TEXT: Siegeball
  I
  t's time we talk about Siegeball. People in every
  campaign world need some form of recreational past
  time, apart from killing monsters and going on
  quests, of course. Siegeball, a concept I stole /tg/
  (read about it here), was my go-to for campaigns set
  in 3.5. It's fun, violent, complements all kinds of
  characters, and makes clever use of existing game
  mechanics. However, the sport sorely needed an update for
  5th edition, so I've taken it upon myself to simplify the sport a
  little and convert it over.
  The Game
  Siegeball is a game played between two teams of five players
  each. Each team has a tower to defend from the other team.
  Players can't attack the towers directly, however. Instead,
  there is a single ball which can be used to knock down the
  towers. A team loses when their tower falls.
  The Arena
  The game is played in a walled rectangular arena. Normally,
  this arena is 140 feet long by 45 feet wide (28 squares by 9
  squares), though arenas of all sizes and shapes exist. Each
  team's tower, a 5-foot dimeter pillar made of wood or loose
  stone, is set up 10 feet from each end of the arena
  lengthwise. Towers have 25 hit points and can only be
  damaged by the impact of the ball.
  The Ball
  Central to the game of siegeball is the ball, an especially
  dense sphere of solid rubber or wrapped leather that is
  pursued by the players. The ball is astoundingly heavy, and
  players move it by attacking it. Though in some places,
  players strike the ball with their hands or fists, usually players
  are given bats (which use the statistics of a club), or even
  more powerful melee weapons, like warhammers and mauls.
  The ball has an AC of 8 and a pool of Momentum Points,
  which determine how fast it's moving.
  Attacking the Ball. When you attack the ball, you can
  choose to hit it in one of the eight cardinal directions. On a
  hit, the ball gains a number of momentum points equal to half
  the damage dealt to it, rounded down. The ball moves five
  feet in the chosen direction for each momentum point it has.
  As it moves, the ball subtracts one momentum point for each
  five feet it moves until it stops.
  The ball can collide with wall, objects, or towers.
  Colliding with a Wall. If the ball collides with a wall, it
  bounces off at an angle corresponding to its direction and
  continues to move until it stops.
  Colliding with a Player. You can use your reaction to hit
  the ball if it collides with you. To do so, make an attack roll
  targeting the ball. While moving, the ball has a bonus to its
  AC equal to its current momentum points. On a hit, roll
  damage as normal, remove the ball's current momentum
  points, and send it in a new direction. If you miss, the ball hits
  you, and you take damage equal to twice the ball's current
  momentum points and are knocked prone.
  If you do not use your reaction to stop the ball, it rolls past
  you.
  Colliding with a Tower. If the ball collides with a tower, it
  deals damage to the tower equal to the twice the ball's
  current momentum points and then stops.
  Playing the Game
  The game begins with a tip-off in the center of the arena. A
  player from each team makes an attack roll against the ball.
  The player with the higher attack roll successfully attacks the
  ball. Players begin within 10 feet and 30 feet of the ball, but
  need not begin on their own side.
  Players act in initiative order. If preferable, the DM can
  choose for the teams to take turns acting, instead of keeping
  track of the players individually. The game ends when a tower
  is reduced to 0 hp.
  Siegeball is a widely-played sport and the exact rules and
  standards change wherever the game is played. The only
  concrete rule of Siegeball is not to attack your opponent's
  tower directly. In most arenas, using magic and attacking
  players directly are also considered cheating (though this
  doesn't stop some witches and wizards from influencing the
  games anyway). However, other behaviors, like shoving
  opposing players or kicking dirt into their eyes, is tolerated
  and sometimes even encouraged.
  In seedier games, Siegeball is a violent, high-stakes
  competition. with spellcasters on both sides attempting to
  secretly fix the game for their side, while the players try to
  disguise outright attacks on their opponents as legitimate
  maneuvers. Bets on Siegeball range from a few silver pieces
  to bags of gold, and games are particularly cut-throat when
  fortunes are on the line.
  
  Other Siegeball Actions
  In addition to attacking, dodging, shoving, and dashing, (and
  occasionally using an item forbidden by the referees), there
  are a few special actions that players of a siegeball game
  might take.
