Playing in the Apocalypse

Whether this is your first time in the apocalypse, or you’ve been outrunning zed for years, you’ll want to know the rules.

Rulebook: The Dystopia Rising ruleset is available through Open RPG. You can download a .PDF for free, or order a physical copy to have at game. (Just click on rulebook and it will take you directly to the Open RPG page for the live ruleset)

Online Ruleset

Dystopia Rising PA runs a combination of live, and online games each year. During our online games, we’ll be using our DRPA online ruleset. Everything you need to know is just below.

Stats:

Your character’s stats in a DR:PA online module directly match your stats in the live space. If you have 30 Body at a live event you have the same amount of Body in the online space. Same goes for Mind, Resolve, Infection, Fractures, etc.

Skill Use:

Your character has full access to all the skills they have access to on their sheet in the live space and must expend all resources accordingly. If they want to do extra damage on a successful hit as they have proficient standard they must spend the 5 mind to do so. If they need to use an injectable they must expend the resolve same as in the live space.

Item Use:

Your character has full access to their Item cards and LIT inventory and may use them as one would in the live space. If you expend or use an item you must tear the card or inform the logistics coordinator staff to remove it from your LIT inventory. 

The D20 System:

When your character is attempting to perform an action that has any possibility that they could fail the character will need to make a roll called for by the storyteller. When you make a roll you will have a target number that you will have to either meet or exceed in order to succeed at the action. You will Roll a d20 (sometimes 2) and add your relevant modifiers. 

A Storyteller may decide that the situation calls for a modifier of some kind. Either granting a bonus or penalty to a roll.

Skill Modifier Table:

  • No rank in skill: No bonus

  • Basic skill: +2

  • Proficient skill: +4

  • Master skill: +6

  • PFA: Roll with advantage (Roll 2D20 and take the higher number) then add your modifier

Skill Check Table:

  • Critical Failure: A roll of a natural 1 (discounting modifiers). The result is catastrophic, the worst you could do plus a little twist of bad luck. (“No, and”)

  • Failure: A sum of 2-5. A clean miss, break, or screw up. Shame. (“No”)

  • Mixed Failure: A sum of 6-9. You fail, but there’s an opportunity in that failure. (“No, but”)

  • Mixed Success: A sum of 10-13. You succeed but not without a little bit of a complication. (“Yes, but”)

  • Success: A sum of 14+. You did it. A solid strike, a clean deal. Well done.(“Yes”)

  • Critical Success: A roll of a natural 20(discounting modifiers). The result is fantastic, the best you can do plus a little luck on your side. (Yes, and)

Limit Burn:

  • After a skill check is called for but before it is rolled a player may choose to expend a resolve to greatly influence the scene at the Storyteller’s discretion.

  • Note that most of the results on the Skill check table are Mixed. This is intentionally the case to reinforce the HOPE-PUNK genre of Dystopia Rising, encouraging characters and the Storytellers to have the narrative always failing forward and advancing against evolving adversity.

Additional Combat Rules:

  • Initiative is rolled with enhanced movement ranks, each character acting in descending order of roll.

  • Each round is approximately 1 minute of in game time for the purposes of Bleed Out and skill timers.

  • The Florentine skill grants an attacker Two attack rolls on their turn.

  • Every Attack is defended with either a weapon skill roll to parry or block in the case of the shield skill OR rolling avoid/Balance where applicable(which only ever gives +2 as they have no higher ranks) alternatively players can always choose to spend mind to successfully use the avoid/balance skills as in live play. Mixed results on the defender’s roll may imply less damage taken or perhaps an opening in the attacker’s defenses which is up to the Storyteller to interpret.