Footbomb - Initial Alpha Ruleset

FOOTBOMB
an untested gameplay modifier for the Netbattlers TTRPG by Will Uhl
by TerminusEst13
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INTRODUCTION:
A dangerous and ancient football-style sport from Netopia, banned after the injuries involved and collateral damage got too high to consider. It was left as simply a cultural curiosity, as the danger kept it from being seriously pursued by parties both amateur and professional.
In the year 20XX, however, Footbomb took life once again on the 'net. NetNavis and NetSquares can be restored after damage, and pain can be turned off. The flashing lights, extreme combat, and incredible plays create a spectator sport like nothing else. It's not uncommon for those in the Undernet to play without pain turned off, to ensure only the toughest come out on top...

The fans are gathering in the stands and cheering your names...it's time to drop a bombshell!

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STARTING OUT:
Footbomb is a 2v2 format that makes use of four players each playing a NetNavi, though a single player can choose to play with two characters on a single team.
Each team is divided into three characters. The two NetNavis each form the attackers, and the goalie is a Cross-Soul-esque combination of the two that is constructed by the arena. The goalie has all of the powers and NCPs of the NetNavis, can use the stats/skills off either NetNavi's sheet (including skill reductions), and the players can use the goalie as a proxy executor for any chip or element in their arsenal.

Before play, each team picks a color representative of them. Picking a name and cool design for a team is preferred for roleplay purposes, but not necessary.
Each player is put at the Close range of their respective range bands.
Rather than a standard popcorn initiative of people going when they feel it's narratively appropriate, a turn order should be established; players (or a GM) should decide whether players should do one team and then another or if they should alternate between teams and players.
If the GM has in mind special gimmicks for the arena, now is the time to establish it.

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SIX RANGES:
Each team's goalie is set in front of their respective goal, which is placed just past the respective Far side of every team's arena. The goal is not a range band in and of itself, instead it refers to an object placed just on the very cusp of the Far range.
The standard Close / Near / Far divide of NetBattlers arenas, in this case, refers not so much to the distance between the characters and enemies, but rather refers to the distance from the spawn point of the bomb. When action is happening on one side, the team color is used as the prefix before the range band.

As an example, a sample layout for a match between the Red Team and Blue Team would be:
Red Goal | Red Far | Red Near | Red Close | Blue Close | Blue Near | Blue Far | Blue Goal

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SKILLS AND CHIPS:
Standard NetBattler skills apply, though their functionality is slightly different.

- Sense: Shooting the bomb towards a direction--either firing at a goal, firing to an area to get it out of range of your foes, or passing to an ally. The number of hits is both the amount of range bands the bomb travels and the power.
- Info: Catching/intercepting a pass. For intercepting an enemy shot, your roll must meet or beat the power. For catching an allied shot, the power is considered 1.
- Coding: Resistance against tackles. Rolling less hits than the tackle merits either HP loss or loss of the bomb.

- Strength: Tackling the opposition. A straightforward strike or slide against the opponent to try and get them to lose control of the bomb.
- Speed: Catching/intercepting a pass. For intercepting an enemy shot, your roll must meet or beat the power. For catching an allied shot, the power is considered 1.
- Stamina: Resistance against tackles. Rolling less hits than the tackle merits either HP loss or loss of the bomb.

- Charm: Shooting the bomb towards a direction--either firing at a goal, firing to an area to get it out of range of your foes, or passing to an ally. The number of hits is both the amount of range bands the bomb travels and the power.
- Bravery: Tackling the opposition. A straightforward strike or slide against the opponent to try and get them to lose control of the bomb.
- Affinity: Standard Element rules apply. Use your Element to alter the arena or the environment in some way.

Standard chip usage rules also apply, though their functionality is also slightly different.

- Blade and Impact chips are treated as tackles.
 ^- RocketFist allows you to use Impact chips as shooting the bomb. The damage is treated as the power.
- Rush chips can be treated as tackles, but also can simply be used for getting around the field. The bomb is automatically carried with the player.
- Shot and Thrown chips are treated as shooting the bomb. The range is treated as the range bands, the damage is treated as the power.
- Wave chips are treated as shooting the bomb, but lack the AoE component.
 ^- WaveRider allows you to use Wave chips as tackles.
- Summons and Hazards act as field modifiers and play as standard.
- Support chips all act as standard. Anything that modifies a skill modifies the corresponding ruling.

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GAMEPLAY:
The goal of the game is simple: Get the bomb in the goal.

The game formally begins when the bomb spawns in the center of the arena. At this point, the players all dive in to see who gets the bomb, using whatever skill seems appropriate to grab it. Once the bomb is acquired, they start taking the bomb to the goal to try and put it in, and the opposing team attempts to stop them.
For the most part, standard NetBattler rules apply, but with a few key differences given the complete shift in gameplay.

- Everyone gets a free Custom+3. If they already have a Custom+3, it stacks.
- Narratively, players can either dribble the bomb with their feet or carry the bomb tucked in their arm. Football knows no national boundaries.
- Indies temporarily only have 1 usage of each chip.
- Indie Refresh/Reconfig is treated like Duo Refresh/Reconfig.
- Parries only work on attacks, not the bomb. You cannot reflect the bomb.
- For most of NetBattlers, defender wins a tie on an opposed roll. To encourage aggressive gameplay, Footbomb flips this--in all opposed rolls, the attacker wins on a tie.
- Every time a player's turn happens, they are allowed to move one (1) range band for free in any direction.
- Yeah, you can roll Speed/Shift to move another rangeband I guess but there goes your turn.
- The bomb can be treated as an ally or a target, for the purposes of chips/NCPs.
- Players cannot die. Summoned viruses/allies can be deleted, however, even if they specify they cannot be damaged or targeted. Treat such things as having 1 HP.

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GOALS:
The final challenge of the match is the goalie, who has a combined HP pool of both of the players. Damage done to either player of a team is reflected on the goalie, who has his HP whittled down in lieu of the players'.
When trying to fire into a goal, the power is compared to the goalie's HP value. The goalie does not get a defense roll.

If the power is less than the goalie's HP, the goalie loses HP equivalent to the power, as the bomb blows up in their hand but they keep intact.
Otherwise, the shot tears through goalie entirely and a goal is scored, blowing up the victim's goal. Another goalie and goal is then spawned, and the HP of the victim team is completely refreshed. All players have the opportunity to shuffle unused chips around, and then have the opportunity to either A: Gain up to 2 HP (This can go over max), B: Restore 3 used chips slots, or C: Negate 2 skill reductions.
In either case, another bomb is then spawned in the center, between both teams' Close ranges.

Whoever reaches 3 points first wins.

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NOW...
BOMBS AWAY!