AD&D Rules Conversion for Dragon Ball Z

Now that that's done, let me point out this: THIS IS NOT AN AUTHORIZED NETBOOK. IN NO WAY IS IT ENDORSED BY TSI, INC., WIZARDS OF THE COAST, AKIRA TORIYAMA, OR ANY OTHER PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS OR DRAGON BALL Z. There, I said it. On to the good stuff.

In this book, which I hope to be pretty self-contained except that one may need to have the PHB to understand some of it, I will attempt to convert the rules of AD&D 2nd Edition to a DBZ styling. Beware, seeing as 3rd edition is around the corner, that if you are interested in 3rd edition, I will most likely not be your man. I like 2E and I'll probably stick with it -- except maybe for the monk and the barbarian :-).

I will introduce techniques such as Kaio Ken, Kamehameha, Spirit Bomb, Aura blast and others, along with new races (Saiyan, Namekian, Android, etc.) and a few classes, depending on race. Also, I will try to show how to incorporate such things as the Eternal Dragon, Namek's explosion, and other memorable moments into a campaign.

A few things will remain the same, however - humans will remain in the campaign (with slight mods), alignment will stay the same, the ability scores remain the same, and the same set of dice will be needed.

Section 1::: Experience Points & Hit Dice

Experience Points

All fighters use XP according to Paladins in the PHB, and Healers and Mentors use the XP according to the Clerics in said book.

HIT DICE

There are no hit dice in this form. HPs are measured by one's power level, which decreases until 0, in which case one is dead.

Section 2::: Ability Scores

Strength

All the scores with it remain the same, but one more thing will go with it: Power levels. Your starting (level 1) power level goes as follows:

STR POWER LEVEL

3 5
4 10
5 20
6 30
7 40
8 45
9 60
10 100
11 150
12 250
13 400
14 700
15 750
16 860
17 1000
18+ 1300 plus your exeptional strength score times 2

Dexterity

Dexterity remains the same, except that for every ki attack, you can roll to see if you are able to successfully deflect it with either your hands or a more powerful ki blast, in which case you must roll a STR check on a d20 to see if you deflect it. Another DEX check can be made on a d20 to see if you were able to aim it back at the attacker.

Constitution

Remains the same, except that all HP adjustments are multiplied by 2.

Intelligence

Remains the same.

Wisdom

Remains the same.

Charisma

In this version, Charisma mostly means how many fellow warriors you can befriend. Take the maximum # of hench-men and multiply it by 2 to see how many partners you can make.

Section 3::: Races

Human

The human is the standard species throughout the game. Krillin, ChiChi, Master Roshi, and Dr. Briefs are some examples. In order to be a human, you must meet these requirements:

STR: 9

DEX: -

INT: 9 prime

WIS: -

CHA: -

Bonuses go as follows:

STR: -1

DEX: +1

CON: -

INT: -

WIS: -

CHA: -

Saiyan

Saiyans are (or were) some of the most powerful people in the universe - until Frieza destroyed all but Vegeta, Nappa, Raditz, and Goku (unless you count "Tree of Might"). Now, only two are left alive: Goku and Vegeta. They are natural born killers, with a thirst for destruction and fighting. As a rule, they must be of Chaotic alignment. Also, they have a special ability to increase their power levels after coming close to death (1 P.L. from death) and healing. For information on the Super Saiyan technique, see below section on techniques.

Requirements:

STR: 15 prime

DEX: 11

CON: 13

INT: -

WIS: -

CHA: -

Bonuses:

STR: +2

DEX: -

INT: -1

WIS: -

CHA: -1

Namekian

Namekians, the green-skinned people from Namek that created the Dragon Balls and played a minor role in the Frieza Saga, are now available as PCs. As a rule, Namek-ians are of good alignment, and despize evil characters.

Requirements:

STR: 11 prime

DEX: -

CON: -

INT: -

WIS: -

CHA: 12 prime

Bonuses:

Nil.

Half-Saiyan

Half-saiyans are the result of a Saiyan father and a human mother. They have been found to be, after training , even more powerful than Saiyans. They are predisposed to good alignments and are the only race other than true Saiyans able to go Super Saiyan.

Requirements:

STR: 14 prime
DEX: 10
CON: 12
INT: -
WIS: 10
CHA: -

Bonuses:

STR: +2
WIS: -2

Android

Androids are artificial humans, nearly perfect replicas in every way. Not much is known about them except that they are incredibly strong. They often start out evil, then see the error of their ways (sometimes by another PC, sometimes by an NPC) and change to good.

Requirements: STR: 14 prime
Bonuses: Nil.

Section 4::: Classes/Kits

These classes/kits are availiable only to certain races, dependant upon the kit. Feel free to make new ones.

Human Kit - Mentor

Mentors are often found in people like Master Roshi and King Kai, who prefer not to fight but to train others. They must have 12 INT and 15 WIS, and a high STR is desirable. They may train others for at least one year, and raise the others power level by the mentor's CHA and WIS combined times 10 (example: level 1 Mentor with CHA and WIS scores of 15 each trains Half-saiyan for 1 year, giving the Half-saiyan a power level increased by 300 points.) The higher the mentor's level, the multiplier is increased times 15 per level (example: level 3 mentor w/ above scores instead increases trainee's power level by 30*30, or 900).

Namekian Kit - Healer

Healers are often seen as kind-hearted young'ns of good alignment. They must have a CON score of 15 or higher. They have the ability to heal up to 2 people per day to their full power level and hit points. Adjust scores accordingly if healing a Saiyan.

Section 5::: Techniques

These techniques are the attacks used by fighters (not mentors or healers), listed in no particular order :-). Also, this is not in any way a complete list. Before coming up with adjustments for other attacks from the series, please email me at wyrmblaze@planetjurai.com first. Thank you.

