Melee Tournament

[The Road Warrior]

While meandering through the streets of the Settlement the Heroes notice many signs for a melee tournament to be held the next day in honour of the region's liege lord. Any Hero may enter the tournament but be warned, ranged weapons and spells are forbidden on the tournament ground.

The Tournament
The melee is a free for all battle tournament using a 9x9 tile. Heroes will be rewarded with 20 gold for each opponent that they force to yield. The winner of the tournament, the last man standing, will win a reward of 200 gold. Any Hero wishing to enter must choose one of the 8 starting positions on the tournament ground in the diagram below.



The Evil Wizard's Knights
The evil wizard should also 'roll up' 4 random characters to participate in the tournament. Each knight will have the following stats:

Attack: 1d3 + 1
Defence: 1d3 + 1
Body Points: 1d6 + 3
Mind Points: 10 - Body Points (These won't be needed!)

These knights will also defend with white shields. They may be armed with any weapon from the armoury equivalent to their attack score.

Tournament Rules

• Before play begins each player must roll 2d6 to determine the order in which they will take their turns. The evil wizard must also make this roll for all 4 of his knights. The combatants play in order from highest score to lowest.
• On a player's turn they may either move and attack or attack and then move. They must attack another combatant whenever possible, even if this means attacking one of their companions, or risk being thrown out of the tournament for cowardice.
• Any combatant reduced to 1 Body Point must yield and is removed from the tournament ground. In addition any player may choose to yield when their Body points are reduced to 3 or less.

Playtesting
Any one wanting to join in this playtest may use any existing play-by-post character they already have. If you do not already have a play-by-post character you may roll one up using the rules above for the evil wizard.

I am looking for 4 people to join in, but their is room for as many as 7 players is there is enough interest.

I will roll up 2 of the 4 evil wizard knights now as an example and create the final 2 before the tournament begins (if needed).

Sir Lucien Hammershield
Attack :

The Road Warrior rolled 1 6-sided dice:

+ 1
Defence:

The Road Warrior rolled 1 6-sided dice:

+ 1
Body Points:

The Road Warrior rolled 1 6-sided dice:

+ 3

Attack:
Defence:
Body Points:
Lucien is armed with a broadsword.

Thorik Blackblood
Attack:

The Road Warrior rolled 1 6-sided dice:

+ 1
Defence:

The Road Warrior rolled 1 6-sided dice:

+ 1
Body Points:

The Road Warrior rolled 1 6-sided dice:

+ 3

Attack:
Defence:
Body Points:
Thorik is armed with a spear.

[Gold Bearer]

Any one wanting to join in this playtest may use any existing play-by-post character they already have. If you do not already have a play-by-post character you may roll one up using the rules above for the evil wizard.

I'm in if I can use my assassin. I want to try out his skills.

Assassin: A1/^ D1~ S10 B6 M4
Race: Human. Class: Assassin. Equipment: Blow Pipe, Five Knives, Dagger.
Special Rules: Lands a death strike that kills the target outright if all attacking dice are skulls and they don't make their defence roll. Can backstab with one handed blades (axes don't count) including a thrown Knife attacking with two extra combat dice from directly behind and landing a death strike if at least half are skulls, and with one extra combat dice from diagonally behind (assuming you're using a weapon that can attack diagonally) and landing a death strike if more than half of the attack dice are skulls. When you're attacked in melee roll a dice for every skull the attacker rolled before you defend, if any of them are white shields you dodge the attack. Fails a jump on a black shield instead of a skull. Can only wear Light Armour and can't use any type of shield or helmet. Can use a Blow Pipe to fire twice and move at half rate.

Can they chuck stuff?

[The Road Warrior]

I'll playtest him myself this evening.
How would you suggest deciding which way the person you are attacking is facing for the backstab ability?

[Gold Bearer]

Actually I wasn't entirely serious. I would not want a character I was invested in getting in the ring with that ****. I would like to use him though. Maybe instant death could be replaced with instant incerpacitation.

How would you suggest deciding which way the person you are attacking is facing for the backstab ability?

I'd just let characters face any direction they like at the end of their turn.

[The Road Warrior]

I'm glad you said that because I was trying to think of a polite way of saying no.

but...

out of curiosity I ran a play test anyway.

The assassin dodged 9 out of 13 attacks before yielding on 1BP.
He attacked 5 times. 2 of these attacks were successful backstabbing instant kills. He drew blood on another attack and missed with his other 2 attacks.

Because he managed to instantly kill someone who had 7BP I would have to say no. That's grossly OP and unfair on anyone else who wants to join in. But I'm guessing you knew that already

[Gold Bearer]

Yea it would be a tad unfair. He's cool though isn't he? Did you like him? You can be honest, I'm not that fragile. I could tone him down a bit for this but it seems pointless, he wouldn't be the same character any more. Hopfully he won't be overpowered in a normal game. In the Eu rules he'd hardly even get a chance to use the death strike.

How about this one?

