Vehicles
From D20advanced
Sometimes characters make use of various vehicles to get around. Vehicles are used primarily for transportation, although they may come with additional capabilities—including weapons—making them useful in other situations as well. Vehicles are considered equipment and purchased with equipment points. The vehicle tables list two costs; the one before the slash is the equipment point cost and the one after the slash is the vehicle’s power point cost.
“Vehicles” with limbs, manipulative capabilities, and other humanoid characteristics (such as giant, piloted robots) should be created as constructs rather than vehicles.
| TABLE 6.7: VEHICLE TRAIT COST | ||
| Starting Value | Equipment Cost | |
| Strength | +0 | 1 point per +2 Strength |
| Speed | 0 | movement FX cost |
| Toughness | 5 | 1 point per +5 Toughness |
| Size | Medium | 1 point per size category |
| Features | — | 1 point per feature |
| FX | FX— | base cost times rank |
Contents |
Strength
A vehicle’s Strength, much like a character’s, determines its carrying capacity. Vehicles have a base Strength of +0 and buy up their Strength in increments of 2 for 1 character point each. A vehicle can move at normal speed carrying up to its medium load, 2/3 speed with a heavy load. It can also pull up to five times its heavy load at 1/2 speed (up to ten times, if equipped with the proper hauling equipment and given an unobstructed area in which to move). Each increase in size category increases a vehicle’s Strength by +0 at no additional cost.
Speed
A vehicle buys the appropriate movement power(s) for its movement speed, paying the normal cost. Vehicles with multiple modes of movement (air, ground, and water, for example) can pay full cost for one and acquire the others as Alternate FX.
Defense
A vehicle’s Defense is 10 + its size modifier.
Toughness
This is the vehicle’s Toughness rating, which starts out at 5 and costs 1 power point for +1 Toughness. Each increase in size category also increases a vehicle’s Toughness by +2 at no cost.
Size
A vehicle’s size is measured like that of a character, as shown on the Vehicle Size Categories Table. Vehicle’s start out at Medium size and each increase in size category costs 1 power point.
Features
Certain features are considered “standard” on any vehicle. These include seating, headlights, safety harnesses or seat belts, air bags, heating and air-conditioning, radio receiver, and similar things. The following features are “optional extras” for vehicles and cost 1 point each. The GM can determine if other features are included in the vehicle or cost points. Some “features” are actually FX, described in the following section.
- Alarm: The vehicle has an alarm system that goes off when an unauthorized access or activation attempt is made. An Infiltration check (DC 20) overcomes the alarm. For each additional equipment point, the DC increases by 5.
- Caltrops: A vehicle may be equipped with a dispenser for caltrops. Activating the dispenser is one action. Caltrops automatically blow the tires of ordinary vehicles that run over them (consider such vehicles “minions”). Heroic characters can make Toughness saving throws for their vehicles; tires are Toughness 3, and the caltrops' effect modifier is +0. An injured result halves the vehicle’s movement while a staggered result brings the vehicle to a stop.
- Hidden Compartments: The vehicle has hidden compartments or cargo areas holding up to a tenth of the vehicle’s medium load in cargo. A Perception check (DC 20) allows the searcher to find the hidden compartment. For each additional equipment point, the DC increases by 5.
- Navigation System: The vehicle has the equivalent of the direction sense Enhanced Sense, granting a +5 bonus on all skill checks related to navigation. This can be increased by +5 per additional equipment point to a maximum of +20.
- Oil Slick: The vehicle can release an oil slick, covering a 20-ft. by 20-ft. area and forcing the driver of a pursuing vehicle to make a Vehicles check (DC 15) to retain control of the vehicle. Releasing the oil slick is a one action.
- Remote Control: The vehicle’s owner can operate it remotely using a transmitter and control device. Remotely controlling a vehicle requires the same kind of action (usually one action) as if you were actually behind the wheel of the vehicle.
- Smokescreen: The vehicle can generate a smoke screen, visually obscuring an area behind it 10 feet wide and up to 50-feet long. Activating the smoke cloud is one action.
