Do you want to join a Boffer group?

So would you like to find a buffer or LARP group near you? Well, first you have to choose what type of group you would like to play with.

There are many groups that you can join there:

  • Amtgard
  • SCA
  • Belegarth
  • NERO

That is not to say that there are not many more, but these are the main groups.

There are also three different genres of buffer groups.

  • LARP, (live action role play)
  • If you like acting or you love playing Dungeons and Dragons then you will love playing with these groups too. You choose a race and a class (as in the popular game WOW)

Once you’ve sorted out who you are and what you do, you can dress accordingly, in chainmail, plate armor, and period clothing. With your group you will go on adventures, (usually in parks) earning money and experience, killing monsters and completing missions and missions. These groups are usually floor oriented. NERO is considered a LARP and so is Belegarth.

  • Boffer groups
  • Boffer groups are more simplistic and battle oriented. These groups are the type of groups that go to a park or a large backyard and can start playing with very little setup.

These are the types of fun games where you get your adrenaline pumping and you can keep fighting from dusk till dawn. The weapons in these groups are always different. The stain on weapons can be very different from one group to another because in most cases they make up their own rules or borrow them from other groups. These groups are a lot of fun and can be started with just a few boffers and a couple of friends.

  • Recreating groups
  • Recreation groups are like the people you would see at a Renaissance Fair. These people are rigorous for their authenticity. Recreation groups are also battle-oriented groups and are generally better connected to each other by having more widely followed kingdoms and rules than simple buffer groups. These groups must also register to join a kingdom, before they are considered an actual group. Sometimes these groups will don homemade plate armor and use rattan swords (solid and hard bamboo) and other weapons. These would be groups like the SCA and Belegarth.

So now that we’ve talked about some of the types of buffer groups, you can now decide the type of group you would like to join. Start by looking for colleges near you. They are almost always good places to meet groups of friends. It may take you some time to search and find a group that is right for your interests.

If you look around and ask questions, you can usually find someone who knows what to ask about. Another great way to find a group is to ask some of your friends if they have already married. Believe me, they are always looking for more people who want to join in and play. If all else fails, go to Google or Yahoo or whatever your favorite search engine is and search for the boffer group in (your area) and you will usually get a couple of good results and a lot of information. Craig’s List is also a great way to meet and find groups. You can usually also find someone who knows about reenactment groups at local renaissance fairs.

Don’t let the fact that there is currently no group in your area to be a deterrent! If all else fails, you too can take matters into your own hands. You can gather a group of your friends and, depending on the type of group you want to form, create your own group. If it’s just a dating group, you could actually try to get your school to start one. If you already know a LARP, you can find ways to make groups with them. Or you can start your own LARP group, with your own careers and stories.

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