So let's see how these rules look for you.
-Eight entries.
-Encounters are 2 vs 2. The couples are decided randomly and then the players (if they want) can find an agreement on the thread, or privately if they want to keep the secret.
-Lvl 16
-22 pb
-standard wealth and items(one magic item of level +1, one of your level, one of your level -1, and wealth equal to the price of a level -1 item)
-Each character can only use up to two consumables per encounter. It is allowed, however, to buy more to use in subsequent encounters.
-Available sources: PHb, FGRG, PHb2, AV, Manual of the Planes, no races from the MM, no playtest or preview material. Dragon is available as a source for expanded races and classes.
-Some options may be disallowed.
The rules:
-Competitors are coupled randomly.
-There will be four different arenas; you won't know in advance where you'll fight; there might be traps, obstacles or monsters; the arena for the final will be chosen randomly between these two.You won't be able to escape the arena so that is not an option.
-You will have a short rest after each fight.
-You win if your opponents:
* surrender
* die
* fall unconsciou on their turn due to reaching 0 hp and you can attack them on your subsequent turn
* fall unconscious during your turn due to reaching 0 hp and fail a death saving throw on their subsequent turn
-The fight continues if:
*An unconscious competitor manages to recover from the uncoscious condition
*An uncoscious competitor fails to recover, but the opponents are unable to attack him (example: they are immobilized and only have melee attacks)
-You can have one item or weapon ready at the start of the battle. Well, except for shields, that'd be unfair. So yeah, for example you can have a sword and a shield readied without needing an action, but you'd have to spend one to take a potion out.
-Spending action points is not allowed. You can, however, spend action points to activate certain abilities that require the expenditure (like the bonus damage of a warpriest or the dmg resistance of a dreadnought).
[sblock=House rules]-Stealth:
*You can hide with simple cover, albeit at a -2 penalty on your stealth check.You can't hide on subsequent turns in the same spot with simple cover if you have become visible.
*You can't hide with light concealment, but concealments from different sources stack.
-Double Weapons:
*Double weapons lose the defensive property
*Double swords lose the light blade type
-Battlerage Vigor:
*You can only gain temp hp from being damaged once per round.[/sblock]