THE BIZARRE TABLETOP RPG

OPEN THE GAME!

This tabletop RPG system is aimed at giving players the
experience of building and enjoying their own JoJo stories with
the guidance of a Game Master, or GM. A group of players,
ideally two to six, will take on a campaign involving encounters
with a series of opponents, likely Stand Users, in dense, detailed
battles that take more than brute strength to win. If you hadn’t
guessed, it’s based on Hirohiko Araki’s long-running manga JoJo’s
Bizarre Adventure and its popular anime adaptations. Though
familiarity with the series will help, these rules can be
understood by people who’ve never read or watched it. This
document is spoiler-free, but some canon characters may
have character traits and Stand abilities outlined in the
Examples.

The goal for this game is to facilitate JoJo experiences, so I’ve

done my best to keep it simple and easily playable, in the hope
that it can be picked up by anyone. However, everyone has
their own preferences; add to and take away from this game
as much as you’d like, or consider playing one of the other
JoJo RPG systems available. Running a game only requires a
few friends, this document, the character sheet, and at least
six d20s (twenty-sided dice). Digital dice rolling is fine too. This
document can be downloaded as a print-friendly PDF.

For the purposes of this document, Joanna Joestar and her

Stand ‘Knock on Wood’ will be used for italicized examples. It
has the power to magnetize organic objects. There’s also a
character sheet up for her in the associated document.

Put together by Esby

Book Design by Arm
 AN INTRODUCTION TO JOJO’S
BIZARRE ADVENTURE
If you’re familiar with the series, feel free to skip this section
and jump straight to the next one, which is where the
mechanics for this RPG start. If you’re not, this will give you
the basics.

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is a long-running (since 1986) manga

series from Hirohiko Araki about the Joestar bloodline, and the
various supernatural trials they face. It’s split into eight parts
(the eighth of which is currently ongoing) each one featuring a
different main character, often in a different part of the
world. It starts with Phantom Blood, set in England at the end
of the 19th century, which was a gothic, soap opera about
extremely buff people, but by the time the second part, Battle
Tendency, got started, the fights had developed into elaborate
spectacles that showcased intellect just as much as the unusual
abilities of its characters. This style would be defined by the
introduction of Stands in the third part, Stardust Crusaders,
the story arc that the series is most recognized for, within
Japan and internationally. A Stand is the personification of a
character’s fighting spirit, acting as a physical representation
of various psychic powers. Their elaborate visual design and
creative abilities mean that battles between two Stand Users
are often complex and interesting. Though it took effectively
the first half of Stardust Crusaders to really establish how
Stands could work (though, any established rule is occasionally
broken throughout the series’ lifetime), they’ve proved an
enduring image in manga history, especially Star Platinum. This
image is mostly commonly that of a humanoid figure, standing
beside its user, with an unusual design and abilities informed by
the user’s personality and desires.
Despite long-standing popularity in Japan, only Part III saw much
appreciation abroad, until recently. Two key releases can be
pinpointed for bursts in popularity; namely, the late 90s fighting
game, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Heritage for the Future,
based on characters and events from Stardust Crusaders,
and most recently, the very well-received anime that started in
2012, which started from the beginning at Phantom Blood, and is
proceeding through the entire series

If you’d like to check out the manga, you can start with Part 1
on MangaDex, or through obtaining copies of the recent
hardcover releases. The anime is considered an excellent
adaptation and show in its own right (your mileage may vary),
and can be found on Crunchyroll, amongst other places. It’s
recommended that you at least get up to Stardust Crusaders,
to get a feel for how Stands work. Skipping parts is generally
not recommended, and spoilers can be common, so be careful
on the Wiki and online discussions if you want a ‘pure’
experience. Though the series is built on character conflict,
most of the actions they take (and most of the actions that
will be performed in this RPG) are done using their Stands, and
most conflicts will be fought against enemy Stand Users. This is
often more interesting than having the characters themselves
fistfight, as Stands are usually stronger, faster, and tougher
than their users, and their unique abilities make for varied,
complex encounters. Most Stand Users have total control over
their Stand, but this comes at the cost of sharing any received
injuries with it, something that a Stand user will need to be
careful to manage.
As durable as they can be, fighting carelessly can be a quick
way to wind up severely injured, given that other Stands may
be stronger, or better prepared. Knowledge is a large part of
the battle in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, and players will need to
be wary of GMs that are willing to put their characters to the
test.

In addition to their unique abilities, of which each Stand will likely

only have one or two, their strengths and weaknesses are also
measured in six Stats: Power, Durability, Speed, Precision,
Range, and Potential. These Stats are ranked from E to A,
meaning worst to best, and the occasional None or Infinite,
depending on the individual Stand. An A-rank, or even a B-rank
are far beyond human potential, with Stands shown to be
capable of catching bullets, moving faster than the eye can
see, or punching hundreds of times within seconds.

As an example, this is Crazy Diamond, the Stand of Josuke

Higashikata, protagonist of Part 4. It has the ability to restore
items to their original State; generally speaking, it fixes things.
This is linked to Josuke’s underlying kind nature, and desire to
protect those he’s close to.

As durable as they can be, fighting

carelessly can be a quick way to
wind up severely injured, given that
other Stands may be stronger, or
better prepared. Knowledge is a
large part of the battle in JoJo’s
Bizarre Adventure, and players will
need to be wary of GMs that are
willing to put their characters to
the test.
 LET'S PLAY THE GAME!
This RPG is focused on collaborative storytelling more than
unpredictability or strict, detailed rulesets. It’s intended to
provide the experience of coming up with your own JoJo-
styled story, though what this means varies from person to
person. Some people are invested in creating a character and
building a narrative for them. Others just want to punch stuff.
Though these rules are simple enough to cover a broad variety
of ways to play, GMs who want to provide a specific
experience for their players should feel free to change or
add rules to suit their needs.

