Pilot (3.5e Skill)

Author: Sulacu (talk) Date Created: February 18, 2008 Status: Complete Editing: Clarity edits only please

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Pilot (Dex, Int)

Pilot is a skill that allows a creature to operate a construct especially designed to be driven. This skill distinguishes itself from the Ride skill in that it uses a set of controls instead of pure motoric input to control your course. Pilot uses a combination of Dexterity and Intelligence, depending on the type of vehicle. Vehicles that are driven mainly by motor functions, such as cars and bikes, use Dexterity, whereas vehicles with intricate controls, such as the navigation system of large ships or the flight control system of an aeroplane, use Intelligence. Vehicles that require both finesse and an intensive control scheme, such as fighter aircraft, use both.

Check: Typical piloting actions don't require checks. You can enter and pilot vehicles, but in order to be able to pilot a vehicle, you must have a minimum number of ranks in the skill. The number of ranks required for piloting a particular type of vehicle is included in the description of the vehicle. Certain actions can be made with any vehicle, whether it walks, flies or stands on wheels. The base DC of these checks is the minimum amount of ranks required to operate the vehicle, plus an additional increase for the difficulty of the action.

Cover: In case of the vehicle having an open cockpit, you can react instantly to flatten yourself against its surface, using it as cover. You can’t attack or cast spells while using your vehicle as cover. If you fail your Pilot check, you don’t get the cover benefit. This usage does not require an action. When piloting a fully closed vehicle, you are not subject to physical attacks from outside at all.

Fast Mount or Dismount: You can attempt to mount or dismount from an open cockpit vehicle of up to one size category larger than yourself as a free action, provided that you still have a move action available that round. If you fail the Pilot check, mounting or dismounting is a move action. You can’t use fast mount or dismount on a mount more than one size category larger than yourself.

Fight while Driving: In case of the vehicle having an open cockpit, you can still make your own attack or attacks normally while driving it. This usage is a free action.

Leap: If your vehicle propels itself with legs, it may be made to jump. Use your Pilot modifier or the vehicle's Jump modifier, whichever is lower, to see how far the vehicle can jump. If you fail your Pilot check, you fall off your vehicle in case of an open cockpit, or simply lose controls of the controls for 1 round otherwise.

Use Vehicle's Special Attacks: The pilot can use a vehicle's controls to command its special attacks. This may be done as many times as the abilities may be used.

Action	DC Increase
Cover	+15
Fight while Driving	+15
Leap	+15
Use Vehicle's Special Attacks	+10
Fast Mount or Dismount	+201
Armor Check penalty applies.

Action: Varies. Mounting or dismounting normally is a move action. Other checks are a move action, a free action, or no action at all, as noted above.

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