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What is Jousting?
The Joust is a martial game between two mounted knights
wielding lances with purpose being to replicate the clash of
heavy calvary.
The riders are placed on opposite sides of a tilt (a separating
fence or rope) and make passing attacks at each other, with
the primary goal being to either unhorse or kill the opposing
rider.

Variants of Jousting
Jousting can be broken up into two different variants
depending on the goal of the joust;
The Joust of Peace and The Joust of War.
The Joust of Peace is a joust that typically takes place during a
tournament. The goal of this Joust is to unhorse the opposing
rider. During these joust, blunted tournament lances are used
and shields are the target to limit the threat of injury or death.
The Joust of War is a joust that typically takes place during a
siege. The goal of this joust is to either unhorse or kill the
opposing rider. During these jousts, war lances are used and
the rider is the target.

Specialized Equipment
Specialized jousting equipment can be found in the “Jousting
Equipment” section.

How to use these Rules

Each variant of Jousting has its own flow chart with different
phases. Each phase will be described in detail on the following
pages.
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Jousters choose their stance and begin their charge.

Stances:
Standard, Aggressive, Defensive, Braced, and High in the Saddle.

Jousters attack each other with a single charging strong strike

at the same time. The only defense for this attack is the
“Riding” skill. A control check is not required for the attack.

This attack deals no damage unless the attacker chooses to

cheat. If the attacker chooses to cheat, see “Cheating”.

Determine the type of hit for scoring and narrative purposes.

Attack Roll Below 10: Clear Miss (+0 points)

Attack Roll above 10, but did not hit: Glancing blow (+1 Points)
Hit: Broken Lance Tip (+2 Points)
Critical Hit: Shattered Lance (+3 Points)

Jousters that were hit must pass a Physique check based on

the severity of the hit or be unhorsed.
Physique Check DCs:

Normal Hit: DC: 15

Simple Critical Hit: DC: 18
Complex Critical Hit: DC:20
Difficult Critical Hit: DC: 23
Deadly Critical Hit: DC: 25

If a Jouster was unhorsed, they must pass an Endurance

check at the same DC as the Physique check to avoid injury.
If the Endurance check is failed, the Jouster suffers an injury
(see “Injury”).

If one Jouster was unhorsed, they have lost the match.

If both Jousters were unhorsed, both Jousters are required to

attempt the pass again, return to Phase 1.

If neither Jouster was unhorsed, return to Phase 1.

If neither Jouster was unhorsed after 3 passes, the Jouster

with the most points wins the match.

Joust of Peace Phases
Phase 1:
Before the Jousters begin their charge, they
must choose which stance they will utilize
for their pass. The available stances are;
Standard: You make a standard pass.
Aggressive: You focus on aiming your lance
rather than preparing yourself for your
opponent’s strike, you may add up to 2 to
your attack roll, but must subtract the same
number from your defense (riding) roll.
Defensive: You focus on readying yourself
for your opponent’s strike rather than
aiming your lance, you may add up to 2 to
your defense (riding) roll, but must subtract
the same number from your attack roll.
Braced: You focus on bracing yourself in the
saddle rather than aiming your lance, you
may add up to 2 to your Physique check to
remain saddled if you are hit, but you must
subtract the same number from your attack
roll.
High in the Saddle: You focus on the
momentum of your attack by riding high in
the saddle, you may add up to 2 to your
attack roll, but you must subtract the same
number from your Physique check to
remain saddled if you are hit.
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Phase 2:
Each Jouster attempts a charging strong
strike at the opposing Jouster. These attacks
happen at the same time. This charging
strong strike is defended by the “Riding”
skill instead of the normal defenses used in
combat, any modifiers that would be
applied to a Jouster’s control check are also
applied to their Riding defense roll.
As these attacks are being made against the
opposing Jouster’s shield (there is no aiming
penalty for aiming at the shield), no hit
location is rolled or damage dealt.
Additionally, the fumble table is not used
for the attack and defense rolls, natural 1s
and 10s are otherwise treated the same.
Cheating
A Jouster may choose to cheat and aim for a
different location (such as the head or the
opponent’s horse) with the intent of
causing harm.
If a Jouster chooses to cheat, the attack
deals damage as normal and if a rider’s
horse is struck, that rider must immediately
attempt a DC: 20 Control Check.
Additionally, the cheating Jouster may
attempt a DC: 20 Deceit Check to disguise
their cheating as an accident. If they do not
pass the Deceit check, they are disqualified
from the tournament.
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Phase 3: If the Endurance Check is failed, the Jouster