ROLLING TO PERFORM ACTIONS

Rolling in this RPG is generally kept to demanding Actions. As
such, basic adventuring or dialogue shouldn’t need rolls. If it’s
not something the average person would have any chance of
failing, it’s probably not worth it (like tying one’s shoes or
lighting a cigarette). Players should be free to narrate their
characters’ actions or dialogue at any time the story doesn’t
call for a roll.
When you do roll, you’ll need
at least six d20s. Each roll
will normally only use up to
three at a time, but there
will be many times when two
different characters will
have their Stats measured
against each other.
If you want to play with the expansion, you’ll also need at least
two d10s and a d6 for each character that uses the
expansion’s rules. You roll based on four Stats: Power,
Durability, Speed or Precision. Any Action you want to
perform will be assigned to one of those Stats, by you or the
GM. For example, if you’re about to be hit by a runaway car,
and would like to use your Stand to take the hit, you’d use its
Durability Stat. However, the same situation could be
approached with any other Stat. Dodging the car could involve
jumping out of the way, which would be a Speed roll, or you
could punch it harder than it can hit you, which would count as
a Power roll. The GM has final approval, but it comes down to
whether or not you, as a player, can justify using the Stat you
want to use.

GM Note: If you’re having trouble determining what Stat is most

appropriate, it can help to think of what the character is
trying to accomplish. If someone wants to beat down a door,
it’d probably use Power, but if they want to do it quickly, that
might be a Speed roll.

Most Actions can be completed with any Stat, but some will
only work with specific Stats. The use of any projectiles will
most likely use Precision, and any sort of quick movement will
likely also use Speed. Characters will want to choose their
Stats according to how their character is likely to try and
resolve problems. Additionally, using a Stand’s Ability is the same
as any other Action. Stand Abilities are almost always as natural
to a Stand User as clenching a fist, so there’s no need to treat
them like a special skill, or something with limited usage. They do
not always have to be rolled for.
Example: Joanna Joestar is on the roof of a building, and needs
to get to the ground. She could:

Use Speed to jump from the roof and bounce off the
walls to slow her fall.
Use Durability to jump from the roof and use her Stand to
absorb the landing.
Use Precision to grab a clothesline and swing for a less
painful landing.
Use Power to punch her way down through the floors of
the building.

Once you’ve picked an Action that you’d like to perform, and

worked out the Stat you’ll use, you’ll roll to determine how
successful you were. The specific dice you roll are dependent
on the rank you have in the Stat that you’re using, according
to the table below. This is true for any variety of roll made
that’s dependent on a Stat, unless something else directly
affects it. In all cases, this dice roll is called the Action Roll.

A ROLL 3 D20, AND TAKE THE HIGHEST RESULT.

B ROLL 2 D20, AND TAKE THE HIGHEST RESULT.
C ROLL 1 D20.
D ROLL 2 D20, AND TAKE THE LOWEST RESULT.
E ROLL 3 D20, AND TAKE THE LOWEST RESULT.
Ordinary humans (and other ordinary non-Stand beings) are
considered to be a D-rank for any rolls made by or targeting
them.

Alternatively, if you’re looking for more accurate

representation of different non-Stand entities, then you can
use the expansion, Paranormal Beings & Battle Techniques,
which outlines rules for creatures above and below ‘ordinary
humans’.

Once the result is adjusted based on Momentum, any Conditions,

Techniques, Damage, Goals, or Impulses, it’s called an ‘adjusted
roll’, and is compared to the table below to get a result.
0 AND LESS 1-5 6 - 10 11 - 15 16 - 20 21 +

CRITICAL DEFINITE MODERATE MODERATE DEFINITE CRITICAL

FAILURE FAILURE FAILURE SUCCESS SUCCESS SUCCESS

Anything 10 or below is a Failure, while anything 11 or above is a

Success. This is true regardless of the Rank or dice that you
roll. A Failure means you did not complete your Action, and a
Success means you did. However, there are three types of
Success and Failure.

A Definite result is simply failing or succeeding at the Action.

Very little happens that wasn’t a direct consequence of the
Action.
A Moderate result is a Success or Failure with a complication.
A Moderate Success might mean the Action is completed, but
something goes wrong, or the final result is not as good as it
seemed. A Moderate Failure will still result in an incomplete
Action, but there may be an unexpected advantage to the new
situation, or something to reduce the consequences of Failure.
In terms of storytelling, you can think of it as “You
succeed/fail, but…”

Example: Joanna Joestar wants to break down a door using

her Stand, Knock on Wood, which has a Power Stat of B. She
rolls 2d20, and the highest result is 13, meaning the Action is a
Moderate Success. The GM decides that the door swings open,
but the occupant of the room is alerted, and angry. Had she
achieved a Definite Success, the room might’ve been empty. A
Failure would’ve left the door unopened, since that was the
intent of the Action.

A Critical result is a Success or Failure with a bonus. A

Success might result in knocking an opponent down, or finding
something particularly helpful after punching them through a
wall. Similarly, a Failure could be disastrous. You might break
through the same wall, only to find it’s load-bearing, and bring
the ceiling down on your head. It’s important to note that the
result might not be the best or worst possible at the time.
Instead, the situation is in some way enhanced, or made more
severe. This could be thought of as “You succeed/fail, and…”

GM Note: Use these as a way to keep an encounter going. They

don’t have to control the encounter completely, but you have
the freedom to let a scene play out organically, or work your
direction for the encounter into the results of your players’
Rolls.
CONTESTS: ROLLING AGAINST OTHER CHARACTERS
If a player wants to perform an Action on another character,
and that character wants to stop them with an Action of their
own, the rolls play out differently to standard Actions. These
rolls are played against each other, simultaneously, and are
called Contests. Only one character can Act at a time, so the
player who starts the Contest will have to make the first
move, but that move doesn’t have to be an attack. It can be
throwing, grabbing, shooting, speeding ahead, or anything else, as
long as it’s something your opponent is trying to respond to.

The player targeted by the Contest has the same freedom to

approach it how they want. Their counter-Action should be a
response to the initiating player’s Action, which can be as simple
as blocking, or complex, specific maneuvers. You can also
attack the other player back.

It doesn’t even have to address the other Action, but the GM

will resolve both the Action and counter-Action based on
common sense.

