Hits. If a jouster is hit, they must make a brace check (see below) with a DC equal to the damage taken. On a failed check, they are unhorsed and lose the joust.
Brace check. A brace check is a Strength (Animal Handling) check.
Initiative. Attacks happen simultaneously, and it is possible for two jousters to unhorse each other.
Rules of the match. A jousting lance is destroyed when it hits. New lances are handed out and passes are repeated until one or both participants are unhorsed. Additionally, a limit may be set for lances broken; for example, the first jouster to break three lances (score three hits) wins if neither has been unhorsed.
Passes. On each pass, a jouster may attack normally, or choose one of the following maneuvers:
- Aggressive: +5 to attack, -5 to AC.
- Defensive: -5 to attack, +5 to AC.
- Braced: -5 to attack, +5 to Animal Handling.
- High in Saddle: +5 to attack, -5 to Animal Handling.
- Eyes Fixed: +5 to attack. If you are hit, roll a d20. On a 1, you lose your left eye if you have it, and on a 2, you lose your right eye if you have it. On a 3-4, you gain a Horrible Scar, and on a 5-10 you gain a Minor Scar. (See the DMG p. 272 for the effects of these injuries.)
The same information in table format:
Maneuver | Attack | AC | Animal Handling | Special |
None
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Aggressive | +5 | -5 | - | - |
Defensive | -5 | +5 | - | - |
Braced | -5 | - | +5 | - |
High in Saddle | +5 | - | -5 | - |
Eyes Fixed | +5 | - | - | See above |
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King Henri II of France was mortally wounded by a splintered lance in the eye from the hand of Gabriel Montgomery, the captain of his own guard, in a jousting match in 1559. |