Every game needs a bad guy trying to blow something up, taking over a planet, searching for unlimited power or even galactic control. From campaign spanning Antagonist to the basic grunt in an alley, enemies are part of the Dragon World. This section includes the tools to building adversaries and combat encounters for your characters.
What is an Adversary?
An adversary, or villain, is any type of creature that can be fought, interacted with, or possibly killed. Simple creatures such as space ducks, or powerful dinosaurs, even vile underworld demons can be adversaries. This term can also be applied to Earthlings, Sayians and the other playable species.
Many of the creatures that lurk in the World of the Dragon are considered dangerous from blood-sucking vampires, runaway Androids, wild tigers and bears, scheming demons the list goes on and on.
Check the following link for premade enemies (Adversaries & Villains).
Creating Adversaries.
Creating an adversary can be a simple process, first you will need to come up with a concept for your adversary. Are they a simple animal monster? Or are they an intelligent villain? Where do they live and what role do, they serve in your game or campaign. What will your adversary look like, do they have any odd features? These are example questions you should ask yourself when creating an adversary. Once you have your idea and answers you can start figuring out how to create the mechanical representation of you adversary in your game.
| Modifying Existing Adversaries Once you are ready to create your adversary, you will need to gather the numbers, values, and rules to represent it. It might be helpful to check out other existing adversary examples. You can use them as a base point for your new adversary saving you time. A pre-existing adversary will make a good jumping off point for you and help make things easier. For example, if you were attempting to create Paozusaurus are powerful dinosaur monster like a Tyrannosaurus, but there is no such pre-existing adversary. You could use the Triceratops dinosaur monster adversary as a starting point. You can use the Triceratops statistics and change its name then you can make minor tweaks, such as replacing a horn attack with a claw attack. Switching Weapons/Attacks If you are modifying an existing adversary, you replace any of their weapons will more appropriate or different ones. As an example, if you could change a Red-Ribbon Army soldiers pistol with a rocket launcher but use the same statistics as before. It is important to be thoughtful of the changes you make and aware of an unbalancing consequence that might occur when modifying adversaries’ weapons and status. Adding Special Abilities Adding a special ability to your adversary is another great way to customize them. You can modify an existing ability, select one already created or use you own devised ability. For example, you might take the Namekain racial trait Cellular Mending and tweak it then give it to a Saiyan adversary. Turning the Saiyan in a special adversary with a unique ability and background. |
Creating Quick Adversary Stats
There are two ways to create statistics for an adversary. You can use quick stats like those below or you can create more traditional stats like those you would see on your own character sheet. For quick stats use the table below. If you want full stats check out the ‘Adversary full statistics’ table later in this section.
| tHREAT LEVEL | TIER OF POWER | LIFE POINTS | DODGE BONUS | ATTACK BONUS | damage Wager | sOAK BONUS | SAVING THROW BONUS | INIT. BONUS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 0 | 8-16 | +1 | +3 | 0-3 | 0 | +2 | 0 |
| 1/2 | 0 | 16-24 | +1 | +3 | 4-7 | 0 | +2 | 0 |
| 1 | 1 | 24-32 | +2 | +3 | 8-11 | 4 | +3 | +2 |
| 2 | 1 | 32-40 | +2 | +4 | 12-15 | 4 | +3 | +2 |
| 3 | 1 | 40-48 | +3 | +4 | 16-19 | 4 | +4 | +3 |
| 4 | 1 | 48-56 | +3 | +5 | 20-23 | 6 | +4 | +3 |
