Roleplay LARPS

[Thomas MacFinn]

Although I like role play, this is the real reason I prefer Belegarth over those other LARP's that have more role play:

[Alunsun]

Dude, she never stood a chance!

[Thomas MacFinn]

I don't even wear armor in Belegarth because I don't want to stop and ask myself "was I hit there before?"

I just yell "Good!" and fall over.

[Ryker]

excerpt from my blog about my attempt at a full blown larp

So, you aren't supposed to judge anything until you try it yourself. Well, Tull found out about a local LARP group and asked if I wanted to go along. I thought at least we could get in some sparring (haven't had a practice all summer) and maybe snag some people from the other group.

So...Tull, Jeff and I go out. Well...ya...just seeing some of these people....oh good God.

I now know why people openly mock these groups.

Once I was handed a character sheet (ya...a character sheet) I knew it would go down here from there. Then a small explanation of the combat system (oh...we're picking up steam on the downhill run now!) and then seeing some of their equipment....some of it makes me want to cry. Some of the weapons were the latex weapons (which I admit look good) but they are light weight (really light) "tap" weapons. Any weapons you can flick with your wrist...naaaa....no thanks.

So, my first level character (shudder) has 20 "body" points and with my full leather armour plus shield I have 58 "armour" points. Now, with their combat system...and average person with an average weapon does 3-5 "points" of damage...and they have to go through my "armour" points before they get to my "body" points. Ya, do the math...I have to be hit about 15-26 time before "dying" *?

I am now so grateful for the simplicity of the Dagorhir and SCA combat systems. You get hit...you die...simple.

Oh...and of course...the magic....oh for ****'s sake. I dislike systems that use magic....if you can't swing a stick (or shoot a bow for that matter) and hit me...you can't hit me. These people have a large amount of magic in their system (which I guess is fine...cuz their combat system sucks).

All I know...is I put up with it alot longer than I really wanted to. They seem like nice people...but no...I will not EVER again "do" a full blown LARP. As much as I realize that technically the SCA and Dagorhir are LARPs...it just isn't as completely lame. SCA has it's historical research and combat that is more "realistic" (yet still has major flaws...because of safety issues) and Dagorhir has it's more fun combat (which it too has major realism flaws...once again for safety). But even with thier flaws...the SCA and Dagorhir are not in any way as **** lame as what I did today.


Ah...and my favorite quote from the whole LARP fiasco come from Tull

"If I can run 88mph and touch the lightning statue it might give me the 1.21 gigawatts i need to go back in time and not come here"

[Hardscrabble]

Darkon, despite the movie, is not so bad. At least the way we play it in Idaho. I got hit harder in that game than by any belegrim that wasn't * or Ikis. Yeah the hit system is a little more complicated, but theres no math beyond "armor's gone, now I'm bleeding, now I'm dead"

As far as magic casting goes, try rattling off a 175 word lightning bolt while a line is bearing down on you. Its not just "lighinigbolt lightningbolt lightningbolt"

[Solusar]

Wow, Darkon somehere not in MD. I'm shocked.

[Mekoot Rowan]

So I thought about getting involved with a "future" larp in town. When I first went I found a bunch of kids with sticks spinning around like they were Neo, yelling at each other that the other one was dead. There were 10 of them and nine of them were wearing trench coats and sunglasses on an overcast summer day.

I thought for a minute that maybe I could convince them to try something a little more fun with less yelling at each other, but they didn't want to hear about anything other than vampires and werewolves.

They tried explaining the rules to me, but they were insanely complex, (more so than what ryker experienced by the sound of it). About the time that the eleventh member hopped out of his mom's van with a NERF crossbow, I decided it was time to leave.

I wish I had a funniest quote, but I've worked hard to suppress the memories of the lameness I encountered on that day.

Maybe all Larps aren't quite so bad, but I wouldn't feel a bit bad beating the * out of every one of those trenchcoated bastards.

[Thomas MacFinn]

I don't have anything against that type of LARP; my (adult) son is both a fair fighter and enjoys the hell out of them.

I have nothing against the guys that enjoy Nero or Solar or whatever else. It just isn't for me.

[Od1n]

Darkon, despite the movie, is not so bad. At least the way we play it in Idaho. I got hit harder in that game than by any belegrim that wasn't * or Ikis. Yeah the hit system is a little more complicated, but theres no math beyond "armor's gone, now I'm bleeding, now I'm dead"

As far as magic casting goes, try rattling off a 175 word lightning bolt while a line is bearing down on you. Its not just "lighinigbolt lightningbolt lightningbolt"

Darkon in Idaho now? hahaha oh man.

[The Great Gigsby]

I think I remember reading that anyone can use their rulebook, but aren't officially a Darkon chapter unless they're approximately close to the MD area.