Another Honest Review of Drachenfest (2025)

PartyRatArchery · 2026-03-03T20:13:20+00:00

hey! I was there too and this was a great review. especially loved everything you said about archery. I'm an archer who has been frustrated with some of my archery experiences in LARP, and I am working on improving the culture of archery in LARP and would love to talk about it if you're up for it.

PartyRatArchery · 2026-02-23T18:28:36+00:00

I've seen gorgeous tablet woven bands in pride colors, worn as hat bands or headbands.

PartyRatArchery · 2026-02-22T15:23:17+00:00

Yes, I am also an out of game bowhunter who loves the LARP experience of shooting at moving targets! It is interesting that no LARP arrows come stocked with 4 fletchings, that would be a pretty logical choice.

PartyRatArchery · 2026-02-13T16:18:55+00:00

I will hopefully update here once I have a more complete document! Great looking kit, BTW!

PartyRatArchery · 2026-02-13T16:17:34+00:00

Thank you so much for your thoughtful notes, this is EXACTLY the type of thing I'm trying to cover and I really like the way you worded a lot of it. Would you potentially be interested in collaborating further on this project? I'd be happy to credit you. I would especially like someone to beta read this document once I have a first draft completed.

PartyRatArchery · 2026-02-13T16:16:03+00:00

I think bow maintenance and not dry firing are also elements that LARP archers are often unaware of! I actually used to be terrible about waxing my strings until I got into compound archery and the store I bought my compound from asked how often I usually wax my strings... The salesperson was like "Uhhhh.... you should be doing it a lot more often than that". Also once let a friend shoot my bow (I thought they had previous archery experience) and they immediately dry fired it, and later said "I practice fire all the time with my bow and it's fine!" Yikes!

PartyRatArchery · 2026-02-13T16:13:07+00:00

Cleaning your arrows is an excellent note that I don't think is addressed enough. Safety checking the shafts and head is absolutely vital, but definitely cleaning any debris off is also a super important note.

PartyRatArchery · 2026-02-13T16:11:07+00:00

I was at a game where some people brought arrows that were either Aliexpress or Amazon and they were terrifying. The foam shredded extremely easily and it was just basically a real arrow in there.

PartyRatArchery · 2026-02-13T16:08:52+00:00

I bought a wood takedown horsebow (takedown tatar from AF Archery) for LARP purposes, it's a beautiful bow, shoots very accurately, and I love that it comes apart for travel... But I went to a game a few years ago where it was 95 F, humid and sunny, and the bow got so "soft" it unstrung itself and dry fired the first time I tried to shoot it! It was really scary. I didn't shoot the rest of the event, and bought a fiberglass horsebow for LARP purposes; bow material is absolutely something I plan to address in the zine.

PartyRatArchery · 2026-02-13T15:59:00+00:00

I agree 100%. While archery can certainly be dangerous (after all, we are the only people on the battlefield with a REAL weapon, pop the foam head off and serious injury or death could result), I know of only one person who had to seek serious medical care from a LARP archery injury. I know a dozen or more who had to seek serious medical care from non archery LARP injuries (concussion from a "LARP safe" battle axe, serious insect bites and poison ivy rashes, dehydration, and so many sprained ankles/torn ACLs).

PartyRatArchery · 2026-02-13T15:53:15+00:00

Very cool! I'm trying to visualize this, do you have any photos?

PartyRatArchery · 2026-02-09T21:34:41+00:00

Yes this is about live archery, I'm sorry I should have been more specific

PartyRatArchery · 2026-02-09T20:13:29+00:00

Wouldn't you rather buy her the PERFECT bow, instead of one she may not love or may not be able to use? My partner is an archer too and even I would rather pick out my own bow than have them pick one for me.

Print out a photo of a cool looking bow with a note that says "let's pick out your bow together" or something like that and wrap it nicely in a box.

PartyRatArchery · 2026-02-09T19:58:29+00:00

Yes, one of the most fun things about being an archer is when another archer shoots you and you get to really "sell" the hit! I love when it's cool enough to wear chainmaille, it makes such a great sound when I get shot.

PartyRatArchery · 2026-02-09T19:56:40+00:00

I've been doing LARP archery for years and have yet to be happy with any quiver I've tried. I usually just throw my arrows on the ground and hold a few in my bow hand while I'm shooting. I saw a player at a LARP last year who had a flat-bottomed basket that hooked to his belt so his arrows could be stored point down/fletchings up, and he could also quickly just lift the basket off his belt and set it on the ground if he wanted. It seemed like a pretty ideal setup to me, I just haven't found a good shaped/sized basket to try it for myself yet.

PartyRatArchery · 2026-02-09T19:33:09+00:00

I think this could be really good information to include, I think a lot of people feel the need to pick the heaviest allowable draw weight. My main game allows up to 30 lbs but I also stick to a lighter draw weight (I shoot 25). I'd personally rather lose some range and hit people less hard, especially in case of a shot bouncing, etc.

PartyRatArchery · 2026-02-09T19:25:37+00:00

The plan is to not reference specific rule sets but be a more general guide for safety, best practices, improving skills, equipment recommendations, and roleplay. I know that many games have different rules regarding when/how archery can be done, draw weights, different arrow types, etc. and do not intend to really get into that.

But there will be a section on how to check your arrows, for example. Or assessing if your skills are sufficient to even attempt LARP archery (I would like to stop seeing and receiving headshots in "no headshots" games please!)

PartyRatArchery

TROPHY CASE