Greetings to you all!

K

Kriegsmann55

Newbie
Hello to you one and all! My name is Daniel Kelly, better known as Kriegsmann55 as per various forum names and gamertags that I've created over the years can attest to. I am a twenty one year old student whose passion for roleplaying games borders on the verge of maniacal and fanatical and have always been interested wholeheartedly in the prospect of LARPing, however my home state of Florida and more specifically the Sarasota/Bradenton area has never quite been a true home for much in the way of organized live action roleplaying and that is something I hope one day to rectify. I have already purchased the ebook of the Alliance LARP handbook and have been pouring through it's pages as well as having looked into a few posts here on the forums as well and I would hope that a few kindhearted souls may help me.

I have always been a fan of polearm weapons, more specifically that of bills, glaives and halberds and I have also been a fan of some of the more 'shiny' latex weapons and their equivalences that are floating around the internet, and given the fact that I read that latex weaponry is as of recent years approved for the Alliance system I have been eying over the Halberd head produced by the Calimacil line ( http://www.calimacil.com/halberd.html ) for quite some time, either as a fledgling player character's weapon of choice or that of a town guard NPC. Given that the current rulebook obviously has not been altered for use with latex weapons, what would the ruling on this weapon be if were to be used, such as could the 'spear tip' on it be allowed for thrusting given how the foam head is constructed to compress or would it be disallowed without the addition of some form of thrusting tip?

Also, any other suggestions or words from the wise to this simple novice would be greatly appreciated as I am currently in the process of spreading the word and recruiting friends in my neck of the 'swamp' as it were to try and pool resources to potentially apply for a Floridian chapter of Alliance. Thank you all!
 
Welcome to the boards! I'm not a weapons marshal so I can't give you much insight on the polearm. I would imagine it depends on how "compressible" the foam tip is and if it's comparable to open cell and duct tape. In any regard, glad you found us and good luck getting friends together and potentially applying for a chapter. Always glad to have more Alliance nuts in the family. :lol:
 
That is a question for a local rules marshal. Each chapter has slightly different expectations on latex weapons. When you decide to travel and attend a game check with whatever chapter you are heading to. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful. Welcome!
 
Oh it's no problem at all really, and I thank you all for your welcoming me to the family as it were. However I did have another question to ask in regards to polearms, mostly in asking whether it would be 'legal' to have a shield strapped to a person's arm, either full sized or buckler sized in shape and yet still try to use the polearm in two hands? I've seen people doing this before in real life, as well as having practiced it personally, however I figured it would be a better idea to ask ahead of time before deciding on trying to put a 'kit' together.

And also for a different question, what would the rulings be on trying to run a player character as a NPC? Such as if I decide to start firstly as an NPC yet fall in love with the character I came to portray, perhaps trying to 'become' that person as I make my own character, would it be acceptable/legal to go between using the character in that respect depending on which event I would attend?
 
I'd have to have it in my hand or see someone work with it to be sure, but I'm almost positive that material does not collapse enough to be considered safe for thrusting in any chapter. Most commercial latex weapons are like that. You can still use them (provided they pass all other safety checks, specific to chapter, yadda yadda), but just can't stab with them.

Jimmy Hastings
Marshal in Oregon and Seattle chapters
 
Polearm requires 2 hands. You cannot use a shield while wielding a 2-handed weapon. If you wear a buckler for decoration, if you get hit there, you take the hit (that's if the local marshals will even let you wear a decorative shield.)

As for the NPC to PC thing, the character would have to level up normally per the Alliance system. If you play Joe-Bob the level 30 elven fighter and really get into the character, you can't just become a 30th level PC. You can level up a PC as you NPC with goblin points. See the rulebook (pg 147) and your local chapter for more information on goblin points. Some chapters allow you to camio as one of your PCs every once in a while when you NPC. If you join the NPC guild, you can do that in Seattle.
 
Whoa, I definitely didn't see your next post when I made mine.

To elaborate on having PC characters whose histories include being an NPC: it's not common, but it has happened. You'd need to get it approved by your plot team, because they ultimately hold dominion over the fates of the NPCs, and may or may not have other plans for the character. If approved, the only difference is then your history includes the things that character did as an NPC. In all ways according to the rules and logistics, you would be a new PC character, with the build and starting equipment you would otherwise have. If your starting level (which may be affected by experience you got while NPCing) is very different from what the NPC character's level was, then that doesn't make too much sense thematically and will likely not be approved.
 
most people i know who NPC regularly have a regular NPC that they play, one they are attached to and one that builds up relationships with PCs.

the people i know also have a PC too, someone completely different in most cases. I always looked at NPCing as a vessel to try things out and find what you like (I personally like NPCing lots, but not when it is cold). I have only been playing a year, but I haven't seen an NPC become a PC, but i know you can take the powers that you want, the personality that you like and the race you want and make them into your own character.