| 5 | 2 | 56-64 | +4 | +5 | 24-27 | 6 | +5 | +4 |
| 6 | 2 | 72-80 | +4 | +6 | 28-31 | 6 | +5 | +4 |
| 7 | 2 | 80-88 | +5 | +6 | 32-35 | 8 | +6 | +5 |
| 8 | 2 | 88-96 | +5 | +7 | 36-39 | 8 | +6 | +5 |
| 9 | 2 | 96-104 | +6 | +7 | 40-43 | 8 | +7 | +6 |
| 10 | 3 | 104-112 | +6 | +8 | 44-47 | 10 | +7 | +6 |
| 11 | 3 | 112-120 | +7 | +8 | 48-51 | 10 | +8 | +7 |
| 12 | 3 | 120-128 | +7 | +9 | 52-55 | 10 | +8 | +7 |
| 13 | 3 | 128-136 | +8 | +9 | 56-59 | 12 | +9 | +8 |
| 14 | 3 | 136-144 | +8 | +10 | 60-63 | 12 | +9 | +8 |
| 15 | 4 | 144-152 | +9 | +10 | 64-67 | 12 | +10 | +9 |
| 16 | 4 | 152-160 | +9 | +11 | 68-71 | 14 | +10 | +9 |
| 17 | 4 | 160-168 | +10 | +11 | 72-75 | 14 | +11 | +10 |
| 18 | 4 | 168-176 | +10 | +12 | 76-79 | 14 | +11 | +10 |
| 19 | 4 | 176-184 | +10 | +12 | 80-83 | 16 | +12 | +11 |
| 20 | 5 | 184-192 | +11 | +13 | 84-87 | 16 | +12 | +11 |
Step 1. Base Threat level
Select a threat level (TL) for you adversary. This is much of a threat they will present to a group of players. Figuring out your adversary’s threat level will help determine their other quick statistics. You can adjust the threat level of an adversary later to dial in their true challenge.
Step 2. Quick Stats
Using the adversary quick stats table and your adversary’s threat level you can determine their life points, dodge, attack bonus, damage, soak, saving throw bonus and initiative. An important note to remember that when using quick stats your adversary’s attack bonus is used for all methods of attacks including, physical, energy, magical and ballistic attacks unless otherwise adjusted.
Step 3. Adjusting Stats
Adjust your adversary’s statistics are you see fit based on the concept you have in mind for them. You can adjust their life points, dodge, attack bonus, damage, soak, saving throw bonus and initiative. You can adjust an adversary’s attack bonus for each method of attack including, physical, energy, magical and ballistic.
Step 4. Adjusting Threat Level
In this step you will calculate your adversary’s final threat level based on the adjustments, if any, you made from step 3.
Using any statistic, you modified during step 3 ‘adjusting stats’, compare your adjusted value against the highest possible value in the correlating category. If the adjust value is three (3) higher or three (3) lower than that number increase, or decrease, you adversary’s threat level by one (1) for every three (3) points of difference there is.
As example, if your adversary is threat level five (5) and you have adjusted their dodge stat to an eight you will increase their threat level to six (6). If you had adjusted their dodge to eleven (11) then their new threat level would be seven (7).
Final Threat Level
Once you have your adversary’s final threat level calculated use the experience point table below to determine how much experience players gain from defeating or overcoming your adversary. Note that creating an adversary is always perfectly crunching numbers. The best way to know whether an adversary is well balanced, challenging and fun is to play test it. Using your tests to help determine what changes you need to make.
| Threat level | EXPERIENCE points |
|---|---|
| 0 | 0-3 |
| 1/2 | 5 |
| 1 | 15 |
| 2 | 25 |
| 3 | 45 |
| 4 | 65 |
| 5 | 85 |
| 6 | 105 |
| 7 | 125 |
| 8 | 145 |
| 9 | 165 |
| 10 | 185 |
| 11 | 205 |
| 12 | 225 |
| 13 | 245 |
| 14 | 265 |
| 15 | 285 |
| 16 | 305 |
| 17 | 325 |
| 18 | 345 |
| 19 | 365 |
| 20 | 385 |
Creating a complete Adversary
Are you looking for an adversary with all the stats player characters have? Use the following rules to create a complete adversary.
Step 1. Name
Your adversary’s name can be based on a creature from the source material, a monster from mythology, or even a real-world creature, in these cases its name might be obvious. However, if you invent a name for your adversary keep in mind its name should reflect the creature’s appearance, attitude, species, or home world.
