Chapter X: Vehicles
If all you want from a vehicle is to get from point A to point B, then the vehicle you choose is largely a matter of personal style and finances. Skill checks are only required in extraordinary circumstances - driving long distances offroad, for example, or piloting a boat through a hurricane.
However, if you’re the sort who hears screaming tires in your sleep and dreams about extended car chases, this section is for you.
Vehicle Proficiency
A character having proficiency in a class of vehicles isn't quite the same as just that character being able to drive the vehicle. Proficiency indicates extended knowledge and skill when it comes to using vehicles, and whether or not a character without vehicle proficiency is able to drive is left as a decision for the player or GM as appropriate.
Vehicle Stat Blocks
To aid in running adventures where vehicles engage in combat, undertake precise navigation, or face situations where their various capabilities become relevant, the following section presents new rules and stat blocks for a spectrum of cars, motorcycles and aircraft.
Basic Statistics
A vehicle stat block has three main parts: basic statistics, components, and action options. Vehicles can't take any actions on their own. Without effort from its crew, a vehicle might continue on its trajectory, steadily come to a stop, or careen out of control.
Size
Most vehicles are Large, Huge, or Gargantuan. A vehicle's size category is determined by its length or width, whichever is longer. For instance, a vehicle that is 5 feet wide and 15 feet wide would use the size category that has a 15-foot width, which means the vehicle is Huge.
Space
A vehicle doesn't have a square space unless its stat block specifies otherwise. For example, a vehicle that is 20 feet long and 10 feet wide occupies a 20-by-10-foot space.
A vehicle can't move into a space that is too small to accommodate it. If it tries to do so, it crashes, as described in the "Crashing" section (page XXX).
Capacity
A vehicle's stat block indicates how many creatures and how much cargo it can carry. Creatures include both the crew and any passengers who might ride along.
Cargo capacity notes the amount of cargo the vehicle is designed to carry. Many vehicles can, in a pinch, carry extra passengers instead of cargo, but doing so is usually a cramped, uncomfortable, and often unsafe experience for those passengers.
As a rule of thumb, one additional passenger can be carried for each 250 pounds of unused cargo capacity. Additionally, more cargo might be able to be carried if there is unused creature capacity. Each unused passenger slot allows the vehicle to carry an additional 100 pounds of cargo.
Travel Pace
A vehicle's travel pace determines how far it can move per hour and per day. A vehicle's movement-related components (described later in the stat block) determine how far the vessel can move each round.
Ability Scores
A vehicle has the six ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma) and the corresponding modifiers.
The Strength of a vehicle expresses its size and weight. Dexterity represents a vehicle's ease of handling. A vehicle's Constitution covers its durability and the quality of its construction. Vehicles usually have a score of 0 in Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma.
If a vehicle has a 0 in a score, it automatically fails any ability check or saving throw that uses that score.
Vulnerabilities, Resistances and Immunities
A vehicle's vulnerabilities, resistances, and immunities apply to all its components, unless otherwise noted in the stat block.
Vehicles are typically immune to poison and psychic damage. Vehicles are also usually immune to the following conditions: blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, incapacitated, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, stunned, and unconscious.
Miles Per Hour Vs Feet Per Round
To convert miles per hour to feet per round, multiply by 10. Conversely, to convert feet per round to miles per hour divide by 10. This approximation is fairly easy and surprisingly close to the true conversion figure of 8.8.
Actions
This part of the stat block specifies what the vehicle can do on its turn, using its special actions rather than the actions used by creatures. It even relies on its actions to move; it doesn't have a move otherwise. A vehicle's pilot decides which actions to use. A given action can be chosen only once during a turn unless otherwise specified.
Components
A vehicle is composed of different components, each of which comprises multiple objects:
Hull. A vehicle's hull is its basic frame, on which the other components are mounted.
Control. A control component is used to steer a vehicle.
Movement. A movement component is an element of the vehicle that enables it to move, usually some form of engine, and has a specific speed.
Weapon. A vehicle capable of being used in combat often has one or more weapon components, each of which is operated separately.