  Attack a Player (Illegally). In the most disreputable
  games, direct assaults on other players is not only allowed,
  it's encouraged. In most games, however, an attack can only
  be made when the referee isn't looking. When you make an
  attack on a creature in an arena that doesn't allow direct
  attacks, make a Dexterity (Stealth) check or a Charisma
  (Deception) check, contested by the referee's passive
  Perception score. On a success, you attack the player without
  consequence. On a failure, you are removed from the game
  for the following round, and reenter the game on a side of the
  arena near your tower.
  Shove actions do not incur a penalty.
  Block. You dig in your heels and hold your ground. You
  have advantage on any ability check or saving throw you
  make to resist being moved against your will, and you can use
  your reaction to attack any ball that moves within 5 feet of
  you. Additionally, if the ball is within 5 feet of you, other
  creatures have disadvantage on attack rolls against it.
  Cast a Spell (Illegally). In very high society (especially
  elven society) certain types of more civilized magic might be
  allowed in siegeball games, but the vast majority of games,
  any arcana is paramount to cheating. When you cast a spell in
  an arena that doesn't allow magic, you can make a Dexterity
  (Stealth) check or a Charisma (Deception) check, contested
  by the referee's passive Perception score. This roll has
  advantage if the target is within 5 feet of you, the effect of the
  spell doesn't include any large audio or visual cues (like
  certain illusion spells, or spells like gust of wind), or the spell
  is cast with the sorcerer's Subtle Spell Metamagic. It has
  disadvantage if the target of the spell is more than 5 feet away
  from you, or if the effect of the spell has obvious audio or
  visual effects. On a success, you cast the spell without
  consequence. On a failure, you are removed from the game
  for the following round, and reenter the game on a side of the
  arena near your tower.
  Inborn magical abilities like a dragonborn's Breath Weapon
  may or may not count as magic, at the referee's discretion.
  Follow. When you take this action, choose a creature you
  can see within 10 feet of you. When that creature moves, you
  attempt to follow behind it, moving up to your base speed,
  while remaining the same distance between yourself and the
  lead creature for the entire duration of the movement.
  Retire. When you take this action, you remove yourself
  from the field and sit out the rest of the game. This may be
  useful to free yourself from danger, but you can no longer
  help your team.
  Tackle. Performing a tackle is a special variant of shoving
  a creature. You have advantage on a Strength (Athletics)
  check contested by the target’s Strength (Athletics) or
  Dexterity (Acrobatics) check (the target chooses the ability to
  use). On a success, you and the target are knocked prone in
  the target's space.
  Arena Rules
  Different siegeball arenas impose different restrictions on the
  games they hold, ranging from so-called underground arenas,
  where blood is more important than sport, to the mainstream
  arenas, which are funded by kings or other nobility, and thus
  impose fairly civilized rules.
  The following are some of restrictions that an arena might
  impose on the game:
  Everything Goes. Magic, deadly weapons, direct attacks
  on players, and even murder is all allowed in this game.
  Arenas that play with these rules are typically deemed Blood
  Arenas by spectators, and their players (which are paid
  handsomely for surviving) are more like gladiators than
  professional athletes. Expect these arenas in drow cities, and
  other evil locales.
  Everything Goes (Limited). Magic and direct attacks on
  other players are allowed, but only conventional siegeball
  weapons are allowed, and outright murder disqualifies a
  team. These rules are typically held in run-down arenas in
  less prosperous cities (where new siegeball teams might just
  get their start.)
  All Weapons. Weapons of any variety can be used in this
  game, up to and including massive warhammers and
  greatswords, but no magic of any sort is allowed. Towers have
  twice the HP in this game. Attacks against other players and
  illegal magic are penalized by removing the offending players
  from the field. The entire team is disqualified if its players are
  removed from the field three times for breaking the rules, or
  if one of its players outright kills a member of the other team.
  This variant of the rules is similar to the conventional rules,
  but allows for spectacular and dangerous weapons (and, of
  course, more deadly "accidents"). Particularly ravenous
  crowds flock to these games for the fleeting chance of
  watching blood being spilled.
