TOURNAMENTS
Jousting
A joust occurs whenever two opponents armed with lances ride against each other.
Given the structure of a joust, the methods for resolving these contests are somewhat different from normal combat.
However, characters employing lances in the chaos of the battlefield use the normal rules for combat.
When tilting lances, each opponent tests Fighting and compares the result of their Fighting test to their opponent’s passive Animal Handling result (Ride applies). Since the attack occurs simultaneously, the outcome of the pass depends on the results of each test as shown in table.
A hit by a lance deals damage based on degree of success. A rider knocked from his horse takes damage equal to an additional degree.
Test Result | Outcome |
---|
Crit Fail | Miss |
Fail | Lance shatters on opponent's shield |
1 degree | Lance shatters on opponent's shield, they make Challenging (9) Animal Handling test or become unhorsed |
2 degrees | Lance strikes opponent, they make Formidable (12) Animal Handling test or become unhorsed |
3 degrees | Lance strikes opponent, they make Hard (15) Animal Handling test or become unhorsed |
An opponent knocked from his steed usually loses the match.
The loser forfeits his steed and armor to the victor, but he can purchase them back, provided he can meet the ransom price.
The ransom is usually equal to the value of the armor and steed combined, but some tournaments may have steeper fees, while others may have less.
Opponents defeated by taking damage in excess of their Health face consequences determined by the victor.
For competitions, defeat usually results in unconsciousness, though death can also occur, especially when wielding war lances.
Houserule: In order to keep game-play flowing a point system will be implemented. Shattering a lance on an opponent's shield gains you 1 point.
Landing a blow directly on your opponent lands you 3 points.
If after 5 rides against your opponent no-one has lost, the character with more points is declared the winner. If the points are equal it is a tie.
Dishonor
A lancer can opt to lower the lance to strike the steed or the rider in an unprotected location.
Doing so deals normal damage as if in combat, likely killing the steed or the rider.
Such poor form always results in the rider being disqualified from the tournament, penalties to his house’s Glory, and usually a fine as well.
Duels and Battles for Honor
Jousts and melees may also be used to settle an issue of honor.
Opponents may engage in hand-to-hand combat, fighting until first blood is drawn or to the death.
Likewise, they might begin with a joust and fight on foot if unhorsed until one opponent yields.
The parameters of these contests are set before the match begins and may include battles pitting seven knights against seven knights,
one opponent may be permitted to choose the nature of the duel and the other to choose the weapons, and so on.
Grand Melee
A grand melee is a competition of arms. Usually, the participants gather in teams of seven, but some might involve just a pair of warriors or more than seven warriors, especially in competitions designed to “reenact” a historical event.
A grand melee resolves as a normal combat.
Archery
An archery contest, while not as exhilarating as melees and jousts, is an avenue for competitors skilled with bows to win fame.
In an archery contest, the competitors take shots at fixed targets.
Most archery competitions take place over a series of rounds, each contestant testing Marksmanship to hit the target.
The first shot is Routine (6), each successive shot increasing in Difficulty by one step (3 points) until the Difficulty reaches Hard (15).
During the final round, each competitor compares the results of their Marksmanship test to see who has the highest successful result.
The one with the highest result wins.
All rules and house rules subject to change by GM or CO-GM for better play by post.
I have taken the time to write down a more detailed example back in 2009 (I think), which - hopefully - includes all relevant modifiers and implications.
For convenience:
Here are the possible maneuvers listed as in
Peril at King’s Landing page 43/44
Maneuver | Fighting | Passive Animal Handling | Animal Handling test | Damage |
---|
Aggressive | +1 or +2 | -1 or -2 | none | n/a |
Braced | -1 or -2 | none | +1 or +2 | n/a |
Defensive | -1 or -2 | +1 or +2 | none | n/a |
Eyes Fixed | +1 | none | none | Base damage of foe increased by 1 |
High in Saddle | +1 or +2 | none | -1 or -2 | n/a |
Let’s look again at the example on SIFRP page 164, but elaborate a bit more. The text in
italics has been added for additional information to go into even more detail.
Ser Jon Malloway
Animal Handling 3 (Ride 2B),
Endurance 3, Fighting 4 (Spears 2B),
Full Plate, Destrier
Passive defence for joust: 14 (Animal Handling*4+2 from Ride)
Health 9
Tourney lance 4+4B-1D (4 +2B (Spears) -1B (Training)
+3B (Animal Handling) -1D (charge); bonus dice may not exceed test dice)
Damage: 8 (3 +3 (Animal Handling) +2 (charge))
Ser Brutus of Ninemen
Animal Handling 3,
Athletics 3 (Strength 3B), Endurance 4, Fighting 3 (Spears 3B),
Full Plate, Destrier
Passive defence for joust: 12 (Animal Handling*4)
Health 12
Tourney lance 3+3B -1D (3 +3B (Spears) -1B (Training)
+3B (Animal Handling) -1D (charge); bonus dice may not exceed test dice)
Damage: 11 (3 +3 (Animal Handling) +2 (charge) +3(Strength))
This is listed on page 56, but does not re-appear in the Combat chapter. I’ve not yet seen a ruling on that issue.
We will not use it in this game
Ser Jon Malloway 4+1B-1D, i.e. roll 5, drop 2
Ser Brutus 3+1B-1D, i.e. roll 4 drop 2
:
First Pass
None of the knights need to spend actions to maintain control (the destriers are war-trained and they are already astride).