A vehicle's component might have special rules, as described in the stat block.
Armor Class
A component has an Armor Class. Its AC reflects the materials used to construct it and any defensive plating used to augment its toughness.
Hit Points
A vehicle component is destroyed and becomes unusable when it drops to 0 hit points. A vehicle is wrecked if its hull is destroyed. A vehic;e doesn't have Hit Dice.
Damage Threshold
If a vehicle component has a damage threshold, that threshold appears after its hit points. A component has immunity to all damage unless it takes an amount of damage that equals or exceeds its threshold, in which case it takes damage as normal. Damage that fails to bypass the threshold is considered superficial and doesn't reduce the component's hit points.
Vehicles in Combat
Vehicles and Initiative
A vehicle rolls initiative using its Dexterity. If it is a small vehicle (5 or less crew), it adds it's pilot's proficiency bonus if the pilot is proficient in the vehicle. Otherwise, it uses its crew's quality score as a modifier to the initiative roll.
On a vehicle's turn, the pilot decides which of the vehicle's actions to use.
During a Vehicle's Turn
Vehicles don't have the same action/bonus action/move turn structure as a creature. Instead, they have a list of actions they can take in their statblock.
Every action a vehicle takes uses up a bonus action or action from one of its crew members, as specified by the action in the vehicle's stat block. This usually doesn't need tracking for larger vehicles with many crew members, but should usually be done for small vehicles with less than 5 crew members.
An action must be expended from a crew member that could feasibly perform it. For example, a car using a move action could feasibly be done by the driver, but probably not someone in the back seat.
Chase Scale
Due to the great speeds reached by modern vehicles, a fast-moving vehicle can cross your entire gaming table in a single round at standard D&D grid scale, making it unsuitable for high-energy vehicle-on-vehicle combat.
For that reason, when only vehicles (or perhaps vehicles and very fast-moving creatures) are involved, use chase scale. In chase scale, each square of the grid represents 50 feet.
In chase scale, most commonly encountered vehicles occupy only one square. (Some especially large vehicles, such as ships or jumbo jets, might occupy more than one square.) More than one vehicle can occupy the same square. Generally each square should have no more than 5 vehicles in at a time, though this may be reduced if they are particularly small or are moving in close ranks. As a rule of thumb, vehicles in the same square can be considered to be 20 feet apart for the purposes of determining
Stunts
When the pilot of a vehicle wants to make a maneuver the standard vehicle rules do not allow for, they may make an ability check using their vehicle proficiency and an appropriate ability (usually Dexterity). The DC for the check is determined by the GM, but some guidance is given in the Stunt DC table.
| Stunt | DC |
|---|---|
| Easy stunt - avoid small hazards | 10 |
| Moderate stunt - make a sharp turn, avoid medium hazards | 15 |
| Hard stunt - jump a 10 ft. gap, avoid large hazards | 20 |
| Very hard - jump a 15 ft. gap, drive on two wheels | 25 |
| Near impossible stunt - jump a 20 ft. gap | 30 |
On a failed check, the vehicle may crash or the pilot may lose control.
Crashing
If a vehicle moves into the space occupied by a creature or an object, the vehicle might crash. A vehicle avoids crashing if the creature or object is at least two sizes smaller than it.
When a vehicle crashes, it must immediately make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it takes damage to its hull based on the size of the creature or object it crashed into, as shown on the Crash Damage table. It also stops moving if the object or creature is one size smaller than it or larger. Otherwise the vehicle continues moving and the creature or object collided with moves to the nearest unoccupied space that isn't in the vehicle's path. At the DM's discretion, an object that is forced to move but is fixed in place is instead destroyed.