Kaio-Ken: This attack increases one's power level by 1.5. An increased Kaio-Ken attack (Kaio-Ken x 5) will increase the users power level by the variable following it. However, it may be used only once per fight, and can last for 15 rounds.

Super Saiyan: This tech is availiable only to Saiyans and Half-saiyans of no lower than level 3. It must be taught to you by one who has already reached Super Saiyan before or be used when extremely angry for the first time, and often comes as a shock to the user.

Afterwords, it may be used as often as desireable. Usually, it first happens when one's good companion dies or something else that is horribly tragic happens. Use the chart below for power level adjustments. *Yes, in the series they DID state that no calculations could be used to figure out a Super Saiyan's power level. However, you just have to be able to figure out something for AD&D, so this will have to suffice.

SS1: +5 million
SS2: +50 million
SS3: +100 million
SS4+ is not accessable in this conversion.
SS2 and 3 may only occur when one reaches level 10 and 15, respectively.

Aura Blast: This tech is used to temporarily raise ones power level. It occurs whenever the user decides to, and resembles a Kaio-Ken except that it is usually yellow or blue, while the Kaio-Ken is often red. Aura Blast raises a power level by 10% per round used, so that if you have a power level of 1000 and Aura Blasted for 2 rounds, you would have risen to 1200 for the duration of the battle.

Ki Blast: A Ki blast is the standard attack of all Kamesennin martial artists. It is a bolt of energy thrown from the user's hand that requires little effort to make. It takes away up to 50% x user's power level in damage.

Kamehameha: The kamehameha is a glorified Ki blast in which the user cups his/her hands to his side, utters the name of the attack, and throws his palms forward, sending a blast of energy which can deal up to 80% x user's power level in damage. The charging and firing can be accomplished in one turn, or may be dragged out for a better timing.

Spirit Bomb: The spirit bomb is a ball of energy collected from the lifeforms nearby. The user (Goku, for instance), stands with his/her hands above his/her head, concentrating for 1-10 turns (user's choice) to charge it up, then throwing the ball forward. For a one turn charge, the blast deals 15000 points in damage, and for each additional turn of charging, it deals 1/3 more dmg.

Flight: Flight is achieved through concentrating one's ki opposite from the direction one wishes to travel in. It increases the user's movement rate by 40 outside of battle, and inside of battle may be used to hover or "teleport" from place to place instantaneously, although "teleportation" may be achieved only 1% times user's power level per turn. After that, it can no longer be done during said turn and any attempts to do so decrease user's power level by 10%.

Kamesennin Martial Arts: The name given to all hyper-fast attacks involving focusing ki or not, it is the standard attack form in DB/Z/GT. Punches may be delivered up to 15 times per round for 1d10% x 3 damage, kicks up to 10 times per round for 1d10% x3 damage, and one may block at super fast speed (if blocker is at higher PL than attacker, roll 60 or lower on 1d100. If lower, roll 30 or lower on 1d100. If same, roll 50 on 1d100 each time one wishes to block), as well as dodging.

Destructo Disk: A flat circle of energy made by the user, a destructo disk has the ability to cut straight through an object while being controlled by the user. The user's concentration may not be interrupted or the disk goes off course and explodes. It cannot travel through an object more than 50 feet deep and 50 feet wide, and will explode upon attempt (we're talking about Krillin's disk, not Frieza's). It deals 25% x user's PL in dmg per explosion, and a succesful slice will deal 750% x user's PL.

Special Beam Cannon: Usable in the series only by Piccolo, this is a shaft of energy surrounded by another spiral of energy that drills towards the enemy. It is capable of dealing within 100% of the user's power level in dmg when charged for 5 turns. During this time, the user may not break concentration.

Masenko Blast: The Masenko Blast is an attack used by Gohan in the series. It starts with Gohan raising his hands above his head, charging up, and then thrusting one hand forward and using the other to brace his wrist. The Masenko Blast deals 76-80% (1d4) of user's power level.

Section 6::: Campaigns

With an AD&D format for characters and fighting must come some way to make campaigns and dungeons. Of course, there must also be some way to incorporate settings from the show into a campaign (e.g., the Dragon Balls, Namek's destruction, the death of Frieza, et cetera).

Seeing as there are few actual monsters in the show, and it is mostly fighting other Kamesennin artists, the Monstrous Manual can hardly be used effectively.

So, sadly, DM's will have to put a little more work into their campaigns to make a DBZ setting work. Under some occasions, it may be acceptable to have Kamesennin artists come across standard AD&D characters. This, however, must be delicately laced together by the DM. For example, perhaps a major event (Namek's destruction or the opening of the Dead Zone from the Garlic Jr. Saga) might cause a dimensional rift and bring paladins and rangers together with Saiyans and androids. Or, while a dragonslayer is hunting in Io's Blood (the dragon home island chain), and comes across a fierce Great Wyrm, the dragonslayer's god might teleport him to a random point, like in the middle of a DBZ campaign.

Section 7::: DM's Options

As in all campaigns, the DM can make changes where he sees fit. For example, perhaps instead of using standard experience levels, one might rely upon power levels alone. This is totally up to the DM and does not have to be done at all; one might use these rules only. Or, one might decide to change things up a bit and use the rules for a plane other than the Prime Material from the Planescape setting. As I say often: AD&D is a great game because it isn't a video game; you can customize it however you like, and it relies greatly on user input.

The game is in your hands alone. Please, if you have any comments, ideas, complaints, etc., email me at wyrmblaze@planetjurai.com. I am always open to suggestions and will gladly answer any questions you might have within my ability (I am NOT a DM [except in the Council of Wyrms setting], I am a player; I may not know everything that you might). I appreciate you reading this and hope to update this often with all the feedback I hope to get. Thank you