  Limited Magic. Some spells, specifically those which do
  not directly deal damage to members of the other team, are
  allowed and allowed. At least one player on each team is
  encouraged to know the spells dispel magic and counterspell.
  Attacks against other players and illegal magic are penalized
  by removing the offending players from the field. The entire
  team is disqualified if its players are removed from the field
  three times for breaking the rules, or if one of its players
  outright kills a member of the other team. Teleporting
  another player mid-game across the continent, however, is
  allowed.
  These rules are more common where magic is viewed
  more favorably as a civilized art, rather than as the trickery of
  elves and witches. Though the spectators might seem more
  refined at first glance, they are just as ravenous for the blood
  and conflict of a good siegeball game.
  Conventional. Only conventional siegeball weapons are
  allowed in this game, and all magic is disallowed. Attacks
  against other players and illegal magic are penalized by
  removing the offending players from the field. The entire
  team is disqualified if its players are removed from the field
  three times for breaking the rules, or if one of its players
  outright kills a member of the other team.
  This is the dominant system of rules for the game,
  practiced in the most prominent siegeball arenas.
  
  Siegeball Tournaments
  T
  hough individual, one-off siegeball games are
  held regularly, there's nothing so spectacular
  as a tournament: the thrill of rising to the top,
  the sting of defeat, and the lure of a grand
  prize and lasting glory. Few other things bring
  out spectators and players alike in droves. The
  grandeur of such tournaments is integral to
  siegeball on a grand scale, as they bring far-flung teams
  together, expand the sport's scope to a national scale, and
  unite players and spectators in a single, [grand] competition.
  Setting up a Tournament
  Though tournaments are the lifeblood of career siegeball
  teams, there exists no one perfect way of conducting them.
  Each method of arranging a tournament has radical pros and
  cons, though most attempt to strike a balance between
  audience tension and accurate assessment of skill. The
  following tournament designs are often used for siegeball:
  Single Elimination
  By far the simplest and shortest tournament is the single-
  elimination bracket. In this tournament, teams are randomly
  paired off on a pyramid, and losers are eliminated from the
  tournament. Winners advance to the next round until only
  one team remains.
  Though this tournament's design is attractive due to its
  simplicity, it suffers from some limitations. When spectators
  follow only a single team, they are unlikely to return after
  their team is eliminated; a result that is extremely likely when
  half of the competing teams are eliminated every round. Also,
  skilled teams can be eliminated early after only a single bad
  match, leading to upsets where the players blame the loss of
  an entire tournament on a single bad play or referee call.
  Despite its drawbacks, single elimination tournaments
  remain the favorite among orcish and goblinoid teams,
  perhaps because it doesn't hinder a tournament's progression
  if a half of a losing team is killed over the course of a game.
  Double Elimination
  A popular alternative to the single elimination tournament is
  the double elimination. This bracket proceeds like the single
  elimination bracket, except that losers are added to a loser's
  bracket, where they compete against each other. The final
  team remaining in the loser's bracket goes on to play the
  victor of the winner's bracket in the finals. This design
  ensures that teams play at least two games each, and that a
  single poor game doesn't condemn an otherwise superlative
  team.
  Multilevel
  A natural extension to the double elimination design,
  multilevel tournaments begin with all contending teams at
  the same "level", with a tournament score equal to the
  number of contending teams. A team gains one point on a
  victory, and loses one point on a defeat, and plays only other
  teams with the same tournament score as themselves,
  continuing until no two teams are on the same level (or until
  only one team is the victor, depending on the specific rules.)
  This design ensures that competitors play a roughly equal
  number of games, and that a maximum number of
  competitions happen at one time. Additionally, it's likely that
  teams will be more evenly matched for skill after a few
  rounds.
  Round-Robin
  In a round-robin game, each competing team plays each
  other in sequence; the team with the greatest number of
  victories wins, or goes to a tie-breaker game. This is easily
  the fairest way of determining a victor, since every possible
  matchup in a tournament is played out, but it has yet to catch
  on in the national siegeball stage. Part of the reason might be
  that players are accustomed to the thrill of elimination, and
  the natural progression of more skilled teams matching
  against one another as the brackets become smaller.
  Whatever the reason, few leagues (except for elven leagues)
  employ this type of tournament.
