
* There must not be any protruding hard or sharp objects such as gems or studs
* There must be sufficient padding on the tip, guard and haft
* Pommels are preferred to be made of padding, we are allowing resin handles & pommels and wooden handles. This is not a striking area with any weapon.
* The handle must be securely attached to the rest of the weapon and must not be loose
* The choice of former must be appropriate to the length of the weapon and must not be too heavy and rigid (especially for thrown weapons) or too light making the weapon ‘whippy’ (long weapons)

== Shields ==

* A shield must be gripped by a handle held in the hand
* You can push with a shield. You are not allowed to shield barge other characters, or force someone out of your way. ''The aim of this is to allow people with shields to control and threaten an area but to do so safely in regards to other players.''
* A shield that is simply strapped to the body does not protect the wearer. All blows that strike a slung shield are considered to hit the character wearing it.
* Each Shield type have maximum dimensions for a shield are based on the shape, listed below
* You may not strike with any shield regardless of size

=== Shield Types (sizes) ===

* Buckler
** Up to 15” (40cm) in Diameter

* Round Shield
** Up to 40” (1m) Diameter

* Tower shield
** Up to 40” by 24” (1m by 60cm)

* Kite/Heater Shield
** Up to 48” by 24” (1.2m by 60cm)

== Shield Safety ==

* A rigid former may currently be used during events, but shields should preferably be of full-foam construction
* If you use a rigid former then there must be at least 6mm of high-density foam on the face and no protruding bolts
* The rim must be padded all round. Note that pipe lagging will quickly degrade will likely be insufficient after a relatively short time
* Handles must be securely fixed so that they do not cause the shield to “flap” from the arm/ hand
* Wing nuts must not be used to secure straps and any protruding bolts must be cut short

== Bows/Crossbows ==

=== Bows ===

* Must have a draw weight less than 30lb on a 28” draw
* Must hold the weapon in both hands to shoot
* You must not block with your Bow

=== Crossbows ===

* Must have a 30lb or lower draw weight
* Must hold the weapon in both hands to shoot
* You must not block with your Crossbow
* You must be over 18 to use crossbows

''Under UK law, participants under 18 years of age cannot be in possession of a crossbow unless under the supervision of a person who is 21 years of age or older. In terms of our game, this means that we do not permit participants under that age to use crossbows, except when supervised under controlled conditions (Such as a setup archery range, or a teaching session). ''

''Battlefield, encounters and any combat does not count as controlled conditions. ''

== Arrows and Bolts ==

=== Arrow Shafts ===

* The shaft must be made of fibreglass or wood. Carbon fibre, aluminium and dowel are not allowed
* The shaft must not be cracked or damaged
* Flights must be adequate to keep the arrow stable in flight and must be properly attached to the shaft
* Arrows must have a maximum draw position of 28” clearly marked if the possible draw length is greater than 28”
* The shaft must have a proper nock which is securely attached

=== Arrowhead ===

* The arrowhead must be at least 50mm across and have a circular cross-section
* The arrowhead must be securely attached and not move on the shaft
* The arrowhead must be the flat facing design, rounded arrowheads will not be allowed at Menhirs Fate
* The soft foam portion of the arrowhead must be open cell foam (often called furniture or upholstery foam), be at least 25mm at the thickest point and must collapse fully under firm pressure (so there must be no latex within 5-10 mm of the face)
* The arrowhead must have some kind of blocker between the shaft and the foam of the arrowhead to stop the shaft pushing through

=== Not Acceptable ===

* IDV tear-drop arrows are not usable at our events
* Archery Tag screw-on arrowheads are not usable at our events
* Domed arrowheads are not allowed; they must be flat

== Bow Competency ==

You must take your bow and your arrows to be checked by our weapon check team. You will be asked to demonstrate that you know how to use it safely: You will be required to string and destring your bow, and asked to demonstrate a full arrow or bolt check to show you understand our safety checks 
 
You may be asked to fire the weapon at a nearby target, and demonstrate your understanding of the bow safety rules. The aim of these checks is to ensure that you know how to use your bow or crossbow safely at our events. You may also be asked for proof of age, if using a crossbow.

