Vehicle (3.5e Template)
Vehicle
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3e Summary::A vehicle is characterized and defined as an object that is controlled by one or more living creatures either from on top or within it and generally has no intelligence or wisdom of its own. Vehicles derive their power and effectual use from the people that drive them. There are different types of vehicles, ranging from walkers to wheeled and tracked vehicles, to airships and hover vehicles.
Creating a Vehicle
The vehicle template is usually inherited as vehicles are generally built with their purposes in mind. Vehicles come either from base creatures or from either animate or unanimate objects. Therefore, only constructs may gain this template when their construction finishes. As a note in advance, the 'Vehicle' template is actually more of a Subtype than a template.
Size and Type
The size of the construct or object does not change. Vehicles are usually at least one size category larger than the creatures intended to use them.
Treat walker vehicles as bipeds (tall) and other vehicles as quadrupeds (long) for determining reach.
Hit Dice
Same as base creature.
Speed
Constructs retain their base speed for all their modes of movement.
Armor Class
Unattended vehicles have a base AC of 5 (-5 Dex) plus size modifier and natural armor bonus. Any vehicle retains or gains some measure of natural armor and occasionally possesses dodge bonuses to AC. When the pilot is completely encased by the vehicle, he cannot be the target of attacks other than the effect of spells of the Enchantment and Illusion schools and all attacks must be made against the vehicle. If a vehicle is the target of a spell of the Enchantment or Illusion school, every person inside attempts a Will save. The person with the poorest result on this save becomes the target of the spell and must make another Will save or be affected. A vehicle may be targeted multiple times by spells of these schools that allow multiple targets, whether or not they actually have that many crewmen aboard. The number of times the vehicle is targeted determines the number of people inside the vehicle that will become targets of the spell, starting at the worst save and going up from there. When a tie exists, those that tie must roll again until there is no longer a tie. If the vehicle is targeted as much or more often than that there are people aboard, all of them become targets of the spell.
Attack
It retains or gains weapons as per its design. All attacks by a vehicle use the vehicle's Dexterity bonus unless especially noted. Unlike ordinary constructs a vehicle has no primary or secondary attacks. Its pilot decided which one(s) to use, and may use them at their full attack bonus.
Special Attacks
Run Over (Ex): Vehicles may ride over, stomp or crush creatures that are one or more size categories smaller than they are except where noted differently. This is a melee touch attack dealing base damage 1d6 (Small), 1d8 (Medium), 2d6 (Large), 3d6 (Huge), 4d6 (Gargantuan), 6d6 (Colossal) and adding the vehicle's Strength modifier ×1½, if positive. This damage is bludgeoning damage, except where noted different. Creatures may attempt to make a Reflex save against DC 10 + ½ vehicle HD + vehicle Dex modifier to halve the damage.
Vehicles may gain (or retain) other special attacks where noted.
Special Qualities
As base creature. A vehicle where the pilot cannot see out of, or wherein the pilot depends on sensory or input data to resolve the vehicle's movement, includes the following.
Sensors (Su): A vehicle's sensors give its pilot a +4 competence bonus to Listen and Spot checks and allow it to make such checks in reaction to anything within range of his (and/or the vehicle's, in case of closed canopy) various modes of sight, regardless of direction or awareness and as long as the pilot or vehicle has line of effect. At a successful check against a creature or object, the pilot becomes immediately aware of it.
Abilities
Vehicles have no Intelligence score, a Wisdom score of 10 and a Charisma score of 1. Unmanned vehicles also have no Dexterity score and an effective Dexterity modifier of -5.
Skills
To be able to operate a vehicle, a character needs the associated Pilot skill. This Piloting skill is an alternative Ride skill and is Intelligence-based.
Vehicles themselves have no skills. Wherever needed, they use the pilot's skill modifiers. An exception is the Jump skill, which can be utilized to clear chasms unless noted otherwise. Other exceptions may occur within the base creature's listing
Feats
Riding, flying or hovering vehicles gain Run as a bonus feat. Furthermore, they may run indefinitely.
Environment
Anywhere the driver deigns to take it.
Organization
—
Alignment
Always neutral.
Special
Carrying Capacity: A walking, hovering or flying vehicle's carrying capacity equals that of the base creature. A vehicle with consistent vantage upon ground (such as through wheels or tracks) may carry an amount of load as if pushing or pulling.
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