Jousting, that fine and noble art of trying to knock someone off a horse with a big pointy stick. Doing this within the Hero System is quite simple and no new rules are neccessary, simply combine some existing combat manuevers in a creative fashion.
There are two primary moves in jousting, representing a controlled glancing blow and an all out, go for broke, slam into your opponent shot. The glancing blow is done with a move by, the all out blow is a move through. In both cases you are using the special hit location rules to declare a body shot (Hero System Rules, pg. 163) which confers a -1 to OCV.
For puposes of jousting, even though it is generally recommend that knockback rules not be used in a hero level game, I recomend using them anyway. If an attack was successful, calculate knockback (Hero System Rules, pg. 166). If there was knockback the knockbacked character must make a successfull riding skill roll at -1 per 2" of knockback to stay on his horse (don't forget to apply the encumberance mods to the roll for the mass of his armour). If the character falls he has the chance of taking extra damage from the knockback itself (Hero System Rules, pg. 166).
The GM may wish to consider a mounted rider as if he were flying for purposes of knockback calculation (one less d6 is subtracted from the total body rolled). I offer no opinions either way, so long as you are consistant.
Practice bouts are quite usefull for determing just how good the character is at jousting as it is more difficult to hit someone in practice.
| Manuever | OCV | DCV | Damage | Hit Location | Notes |
| Side Swipe (move by) | -3 | -2 | Normal/2 + velocity/5 | 2d6+4 | Attacker applies one-third of Stun & Body damage against his own defences. |
| Full Charge (move through) | -(velocity/5+1) | -3 | Normal + velocity/3 | 2d6+4 | If target un-horse, attacker applies one-half of Stun & Body damage against his own defences. If target not un-horsed, attacker applies full damage. |
The primary difference in practice bouts is that you are pulling the body on your attack (Pulling a punch, Hero System Rules, pg 156). This has the effect of only doing half the body damage you would normally do and all of the stun. For purposes of knockback use all of the body done, not half.
| Manuever | OCV | DCV | Damage | Hit Location | Notes |
| Side Swipe (move by) | -4 | -2 | Normal/2 + velocity/5 (only apply one-half of the body damage total) | 2d6+4 | Attacker applies one-third of Stun & Body damage against his own defences. |
| Full Charge (move through) | -(velocity/5+2) | -3 | Normal + velocity/3 (only apply one-half of the body damage total) | 2d6+4 | If target un-horse, attacker applies one-half of Stun & Body damage against his own defences. If target not un-horsed, attacker applies full damage. |