- BrakeA mid-scene safety call that signals 'slow down or ease back' without ending the scene, useful for new and experienced players alike.
- ClarifyThe Clarify call lets any player step briefly out of the fiction to ask a rules or situation question without breaking the game for everyone else.
- CutThe Cut call lets any player stop a scene immediately and without explanation, making it a core safety tool in many larps.
- Damage callsA beginner's guide to damage calls in LARP combat — shouting a number or keyword when you strike so everyone knows the effect.
- HoldA Hold is a call that freezes all action immediately, used when a real-world safety concern needs to be handled before play continues.
- Lay onA quick guide to the 'Lay on' call for new LARP players: what it signals, how it is used, and why following your game's own rules matters.
- LookdownA quick guide to the Lookdown call for new larpers: how covering your eyes or a hand gesture signals you need a moment outside the scene.
- Man downA safety call shouted when someone is genuinely hurt at a larp event, pausing all play so organisers and first-aiders can reach them.
- Off-game hand signA quick guide to off-game hand signs for new larpers, explaining what they mean and why every game's safety brief is the authority on which sign to use.
- OK check-inA quiet hand signal used mid-scene to check whether a player is doing well, answered with a thumbs-up, flat hand, or thumbs-down.
- Tap outA quick physical signal, usually two taps on your own body or a surface, that lets a player leave a scene straight away without explanation.
- Time in and time outA quick guide to the 'Time In' and 'Time Out' calls that start and pause play at boffer campaign larps, written for first-time players.
LARP · Calls & mechanics
Forms of larp, calls, safety, kit and the games themselves, for live-action play.
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