Cultivation is not a gentle path upward. At its peak moments, it is violent, terrifying, and unpredictable. The heavens themselves resist mortals who try to surpass their natural limits. When a cultivator reaches certain thresholds, they attract tribulations — trials of body, spirit, and soul, sent by heaven to test their worthiness.
Legends say the thunder of tribulation is heaven’s voice saying: “Are you worthy?”
Those who succeed ascend to new realms of strength. Those who fail are reduced to ashes, corpses, or broken shells.
Lore: The most iconic form. Bolts of divine thunder crash down, striking the cultivator directly. The body must become a vessel strong enough to endure heaven’s fury.
When Triggered: Usually at the Immortal Realm (Lv. 20), but may appear earlier if one pursues forbidden Daos.
Narrative Flavor: Skies darken, storm clouds spiral, beasts flee, and all nearby mortals tremble under the pressure. Every bolt shakes mountains and splits rivers.
Mechanics:
Roll CON + WIS saves (DC 20). Each failure deals 6d10 lightning/radiant damage.
Number of bolts = 1 + half character’s level.
Allies can form protective formations to absorb 1 bolt each.
Success = permanent increase to Qi Pool (+10). Failure = dantian shattered, lose 2 stages.
Lore: Some tribulations manifest inwardly, drawing forth every suppressed desire, fear, and regret. The cultivator faces a perfect illusion of their worst self, their most hated enemy, or their greatest temptation.
When Triggered: Common at bottlenecks like Core Formation or Nascent Soul.
Narrative Flavor: The world falls silent. The cultivator’s body sits still in meditation, but within their mind they are trapped in endless visions — a battlefield where their dead loved ones accuse them, or a mirror where they face a crueler version of themselves.
Mechanics:
WIS save (DC 10 + level).
Failure = gain a flaw (paranoia, obsession, cruelty).
Critical failure = Qi deviation (lose stage).
Success = Dao Heart strengthens, granting +1 WIS.
Lore: When Qi overloads during breakthroughs, it manifests as internal fire. Cultivators endure their own meridians igniting, burning away impurities — or their lives.
When Triggered: Often during reckless breakthroughs or pill misuse.
Narrative Flavor: Flames erupt across the cultivator’s body, not consuming flesh but burning the soul. The air smells of scorched blood. They must breathe steadily or explode.
Mechanics:
CON save (DC 15). On fail, take 4d10 fire damage + lose 1d4 Qi Pool permanently.
Success = impurities purged. Gain +1 CON.
Lore: Some cultivators carry karmic burdens: killing innocents, defying sect vows, breaking oaths. When heaven judges them, their sins manifest as tribulations.
When Triggered: At higher stages, especially if walking corrupted Daos (Shadow, Blood, Demonic).
Narrative Flavor: Every enemy slain appears as a phantom army. Every betrayal returns in ghostly form. The cultivator must atone or conquer them.
Mechanics:
Roll WIS save (DC = 12 + sins committed, DM tracked).
Failure = permanent flaw (haunted, cursed).
Success = karmic cleansing → advantage on future Dao Heart saves.
Tribulations are not random lightning bolts — they are story climaxes. They transform a simple level-up into a cinematic event:
The party prepares the ritual ground, drawing defensive arrays.
The heavens darken as the cultivator enters meditation.
Allies guard against spirit beasts drawn by the heavenly storm.
The DM describes visions, illusions, and the weight of fate.
Success or failure both advance the story. Survivors are forever changed. Failures scar the tale with tragedy.
Trigger Points: Major breakthroughs (Lv. 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20).
Tribulation Roll: CON or WIS save (DC varies: 12–20).
Assistance: Allies can share Qi (sacrifice HP/Qi to reduce damage).
Results:
Success = ascend stage, stat boost.
Partial success = breakthrough with side effect (scar, flaw).
Failure = Qi deviation, fall stage, or death.
Though faced alone, tribulations often affect entire parties:
Environmental hazards: lightning strikes allies, firestorms sweep the battlefield.
Spirit beasts: drawn to the chaos, they attack mid-tribulation.
Sect interference: rival sects may strike during tribulation, when cultivator is vulnerable.
This turns breakthroughs into party-wide story beats rather than private rolls.
Shaolin: See tribulations as purification of karma.
Wudang: Believe tribulations are natural harmony tests.
Tangmen: Manipulate tribulations with poisons and elixirs.
Wanderer’s Valley: Embrace tribulations, using failure as fuel for forbidden growth.
Each sect interprets tribulations differently, making them cultural as well as personal.
⚔️ Summary: Tribulations are heaven’s ultimate danger. They test body, spirit, and destiny. Mechanically, they create high-stakes saves with real consequences. Narratively, they provide some of the most dramatic moments in a campaign — the storms where heroes rise or fall.