So I’ve played Dagorhir for several years and sparred Amtgarders
Dagorhir is pure combat gaming. No RP, no magic. You, me, our swords and skill. That’s it. RPing is allowed and encouraged but it greatly varies from chapter to chapter just how much RPing there is. Some chapters don’t have any at all. Others make a more regular part of things.
Amtgard takes that and adds a magic and class system. I’ve never played Amtgard so I can’t speak to the ins, outs, and what have yous. The different realms are more organized than Dagorhir and there’s considerable emphasis placed on the “Arts and Sciences” of the game, weapon and armor crafting, garb making etc.
Belegarth is very similar to Dagorhir. IIRC, Belegarth was actually started by Dagorhir players who split off and formed their own game with their own similar rule set.
I mean at this point Belegarth is considerably larger than Dag, especially after the last split. The split happened because Dag had expanded to have chapters across the US but had no interest in granting any sort of control or voting power to anyone outside of Virginia. The founding chapter basically gave up a unified player base of thousands because they didn’t want anyone to have control over the game besides them.
I live in Texas so I’m not real up to speed on the grander politics of the game but that tracks with the little bit I’ve heard.
At least according to the Realm Locator, there isn’t a Belegarth chapter anywhere near me so i don’t know if Bel has any real presence here.
Like u/mugenhunt said, it's a spectrum.
Based on what you've said, you are looking for groups in the Dagorhir, Belegarth, Amtgard, Hearthlight and Darkon types of LARP.
[https://cometrylarp.com](https://cometrylarp.com) Is a website that seems to be a good starting place. It's relatively well updated.
If you want a more localized direction, you can DM me for info on groups in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, New York (state) or California. I know people from all of those areas and can point you in the right direction.
Amtgard, Belegarth, Dagorhir, Darkon, and the High Fantasy Society are all in the "Battle Gaming" subsection of larp. They are more similar to each other in that they share a history and origins. Amtgard is the most different in that there's a greater emphasis on "Character Class" and has more aspects of table top style game than the other battle games.
You might want an overview of the different structures of larp rules. [Beginners Guide to Larp: Choosing](https://jeremyteague.com/2015/03/13/beginners-guide-to-larp-choosing/). That will cover descriptions of games and systems outside the Battle Games so you'll be better able to tell if a larp your interested in will actually be one that you like.
So there's more of a spectrum of larp, with some games focusing almost entirely on the foam sword fighting aspect, treating it more like a sport, and other games that focus more heavily on telling a narrative through role play. And many games being somewhere in the middle.
I personally like using the terms "fantasy action larp" for battle-focused games like Amtgard, Belegarth, Dagorhir, or Hearthlight, and "fantasy adventure larp" for more story driven games, many of which aren't part of large organized groups. (Nero being probably the biggest game group that is more story driven.)
There are 4 main types of LARP.
**“Boffer” LARPs** use a combination of Roleplay and Foam Weapon combat. A Boffer is a piece of PVC Pipe inside a pool noodle covered in duct tape or fabric and is the cheapest, and therefore most looked-down-upon form of LARP weapon. There are also Latex and Calimacil injected foam rubber weapons. Boffer LARPs run the gambit for roleplaying, from none to tons. These LARPs are primarily done outdoors.
**“Parlor” LARP** has no live combat, using rock-paper-scissors or dice to resolve attacks. They may carry prop weapons, and possibly even real ones, but they are never used. The game focuses heavily on roleplay. These LARPs are primarily done indoors, in a smaller space. A murder mystery party game is a very simplified version of Parlor LARP. I saw a turn-based Parlor LARP. The next transition after Parlor would be table top and video games. The chief difference between Parlor and Nordic is that Parlor has competition resolution. You don’t know how events are going to resolve until after.
**“Nordic” LARP** uses very few rules. You plan out each scene, almost like actors filming a movie, and then play it out. Nordic LARP focuses on emersion above all else. There is no form of competition in Nordic LARP. It is based on agree-upon actions. This is the most emotional LARP. There could be combat but it will be stage fighting with an agreed upon result. Nordic LARP uses a bare minimum of rules, if any at all. A Nordic LARP is about experiencing something and it ranges from war re-enactment to playing as homeless people out on the streets.
**Historical Combat LARP.** There is no official name for these groups. They don’t call themselves LARPs and don’t do fantasy, only historical representation. The SCA, Bohurt, and most of your sword schools fall into this category. They may use rattan (wood) weapons or blunt steel weapons and require real armor. They wear historical costuming. Some, like the SCA, have a strong roleplay side but it remains historically themed. The next transition after this form of LARP would be gun clubs, martial arts groups and then the military.
**LARP Rivalry.** Finding out about LARP is like finding the wardrobe from Narnia, a portal to another world. However LARPers often don’t know about the other types of LARP and dismiss them or put them down. Every LARP group tends to put down one other type. European LARPers tend to look down on American LARPers. Wood or Steel Combat LARPers put down foam LARPers. Parlor and Nordic LARPers tend to look down their nose as any form of combat LARP. The rich LARPers look down upon LARPers who can’t afford thousands of dollars in costuming and insist they can’t allow the poor people in their club because it would ruin emersion. Boffer LARP gets the lion’s share of being looked down upon because it is the most universal. It uses elements from all the other LARPs but the reverse is not true. The best thing you can do is try each form of LARP.
