Unofficial Tabletop Role-Playing Game
A typical Combat Encounter is a clash between two sides; a flurry of punches, feints, deflections, energy blasts, and melee combat. The DBU RPG organizes the chaos of combat into a cycle of rounds and turns. To make combat manageable, combatants take turns. Combatants consist of both player-controlled characters (PC) and characters controlled by the ARC (NPC). During a round, each combatant takes a turn in battle. The order of turns is determined at the beginning of a Combat Encounter when combatants roll Initiative. Once all combatants have taken a turn, the round ends, and combat continues to another round until one side is overcome.
Combat Step-by-Step
1. Establishing Positions. The Architect and players decide and determine where the combatants involved in the encounter are positioned at the start of the battle. 2. Determine Surprise. The Architect determines whether any combatants are surprised or if any combatant notices an enemy without being noticed in return. 3. Rolling Initiative. All combatants involved in a Combat Encounter must roll Initiative, determining the order of turns for each combatant. 4. Surprise Round Actions. If any combatant gains a surprise round, they act in Initiative Order, each one taking actions. 5. Taking Turns. In Initiative Order, all combatants take their respective turns which include various maneuvers. 6. Ending a Round. Once all combatants have taken their turn, the round ends and the second round begins. This continues until one side is defeated. |
A complete round lasts about 10 seconds in the game world. Note that due to the nature of source material this time frame might/could be shorter or longer. |
Surprise. A band of Saibamen sneaks up on your camp, springing from brushes and trees to attack. A gelatinous Majin goo slithers over the rocky outcropping, unnoticed by the combatants until it engulfs one of them. In these and other situations, one side of the battle gains surprise over the other.
When this happens, battles begin with a surprise round. This takes place after Initiative, but before the first round. The ARC will determine who is surprised. If neither side is attempting to be sneaky, both will automatically notice each other. If any combatants are unaware of the enemy combatants’ presence or hostile intentions, they are surprised.
If one combatant manages to get the jump on another, they can act during the surprise round following the normal rules for turns and rounds found later in this section. When a character is surprised, they cannot take any Actions (not even Instant Actions) during the surprise round and they have the Guard Down Combat Condition (see – Attacking & Conditions) until the end of the surprise round.
Initiative. Initiative is the order of turns, also called the Initiative Order. It determines the sequence of turns during combat. When a Combat Encounter starts, every combatant makes an Initiative check to determine their place in the order. The Architect will make one roll for an entire group of indistinguishable NPC combatants, so each member of the group acts at the same time.
Roll a solid d10 and add 1/2 your Agility Modifier to the natural results, plus any other modifiers, to determine your Initiative Score (remember: since this roll specifies the base die, you don’t add your ToP Extra Dice to it). In the case of a tie, the combatant with the higher Agility Score will go first. If both combatants tie again, both will roll a d10 and the highest result wins.
Initiative Order. The ARC, or sometimes another player, will rank all the combatants in order from the highest Initiative Score to the lowest. This is the Initiative Order in which everyone will act during each Combat Round. Typically, the Initiative Order will remain the same round after round within the same battle.
Initiative Advantage. If your Initiative is 10+ higher than the highest enemy combatant’s Initiative, you will get +1 additional Action to spend during each of your turns. The additional Action is based on the highest Initiative Score among all enemy combatants in the encounter; you do NOT gain multiple actions for fighting multiple enemies.
You will also gain +1 Action for each Tier of Power higher you are than the enemy combatant with the highest Tier of Power. You only use the base Tier of Power of you and your opponents to calculate this. The number of additional actions is based on the highest Tier of Power among the enemy combatants in the encounter; you do NOT gain multiple actions for fighting multiple enemies.
Turns
The Turn. When your turn arrives in the Initiative Order, it’s your turn to perform maneuvers in the round. Each of your turns has three steps: Effect, Act, and End. The Effect Phase happens before anything else and takes nearly no time, the Act Phase is where all the juicy stuff happens, and then the End Phase happens, you guessed it, at the end of your turn.
Effect Phase. Before any Actions are spent, there are a few things you must track and certain effects that occur at the start of your turn. These things take almost no time in the game world and are simply mechanical effects.