FX
A vehicle can have various FX of its own, usually reflecting the vehicle’s systems. Attack effects are suitable for vehicle-mounted weapons, while defense effects protect the vehicle (and often the passengers) from harm. Vehicle powers have their normal power point cost for the vehicle (meaning they cost one-fifth the normal amount for the vehicle’s owner, since the effects are incorporated into the vehicle and not always available).
- Armor: Armor provides Toughness for a vehicle in addition to its normal Toughness, possibly including Impervious Protection. Ablative armor (Enhanced (Toughness) with the Fades modifier) is also common for vehicles.
- Cloaking Device: A vehicle may have a “cloaking device” granting Concealment from visual senses. Some vehicles may also have Concealment from auditory senses or things such as radar, giving them a “stealth mode.”
- Immunity: While vehicles are immune to many environmental conditions, they may also provide immunity to their passengers. Immunity (life support) is necessary for vehicles that travel in space or underwater.
- Weapons: Vehicle weapons are based on attack FX, particularly Damage with various modifiers. Vehicles may mount versions of some of the weapons listed elsewhere in this chapter.
Ground Vehicles
Most cars include such standard features as air conditioning, air bags, antilock brakes, cruise control, keyless entry, and an AM/FM radio with CD player. Luxury (masterwork) vehicles often also include extras such as power seats, leather upholstery, and a sunroof.
Tanks are heavily armed and armored vehicles. The standard tank comes equipped with a cannon (Damage 10, Ranged Explosion) and a heavy machine gun (Damage 6, Ranged Autofire). It takes a full-round action to get into or out of a tank, and another full-round action to start it up. Half of a tank’s Toughness (or 6) is Impervious.
APCs or Armored Personnel Carriers, are designed for carrying troops. They come with a smaller cannon (Damage 6, Ranged Explosion), and are set up so soldiers on board can fire their personal weapons from behind the cover of the APC’s armor. One-third of an APCs Toughness (or 4) is Impervious.
| TABLE 6.8: VEHICLE SIZE CATEGORIES | ||||||
| Vehicle Size | Modifier | Size | Examples | Str | Toughness | Defense |
| Awesome | –12 | 128-250 ft. | Space transport | 25 | 15 | -2 |
| Colossal | –8 | 64-128 ft. | Passenger jet | 20 | 13 | 2 |
| Gargantuan | –4 | 32-64 ft. | Semi, yacht, fighter jet | 15 | 11 | 6 |
| Huge | –2 | 16-32 ft. | Stretch limo, SUV, tank | 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Large | –1 | 8-16 ft. | Car, truck | 5 | 7 | 9 |
| TABLE 6.9: GROUND VEHICLES | ||||||
| Vehicle | Strength | Speed | Defense | Toughness | Size | EP Cost |
| Motorcycle | 3 | 5 | 10 | 8 | Medium | 9 |
| Compact Car | 10 | 5 | 9 | 8 | Large | 9 |
| Midsize Car | 10 | 5 | 8 | 9 | Huge | 7 |
| Full-size Car | 13 | 5 | 8 | 9 | Huge | 8 |
| Sports Car | 8 | 5 | 9 | 8 | Large | 8 |
| Limousine | 13 | 5 | 8 | 9 | Huge | 8 |
| Pickup Truck | 15 | 5 | 8 | 9 | Huge | 9 |
| SUV | 13 | 5 | 8 | 9 | Huge | 8 |
| Van | 13 | 5 | 8 | 9 | Huge | 8 |
| Small Truck | 15 | 5 | 8 | 9 | Huge | 9 |
| Bus | 18 | 4 | 6 | 11 | Gargantuan | 8 |
| Semi | 18 | 4 | 6 | 11 | Gargantuan | 8 |
| Armored Car | 13 | 5 | 8 | 12 | Huge | 11 |
| Police Cruiser | 10 | 5 | 8 | 9 | Huge | 7 |
| Tank* | 20 | 3 | 8 | 12 | Huge | 64 |
| APC* | 18 | 4 | 8 | 12 | Huge | 32 |
| * = See individual descriptions for more information | ||||||
Water Vehicles
Water vehicles range from small boats and outboards to massive seagoing ships.
Cutters are used by the Coast Guard and the Navy. They’re often equipped with light machine guns (Ranged Damage 6, Autofire).
