Combat can end with you eating dirt or even passing on to another dimension – the afterlife. Understanding damage is an important part of living in the Dragon Universe.
Taking Damage
Soak. Soak is the ability to stave off damage from attacks and to weather damage through natural toughness. Soak is a passive Aptitude that is equal to your Tenacity Modifier. You have a Minimum Soak Value of 1(bT) regardless of your Tenacity Modifier (this Minimum Soak Value can be reduced through other factors). Whenever you are hit, reduce the Wound Roll Dice Score by your Soak Value. The remaining Damage is removed from your Life Points.
Damage Reduction. Before you apply Soak, there’s another thing to consider: Damage Reduction. As the name implies, Damage Reduction is a reduction to the Dice Score of an Opponent’s Wound Roll when you are hit by an Attacking Maneuver. Unlike Soak, Damage Reduction is not reduced by the Damage Category of an Attacking Maneuver.
Damage Category. There are three different Damage Categories that an attack can inflict to a target. The most common Damage Category in the game is Standard Damage. Unless otherwise stated by the attack, all attacks are considered to inflict Standard Damage to a target. Damage Categories are numbered from 1-3, which can be increased or decreased through various Traits or other effects.
Each effect that increases or decreases the Damage Category of an Attacking Maneuver is a numerical +1 or a -1, depending on the effect. If multiple effects occur at once that would change the Damage Category of an Attacking Maneuver, figure out the final Damage Category by using the default Damage Category’s number for that type of Attacking Maneuver, adding any increases to Damage Category then removing any decreases to Damage Category – if the end result is lower than 1 or higher than 3, set that number to 1 (Standard Damage) or 3 (Lethal Damage) respectively.
- Standard (1). This type of damage has no special qualities. All attacks do Standard Damage unless otherwise stated.
- Direct (2). When a target suffers Direct Damage, only apply 1/2 of their Soak when calculating Damage.
- Lethal (3). Lethal Damage bypasses a target’s Soak altogether; do not apply their Soak when calculating Damage.
Damage Over Time (DOT). Some effects apply a stack of DOT to a Character over a period of time decided by the effect. For each stack of DOT you possess, reduce your Life Points by 1(bT) at the start of your turn.
Damage Effects. Effects that apply to Damage directly, rather than to a Wound Roll, can only apply if you suffer Damage – meaning you would take at least 1 Damage from that Attacking Maneuver after applying your Soak Value and Damage Reduction to the Wound Roll.
Defeat
The general rule is that once your Life Points reach 0, you are Defeated. Some effects may allow you to prevent yourself from being Defeated or have a final Hail Mary before you fall, but once you hit 0 Life Points, usually that’s it.
Defeat. While you are Defeated, you cannot use any form of Maneuver and your turn in the Initiative Order is skipped and ultimately ignored for calculating Initiative Advantage, but still remains there in case you are able to stop being Defeated. When you become Defeated, you instantly leave any Transformation or State you are currently in at the time of Defeat. You can only stop being Defeated through effects once per Combat Encounter.
However, while Defeated, you have access to Desperation Effects.
Desperation Effects
Desperation Effects are a unique form of Karmic Effect (see: Z-Souls and Karma Points) that you can only use while your Character is Defeated. You can use these even when your Character is dead, as long as you have the Karma Points.
These may represent acts of the downed Character while they are unable to get back up to fight, the effects of their passed-on will to those who remain fighting, the memories of previous interactions springing to the mind of a fighter of their fallen comrades, or perhaps the karmic weight of a Character’s prior actions finally coming to fruition by changing the tides of fate in a climactic encounter. Get creative with it.
“You Can’t Die…!” [1/Encounter]: Your ironclad will keeps an Ally in the fight.
–Karma Cost: 1
–Effect: If one of your Allies would be Defeated by an Attacking Maneuver, you may set their Life Points to 1 instead.
“You Can’t Lose…!” [1/Round]: Your powerful determination pushes your comrades to victory.
–Karma Cost: 1
–Effect: If an Ally loses a Clash against an Opponent, they can reroll that Clash. If the Clash used Skills, increase their Dice Score by 1d4. If the Clash used Attribute Modifiers, Combat Rolls, Saving Throws, or Might, increase their Dice Score by 2(T).
“Bring Out Your Power!” [1/Round]: Your steadfast resolve incites your friends to unleash their full might.
–Karma Cost: 1
–Effect: If an Ally uses the Power Up Maneuver, they gain an additional stack of Power from that use of the Maneuver.
“Now’s Your Chance!” [1/Round]: Your unwavering passion strengthens your Ally’s attack.
–Karma Cost: 1
–Effect: When an Ally makes an Attacking Maneuver, you may spend Ki Points up to 1/2 of your Max Capacity to increase the Wound Roll of that Attacking Maneuver by an equal amount.
“Just Take It, But Finish Them Now!” [1/Encounter]: Your unflinching intent restores your compatriot’s energy reserves.
–Karma Cost: 1
–Effect: You may transfer any amount of your Ki Points to an Ally of your choice.
“It’s Up to You, Now.” [1/Encounter]: Your dedicated conviction infuses your Ally, giving them the strength to carry on in your absence.
–Karma Cost: 2
–Effect: Target an Ally at the start of their turn. They enter the Entrusted State until the start of their next turn.
Death. When you are Defeated by the Attacking Maneuver, Unique Ability, or effect of a Character, they can declare their intent; Death or KO. If it is Death, then your Character will die unless you spend 1 Karma Point to survive. It is generally assumed that most serious fights carry the Death intent, but you can never be sure of the evil plans some warriors may craft.
Any of your own effects that reduce your Life Points will be treated as if there was Death intent. All forms of Collision are treated as if it was KO intent.
If you are the target of an Attacking Maneuver while Defeated, treat the intent as if it was Death.
Recovery
As brave and courageous as you might be, you can’t spend all day in the thick of exploration, social interaction, and battle. You need time to rest and eat, tend your injuries, and refresh your minds and spirits. In-game time is typically relative to the ongoing story and normally tracked by the game’s ARC through Adventuring (see — Adventure).
Instant Recovery. After you have overcome a Combat Encounter, you will receive an instant reprieve; regain 1/10th of your Maximum Life Points and Ki Point Pool.
Will to Survive. If you are Defeated and one of you or your Ally’s effects causes you to regain Life Points, you immediately stop being Defeated. You can only apply Will to Survive once per Combat Encounter.
Dragon Ball Universe 