Act Phase. You can spend actions on a Maneuver to perform complex tasks ranging from solving a puzzle, transforming into complete badasses or, of course, rocking the socks off the bad guys. During the Act Phase, you can freely use options that require Instant Actions and you can (traditionally) use up to 3 Actions. See the ‘Actions’ section for more details.
End Phase. The End Phase is identical to the Effects Phase but simply takes place at the end of your turn. You can willingly end your turn at any point during your turn but otherwise your turn ends as soon as you run out of Actions. See the ‘Actions’ section for more details. Track certain effects that occur at the end of your turn. These things take almost no time in the game world and are simply mechanical effects.
The Round. The total sum of turns is called a round. A round starts with the character highest in Initiative Order and ends with the lowest, before starting back at the highest again. Once all combatants have taken their turn during the Initiative Order, the round is over. Repeat the process starting with the highest Initiative until the encounter is overcome or has ended.
Actions
Types of Actions. Every combatant, player-controlled or otherwise, uses one of the multiple types of actions to use different Maneuvers. Any effect that costs any type of action is a ‘Maneuver’, even if it does not have ‘Maneuver’ in its name. There are 4 different types of Actions:
Instantaneous Control. If a target of one of your Maneuvers uses an Instant Action or Out-of-Sequence Action to move their position on the battlefield or otherwise invalidate your Maneuver, you may choose to regain the action(s) you spent on that Maneuver or change your target to another suitable target within range. If you were using an Attacking Maneuver with an Area of Effect and a character(s) moves out of your Area of Effect, as long as there is still one suitable target within the range of your attack, you must choose to continue using this Attacking Maneuver.
Bonus Momentum. You gain +1 additional Action to spend if you successfully Strike a combatant and that combatant reaches a Health Threshold as a result of the damage inflicted from that attack’s Wound Roll. This bonus Action must be used by the end of the current Combat Round or it is lost and you can only gain one Action through Bonus Momentum during each Combat Round.
Maneuvers
Below are a list of Maneuvers available to all characters. Each Maneuver has an Action Cost (representing how many Actions and of what type you must spend to use them) listed in brackets after its name.
Basic Attack Maneuver (1 Action). You can target an opponent to make a Basic Attack against them (see – Attack Types). Attacks come in the form of a Strike Roll, which uses a d10 and any Extra Dice (such as Tier of Power Extra Dice) for your roll, then you add your Haste and Awareness modifiers onto your Natural Result. A Strike Roll’s dice score is compared to the target’s Dodge Roll dice score. If the Strike Roll is higher, the attack successfully hits; if the Dodge Roll is higher the attack fails and misses the target. Afterwards, proceed to a Wound Roll. A Wound Roll uses a d10 and any Extra Dice (such as Tier of Power Extra Dice) for your roll and then you add either your Force or Spirit Modifier depending on the type of attack used.
Blitz Maneuver (2 Actions). You throw yourself into a fight, dashing forward or flying at a target launching an all-out attack – Blitz is a Basic Physical Attack of either the Simple or Powered Profile. You must be at least 2 Squares away from the target to use a Blitz Maneuver and when you use the Maneuver, you will travel in a straight line towards the target (if your Boosted Speed can cover the distance between you and your target). Increase the Ki Point cost for a Blitz Maneuver by +6(T). Increase the Wound Roll of this Attacking Maneuver by +2(T) for each square you traveled to your opponent, up to a maximum of +16(T).
After you use the Blitz Maneuver, your Botch Rate is increased to 3 for all Combat Rolls until the start of your next turn.
Called Shot (2 Actions). A Called Shot is an attack aimed at a particular part of the body, in the hope of gaining some extra effect from the attack. The smaller or better guarded the area, the more difficult the Called Shot. Called Shots work best at Close Range. While in Melee Range, a Called Shot suffers a -1(T) penalty to your Strike Roll. If you are making a Called Shot at range, you will suffer a negative -2(T) penalty to your Strike Roll. Range penalties are increased by -1 for every 4 Squares away the target is away from you.
A Called Shot can be any type of Attacking Maneuver that costs One Action. When declaring a Called Shot, make any type of Attacking Maneuver that would cost One Action – such as a Basic Attack Maneuver or a Signature Technique that doesn’t have a limitation that would stop it from being used (such as requiring Energy Charges, while you lack the prerequisite amount).
