Game Setting Rules
Ok so rules for this setting are not trivial as there are several ways you can play out this setting.
Like the Manga/Anime
So this is where the normal rules for Hero System just aren't adequate for really covering how things work in Dragon Ball. As such you gotta make some concessions on rewards. Simply handing out 1-5 points of XP a session isn't always going to be enough, especially when you see the progression of power that occurs in the series. A lot of that is attributed to just increasing the amount of ki the characters can use, but its also their skill, and general power that is boosted too.
Starting Characters: A character would likely start being built like a normal super hero character of 350 to 400 points. Complications would be about 50pts like normal. Depending on where you want to start things, having characters of 500 or more points would not be an untoward option either. The only variation is that they may need more END to keep pace with the other players and enemies (check below at ki reward about what this entails).
Limits?: None. Characters are like super heroes when they are being built, but it goes a bit more than that. There should be no great balancing between PD/ED and damage output. Having a high PD/ED just means you have to spend more power to do more damage.
Choose a Reward: At the end of a game session allow players should be given some sort of reward.
- XP Reward: A normal xp reward of 1-5pts to be spent on character development. Points spent on END should not be allowed as there is a different option below.
- Ki Reward: Rather than getting a normal amount of xp you can choose to gain a boost in the characters END. This boost should be equal to half of the character's current END score. Recovery remains normal and can be bought up later. This should be an option because of the need to drastically increase END as the game progresses and more and more powerful opponents show up. Spending xp to buy END up isn't always a good solultion in games where END cost for wielding powers can run 100 END per use.
- Power Reward: As a final option you can grant the character a new power of some sort. Allowing them to spend xp later to pay for it should be allowed. This is a good way to allow the player come up with a new power at the end of a game session after facing some opponents and coming to some realizations. Gaining the Super Saiyan Form for the first time is one an example of this.
These rewards are meant to help a GM to better emulate the flow of the Dragon Ball universe where increases in power and skill often come in leaps and bounds.
Single XP Reward: This is going the normal rout you will need dish out more xp than normal to cover these boosts in power that occur in the anime and manga. 1-5xp is all good and well for a normal Champions game, but when mimicking the actual series then players need options to get more xp. Training off camera is an option for this but doesn't handle the increases in power that can occur as a fight progresses. Generally a fight in Dragon Ball and DBZ occurs over the course of several sessions and during these long bouts players and enemies will see sudden increases in power that can make a big difference in how things play out. For enemies this is usually them holding back and then cutting loose.
But that's not the case for the players typically. Basically granting xp should be based on the situation. In times of peace or when fights are fairly easy the PC's shouldn't get too much xp, the normal 1-5 can be fine. However if engaging in intense training you may want to up that amount from 1-5 to 5-10. Though another option is if training with equally strong allies or just fighting a number opponents then you may gain more xp based upon how strong they are. How the GM wishes to handle this is up to them.
- With training sessions take all participating characters, and add together their current xp totals. Now divide the amount by 100 (round down if needed). The amount given is how much XP each player gets.
- With fighting multiple opponents of the same or a bit higher levels of strength then apply the same math for a training session, only with the enemies. And the XP determined is what the players gain...though the reverse could apply to any opponents who happens to survive the encounter as well.
Mixing and Matching: Of course the GM may desire to mix and match things as they want to make their game match how the anime/manga works out.
And now for something completely different...
What if you want a game to not be like the manga or anime and are just super human adventures akin to a fantasy game like D&D but taking place in a modern(ish) age?
This sort of way of doing things is a lot better for a Hero System type game where things are likely easier to handle.
Down to Earth Game
So a down to earth type game does away with the astronomical levels of power that are in the anime and manga and looks at everything as more of a guide line. Here characters are more akin to super heroes than beings who can shatter moons.
Big bad's like Freeza, Cell and so on should have minions that do things for them as the game progresses eventually leading up to a grand confrontation with the entire group tackling the big villian together.
In a game like this, powers like turning Super Saiyan should be balanced out with things the other players can do. For example, Goku learns the Kaioken from King Kai, but the others aren't able to get the hang of it. Later Goku trains the rest of the group to use the Kaioken and unlike with Goku and the other Saiyans who have their Super Saiyan forms later, the rest of the z-fighters learn to perfect the Kaioken and even may create variations of it that allow them to keep pace with their Super Saiyan companions.
With this you will want to keep your xp normal, because your taking steps to make the game fairly normal. You also may want to put some boundries in place for limits on ki powers, limits that you can train to overcome with time.
