Dragon World RPG — Quick Start Guide
Everything you need to jump into the Dragon World
What Is Dragon World?
Dragon World RPG is a play-by-post Dragon Ball roleplay forum running on a d20 (D&D-style) system with strategy and tabletop elements. The game takes place in an alternate universe beginning in Age 900, where none of the canon Dragon Ball characters ever existed. Instead, your characters will shape the story.
The game is organized into Campaigns made up of interconnected Sagas and Events, all orchestrated by a Game Master. Your choices will determine the fate of entire races and worlds.
Getting Started
Step 1: Register Your OOC Account
Your first account should be an OOC (Out-of-Character) Account representing you, the player. Future accounts you create will be named after your characters. Use your OOC account for out-of-character posts and managing character sheets.
Step 2: Create Your Character Bio
Fill out and post a Character Bio in the Character Applications board. Approval is based on two things: a clear, understandable appearance description and a background that shows you've read about the Dragon World setting. You do not need to be an advanced writer — beginners are welcome!
Your Character Bio includes:
Step 3: Set Up Your Character Sheet
After approval, you'll receive a private Character Board. Create your Character Sheet there with your starting stats. Key starting values include:
Playable Races at a Glance
Dragon World features a diverse roster of playable races, each with unique traits, transformations, and playstyles. Here's a quick overview:
Players may currently have up to one character per Campaign.
Core Stats & Skills
Stats
Your character's combat effectiveness is defined by five core stats:
Skills
You have 20 Skill Points to distribute across five skills. Each rank costs 1 point. Ranks go from None through F, E, D, C, B, A, S, and Z.
Time, EXP, & Activities
How Time Works
In Dragon World, 1 real-world week = 1 Quarter (3 in-game months). Quarters change every Sunday at midnight Eastern Time. Multiple decades can pass over the course of a Campaign, so characters will age, grow, and change over time.
Earning EXP
Posts don't need to be massive—each should only take about 15–30 minutes. The EXP system rewards consistent engagement, not word count.
Key Activities
Activities are the actions your character can take. Some cost EXP, some cost time, some cost both. Here are the essentials:
Combat Basics
Dragon World uses a d20 combat system. On your turn, you roll a d20, add your Attack modifier, and try to match or exceed your opponent's Defense. Your Power Level relative to your opponent determines your League advantage, which grants bonuses to Attack, Defense, Damage, and Damage Reduction.
Power Level Leagues
If your Current Power Level is higher than your opponent's, you gain League bonuses:
The pattern continues scaling upward. The weaker fighter's Critical Hit Range also expands starting at League 2, ensuring no fight is ever truly hopeless.
Techniques
Nearly everything you do in combat is a Technique. Dragon World features premade Fundamental Techniques available to everyone, plus custom Signature and Finisher Techniques you design yourself. Techniques are categorized by type (Offensive, Defensive, Utility, etc.) and cost Ki to use.
The Dragon World
The universe is full of locations to explore. Planets are treated as single locations for simplicity, and travel between them requires either a spaceship (which takes multiple Quarters) or teleportation techniques.
Key locations include:
Dragon Balls
True to the source material, the Dragon Balls are a central feature. Use the Gather Dragon Balls activity (requires a Dragon Radar) to search for them. Once all seven are collected, an Event begins where the Eternal Dragon is summoned — but all characters on the planet have one Quarter to fight for them before wishes can be made!
Death & Retirement
Death in Dragon World is not the end — it's an opportunity. When your character dies, you can continue to the Afterlife and adventure there, or choose to Reincarnate by transferring your Power Level to a brand-new character.
If your character's story has run its course but they're still alive, you can also choose Retirement. A retired character leaves the game permanently, but may designate a successor who inherits their Power Level, one item, and any eligible techniques. If the successor is an existing player-character, they also gain a one-time 25% boost to Base Power Level.
Quick Reference Checklist
Follow these steps and you'll be adventuring in no time:
Everything you need to jump into the Dragon World
What Is Dragon World?
Dragon World RPG is a play-by-post Dragon Ball roleplay forum running on a d20 (D&D-style) system with strategy and tabletop elements. The game takes place in an alternate universe beginning in Age 900, where none of the canon Dragon Ball characters ever existed. Instead, your characters will shape the story.
The game is organized into Campaigns made up of interconnected Sagas and Events, all orchestrated by a Game Master. Your choices will determine the fate of entire races and worlds.
