This year's New York Comic Con sums up its policy on weapons with one sentence in its final paragraph: "Basically, don't be an idiot." Sounds good, but in every crowd of 80,000, there are going to be a few idiots. That's even if the crowd is not going to include people hoping to snag a prize for Most Realistic Orc. With that in mind, the con elaborates on its one-sentence credo, helping fans walk the line between costuming and felony weapons possession.

If you're looking to make, buy, sell, or just carry a crossbow at the con, take a look below to see what's allowed. Do it. The weekend pass you save might be your own.The first thing banned is 'functional firearms,' so please don't tuck anything into the waistline of your sweatpants. Paintball and pellet guns are out, but so are cap guns and air soft rifles. No Nerf darts on site. In fact, any projectile flying around the con floor had better have been thrown, not shot. (Note: Don't throw things around the floor. Especially wet things. Getting hit by such a thing is just... unnerving.)

The weapons policy site has a list of banned projectile weapons which includes both long bows and silly string. The con organizers also seem to share my distaste for being randomly wetted down, because water balloons are also out.

Explosives and chemical weapons (They list mace and pepper spray, but not chlorine gas, which I think is a dangerous oversight) are understandably banned, as is anything made out of metal, glass or hard plastic. No solid plastic nunchaku or brass knuckles.

Prop weapons are allowed, but only if they can both do less damage and look less intimidating than the convention center food (rimshot). Cardboard and foam are on the list of approved materials, so if you're going to be carrying a longbow it had best be made out of melted-together packing peanuts.

Those of you looking to buy weapons on the floor will find some, but may want to wait until the end of the day to buy them. Only unrealistic blasters and orange-capped replica guns are on sale. Vendors can sell real swords, but the moment money changes hands, they're going to be sealed up in a box, never to see the inside of the convention center again.

The NYCC is going to be a peaceful gathering, made up of fans of all stripes, coming together to appreciate what they love most. No one should have to worry about their safety of comfort inside of the convention center walls. So please, keep the throwing-star-filled, light-saber-lit, ninja-pirate-elf riots to streets outside the building. Some people just want to get to their panels on time.

[Assistant Editor's Note: Listen to Esther, we totally have to get to panels on time!]

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