If you succeed at a Called Shot, increase the Damage Category for your attack by +1 (Standard becomes Direct, Direct becomes Lethal). Additionally, if you aim for a vulnerable spot, your ARC may allow you to gain a damage bonus of +3(T) or have some lasting effect on the opponent such as a Combat Condition or making them unable to use one of their traits.
Combat Recovery Maneuver (2 Actions). Want to stand facing the enemy exchanging monologues for three game sessions? Combat Recovery allows you to restore Life Points and Ki Points during battle at the cost of your Actions. You provoke a Counter Action against you from all opponents within 6 Squares of you when you use Combat Recovery, if an opponent uses a Counter Action against Combat Recovery, they cannot use Combat Recovery on their next turn. If you are hit by this Counter Action, you do not regain any Life or Ki Points from Combat Recovery. When you perform this maneuver roll a solid 2d10(T) and restore both your Life and Ki Points by the corresponding natural result.
Command Maneuver (1 Action). You give directions to your minions, urging them to act. Select one Minion you are the Master of. They gain 2 Actions to use during their turn. One of these actions must be used for a Movement Maneuver or must be transferred into a Counter Action. You can only use this maneuver once per Combat Round. Increase the number of times you can use this maneuver during each Combat Round by +1 when your Personality Modifier reaches 6 and +2 when your Personality Modifier reaches 10.
Duel Maneuver (1 Counter Action). When attacks collide, a risky exchange follows with both sides attempting to overwhelm the other with an exchange of sheer power. If you are targeted by an Attacking Maneuver that is either a Signature Technique, has a Ki Wager of at least 10(T) or has 2+ Energy Charges, you may initiate a Duel Maneuver.
Spend the Ki Points to make an Attacking Maneuver of the same Profile. You may instead choose to select a Signature Technique of the same Profile if you possess one and if you do, pay the Ki Point cost for that instead.
Each player involved in the Duel Maneuver makes 3 Wound Rolls for the Attacking Maneuver they have used, contested against one another. Each set of Wound Rolls (one from the target and one from the attacker) are rolled in sequence. The first set of Wound Rolls, then the second and finally the third. Whichever character has the higher Wound Roll for the majority of these Opposed Combat Rolls wins the Duel Maneuver and may roll their Wound Roll a final time to actually inflict damage upon the other character. All Ki Wagers placed into a Duel Maneuver by both sides are added onto this Wound Roll.
You may Ki Wager up to 1/4 (rounded up) of your Capacity Rate on each of these 3 Wound Rolls and any Energy Charges are replaced with a bonus of +1(T) for each Energy Charge.
At the start of a Duel Maneuver, all Ki Wagers placed onto an Attacking Maneuver are refunded as Ki Points and you recover that much of your Capacity.
Duel Escape Maneuver (1 Counter Action). When another character attempts to initiate a Duel Maneuver with you as the target, you may attempt to escape through the Duel Escape Maneuver. Roll an Impulsive Saving Throw, TN Hard. If you fail, the Duel Maneuver continues as normal. If you succeed, you successfully manage to avoid the effects and may immediately make another attack maneuver as an Instant Action. You still lose the Ki Points spent for the cost of your attack that was challenged with a Duel Maneuver and any Ki Wagers spent on that maneuver.
Empower Maneuver (1 Actions). A supportive Maneuver in which you transfer your own Ki to another character, either through touch or in the form of an energy wave. Roll as if you were making a Wound Roll for an Energy Attack, without Ki Wagering. This is known as the Empowerment Roll and decides the maximum amount of Ki Points you can transfer to your target. If your target is within your Melee Range, your Empowerment Roll scores maximum Natural Results on all dice rolled (including Critical Dice). You may choose to increase the result of your Empowerment Roll by up to +10(T).
Energy Charge Maneuver (1 Action). You can charge an attack to create a powerful, overwhelming blast. Energy Charge is a special ability that can be applied to any type of Energy, Physical, or Magical Attack. When you first use this Maneuver, you must declare the intended Attacking Maneuver you are charging for. Your selected attack will cost an additional +2(T) Ki Points for each Energy Charge Maneuver you have completed. You pay the total Ki Point Cost for this Maneuver when you release the charged attack.