Destroyers are main naval ships, carrying heavy guns (Ranged Damage 10, Explosion).
Battleships have massive gun batteries (Ranged Damage 13, Explosion) and heavy armor.
Submarines are equipped with torpedoes (Ranged Damage 8, Explosion) and often ballistic missiles (Ranged Damage 15, Explosion, higher if the missile has a nuclear warhead).
| TABLE 6.10: WATER VEHICLES | ||||||
| Vehicle | Strength | Water Speed | Defense | Toughness | Size | EP Cost |
| Jet-Ski | 3 | 4 | 10 | 5 | Medium | 5 |
| Speedboat | 13 | 5 | 8 | 9 | Huge | 8 |
| Yacht | 20 | 4 | 6 | 11 | Gargantuan | 7 |
| Cutter* | 25 | 4 | 6 | 12 | Gargantuan | 26 |
| Destroyer* | 33 | 4 | 2 | 15 | Colossal | 45 |
| Battleship* | 45 | 3 | -2 | 18 | Awesome | 58 |
| Submarine* | 30 | 3 | 2 | 13 | Colossal | 42 |
| * = See individual descriptions for more information | ||||||
Air Vehicles
Air vehicles are all capable of flight, some of them at very high speeds.
Military helicopters are equipped with machine guns (Ranged Damage 6, Autofire) and rockets (Ranged Damage 9, Explosion).
Fighter jets have machine guns (Ranged Damage 6, Autofire) and air-to-air missiles (Ranged Damage 11, Explosion, Homing).
Bombers may have machine guns and missiles, but also have powerful bombs (Ranged Damage 12 or higher, Explosion) they can drop on targets. Bombers are also capable of carrying nuclear weapons and similar payloads.
| TABLE 6.11: AIR VEHICLES | ||||||
| Vehicle | Strength | Flight Speed | Defense | Toughness | Size | EP Cost |
| Helicopter | 10 | 5 | 6 | 9 | Huge | 12 |
| Military helicopter* | 15 | 7 | 6 | 11 | Gargantuan | 32 |
| Private Jet | 15 | 7 | 6 | 11 | Gargantuan | 17 |
| Jumbo-jet | 23 | 6 | 5 | 13 | Colossal | 17 |
| Fighter Jet* | 20 | 9 | 6 | 11 | Gargantuan | 78 |
| Bomber* | 28 | 8 | 2 | 13 | Colossal | 59 |
| * = See individual descriptions for more information | ||||||
Space Vehicles
Space vehicles are intended for use outside the atmosphere, some of them for interplanetary or even interstellar travel. Generally space vehicles are found in the possession of alien civilizations, although the GM may choose to allow some organizations and individuals on Earth to have space vehicles.
Space fighters are armed with blaster cannons (Ranged Damage 10).
Space cruisers have larger beam weapons (Ranged Damage 12) and often energy torpedoes (Ranged Damage 12, Explosion, Homing).
Space battleships have the biggest weapons: blaster cannons (Ranged Damage 15) and high-energy torpedoes (Ranged Damage 15, Explosion, Homing).
| TABLE 6.12: SPACE VEHICLES | ||||||
| Vehicle | Strength | Space Flight Speed | Defense | Toughness | Size | EP Cost |
| Space Shuttle | 30 | 10 | 2 | 13 | Colossal | 28 |
| Space Fighter* | 20 | 12 | 6 | 11 | Gargantuan | 49 |
| Space Cruiser* | 45 | 12 | 2 | 15 | Colossal | 89 |
| Space Battleship* | 70 | 14 | -2 | 18 | Awesome | 115 |
| * = See individual descriptions for more information | ||||||
Special Vehicles
These are unique vehicles, most likely found in the possession of super-villains, aliens, or eccentric inventors.
| TABLE 6.13: SPECIAL VEHICLES | ||||||
| Vehicle | Strength | Speed | Defense | Toughness | Size | EP Cost |
| Mole Machine | 25 | 4 (burrow) | 6 | 13 | Gargantuan | 13 |
| Time Machine* | — | — | 9 | 8 | Large | 3 |
| Dimension Hopper* | — | — | 9 | 8 | Large | 3 |
| * = See individual descriptions for more information | ||||||
