Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 senko Jan 22, 2009 5:47:24	I'm setting up a small adventure (one shot) although it could also serve as the introduction to a campaign. Anyway its set on an island (details lower down if you want more information about the backstory) and the only way's for the players to "win" are to kill all the creatures attacking (almost impossble as they're first level and there's a lot of creature of varying power. This is a survival one where they know going in I'll be trying to kill them, fairly:D ) or to find a hidden power boat and escape. Thing is on doing the pre-generated characters I've just realized that if there's a skill for boat control (either sailing or powered) I can't seem to find it, is it in there and I'm just missing it or is there no skill for waterbased craft (Pilot is for planes and drive for land vehicles). If there's no skill do people think one I create should be useable untrained for lesser vehicles (small ones with an out board motor not ships or even most speed boats) or not? or should I just lump it in with drive (drive is for things on 3 axis e.g. cars/boats and pilot is for 4 planes/submarines/spaceships)? Backstory. The group is a bunch of teenagers who have just graduated from highschool and several of them are heading off to college in Los-Angeles. They decided to make a road trip of it purchasing a mobile home (one of them's has a very, very rich family) and travelling there. After 2 day's travel they heard of a major party for graduating students getting held on a nearby island. Deciding to go they took a detour out to Lake Pleasant (near phoenix if my map of the USA's accurate) or Salton Sea (Which is my prefered choice but I think its in mexico), there's a seeming shortage of large bodies of water near LA. Then again I doubt my players know US geography any better than I do so in Indio they hear about the party then take a detour back and to the south to Desert Shores (which I think is a city on the shores of Salton Sea) and ferry from there. From there a ferry took them (and a bunch of other teenagers) out to the small island in the middle where a large bandstand was setup and the usual horror movie events took place (singing from an up and coming band, mild drug use, sex, dancing etc). Then screams broke out from the outskirts, as they turned to look shuffling decaying bodies lurched out attacking the partiers. Scrambling to get away the survivors of this group (depending on how many show up some may have gotten "seperated") eventually regrouped in the woods. They then need to need to figure out how to get off the island, back to their mobile home and contact authorities. There's actually an explanation of why there were zombie's on this island, why they attacked, and why the players will be able to find a way off if they look. But since I'll be giving out rewards to the players who discover these things I'll not be posting them here.
#2 3p1t4ph Jan 22, 2009 8:18:30	Boat operation would probably be drive or pilot for a powered boat, sailboat would be nearly impossible for someone who has no past history of sailing. Powering up a powered boat would be a Drive/Pilot check for someone who doesn't have a past history of using it, probably a DC 15 or so since they have no idea what they're doing. I'm more inclined to say Pilot given that not everyone can operate a boat/plane, but most can drive a car.
#3 layla_minogue Jan 22, 2009 15:07:10	The drive skill is applicable to boats. Pilot is for aircraft. here's the skill as it reads in the MSRD: Drive (Dex) Check: Routine tasks, such as ordinary driving, don’t require a skill check. Make a check only when some unusual circumstance exists (such as inclement weather or an icy surface), or when the character is driving during a dramatic situation (the character is being chased or attacked, for example, or is trying to reach a destination in a limited amount of time). When driving, the character can attempt simple maneuvers or stunts. See Driving a Vehicle for more details. Try Again?: Most driving checks have consequences for failure that make trying again impossible. Special: A character can take 10 when driving, but can’t take 20. A character with the Vehicle Expert feat gets a +2 bonus on all Drive checks. There is no penalty for operating a general-purpose motor vehicle. Other types of motor vehicles (heavy wheeled, powerboat, sailboat, ship, and tracked) require the corresponding Surface Vehicle Operation feat, or the character takes a –4 penalty on Drive checks. Time: A Drive check is a move action.
#4 backstabbist Jan 22, 2009 15:20:40	There is no penalty for operating a general-purpose motor vehicle. Other types of motor vehicles (heavy wheeled, powerboat, sailboat, ship, and tracked) require the corresponding Surface Vehicle Operation feat, or the character takes a –4 penalty on Drive checks. uh, it says boats require Surface Vehicle Op (XXX). What kind of boat wouldnt be considered a Powerboat, Sailboat, or Ship? But then, why not just take the -4 and skip the Surface Vehicle Op
#5 senko Jan 22, 2009 17:16:57	Aha missed that little bit, thanks for the help. There are rowboats and canoes I guess. So drive it is with a -4 to try and get away without capsizing. Thanks for the help.
#6 akodo Jan 22, 2009 22:48:37	I'd use a bit of house-rulesing. Not all 'non-cars' are equally difficult to operate. Your basic fishing boat or speed boat I'd houserule as straight up driving roll on a basic calm day. Weather would be anywhere from a possible +1 for a calm clear day to extreme negatives for a hurricane. A small commerical boat like tugboat or fishing trawler, I could see that being a -4. A single person small sailboat would be -6, a large sailboat capable of crossing the open seas, -8
#7 senko Jan 23, 2009 0:56:37	Hmmmm maybe I should go with an old dingy then so they can row, row, row their boat, gently away from the slaughter.