17.1.11 Arena Jousting

(See also: HELP ARENAS, HELP RIDING)

Those whose skill level in riding is high enough to grant them the ability to 
JOUST are now able to compete in a formal arena contest!

Overview of a Joust
-------------------
To get started, simply travel to the staging grounds of an arena with jousting 
enabled, such as the Matsuhama Arena in Delos, and challenge your opponent to a
joust (see syntax below).

Once you have entered the arena, an attendant will ask you to hand over your 
lances. You will then be outfitted for the joust and directed to take your 
place. Once you lower your lance to signal your readiness, the round begins!

During the charge, you will have three windows of opportunity to affect the 
outcome. At each stage, you may spur your steed to go faster, take better aim 
with your lance, brace yourself for impact, or turn slightly to avoid a direct 
blow. These actions will affect the outcome differently, so choose your
strategy wisely. Other factors that contribute to the outcome are the to-hit
and damage attributes of your lance, as well as the level of your mount
(whether it can be ridden as a light horse, war horse, legendary steed, and
so on).

The moment of truth comes when you and your opponent meet at full speed! 
Hopefully you will land a direct blow with your lance, unseating your opponent 
and tossing him or her to the ground. Points will be awarded to each
contestant based on their performance.

The next round begins when you again lower your lance, and repeats depending on

the number of rounds in the match. When the joust concludes, a winner is 
declared based on accumulated points, and you exit the arena!

A few specific rules to keep in mind:
   - Points are awarded thusly: 1 point for a glancing blow, 2 points for a 
     broken lance, 3 points for unseating the opponent.
   - If one opponent fails to lower his or her lance at the beginning
     of a round, that round is forfeited and 1 point awarded to the opponent.
   - If both opponents fail to lower their lances at the beginning of a round, 
     the match concludes early.
   - If either opponent breaks all of his or her lances, the match concludes 
     early.


Jousting Commands
-----------------

CHALLENGE <opponent> TO JOUST
   Begin a standard joust! All the regular requirements for arena combat
   apply; in addition, you must be mounted, and you must have 3 lances in
   your inventory (not in a backpack or other container).

CHALLENGE <opponent> TO JOUST <PRACTICE|TOURNAMENT>
   Two variations on the standard joust: a practice joust is 3 rounds,
   tournament is 7 rounds. A practice joust requires only 2 lances in
   your inventory to begin.

GIVE <lance> TO ATTENDANT
   Specify a lance to give the attendant. If you do not give lances to
   the attendant in a timely manner, they will be automatically selected
   from your inventory.

LOWER LANCE
   Signal your readiness to joust.

AIM
   Increase the chances of striking your opponent.

TURN
   Decrease the chances of your opponent striking you. 

SPUR
   Increase the chances of unseating your opponent if you land a direct strike.

BRACE
   Decrease the chances that your opponent will unseat you if a direct strike
   is landed.