Once both players have chosen their Action, and the Stat
they’re going to use, they roll the same rank-based dice they
would for an Action roll, simultaneously. From there, the results
of each adjusted roll are checked; if either are 10 or under,
then the Action has failed, the same as a normal roll.
 If the initiating Action succeeded and the counter-Action
failed, then the initiating player’s Action succeeds, with any
consequences: punches land, Stand effects are activated,
etc.
If the initiating Action failed and the counter-Action
succeeded, the countering player can Contest immediately in
retaliation. If they want, they can instead initiate this contest
any time later, until they have their next normal Action.

If both players failed, then

nothing happens, and the
initiating player’s Action is spent.
If both players succeed, then
their Actions cancel each
other out. This doesn’t
necessarily have the same
result as both players failing; it
depends on the Actions involved.

Additionally, the two rolls are compared to each other. If

there’s a tie, nothing else happens. Otherwise, whoever rolled
higher gets an increase of +1 to their Momentum. The other
player reduces their Momentum by -1. (This is independent of
whether or not the Actions were successful.)

Example: Joanna Joestar wishes to attack Bonnie Tyler using

her Stand’s Power rank of B. Bonnie chooses to block the
attack using her Stand, Total Eclipse, which would use the
Durability rank of C. The two enter a Contest. Bonnie rolls a 13,
Joanna rolls an 18. The attack connects, but is blocked by Total
Eclipse. Since she rolled higher, Joanna gains +1 Momentum, while
Bonnie loses -1.
 MOMENTUM: SHIFTING THE BALANCE
Fights in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure tend to have a balance that
shifts back and forth, making them more about striking at the
right moment with the right tactic than necessarily
overwhelming with brute force. To show this, players will need
to manage and use their Momentum carefully, changing up their
strategy depending on whether or not they’re ahead in the
encounter Momentum is a constantly changing number that
represents how much control a character has over the
situation they’re in. It starts at 0, and ranges from -3 to +3,
depending on how a character is matching up to their
opponents. Momentum can never be lower than -3 or higher
than +3.
This value is applied as a penalty or
bonus to all Action rolls. Players
with higher Momentum also get
more control over when they
move in a turn, getting priority if
they want to move at the same
time as someone with less
Momentum.

GM Note: Momentum is an organic

way to represent who has control
over the fight. If the narrative
allows it, consider giving out
rewards of Momentum for things
your players do that aren’t rolled
for, or adjust it to represent
dramatic changes in the narrative.
In addition to this, when characters have Momentum above or
below zero, they also receive an additional ability, depending on
whether or not their Momentum is positive or negative.

While you have positive Momentum, you have the ability to

Predict your opponent’s moves. This means that when a
Contest is declared against you, you can interrupt their
declaration at the immediate cost of -1 Momentum. You then
announce a Stat that you Predict your opponent is likely to
try to use. If they decide to use that Stat anyway, then you
don’t roll, and will automatically win that Contest. The
Contest otherwise proceeds as normal. Even if they
succeed, you’ll gain +1 Momentum from the Contest and
they’ll lose -1, as if you had rolled higher.

Example: Bonnie has managed to get herself some positive

Momentum through winning Contests, but Joanna hasn’t let up
yet. As Joanna starts a Contest, Bonnie interrupts it, telling
Joanna that she Predicts she’s about to use her Power Stat.
This costs -1 Momentum, but now Joanna is forced to choose
between using that Stat and losing the Contest, or using a
different one.

While you have negative Momentum, you instead have the

ability to Feint. This means you can make failed Actions or
lost Contests into tricks, meant to bait your opponent.
(Whether or not it actually was is irrelevant.) When you fail
a roll, you can immediately roll for a different Action, using
a different Stat. You can only do this once per Turn. When
the Action you’re Feinting from is part of a Contest, your
opponent can also choose a different Action and roll for
that instead. If you succeed on the new roll, you gain +1
Momentum, even if you don’t win the Contest. If you fail,
you take the consequences associated with both Actions.
 Example: Joanna’s behind in
Momentum, and has just
failed her attempt at
blocking a hit using her
Durability due to Bonnie’s
Prediction. In an attempt to
turn things around, she
declares a Feint.
Her dodge was simply a quick movement to the side, meant to
force Bonnie to move closer, where she would step on a rug
in the middle of the floor. She attempts a Speed Roll to pull the
rug and trip Bonnie up before she can react instead, to which
Bonnie responds with a Speed Roll of her own, to jump off the
rug

Characters with positive Momentum have more control over

the fight, and can limit their opponent’s options. Having negative
Momentum can be a disadvantage, but Feinting opens up
opportunities for people who can think on their feet that
positive Momentum doesn’t give you.

GM Note: Feints themselves might not always be enough for

your players to put themselves back in the fight. While Feinting
opens an opportunity for players to get a timely Action in,
those Actions need to be possible in the narrative, so you
should make sure you’re providing ways for your characters
to improvise their way out of trouble.
 VENTURES: GOING ALL-IN WITH YOUR MOMENTUM
If you find yourself struggling to break a defensive opponent’s
guard despite having plenty of Momentum, or are backed far
into a corner, you have the option to go for a Venture. When
you have either -3 or +3 Momentum, you can declare that
you’re putting everything you’ve got into initiating a Contest or
completing an Action.

To use a Venture, start by resetting your Momentum to 0.

From here, if you’re attempting a non-Contest Action, it
automatically succeeds. If you are attempting a Contest, you
pick an Action and Stat as normal, but you don’t take any
penalties from injuries when rolling.

Additionally, your opponent can’t Predict or Feint during this

Contest. Then, the two of you roll for the Contest.

If you exceed your opponent’s roll, then their roll is

considered a failure. Instead of losing Momentum, your
opponent’s Momentum is set to 0, while you gain the normal
+1 from beating their roll.
If you don’t exceed your opponent’s roll, you lose a point of
Stamina. Momentum is potentially gained and lost as normal.