A creature struck by a vehicle must make a Dexterity saving throw with a DC equal to 10 + the vehicle's Strength modifier, taking damage based on the vehicle's size (as shown on the Crash Damage table) on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one
Crash Damage
| Size | Bludgeoning Damage |
|---|---|
| Small | 1d6 |
| Medium | 1d10 |
| Large | 4d10 |
| Huge | 8d100 |
| Gargantuan | 16d10 |
Losing Control
If a vehicle fails a stunt or encounters certain types of hazard, the pilot may lose control of it. In these cases, the vehicle must make a Dexterity saving throw. If this check is successful, the pilot maintains control of the vehicle. If it fails, the vehicle goes into a spin, and is unable to move until the end of it's next turn. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the vehicle rolls over and cannot move again until it is righted.
Shooting the Tires
You can choose to specifically target a vehicle’s tires. A tire has an AC equal to the vehicle's hull's AC +5. A tire has a damage threshold of 5 and 10 hit points. If a tire is destroyed, the pilot may lose control. The DC of the saving throw is equal to 10 plus 5 for every tire already destroyed. If at least half of the tires on a vehicle are destroyed, all driving ability checks are made with disadvantage, and if they are all destroyed the vehicle's land speed is halved.
Vehicle Downtime
Repairing Damage
Repairing damage to a vehicle takes a full hour of work, and a mechanical tool kit. At the end of the hour, make an Intelligence (mechanical tools) check. The vehicle restores hit points equal to the result of the ability check -5. It is possible to damage a vehicle if the attempted repairs are particularly poor.
Modifications
Some people like to upgrade their vehicles to get more out of them. Whether supercharging an engine for the big race, mounting weapons in the apocalyptic wasteland, or installing an ejector seat to fake your death, modifying vehicles can add give the upper hand in a variety of circumstances.
To add a modification to a vehicle you own, you must first purchase it. The cost of a modifcation is often contingent on the type of vehicle it is intended to modify or other factors.
Then, you must spend 8 hours applying the module. At the end of the time period, you must make an Intelligence check using tools specified by the modification (usually mechanical tools) to determine your success at applying the module. On a success, the modification is applied successfully. On a failure, the modification is not applied to the item. On a critical failure, the modification is damaged beyond repair.
You can decide to spend additional care and time applying a module. If you spend a number of hours applying a module, you gain a bonus to the skill check equal to the number of hours, up to a maximum of +10.
You can break up the time spent applying a module into separate chunks. For example, you can spend 4 hours working on the vehicle, rest until the next day, then resume work.
Removing an applied modification is done in the same manner to applying a modification, but the DC for the check is reduced by 5. On a success, the modification is removed successfully. On a failure, the modification is not successfully removed from the item. On a critical failure, the modification is damaged beyond repair.
Vehicle Modifications
| Modification | Cost | Modify DC | Tools |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ejector Seat | $9,000 | 16 | Mechanical Tools |
| Turbo Booster | $5,000 | 14 | Mechanical Tools |
Additionally, you can pay professionals to install modules for you. How much they charge is up to them, and is usually dependent on the skill of the professional, but is usually in the range of $50 to $200 per hour of work.
Modifications usually have restrictions placed on them that limit the types of items the modification can be applied to. Vehicles can only have one the same modification applied at any one time, unless otherwise specified.
Ejector Seat
One of the seats in the vehicle can be ejected at the push of a button, launching it and anyone on it 100 feet into the air. A parachute attached to the seat then opens, allowing anyone strapped into the seat a safe descent. After the ejector seat is used, the module is expended.
This modification can be applied to a vehicle for each seat in the vehicle.
Turbo Booster
The vehicle gains the following action option:
Dash (Bonus Action). The vehicle's speed is doubled until the end of the turn. After this action is used, it cannot be used again for 30 minutes.
Optional Rule: Speed
In reality, vehicles take some time to get going or to stop moving, presenting further challenge to vehicle crews. This optional rule roughly simulates the acceleration and deceleration of vehicles. To do so, each vehicle is assigned a speed category based on how fast it is moving. At the start of each of its turns, the vehicle can reduce or increase its speed category by one level. During its turn, the vehicle must move a number of feet within its speed category.
