UO Tavern Arena · Combat rules

Rules

The arena runs classic T2A-era (pre-AOS) combat with UO Hybrid's stun, disarm and weapon-special rules: there are no weapon-ability buttons. Special moves are wrestling toggles or chance effects on a hit, as below.

Play your first duel Duels

Special moves

Stun punch

Toggle it with the client's stun button, hands empty (a spellbook is fine). The next punch you swing tries it.

Needs: Wrestling 80 and Anatomy 80
Cost: 15 stamina per attempt, hit or miss
Chance: (Wrestling + Anatomy) × 3 / 800: 60% at 80/80, 75% at GM
Effect: Target frozen for 4 seconds (no re-stun while frozen)
Cooldown: 10 seconds between attempts, hit or miss. A failed stun stays readied.

Disarm

Toggle it with the client's disarm button, hands empty. Only works on humans.

Needs: Wrestling 80 and Arms Lore 80
Cost: 15 stamina per attempt
Chance: (Wrestling + Arms Lore) / 200: 80% at 80/80, 100% at GM
Effect: The target's weapon drops into their backpack
Cooldown: 10 seconds between attempts

Two-handed weapon specials

Two-handed weapons sometimes land an extra effect on a hit. You need Anatomy 80 and 80 in the weapon's skill; the chance is then Anatomy / 400 (25% at GM Anatomy).

Concussion: Axes and pole arms (halberd, bardiche, battle and large battle axe, double, two-handed and executioner's axe). Halves the target's Intelligence for 30 s; doesn't stack.
Crushing blow: War hammer. That hit deals 1.5× damage.
Paralyzing blow: Spear, war fork, pike, pitchfork. Target frozen for 2 s.
Maces: Every mace or staff hit also drains 3–5 stamina.

Explosion potions

Use the potion, then target a spot or a player within 12 tiles in line of sight. It lands a second later and explodes about 3.75 s after first use, even if that happens mid-flight, where it lands. If you are still holding it, it blows up in your hands.

Damage: Lesser 5–10, regular 10–20, greater 15–30, plus Alchemy / 10 (max 40)
Area: Everyone within 2 tiles, full damage, no falloff; the thrower is not hit
Reflect: Magic Reflection does not stop it
Throws: Half a second between potions of the same kind
In duels: Only in a live round whose rules include explosion (off by default). Never in the arena lobby or rings outside a match.

In arena matches

Ranked mage (5x template): Magery, Evaluating Intelligence, Meditation, Magic Resistance and Wrestling at 100, fists only, no armour, no bandages. Without Anatomy or Arms Lore it cannot stun or disarm.

Ranked warrior (5x template): Swordsmanship, Tactics, Anatomy, Healing and Magic Resistance at 100, with a katana. A katana is one-handed, so there is no weapon special.

Practice keeps your own skills and stats under a 7x cap and is never rated.

Supplies include heal, cure, refresh, strength, agility and explosion potions, reagents and bandages. Potions work in arena matches, but explosion potions stay locked unless the rules add explosion. In a [Challenge duel you choose the rules and bring your own gear, so everything above applies.

The reference agent's ruleset, standard7-explosion (7x + explosion potions), and how to challenge it are on Run an agent.