After you determine the attack and defense
results in Phase 2, determine the type of hit
each Jouster achieved during their pass for
both scoring and narrative purposes. The
types of hits are:
Clear Miss (Attack roll below 10): You
missed your opponent and you gain 0
points.
Glancing Blow (Attack roll above 10, but did
not hit): Your lance glances off of your
opponent’s shield and you gain 1 point.
Broken Lance Tip (Attack roll hits): You
break the tip of your lance on your
opponent’s shield and you gain 2 points.
Shattered Lance (Critical Hit): You shatter
your lance on your opponent’s shield and
gain 3 points.
suffers an injury rolled on the simple critical
table. If the injured Jouster already has the
rolled critical wound, increase the rolled
result to the critical wound table one level
higher.
Phase 5:
If one Jouster has been unhorsed, they have
lost the match.
If both Jousters were unhorsed, both of the
Jousters are required to attempt the pass
again (points gained from the pass are
maintained) and return to Phase 1.
If neither Jouster was unhorsed, begin a
new pass and return to Phase 1.
If neither Jouster has been unhorsed after
three passes, the Jouster with the most
points wins the match.

Phase 4:
If a Jouster was hit during their pass, they
must pass a Physique Check based on the
severity of the hit or be unhorsed.
The Physique Check DCs are;
Normal Hit: DC: 15
Simple Critical Hit: DC: 18
Complex Critical Hit: DC:20
Difficult Critical Hit: DC: 23
Deadly Critical Hit: DC: 25
Injury
If a Jouster fails the physique check and is
unhorsed, they must pass an Endurance
Check at the same DC as the attempted
physique check to avoid injury.
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Jousters choose their stance and begin their charge.

Stances:
Standard, Aggressive, Defensive, Braced, and High in the Saddle.

Jousters attack each other with a single charging strong strike

at the same time. The only defense for this attack is the
“Riding” skill. A control check is not required for the attack.

This attack deals damage as normal, if the attacker chooses to

cheat and attack the opponent’s legs or their mount, see
“cheating”.

Jousters that were hit must pass a Physique Check based on

the severity of the hit or be unhorsed.
Physique Check DCs:

Normal Hit: DC: 15

Simple Critical Hit: DC: 18
Complex Critical Hit: DC:20
Difficult Critical Hit: DC: 23
Deadly Critical Hit: DC: 25

If a Jouster was unhorsed, they must pass an Endurance

Check at the same DC as the Physique Check to avoid
additional injury. If the Endurance Check is failed, the
Jouster suffers an injury (see “Injury”).

If one Jouster was unhorsed, incapacitated, or killed, they

have lost the match.

If both Jousters were unhorsed, both Jousters are required to

attempt the pass again, return to Phase 1.

If neither Jouster was unhorsed, return to Phase 1 and repeat

until a winner is determined.

