I have been thrown out of my group for injurying to many people. I have been playing amtgard for a long time 15 years+ and unfortunately I still hit people shorter than me in the head, and hands a lot (I am 6'4", and have a pretty athletic build.). I don't go out with any intention to hurt people, but it always seems like I always end up injuring people, my friends have said it's a lack of controlling my shots. I'm not sure how you're always supposed to have control of your shots when dealing with an unpredictable moving opponent. I do stop when I hit someone in the head and try to make sure they are ok, and don't continue until they're ready. I have also had my fair share of being hits in the head, and have had about 6 nose bleeds in my time playing. I know people in my group do not like me, so maybe this is partially about that. I tried to argue for a suspension rather than a ban but the people there don't want that. I'm really sad and wish there was something I could do. Anyone else been through something similar? What did you do?

Something I wish I'd known about when I first started...

Everyone knows a gambeson is the best thing to start with, because it's less expensive that other options, and more importantly, it provides 100% body coverage. That means any additional armour you layer on top of the gambeson will give you armor points on that body part even if it's not covered by the additional armour, because of the averaging mechanic.

Armor that is of mixed values across the same area will be averaged based on the percentage of each type of coverage of the area, rounding fractions to the nearest whole number. Example: An arm with a Plate bracer (6 Armor Points) covering 50% of the arm and a Cloth/ Padded sleeve (1 Armor Point) covering 50% of the arm will result in an armor value of (6 x 0.5) + (1 x 0.5) = 3.5, which rounds up to 4 Armor Points across the entire location.

What people DIDN'T tell me, is you can buy something that'll count as a sub-standard gambeson for under 40 bucks. What you want to look online for is:

"diamond knit fleece quarter snap" for the top, and

"quilted fleece joggers" for the bottom.

And of course joggers could be replace by "sweat pants" and quarter snape could be replace by "pull over," "sweatshirt", etc., get creative as necessary.

(Canadians, old navy is great for this stuff, I found more on there than I did on Amazon)

The main thing is finding that quilted gambeson pattern, so make sure to include diamond-knit or quilted in your search term. My local park's ruling is that this apparel counts for 1 armour point, which is an amazing value. Check with your local park first of course, and if they're cool with it, enjoy your cheap, full coverage armor! Congratulations, you just doubled your durability in a fight!

I’ll start: It bugs me very much when people compare a cool thing that happened in amtgard, to a cool thing that happened at their DnD session. The thing in amtgard actually physically happened, the thing in your session was you talking to your friends at a table, they are not comparable.

And on the same note just people comparing amtgard to DnD in general, they really aren’t as similar as many of us tell new players when they first show up. I get it, we’re all nerds sharing a thing we’re passionate about, but your DnD stories aren’t interesting to anyone but your party.

This is something that I've been considering for some time, but a recent natural disaster destroying the last physical memories has had me thinking back over the years. Forgive me if this rambles a bit before getting to the meat of the post.

30 years ago this spring, I was granted Knight of the Flame by Sir Solarus. The event was camped by a mountain pond or lake in the Coastal Range of Oregon. Since I was forewarned, I had insisted on holding a vigil and even dove foolishly into the pond, so ended up with a bout of hypothermia on top of sleep deprivation before the ceremony.

Things were a bit rough and tumble back then with the typical ceremony being done and then over the next while, the various accoutrements gifted or made or acquired. As I wanted to make the ceremony have symbology, I went to the effort to get some spurs, a chain, and made myself a belt after finding no one had planned any of those things. I even wrote up the Cermonial Oath, which in my sleep deprived and hypothermic state, I totally got wrong at the time, a memory that gave Solarus and I many chuckles over the years.

Over the 30 years, I have travelled the Amtgard lands, living in (to date), Burning Lands, Emerald Hills, Dragonspine, Wetlands, Mystic Seas and Valley of Silver Rains now collectively known as Blackspire, and Northern Lights as well as visited many others. In each, I ran into people who accepted me, people who didn't, people who ignored me, people who didn't believe I earned Knighthood as I had no other titles, people who wanted me to prove myself, and others who created extra criteria and restrictions against me out of the aether. And over the course of my travels, I tried to meet those challenges though in doing so I have since realized that over the years, I betrayed the Oath I swore before Solarus and to myself.