The Contest is otherwise resolved as usual

Example: Joanna’s had just about enough of Bonnie blocking her
attacks, and has built up +3 Momentum; enough to perform a
Venture. She declares that she’s putting all of Knock on Wood’s
strength into hurling a manhole cover at Bonnie, and sets her
Momentum to 0. Bonnie, on the other hand, will use Total
Eclipse’s speed to attempt a dodge. Bonnie rolls an 11, while
Joanna rolls an 18. Even though Bonnie would normally have
succeeded, Joanna’s Venture was a higher roll, so the dodge is
considered a failure.

CLASHES: WHEN VENTURES COLLIDE

The best way to counter a Venture, if you have the maximum
positive or negative Momentum to do it, is to respond with a
Venture of your own. When you have +3 or -3 Momentum and
another character declares a Venture against you, you may
choose to use your Momentum to start a Clash. Declare an
Action that acts as a counter-Action to your opponent, as
though it was a Contest. The two Actions will oppose each
other repeatedly, over multiple rolls, until one or both
characters are worn down.
Example: Bonnie has been taking
hits for a while, and has the
Momentum for a Venture. She
declares one, deciding she’ll
attack directly, and Joanna
does the same. They set their
Momentum to +3, beginning the
Clash. Their fists connect over
a number of rolls, with Joanna
rolling a 5 to Bonnie’s 14,
meaning Joanna loses -1
Momentum, putting her at +2.
Joanna takes the next two rolls, meaning she has +2 Momentum
to Bonnie’s +1. They tie the last roll, meaning that they both lose
-1, and Bonnie reaches 0. This ends the Clash; Bonnie takes
Joanna’s attack, and Joanna keeps her +1 Momentum.

If a Clash doesn’t seem to be working out in your favor, and

you want to back out, you can perform a Clash Break. In
exchange for -1 Momentum, you can choose a different Action
to perform that would separate you and your opponent, and
roll for it. If you beat your opponent’s last roll, then your
Action is successful, and you escape the Clash. Otherwise, the
Clash ends as though you’d failed your Action roll.

GAMBITS: USING OPPONENT’S TRAITS AGAINST THEM

Gambits are different from normal Actions in that you don’t
necessarily have to roll for them; it depends on the specific
Action. Every character made for the system has traits that
define their personality, known as Impulses and Goals, which are
covered in more detail in the section of the document
concerning character creation. These give a bonus or penalty
of 3 to their character’s next roll, depending on whether that
character is going to satisfy or resist them, respectively. This
is known as ‘activating’ a trait. When a character intentionally
does something to activate an opponent’s trait, whether or not
they’re certain the trait exists, then their opponent has to
choose whether to satisfy or resist it. If they satisfy the trait,
they gain +3 to their next roll, but lose -1 Momentum. If they
resist the trait, they suffer a -3 penalty to their next roll, as
normal. Any Momentum loss is applied after the roll. To gain
Momentum as the result of a Gambit, the trait activation must
be intentional, and declared by the player.
 Example: During their fighting, Bonnie has
picked up on one of Joanna’s Impulses; she’s
extremely protective of her friends. She’s
looking to get an upper hand in the
encounter, and this time Joanna has been
joined by Mojo “King” Morrison, a beat cop and
Stand User she’s been working with. Bonnie
decides to take advantage of Joanna’s
Impulse. Making a show of it, and waiting until
Joanna is there to see it, she attacks Mojo
with her Stand, declaring a Gambit. In addition
to her Contest, Joanna now has to choose
between protecting her friend, for +3 to the
roll and a penalty of -1 to her Momentum, or
doing something else, at a -3 penalty to the
roll, but no Momentum loss
.

Other players and the GM are encouraged to point out

opportunities to make otherwise-mundane Actions into Gambits
that carry emotional meaning for the opponent, but the GM has
final say over what can push a traited character’s buttons.

Since a Gambit doesn’t necessarily have to be rolled for, it

includes things like breaking a fragile but important item, taking
a threatening step forward, or speech: taunts, threats,
bragging, and anything else you can think of to fall under this
umbrella. Often, you won’t discover a new opponent’s Impulses
or Goals until they activate them, but as you fight and learn
more about them, you can start to find ways to use their
traits to your advantage.
 TURN ORDER
When the GM needs to start keeping track of the order
Actions happen in, like during periods of intense fighting, every
character is given a token, or some other kind of marker.
Characters can still Act whenever they like, but whenever an
Action is started by that character, the token is given to the
GM. The player cannot do anything else until they get their
token back, except for performing counter-Actions (or
initiating a Clash) as the target of a Contest. When there are
no characters with tokens that want to act, the GM returns
all tokens. This marks the beginning of the next Turn.

Characters do not have to Act; tokens will be returned when

none of the remaining characters want to. This way, turns can
be used to measure a short period of time, which helps keep
track of Conditions that have durations. There’s no specific
parallel to real-time, but turns in a typical high-pressure
situation usually take around six seconds

If more than one character wants to Act at once, then the

priority goes to whoever has the highest Momentum at that
time. If more than one character shares the highest
Momentum, then they roll using their Speed Stat against each
other, including any penalties that affect the Speed Stat or
Speed Actions. Whoever has the higher roll gets to move first.
This roll only counts for that single Action; afterwards, if
multiple characters want to Act at the same time again, it goes
back to whoever has the highest Momentum, and so on.
If the roll results in a tie, then all relevant Actions need to be
resolved simultaneously. All players who tied will need to write
their Action down on a piece of paper, keeping the details
hidden from the other players. This includes the GM, if a
character they’re playing is involved. Once all the Actions are
decided on, they’re revealed to all players simultaneously. The
GM then decides how those Actions play out, and all involved
characters hand in their tokens.

RANGE & MOVEMENT

A Stand’s Range defines how far it can move from the User.
There are no specific rules about where things are positioned,
or exactly how far they can move. If you need to know how
far apart something is from something else, the GM can give
one of three distances. Each of these distances corresponds
to a Stand’s Range stat, with the exception of E and A.

