Weapons

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Weapons are in-game props that are specifically used for acted-out conflict resolution that mimics armed combat. Weapons are bearers of specific game mechanics in accordance with the rules or system agreed for conflict resolution, and may be accompanied by directive calls expressed by players with an in-game effect.

Disposable Weapons

Short duration games may use disposable weapons, created out of paper or cardboard, especially when the game is designed to allow but minimise armed combat.

Foam Weapons

Foam weapons are a specific type of LARP item that attempt to provide a safe way to enact combat for participants with minimal skills in hand to hand combat, stuntwork, or martial arts. Weapons are usually constructed to be lightweight and flexible so they can have minimal impact damage on participants. Materials usually include closed-cell foam such as plastazote, carbon fibre rods, latex, acrylic paint, and plastidip or isoflex coating. Some manufacturers of LARP weapons use a moulding process for the foam in order to produce multiple identically-shaped weapons, while other makers carve and glue their foam into unique shapes.

Boffer Weapons

Boffer weapons is a term primarily used in the USA, but may be used to refer to simple foam weapons with a less 'authentic' or detailed finish. These weapons may be made of uncoated foam around a carbon fibre core, or foam coated in silver or black toned duct (cloth) tape.

Projectile Weapons

Projectile weapons allow for a mimicry of armed combat at a distance, and are constructed to have minimal impact damage on participants when thrown or projected over short distances. Both noise making and non-noise making weapons may be accompanied by directive calls in the same way as ordinary foam weapons, though noise-making weapons may have a pre-agreed game effect.

Noise-making projectile weapons

A noise-making prop (e.g capgun) used as a part of conflict resolution in line with game mechanics.

Non-noise making projectile weapons

A non-noise-making prop (e.g bows, foam throwing weapons, NERFguns, capguns without caps) frequently used as a part of conflict resolution with game calls and in line with mechanics.