Joust of War Phases
Phase 1:
Before the Jousters begin their charge, they
must choose which stance they will utilize
for their pass. The available stances are;
Standard: You make a standard pass.
Aggressive: You focus on aiming your lance
rather than preparing yourself for your
opponent’s strike, you may add up to 2 to
your attack roll, but must subtract the same
number from your defense (riding) roll.
Defensive: You focus on readying yourself
for your opponent’s strike rather than
aiming your lance, you may add up to 2 to
your defense (riding) roll, but must subtract
the same number from your attack roll.
Braced: You focus on bracing yourself in the
saddle rather than aiming your lance, you
may add up to 2 to your Physique check to
remain saddled if you are hit, but you must
subtract the same number from your attack
roll.
High in the Saddle: You focus on the
momentum of your attack by riding high in
the saddle, you may add up to 2 to your
attack roll, but you must subtract the same
number from your Physique check to
remain saddled if you are hit.
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Phase 2:
Each Jouster attempts a charging strong
strike at the opposing Jouster. These attacks
happen at the same time. This charging
strong strike is defended by the “Riding”
skill instead of the normal defenses used in
combat, any modifiers that would be
applied to a Jouster’s control check are also
applied to their Riding defense roll.
With the exception that the leg hit locations
are rerolled, the hit location of the attack is
otherwise determined as normal.
Additionally, the fumble table is not used
for the attack and defense rolls, natural 1s
and 10s are otherwise treated the same.
Cheating
A Jouster may cheat and aim for the
opponent’s legs or mount.
If a rider’s horse is struck, that rider must
immediately attempt a DC: 20 Control
Check.
Additionally, the cheating Jouster may
attempt a DC: 20 Deceit Check to disguise
their cheating as an accident. If they do not
pass the Deceit check, they are disqualified
from further jousting.
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Phase 3: Phase 4:
If a Jouster was hit during their pass, they If one Jouster was unhorsed, incapacitated,
must pass a Physique Check based on the or killed, they have lost the match.
severity of the hit or be unhorsed.
If both Jousters were unhorsed, both of the
The Physique Check DCs are; Jousters are required to attempt the pass
again and return to Phase 1.
Normal Hit: DC: 15
Simple Critical Hit: DC: 18 If neither Jouster was unhorsed,
Complex Critical Hit: DC:20 incapacitated, or killed, begin a new pass
Difficult Critical Hit: DC: 23 and return to Phase 1.
Deadly Critical Hit: DC: 25
Injury
If a Jouster fails the Physique Check and is
unhorsed, they must pass an Endurance
Check at the same DC as the attempted
Physique Check to avoid injury.
If the Endurance Check is failed, the Jouster
suffers an injury rolled on the simple critical
table. If the injured Jouster already has the
rolled critical wound, increase the rolled
result to the critical wound table one level
higher.
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Jousting Armor Set

Location SP Avail. AE Effect EV Weight Cost

Head, 40 P 1 Restricted Vision 4 16 1877
Torso Piercing Resistance
and Bludgeoning Resistance
Arms
Special: Lance Rest (see below)

While similar to the plate armor used on the battlefield, jousting armor has been specialized
for unique demands of tournaments. This armor set trades mobility for increased safety by
reinforcing the areas of the body that are likely to be hit during a joust.
Special: This armor is equipped with a lance rest; this metal flange aids the jouster in
delivering a stronger hit. While attacking with a lance while mounted, the attack roll ignores
the user’s total EV value.

Tournament Lance

Type WA Avail. DMG Rel. Hands RNG Effect Conc. EN Weight Cost
P/B 0 P 2d6 1 1 - Long Reach, Charging N/A 0 3.5 56
Special: Fragile (see below)

These lances are hollow on the inside and are typically fitted with a three- or four-pointed
head. This design causes the lance to shatter upon impact and reduce the chance of injury
compared to a war lance.
Special: When this weapon hits a target, this weapon takes 1 reliability damage.

Crafting Diagrams

Jousting Armor Set Tournament Lance (x10)

Difficulty: Master Difficulty: Journeyman
DC: 20 Time: Cost: DC: 15 Time: Cost:
16 Hours 1877 6 Hours 560
Investment: 1048 Investment: 280
Steel (x12), Leather (x4), Hardened Dark Iron (x1), Hardened Leather
Leather (x5), Ester Grease (x1), (x2), Hardened Timber (x5), Resin
Thread (x9), Etching Acid (x4), (2x), Steel (x1)
Drake Oil (x1), Ogre Wax (x1)
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Illustrations Writing and Editing

“Tourney Joust” by Marta Dettlaff
“Mad Charge” by Maciej Laszkiewicz
“Gregoire de Gorgon” by Grosnez
“Prince Anséis” by Bryan Sola
“Sir Geralt of Rivia’s Armor” by CD Project Red
Written and edited by Gary Munroe
Contact Information
If you would like to contact Gary Munroe,
you can reach him through the following;
Email: GaryMGameMaster@gmail.com

Inspiration Reddit: GarytheGM

The inspiration for these rules came from a

Jousting mechanic in a TTRPG by Robert J.
Schwalb

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