  
  Siegeball Championship
  The annual Siegeball Championship League, held for the
  better part of a millennium, enjoys the largest scale and most
  prestigious prizes of any siegeball tournament. Taking part
  over a season, its athletes travel from city to city, competing in
  matches to separate the wheat from the chaff.
  At its conclusion, only one team may win the Siegebowl,
  and claim its grand prize (normally an impressive quantity of
  gold). Perhaps more importantly, Championship victors claim
  legendary sports status for all time, and are enshrined in the
  Hall of Victors, an immortal dedication to champions
  throughout the ages.
  The Championship is a double-elimination competition,
  and every competing team must play one home game and one
  away game. Contending teams are selected by the
  Championship Committee, the presiding board of regulators
  and referees, and also must pay a hefty entry fee to compete.
  Though entry fees might pose an obstacle for upstart teams,
  they rarely present an obstacle to national contenders, which
  compete yearly.
  Prizes
  Few games are played exclusively for bragging rights and
  notoriety; tournaments run on their prizes. Large, enticing
  awards for winning teams fuels an entire industry of talent
  scouts, coaches, and arena owners, from the smallest games
  to the largest championships. Every player dreams of glory,
  but earning huge prize is a close second.
  Of course, not all prizes are silver and gold. Siegeball
  tournaments give out a huge variety of prizes, some of which
  are detailed here:
  Trophies
  Most large, official tournament tournaments give out a trophy
  of some variety to the winning team. The classic trophy is a
  gold chalice with a marble base, engraved with the
  tournament's name and year. Other might include medals,
  rings, or ribbons, depending on the tournament. The best of
  teams collect these trophies and display them as badges of
  honor, but ultimately, they're fairly token. Nearly every trophy
  is awarded alongside a cash prize, which coaches and team
  owners view as far more substantial.
  Cash Prizes
  The actual value of cash prizes might vary, but they generally
  grow (exceptionally, in fact) with the glamor and prestige of
  the tournament awarding them. Typical first-place prizes are
  listed on the cash prizes table below. Often, a second-place
  prize equal to half the value of the first-place prize is awarded
  to the runner up team.
  Level
  GP
  1st-4th
  2,000
  5th-10th
  5,000
  11th-16th
  10,000
  17th-20th
  40,000
  Valuable Items
  Other valuable items, equivalent in value to cash prize, might
  be awarded instead. Anything from magic items, to priceless
  treasures donated from the king's coffers, to entire keeps or
  tracks of land could be at stake for the winning team. It is
  assumed that such prizes will probably be sold (at least in
  part, if the prize in question can be divided) to pay the team,
  the coach, and the arena owner sponsoring the team. Other
  items, like artifacts, might be powerful enough that the fate of
  many innocents might rely on the winner of the tournament.
  Though such awards might seem extremely foolhardy, they're
  not uncommon among the elves, who appreciate the
  dramatics.
  Siege-Ball Alynnya by CallMePlisskin
  
  Tournaments as Campaigns
  O
  ne of the more obvious uses for a siegeball
  tournament is as a wrapper for an entire
  campaign, as the two match exceedingly well.
  Campaigns involving siegeball feel very
  different depending on the party's level,
  adopting different themes, goals, and villains
  as the party progresses. This section will cover
  three different types of siegeball tournament campaigns:
  Low Level Campaigns
  Before 5th level, siegeball campaigns are bound to be gritty
  affairs of underground tournaments taking place in
  dangerous arenas. Until the party achieves enough notoriety
  to be noticed by a siegeball scout, every day is a struggle for
  survival. Brutal enemy teams leave them battered and bruised
  after every game, and lethal weapons like warhammers are
  brought in regularly. Each game risks life and death, in
  addition to lifechanging glory.
  The party's coach (or owner, as the case may be) will likely
  be an antagonist in this type of campaign, acting as a driving
  force to push the party toward ever more dangerous games,
  while paying them as little as possible, and making escape
  impossible. The coach is more obsessed with money than
  safety, and may even place bets against the party in their most
  perilous games.