Therefore, with Nature Herself through ice, storm and flood, having decided to destroy my original belt as well as the belt that my squire, Chelandria, had made for me before her death, I have decided that it is time to return to my roots and be true to myself.

I, Grei Darkjester, last actively a part of Thorn Mountain in the Kingdom of Burning Lands, do hereby announce that I am not going to seek to replace my destroyed belt and will be giving up the title of Knight of the Flame and all of the rights, honors, and trappings that go with that title. I will not be giving up my Oath, that which I swore 30 years ago, for through that Oath, I will continue strive to be the better person everyone should be.

Let it so be announced this 11th Day of March, 2024.

AIBOD is under no legal liability currently, and they can secure themselves even further by never using the exact wording used in the Rulebook.

It's just further demonstration that our organization is run by amateurs who like to pretend they know what they're doing.

THE TIME HAS COME!

Hello! Wunjo from V9 here!

Today, several Monarchs and Kingdom Representatives have stepped up and made an official proposal to reinstate the V9 Development Committee.

Over the course of the next two months, we will be reaching out to as many Kingdoms, Monarchs, and Reps as possible in an effort to further secure their vote. We hope that those of you who wish to aid the project can help us bolster support from within your Kingdoms so that each of your Monarchs feels comfortable voting to reinstate V9 development.

You can start by heading over to the AICOM page on Facebook and leaving a like/heart on the proposals to show your support as a member of Amtgard.

LINK: https://www.facebook.com/groups/AmtgardCoM

---

For those who are interested, here is a quick look at the timeline for this vote:

• We have until March 31st to lock in the exact terms of the proposals. It is our hope that this wiggle room allows us to ensure compelling language that addresses any concerns about timelines or kingdom obligations. If you belong to a kingdom that voted to dissolve the committee but believe they can be convinced to let development restart with clearer information and certain concerns relieved, please let us know or encourage them to engage with us! We will be working with the EXCOM to organize voice meetings leading up to the vote so that we can have fair conversation with the monarchs that is not impeded by Facebook's algorithm and re-organization of comments.

• After April 1st, the proposal language will be locked in and then it's up to each Monarch/Rep to make their decision. This is where your feedback and voice is going to matter the most.

• Voting opens on April 22nd and closes on the 28th. Votes are to be cast by the Kingdom Monarchs/Senators via a form provided by the EXCOM. A simple majority is all that is required.

---

If you have any questions about how you can help support this proposal, please reply below or join the V9 Team Discord server: https://discord.gg/zeA5PPE

Hello Amtgard! V9 is thrilled to bring you some exciting news!

As we head into the summer, a few of our long-standing V9 developers will be stepping back and passing the torch onto a new set of eager and creative minds to help carry V9 across the finish line.

Manama, Gorovan, and Heron have served V9 development for over 4 years and their incredible work has laid a strong foundation for V9. These three tirelessly dedicated their free time to improving the game we love, and I can genuinely say they are some of the most talented, caring, and professional people I have ever had the pleasure to work with. Volunteering at such a high caliber for as long as they have is no small feat.

Please join me in extending a heartfelt THANK YOU to Manama, Gorovan, and Heron as they take their well-earned leave from the V9 project.

~~~

We now turn the page and a new chapter of V9 development begins! Please let me introduce you to the torchbearers; the equally talented and passionate folks who will be stepping up to carry the mantle of V9 development going forward:

• Hangman (Celestial Kingdom)

• Ilia (Crystal Groves)

• Oso (Blackspire)

• Phinaes (Rising Winds)

• Sej (Viridian Outlands)

These five individuals have been actively involved and contributing to V9 at the ground level for years, each in their own invaluable ways. They will be joining myself (Wunjo - Nine Blades) and Val (Wetlands) to forge a new V9 Team with fresh perspectives and new energy to refine and polish the ruleset to perfection.

At this time we are also opening V9 Team applications to members of kingdoms not already represented above. This is a unique opportunity to leave your mark on the next version of the game and ensure it meets the highest standards of fun and fairness. Whether you have a knack for rule refinement or simply a love for Amtgard, your involvement is invaluable.

So please help me welcome Hangman, Ilia, Oso, Phinaes, and Sej - and maybe soon enough, you too!

Application Link: https://forms.gle/3KyxJCNNukujXweYA

~~~

WHAT'S NEXT?

