DO YOU QUARREL SIR, or, Rules for Duels and Jousts

 

Here, have a couple small rules I've written for when someone wants a fight that could be described as "gentlemanly" because nothing says genteel conduct like two jerks on horses trying to drive a tree through each other's guts at full gallop.

DUELS

Duels are formalized one-on-one battles that work slightly differently than normal combat. Before a duel begins, the terms must be set - typically to yield, to first blood, or to the death. Duels can also occur during a mass combat.

Initiative is rolled at the top of each round. Before attacks are made, both combatants declare their Stance for the round -> Strike, Feint, or Parry

• Strike beats Feint
• Feint beats Parry
• Parry beats Strike

If you win the Stance, you gain advantage on your attack and defend rolls. If you lose, Disadvantage. If you win, you can forgo advantage to try a combat stunt, like knocking your opponent down, kicking sand in their eyes, etc.

At any time one participant can yield. If the other combatant ignores that and continues attacking, revert to the normal combat rules. Ditto if other parties intervene in the duel.

Magic duels work similarly, but instead of casting actual spells the wizards are manipulating raw magical energy, on a hit dealing 1d6 damage per the level of their highest unspent spell slot. At the end of the round, both wizards roll test CON, losing their highest unspent spell slot on a failure.

JOUSTS

Full disclosure, I based these rules off of the jousting rules from OD&D. I had to pare them down a bit so they'd be a bit less, uh... OD&D-ish.

Knights love jousts, and will challenge people travelling through their domain to a joust in lieu of a toll. Plus there's always tournaments and the like. The usual terms for a joust are that the winner claims the loser's armour and horse - though landed knights may offer supplies and feasting instead.

When a joust begins, each participant selects an Aiming Point (Shield, Chest, Head), and a Saddle Position (Lean Forward, Neutral, Shield High). These are matched against each other to produce the result. If neither opponent has been unhorsed, further passes are required. Jousts go until one or both participants are unhorsed, or a participant has broken three lances.

If you are UNHORSED, roll on the Unhorsed table.

On a GLANCE, roll d6. 1-4 Lance breaks, 5-6 Helmet is knocked off (if you're not wearing a helmet, you are unhorsed and roll with Disadvantage).

UNHORSED d20

1-2: Bruised, but unharmed

3: Bruised ribs. Reduce Max HP by an amount equal to your level. Heals 1/day of complete rest.

4: Concussion. Any vigourous movement requires a CON save or spend a minute disabled by vomiting and vertigo. Heals after a weak of complete rest.

5: Broken limb. Random limb is nonfunctional. Heals after a month of complete rest.

6: Dead.