10 Must-Have Rules for LARP Participants at Your Event
Live action role-play, or LARP, is becoming more popular. One of the most important things you need to have at your event is a rule set.
There are plenty of different rule sets out there and many of them are long, complex, and elaborate. There are some people that are interested in LARP but are scared by the size of the rule books.
Rules set player interaction and outcomes. Outcomes can be loosely set or defined for every possible scenario.
1. Take all rules seriously
It’s important that all rules are taken seriously so everyone stays safe during the event. For LARP events to continue to grow, all the rules should be followed.
2. Never fight in an unsafe area that hasn’t been setup for the event
This is another important rule for safety. The goal of the event should be safety, and it’s not okay to fight in an unsafe area that isn’t designated for the event. Find a venue with plenty of safe space to interact.
3. No charging or shoving by force
Charging is when you bump into another person with your body or move another individual by force or you force someone to move in order to avoid being hit by your shield or body.
If you slip, that is your fault and not the fault of the field. If the ground is slippery or wet, you should take it slow and keep control of yourself in order to avoid any charging.
4. Go over and know the safe words beforehand
Before the event starts, know the safe words. Hold is usually a safe word and if someone yells hold, stop what you are doing and freeze.
The hold call travels throughout the players until all stop. A hold can be called for many reasons, but it usually has to do with something bad. If you see something unsafe about to happen, then you can call a hold since anyone can do it. If you aren’t sure about what could justify a hold, then bring the situation to others around you.
There has never been a serious injury in the LARP system because of this rule. The safe words should be taken seriously.
5. No invalid hits
Hits in the head, neck, or groin are not allowed. For women, hits are not allowed in the breasts. Accidents can happen but there are no invalid hits. Even with a padded weapon, these invalid hits can seriously injure someone.
While breast or groin shots have less potential for injury, they can still be very painful and can cause injury. It’s important to keep the weapon under control and remember it’s just a game.
It’s not worth anyone gets a serious injury with an invalid hit.
6. Listen to the marshal
You should listen to everything the marshal says. If a marshal tells you or a teammate to guard the flag, you can feel free to ignore them, but if he tells you to take a hit or get off the field, you need to do it.
Who is the marshal in LARP events?
Marshals are similar to refs for sporting events. They are not in character, but in charge of making sure everyone follows the rules and remain safe.
7. Go over the different hits that are acceptable
Valid hits can include anywhere on the arm or hand. Any hit below the waist is a hit on the leg.
8. No hitting, just taps or touching
If you prefer your event to not have any hits, then you can have the rules of just touching or taps. This can help prevent injuries at your event.
9. No tolerance for arguing if you don’t agree with a call from the marshal
You shouldn’t argue with anything the marshal says, even if you are a marshal. Marshals won’t get into an argument about a call during combat, but can discuss it after combat is over.
Marshals can make mistakes, but it’s important to not let that get the game down. All marshals are equal in a combat situation.
10. Have fun!
Even with all the rules, the main point of the event is to have fun. By following the rules, you can still have fun while having a safe environment.