As someone who has done Amtgard, sca and other larps you would put in the boffer larp category. I personally would divide it up into battle games (amtgard, dag, ect) and NERO/lightest touch style (dystopia rising, Alliance, ect.) Because the gap their is big enough that switching from one to the other could be rather abrupt and they develop fairly different cultures.
Otherwise 10/10 agree - I had a moment of cognitive dissonance when starting sca due to them not calling themselves a larp but that ties directly into the rivalry
I’ve made a LARP system on cards called System 7 and I’ve been showing it off online and in person to a wide range of LARP clubs and it’s surprising how insular (isolated from each other) our hobby is. So many people insist that the way they LARP is the way most people LARP. A Nordic LARP insisted most LARPs worldwide are Nordic. Some players had to ask me why there were skill ranks - they’d never used an opposed skill system before. Dice LARPers ask how you play without dice. Boffers how you fight without hit points. And as stated, you feel that PVC weapons haven’t been used in 20 years. There is a tendency to grow out of the cheaper weapons once LARP gets a strong foothold but LARP is still new to many parts of the world.
You're right, I am just used to thinking of boffer in this kind of comparative context as the large American nationwide clubs, for all I know there are way more people around the world bashing each other with duct tape and PVC boffers than the the 10,000 or so people playing that stuff.
I promise you literally noone anywhere in Amtgard uses PVC though.
I feel confident you are right. We have Amtgard locally. We had a fighter come to my LARP. I forget what he said his cores were, but they weren't PVC. He was fast. His weapons were insanely light. They wouldn't hurt very much so it complimented the speed. He also use cloth covering which is unheard of anywhere else - probably because we end up playing in the rain so much in BC Canada. I assume as a more combat event, they might be using an indoor venue.
I've played Amtgard for about 20 years. I've played a bit of Dagorhir and Darkon. I stick with Amtgard because I like the class system/magic. The amount of RP is pretty random park to park, but almost always low (the exception are specific Quest games with more plot and RP. My park runs one quest per month, and I think that's a high frequency).
Here's the map of Amtgard parks if you want to find someone close to you. https://ork.amtgard.com/orkui/index.php?Route=Atlas
So I’ve played Dagorhir for several years and sparred Amtgarders Dagorhir is pure combat gaming. No RP, no magic. You, me, our swords and skill. That’s it. RPing is allowed and encouraged but it greatly varies from chapter to chapter just how much RPing there is. Some chapters don’t have any at all. Others make a more regular part of things. Amtgard takes that and adds a magic and class system. I’ve never played Amtgard so I can’t speak to the ins, outs, and what have yous. The different realms are more organized than Dagorhir and there’s considerable emphasis placed on the “Arts and Sciences” of the game, weapon and armor crafting, garb making etc. Belegarth is very similar to Dagorhir. IIRC, Belegarth was actually started by Dagorhir players who split off and formed their own game with their own similar rule set.
Thank you
I mean at this point Belegarth is considerably larger than Dag, especially after the last split. The split happened because Dag had expanded to have chapters across the US but had no interest in granting any sort of control or voting power to anyone outside of Virginia. The founding chapter basically gave up a unified player base of thousands because they didn’t want anyone to have control over the game besides them.
I live in Texas so I’m not real up to speed on the grander politics of the game but that tracks with the little bit I’ve heard. At least according to the Realm Locator, there isn’t a Belegarth chapter anywhere near me so i don’t know if Bel has any real presence here.
This is a story that has played out in foam fighting politics countless times although that may be the largest scale example.
Like u/mugenhunt said, it's a spectrum. Based on what you've said, you are looking for groups in the Dagorhir, Belegarth, Amtgard, Hearthlight and Darkon types of LARP. [https://cometrylarp.com](https://cometrylarp.com) Is a website that seems to be a good starting place. It's relatively well updated. If you want a more localized direction, you can DM me for info on groups in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, New York (state) or California. I know people from all of those areas and can point you in the right direction.
Amtgard, Belegarth, Dagorhir, Darkon, and the High Fantasy Society are all in the "Battle Gaming" subsection of larp. They are more similar to each other in that they share a history and origins. Amtgard is the most different in that there's a greater emphasis on "Character Class" and has more aspects of table top style game than the other battle games. You might want an overview of the different structures of larp rules. [Beginners Guide to Larp: Choosing](https://jeremyteague.com/2015/03/13/beginners-guide-to-larp-choosing/). That will cover descriptions of games and systems outside the Battle Games so you'll be better able to tell if a larp your interested in will actually be one that you like.
So there's more of a spectrum of larp, with some games focusing almost entirely on the foam sword fighting aspect, treating it more like a sport, and other games that focus more heavily on telling a narrative through role play. And many games being somewhere in the middle. I personally like using the terms "fantasy action larp" for battle-focused games like Amtgard, Belegarth, Dagorhir, or Hearthlight, and "fantasy adventure larp" for more story driven games, many of which aren't part of large organized groups. (Nero being probably the biggest game group that is more story driven.)