Key Philosophy
Dragon World rewards player interaction over volume. You don't get stronger by writing more words — you grow by fighting, participating in Events, completing Quests with others, and generally being active. New characters always start close to the power of existing players, so you're relevant immediately.
Getting Started
Step 1: Register Your OOC Account
Your first account should be an OOC (Out-of-Character) Account representing you, the player. Future accounts you create will be named after your characters. Use your OOC account for out-of-character posts and managing character sheets.
Email Tip! You can use the + symbol to create email variants for multiple accounts. For example: myname@email.com and myname+goku@email.com both go to the same inbox.
Step 2: Create Your Character Bio
Fill out and post a Character Bio in the Character Applications board. Approval is based on two things: a clear, understandable appearance description and a background that shows you've read about the Dragon World setting. You do not need to be an advanced writer — beginners are welcome!
Your Character Bio includes:
- Name: Your character's name (follow your race's naming theme)
- Race: Your race and class (e.g., "Saiyan, Noble")
- Alignment: Good, Evil, or Neutral
- Age: Your character's age in years
- Appearance: Physical description focusing on permanent features
- Background: Your character's history and what drives their adventure
Step 3: Set Up Your Character Sheet
After approval, you'll receive a private Character Board. Create your Character Sheet there with your starting stats. Key starting values include:
- 1,000 EXP to spend on Power Level, Techniques, or Zeni
- 2,000z worth of starting items at Interstellar Market rates
- 20 Skill Points to distribute across your five Skills
- 5 base Technique Slots (modified by Intelligence and race traits)
Playable Races at a Glance
Dragon World features a diverse roster of playable races, each with unique traits, transformations, and playstyles. Here's a quick overview:
| Race | Name Theme | Typical Alignment | Avg. NPC PL | Standout Feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Human | Clothing & Food | Good | 200 | Extra Technique Slots & versatility |
| Saiyan | Vegetables | Evil | 2,000 | Zenkai power-ups & Super Saiyan line |
| Namekian | Instruments & Slugs | Good | 500 | Regeneration & Dragon Ball Creation |
| Changeling | Temperature | Evil | 1,000 | Many forms & space survivability |
| Android | Numbers & Metals | Neutral | 1,000 | Undetectable & Ki specialists |
| Bio-Android | Genetic Terms | Neutral | Varies | Mix traits from other races |
| Shinjin | Gods & Attendants | Good | 1,000 | God Ki & Afterlife access |
| Alien | Player-Defined | Varies | Varies | Fully custom species design |
Players may currently have up to one character per Campaign.
Core Stats & Skills
Stats
Your character's combat effectiveness is defined by five core stats:
- Power Level (PL): Your overall strength, speed, and toughness. Comes in three forms: Base, Transformed, and Current.
- HP: Health Points. Starts at 100. Reach zero and you're out.
- Ki: Your energy pool for techniques. Starts at 100.
- Attack: Added to your d20 roll to determine if techniques hit.
- Defense: Starts at 8. An attack roll must match or exceed this to hit you.
Skills
You have 20 Skill Points to distribute across five skills. Each rank costs 1 point. Ranks go from None through F, E, D, C, B, A, S, and Z.
| Skill | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Combat | +1 Attack per rank (+2 each at S and Z) |
| Mobility | +1 Defense per rank, plus free Rapid Movement uses at S and Z |
| Ki Control | +10 Ki per rank (+20 each at S and Z) |
| Constitution | +10 HP per rank (+20 each at S and Z) |
| Intelligence | +1 Technique Slot per rank, Ki cost reductions at S and Z |
Balanced Skills Bonus! When ALL skills reach a minimum rank, you unlock powerful bonuses. For example: at F rank in everything, you gain a free Guard per battle. At C rank, your Critical Hit Range expands!
Time, EXP, & Activities
How Time Works
In Dragon World, 1 real-world week = 1 Quarter (3 in-game months). Quarters change every Sunday at midnight Eastern Time. Multiple decades can pass over the course of a Campaign, so characters will age, grow, and change over time.
Earning EXP
- 100 EXP per Quarter (every Sunday), automatically
- 5 Bonus EXP per day you make a post (up to 10 if you post twice)
- Additional EXP from Quests and Events
Posts don't need to be massive—each should only take about 15–30 minutes. The EXP system rewards consistent engagement, not word count.