Close (within 10m/33 ft., or in the same typical room), D

Mid (within 40 m/130 ft., or in the same typical building), C
Long (within 100 m/330 ft., or in the same typical city
block), B

A Stand with a Range Stat of E

can’t move very far from their
User, if they can at all. Actions using
their Stand are only possible if their
User is close enough to perform the
Action themselves. While they can’t
cover as much ground as a
character with greater Range, they
always have access to their Stand’s
Stats for rolls involving the User.
 A Stand with a Range Stat of
A, on the other hand, has
virtually unlimited Range. This
often applies to Stands that
have specific effects, such as
Manhattan Transfer, a Stand
that is used in tandem with a
sniper rifle to make precise,
long-distance attacks. In most
situations, their Range won’t
limit what they can do, but it
depends on the Stand and GM
discretion.
Stands can only perform Actions within their Maximum Range,
relative to their User, meaning a Stand with a Range of C can
Act anywhere within 40 meters of their User, and no further.
This Range is a hard limitation for anything created by a Stand,
like flames made by Magician’s Red, but doesn’t affect non-
Stand objects, like pistol bullets being deflected by Sex Pistols.

Instead of performing an Action, a character or Stand can

move from one distance to another, to get closer or further
away from something. You can only move from one distance to
the next closest, so there’s no movement from Close to Long,
or vice versa.
 CONDITIONS
A Condition is a tool used by this system to represent anything
that affects how a character is performing, whether positive
or negative. They can affect the mechanics, or just the
narrative, though they’ll typically affect how rolls play out.
While they are similar to traditional status effects from other
RPGs, their uses are much broader, and players/GMs are
encouraged to come up with their own ways to represent
their Stand’s unique qualities. To help with this, Conditions can
also have a Value, which is a number recorded alongside the
Condition, indicating a ‘stack’, or potency, of that Condition.

Example:

[Blinded]: Roll for Precision before attempting any Action,

to see if you can attempt it without using sight. If the roll
succeeds, roll for your Action as normal. Otherwise, the
roll has a -6 penalty.
[Magnetized]: Resisting the effects requires a Power roll
to succeed before any Action can take place, to
represent the character’s body fighting the magnetic
force. This may apply a penalty based on proximity based
on Range relative to the magnetized object.
[Burning] 2: This character takes the Value of the
Condition in damage every turn, caused by the flames
consuming them. The Value is equivalent to the
heat/coverage of the flames.

Since Stands and their Users are connected, most Conditions

that apply to one will apply to the other. This includes things like
injuries, being restrained and other forced movements.
GM Note: You’re not required to tell the player the effect of
Conditions, or whether or not a Condition has been applied at all.
This depends on how your specific group of players wants to
approach metagame knowledge. Since the flow of information
is such an important part of the series’ conflicts, it can be a
lot of fun to challenge players to work things out.

STAMINA & DAMAGE

Though the goal isn’t always winning through combat, often the
simplest way to defeat an opponent is to Retire them. In JoJo,
this usually means beating them until they’re incapable of
fighting back. To keep track of how close a character is to
being Retired, they will have a pool of Stamina, which will usually
start out at the maximum of 10.

The damage that a Stand does is based on its Power. This

doesn’t mean that Power Actions are the only ones that can
cause damage; any Stat can be used to land a hit, but the
amount of damage dealt is always based on a Stand’s Power.
This amount is tracked in ‘injuries’, which come in three
varieties; light, heavy, and major. As a character takes them,
they’re stored, and each brings their own penalties that need to
be dealt with.

A character’s Durability can help reduce the amount of

damage taken. At a rank of C or above, the amount of light
injuries dealt is reduced by a flat amount based on that Stat.
Since rolls involving a User instead of their Stand are usually
set to a D-rank, this means that attacking a User is often a
better idea than striking the Stand, if possible.
 RANK E D C B A
INJURIES DEALT (POWER) 0 2 4 6 8
INJURIES BLOCKED
(DURABILITY) 0 0 1 2 4
Once the final amount of injuries have been determined, they’re
added to the character. It’s up to that character to deal with them
going forward. Light injuries are the only ones you can remove in
the middle of a fight by default, and since they quickly build into
heavy injuries, you’ll want to take care of them as quickly as
possible.

Example: Joanna and Bonnie have been fighting Stand-to-Stand.

Joanna’s Contest to land a hit succeeded, since Bonnie failed her
roll, and now they need to work out the amount of damage done.
Knock on Wood has a Power of B, dealing 6 injuries. Bonnie’s Total
Eclipse has a durability of C, meaning 1 of those injuries is blocked.
Joanna deals a total of 5 light injuries in damage.

Light injuries are minor scrapes, bruises, and cuts. Most damage will
be dealt as light injuries, and the pain is minor enough to only be a
small distraction. To remove the light injury, you can apply a -3
penalty, per injury, to any Action you roll for. There’s no limit to the
amount of injuries you can remove at once, and whether or not
the Action is successful, the injury will be gone.

Heavy injuries can only be removed with healing abilities or first-aid.

Any-time you have four light injuries, they combine into a single
heavy injury, which is given a body location by the person who was
responsible for the damage. This location has a penalty of -3 to any
Action that uses it primarily. Additionally, receiving a heavy injury
reduces your Stamina by 1.
Example: Four of the five injuries Joanna just dealt are applied
as a heavy injury. Joanna decides to apply this heavy injury to
Bonnie’s right arm. Any rolls using that limb, on either Bonnie or
her Stand, will take a -3 penalty. This makes it harder for her
to do things like punch, block, lift, or push items around. The
remaining injury is kept as a light injury.

Major injuries happen when you receive a heavy injury on top

of a previous heavy injury. A major injury must be caused by
an Action that deliberately targets the location of the heavy
injury, (usually through a Precision roll) and the entire injury
must be caused in one blow. The difficulty of inflicting one of
these injuries matches up to its severity; in addition to the -3
penalty, any time a majorly injured character performs an
Action, they reduce their Stamina by 1. Body parts with major
injuries are often damaged beyond use, meaning that they can
have severe narrative consequences when applied to vital
organs.
Example: Bonnie has managed to
fight back, leaving Joanna with
some injuries of her own;
there’s a heavy injury on her
stomach that Bonnie wants to
take advantage of. For their
next Contest, she uses
Precision to target the heavy
injury she’s already left; when it
succeeds, striking her for an
additional 4 injuries, it’s
upgraded to a major injury.
The roll penalties from all injuries are ignored when your roll is
part of a Venture, but you will still lose the Stamina from the
effects of a major injury. When it comes down to a critical
moment, and things need to get done, it’s rare to have the
luxury of pain.