=== Full arrow check ===

* Feel the foam on face of the arrow to check it is free from debris and the foam not waterlogged
* Feel the soft foam to check it is still firmly attached to the arrow head and that the head is securely attacked to the shaft
* Flex the shaft to ensure it is not cracked or split
* Feel each flight to check none are missing or loose
* Examine the nock to ensure it is not loose or split

=== Shooting ===

* The draw of a bow must be less than 30 lbs at 28” draw. Crossbows are also limited to 30lbs draw weight
* You must perform an full check of every arrow or bolt each time before you nock it
* You must not aim at the head, you must aim at the chest or below when shooting at your target
* You must reduce the draw of your bow when firing at targets closer than 3m away, you may not fire a crossbow at targets under 3m
* You must aim at the stomach or below when firing into a crowded melee or when aiming a bow at targets closer than 3m
* You must be able to see the area you are aiming for if you are arcing your shot
* You must not shoot through narrow openings or gaps, such as between branches, fences, or through hedges
* You must never attack with a bow or crossbow or use it to parry if your bow or crossbow is hit with melee or an arrow you take one point of damage
* You must have both hands free when using a bow or crossbow
* You must not have another arrow in you hand while shooting
* You must not put any arrows in your mouth
* You must be in full control of your weapon and aware of your aim while moving around with bow drawn
* Participants under 18 years of age cannot use a crossbow under any circumstances

=== Archery cards ===
You will be given a card once you have shown you can competently use a bow or crossbow. It is vital this is kept with you and your bow at all times.

It will include:

* Your Player ID
* Your full name (not your character's name)
* Your date of birth
* The event the card was issued
* The name of the referee assessing you

This card allows you to use any weapons-checked bow or crossbow, with permission from the owner, at Menhirs Fate. It expires a year after being issued.

== Armour ==

Light-weight flimsy materials such as cardboard, tin foil and paper cannot be counted as armour. You cannot use knitted wool or other fabric which is coloured to look like chain as armour either. 
 
Armour can be constructed from EVA foam however LARP armour has the potential to be subject to damage in combat. As with armour constructed from other materials we will be checking that foam armour is robust and safe for both the wearer and other people. All Foam armour must be checked by the weapons check team.

We are conscious that Larp Combat is a contact sport so Armour may not have Spikes or sharp points. (studs on leather armor is fine)

=== Light Armour ===

* Padded cloth or thin leather armour (between 1.5mm and 3mm).
* Must be Piece of armour Leather clothing or similar does not count

=== Medium Armour ===

* Leather or armour made to appear as if constructed from leather
* Must be 3mm or Thicker

=== Heavy Armour ===

* Metal armour or armour that looks like its metal
* No Sharp edges

== Banner ==

At Menhirs Fate we are allowing banners as we think they are great items for the fantasy setting.

* Banners can have wooden poles
* Must follow the Menhir’s Fate Behaviour guidelines regarding iconography and symbols
* Banners can be taken on adventures but those that carry them must never engage in melee. Ranged magic may be used while holding a banner.
* Banners must never be used to parry blows
* Banners are unaffected to the shatter call
* Banners come under Item for enchanting. The rules for combat still apply and you may not use melee attacks while holding a banner.
* Banners should not be made with Larp safe materials as they are not safe to be used a weapons in combat. Banners should also not be attached to Larp weapons

== Fighting safely ==

* You must ensure your weapon has been checked by the weapon checking team at each event before you use it
* You must pull all of your blows so that they land with virtually no force
* You must avoid hitting the groin, neck or face
* You must avoid hitting the breasts or head where there is an alternative target
* You must not strike another character with the pommel or hilt of your weapon
* You must not thrust with any weapon unless it is a thrust-safe polearm
* You must not throw a weapon unless it is a throwing weapon
* You must use the specified grip for a two-handed weapon
* You must drop a flail if becomes entangled in your opponents weapon or costume
* You must not attempt to parry an arrow or bolt with a weapon
* You must not grab or trap an opponent’s weapon when they are wielding it
* You must follow the bow-safety guidelines if you use a bow or crossbow
* You must not partake in combat if you are drunk
* You must not take camping knives on quests, skirmishes or battles under any circumstance.

Banned items cannot be used either for reasons of safety or because they are unsuitable for the campaign. The traders are permitted to sell these items but only on the condition that they are collected at the end of the event if purchased during time in. Items sold before time in may be stored in tents or cars and not brought out during time in. You must not carry these items on site in an IC area.

== Banned items ==

* Real weapons, including bayonets, re-enactment weapons, real world grappling hooks and any sort of non-replica firearm
* Modern or futuristic items such as chainswords or power armour as well as novelty items.
* No fireworks or pyrotechnics of any sort may be brought onto the site without the prior permission
* Any item deem inappropriate by Menhirs Fate

[[Category:Rules]]
[[Category:Menhirs Fate Wiki]]