Prime Characteristic Limits: So there should be some limits in place here for a game that is meant to be more grounded. Characteristics (STR, DEX, CON, INT, EGO, PRE) are limited to a score of 20. Characteristic bonuses from being a particular race however extend the limit out to include the bonus. So if a race offered a +5 to STR then the limit would be 25. After hitting the limit, xp spent to buy up the score is doubled. Exceptions to this is with powers that are temporary boosts.
Secondary Characteristic Limits: This is the second part of things. This deals with OCV, DCV, OMCV, DMCV, SPD, PD, ED, REC, END, BODY, and STUN.
- OCV/DCV/OMCV/DMCV: This is limited to 8. Skills of course allow one to bypass this limit.
- SPD: This is tricky. SPEED should be limited to 3. But this assumes you wish to even use SPEED in your game as it is not necessary to use it.
- PD/ED: This is limited to 10.
- REC: This is limited to 10.
- END: No limits on this. END can be as high as you want to buy it.
- BODY: Limited to 20.
- STUN: No limits on this either.
Keep in mind that you can buy these stats past the limits too, just for double the xp.
If using Hero Designer you will need to get into its settings and make adjustments for this.
Spell Limits: Active points in spells are limited to the character's EGO x 2. You can also buy EGO just to increase on how many AP you can have in a spell. This would be built as a talent that has a -1 limitation (only for determining Spell AP limits).
Ki Limits: Since ki functions differently from magic you gotta do something about limiting it. So obviously there is the skill penalty but there should also be a limit to how much ki you can use at a time for a power. You cannot put more ki (END) into an attack than half your CON score. Now this doesn't count on powers you maintain. Rather its per power used. So if you unleash a ki wave attack you are limited to no more ki than your CON score for it. Like with the Spell limits, you can improve on your Ki Limit by buying CON with a -1 limitation (only for determining Ki END Limits).
Defenses: Ok so defenses, like PD & ED should be handled similar to how they are in Fantasy games. Combat Luck can be bought up like water. Worn armor should inhibit movement to some degree depending on its form and function. But you shouldn't be able to stack defenses til the cows come home. So here is what can be done about that. You can choose 2 sources to get defense from, plus you add your natural defenses to it. So if you have Combat Luck then that is 1 source. If you have a Force Field that runs off of your ki or magic then that is your second source. Even if you are wearing armor as a third source you cannot apply it.
One exception is if you have a barrier of some sort, whether an actual obstacle you are taking cover behind, or you have a power that generates a similar effect. Here you can treat this as its own defense separate from yours as the rules apply in this manner.
There are no limits on Defense, unless the GM puts them in place. One limitation you could put in place is that with the sources one has to be high, and one has to be low, and then you have your base Defenses. The high defense can be higher than your base defenses, and the lower has be below them.
Variant Rules
So there is one problem with Hero System...fights take a long time to get through and typically Dragon Ball fights are long, but fast paced. Because of how the system is made it can be adapted to try and speed things up.
- SPEED: Rather than having speed determining order of actions what it can do is determine the number of half phase actions you can take on your phase of actions. With this your character is limited to a Speed of 2 instead. Order of actions is based completely on DEX, or INT. Any Speed score over 2 makes the character capable of moving at super speed. Abort actions still use up a half phase or full phase to use, but they are sacrificed from their current boosted speed so long as they have not used all their speed up.
- OCV/DCV: Typically when rolling to hit there's a bit of math involved to determine what DCV it is that you hit. But there are other ways of handling combat. One way to speed things up is to add 9 to the character's DCV, and then roll 3d6 + OCV score for your attack rolls. Thus with an OCV 3 and DCV 3 you would roll 3d6 +3 to hit (rolling high) the DCV of 12.
- Quick Build Opponents: One thing you may want to do as the GM is not spend time building each opponent or completely filling out a character sheet to apply for multiple types of opponents. It can be tough keeping track of so many opponents and of course it can take quite a bit of time to write them up. So its a good idea to come up with a means of creating opponents quickly so your not spending a lot of time on making them. You can do this by editing down an opponent to the basics you need in a fight. Also you should break down skills to an array of 5 to 8 different rolls and assign a skill to a roll as needed. Then you just assign powers as needed. You can also make builds for different varieties of opponents in this way, such as a fast opponent, a tank, artillery types, and so on. From there you can stagger their strengths vs. the players so that their either easy fights or tough ones. But ultimately its up to the GM how they want to do their opponents and most of what I've put forth here is mainly for new GM's who might want an easier time at things.
- BODY & STUN: Simply put, fights can take a long time when you have to juggle Body damage and Stun damage. One way to speed up fights is have some opponents not make use of STUN. Here damage is entirely built on BODY. Additionally the opponent takes 2x the normal BODY damage when received in the place of taking any STUN.
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