The Dystopia Rising rules system is huge… it consists of a 207-page rulebook, hundreds of prints, and an array of storyteller documents. With the size of the system, it’s easy to get confused about some of the rules. This is the first in a series of articles that attempts to make some of the more confusing rules calls simple.
Damage Reduction
Sometimes, you hear the call “Reduced, Minimal” or “Reduced, Immune” when you hit a character. This means the character takes little or no damage from the strike. That part’s easy.
However, what gets through Damage Reduction? The answer’s actually pretty easy if you remember three things:
“Bane” cancels Reduction, and vice versa. If you hit a zombie with Ranged Reduction with Undead Bane damage, then the creature takes normal damage.
A Burst (i.e. using a Proficient or Master ability with a weapon to do more damage) ignores Reduction. The damage goes off normally.
If an attack is both Burst and Bane (i.e. “50 zombie bane”) the creature takes all the damage as if they didn’t have damage reduction.
Enhanced Movement
Enhanced Movement is a little wonky because it’s basic ability actually does two different things. The first ability lets you take 5 steps with the stealth gesture (ignore restrictions on light that would end the use of Basic Stealth). The second lets you escape combat by taking 5 unchaseable steps.
The confusion comes from two restrictions that only impact the first ability (5 steps with the stealth gesture). This ability requires a) cover of some sort to use and b) can be negated by the use of basic Awareness (i.e. “Alert”). The second use doesn’t have these restrictions.
Predatory Stealth
Predatory Stealth is something you’ll see on your NPC shift when you’re playing sneaky monsters, mostly zed. While the full description is in the threat book, realize that Predatory Stealth is essentially the same Basic Stealth. The difference is that normally, zombies don’t avoid light, or run away from physically superior threats. Predatory Stealth, as an ability, just allows Zed to stick to the shadows instead of lurching directly at their prey, and retreat if they’re threatened, all the while being capable of Basic Stealth. It’s not a better form of Stealth, it just sounds really cool.