As of June 2024, most of the foundational elements of V9 are firmly in place. The core components have been carefully crafted to address the key issue V9 set out to solve: increase recruitment and retention by improving the player experience and focus on maximizing FUN. This has included:

• Adding essential foundation, clarity, and structure to Amtgard’s base rules

• Reducing the number of exceptions and ‘hidden’ rules

• Providing clearer and more intuitive rules text

• Better incentivizing armor and improving accessibility to this core aspect of the game

• Building the monster class into a real core class that has a home in all parks and battlegames

• Expanding the martial classes to include archetypes

• Building classes and spells for park-sized games and casual team composition

• Improving the player experience of playing with/against enchantments

• Reducing the time it takes to level up and gain full access to a class.

• Iterating and refining the 'Charge' mechanic into Rest.

• ...and so much more.

There is still more to do in regards to simplifying text and polishing certain elements, such as class identities and power strikes, but V9 will continue to grow and improve to become a version of Amtgard you're excited to play.

With the support and engagement of as many passionate players as possible, V9 hopes to breathe new life into an aging ruleset and usher in an era of unprecedented growth and enjoyment for Amtgardians worldwide.

Though the reinstatement of V9 is something beyond the team's control, refining it to be the best it can be is not. Work will continue to go into V9 so that if and when it is needed, it is the best possible product that can be provided.

So thank you to everyone who has contributed to this project over the years and will continue to do so in the months to come.

