What is a Nerf War?
A Nerf battle is a thrilling game played between two or more teams of players.
The objective is to outscore the opposing team by earning points or capturing resources.
Nerf wars can take place in various settings, such as backyards, city streets, forests, playgrounds, and indoor Nerf arenas.
While there are no official rules set in stone for Nerf gun battles, players often agree on guidelines to ensure fair play and clarity.
These Nerf war rules help maintain balance and keep the game enjoyable for all participants.
When it comes to Nerf battles, there are no limits. It’s easy to have fun.
If you want to compete with your friends, workmates, relatives, or classmates for victory, respect, and boasting privileges, Nerf battles are a great way for kids and grown-ups to let out their inner child.
Usually, the rules of Nerf battles change based on the game version you choose to play.
If everyone agrees to add or remove a specific rule, it can be done. In the end, you get to decide the rules of the game! But, there are some common rules and polite habits that people in the Nerf battle community like to stick to.
Safety Rules
Safety is the most crucial part of a Nerf battle. Nerf wars are for friendly rivalry, exciting strategy games, and having a good time. Nerf wars are not for getting badly hurt or going to the hospital. Safety rules are the most important Nerf battle rules and should be followed carefully so that everyone can enjoy themselves.
- No physical contact. The first safety rule is one of the most critical. There is no hitting, kicking, pushing, pulling, wrestling, or physical attacking allowed in Nerf battles. The only physical contact that should happen with another player is tapping, which is used to get someone “out”, to “revive” someone, or to rescue them from being a hostage.
- No intentional face shots. We understand that sometimes you accidentally hit the face, and that’s okay. As long as you’re not purposely aiming right between the eyes, you can simply say sorry for a face shot and continue playing.
- Always wear eye protection. During your Nerf battle games, it’s important to keep your protective eyewear on at all times. This can keep you safe from those accidental face shots from the other team and help you avoid getting penalties.
- The use of melee weapons is not allowed, you may only tap. Do not strike. Most Nerf battles don’t allow the use of melee weapons. But, if you do end up in a Nerf battle that includes swords and other melee items, remember to gently tap instead of swinging when hitting an enemy. Other safety rules include the use of modified weapons. In some games, modified blasters will be permitted. However, in all standard stock games, modified guns are not allowed. You must only use the standard Nerf stock weapons.
Combat Rules
Combat rules include safety rules and are closely related to the directions for each game or match. While combat rules may be different for your team, there is a common way of doing things that makes it much simpler to organize a battle:
- Do not leave the base until the main whistle blows. There is a warning whistle about 30 seconds before the main whistle, which can let you enter the battle.
- Play fairly. If you get hit, that means you’re dead or hurt. Be sure to play honestly and fall down if you do get hit.
- Players choose how many hits to take before being called “out”. In a usual Nerf battle, players can only get hit once before they are out. When a player is out, they must go back to the base to respawn, or they can lay on the ground and wait until a teammate revives them by tapping their body with their hand. A player’s ability to respawn or be revived by a teammate depends on how many lives they have. The number of lives is usually decided before the game.
- Other rules can be set. Before the battle starts, your team and the other team can talk about a special set of rules to use. If you want, you can let players use modified Nerf weapons, melee weapons, or more. Or, you can greatly limit the weapon choices to make it a much harder battle.
- Hits to the head and chest count as kills. Hits in all other places, like the arms, legs, or side, count as wounds but not deaths.
- If you die on your last life, you must quit the game. This means putting down your weapon and your bullets on the ground, and leaving the playing area as quickly as you can.
- Teams can be unequal. Usually, the number of people on each team is the same; however, teams can be unequal based on skill. Most Nerf battlers prefer to balance teams based on ability and player skill rather than just the number of players. By playing honestly, everyone can have a smooth Nerf battle. It’s never fun being the one to get hit, but the deaths and lives system is what helps the teams figure out who wins.
Equipment Rules
- Don’t use broken darts. Broken darts will get stuck in your gun. It’s better to leave a broken dart on the ground.
- Do not toss darts. Nerf darts are designed to be put into your gun and should be treated like real bullets. They can’t be thrown.
- Try not to break the darts. You should avoid stepping on, cramming, or roughly handling darts. They break easily.
General Rules
- In general, there are a set of rules that should always be followed when setting up guidelines:
- Only Nerf guns may be used. No water guns or other playthings.
- Do not throw or drop guns. Nerf guns can break easily!
- You can take dead soldier’s weapons and bullets, but not their special weapons. After the battle is over, all weapons must be given back to their owners or the place where you’re playing.
- No going outside of battle areas. This applies to any type of Nerf war game. By following the rules of honor, safety, combat, and equipment, you can be on your way to having a smooth and enjoyable Nerf war experience. Knowing Nerf war rules can help you figure out what kind of Nerf battle you want to have. Apart from the safety rules and general rules, these rules can be changed or adjusted based on what you and your team agree on.
