Yes, we are in the 9th Official Edition of our amazing LARP! This edition, of course, isn’t perfect. Please be sure to download the PDF Version of the Rulebook as well as the Errata that are also provided.

The Errata’s update certain things including Races and their Generic Cultures, their Racial Skills, and other aspects that have changed overall. Read through these during your character creation process. If you have any questions, please read on for further clarification or reach out via our Contact Us form.

NERO Rulebook 9th Edition Ver. 2014

NERO LARP 9th Edition Errata V2

Active Playtests are just that, playtests that are currently being tested for further implementation in any “Rulebook Update” iteration down the line. These playtest may vary based on what chapter you visit, but the following list of downloadable playtests are the “Approved” playtests that are being used during the current seasons.

Nationally Approved Playtests

Arrow/Bolt Alteration Playtest v1

Base 10 Celestial Playtest V1

9th Edition Foam Weapon Playtest 2014 V1.1

Properties V1

Unified Refitting Playtest V1

Workshops V1

Locally Approved Playtests

Smithing/Alchemy/Weapons & OOG Mechanics 2023

(As per the NERO 9th Edition Rulebook, page 100)

All NERO Participants:
1. Follow the spirit of the rules, as well as the letter of the rules.
2. Play fairly and honestly.
3. Be considerate of all other NERO participants.
4. Remember, everyone has the right to enjoy NERO as much as you do.
5. Contribute to the fun of all NERO participants.
6. Don’t play in a style that detracts from the fun of the event, or anyone’s chance to have fun at an event.

Staff, Marshals, etc…:
1. Abide by the expectations that apply to all NERO participants.
2. It is your job to run the event. Remember, you are not playing against the players.
3. Everyone’s enjoyment of the event is your top priority.
4. All participants must be treated equally and equitably, by you and by other participants. Favoritism will not be tolerated.
5. Run events in a professional manner. Remember that you represent NERO to anyone present at an event, whether participating or observing.

Administration (National, Local, etc…):
1. Abide by the expectations that apply to all NERO participants, Staff, Marshals, etc…
2. Respond and communicate in a timely, respectful, and articulate manner.
3. Uphold the authority of your staff, and do not overrule them without careful investigation.

(NERO 9th Edition Rulebook, pages 100-101)

NERO expects its members to act responsibly as adults, respect other players, and abide by the NERO rules and policies. NERO will not tolerate dangerous non-game physical violence, damage or theft of non-game items or property, vandalism, display of pornographic materials, open and gross lewdness, or any actions by an individual or group which demonstrates a wanton lack of respect for the safety or security of the people, property or environment at any NERO site.

NERO does not condone any form of out-of-game bigotry or discrimination against any group or individuals because of their out-of-game afflictions, including race, [gender identity, sex], age, religion, ethnic background, ideology, sexual orientation, physical appearance, handicap or disability. Or any other part of a player’s background.

All players in the NERO game are responsible for knowing the rules contained in the rule book and following them in the course of play. NERO reserves the right to remove you from play or otherwise limit your participation in NERO if it is found that you have disobeyed the NERO rules. NERO will make every reasonable effort to inform you of all rule changes, interpretations, and corrections. Remember that in all cases it is the spirit of the rule and not the literal meaning of the rule that should guide you. If you find a loophole in a rule that obviously goes against the rule’s intention, then you should bring this to your local rules committee. Knowingly trying to take advantage of this unintended loophole is cheesy at best and could be considered cheating at worse if your interpretation is gravely contrasted. If there is a dispute over a rules interpretation between players, a Marshal should be called to act as an arbitrator. When dealing with a marshal or other NERO representative, you can help by presenting your case calmly and by answering all of the marshals’ questions as directly as possible. Once a decision is made, play along with it and don’t question the marshal’s ruling- the Marshal may have been aware of facts unavailable to you or maybe make a decision based on what was intended by the rule. If you feel a Marshal’s ruling was incorrect or unfair, you may bring this to the attention of an Adjudicator. Do not nitpick on the details of the situation – understand and follow the intent of the rules. If you play fair and be considerate of everyone else’s enjoyment of the game, your comments will be taken more seriously and will be better respected. NERO will remove any member who NERO suspects is intoxicated or high.

Content:
References to explicit sexual behavior or concepts, particularly violent ones, are not allowed.

All NERO: Border Lands Participants:

• Treat all participants, including but not limited to staff, campsite owners/staff, players, and Non-player characters with respect. This includes events when dealing with any NERO situation and during NERO communications between events. NERO: Border Lands Larp welcomes players from all walks of life, and you may meet new people from all ability levels and backgrounds that you haven’t met before, so keep an open mind. If a conflict arises at an event with a person not involved with the NERO game, this needs to be brought to the attention of a Board of Directors member immediately.