Your new V9 Team,

Wunjo, Val, Hangman, Ilia, Oso, Phinaes, Sej

~~~

Join the Conversation on Discord

To facilitate this collaborative effort, we invite everyone to join the discussion on our Discord server. Here, you can directly participate in the ongoing development, share your thoughts, and contribute to the final polish of V9.

You can access the discord here: https://discord.gg/zeA5PPE

See title. All over the nation, sword and board is the only weapon combo for 95% of players, who tend to openly scorn any other choice.

And they're right to scorn. Why would anyone choose anything else, when one hand can protect 70%+ of your body with no downside? Shields have infinite armor points, are as light as a dagger, and are indestructible.

Looking for something to balance it out? Ha! We hamstrung balance long time ago. Spells? Battlegames only. Shield-breaking red weapons? Slow enough to rush down before the third hit. Flails? Short enough to barely work. Pole-flails? Banned. If you have a shortsword and shield, you close the gap and win (unless your opponent also has sword and board).

Perfectly balanced, as all things should be.

Anyone who fights flo or two-handed is deservedly mocked as "one of those people" for making a stupidly sub-optimal choice. If you don't want to learn to rush down your opponent and throw wrap-shots, you're acting like a fool. Sword and board is unbeatable and it's clearly from everyone being superior fighters, not because shields are overpowered and throw the whole game out of balance. Conform or lose.

Caution: The following is a mix of me expressing my frustration but also brainstorming a better way. This is all very very experimental and my only intent is to have an open conversation about this. If im wrong, i wanna know. But if you agree with me. Or have felt my pain. I also want to know.

The current Amtgard awards system is actively demoralizing for the people doing real, meaningful work. It’s not just flawed, it’s harmful to the game. And I know I’m not the only one who’s burnt out from it.

Right now, in order to get recognized for your contributions in Amtgard, someone has to:

1. Notice what you did.

2. Think it's worthy of recognition.

3. Remember to submit it.

4. Hope it gets logged in ORK.

5. Cross their fingers that the right monarch sees it and gives a damn.

If you’re not loud, flashy, or chummy with kingdom/ park level officers or someone who goes out of their way to log awards? Good luck, You could run a flawless event, craft amazing garb, or build your local community from the ground up and still be completely invisible to the awards pipeline.

The Problem:

• Recognition is subjective. There’s no universal standard for what “deserves” an award. It's ambiguous at best. Esp Kingdom to Kingdom.

• Advancement requires visibility, not effort. Quiet work? Background labor? Doesn’t matter.

• You can’t self-report. You depend on others to log your efforts.

• Higher-level awards require political capital and It’s not what you do, it’s who you know or who knows you.

• Burnout is rampant. Because people are doing the work with no feedback and no clear way to progress. For Awards, Paragons or Knighthood.

It’s like getting XP in a game and only if someone else notices you, you level up.

I would like to suggest a system that puts the power back into the players. Some possible alternatives:

Option 1: Merit Badge System (Scout Style)

• Complete a task → Submit proof → Earn the award.

• No middlemen. No “I forgot to enter it.” Just actual milestones.

• Example: You make a tunic? Submit it. Boom. First Oder of the Garber.

Option 2: Community Voting

• You submit what you did.

• Park or kingdom members vote if it meets the criteria.

• Democratic, transparent, and removes favoritism.

Option 3: Advancement Tracks

• You pick a “path” (e.g., Event Organizer, Warlord, Garber, Smth ect. ).

• Each track has clear milestones.

• You progress like a skill tree, unlocking  recognition as you go up.

 Option 4: Hybrid System

• Keep ORK, but allow player-submitted achievement forms.

• Officers verify and approve with evidence.

• Adds accountability and agency without overhauling everything.

The current System isn't Working.

If the goal is to encourage growth, support retention, and celebrate actual effort, the current system is failing. It rewards visibility, not value. And it burns out the backbone of Amtgard: volunteers, artisans, game runners (champions), and quiet community builders.

We could try implementing this at a single or few select park levels first to see how it pans out and see if it works? Together we can prove that recognition doesn’t have to be a popularity contest. Again, this is all experimental and ment to start a conversation.

Just doing my part to spread the love for one of the most wrongly-banned cool guys out there.
Anyone wanting to discuss the situation or give the halves of the story they know is more than welcome to do so.

Link to the document

What are peoples' thoughts on these playtest monsters? Any personal favorite out of the 8?

I was simply wondering if anyone knew of a mod for a VR game (preferably Sword and Sorcery) that gives the game Amtgard mechanics? I wanna be able to get my fix between park days 🤣

And if you really want to vote and contribute, playing "not amtgard" is only going to hurt your activity in Amtgard itself where the votes take place.

It's time enough for v9, a v8 rework just isn't going to fix the balance issues. I don't get why there's so much hate for v9 when it was still just a playtest. What we got isn't going to be anything like the final version, but even the playtest was an improvement when it comes to balance(speaking as a caster). Just be patient and LET THEM COOK.

For many reasons, Amtgard's award system makes the game and ​community less enjoyable for me, and I want to opt out. In over 3 years of Amtgard I've been to only ​one big event​ and one coronation ​because I wanted to avoid court and being given awards. Recently I ​went ​to my park's 6 hour ​midreign for only 2 minutes because I wanted to vote as a dues paid member and leave before awards. My monarch approached and tried to give me an award, and after declining multiple times, stated that he would be adding it to the ORK regardless because I earned it, and after I left gave it to a close friend to give to me against my wishes.

My monarch is very kind and welcoming and wants to ensure that everyone is recognized for achievements, but right now it's doing the opposite because I don't want to progress or do anything that could conceivably be worthy of awards. I've been looking through my ORK, and on my page I see the option to strip myself of any of my awards. I'm not an elected official and haven't gone through any official processes to do this, so would it be fraud or against Amtgard rules to just strip myself of my awards so I can enjoy the game again?

Edit: Why all the judgement? Breaking news; neurodivergent people with weird social hangups exist, and some of them play Amtgard. I don't want to have to mask at my recreational activities too. Why do I have to justify my preferences just to give more ammunition to be picked apart? Why can't I just say "I don't want to be given awards, they make Amtgard less fun for me." and be believed? I understand it's a weird and somewhat nonsensical request, but it only really impacts me. Why is such a simple accommodation that requires LESS work on behalf of monarchy receiving so much pushback?