Combat Rules

Combat in Volaire is designed to be immersive, safe, and theatrical—a collaborative performance, not a contest of strength.

Combat is a form of physical roleplay using foam boffer weapons, spellpackets, and clear verbal calls.

Key Principles:

• Swings must follow a 45°–90° arc.
• Each strike must be accompanied by a clear damage call (e.g., “5 Normal!” or “3 Fire!”).
• Strikes should be controlled and intentional—combat is theatrical, not chaotic.
• Unsafe combat (e.g., excessive force) is grounds for disciplinary action.

• Damage is expressed as: `[Amount] [Type]`, e.g., `“4 Ice!”`
• Some strikes include a status effect (tagline): e.g., “10 Paralyze!”
• If you are struck, apply the damage and effect unless you have a defense.
• Being hit with a “favorable” tagline does not confer healing to a character. This will result in “No Effect” to the target rather than an increase in health points.

If you cannot clearly hear a damage call or believe a strike was unsafe, you may go OOP briefly to clarify.

Damage is absorbed in this order:

1. **Cloak** – Negates specific effect types.
2. **Spell Shield** – Blocks one spell effect.
3. **Magical Armor** – Temporary armor granted by spells/items.
4. **Physical Armor** – Worn armor, takes damage before HP.
5. **Resist** – Used to ignore a specific effect.
6. **Temporary HP** – Magical HP granted by potions or abilities.
7. **Health Points (HP)** – When reached, status effects begin.

Legal Weapon Use:

• All swings must follow the 45°–90° rule.
• Dual wielding is allowed if you have the skill.
• Thrown weapons must be soft-tipped and safe.

Illegal Weapon Use:

• No spear + shield combos.
• No thrusting or jabbing.

Shield Rules:

• Must fit from armpit to hand—no larger.
• No turtling (hiding completely behind a shield).
• No shield bashing or slamming.

Weapon Damage: Follows the flow: Armor → HP

Spell Damage:

• Elemental/Normal Spells: Treated like weapon strikes.
• Direct Body Spells: Bypass armor and strike HP directly.

Status effects only apply once damage reaches HP.

Common Effects:

• Massive – Cannot be blocked by shield or weapon.
• Paralyze – Frozen in place for 10 minutes.
• Sleep – Unresponsive for 10 minutes or until shaken awake.
• Poison – Crawling only, sickened for 10 minutes.
• Terminal/Cleave/Assassinate – Immediate critical states; may be parried under specific conditions.

To end an incapacitated character:

Physical Method:

1. Place weapon to target’s torso.
2. Say: “Killing blow 1… 2… 3.”  
(Must be uninterrupted and deliberate.)

Magical Method:

1. Incant full spell ending with “Killing Spell!”
2. Hit with spellpacket to torso/back.

Reasons your attacks may not be working:

• Target still has armor or magical protections.
• Target has threshold or resistances.
• The damage type is ineffective.

You may politely check: “OOP—Are you taking damage?”

Do not assume cheating—ask or report if needed.

• 0 HP = Unconscious (10 min or shaken awake)
• <0 HP = Bleeding to Death (60 sec)
• Bleed-out Ends = Dead (5 min to body dissipation)
• Post-Death = Spirit form (until resurrected at Circle)

Use appropriate gestures (lying still, fist/weapon on head) to indicate status.

• Status Effects
• Magic & Spellcasting
• Death & Recovery

Volaire LARP – Hit with purpose. Fall with drama. Fight for the story.

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