• Respect the fact that people have different experiences and tolerances for emotional scenes and situations. If a participant needs to step away from an in-game situation, they are absolutely welcome to do so, even if their character seemingly wouldn’t.

• Our staff and the NERO National team who wrote the rulebook are all human. There are times when the National rules conflict with each other, and it is precisely impossible for everyone to perfectly follow every written rule all of the time. The NERO: Border Lands chapter also uses multiple chapter-only effects. Be kind to each other, so we can learn and find solutions together when discrepancies arise.

• If you find a tag that isn’t completely filled out (ex. a formal scroll with “Transform To ____,”) or appears to include a restricted or removed game effect from a previous ruleset or specific plotline that you’re aware of (ex. Wizard Lock, Enslavement), do not assume that you can fill in the missing effects yourself or use the item. The provided tag generator still includes old effects at random which have to be manually removed by staff, or specifics that have to be manually entered, and we sometimes miss things. Take the tag to Plot, and we will issue you a replacement with a valid tag, or confirm it as a restricted transfer item.

• NERO: Border Lands abides by the policy that “story trumps rules,” and the spirit of the rule is always more important than nitpicking the exact verbiage. Understand that our plot teams may also use unique effects specific to an in-game area or plotline that may not be what’s in the National rulebook. If you encounter a new effect, please remember that this is new to your character in-game too, and you can play it out in-game. The character may even be able to study it and try to figure out how to better understand or replicate it with Plot’s approval. In the case of nonstandard effects during a mod or event, a marshal will explain what it is and how it works, answer out-of-game questions, and give players the option not to go on that mod if they had not been warned previously. Remember to defer to the mod marshal for how to play out a rule if there is confusion in order to keep the game going.

• If an Out-Of-Game disagreement occurs, (ex. rules clarification, personal conflict, or dissension), it should be handled away from other players in a safe manner. Yelling, bullying, or threatening any participants in any out-of-game way, will result in the aggressor being asked to leave. We are a family-friendly game with children and parents in your audience. If you feel at any point in time that you are at odds with another player and cannot engage in a respectful manner, the issue should be brought to the Player Liaisons, General Manager, or Directors. Any Event Manager or Administration staff member may take notes about the situation and file information, or ask for a participant to fill out a written complaint to better understand and resolve disputes.

• It is important to note that NERO: Border Lands allows Character vs. Character roleplay and interactions – you may overhear characters at odds with each other during events. This may include emotional roleplay scenes, yelling in character, or acting aggressively toward fellow players as part of a scene. This should never jeopardize the safety of any player or staff member in real-life. If you are unsure if a conflict is in-game or out-of-game, please ask the actors. If you are unsure of how to appropriately approach the situation ask, remove yourself from the scene, and find a staff member.

• Remove yourself from a scene or situation if it is too much for you to handle and take a break. Many of us have been roleplaying for years and may be accustomed to a more aggressive style than other LARP games.

• NERO: Border Lands has a zero-tolerance harassment policy. Anyone caught sexually harassing any participant or falsely accusing any participant of harassment will be required to leave immediately. Bullying, threatening, or any other form of out-of-game harassment of any participant, including but not limited to players, staff, and non-player characters at events or in online NERO: Border Lands forums may result in a provisional suspension or permanent ban from all NERO: Border Lands events and platforms.

• If you see something, say something. If you aren’t sure if a situation that happened to you was appropriate or not, or you witnessed something that happened to someone else that didn’t feel right to you and simply want to make sure someone checks in on a player, get a Player Liaison, General Manager, Director, or member of Plot. We want this to be a safe space for everyone to have fun.

• Do not use staff authority or the NERO: Border Lands game as a means of enacting personal justice against others. It is everyone’s personal responsibility to report real-world dangerous or illegal activity (ex. child abuse, domestic violence, etc.) to the appropriate lawful authorities. NERO: Border Lands Administrative staff are required to carry and provide emergency contact information if needed by any participant at an event.

• Adhere to all safety guidelines and rules. This includes the use of the “hold,” rule for safety and emergency signals (such as an air horn) which indicate a real-life, out-of-game demand for the game to pause and the immediate situation to be handled appropriately before continuing.

• NERO: Border Lands is a fantasy game meant to be enjoyed by all participants, however, there can be a lot of emotional stress and physical drain from playing. If at any point you feel that the stress is too much, consider taking a break. Your physical and emotional health is always more important than your character.