Wardancer: A2~ D0~ S12 B7 M3
Race: Elvin (Wood Elf). Class: Wardancer. Equipment: Two Swords.
Special Rules: Can use a melee weapon in each hand as long as they're both always one handed and can use them to attack twice either before or after moving at half rate. When you're attacked in melee roll a dice for every skull the attacker rolled before you defend, if any of them are white shields you dodge the attack. Can move through enemies. Can't wear armour or any type of helmet or use ranged weapons but can throw and use any type of shield. Roll an extra dice when running and remove the lowest before following other rules.

Yay or nay?

[Sotiris]

Forbidden use of magic? Why??
Risky is disappointed..so i'll take part with Sir Itos, if i'm allowed: gallery/image_page.php?album_id=9&image_id=1069
I would like to test him full equipped but i suppose we are fighting with starting weapon/armour, right?

[The Road Warrior]

Forbidden use of magic? Why??

I may change my mind on this. It does seem a little unfair on the wizard.

A few of my thoughts on the wizard in a melee trounament...

I assume his first move would be to cast courage and rock skin on himself (The Wand of Recall would be very useful here!). This makes him very strong even though he has low BP. His healing spell/spells would come in very useful. Could he cast his healing spells on one of his companions during the melee, pretty much guaranteeing them a win or should this be against the rules?

I think how the Wizard participates in this event needs a lot of careful thought and the rules need careful wording.

so i'll take part with Sir Itos, if i'm allowed: gallery/image_page.php?album_id=9&image_id=1069
I would like to test him full equipped but i suppose we are fighting with starting weapon/armour, right?

Feel free to roll up some random equipment with 2d3 method from the original post. Pick a starting position on the board and roll 2d6 to determine your position in the turn order as well please.

How about this one?

Wardancer: A2~ D0~ S12 B7 M3
Race: Elvin (Wood Elf). Class: Wardancer. Equipment: Two Swords.
Special Rules:

• Can use a melee weapon in each hand as long as they're both always one handed and can use them to attack twice either before or after moving at half rate.
• When you're attacked in melee roll a dice for every skull the attacker rolled before you defend, if any of them are white shields you dodge the attack.
• Can move through enemies.
• Can't wear armour or any type of helmet or use ranged weapons but can throw and use any type of shield.
• Roll an extra dice when running and remove the lowest before following other rules.

Yay or nay?

What 2 swords is he carrying?
Does he combine their attack strength into one attack if he chooses not to attack twice?

I'm happy as long as no one else complains.

[Gold Bearer]

Forbidden use of magic? Why??

I may change my mind on this. It does seem a little unfair on the wizard.

A few of my thoughts on the wizard in a melee trounament...

I assume his first move would be to cast courage and rock skin on himself (The Wand of Recall would be very useful here!). This makes him very strong even though he has low BP. His healing spell/spells would come in very useful. Could he cast his healing spells on one of his companions during the melee, pretty much guaranteeing them a win or should this be against the rules?

I think how the Wizard participates in this event needs a lot of careful thought and the rules need careful wording.

I was expecting you to announce a second magicians tournament. That would be better in my opinion. I've got tons of them that need their first run out.

Wardancer: A2~ D0~ S12 B7 M3
Race: Elvin (Wood Elf). Class: Wardancer. Equipment: Two Swords.
Special Rules:

• Can use a melee weapon in each hand as long as they're both always one handed and can use them to attack twice either before or after moving at half rate.
• When you're attacked in melee roll a dice for every skull the attacker rolled before you defend, if any of them are white shields you dodge the attack.
• Can move through enemies.
• Can't wear armour or any type of helmet or use ranged weapons but can throw and use any type of shield.
• Roll an extra dice when running and remove the lowest before following other rules.

Okay, I'm reformatting all my character descriptions to look like that. I'm happy with my content but my presentation sucks.

What 2 swords is he carrying?
Does he combine their attack strength into one attack if he chooses not to attack twice?

In US rules they'd be short swords. He doesn't add the dice together, he just attacks twice and the target gets to defend twice. I missed one of his rules. He fails a jump on a black shield instead of a skull like the assassin, not that it matters for this.

I'll start top left then.

[The Road Warrior]

An unnamed wardancer is first onto the tournament ground.
Thorik Blackblood clouts Sir Lucien over the back of the head with the flat side of his broadsword. "The field is weak today Lucien. Take a look at this one, he wears no armour!" he says with a wicked grin. "
Sir Lucien nervously eyes another knight by the name of Sir Itos who is hovering around the pavillion choosing what weapons to fight with today.

---

I was expecting you to announce a second magicians tournament. That would be better in my opinion. I've got tons of them that need their first run out.

This tournament is going to be one of the Settlement events from the roleplay book I am working on, it has to be open to all four of the traditional Heroes. For the same reason a magician's tournament would not be possible (although there is no reason we couldn't organise one here at the Inn).
Perhaps a special rule for this event forbidding the wizard from casting a spell that directly benefits one of his companions?