The NPC characters I see start off with more points but don't improve as time passes.

BTW, i am a polearm fighter, i love my boffer polearms. I have 7 reps of my own...

Welcome to the boards :)
 
I know of one character who made the transition from NPC to PC. The "child" of an existing PC, the first time they came out as a weaponless, 5 body child. Didn't even have racials, it was basically a zero-build RP character.

The player had a blank card receiving goblin blankets and played that character the first time, this year, at or below level 8. The child's been known IG for years, and sprung from a PC's character history, but gained no benefits from making the transition. Those kinds of characters don't come along often, because usually as an NPC you're not out interacting with the PCs much unless you have some sort of skill to offer, which usually means a decent amount of build needs to be spent to equalize the character cards.

Most chapters I've played aren't opposed to letting you play a long-term NPC so long as you're entertaining more than just yourself, and your efforts at a particular time wouldn't be better allocated into something needed for the weekend.
 
Alright, as for yet another new player question with which to irritate you all with, I have seen in other LARP groups that there tend to be some form of rules in regards to 'Bastard' weapons, typically of the sword variety, which is to say a large blade that can be used either with one or two hands. What I mean to ask here is simply that are there any benefits to using a weapon with two hands in this system, such as added damage or the like? For instance if I constructed or purchased the maximum allowable longsword (length wise) and decided I would attempt to wield it two handed, would it follow the rules for a one handed weapon in respects to proficiencies and damage or that of a two handed variety? And depending on the answer for 'edged' weapons, could the same also be applied to different categories of weapons such as one handed spears being used with two?

Also, when looking in the current rulebook I have seen no mention of 'flails' anywhere in it's pages, are they allowed or no?
 
no. sadly, one handed weapons always do one handed damage with respect to profs.

and no, flails are not allowable either
 
You can wield a one-handed weapon with two hands with no added benefit (other than comfort or style). You cannot, however, wield a 2-handed weapon in one hand.
 
Alright well the last question I have for the moment is in regards to polearm construction. Assuming i'm going the route of making a shaft either out of PVC or a light piece of bamboo (not sure if that's legal for the latter) and I go about the process of padding it's length with pipe foam, taping it and the like, is it allowed for a person to pad the entire surface of the haft and use it as is, or does there need to be a 'grip' on it per se? I ask this because as someone who had practiced with a halberd in his spare time, I tend to change my grip positioning depending upon what I want to achieve at a given moment of fighting, such as if I intend to get up close or to try and maintain my distance.
 
There is only a max grip length, not a min grip length. You may have no grip at all if you like, and I have seen lots of staves that way. Make sure your foam is thick enough and large enough to be used without compressing and making it harder than it would otherwise be. Personally, I would find it difficult to use a polearm at full thickness with no grip, but your mileage (and hand size) may vary.

Bamboo cores are usually fine.

By the way, people monitor this forum because they like answering new player questions, so rest assured you're bothering nobody.
 
Well, I was looking through the rules recently in regards to weapon construction and I noticed something odd, that there is no listing at the present moment for two handed spears! Is this an oversight, a intentional omission or are they simply lobbed into the same category as Polearms? I ask only because if I play a guardsman type character who favors pole weapons, I would consider having a stock of spears as well in case I was in more of a 'stabby' mood.
 
I'll probably be correct, but I believe any polearm length spear would fall under polearms where our spears are the one handed variety.
 
Thank you for the prompt reply! I'm trying to take note of everything I learn here, as I certain plans in motion. Thanks to everyone who has helped me thus far!
 
To be considered a "spear" it's a one-handed weapon designed to be wielded only by thrusting.

From a fighting-style point of view, most people use spears along with a short sword in two weapon fighting held vertically with the point facing down, getting in leg shots and using it to block. This is not the only valid style but it is by far the most common.

Any hafted, edged weapon that exceeds the dimensions for a one-handed spear falls into the polearm category, and must be wielded with two hands. However two-hand weapons are not limited to thrust-only.

I don't know the dimensions for each off the top of my head but they are in the rulebook.

Michelle
-Marshal
 
I have taken recently to using a spear in one hand and a shield in the other. I still carry a shortsword, sheathed, as a backup.

But yes a long "two-handed spear" would use polearm rules, construction and stats.

You can still use a spear in two hands (with no added benefit, other than control) but it is a thrusting only weapon.
 
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