Some Stands do have healing abilities. All light injuries will typically
be removed after an encounter, but heavy injuries may take a
little more time to heal. It’s usually a good idea to keep your
characters as healthy as they can be, since enemy Stand
Users tend to attack without warning.

If a character loses all of their Stamina, they are Retired. This

doesn’t necessarily mean they’re dead, or even unconscious,
but they’re no longer able to perform any Actions, or counter
as part of a Contest.

For alternative sources of damage, it’s a good idea to change

the amount of injuries received based on the source. Since
humans are treated as a D-rank, a standard hand-to-hand
attack would likely be 2 light injuries, but most weapons would
likely be closer to 4, or more if it’s particularly dangerous.
 PRECISION
Precision can be used for more than just precise movements
and projectiles. It can also be used to have a character search
the area around them for traps, spot small details in enemy
Actions, or anything else that a character could notice. This is
represented as an Action roll, taken in secret by the GM at a
players’ request. The results of this roll correspond to the
following:

Definite failure: The result you get probably won’t be very

useful, and may be problematic.
Moderate failure: You won’t find what you’re looking for,
but you at least learn where not to look.
Moderate success: You should find something helpful, or at
least a hint about what you’re looking for.
Definite success: You’ll likely find what you’re looking for,
or else something at least as good.

Example: Bonnie retreats through

a narrow corridor, under the
effect of Joanna’s Stand,
meaning her arm is magnetized.
She makes a Precision roll as
she runs, but since the roll fails,
she doesn’t realize in time that a
section of the wall has been
affected by Joanna’s Stand as
well, pulling her arm to it.
The GM can also use the Precision Stat to have characters
passively detect hidden objects. Anything hidden or concealed
should have a rank applied to it, from E to A. If a character
within Close range of the hidden object has a higher Precision
than the rank of the hidden object, their character can spot it.
This way you can conceal things without forcing players to roll
for Precision anytime they get to a new location.

GM Note: Precision rolls can be used to direct your players in

the direction you’d like them to go in, or to otherwise give your
players a chance to be wary of traps and surprise attacks.

STANDS WITH MULTIPLE ENTITIES

Some Stands are made up of multiple entities, while still being a
single Stand. They might have just two or three, but some
Stands can be made up of countless individual bodies, working
together to act equivalently to a single Stand. Though this is a
difficult skill to take advantage of, it opens up a lot of
versatility.

When you have a Stand like this, you can act multiple times in a
single turn. These Actions can take place at any point during a
turn, but for every Action your Stand has performed in a
turn, the rank that you roll with is reduced by one. If you had
a Stand with a Precision of B and a Speed of C, your first
Precision roll would be at B, but your second would be at C. If
your second roll was a Speed roll instead, you’d have to roll it
at a D-rank. If this Rank reduction would result in a Rank
below E, the Action cannot be rolled for using that Stat.
 When you make an Action with a
portion of your Stand, you need
to describe which body/bodies
you’re using. Each portion of
your Stand can only be used
once, and you can only gain or
lose Momentum from a Contest
you initiate once in a turn.

This has more of an effect on Stands with fewer entities than

it does on Swarm Stands, but even Stands with thousands of
entities can quickly become hard to win rolls with, giving your
opponents lots of Momentum.

Example: Soul Love, a Stand with 7 entities and a Power Rank

of B, wants to try and distract an opponent with an attack,
then launch a projectile attack while they’re distracted. The
first roll uses two of Soul Love’s bodies, and is at a rank of
B, but for the second one, they need to roll at a C-rank.

The other advantage of having a Stand with multiple bodies is

that, when they’re bound to your body, the shared damage you
take is reduced significantly. A normal Stand usually shares all
injuries exactly as it takes them, but Stands with multiple entities
only share heavy wounds, meaning that light injuries only affect
the part of the Stand that’s been damaged. Additionally, if a
Stand has enough different parts that individual bodies aren’t
being tracked, the light injuries are effectively ignored.
 MISCELLANEOUS STAND MECHANICS
Most non-object Stands can be Withdrawn, which means they
are being kept next to the User, or aren’t being actively
manifested. This can be performed at any time in place of an
Action, but the Stand will be unavailable for the next turn.
Instead, any Stand that is Withdrawn can have its Stats apply to
rolls made by its User. This is often a good defensive option,
since having your Stand away from your body can leave you
vulnerable to attacks that bypass your Stand’s Durability.

Humanoid Stands can share their senses with their User,

meaning Stands can be used to see or hear things with greater
precision, or at least from a different perspective.

Stand Users are also capable of communicating with each

other through telepathy. This is independent of whether or not
the Stand is humanoid or even sentient.
 YOUR CHARACTER
The character conflict in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure is often
closely linked to the action. A Stand is born from desires and
the drive to achieve those desires, meaning that the Stand’s
abilities are a way to fulfill that drive. When coming up with a
character that fits into the world and style of the series,
there’s no single way to go about it, but the most satisfying
characters to play as are those with strong personalities and
interesting powers that tie into that personality.

This part of the document covers the rules behind character

creation. Your campaign may have special limitations, options, or
advantages for new characters, so it’s a good idea to consult
with your GM during character creation, or go through it
together. If you’re interested in a more in-depth guide to
coming up with and fleshing out your Stands and characters,
click here.

RULES OF STANDS
While there are a lot of different Stands in the series, they
generally follow three main rules. Some of these have been
broken in the series itself, so if your idea goes against them,
don’t worry too much.

Anything that has a Stand only has one. Some Stands can
have multiple bodies, or take different forms, but they’re
drawn from the same singular spirit.
 Stands are ‘bound’ to something, usually the User's body.
When that body/object is damaged, so is the Stand, and
vice-versa.
Stands can only be seen by other Stand Users, except for
Stands that are bound to objects, which usually can be seen
by anyone and anything.