Key Activities
Activities are the actions your character can take. Some cost EXP, some cost time, some cost both. Here are the essentials:
- Training: Spend EXP to increase Power Level. Gravity Training and Sparring provide better gains than Basic Training.
- Working: Spend EXP to earn Zeni. Scales with Intelligence.
- Learn Technique: 200 EXP to learn a new technique (or 100 EXP + 1 Quarter if taught by another player).
- Travel: Move between locations. May require a spaceship or teleportation.
- Quest: Undertake unique adventures for EXP and special rewards.
- Gather Dragon Balls: Search for Dragon Balls (requires a Dragon Radar).
- Purchase: Buy items at your current location (50% markup outside the Interstellar Market).
- Challenge: Start a fight with anyone on the same planet!
Training Tip! Training gains are exponential, so always try to stack bonuses! Combine Gravity Training with Sparring and other boosts for the best growth. Minimize time spent on plain Basic Training. But don't over-stress about Power Level, either: there are many ways to catch up and participating in Events and Sagas will provide ample rewards in Power Level as well!
Combat Basics
Dragon World uses a d20 combat system. On your turn, you roll a d20, add your Attack modifier, and try to match or exceed your opponent's Defense. Your Power Level relative to your opponent determines your League advantage, which grants bonuses to Attack, Defense, Damage, and Damage Reduction.
Power Level Leagues
If your Current Power Level is higher than your opponent's, you gain League bonuses:
- League 1 (1.5x PL): +1 Attack, +1 Defense, +2 DR, +1 Damage
- League 2 (2x PL): +2 Attack, +2 Defense, +4 DR, +2 Damage
- League 3 (3x PL): +3 Attack, +3 Defense, +6 DR, +3 Damage
The pattern continues scaling upward. The weaker fighter's Critical Hit Range also expands starting at League 2, ensuring no fight is ever truly hopeless.
Techniques
Nearly everything you do in combat is a Technique. Dragon World features premade Fundamental Techniques available to everyone, plus custom Signature and Finisher Techniques you design yourself. Techniques are categorized by type (Offensive, Defensive, Utility, etc.) and cost Ki to use.
The Dragon World
The universe is full of locations to explore. Planets are treated as single locations for simplicity, and travel between them requires either a spaceship (which takes multiple Quarters) or teleportation techniques.
Key locations include:
- Earth: Homeworld of the Humans. Recently joined the interstellar community.
- Vegeta: Saiyan homeworld, ruled by a warrior-monarch.
- Namek: Peaceful Namekian homeworld with a native set of Dragon Balls.
- Cold #01: Frozen Changeling hub world.
- M-1: High-gravity world and safe haven for Androids.
- Interstellar Market: The best prices on items (no 50% markup).
- The Afterlife: Multiple locations including Heaven, Hell, King Kai's Planet, and more.
Dragon Balls
True to the source material, the Dragon Balls are a central feature. Use the Gather Dragon Balls activity (requires a Dragon Radar) to search for them. Once all seven are collected, an Event begins where the Eternal Dragon is summoned — but all characters on the planet have one Quarter to fight for them before wishes can be made!
Death & Retirement
Death in Dragon World is not the end — it's an opportunity. When your character dies, you can continue to the Afterlife and adventure there, or choose to Reincarnate by transferring your Power Level to a brand-new character.
If your character's story has run its course but they're still alive, you can also choose Retirement. A retired character leaves the game permanently, but may designate a successor who inherits their Power Level, one item, and any eligible techniques. If the successor is an existing player-character, they also gain a one-time 25% boost to Base Power Level.
Embrace Death! Player-characters are expected to die many times during their journey. The Afterlife is full of powerful training opportunities and unique Quests. Coming back from the dead often means coming back stronger!
Quick Reference Checklist
Follow these steps and you'll be adventuring in no time:
- Register an OOC account on the forum
- Read through the rules and choose a race
- Fill out and post your Character Bio for approval
- Set up your Character Sheet in your private board
- Spend your starting 1,000 EXP and 2,000z on gear and training
- Start posting, interacting with other players, and having fun!
Remember! Dragon World is designed for long-term play. Don't rush—engage with other players, join Events and Sagas, and let your character's story unfold naturally. The more you interact, the more powerful and interesting your experience becomes!
Welcome to the Dragon World. Your story begins now.