Step. 2 Size
Although, size does not affect player-controlled creatures it does effect adversaries and villains. An adversary can be Small, Medium, Large, Enormous, or even Gigantic.
An adversary’s size will determine how many dice you will roll for its life points in step 6. Size also determines a creature’s speed, melee attack range and the amount of space it occupies on the battlefield.
Step 3. Attribute Scores.
An adversary has the same eight attributes player characters do. Adversaries cannot have a score lower than one (1). Adversaries maximum score can be twelve (12) multiplied by their tier of power.
An adversary’s attribute scores determine is attribute modifiers the same way as player characters. See the attribute score table in (Core Rules).
If you are having trouble deciding what value your adversary’s scores should be check out similar creatures and mimic their scores or you could search for additional lore and statistics about similar creatures. You can even base an adversary’s scores on more in-world indicators such as are they more intelligent than a Earthling (Scholarship score of 6-8) or stronger than a Saiyan (Strength score 8-10).
Step 4. Threat Level
Select the threat level of your adversary from the “creating quick adversary stats” table. You will reference this later for your ToP bonus and damage/wager.
Step 5. Dodge Value
You can pick your adversary’s dodge value in one of two ways.
Quickly. You can use the “creating quick adversary stats” table and select the dodge bonus listed there for your creature’s threat level. You can adjust the value as you like, do not worry if the adjusted value does not match your adversary’s threat level.
Appropriately. You can also select to determine your adversary’s dodge value by their natural ability, worn armor, dodge modifier, trait, or some other type of booster. Do not worry if this dodge value is not in line with your adversary’s threat level.
If your adversary is wearing some sort of armor, its dodge value is based on that type of armor. (Gear & Equipment). You can even create or make up an armor that is not listed in the equipment section. If your adversary is not wearing armor, they might have natural armor such as the Arcosian’s keratinous plates or they might have a trait or ability that is the bases of their dodge value.
Step 6. Life Points
You can determine your adversary’s life points value in one of two ways.
Quickly. You can use the “creating quick adversary stats” table and select the Life Points listed there for your creature’s threat level. You can adjust the value as you like, do not worry if the adjusted value does not match your adversary’s threat level.
Appropriately. You can also calculate your adversary’s life points by rolling dice like player characters or simply assigning them a value base on the average statistic outcome for life point dice they have. Do not worry if the value is not in line with your adversary’s threat level.
Roll an amount of d10s equal to your adversary threat level plus 1d10. Increase the natural result (NR) by the adversary’s LP modifier see table below.
| Adversary size | lp modifier |
|---|---|
| Small | 0-4 x Threat Level |
| Medium | 5-10 x Threat Level |
| Large | 11-15 x Threat Level |
| Enormous | 16-20 x Threat Level |
| Gigantic | 21-25 x Threat Level |
For example, an adversary with a threat level of seven (7) and size medium would have 8d10+35 life points. An average of sixty-three (75) life points or a maximum of ninety-eight (115) life points.
Step 7. To Strike
You can determine your adversary’s Strike Bonus value in one of two ways.
Quickly. You can use the “creating quick adversary stats” table and select the Attack Bonus listed there for your creature’s threat level. You can adjust the value as you like, do not worry if the adjusted value does not match your adversary’s threat level.
Appropriately. You can also calculate your adversary’s Strike Bonus the same way you would calculate a player-controlled character’s bonus.
The strike roll, or hit roll, is used when attempting to assault a target with any type of attack. Such as a physical, energy, ballistic, or magical attack. To make an attack, you roll a d10 then add your haste and awareness modifiers to the natural result.
Again, do not worry if the value is not in line with your adversary’s threat level.
Step 7. Damage
You can determine your adversary’s damage output in one of two ways.
Quickly. You can use the “creating quick adversary stats” table and select the damage/ki wage listed there for your creature’s threat level. You can adjust the value as you like, do not worry if the adjusted value does not match your adversary’s threat level.
