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Combat Rules

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 

Head hits 

While in Menhir’s fate the head is a viable target when in combat however it should be considered a target of last resort. It is advised that characters aim for other locations during fights. If you are struck on the head, It will do one point of damage as per a strike in any other location, but if there was a damage effect attached to the call this will not work.

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

Armour 

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.

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.

Partial coverage

Armour safety can be found here
Armour is categorised in partial coverage of the characters locations. For this reason, To get partial coverage they will need two locations: 

  • Head 
  • Torso
  • Both Arms
  • Both Legs

Full Coverage

  • Head 
  • Both Legs
  • Both Arms 

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/foam/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/foam/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.

Stacking armour layers does not increase global hit points; only the highest layer is considered for hit points. For example, wearing a 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

Weapons, Foci and Relics 

In Menhir’s 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 Menhir’s 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 here

Foci

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

The rules for weapon phys reps and safety are 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 or speak to a Ref at one of our events. 
Contact@menhirsfate.com

Death and Dying: 

When a character has taken damage equal to their hit points the character enters a Critical state. If a character is in a critical state for 120 seconds then they will enter a Terminal State

While in a Critical state a person must get in a prone position (get on the ground) and may not move unaided or use any skills, nor may they cast any spells. They remain conscious and may cry out for help or make any noise. The only exception to this is the Regeneration Vigour ability as it allows you to get back up from a Critical state.

If anyone asks a character they will be able to tell them if they have lost any hit points and if the character is in a Terminal or Critical state or any ongoing effects.

While in a Terminal State the character cannot be healed, and follows all the same rules as being in a Critical state. They may choose to die whenever they decide (within the day), or when a referee tells them.

Upon a character’s death they cannot be resurrected, although their spirit may be returned to interact with. They are dead, and that character cannot return unless explicitly stated.

If your character does die for any reason please become Out of Character and go to Player Service Desk.

Execute

Execute: Any character may spend 5 seconds roleplaying a huge swing or specific attack in a safe and controlled manner on a character that is in a Critical or Terminal state, and shout the call ‘Execute’. This will immediately kill the target.
Please avoid head hits, vulnerable parts and throat slitting as part of execute for safety reasons

Moving characters

If a character is unresisting then they can be moved with two people working together.  *Please note: if you wish to take ANY character inside a tent etc then a ref must be present*

When moving a character do not attempt to carry them for safety reasons. Allow them to stand up of their own volition and then continue roleplaying carrying them.

Apothecary and consumable potions

A character may only have one effect from a potion on them at one time. If a character has a durational potion on them, and they then take another Apothecary creation the previous effect will be immediately cancelled and replaced with the new effect. *Note: this will have no effect on the durational effect of Poison.*

Questioning

In Menhirs Fate there is no torture or interrogation and these are not things we want players roleplaying.  A character may begin questioning another character, to do so they must first make sure a referee is present. They must spend roughly 2 minutes talking to a person on a specific topic, at the end of which the character may ask one question which the target must answer truthfully, correctly and to their best ability. A person cannot be questioned more than 3 times.  

The intention is that it should be clear to the target they are being questioned, please ensure that a referee is present for all parts to ensure that everyone is comfortable and happy with the situation. 

In-Character theft

A character may steal Game items during time in. To do so they must inform a referee at the time of doing so or immediately after. Then they must go to The Treasure Hunters Guild to register the stolen item. 

Items that can be stolen are:

  • Enchanted item – Shown by a ribbon attached to the item
  • In game Coins
  • Apothecary phys reps
  • In game resources (such as Flicker and Essence)

A player may not steal other players phys reps unless they fit in the above categories so they may not steal things such as mundane weapons and armour.

The player will be offered an amount from The Treasure Hunters Guild to “fence” the item.

If the player accepts the deal, The Treasure Hunters Guild will take the Phys-rep item off the Thief and pay the amount due.

If the player does not accept the deal, The Treasure Hunters Guild will Take the Phys-rep item off the Thief then provide the in game effects to a appropriate phys-rep provided by the player.

The player can provide a a Phys-rep at a later time if needed.

Either way the victim of the theft will need to go to The Treasure Hunters Guild to reclaim stolen item or items. A player may only steal items that they know to be IC. (example: Jess Bobbins finds a bag of coins, they may only take the coins. The bag must be left or given to a the Treasure hunters guild.)

How many Magic items and how many effects can a person have?

People in the world of Menhirs Fate can only have a few magical effects upon them at once. When a person hits the limit of magical effects upon them. Any additional effects will not have an effect upon the character. A character may have: 

  • One magical effect provided by a rite.
  • One magical effect that can originate from a weaving.
  • One magical Item or weapon created via weaving. 
  • A character may have any number of Malign/Blessings effects upon them. 
  • A character may carry three enchanted items. 
  • A character may have one Apothecary creation with a duration active on them.
  • A character may use as many Apothecary creations with immediate effects as they want!