One Piece D&D, Devil Fruits - Jack Of All Trades Gaming

Devil Fruits are one of the most unique parts of One Piece. With the first part, I made the system closer to 5E, but some parts of One Piece do not fit into 5E at all. Devil Fruits are one of those parts, so we will break down how to use them and different ways to make them. The Original part is here. There was recently an amazing Indie RPG called Over Arms, I backed it on Kickstarter and once my group and I have a chance I will be running it some. But, one of the core ideas in it is something I am going to use for a Devil Fruit based system.

Over Arms is inspired by Jojo’s Bizzare Adventure, with a bit of Persona as well. Now, I know what you’re asking. “Why are you using this as an example. I want to read about One Piece?” Well to answer my own hypothetical question dear reader, it’s because they have an amazing customizable power system. Buy the book, and find out what it is.

The Fruits

Now, making a balanced fruit is impossible. They are meant to be ridiculous, but what’s fun about the devil fruits is their limitations. They can only do so much. I recommend letting the players develop their own powers, and matching them to spells or weapons. If the player makes a longsword, that’s a 1d10. If they cause a fiery explosion, 4d6, etc.

The whole point of devil fruits is to give the players options that they prefer to use, it will most likely take over class options and be the better option. That’s ok. Almost all of the devil fruit users in one piece use the fruits primarily, and their other skills take second place. It’s why the skills should be things the fruit cannot do, like healing or ranged attacks, to give them a versatile build.

Now, I know this sounds difficult which is why I am about to suggest something that some people see as controversial.

Milestone Leveling

Have the devil fruit level up with Milestone leveling, and have abilities tied to it. One Piece is made for bombastic devil fruit abilities, so I will provide a baseline to follow for PCs or NPC’s. Below is a list of the average damage of the fruit level.

Assuming the fruit user gets it around level 5, they should be getting level ups at 8, 11, 14, 17, 20. Follow this as a loose guideline, but don’t be afraid to give out levels earlier or later. Whatever serves the character and plot best.

Logia’s

1- Logia’s are allowed to transform here, making them resistant to all types of damage that aren’t based on the Logia’s weakness.
Level 2- They can produce large amounts of the Logia’s element.
Level 3- The user can use a reaction to be immune to non-armament haki damage. For instance, the Ice Logia user is still harmed normally by fire even if they use this ability, as they are turning into the base element to avoid the damage.
Level 4- Can harness the element without issue outside of what they produce, so don’t ever fight a Sand Logia user in a desert.
Level 5- Awakened fruit. Allow them to control mass amounts of the element, changing the makeup of the weather, or able to form tornado’s off said element.

Paramecia

Level 1- granted an immediate resistance/vulnerabilities that match the fruit. For example, rubber is immune to lightning, the gun fruit vulnerable to water-based attacks.
Level 2- Advanced usage of the fruit that allows them to more easily use their power, or create more advanced forms. Luffy’s gear power-up would be here.
Level 3- Allow the player to create custom attacks that deal appropriate damage. Gear 3 would be here.
Level 4- Allow advanced versions of the techniques, once more put it in your player’s hands. Paramecia’s are so broad of a category that it’s hard to make a baseline.
Level 5- Awakening the fruit, this is complicated and the players shouldn’t reach here until level 20. Usually, the user can now create the element associated with the Paramecia.

Zoans

Level 1- Partial transformation that increases physical strength stat by +2, and gives a hit point boost of 2 times their level. This is boosted only when transformed. The transformation lasts 1 minute and can be done an equal amount of times to the player’s base level.
Level 2- Full transformation. Think of this as an advanced Polymorph, and give them extra health of 3 times their level. This draws from the same pool as the partial transformation.
Level 3- Select transformations. The player can transform specific parts of their body to the part of the animal, allowing advanced attacks. Techniques are recommended for the player to make by this point.
Level 4- Complete control. No more cap on transformations and the special attacks increase to match recommended damage.
Level 5- Awakening the fruit. All users seen so far are always in a form resembling their full beast form, but with human attributes. Let them pick one of their physical attributes, and increase it by +4 permanently, but they are stuck in beast form as well.

Now, I feel like the Zoan needs more explanation so here I will elaborate on my thoughts. It’s hard with a D&D system to make boosts that work, this is what I think works best but if anyone has better ideas please share them.

Of course Logias are supposed to make you immune to things, but an rpg game where a character is immune to that many damage types is not a lot of fun.

Devil Fruits Rarities

Mythical Zoan’s, Ancient Zoans, both are rare fruit types. There are far fewer Logias than Paramcia’s or Zoan’s as well. So to give out the fruit is a rare occurrence, finding a Devil Fruit is difficult. Try to avoid giving one out until level 5. And figure out how to give them sporadically. If someone wants to start with a devil fruit, put a clause in. Like, “You must answer a task from the Rebels/Marines/A Yonko and you cannot say no when it comes.” for interesting RP.

The Devil Fruit Format

So, can do two things. Pick a power, and make a list of four things or skills tied to that power. Example, Rubber: Immune to lightning, can stretch their reach up to movement speed, can grow fists like balloons, can bounce higher than normal jumps.

Or, Pick a power and choose one of the four skills, and add them as their devil fruit levels up. I don’t think this is the best idea, as it defeats the purpose. But it is an option for those who enjoy more progression.

The Final Idea

Follow my preferred format, and tell the players to make abilities. That’s it, abilities that you have to approve. It put’s the work in their hands, and makes it more interesting. Take a queue from 4E, and give them a number of uses per day that matches how much damage it does. This idea also throws milestone leveling out of the water a bit.

Hope This Helped!

It was fun to write, next I am going to do Haki, or pick a class and do a 1-20 skill breakdown. I will continue until I feel like theirs enough content to run a comfortable campaign, and then make a master post about it.

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I am a full-time worker who runs this website on the side until my writing makes enough money to pursue a full-time career. Keep an eye out for a few D&D supplements I am working on.