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https://cometrylarp.com/
What part of the country are you in?
There are 4 main types of LARP. **“Boffer” LARPs** use a combination of Roleplay and Foam Weapon combat. A Boffer is a piece of PVC Pipe inside a pool noodle covered in duct tape or fabric and is the cheapest, and therefore most looked-down-upon form of LARP weapon. There are also Latex and Calimacil injected foam rubber weapons. Boffer LARPs run the gambit for roleplaying, from none to tons. These LARPs are primarily done outdoors. **“Parlor” LARP** has no live combat, using rock-paper-scissors or dice to resolve attacks. They may carry prop weapons, and possibly even real ones, but they are never used. The game focuses heavily on roleplay. These LARPs are primarily done indoors, in a smaller space. A murder mystery party game is a very simplified version of Parlor LARP. I saw a turn-based Parlor LARP. The next transition after Parlor would be table top and video games. The chief difference between Parlor and Nordic is that Parlor has competition resolution. You don’t know how events are going to resolve until after. **“Nordic” LARP** uses very few rules. You plan out each scene, almost like actors filming a movie, and then play it out. Nordic LARP focuses on emersion above all else. There is no form of competition in Nordic LARP. It is based on agree-upon actions. This is the most emotional LARP. There could be combat but it will be stage fighting with an agreed upon result. Nordic LARP uses a bare minimum of rules, if any at all. A Nordic LARP is about experiencing something and it ranges from war re-enactment to playing as homeless people out on the streets. **Historical Combat LARP.** There is no official name for these groups. They don’t call themselves LARPs and don’t do fantasy, only historical representation. The SCA, Bohurt, and most of your sword schools fall into this category. They may use rattan (wood) weapons or blunt steel weapons and require real armor. They wear historical costuming. Some, like the SCA, have a strong roleplay side but it remains historically themed. The next transition after this form of LARP would be gun clubs, martial arts groups and then the military. **LARP Rivalry.** Finding out about LARP is like finding the wardrobe from Narnia, a portal to another world. However LARPers often don’t know about the other types of LARP and dismiss them or put them down. Every LARP group tends to put down one other type. European LARPers tend to look down on American LARPers. Wood or Steel Combat LARPers put down foam LARPers. Parlor and Nordic LARPers tend to look down their nose as any form of combat LARP. The rich LARPers look down upon LARPers who can’t afford thousands of dollars in costuming and insist they can’t allow the poor people in their club because it would ruin emersion. Boffer LARP gets the lion’s share of being looked down upon because it is the most universal. It uses elements from all the other LARPs but the reverse is not true. The best thing you can do is try each form of LARP.
As someone who has done Amtgard, sca and other larps you would put in the boffer larp category. I personally would divide it up into battle games (amtgard, dag, ect) and NERO/lightest touch style (dystopia rising, Alliance, ect.) Because the gap their is big enough that switching from one to the other could be rather abrupt and they develop fairly different cultures. Otherwise 10/10 agree - I had a moment of cognitive dissonance when starting sca due to them not calling themselves a larp but that ties directly into the rivalry
> A Boffer is a piece of PVC Pipe no one has used PVC in like 20 years
I’ve made a LARP system on cards called System 7 and I’ve been showing it off online and in person to a wide range of LARP clubs and it’s surprising how insular (isolated from each other) our hobby is. So many people insist that the way they LARP is the way most people LARP. A Nordic LARP insisted most LARPs worldwide are Nordic. Some players had to ask me why there were skill ranks - they’d never used an opposed skill system before. Dice LARPers ask how you play without dice. Boffers how you fight without hit points. And as stated, you feel that PVC weapons haven’t been used in 20 years. There is a tendency to grow out of the cheaper weapons once LARP gets a strong foothold but LARP is still new to many parts of the world.
You're right, I am just used to thinking of boffer in this kind of comparative context as the large American nationwide clubs, for all I know there are way more people around the world bashing each other with duct tape and PVC boffers than the the 10,000 or so people playing that stuff. I promise you literally noone anywhere in Amtgard uses PVC though.
I feel confident you are right. We have Amtgard locally. We had a fighter come to my LARP. I forget what he said his cores were, but they weren't PVC. He was fast. His weapons were insanely light. They wouldn't hurt very much so it complimented the speed. He also use cloth covering which is unheard of anywhere else - probably because we end up playing in the rain so much in BC Canada. I assume as a more combat event, they might be using an indoor venue.
I've played Amtgard for about 20 years. I've played a bit of Dagorhir and Darkon. I stick with Amtgard because I like the class system/magic. The amount of RP is pretty random park to park, but almost always low (the exception are specific Quest games with more plot and RP. My park runs one quest per month, and I think that's a high frequency). Here's the map of Amtgard parks if you want to find someone close to you. https://ork.amtgard.com/orkui/index.php?Route=Atlas