For each Energy Charge Maneuver, you gain +1 Energy Charge for your selected attack. Each Energy Charge increases the Wound Roll of your selected Attacking Maneuver by +1d6(T). After you declare that you are using the Energy Charge Maneuver, you can only use your Actions to continue charging the attack or launch the declared attack. You may still use Counter Actions, Instant Actions and spend One Action to stand up if knocked Prone. When you launch your declared attack, you lose all Energy Charges after using that attack.
Depending on the Foundation of your attack, you can only benefit from a number of Energy Charges equal to 1/2 of your Force Modifier (Physical/Energy) or Spirit Modifier (Magical). You may continue to use the Energy Charge Maneuver even if you would not benefit from any Energy Charges required for it.
After using your first Energy Charge Maneuver, you suffer from the Guard Down Combat Condition until you utilize your selected Attacking Maneuver. Until the start of your next turn, after using the attack chosen by the Energy Charge Maneuver your Botch Rate is increased to 3 or less until the start of your next turn. You may choose to stop charging your energy at any time as an Instant Action by spending 1(T) Ki Points for each Energy Charge. If you do so, you lose all Energy Charges but are free to use any other actions. If you do not have enough Ki Points to stop charging, you may stop charging by spending all of your current KI Points. If you have 0 Ki Points, you stop charging immediately as if you had spent the Ki Points to do so.
Grapple Maneuver (1 Action). When you want to grab or restrain a combatant, you can seize them, attempting to keep them from escaping. You can attempt to perform the Grapple Maneuver, but you must have at least one free hand and the combatant must be within your Melee Range. The character initiating the grapple is known as the Grappler and the target is known as the Grappled. Make a Physical Strike Roll opposed by the Grappled’s Strike or Dodge Roll (their choice). The Grappled cannot use their Strike Roll, and therefore must use a Dodge Roll to oppose your (the Grappler’s) Strike Roll, if the Grappler (you) is outside of their (the target’s) Melee Range. This is called a Grapple Check. If you are successful, both characters are considered to be in a Grapple and both the Grappler and the Grappled are subjected to the Guard Down Combat Condition (Attacking & Conditions) while in the Grapple. If the Grappler fails, they are susceptible to a Counter Action from the Grappled, and the Grappled is freed. You may stop grappling a target as an Instant Action on your turn. You can only Grapple one character at a time and a Grappled character cannot initiate a Grapple Maneuver while in a Grapple.
At the start of either the Grappled or the Grappler’s turn, they must make another Grapple Check. Once per Combat Round, a Grappled character can also spend One Action during their turn to force a Grapple Check.
If, through the actions of a character outside of the Grapple, a Grappler would be moved any number of squares, they must immediately make a Grapple Check with a penalty of -2(T). If they succeed, the Grappled character is moved with them and remains within their Melee Range. If they fail, the Grappled character is freed from the grapple and is not moved. Only the Grappler can be targeted by Maneuvers or effects that would make them move any number of squares, except by the Grappled attempting to use the Movement Maneuver (see – Moving a Target).
Holding Back Maneuver (Instant Action). You can hold back your strength, allowing you to fight efficiently against weaker opponents, or to size up stronger ones. Once per Combat Encounter, you can apply one or more stacks of Holding Back. Each stack treats your Tier of Power as if it was -1 lower. You can only have a number of Holding Back stacks equal to your Tier of Power. If your number of Holding Back stacks would match your base Tier of Power, your Tier of Power is 1 but you receive a penalty to all Combat Rolls equal to -1(bT). This effect lasts until you end it as an Instant Action. Whenever you reach a Health Threshold, you must make a Concealment Skill Check, TN Medium. If you fail, you lose -1 Holding Back stack. If you succeed, you remain at your current level of stacks. Your Ki Point Costs when using the Holding Back Maneuver use your current Tier of Power, rather than your base Tier of Power for any calculations. If your number of Holding Back stacks is equal to your base Tier of Power, reduce the Ki Point cost of all Maneuvers by -1(bT).
