Boufbowl

Boufbowl is a popular sport in my D&D fantasy universe. It is played across the world in numerous variations. Some popular players include Kriss Krass, the Masked Boufbowler and Ruel Stroud.

## Game Overview

Boufbowl is a ball game played by two opposing teams of 5 players where the ball, similar in size and shape to a European football ball, is traditionally manipulated by hand, with in-air passes. However feet are used as well. Field sizes vary, but as a standard it is 180feet (~55m) long by 115feet (~35m) wide. The aim of the game is to score points by achieving touchdowns in the enemy zone, similar to American football.

Each game plays over four quarters of 10 minutes (read as rounds), each separated by 5 minutes of downtime. There is no overtime to compensate for interruptions. Teams are composed of passers/receivers, blockers and sprinters. Each is given a piece of magic equipment to help their function: passers use a glove that boosts their strength, blockers use a shield with a repulsive charge and sprinters use boots that let them run faster or jump higher. All of these items can only be used once per quarter and are recharged between each. Due to their potency, timing their use plays an integral part of a team's strategy.

Boufbowl has few other rules, as violent actions are common and even cheating is all but encouraged as long as teams can afford bribes, making each game a variable mix of ball play and all-out aggression. Healers are typically standing by to treat injuries, which are frequent. One notable tradition is the introduction of special field elements to spice up the game with different terrain, obstacles or constraints. Examples include covering the grass with a layer of ice or filling the stadium with noxious gas that incapacitates players who breathe it.

Common rules among the sports include:

* Two *teams* of usually 5 players and up to 3 reserves; some variations that have more players (six or more per team) are also popular.
* A clearly defined area in which to play the game.
* Scoring goals or *points*, by moving the ball to an opposing team's end of the field and either into a goal area, or over a line.
* The goal or line being *defended* by the opposing team.
* Players being required to move the ball—depending on the code—by kicking, carrying, or hand-passing the ball.
* Players using only their body to move the ball.

In all codes, common skills include passing, tackling, evasion of tackles, catching and kicking.

### Game mechanics

#### Throwing and Catching

You can hurl a Boufball up to 20 times your strength bonus in feet (a character with a +3str bonus can throw the ball a maximum of 60ft); it has a range increment of 20 feet.To throw a Boufball, make a ranged touch attack against the target. Boufballs require no weapon proficiency, so you don't take the -4 nonproficiency penalty. A hit allows the target a dexterity check to attempt to catch the ball.

The catch DC is equal to 10 +2per range increment thrown - the dexterity bonus if thrown to an ally or + the strength bonus if thrown at an enemy. For example Kriss Krass throws the ball 50ft to his ally, so the catch DC is 10+4(range increment)-3(his dex bonus) = 11. A failed catch inflicts 1d8+str points of non-lethal damage, reflex save for half DC 15.

You can instead target a specific square. Treat this as a ranged attack against AC 5.

If you miss the target (whether aiming at a creature or a square) or they fail their catch, roll 1d8. This determines the misdirection of the throw, with 1 being straight back at you and 2 through 8 counting clockwise around the grid square or target creature. Then, count a number of squares in the indicated direction equal to the range increment of the throw. So, if you miss on a throw out to two range increments and roll a 1 to determine the misdirection of the throw, the Boufball lands on the square that is 2 squares away from the target in the direction toward you.

#### Stealing the ball

As a melee attack, you may attempt to disarm your opponent. If you do so with a weapon, you knock the ball out of his hands and to the ground. If you attempt the disarm while unarmed, you end up with the ball in your hand.

##### Step 1

Attack of Opportunity. You provoke an attack of opportunity from the target you are trying to disarm. (If you have the Improved Disarm feat, you don’t incur an attack of opportunity for making a disarm attempt.) If the defender’s attack of opportunity deals any damage, your disarm attempt fails.

##### Step 2

Opposed Rolls. You and the defender make opposed attack rolls with your respective weapons. The wielder of a light weapon takes a –4 penalty. (An unarmed strike is considered a light weapon, so you always take a penalty when trying to disarm an opponent by using an unarmed strike.) If the combatants are of different sizes, the larger combatant gets a bonus on the attack roll of +4 per difference in size category.

##### Step Three

Consequences. If you beat the defender, the defender is disarmed. If you attempted the disarm action unarmed, you now have the weapon. If you were armed, the ball is on the ground in the defender’s square.

If you fail on the disarm attempt, the defender may immediately react and attempt to disarm you with the same sort of opposed melee attack roll. His attempt does not provoke an attack of opportunity from you. If he fails his disarm attempt, you do not subsequently get a free disarm attempt against him.

## Etymology

The name Boufbowl comes from the fact that the ball used in the game is made from the remains of a Bouf. A smaller relative of the buffalo, similar to a goat.

## History

### Ancient games

The Dwarves and Elves are known to have played many ball games, some of which resembles Boufball. There are a number of references to traditional, ancient, or prehistoric ball games, played by various tribes in many different parts of the world. For example, in 1586BDD, men from a ship commanded by an Imperium explorer named Lorenzo Fulke, went ashore to play a form of boufball with people in Idunn. There are later accounts of an Idunn game played on ice, called *Scorrr*. The earliest historical account is an anecdote from the 1878BDD book by Reinhold Clarke, *The Lizardmen of Vakatow*, in which he had witnessed Lizardmen playing a game. Mr Clarke describes how the foremost player will drop kick a ball made from the skin of a giant toad and how other players leap into the air in order to catch it. Some historians have theorised that *Marn Grook* was one of the origins of boufball.

These games and others may well go far back into antiquity. However, the main sources of modern boufball codes appear to lie in the Old world, especially The Empire.

## Gender Bias

In Hengreen and Firdaus, women are not allowed to play Boufbowl or even attend the games. In the past several women have resorted to disguises or gender-switching potions to enter the stadiums. Other regions hold no such restriction.

## Popularity

Boufball is one of the most popular team sports in the world. Globally it is played by over 25 thousand players in over 20 nations making it potentially the most popular sport in the world.

### Famous players include:

* Jackapal the Hadozee
* Khan Karkass
* Kriss Krass
* The Masked Boufbowler
* Ruel Stroud
* Marline the Nincardi

## Equipment

    Equipment for boufbowl is relatively standard across the world. All boufball players wear coloured uniforms and insignia that represent their team. Boufbowl allows numerous variations on extra equipment as some players prefer to wear extra protection such as helemts, shin and arm guards. In reality these extra items don't add any extra protection they are often worn to emphasise a uniform.

A boufbowl players wears one of three pieces of magical equipment depending on their position. Each piece of magical equipment carries one charge that is repleneshed at the start of each quarter.

### Glove

Worn by passers/recievers these gloves grant a temporary +10 modifier bonus to Strength and Dexterity checks made to throw or catch for 1 turn. This is activated as an immediate action. Picking up the ball is a swift for someone wearing a glove.

### Boots

Worn by sprinters these boots grant a temporary +30bonus to athletics tests (including jumping) and a x2 movement bonus for 1 turn. This is activated as an immediate action.

### Shield

Worn by blockers these shields repel all those in a 10ft line 20xstr bonus ft directly away from you. Those affected suffer 1d6 points of non-lethal damage per 10ft travelled, reflex save for half DC 15. This is activated as an immediate action. The shield can also be used to deal 1d8+str non-lethal damage.