  The competitors at this level are a combination of the
  underprivileged athletes with big dreams and criminally
  violent players that could never advance higher in the game,
  due to their contempt for authority. A team made exclusive of
  this latter group might not fare well against the party in
  winning a game of siegeball, but could easily kill one of them
  mid-game.
  Medium Level Campaigns
  When the party finally attains a modicum of success in the
  underground siegeball arenas, they'll likely be spotted by a
  siegeball recruiter for a medium or large city and be signed
  on a long-term contract. Right away, they'll be gifted new
  uniforms and equipment, and will be placed in a tournament
  against vastly more professional teams. With enough skill
  and daring, the party might rise to the top of their first
  professional siegeball tournament to become the underdogs
  with a shot at the top.
  Traveling from city to city for siegeball games gives the
  party a chance to explore the campaign world, and opens up
  possibilities for roadside encounters and diversions from the
  main tournament. Any distraction that seriously injures a
  party member or delays the party from reaching the stadium
  in time could endanger their careers as well, so even
  sidequests have a measure of potential risk.
  At this level of the campaign, the ruthlessly competitive
  opposing teams will rise to become the chief antagonists.
  This is a great place to insert an experienced rival team who
  are favored to win the tournament as a foil to the party's
  underdog standing. Other interesting teams with strong
  gimmicks are key to pad out the tournament before the final
  game.
  Of course, it's possible that the party might find interesting
  offers coming in from private siegeball arrangements, where
  'no rules' games are played behind closed doors for a selected
  audience. These games are clearly unsafe, and those
  arranging them seem very suspect, but the lavish pay is
  enticing nonetheless.
  Lastly, this period of the campaign sees the party achieving
  their first real fame: they'll be recognized on the street and be
  asked to sign autographs by die-hard siegeball fans. They're
  not going to be mobbed by the adoring public quite yet, but
  this might nonetheless go to their heads.
  
  High Level Campaigns
  At the highest level campaigns, the party, who have been
  playing professional siegeball for some time, is selected by
  the Championship Committee for inclusion in the Siegeball
  Championship, the most prestigious tournament anywhere.
  This is a make-or-break moment in their careers -- a single
  shot at legendary status.
  The first obstacle is not the tournament itself, but the steep
  entry fee. The party might have to sell most of their
  belongings or accept a dangerous loan to compete. Whatever
  solution they find, a lot will be riding on them winning a cash
  prize in the Championship.
  When the tournament begins in earnest, the party will
  compete against the most experienced teams in the world,
  each of which desperately wants to win the tournament. Each
  game will be a nail-biting struggle of wills, and the party will
  need every trick they know to succeed.
  Additionally, the Championship tends to attract contenders
  from much further afield, including a host of non-humanoid
  teams. Teams of djinni and efreeti travel from the Elemental
  Planes to compete, and a team of driders always rises from to
  represent the underworld in the competition. Sahuagin,
  lizardfolk, and fey creatures like satyrs all travel from their
  homelands to compete. Sometimes, even a duo of giants
  enter the competition, wielding a siege club in each hand.
  Between games is a long, nervous period of 
  practice matches, punctuated by intrigue. Large 
  conspiracies surround the Championship, from 
  hazardous, illegal drugs being taken by other 
  players to enhance their speed and strength, to 
  sinister donors that have entered new teams in 
  the tournament for mysterious reasons, to 
  plots to sabotage the party's chances of 
  victory. If the party wants any chance of 
  winning, investigating and 
  exposing these schemes is 
  critical.
  At this stage of the 
  campaign, the party 
  can be considered superstars. 
  Ordinary people get starstruck 
  around them (even those who 
  don't follow siegeball), and they 
  find it hard to push through 
  crowds before games. While this 
  makes covert activity difficult, it also 
  means that common folks will probably 
  help the party in small ways if asked.
  Blood Bowl by Marcello Baldari
  
  Siegeball Equipment
  Armor
  Armor
  Name
  Cost
  Armor Class (AC)
  Stength
  Stealth
  Weight
  Light Armor
       Siegeball Gear
  25 gp 12 + Dexterity modifier
  -
  -
  12 lb.
  Medium Armor
       Padded Siegeball Gear
  50 gp 14 + Dexterity modifier (max 2 )
  -
  -
  18 lb.
