Unofficial Tabletop Role-Playing Game
Training is an integral part of Dragon Ball and its sequel shows. Preparing for the arrival of a great enemy, trying to outdo a rival player or NPC, or for the survival of the universe! Through this set of Optional Rules, you can use the time between any big story arcs to prepare for what adventures lay ahead!
Downtime is handled in ‘Downtime Periods’, which is a period of time in which you have Downtime Points (DT) to spend on the various Downtime Activities. A Downtime Period consists of one or more months of inactivity in the campaign where characters can train, interact, and perform mundane tasks by spending Downtime Points (DT). A general rule of thumb is that you gain +1 DT for each month in a Downtime Period. If you would be in Downtime for longer than 4 months, it’s highly encouraged that you do not give DT but instead use Milestones to represent the growth of characters during this time (consider the 7 years after the Cell Games as an example).
Downtime is a powerful set of rules, each DT can be considered worth a single Character Perk. As a result, even if your campaign has a large number of periods where characters may want to benefit from Downtime, consider limiting it to meaningful moments such as after the end of a large story arc or during the preliminary lead up to a major antagonist.
A general suggestion regarding DT is to not give out more than a total of 4 DT per Tier of Power reached. That is not to say, if you start a game at a higher Tier of Power, that you should make up for not giving DT during lower Tiers of Power. Instead, for every 5 Power Levels your players reach while playing your campaign, they should not have gained more than 4DT. DT should be considered a reward for their activities to this point, to allow them to continue gaining strength even during a period where there are no clear enemies to face or trials to overcome, rather than an assumed benefit for reaching the start of the campaign (this is what the Power Levels and other benefits given by the ARC at Character Creation represent). Also, this is a maximum estimate, so feel free to do less than this, too.
Downtime Activities
Each Downtime Activity costs a certain number of DT to gain its effects. Unless otherwise stated, however, you can use a Downtime Activity any number of times as long as you can afford the DT Cost.
Downtime Activities are separated into two types: Training and Recreational.
Your ARC may prohibit certain Downtime Activities during a Downtime Period, for one reason or another.
Downtime Activity | DT Cost | Activity Type | Activity Effect |
Basic Training | 1DT | Training | Gain +4 Attribute Points to spend immediately. You cannot spend these on Scholarship or Personality and you cannot spend more than 2 Attribute Points on a single Attribute. |
Technique Training | 1DT | Training | Gain +10 Technique Points, then spend any number of Technique Points you possess to do one of the following: – Modify one of your existing Signature Techniques (add Advantages or remove Disadvantages). – Create a Signature Technique. – Purchase a Magical Ability from the Spellbook. -Purchase a Spellbook Advancement. |
Train Minion | 1DT | Training | Target one Minion you possess, set their bonuses from Minion Creation as if you made them with your current Power Level (for example, if you made them at PL10 and you’re currently PL15, give them +5 Power Levels worth of bonuses). |
Transformation Mastery | 2DT | Training | Gain Mastery over a Transformation that your ARC says you are allowed to Master. Traditionally, you should not be able to select this training option multiple times during a Downtime Period, but your ARC may allow you to. |
Acquire New Transformation | 3DT | Training | Choose one Transformation that your ARC says you are eligible for. You gain access to that Transformation. Traditionally, you should not be able to select this training option multiple times during a Downtime Period but your ARC may allow you to. |
Push the Limits of a Transformation | 2DT | Training | Choose one Alternate Form or Legendary Form that you have access to and your ARC allows you to choose. You may use the 100% Power rules for that Transformation. If you already can, your base Tier of Power is 6+ and it is a Legendary Form that is the highest Stage for that Transformation, you may apply the Shatter Your Limits rules. Traditionally, you should not be able to select this training option multiple times during a Downtime Period but your ARC may allow you to. |
Increase Your Transformation Speed | 2DT | Training | Choose one Transformation you possess that does not possess the Dedicated Form Aspect – it gains the Heartbeat Aspect. Traditionally, you should not be able to select this training option multiple times during a Downtime Period but your ARC may allow you to. |
Enhancement Modification | 2DT | Training | Choose one Enhancement Power you possess. You may increase or reduce the level of any Aspect with levels on that Enhancement Power by +/-1. If that Enhancement Power has its Aspects decided by its traits, this effect applies after that calculation.You can only use this Downtime option up to twice on each Enhancement Power. |
Resting | 1DT | Recreational | Chill out, grab a Hetap, and relax. Gain a Skill Rank in any Skill that uses your Personality Modifier. |
Studying | 1DT | Recreational | Gain a Skill Rank in any 2 Skills of your choice. Increase your Scholarship Attribute Score by +2. |
Bonding | 1DT | Recreational | Gain +1 Karma Point if at least one other character chooses this Downtime Activity. Increase your Personality Attribute Score by +4. |
Base Building | 2DT | Recreational | Gain and spend 2 Dev Points. Additionally, gain +1 Skill Rank for a Skill of your choice. |
Update Battle Jacket | 1DT | Recreational | Target one Battle Jacket you possess, set their bonuses from Battle Jacket Creation as if you made them with your current Power Level (for example, if you made them at PL10 and you’re currently PL15, give them +5 Power Levels worth of bonuses). |
Downtime Modifiers
There are multiple modifiers that can be applied during each Downtime Period. You can only benefit from each Downtime Modifier once and each Downtime Modifier will require that you have at least one Downtime Activity of the Training Type.