Once per Combat Round, your opponent may attempt to see if you’re holding back by making a Clairvoyance Skill Check as an Instant Action, opposed by your Concealment Skill. If they win, they know how many stacks of Holding Back you have. If they lose, they learn nothing.
If you would increase your Tier of Power through any means (except reducing your number of Holding Back stacks), stop Holding Back and lose all Holding Back stacks. You cannot use the Holding Back Maneuver while your current Tier of Power exceeds your base Tier of Power.
Intervene (1 Counter Action). When an ally is successfully struck (hit) by an attack, you can attempt an Impulsive Save, TN Medium. If you fail, you cannot attempt to make another Intervene Counter Action for the remainder of the Combat Round. If you pass, you may select one of the below options. You do not suffer from Diminishing Defense when you use any one of these options.
Movement Maneuver (1 Action). When moving normally, you can move up to a number of Squares equal to your Normal Speed at no Ki Point Cost. If you choose to move quickly (sprinting, flying at full speed, etc), you can move up to a number of Squares equal to your Boosted Speed. If you are using the Maneuver to boost your speed, however, you will have to pay 3 Ki Points for each Square you move through beyond your Normal Speed. For example, if you moved your maximum Boosted Speed of 7 squares while your Normal Speed was 5 squares, you would pay 6 Ki Points.
When you move during combat, if you leave the Melee Range of any enemy combatants (even if you entered it with the same Movement Maneuver), you will provoke a Counter Action against you.
No Effort Maneuver (Instant Action). This type of Maneuver takes almost no time to perform. Generally, you can only perform each type of No Effort Maneuver once per Combat Round – though, your ARC may allow you to do it more than once depending on the scenario. There are a number of possible situations that can use this form of Maneuver, for example:
Parry Maneuver (1 Counter Action). When you are attacked by a combatant, you can forgo your Dodge Roll to Parry the attack. When you attempt to use the Parry Maneuver you are not subject to Diminishing Defense, unless you use the Guard option. There are multiple ways you can deflect an attack.
Power Up Maneuver (1 Action). Powering up increases your character’s overall badassery by letting you spend more Ki Points per round. When you use Power Up, increase your Capacity Rate by 1/4 and increase all Combat Rolls by +1(T). This increase lasts until the end of your next turn. The Power Up Maneuver cannot stack more than twice, and using the Power Up Maneuver a second time does not extend the length of the effect.
Reload Maneuver (1 Counter Action). A limited number of attacks, or shots, can be made with a ranged weapon. Using the Reload Maneuver refills a single Ranged Weapon’s ammunition, resetting the number of attacks you may use with it. You can only use the Reload Maneuver during your turn.
Sense Maneuver (Instant Action). Once per Combat Round, you can spread your awareness and search for your opponents. Make an Opposed Skill Check – your Clairvoyance against all of your Opponents’ Concealment. You only roll once and they all compete against that roll. If your Opponents win, they retain the Hidden Combat Condition if they possess it. If you win, any losing Opponents lose the Hidden Combat Condition if they possess it.
Signature Technique Maneuver (1 Action). Use a Signature Technique.
Surge Maneuver (Instant Action). This backup power is the energy or potential you are holding back, a second wind of sorts. You can use one Surge Maneuver per Combat Encounter, afterwards you can only use the Surge Maneuver when an ability or other situation tells you that you can. The ability that allows you to use a Surge Maneuver will state the Action Cost requirement; if the ability doesn’t state an Action Cost, you can use Surge as an Instant Action.
Increase how many Life/Ki Points you regain when using a Surge Maneuver by your Force Modifier. (see – Surgency in Attributes)
Terrain Lift Maneuver (1 Action). You can make an Athletics Skill Check against a Target Number of 6 to attempt and tear up a piece of the landscape and hold onto it. Increase the Target Number by +4 for each level of Hardness Value in that piece of terrain. Only solid pieces of terrain like rock can be lifted up in this manner.
While carrying a piece of terrain, you may use it as a shield when attacked. You may reduce any damage you would take by an amount equal to the Lethal Damage dealt by its Hardness Value. If you still take damage from this attack, the piece of terrain you are holding is destroyed. If you choose not to apply this effect, then whatever you are holding is not damaged.