Both knights need to spend a lesser action to spur their mounts to charge.
None choose any special maneuvers (as in
Peril at King’s Landing page 43/44)
Both knights attack simultaneously.
Ser Jon Malloway rolls a total of 5 dice and needs to drop 2, keeping 3. He rolls 3, 5, 5, 6, and 4 and drops the five lowest and has a result of 16, excess of 4, one degree. Thus he does 8 damage, reduced by Ser Brutus’ full plate to 0 damage. The lance shatters on the shield of Ser Brutus, who needs to make a challenging (9) Animal Handling test.
Ser Brutus rolls 3, 3 and 4 and with a result of 10 stays in the saddle.
Ser Brutus rolls for his attack a total of 4 dice and needs to drop 2. The maximum he can get is 12, which won’t beat his opponent’s passive Animal Handling of 14 (Ride applies). Ser Brutus stands no chance to unhorse his opponent. His lance shatters on the other knight’s shield.
Second Pass
None of the knights need to spend actions to maintain control (the destriers are war-trained and they are already astride).
Both knights need to spend a lesser action to spur their mounts to charge.
Ser Jon gets cocky and chooses the
aggressive maneuver, adding 2 to his fighting result and deleting the same amount from his passive Animal Handling result. Ser Brutus chooses the
high in saddle maneuver, adding +2 to his fighting result and deleting 2 from a potential Animal Handling test if he needs to make one (as in
Peril at King’s Landing page 43/44)
Both knights attack simultaneously.
Ser Jon rolls 5 dice (4, 4, 4, 5 and 5), drops 2 dice and has a result of 16 (he adds +2 from his
aggressive maneuver). This is again one degree of success. Still, due to his opponent’s armour he does not cause any damage.
Ser Brutus needs to make a challenging Animal Handling test. He rolls 1, 3 and 4 but needs to subtract 2 because of his chosen maneuver. Ser Brutus is unhorsed and takes 8 damage from the fall (no reduction from armour). Ser Brutus opts to take an injury and reduces the damage by 4.
Ser Brutus rolls 4 dice (2, 2, 5 and 5), drops two and has a result of 12 (he adds +2 from his
high in saddle maneuver), which is equal to his foe’s passive Animal Handling (Ser Jon needs to subtract 2 due to his
aggressive maneuver) and thus one degree. Ser Brutus’ lance causes 1 damage to Ser Jon (his armour absorbs 10 damage).
Ser Jon also needs to make a challenging Animal Handling test. He rolls 5 dice (2, 2, 2, 3, 3) and needs to drop 2. With a result of 8 Ser Jon is also unhorsed, taking another 11 damage. As this would drop him below 0 health, Ser Jon opts to take a wound, reducing the damage from the fall to zero, but will take -1D on all further tests. He would have opted to take only an injury, but this would have only reduced the damage by 3, for an effective 8 damage. Since the total damage (1 form the lance hit and 8 from the fall) would have dropped him to zero health he would have lost the joust.
Both knights have been unhorsed, both need to take a greater action to stand up.
Ser Jon takes a greater action to catch his breath, rolls 1, 2 and 5 and needs to drop one due to his wound. Still, with a result of 7 he removes the one point of damage from his opponent’s lance hit and is again at 9 health.
Ser Brutus also catches his breath. He rolls four dice (4, 5, 5 and 5) and needs to subtract 1 from the result due to his injury. With 4 degrees of success, he completely recovers and is back to 12 health.
Both knights prepare for the third pass.
Third Pass
None of the knights need to spend actions to maintain control (the destriers are war-trained and they are already astride).
Both knights need to spend a lesser action to spur their mounts to charge.
Ser Jon is cautious now. He currently has the lead (2 degrees of success vs Ser Brutus’ 1), but even if he beats Ser Brutus he most likely will not advance much further in the tourney due to his wound. Thus he chooses the
defensive maneuver subtracting 2 from his fighting test but also adding 2 to his passive animal handling result. Thus, Ser Jon’s passive animal handling result is 12 (the penalty die from his wound also applies to passive results, i.e. (Animal Handling -1D) *4 +2 (Ride speciality) +2 (chosen maneuver)). Ser Brutus realizes that he will lose if he cannot unhorse his opponent. Again, he chooses the
high in saddle maneuver, adding 2 to his fighting and subtracting the same amount from a potential animal handling test.
Both knights attack simultaneously.
Ser Jon rolls 5 dice and needs to drop 3 (one additional drop because of his wound). He rolls 3, 3, 5, 6 and 6, for a result of 12, one degree. Ser Brutus’ armour absorbs all the damage from the lance hit, but he needs to make a challenging animal handling test. Ser Brutus rolls 4, 4 and 5, for a result of 10 (he needs to subtract 1 due to his injury and another 2 due to his chosen maneuver) and stays in the saddle.
Ser Brutus rolls 4 dice, needs to drop 2, add 2 due to his maneuver and subtract 1 due to his injury. He rolls 3, 4, 4 and 6. With a total result of 11 his lance glances harmlessly off his foe’s shield.
Ser Jon Malloway is declared the victor (3 degrees vs 1 degree).
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:56, Thu 28 Aug 2014.