Unofficial Tabletop Role-Playing Game
Transformation is the act of changing one’s body into another form in order to tap into greater stores of energy, strength, and speed. There are four types of transformations: Alternate Forms, Enhancement Powers, Manifested Powers and Legendary Forms. Alternate Forms are a powerful but temporary change, Enhancement Powers are potent, supportive transformations, Manifested Powers are a permanent but weaker change and Legendary Forms are the pinnacle of transformations, difficult to obtain but incredibly potent, usually with their own unique additional rules.
Transforming. Characters can voluntarily enter a form and revert to their normal state or a lesser stage of a transformation at will. To transform into a transformation requires a Transformation Maneuver. Reverting back to your normal state or a lower stage of a transformation is an Instant Action.
Stages of an Alternate Form or Legendary Form are considered a transformation for all rules that refer to transformations.
Forms entries. A table lists Attribute Modifiers, denoted by their first two letters, that are increased when you are using a form by the bonus listed below them. You benefit from these bonuses as long as you are in the transformed state. Some transformations have multiple stages or levels. Each stage gains the benefits of the previous stage unless otherwise specified.
Combining Transformations. Most transformations are incompatible with one another and cannot be used together. Alternate Forms and Legendary Forms cannot be used with another Alternate Form or Legendary Form. Manifested Powers, however, due to their permanence still give their benefits when in a transformed state. The only true case of transformation stacking can be seen in Enhancement Powers, that can be used in conjunction with both Alternate and Legendary Forms.
Although Legendary Forms cannot be used with Alternate Forms or Legendary Forms, the Legendary Traits they give as a bonus are still applied to other transformations you enter.
Interactions. The increase to your Attributes given by a transformation does NOT increase your Saving Throws or Skills while you are in that transformed state. Additionally, your Life Points are not increased by a bonus to your Tenacity Modifier. Only checks that specifically mention the Attribute Modifier benefit from your transformed Attributes, other than attack rolls and Initiative. The only exception to this is Manifested Powers.
Accessibility. Transformations are accessible purely by the stance of your ARC. Some ARCs may like transformations to be earned through story, good roleplaying or downtime activities. Always ask your ARC at the start of your game what transformations are available to you.
Additionally, some transformations are locked behind a Tier of Power requirement, meaning that you can NOT use a form until you meet that specific form’s Tier of Power requirement. As an example, you can NOT use the Enhancement form Godly Powers unless you are Tier of Power 4+. Keep in mind that your ARC might decide to change or limit when or how you gain transformations.
Transformation Types
Manifested Powers. Manifested Powers are permanent transformations which will always be active after being gained. You can gain the same Manifested Power multiple times, resulting in improving its traits and gaining its Attribute Modifier Bonus multiple times.
Alternate Forms. In the Dragon World, there are many different and powerful beings that can change or rapidly evolve. Perhaps the most iconic is the legendary Super Saiyan transformation. Alternate Forms have these additional rules:
Enhancement Power. Enhancement Powers are more taxing than Alternate Forms and require you to pass a Stress Test at the start of every turn. Unlike other transformations you can use an Enhancement Power in conjunction with other transformations, meaning that when you are using an Alternate Form you can still transform into an Enhancement Power and the bonuses stack together; though you can still elect to use most Enhancement Powers independently as well.
Legendary Form. A Legendary Form is a transformation brought about by unique circumstances coming together to give way to a level of power not normally accessible. Legendary Forms can sometimes be the combination of two or more transformations, creating a new, higher tier of power or they can be a completely unique transformation brought about by any number of legendary reasons. An ARC should be careful when giving out Legendary Forms, as they tend to be incredibly powerful. While using a Legendary Form, you must roll a Stress Test at the start of each of your turns. Legendary Forms are very taxing. When you fall out of a Legendary Form for any reason, increase the number of Combat Rounds you suffer Stress Exhaustion by +1. Legendary Forms have these additional rules:
Mastery. Alternate Forms and Legendary Forms can both be mastered, increasing the effectiveness of those transformations. Mastery is typically given by ARCs to show your progress through the use of the transformation, but with ARC permission can be gained through Downtime Activities as well.
If an Alternate Form has multiple stages, Mastery must be obtained for each individual stage.
New Level of Power. When you enter a transformation for the first time, for the remainder of that Combat Encounter, treat its Stress Test as -1(T) lower and treat your Tier of Power as +1 higher (see – Breakthrough in Core Rules).
Stress Test
Stress Test. Transformations can be taxing; when you attempt to use a Transformation Maneuver, you will need to take a stress test. If successful you will transform; if you fail, you will not transform and cannot attempt to use the transformation for the remainder of your turn. Additionally, when you reach a health threshold you will need to take a stress test. If successful you maintain the transformation, if you fail you will suffer stress exhaustion.
The test represents the sustain cost and the toll a transformation takes on your body. Making the test takes no time in-game and is rolled only when the rules call for it. Some forms do not have a listed stress test TN; these don’t require you to roll a test. A stress test’s TN can also be referred to as the Stress Test Requirement.
To make a stress test, roll a d10, add your power level and 1/2 of your base Personality Modifier (rounded down). Do NOT add additional dice from Tier of Power. Stress tests cannot be modified by Combat Conditions and are Solid Dice. (See – Attacking & Conditions)
Stress Exhaustion. If you pass a stress test, you maintain your form. If the test is failed, you will immediately return to your normal state and lose the form’s benefits. When you return to your normal state, reduce your current ki points by 1/2, to a minimum of 10, then return your capacity rate and your maximum ki pool to their normal values. You also cannot use another transformation for 3 rounds.
If you willingly end any type of transformation that causes Stress Exhaustion when the form ends, reduce the effects of stress exhaustion as follows: only 1/4 of your ki pool is reduced and you can not use another transformation for 1 round instead.
Returning to Normal. While using any type of transformation, other than Manifested Powers, if at any point you are defeated, become unconscious, or are reduced to 0 ki points, you will return to your normal state.