Flight, originally a technique introduced to us by the Crane School, became a very common occurrence within Dragon Ball Z. As such, the base rules don’t pay much heed to Flight and treat it as something relatively natural for the sake of keeping things simple. With this set of Optional Rules, you can emulate Flight a bit closer to the source material. Do be warned though, these rules will add an additional level of complexity to your games.
Flight: General Rules
Verticality. By default, DBU is typically played in a 2D format. While these Optional Rules don’t change that, it does add a new stacking mechanic: Verticality. Anything from a Character to a Feature can possess any number of Verticality stacks – each one representing how high they are in the environment.
You can move through Squares that are unoccupied by any Feature or Character that has the same Verticality as you, even if Features or Characters occupy that Square with different amounts of Verticality.
Features can be stacked atop one another, with those higher than the lower ones having levels of Verticality.
At the start of your turn, you lose all stacks of Verticality you possess.
Melee Range, Long Range and Verticality. When calculating if an Opponent is within your Melee Range or if they are at Long Range, increase the number of Squares you and your Opponent are away from each other by the difference in your Verticality.
Movement and Verticality. If you are moved by an Opponent’s effects, they may increase or reduce your Verticality stacks by reducing the number of Squares of movement by an equal amount. This can allow you to hit Features that are at a lower or higher Verticality.
Hitting the Floor. If your number of Verticality stacks is reduced to 0 by an Opponent’s effect, you Collide with the ground. Increase the Collision Damage you suffer by 1(bT) for every 2 Verticality you lose, up to a maximum of 4(bT).
AoEs and Verticality. AoEs can hit Characters at different levels of Verticality, based on the size of the Magnitude (each Magnitude has a number allocated to it – see — AoEs). To target an Opponent, their Verticality stacks must be within a range of yours up to the Magnitude’s number. For example, the Large Magnitude has a numerical value of 2. As such, if your Verticality was 3 – any Opponents within Squares occupied by your AoE can be targeted if their Verticality was between 1 and 5.
Minor is considered 0 for this effect, meaning that Attacking Maneuvers that possess a Minor AoE can only target characters with the same Verticality as the attacker.
Standard Environment. Ignore the effects of the Standard Environment.
Sky Environment. The threshold for the Sky Environment is 8 stacks of Verticality, any more and you are in the Sky Environment.
Space Environment. The amount of Verticality stacks to enter Space varies depending on the planet you are on, but for Earth, if you have 16+ stacks of Verticality, then you are considered to be in the Space Environment.
You cannot use the Movement Maneuver in the Space Environment if you do not possess access to the Soar Maneuver.
Limited Verticality. Your ARC may declare that there is a limit to the number of Verticality stacks you can possess, typically indicating a roof that blocks you.
Flight (Unique Ability)
You have learned how to control your energy to lift you into the air.
–Ability Type: Technical/Magical
–Prerequisites: Access to the Soar Maneuver
–TP Cost: 5
–KP Cost: N/A
–Maneuver Type: Standard
–Action Cost: 1 Action
–Passive Bonus: You do not have to lose Verticality at the start of each of your turns.
–Effect: You may move any number of Squares up to your Normal Speed. Additionally, you may reduce your Normal Speed for this effect by any amount to lose or gain that amount of Verticality. This Unique Ability is treated as the Movement Maneuver for all effects.
Flight Advancements
Dragon Flight
You’ve acclimated yourself to your ability to fly, allowing you to move at full speed.
–Prerequisites: Force or Magic Score 5+
–TP Cost: 2
–Effect: You may use your Boosted Speed for the effects of the Flight Unique Ability, and if you move a number of Squares that exceed your Normal Speed, it is treated as if you used the effects of Rapid Movement for any of your effects.
Adjustment of Existing Mechanics
Soar Maneuver: Soar through the skies like a bird!
–Action Cost: 1 Action
–KP Cost: N/A
–Effect: Gain up to 8 Verticality and increase your Dodge Rolls by 1(T) until the start of your next turn. This Maneuver triggers the Exploit Maneuver from any Opponent within a Minor Sphere AoE (centered on you).
Frequent Flyer: You’ve become extremely accustomed to fighting in the sky.
–Prerequisites: Access to the Soar Maneuver
-[1/Round]: You may use the Soar Maneuver as an Instant Maneuver.
-[Passive]: Double the bonus to your Dodge Rolls from using the Soar Maneuver.
-[Triggered]: If you use the Soar Maneuver, you may increase your Verticality by up to 8 in addition to that gained through the Soar Maneuver.
-[Triggered, 1/Round]: If you use an Attacking Maneuver that has the Drop Down Disadvantage, increase its Wound Roll by 1d8(T).
Charging Assault: Your attack lets you rush forward and turn your momentum into power.
–TP Cost: 10
–Requirement: N/A
–Effect: At Attack Declaration, you may move up to your Boosted Speed in a straight line towards your Opponent before any rolls, as long as your Movement would end with them in your Melee Range. If you move more than 3 Squares through this effect, increase your Wound Roll by 1 for each square you moved after the third. This bonus cannot exceed 2(T).
You may reduce your Boosted Speed by any number of Squares when using this effect to gain or lose an equal amount of Verticality.
Drop Down: An air-to-ground assault, this technique uses the momentum of gravity to aid in dealing massive damage.
–TP Cost: -6
–Requirement: Charging Assault Advantage
–Effect: To use this Signature Technique, your Verticality must be 5 higher than that of your target. When you use this Signature Technique, you must reduce your Verticality until it matches that of your Opponent for the effects of Charging Assault.
Prone: You’re placed onto the floor, making it difficult to move or fight back.
–Effect: Reduce your Speed, Haste and Awareness by 1/2 and increase the Damage Category of all Damage you receive from Attacking Maneuvers by 1. During your turn, you can spend 1 Action to stand up and remove the Prone Combat Condition.
You must reduce your Verticality to 0 at the start of your turn, even if you possess the Flight Unique Ability. Additionally, reduce your Life Points by 1(bT) for every 2 Verticality you lost up to a maximum of 4(bT).
Additional Effect: Gravity
If you are in Heightened Gravity, increase any reduction in Life Points gained through the Prone Combat Condition or the increase to Collision Damage from the Hitting the Floor rules by x(bT) – where x is equal to the Weight Apparel Bonus for that Degree of Gravity. This can allow the effect to exceed its maximum.