Your ARC will let you know which Downtime Modifiers are available to you during each of your Downtime Periods and the number of Downtime Modifiers you can select. Generally speaking, it is ill-advised to allow for more than one Downtime Modifier (except in special circumstances) and no more than two should be allowed at all.
Partner. An ally has decided to train alongside you. If this is another player, they must also be using this Downtime Modifier and they are referred to as your Partner. This Downtime Modifier must be applied to a Downtime Activity of the Training Type and it must be of the same Downtime Activity that you are applying this Downtime Modifier to.
Both you and your Partner must agree on one of these bonuses, that are applied before and in addition to the effects of your Downtime Activity:
Mentor. You’ve been taken as a student, perhaps over a long period of time or only briefly by another character. A Mentor is a character who, during this Downtime Period, will be actively teaching your character. You must select a Mentor, provided by the ARC (or another player, with ARC permission), when gaining this Downtime Modifier and you must choose a Downtime Activity from among those your Mentor has chosen for you to apply this bonus to.
The effects of the Mentor Downtime Modifier depends on which Downtime Activity it is applied to:
If you choose to have a Mentor, your Mentor decides which Downtime Activities you do and decides how you will spend your DT.
Life Threatening Training. You push your absolute limits, forcing your body far beyond what it could usually take to break through the barriers forced onto you. This may be due to a dangerous environment or simply due to sheer will when faced against an insurmountable goal that you simply must overcome. When you select this Downtime Activity, gain +2 DT to spend immediately.
Until you use the Resting Downtime Activity or spend at least 3 days resting at a Base, reduce your Maximum Life Points by -1/2.
Gravity Training. In an intense environment, where the world itself is dragging you towards the ground, you continue to push your training. When you use Gravity Training, your ARC will tell you the level of Gravity Training you apply based on the Degrees of Gravity (see – the Battle Grounds Additional Rule, below) and you cannot select a higher Degree of Gravity unless you have Adaptation for all Degrees of Gravity below it. After using Gravity Training in a Degree of Gravity for the first time, you gain Adaptation in that Degree of Gravity (you must have Adaptation in all previous Degrees of Gravity to gain Adaptation in this way).
Gain the following benefits depending on the Degree of Gravity you trained at:
Any Attribute Points gained from Gravity Training cannot be applied to Personality or Scholarship. Additionally, do not gain the additional DT and reduce the gained Maximum Life Points by -1/2 if you already have Adaptation for this Degree of Gravity.
If you do not have Adaptation for a Degree of Gravity that you have trained at, until you use the Resting Downtime Activity or spend at least 3 days resting at a Base, reduce your Maximum Life Points by -1/4 and reduce your Combat Rolls by -1(bT).
Additional System Mechanics to Interact with Downtime
The additional tools shown in Downtime allow for a unique element to be added into campaigns in more detail: Gravity.
Gravity. While some planets may have a gravity similar to Earth, others may vary greatly. Not to mention, in some cases, an artificial gravity can be made that overcomes any naturally occurring gravity for planets! When entering an area that has notable gravity, your ARC will ask you to make a Force or Spirit (whichever is higher) Ability Check, whose TN is decided by the Degree of Gravity (shown in the table below).
If you fail this Ability Check, you are knocked Prone. When attempting to remove the Prone Combat Condition through any means, you must attempt this Ability Check. While in an area with a high Degree of Gravity, you also suffer penalties to your Combat Rolls but your Doff Bonus is increased (shown in the table below).
If you are in a Transformation when you attempt to overcome the Force or Spirit Ability Check, you may increase your Dice Score by that Transformation’s Tier of Power Requirement.
Degree of Gravity | Ability Check TN | Combat Roll Penalty | Doff Bonus |
1x | Automatic Success | 0 | 0 |
10x | 16 | -4 | +1 |
50x | 20 | -6 | +3 |
100x | 24 | -8 | +5 |
300x | 28 | -10 | +7 |
500x | 32 | -12 | +9 |
Adaptation. Either through training, birth or some divine method, you have adapted to a Degree of Gravity. While in this Degree of Gravity, you automatically succeed on the Ability Check and reduce the penalty to your Combat Rolls by -1/2 (before any other calculations).
To gain Adaptation, you must also have Adaptation for all previous Degrees of Gravity.
All characters start with Adaptation for the 1x Degree of Gravity.
If you would use this Magical Ability, you may reduce the Ki Point cost by -1/2 to instead change the Degree of Gravity affecting the Battle Ground to any degree of Gravity you have Adaptation for. These effects last until the end of your next turn.
By spending One Action while on a Square adjacent to the Gravity Chamber, you can adjust the Degree of Gravity affecting this room. Additionally, gain the Gravity Training Downtime Modifier during any Downtime Period in which you can visit this Base.
The Gravity Chamber can only set the Degree of Gravity to 1x or 10x. To increase the maximum Degree of Gravity, you must spend an additional 2 Dev Points. The Dev Point Cost for each Degree of Gravity gained after the first increases by an additional +1.
You cannot improve the Degree of Gravity the Gravity Chamber is able to produce beyond 100x unless you possess 5 Skill Ranks in the Science Skill.
Natural Gravity |
– Once per Combat Encounter, if you would have to make an Opposed Force or Spirit Ability Check, increase your Dice Score by +3(bT). |
– Either through training or from birth, you have encountered high levels of Gravity and have Adaptation for the 10x Degree of Gravity. Additionally, while fighting, reduce the penalty to your Combat Rolls from Gravity by -2. |