• Be respectful of fellow participants’ Out-Of-Game real lives. All staff are volunteer positions and these people may have jobs, family, and engaging hobbies outside of NERO, and other players to entertain too. We love seeing new players excited about the game and certainly appreciate when players reach out and follow up between monthly events, but please remember to be respectful and allow us time to respond to NERO-related communications.

• All participants are expected to treat our campsite and event venues with respect and follow the rules of the site. This includes adhering to designated smoking areas, local fire bans, removing all personal belongings at the end of the event, and following the cleanup protocols appropriate to the venue. This includes assisting staff and volunteers during event cleanup on Sunday, and not loitering at the campsite unnecessarily after the event has ended.

• NERO: Border Lands is played in the wilderness and as such, lends to the potential of wildlife encounters including Venomous Snakes, Coyotes, Boars, and Crocodiles. If an air horn is sounded, the game is on hold and all participants must immediately get into the nearest structure. This is because a dangerous out-of-game situation, such as a bear walking through the middle of the site, is occurring. All participants must remain in the structure until told otherwise by a staff member.

NERO: Border Lands allows participants of all ages but does take additional precautions for anyone under the age of 18.

• All attendees under 18 must have a parent or guardian fill out our chapter waiver and include their contact information in case of emergency.

• Any participants under the age of 14 must have a parent/guardian-approved chaperone on-site at all times. NERO: Border Lands does not provide a daycare camp service, nor babysitting for parents who want to play the game themselves. Players under 14 will not be allowed to participate in combat elements of the game for their own safety, and instead have non-combat “page status,” signified by an orange headband. They may still participate in other ways such as roleplay, puzzles, loot collection, and stories.

• Adults are not allowed to pursue character courtships or roleplay “flirtatious,” characters when engaging with underage participants at the NERO: Border Lands chapter. There are absolutely no exceptions to this rule, at all.

Info For Parents:

NERO: Border Lands is considered a PG-13-rated game and includes themes of violence, fictional drug use, torture, and some suggestive themes/storylines. Although we try to limit the use of offensive modern language, the majority of our players are adults who may use profanities at times. We do have a designated cigarette smoking area for of-age players. We do not allow any illegal drugs, alcohol, or sexual activity of any kind at events.

Members of our staff team will gladly assist with issues throughout the event but please understand that this is a gender-inclusive, co-ed event where attendees have a lot of individual freedom and unsupervised responsibility. If any concerning situation arises at an event, it is crucial to bring it to the attention of a staff member immediately so we can address the issue to the best of our ability.

***We strongly encourage parents to attend at least one event with their kids before sending them to any LARP event on their own.***

More info about our events and gameplay can be found on our website and on Events Page.

(As per the Nero 9th Edition Rulebook, page 5)

“NERO prohibits all body contact during combat. All combat must take place with NERO-approved safe weapons, and certain parts of the body (head, groin, hands) are not allowed to be hit, even with these NERO-safe weapons. This rule does not apply to packet-delivered attacks, which may hit any part of the body.”

This is the only type of physical contact all players have inherently consented to by attending a NERO event. Do NOT touch other people without their out-of-game consent.

If you wish to engage in physical roleplay with another player, you must ask for their consent first. You may do so by placing your hand/weapon on your head to indicate out-of-game status, and asking “Do you consent to my physical roleplay?” If the player responds “no,” do not touch them. Your character can use a verbal 3-count to describe your character’s action instead, without touching the other player.

Agreeing once does not mean you now have their continued consent throughout the rest of the game or at any other point in time without asking again. Expect that players may also ask specifically what you are going to do before agreeing to the physical roleplay, and remember that consent also goes both ways.

If a player opts to use a verbal 3-count to describe an action that their character takes first, you can request that they physically represent the action by asking them to “rep it,” indicating your consent to their physical activity. However, if they do not want to physically carry out the action, you cannot force anyone to do so.

Some players may be good friends out-of-game and already have consent from one another to perform certain actions without repeating this question every time. If you aren’t sure about a player’s comfort level, always ask first.

As a reminder, we do not allow sexual activity of any kind at events. This includes (but is not limited to) any roleplay, actions, or physical contact that could be considered sexual such as excessive “making out,” kink play, fondling, sexually explicit or adult “dirty,” talk, necking, groping, etc.

When engaging in physical roleplay, do not cause intentional harm, wrestle, grapple, fist fight, or otherwise cause physical trauma to another player (or yourself) even if the players do consent to it. In this case, you are then violating the consent of the game staff and campsite owners who do not want to risk actual harm or liability. If you really want to do a realistic-looking choreographed fight scene or effect with someone, you need explicit prior approval from all involved players, as well as chapter staff and directors.