You might choose a damage type or a weapon quality to apply to your adversary’s attack or series of attacks, you can select different types & qualities for each different attack. Such as if an adversary has claws their attack might have the weapon quality rending or slashing.
Appropriately. Alternatively, you can calculate your adversary’s damage output by the weapons they are wielding, their natural ability, or technique or magical ability they are using. Do not worry if the value is not in line with your adversary’s threat level.
If your adversary is using a weapon you can create that weapon using the rules in the equipment section (Gear & Equipment). You can even create or make up a weapon type or quality that is not listed in the equipment section. If your adversary is using a natural weapon, like claws or teeth, you will count those as weapon too.
Adversaries are affected by all the typically or normal rules player-controlled characters are subjected to such as dual wielding and the number of weapons they can carry.
If your adversary is using their natural ability, a technique or magical ability you will follow all the normal rules of player characters when determining damage. Your adversary can even wager ki points to increase their total damage.
Step 8. Ki Points
You can determine your adversary’s ki points in one of two ways.
Quickly. You can use the “creating quick adversary stats” table and select the damage/ki wage listed there for your creature’s threat level. You can adjust the value as you like, do not worry if the adjusted value does not match your adversary’s threat level.
Appropriately. Instead, you can calculate your adversary’s ki points the same way player characters do. Using your adversary’s threat level compare it to the power level chart (Character Creation). Threat level is equal to power level, as in TL seven (7) is equal to power level (7). When determining your adversary’s ki point always treat your threat level as one (1) higher than normal.
Step 9. Saving Throws
You can determine your adversary’s saving throws in one of two ways.
Quickly. You can use the “creating quick adversary stats” table and select the saving throw bonus there for your creature’s threat level. You can adjust the value as you like, do not worry if the adjusted value does not match your adversary’s threat level.
Appropriately. You can calculate your adversary’s saving throws the same way player characters do. You can also apply special resistances, immunities or even vulnerability to your creature for specific saving throws such as resistances to poisons when making a corporeal save, but a vulnerability to cold weather when making a corporeal save.
Do not worry if the value is not in line with your adversary’s threat level.
Step 10. Traits, Talents, Actions & Reactions.
Your adversary might have some traits based on their species or other factors. These traits are typically natural, such as immunity to cold weather, which give your adversary defining characteristics.
You can also give you adversary talents from the talent section (Talents). These can give your adversary a special feature, a new capability or improves a metric they already have.
Adversaries and Villain typically have four (4) actions, one more than player-controlled characters. This give adversary powerful average over weak player characters, but do not worry your adversary will typically be outnumber by player characters. You can adjust the number of actions as you like, do not worry if the adjusted value is less the four or the number of actions player characters get.
Adversaries also benefit from bonus momentum the same as player characters do.
Adversaries can perform two (2) counter maneuvers for free, without needing to spend the actions require to perform the maneuver. You can adjust this number as you see fit.
Step. 11 Speed & Melee Range
Adversaries have speed and melee range just like player characters and they follow the same rules. However, in addition to the typical rules for speed and melee range creatures also adjust for their size. See chart below.
| Size | Melee Range | Speed |
|---|---|---|
| Small | 1 square | +0 |
| Medium | 1 square | +0 |
| Large | 3 square | +1 |
| Enormous | 4 square | +3 |
| Gigantic | 5 square | +5 |
Step 12. Skill Proficiencies
If your adversary is going to more than just a rock’em, sock’em, knock’em out type of creature you might want to give them skill proficiencies. Adversaries get four (4) skill proficiency character perks (Character Creation). They gain additional two (2) of skill proficiency character perks every four (4) threat levels. Divide your adversary’s total threat level by four (4) to determine the amount of skill proficiency perks they have.
Step 13. Final Threat Level
Now that you have created your adversary you might need to adjust their threat level. This step is identical to step 4 under “creating quick adversary stats”. Remember that your adversary’s final threat level might change some of its other statistics such as skill proficiencies in the previous step.