Stands don’t have to be humanoid spirits; they can be bound to

objects, restricted to effects, or more. There are advantages
and disadvantages to different forms, all of which should be
considered carefully. Some examples of non-standard Stands
are:

Hermit Purple, a Stand that takes the form of purple,

thorned vines
The Fool, a Stand that creates a physical form using sand.
Anubis, a Stand that is bound to a sword, and possesses
anyone who holds it.
Khnum, a formless Stand that allows its User to change his
appearance.
Harvest, a Stand that is made up of a swarm of small
insectoids.
 Black Sabbath, an Automatic Stand, meaning that it acts
independently of the User, and does not share damage or
knowledge with them.

A few things about non-standard Stands are important to note:

If a Stand is not a humanoid bound to a character’s body, it

can’t share stats with the User while Withdrawn.
Stands that are bound to objects are visible to non-Stand
Users, though a Stand can take the form of an object
while still being bound to its User. A Stand that is bound to a
gun and a Stand that is a gun could have the same ability;
the difference is minimal, but needs to be specified.
Additionally, in some cases, the object a Stand is bound to
may outlast the original User, and the Stand along with it.
This can create independent Stands that act of their own
accord.

Automatic Stands are different again. These Stands aren’t

bound to anything, meaning that it and its User don’t share any
awareness or injuries. This doesn’t mean the Stand will definitely
work on its own, or go against its user. Since they’re created
by the User’s desires, they often reflect those, and will most
likely work towards them. Players that want to use an
Automatic Stand will need to be careful, and organize it with
their GM. As much as it would make a character immune to
shared damage, most Automatic Stands would need to be
considered a separate character entirely.
 It’s important to note that an
autonomous Stand is not
necessarily an Automatic one.
Some Stands can be ‘set loose’ to
act of their own accord, but still
be linked to the User.

There are a few different ways

for characters to get a Stand.
Since they’re generally the result
of a strong spirit, some people
may be born with one, while
others gain one as the result of
dedication to a craft or
practice.
A Stand can also be obtained through ‘artificial’ means, such as
the Stand Arrow, a mysterious artefact which gives a Stand
to people pierced by it, and the Devil’s Palm, the crash site of
an alien meteor that gives a Stand to those who pass through.

BUILDING YOUR STAND

Designing a character works on a simple point-buy system. You
begin with 10 build points, which are used to buy Stats, Abilities,
and Techniques. The 10-point limit can be changed by the GM,
depending on how powerful or weak they want characters to
be, but 10 points is a balanced amount to create a Stand with
both strengths and weaknesses. As always, the priority is fun
over fine balance, so don’t feel like you have to stick exactly
to the limit.
 STATS
Stand Stats are pretty self-explanatory, but here’s a specific
definition for each of the six.

Power: Your Stand’s destructive capability. Many know this

as how well a Stand can punch, but it also covers
destruction caused by any projectiles or abilities, as well as
the power of anything created by your Stand. Helps for
dealing damage, but not necessarily for landing hits.
Speed: Your Stand’s movement speed, whether attacking,
dodging, or crossing distances. In a ‘straight fight’, Speed
can often prove useful, but Momentum has a higher
priority when it comes to Action order.
Durability: Your Stand’s ability to withstand attacks, from
Stands or otherwise. Keeping a high-Durability Stand close is
an easy way to stay safe, but it limits your ability to make
progress in an encounter.
Precision: Your Stand’s accuracy. It can be used for
pinpoint attacks, projectiles, observation, and fine
movements.
Range: The distance your Stand can move from you, and
the distance that it is capable of affecting with its abilities.
Can be surprisingly powerful, with the right Stand.
Potential: Your capacity to learn new abilities, Techniques,
and more. Putting points into it in the early game can be a
good way to mix things up later on.
Each different Stat costs the same amount of points. The
cost of each rank is as follows:

E: - 1 points (You get 1 point to spend elsewhere.)

D: 0 points
C: 1 points
B: 2 points
A: 3 points

ABILITIES
Every Stand needs at least one ‘Ability’. Stand abilities have been
all kinds of things over the course of the series, so players
are permitted to be as creative as they like. GMs have final
approval, and they set the cost of abilities as well. They’ll
normally cost 1 - 3 points, depending on the ability and its
applications.

Example:

Organic Magnetization - Knock on Wood’s primary Ability is

the power to selectively magnetize organic objects, including
living beings, plant matter, wood, and more. This power has
been given a cost of 2 points because of its versatility, and
ability to affect enemies directly.

Surface Travel - Roadhouse Blues has the ability to

transport the User across any reasonably flat surface.
While good for mobility, it doesn’t have much power on its
own, and has been given a cost of 1 points.
 Light Absorption - Total Eclipse has the ability to absorb
light from the surrounding area to power its attacks. This
ability can be extremely powerful with time and the right
conditions, and gives Total Eclipse the ability to quickly
reach A-ranks in multiple Stats, so it has been given a cost
of 3 points, as well as the caveat that the light energy
cannot be stored without damaging the User.

The best abilities for protagonist characters in the series

usually have many different uses. They’re not necessarily the
most powerful, but they can be applied creatively to any
enemy or encounter they end up against. Crazy Diamond’s
ability to restore objects to an undamaged state is a simple
example, but this can include more complex abilities, such as
Sticky Fingers and its power to create ‘zippers’ on any
surface, including its User.

It’s very rare for a Stand Ability to steal, copy, or affect

other Stand abilities directly. It’s recommended that you create
something self-contained, especially if you’re just getting
started with the series, or RPGs. This way your character
isn’t relying on others to function in an encounter, and you can
design a more unique personality for them.
 TECHNIQUES
Though players can use their abilities how they like at no cost,
Techniques give a player a small bonus for specific, creative
uses. For 1 build point, you can make a note of a specific use
of your character’s ability, and receive a +3 to any rolls
involving it. There’s no limit to the amount of these you can
have, but they must be based on things your character is
capable of with their current abilities. They can include
factors outside the Stand itself, like the User, items, or even
other Stands, but all of those must be available to use the
Technique.

