Combat

The basics of combat in Arcadia revolve around using LARP-safe weapons to physically strike a foe in order to reduce their hit points. Ordinarily, each strike which connects with the enemy’s body deals one point of damage. However some perks allow the use of calls to cause additional damage or applying a variety of other effects. All weapons inflict a single point of damage when striking someone unless a damaging call is used then the amount called is amount of damage inflicted an example “Double” = 2 hit points removed. Whereas Spells do not automatically cause a single point of damage, for example a pushback spell will not cause any damage but will push back the enemy.

## Hit Points

Each time you are struck by a weapon or targeted with a call of “single”, “double” or “triple”, you will take damage, bringing your character closer to death. Your character’s mortality is measured in hit points HP, and it is from this pool that points are deducted when you take damage.

The average person has a maximum hit point value of 2. Getting struck by a sword would bring them down to 1 hit point whereas taking a “double” would take them down to 0 hit points. Taking a “triple” would also bring them down to 0 hit points, as resource pools in Arcadia cannot be negative. Hit Points are not regenerated overnight, to get hit points back you must be healed.

To change your starting hit points you must take a perk using your character points (CP) during character creation. The first perk to take is "Tough" it costs 4CP to buy and you may buy it twice adding an extra 1HP each time. Alternatively if you have a discount on this perk you can buy it for 2CP.

  **Restrictions:** Twice
  Your Hit Points are increased by 1.

If you want to increase your hit points further than a total of 4 the next perk is "Tenacious". You can only buy this perk if you already have "Tough" twice and it costs 8CP unless you have a discount then it will be 5CP. This perk can only be taken once and you cannot take this perk if you are an Elf or already have the flaw "Frail".

  **Restrictions:** Once / Elf / Frail
  Your Hit Points are further increased by 1.

Should you want to decrease your characters starting hit points you can take a flaw, the benefit of this is that it gives you back 4CP to spend elsewhere. This is an ideal character trait for a non-combatant and if you are an Elf you must take this as your racial flaw.

  Your
 starting Hit Points are decreased by 1.

## Critical Hits

If you take damage from being struck by a weapon to your torso or hit by a damaging spell (*all damaging spells are a critical hit)*, you must stagger back two steps, fall to one knee and put one hand to the floor before being able stand up again. This is in addition to the damage and any other calls made as part of the strike. While doing this you can still defend yourself with your free hand but you cannot attack. This is due to the pain and impact of taking a mortal wound to your centre and is called a critical hit.

The strike must hit your torso – front or back – landing somewhere below your neck, above your waist and between your shoulders. You only suffer a critical hit if the attack actually damages you, successfully causing a loss of hit points. If anything prevents you from taking damage from the strike, be it armour, a spell or any other damage-mitigating effect, you do not suffer a critical hit.

## Dying and Death

When a character drops to 0 hit points they are mortally wounded and must immediately fall to the ground, keep in mind your personal safety and the safety of others around you. Your character is still conscious but unable to use any skills and spells, but can still use talents such as regeneration. Your character is able to crawl while on the floor and call out. While in this state you are vulnerable to *coup de grâce*. If you’ve been *Coup-de-graced* your character is dead; heart stabbed, head cut off, disembowelled, ripped apart, eaten etc. That’s it, someone has killed you and you are beyond normal healing magic. Only resurrection, reanimation or becoming a ghost is available to your character.

If it was a critical hit (body hit) that took you to 0 hit points then you are unconscious and in a coma like state and cannot move or call out until healed, *coup de graced*, or you chose to die and become a ghost; the latter is there for your own personal safety DO NOT sleep out in the woods at night hoping someone will come find your unconscious character.

## Being Dead

In Arcadia, being dead is not necessarily the end for your character. When you die, you may choose to become a ghost as you may still be resurrected, reanimated or just spend some time haunting before you ‘move on’. After any amount of time lying on the floor, you may leave your character’s corpse by getting up and putting *one arm in the air with an open palm*. You must immediately head to the character referee who will give you guidance on being dead, sign your character sheet over to the dead or will advise you on making a new character if needed.

At any time while dead, you may choose to move on, relinquishing your dead character forever, and begin play as a new or retired character. Doing this requires you to write up a new character sheet, adjust your costuming as needed and report to the character referee. You can be forced to do this if a character performs a sending. Sending’s are funeral-like rituals and you will be notified if one is being performed for you. Although there is usually no option to continue playing your character after the end of the event if you are not resurrected before timeout, you may be able to have the Gameworld Committee overrule this. By making a plea such as that your character has unfinished business; the Gameworld Committee will then consider your plea and make a decision, but remember that the Gameworld Committee's decisions are final.