So iv got a small nugget of a idea for a simple game to mabye practice making just to see if i could. Could someone with 0 idea how to even start make A simple 2d jousting game, possibly with a tournament system. Literally as basic as can be. Only controls would be to click or mabye space bar. Win/loss is dependent on timing.

How complex is this concept and could a total novice actually pull it off?

There is no natural upper limit on what one can achieve. It just needs enough dedication and time from you.

You use the word “simple”, but it's much less simple than you think. The computer literally knows nothing. You have to tell it everything you want to see, and everything what you don't see but must happen (eg ‘decide win/loss’). Eg when something should “move”, you have to program that. If you want win/loss depend on timing, you have to tell it how to do that.

So, it will take time for you to grasp all those things, and make it work. On the other hand, there is the enormous satisfaction when you achieve a mile stone after some struggling with it.

The trick to continue is to make very tiny steps. Split the problem in very small parts (and do try to split further than your first attempt), and do one part at a time. Each part completed is a step in the right direction!