Example: Magnetic Transmission - Joanna has, over time, learned

how to quickly use her Stand’s organic magnetization to
magnetize her own

Once you’ve decided on these, you’re done with build points.

Your character sheet will also require a short description of
how your Stand manifests. Think about the appearance, the
object or body it is bound to, and what advantages different
forms may have. You can finish it with a name, which is usually
a reference to a song, band, or artist.

BUILDING YOUR CHARACTER

There’s no real restrictions on what sort of character you
play. Stand Users have been old, blind, paraplegic, orangutans,
dogs, plants, and even plankton. The character sheet contains
an area for you to write a short description of your
character, and you can use Conditions to keep track of any
advantages or disadvantages to what your Stand User is.
There’s also the rules in the expansion to help model additional
things from the JoJo universe.
 IMPULSES & GOALS
Impulses and Goals allow for your character’s personality to
have a meaningful bearing on rolls. They’re named personality
traits with a brief description that outlines particular aspects
of your character, based on who they are, and the life they’ve
lead. When an Impulse or Goal becomes relevant to that
character’s situation, it can be ‘activated’ by either the GM or
any of the players. If the character’s Action satisfies the
Impulse or Goal, they receive a +3 bonus to their roll. If it goes
against it, then they receive a -3 penalty. If the Action wasn’t
rolled for, then the bonus/penalty is held until their next roll.

Impulses are easily-spotted surface qualities, the things that

are quickly apparent to people your character spends any
time around. These help you define how a character goes
about their life. Whenever an Action taken immediately
satisfies or rejects the Impulse, the bonus/penalty is +/- 3
points.
Example: Joanna holds her friendships in high regard, meaning
she takes a bonus to any Actions that involve protecting them
from harm, or assisting them directly. If they are in danger,
Actions that do not immediately protect them take a penalty.

Goals are specific ambitions, things that are fundamental to

a character’s progression. These can be part of the
reason a character has gained their Stand, or might be the
result of a significant event in their past. When activating a
Goal, it can be more indirect than an Impulse; the Action will
receive a +3 bonus when it can be seen by the character
as a distinct stepping stone towards this target, or a -3
penalty if it’s seen as something that would set them back.
Example: Bonnie seeks to bring down the criminal syndicate that
left her homeless and bankrupt. She might receive bonuses
while encountering members of that syndicate, while dealing
with law enforcement trying to keep her from her goals, or
pursuing leads. Penalties might occur when trying to retreat
from a fight against a Stand User working to protect the head
of the syndicate.

Each character receives as many Impulses or Goals as they

like, at no build cost. Use them to flesh out your character, but
keep in mind that the disadvantages can come just as readily as
the bonuses, especially when an opponent works out how to
target them with Gambits.

PROGRESSION
Building your character at the start of the game is the last
you’ll see of build points. Once the game begins, any progression
is managed with the Potential Stat, or Acts if you decide to
have an Evolving Stand. Ranks in this Stat are traded,
permanently, in exchange for the following boosts. However,
you can only progress your Stand when you find yourself in a
high-pressure situation. This makes Stand progression a good
tool for beginners, or those who like having the extra
versatility, and less necessary for those who have a good
grasp on their capabilities.

For a more accurate JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure experience,

you can leave the exact timing and results of your character’s
progression up to the GM. In the series characters don’t get
to decide on how their Stand manifests, and some players
might enjoy having their character evolve in unexpected ways.
To spend a Rank in Potential, you must have -3 Momentum, and
use it on a Venture. The player chooses how to spend their
Potential, and then uses that for the Venture Action. (The
Action doesn’t have to be successful.) Ranks in Potential are
traded permanently.

To get a new Technique, spend one rank in Potential and

use your new Technique as the Venture Action. Once this is
done, you can commit the Technique to your character
sheet, giving it a name, and giving you a +3 bonus to any
attempt at using it from now on.
To get a new Ability, one or more ranks in Potential are
exchanged for one ability, with the amount of ranks
required dependent on how powerful the ability is. New
Abilities should be related to the Stand’s current ones, or
otherwise reflect the User’s personality.
Advancing a Stat is as simple as trading a single rank in
Potential for a single rank in a different Stat. A is always
the maximum, however.

Players can also have an Evolving Stand, which is a type of

Stand that changes forms at critical moments, gaining greater
strength, and stronger abilities. These new forms are referred
to as Acts, and are shown as an attachment to the Stand’s
name, e.g. Roadhouse Blues, Act II. For 3 build points, you gain
one ‘Act’ to transition to later on. Evolving your Stand gives it
two additional Stat ranks, and exchanges one Ability for a more
powerful one, as well as a physical redesign. Every Act you
unlock, including the starting one, is available to use at any time,
but you have to Withdraw a Stand in order to change it to a
different Act.
Example: Roadhouse Blues, a Stand with the ability to travel
along any reasonably even surface, has reached -3 Momentum,
and trades in an Act. Roadhouse Blues Act II is created, and in
addition to bringing his Speed and Power up to B-ranks, it may
now travel along any reasonably even surface, regardless of
gravity.

Lastly, the mysterious artefact known as the Stand Arrow is

capable of granting extraordinary abilities to those who are
pierced with it. Those without a Stand will be granted a Stand,
if they possess the spiritual strength to survive the process.
Those who already have one will find their Stand Abilities
developed beyond what might have been thought possible. This is
known as a ‘Requiem’ form, and is often quite overpowered,
even by JoJo standards, and will almost certainly be reserved
for the endgame, if it comes up at all. This form will be noted
by the new Stand having ‘Requiem’ appended to its name, e.g.
Knock on Wood Requiem.

GM Note: As there are only a few examples of a Stand Arrow

being used on a Stand User in the series, it’s recommended that
it results in a Requiem form, whether it’s the Stand or User
that is pierced. However, out of the available examples where it
was specifically the User that was pierced, the only one that
had any results left the Stand visually unchanged, granted it an
additional, very powerful ability, and made his hair look kind of
greasy. As this could be considered a prototypical attempt at
the concept of Requiem Stands, it may be best to ignore it
for the sake of eliminating unnecessary complications.