For example, an economy coupe moved 300 feet on its last turn, putting it in the moderate speed category. At the start of this turn, it increases it's speed category to Fast, meaning it has to move between 500 and 750 feet this turn.
| Speed Category | Minimum Movement | Maximum Movement |
|---|---|---|
| Stationary | 0 feet | 0 feet |
| Slow | 5 feet | 25% of Max Speed |
| Moderate | 25% of Max Speed | 50% of Max Speed |
| Fast | 50% of Max Speed | 75% of Max Speed |
| Very Fast | 75% of Max Speed | Max Speed |
If using this rule, it may be handy to have the minimum and maximum movement values for each vehicle at each speed category on-hand.
Sample Vehicles
This section provides stat blocks, and other details for some of the most common vehicles.
Economy Coupe
Huge land vehicle (15 ft. by 5 ft.)
- Creature Capacity 1 crew, 4 passengers
- Cargo Capacity 250 lb.
- Travel Pace 100 miles per hour (2400 miles per day)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 20 (+5) 9 (-1) 17 (+3) 0 0 0
- Damage Immunities poison, psychic
- Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, incapacitated, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, stunned, unconscious
Cover Creatures inside the coupe have three-quarters cover. Creatures leaning out of the windows only have half cover.
Actions
Move (Bonus Action). The coupe can use its steering wheel to move with its engine.
Hull
Armor Class 19 Hit Points 100 (damage threshold 10)
Control: Steering Wheel
Armor Class 17 Hit Points 50
Move up to the speed of one of the coupe's movement components, with up to three 45-degree turns. If the steering wheel is destroyed, the coupe can't turn.
Movement: Engine
Armor Class 17 Hit Points 50 Speed (land) 1000 ft. (requires at least 1 crew)
Moped
Medium land vehicle (5 ft. by 2.5 ft.)
- Creature Capacity 1 crew, 1 passenger
- Cargo Capacity 50 lb.
- Travel Pace 40 miles per hour (960 miles per day)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 15 (+2) 13 (+1) 12 (+1) 0 0 0
- Damage Immunities poison, psychic
- Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, incapacitated, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, stunned, unconscious
Actions
Move (Bonus Action). The moped can use its handlebars to move with its engine.
Hull
Armor Class 17 Hit Points 50 (damage threshold 10)
Control: Handlebars
Armor Class 17 Hit Points 30
Move up to the speed of one of the moped's movement components, with up to four 45-degree turns. If the handlebars are destroyed, the moped can't turn.
Movement: Engine
Armor Class 14 Hit Points 50 Speed (land) 1700 ft. (requires at least 1 crew)
Motorboat
Huge water vehicle (15 ft. by 5 ft.)
- Creature Capacity 1 crew, 3 passengers
- Cargo Capacity 250 lb.
- Travel Pace 50 miles per hour (1200 miles per day)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 13 (+1) 12 (+1) 9 (-1) 0 0 0
- Damage Immunities poison, psychic
- Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, incapacitated, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, stunned, unconscious
Actions
Move (Bonus Action). The motorboat can use its steering wheel to move with its motor.
Hull
Armor Class 17 Hit Points 100 (damage threshold 10)
Control: Helm
Armor Class 16 Hit Points 30
Move up to the speed of one of the motroboat's movement components, with up to three 45-degree turns. If the steering wheel is destroyed, the motorboat can't turn.
Movement: Motor
Armor Class 12 Hit Points 50 Speed (land) 500 ft. (requires at least 1 crew)
Motorcycle
Medium land vehicle (5 ft. by 2.5 ft.)
- Creature Capacity 1 crew, 1 passenger
- Cargo Capacity 50 lb.
- Travel Pace 150 miles per hour (3600 miles per day)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 17 (+3) 14 (+2) 14 (+2) 0 0 0
- Damage Immunities poison, psychic
- Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, incapacitated, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, stunned, unconscious
Actions
Move (Bonus Action). The motorcycle can use its handlebars to move with its engine.
Hull
Armor Class 17 Hit Points 80 (damage threshold 10)
Control: Handlebars
Armor Class 17 Hit Points 50
Move up to the speed of one of the motorcycle's movement components, with up to four 45-degree turns. If the handlebars are destroyed, the motorcycle can't turn.