Terrify Maneuver (1 Action). Target an Opponent within your Melee Range and make an Opposed Skill Check against that target – your Intimidate against their Intuition. If they win, nothing happens. If you win, they suffer the Shaken Combat Condition until the end of your next turn.
An opponent with a higher Power Level than you gains a bonus of +1d4 to their Intuition Skill Check against you. An opponent may also gain this Extra Dice bonus if they are in a Transformation and you are not.
If you use this Maneuver against an Opponent that you have given the Shaken Combat Condition, and win the Opposed Skill Check, they are knocked Prone instead.
Throw Maneuver (1 Action). You may throw any piece of terrain you are holding or any items you are holding at a target. Make a Physical Strike against any target within a number of squares equal to or lower than your Force Modifier. If they are successfully hit by this attack, roll your Physical Wound Roll and then the target takes the Lethal Damage they would suffer from the Hardness Value of the thrown object.
Basic Items will be destroyed upon impact. Equipment such as Apparel and Weapons reduce their Break Value by -1 and land in a random square adjacent to the target of the attack. They can be reclaimed by spending an Instant Action while your character is on that square to pick them up.
Your ARC will inform you of the Hardness Value of a piece of terrain or whatever item you are holding. You cannot use the Throw Maneuver to throw another character, for that refer to the rules on Grappling.
Thrusting Maneuver (1 Action). When you attempt to perform the Thrust Maneuver, you must have at least one free hand, and the combatant must be within your Melee Range. A Thrust is an active opposition between two combatants. Make a Strike Roll opposed by the target’s Strike or Dodge Roll, the target chooses. If you score higher than the target, you can thrust them backwards away from you or knock them Prone. (see – Attacking & Conditions)
Transformation Maneuver (1 Action). You can use this Maneuver to transform into any available Transformation. If you intend to stack Transformations, such as using Kaioken with the Super Saiyan Blue Legendary Form, you must use this Maneuver twice – once for each Transformation. (see – Transformation Rules)
Treatment Maneuver (1 Action). Target an adjacent Ally who is Defeated or is suffering from the Poisoned Combat Condition. Make a Medicine Skill Check, TN Hard. If you fail, nothing happens. If you succeed, that Ally stops being Defeated and regains 1d10(bT) Life Points or loses the Poisoned Combat Condition and regains Life Points equal to 1/10 of their Maximum Life Points.
Triggered Maneuver (Dynamic). If you want to wait to perform a Maneuver in response to something happening, you can use a Triggered Maneuver, which lets you take part of your turn during another character’s turn as an Out-of-Sequence Action. To perform a Triggered Maneuver, declare what will activate your maneuver; this is called your defined activation. Then, declare what your responses to your defined activation will be; this is called your response activation. For example, “When the Saibaman gets into position, I will perform a Physical Basic Attack Maneuver, using the Powered Profile.” Note the Action Cost of Triggered Maneuver is equal to the Action Cost of your response activation. As an example, if you were going to use the Maneuver Blitz as your response activation, then your Triggered Maneuver will cost you Two Actions. When the defined activation happens, you immediately use your response as an Out-of-Sequence Action. Perform your response and fully resolve its effects. Afterward, the turn and round will continue as normal.
If the defined activation doesn’t happen before the start of your next turn, the actions spent on the Triggered Maneuver are effectively lost.
United Attack Maneuver (1 Action). When an ally within your Melee Range uses an Attacking Maneuver or spends the Ki Points to use one to enter a Duel Maneuver, you may use the United Attack Maneuver as an Instant Action by spending One Action. Spend the Ki Points to make the same type of Attacking Maneuver as your ally, matching both Foundation and Profile (this can be a Basic Attack or a Signature Technique) and you may apply a Ki Wager onto your ally’s Attacking Maneuver (this Ki Wager cannot exceed 1/4 of your Capacity Rate). If they successfully strike (hit) an opponent, add 1/2 of any bonuses to your Wound Roll for this Attacking Maneuver onto your ally’s Wound Roll.
If your ally enters into a Duel Maneuver, you may add your Force or Spirit Modifier (whichever is higher) onto each of their rolls. During one of the rolls (you decide which), you may additionally add a Ki Wager worth up to 1/10th of your Capacity Rate.