Note on weapons guidelines: Local chapters have the ability to alter the below guidelines as necessary to maintain safety in their chapters. For example, cloth covering on weapons is required in some chapters, others require them during the summer months, and some don't require them at all. It is the responsibility of the Player to find out the weapons rules for the chapter in which you wish to play before games. For more information please visit the Chapter's site on the YAGA website or contact your local Debriefing or Safety representatives.

Thrusting/Waylay Tips

• 2" Thrusting tips are the bare minimum. 2.5" are the minimum for two-handed swords, polearms, and spears.
• No thrusting tip should be longer than the diameter of the "blade". By applying the first rule, this means that most weapons must be at least 2" in diameter, and two-handed swords, spears, and polearms must be at least 2.5" in diameter.
• Flat blades (Landau foam, for example) must have the width be at least 2". This is to help prevent eye socket shots.
• ALL weapons must have thrusting tips on all ends of their weapons. This includes "waylay" tips on the pommel.
• Thrusting tips should collapse to at least half their thickness. Hard tips from leaning on them, walking with them, and the like will be cause for failure.
• Testing tips may be done by bending the tip on itself (ie, which ever direction offers the least amount of protection) and check the core can be felt. Blade foam should extend .5-1 inch beyond the length of the core and a folded piece of blade foam should be stuffed in the tip before securing your thrusting tip.

Blades

• Weapon core should not be felt through the blade foam. Minimum 5/8" foam is suggested, 3/4" for two handed weapons, excepting staves.
• Blades should be firmly anchored to the core, and should neither twist around the core nor rattle when shook.
• Any protrusions more than 12 inches above the highest point of grip must be either be made entirely from open cell foam or at least have a thrusting tip.

Cores

• Metal cores are not permitted except for in two-handed weapons, which may use light aluminum.
• Wooden cores are generally not permitted, bamboo being the only exception.
• Cores that taper to less than 1/2 inch must have their tip blunted with a ball of tape or otherwise made thicker to 1/2 inch at the tip.
• Weapons should not flex excessively (more than 30 degrees from true). This is judged by taking the weapon and placing the grip portion on the ground, then pulling upwards on the tip.

Weapon Specs

The following guidelines are used for all standard melee weapons. Projectile weapons are judged on a case-by-case basis in individual Chapters, with common sense and safety being their guide.
Blunt weapons are required to have "heads" of the listed size in addition to fitting the general specifications of a comparable Sword. Note that bladed weapons with "heads", such as axes, may also be constructed if built along the guidelines for Blunt Weapons.