  Heavy Armor
       Spiked Gear
  75 gp 16
  Str 13
  Disadvantage
  35 lb.
  B
  ecause siegeball is a full-contact sport, most
  athletes rely on sturdy, dependable gear to
  achieve a long career. The specifics of siegeball
  gear may vary, but all are designed from the
  same framework as conventional armor, fitting
  hardened leather and metal plates strategically
  to mitigate impact. Chiefly, however, siegeball
  gear places in importance on mobility, and so tends to be
  lighter and more flexible van contemporary armor, if not less
  protective.
  Armor Descriptions
  The following are used almost exclusively in games of
  siegeball.
  Siegeball Gear. This set of leather equipment, which
  includes a padded helmet, sturdy gloves, elbow and
  kneepads, and a few protective guards, is standard attire for
  most siegeball players. It balances light weight and flexibility
  with some impact resistance, but does little to protect an
  athlete from twisted or overextended joints.
  Spiked Gear. Festooned with iron spikes on its shoulder
  pads, helmets, and kneepads, this siegeball gear is lethal in
  its own right, and is used only in underground arenas. When
  you tackle or are tackled by another creature while wearing
  this armor, you deal piercing damage equal to your Strength
  modifier to that creature.
  Padded Siegeball Gear. With greater padding and
  armored plates protecting the most vital areas, this version of
  siegeball armor trades portability for protection. Heftier
  players, who are more effective using their bodies as
  battering rams, are likely to appreciate the extra protection.
  Blood Bowl by Stefan Kopinski
  
  Weapons
  Weapons
  Name
  Cost
  Damage
  Weight
  Properties
  Simple Weapons
       Siege Baton
  1 gp
  1d4 bludgeoning
  2 lb.
  Finesse, light
       Siege Bat
  2 gp
  1d8 bludgeoning
  3 lb.
  -
  Martial Weapons
       Siege Club
  6 gp
  1d12 bludgeoning
  6 lb.
  Heavy, two-handed
  Other
       Spiked Ball
  2 gp
  -
  4 lb.
  Special
  O
  ne of siegeball's biggest attractions is the
  bewildering variety of weapons used across
  the game. Some variants of the game allow all
  manner of lethal weapons, which increases
  this variety (as well as the danger posed to
  players) tenfold. But even in regulated games,
  where the types of weapons are more strictly
  controlled, siegeball allows for multiple weapon types,
  selected from the following options.
  Weapon Descriptions
  The following weapons are used almost exclusively in games
  of siegeball.
  Siege Baton. A three-foot long cylindrical bat with a short,
  padded handle, the siege baton is the lightest weapon
  allowed in most siegeball games. It is normally favored by
  those dexterous enough to effectively brandish one in each
  hand, allowing them to use both batons to strike the ball at
  once, or to strike the ball twice as often, allowing for greater
  maneuverability across the arena.
  Siege Bat. A cylindrical club exceeding four feet in length,
  with an impressive heft, the siege bat is the standard weapon
  used in siegeball games. Most tournaments have adopted
  standard rules as to a bat's composition, weight, and length,
  with the mass and balance of a bat. Usually, in compliance
  with these rules, a siege bat's weight and balance is
  augmented by a lead mass installed near its far end, where
  the bat is also thicker and reinforced by an iron band.
  Siege Club. A weapon only for the stoutest of athletes, the
  siege club is a two-handed club of immense size and weight.
  Designed with a wedge-shape for both a wide blocking and
  striking surface, almost all siege clubs are designed with a
  lead core running their length to increase their heft. Even
  with a series of iron bands reinforcing it, siege clubs are
  known to smash mid-game under the force of intense strikes
  and powerful blocks.
  Spiked Ball. Though it is less a weapon, and more a piece
  of game equipment, the spiked ball can be lethal all the same.
  Its surface is covered in broad half-inch long metal studs that
  tear up the turf and break bones on impact.
  Special Property
  The spiked siegeball has the following special property:
  Spiked Ball. The spiked siegeball deals double damage to
  creatures it hits.
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Dungeons & Dragons [multi]/5th Edition (5e)/3rd Party/Mage Hand Press/Siegeball.pdf