Nerf War Game Ideas
Most of these game types are designed for a war with two teams. You can always add more teams to make the battle more varied and difficult. Rules can be changed as you practice and get better.
- Attack and defend. This easy match mode needs one group of players to protect a chosen base or point, while the other team tries to take it over. Usually, this game type has a time limit, giving an extra thrill to players who have to rush to the end. If the defending team keeps defending the point until the time runs out, they win. If the attacking team takes the point and is holding it when time runs out, they win.
- Capture the flag. Capture the flag gives players an extra goal. Each team gets a colored flag, which is put on their side of the field. The goal is to protect their own flag while also trying to capture and take the enemy’s flag. The first team to capture the other team’s flag a certain number of times (usually once) is the team that wins.
- Hostage. This is an extremely exciting match option for those who want to take their Nerf battles to the next level. Each team gets an unarmed player to be the hostage, who will be hidden at the enemy’s base. The opposing team must successfully rescue their hostage within a certain time limit to win. The hostage can’t move until one of the friendly players taps them with their hand.
- Team Deathmatch. Deathmatch is one of the most popular – if not the most popular – types of Nerf battles. This is a normal combat match, where players must simply tag out the enemy team and take them down before they are taken down themselves. Each team has a certain number of tags, or “deaths”, until they are out for good. The last team with any remaining players wins the match.
- Hide and seek. This is another popular Nerf war version. In hide and seek, one team gets a head-start to go and hide. This match works best in a city or wooded area. The opposing team, also called the “seekers”, must find all of the enemy team members and tag them to get them out. The hiding team also has the chance to tag out the seeking team as well. The team with the last untagged person left wins the match.
- Control points. Like “attack and defend”, the control points Nerf war match adds a fun challenge to the game. There are a set number of points placed around the field, and the teams must fight each other to take control of these points. To capture a point, a player must stand next to the point and count to a certain number, usually 10 or 15, to capture it. If the player counts to the number without being attacked or tagged, they can then switch the control point’s colors with their own team’s colors. The first team to capture the other team’s home base wins the challenge.
- Assassin. In an assassin game, each team picks one player as the “target”, who can only carry a single shot blaster. That player’s team acts as the guards, with the other team becoming the assassins. Guards can take hits for the target as the assassins try to destroy them. After a certain amount of time, the target can escape, which ends the game.
- Hunger Games. Similar to the popular novel, this game divides players into two teams. All weapons and ammo are placed in a heap at the center of the playing area. Players start at an equal distance from each other and the heap. When the game begins, players rush to grab their weapons in this intense clash.
- Civil War. In a Civil War match, only single-shot blasters are permitted. Both teams start facing each other in a straight line when the game begins. If a player is hit in the arm, they can’t use that arm. If they lose both arms or legs, they must crawl on their knees or “die” for the rest of the game.
- Humans vs. Zombies. In this match, one team becomes the humans, armed with Nerf weapons, while the other team becomes the zombies, who can’t use any weapons. Humans touched by zombies turn into zombies. The humans win if all zombies are eliminated, and the zombies win if all humans are turned.
- Anarchy. Anarchy is one of the oldest Nerf war game types still played. The game involves multiple teams of two players each, battling to be the last team standing. Players are out with a single hit.
- Hunter. This is a solo-based Nerf war game. One player becomes the “hunter” with just a blaster. The other players must avoid being tagged or hit by the hunter. When a player is tagged, they become the new hunter. The player who lasts the longest without being tagged wins.
- Regicide. This popular Nerf war game is inspired by the match type from the Halo video game series. One player on each team becomes the “king”, given a large blaster and a unique badge. The team that tags out the other team’s king first wins.
- Deathmatch. This is another solo-based Nerf game. It’s a full-on battle with no special rules or designated players. The last player standing wins.
- Alliance. In an alliance match, a non-player hides all equipment. Players are then sent to find and collect the equipment. During the game, players are urged to form alliances. These alliances can’t be broken or betrayed, or the player is out. The maximum number of players in an alliance is three. An alliance can only break if the members are the last ones standing. The last player alive wins.
- Standoff. A standoff is a classic Western-themed match. Players can only use single-shot blasters. All players are assigned a spot to stand and can’t move from it. The blasters start empty, and when the game begins, players must do one of three things: “Fire”, taking a single shot at an opponent; “Block”, crossing their arms over their chest to protect from hits; or “Reload”, reloading after taking a shot. They must reload before shooting again. Every time a player is out, the remaining players move closer to each other. The last one standing wins.
- Showdown. Players are assigned a spot to stand in. After the game begins, players must stay on their spots. They can duck, jump, and more, but can’t move from their assigned spot. Once they are hit or run out of ammo, they are out and must be eliminated. The player with the most tags, once all players are out, is the winner.