Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 tema69 Apr 08, 2008 16:26:34	In our game the other day, the player's had to don their gasmasks due to heavy smoke in the room. It then struck me that I hadn't seen any rules/penalties for wearing a gasmask. So one of the players asked me to write some. I'd like YOU (yeah, you.) to tell me what you think about 'em. ;) Rules for gasmasks Donning a gasmaks takes a full round action. The wearer suffers –2 to Spot and Listen checks. If the gasmask is prone to fogging, the wearer suffer an additional –2 Spot after 2d6 rounds. Characters trying to understand the wearer speak must succeed on a DC 19 Listen Check (failure by more than 10 results in a misunderstanding). Opponents over one range increment away gain 10% concealment (stacking with other concealment degrees, such as darkness). Swim checks to avoid becoming fatigued and Constitution checks to continue running must be made every 10 minutes instead of every hour (or every minute for extreme heat). Fortitude saves to avoid damage from hot environments suffer a –2 penalty. And then I thought that this needed to be added: When holding one’s breath, a character suffers a –8 penalty to Swim checks to avoid becoming fatigued and Constitution checks to continue running. And after looking at the Heavy Smoke rules... Smoke Characters breathing heavy smoke or similar toxic gases must make a Constitution check (DC 10, +1 for each previous check) each round or spend that round choking and coughing. Characters who choke for 2 consecutive rounds take 1d6 points of damage. Smoke also obscures vision, giving one-half concealment (20% miss chance) to characters within it.
#2 tema69 Apr 09, 2008 6:21:17	C'mon? 20 views and no replies? I just need to know if it works?
#3 hinthas Apr 09, 2008 10:27:39	I like it. VERY REMINISCENT of having your "head in the bag". I think that you're missing the INCREDIBLE negative to hit anything at night with out a light source on the target. "Smother up yer face with this here piece of rubber and pull the hood down, boy. You think CS is a monster, wait till fall out land on ya. That worm lookin' thing? You drink thru it.Yep, kinda tough ain't it. Betcha REAL thirsty. Work on it." Doug
#4 tema69 Apr 09, 2008 15:51:25	Haha.. Me likes the description. :p What do you mean about that I missed the darkness thing. I did add 10% (stacking) concealment? What would you suggest?
#5 hinthas Apr 09, 2008 21:02:34	I suppose this is one of the Tales from the Real moments. Most of the inventory of US Army Individual Chemical Masks have an outer lens duplicate that is "supposed to " fit like a glove on each inner lens. Not all the time does that happen even when fresh outta the box. This causes a light reflection in between the lenses. Gives things a "movie picture" feel. This is the lens curvature I'm referring to here. Even Shadow reflects. Makes things a little darker when at night. Thats where the "light on the target" statement comes in. Might be too bright if there's too much light. Probably something to the effect of differentiating between "shades of darkness" and then multiplying the modifier by such factor. "Betcha's REAL FIRSTY now? Ain'tcha lad? That lever on the side is the release valve for the water to come in." Doug
#6 kjakan Apr 11, 2008 10:57:41	...and critique honestly? It seems you want a whole little minigame revolving around these things. Applying penalties to perception skills like Spot and Listen I can understand. Initiative, not so much. If for some reason you feel a gas mask will reduce your response time, apply a penalty to Dexterity instead. Applying both a penalty both to checks and to check frequency seems to be applying the effect twice. Rather than applying penalties to checks/saves to resist fatigue you should make those checks more frequent instead. Finally, adding stacking concealment seems pointless when you can simply reduce maximum visibility to a certain distance and considere everything beyond that to be in total concealment. -K
#7 tema69 Apr 11, 2008 11:27:08	Good points. I'll consider that. And yeah, my players and I like to keep things gritty (we play an alternative reality ww2 game) with stuff like bad weather affecting the PCs' morale, etc...
#8 stigmatador Apr 11, 2008 13:02:59	Also keep in mind that it takes some time to properly don a gas mask. In the Army we had exactly 8 seconds to remove the mask from its case, put it on, clear and seal it... fairly easy to do granted you practice, but first timers had many problems. Donning a gas mash should be a full round action.
#9 tema69 Apr 11, 2008 15:52:04	Agreed. What about removing your helmet, and then putting it back on? Theoretically, holster weapon/sling over your back + remove helmet + don gasmask + put helmet back on + draw weapon would take 2 move actions + full round action + 2 move actions. That's 3 rounds. Would that be reasonable?
#10 stigmatador Apr 12, 2008 7:32:34	I dunno... 3 rounds is an awful long time (combat wise anyway). Taking off our helmets was part of the 8 seconds... as was securing your weapon. I think 1 round is good...
#11 tema69 Apr 12, 2008 7:40:36	Alright. I though 8 seconds were just the mask. Edit: Changed the Constitution/Swim penalty. What do you suggest for visibility/concealment?
#12 soldier2187 Apr 13, 2008 22:43:44	Stigmatador is right. 8 seconds to take off helmet, secure weapon, and equip gas mask. For most people I knew, we dropped the helmet straight from our head and put our weapon against our leg. Slinging a weapon rarely happened, especially during possible combat operations.
#13 tema69 Apr 16, 2008 15:28:49	Alright, alright. Thanks for the info, Soldier.