Movement: Engine
Armor Class 14 Hit Points 50 Speed (land) 400 ft. (requires at least 1 crew)
Single Turboprop
Gargantuan air vehicle (30 ft. by 35 ft.)
- Creature Capacity 1 crew, 3 passengers
- Cargo Capacity 250 lb.
- Travel Pace 170 miles per hour (4080 miles per day)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 19 (+4) 7 (-2) 15 (+2) 0 0 0
- Damage Immunities poison, psychic
- Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, incapacitated, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, stunned, unconscious
Cover Creatures inside the coupe have full cover.
Stall The turboprop begins to fall if it moves less than 600 feet on it's turn.
Actions
Move (Bonus Action). The turboprop can use its steering wheel to move with its propellers.
Hull
Armor Class 19 Hit Points 200 (damage threshold 10)
Control: Steering Wheel
Armor Class 12 Hit Points 50
Move up to the speed of one of the turboprop's movement components, with up to two 45-degree turns. If the steering wheel is destroyed, the turboprop can't turn.
Movement: Propellers
Armor Class 12 Hit Points 50 Speed (land) 1700 ft. (requires at least 1 crew)
Sports Coupe
Huge land vehicle (15 ft. by 5 ft.)
- Creature Capacity 1 crew, 1 passenger
- Cargo Capacity 150 lb.
- Travel Pace 150 miles per hour (3600 miles per day)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 22 (+6) 12 (+1) 15 (+2) 0 0 0
- Damage Immunities poison, psychic
- Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, incapacitated, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, stunned, unconscious
Cover Creatures inside the coupe have three-quarters cover. Creatures leaning out of the windows only have half cover.
Actions
Move (Bonus Action). The coupe can use its steering wheel to move with its engine.
Hull
Armor Class 19 Hit Points 80 (damage threshold 10)
Control: Steering Wheel
Armor Class 17 Hit Points 50
Move up to the speed of one of the coupe's movement components, with up to three 45-degree turns. If the steering wheel is destroyed, the coupe can't turn.
Movement: Engine
Armor Class 16 Hit Points 50 Speed (land) 1500 ft. (requires at least 1 crew)
Vehicles and Fuel
Often, it's not worth tracking fuel use in a D&D game, as it rarely serves to further the plot or fun factor. It's fair enough to assume that you refuel between adventures, and that fuel lasts as long as needed during adventures.
If fuel use is important in your game, you can track a rough fuel value. For modern cars, a full tank is a fuel value of 50. For every hour the car is in use, reduce the fuel value by 1. Refueling a car takes approximately a minute.
Twin Turboprop
Gargantuan air vehicle (45 ft. by 70 ft.)
- Creature Capacity 1 crew, 19 passengers
- Cargo Capacity 2,500 lb.
- Travel Pace 230 miles per hour (5520 miles per day)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 21 (+5) 6 (-2) 17 (+3) 0 0 0
- Damage Immunities poison, psychic
- Condition Immunities blinded, charmed, deafened, exhaustion, frightened, incapacitated, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned, prone, stunned, unconscious
Cover Creatures inside the turboprop have full cover.
Stall The turboprop begins to fall if it moves less than 700 feet on it's turn.
Actions
Move (Bonus Action). The turboprop can use its steering wheel to move with its engine.
Hull
Armor Class 19 Hit Points 300 (damage threshold 10)
Control: Steering Wheel
Armor Class 17 Hit Points 50
Move up to the speed of one of the turboprop's movement components, with up to two 45-degree turns. If the steering wheel is destroyed, the turboprop can't turn.
Movement: Propellers
Armor Class 12 Hit Points 100 Speed (land) 2300 ft. (requires at least 1 crew)
Credits
Document and contents by Dylan Richards (Reddit: u/Altavus , Tumblr: decision-paralysis, Blogger: Decision Paralysis)
Art
Source Material
"d20 Modern" role-playing game by Wizards of the Coast.
Built heavily upon "d20 Modern 5e Conversion" by Edward Wilson.