Okay so I was a little generous... I think I mentioned these haven't been playtested. :mischief:

Quote from: BagpussOkay so I was a little generous... I think I mentioned these haven't been playtested. :mischief:

Instead of one thing, the token having an effect, you could always break up the possible bonus across multiple things.

+- 1-3 from token/favor
+- 1-3 from the crowd (crowd cheering, etc...)
+- 1-3 from the judges (how likely is a penalty for you or the other guy?)
+- 1-3 from your own retinue (are they extra careful with the saddle and your horse, or slapdash because you have been ignoring them.)
etc...I"m not an expert on jousting, would there be other significant groups attending?

That way someone has several groups to curry favor with instead of just the token.

Perhaps the underdog should get a bonus if there is a Queen track playing over the PA system?

Quote from: BagpussPerhaps the underdog should get a bonus if there is a Queen track playing over the PA system?

Depends on whether or not the horses are fans.

Quote from: Bagpuss;19079A thread on ENWorld made me revisit my Jousting rules I wrote for Birthright and update them for D&D 3.5, I'm curious as to what people think.

Edit: Rules updated to correct errors and suggest a reduced use of favour.

I am interested in your rules on JOUSTING. Where can I find your download? Thanks!
Kurt

Surely you joust! - and yeah, I'm callin' you "Shirley!"

-clash

I am reasonably certain... and this being the internet and all that pretty much makes me an expert... that studies have been conducted that show that morale has a huge impact on relative success rates. *

Also consider that technically bonuses for 'favors' will largely counteract each other, as MOST knights will probably get a favor from some lady somewhere... particularly if they feel it helps their chances of success (see also: Baseball players and superstition). Thus, technically, only the GREATER bonus of a Queen's favor should matter in this regards (but mechanically... naturally... you'd still keep the favors system).

This means that a more singular bonus (Ride Focus), that is not universally applied, is actually more valuable than the numbers might suggest alone.  Knights with a Ride Skill Focus bonus will simply do better than knights without, evening the score if such a knight does NOT get a lady's favor and is going against a knight who has one (and, I presume from the body of arguement, a winning streak).

Of course: PROPER jousting rules should presumably be put into a context of a greater tourney with mounted and unmounted events. Again: My historical Knowledge comes entirely from 'A Knights Tale', thus making me (on the Internet) an unassailable expert.  This can also motivate knights to worry less about that Skill Focus bonus that would only apply to some events.



* Note, since by this point I've already referenced 'A Knights Tale', that the true factor in Heath's success rate was, by canon, his fearlessness, not his actual skill.  Presuming a detailed morale rules underlying a contest system (big stretch), obviously 'fearless' automatically provide as large a bonus as the best favors, or something... easily offsetting not just a lack of skill focus but actual ranks of skill.