A lot of what you will read about the NERO rules may be confusing; there seems to be a lot of rules, and they all rely on each other to a degree that understanding one makes no sense until you understand the other - but how can you do both at the same time?

Don't be discouraged. It's really a lot easier than it seems.

Here is a very basic overview to get you started:

You, the player, will be portraying a character for the duration of the event. Your character has certain skills. Some of these are usable constantly (such as your skill with a specific weapon) and some are usable only once a day (like the ability to cast a spell). In order to learn more skills, you will have to gain experience.

Just for attending an event, you will receive a base amount of experience. You can then double that by turning in game money that your character has earned, stolen, or found.

These Experience Points (XP) are then transferred into Build Points (BP). Build Points are what you use to "build" your character and buy new skills. The rate of XP needed to turn into BP changes as you get more powerful and gain levels [of experience]. The higher level your character, the more Body Points you will have.

You will also get Armor Points based on what type of armor you are wearing. Some skills in Wildlands give you Armor Points even if you're not physically wearing armor.

Your character also has a specific class which determines how much BP has to be spent for each skill. This way, you can choose to be a specialist or a jack-of-all-trades.

Your character also is of a specific race, such as human, elf, or dwarf. Each race has its advantages and disadvantages.

Sometimes you will get into battles. When swinging a weapon, you will call out a number which represents the amount of damage your weapon causes your opponent. A standard longsword does 2 points of damage. When you get hit, you will subtract the damage from your Armor Points and your Body Points until you are at zero or below. Your opponent will do the same.

Magical spells may be cast during battles, and they can affect the battle in many ways. You need to know the spells in order to get the most out of your NERO experience. Spells are represented by small beanbags filled with birdseed. You must say the special words associate with the spell (such as "I call forth a flame bolt!") and hit your target with the beanbag for the spell to work. The links provided on this page will lead you to more information about each subject. You should be familiar with all these aspects of the Wildlands system before coming to a game - but don't worry. Your fellow players and the volunteers and Campaign Committee will be more than happy to help you out when you need it, and answer any questions you may have.