Vehicle and Chase Rules

 NEW POWER: Vehicle  Written by Daniel Gallant and Mike Lafferty With helpful input from Steve Kenson Published as OGL rules content in Justice Wheels from Fainting Goat Games in 2012

Vehicle  You have a vehicle. It could be a motorcycle, car, aircraft, hovercraft, airship, space fighter, or anything that can carry you. The base vehicle has the following characteristics:


 * It can carry the pilot/driver plus one passenger
 * It has a Speed of your power level.
 * It has a Coordination, Strength, Prowess and Stamina equal to the rolled power level
 * It can travel either underground, on the land, on the water, in the air as if it had the appropriate power at the at same level as the Vehicle Power (Burrow, Swimming, Flight, Super-Speed etc)
 * In random character generation, Vehicle can be substituted for any movement power

You also get extra features equal to twice your Vehicle power level (rounded down). Possible extra features are:


 * Carry 5 extra passengers
 * Add one to Speed
 * Add one to Coordination, Strength or Stamina. You can also add 1 level per point to the default travel power level of the vehicle.
 * <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">Add other appropriate powers or buy up existing powers at 1 level per point.
 * <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">Vehicle can transform (create a second vehicle form of one level less). No more than 3 different vehicle modes per vehicle.

<span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">Note: At the GM’s discretion, you may move points around between the various extras, and attributes to customize the vehicle. <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">A few notes on a vehicle’s ability scores


 * <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">Stamina is a measure of a vehicle’s structural integrity and (to some degree) the protection it provides its driver and passengers. When a vehicle’s Stamina is reduced to zero, it is considered disabled and inoperable.
 * <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">Speed is the relative speed of the vehicle in relation to other vehicles. This provides a standard measure of speed across the various movement powers. This is intended for tests during chases.
 * <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">A vehicle’s Strength is a measure of its towing and/or lifting capacity.
 * <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">A vehicle’s Coordination is used for appropriate tests (such as piloting or driving) instead of the character’s Coordination. It may be modified by an appropriate specialty such as Pilot.
 * <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">Generally, it’s recommended that the vehicle’s Coordination attribute also is used for attacking with vehicle mounted weapons. However, at the GM’s discretion, a character’s Coordination can be used instead. In addition, a character’s Coordination should be used for attacking from a vehicle with a weapon that is not mounted on the vehicle.
 * <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">A vehicle’s Prowess is used for strictly physical attacks such as ramming during vehicle combat.

<span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">Vehicles in Combat  <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">In combat, a Vehicle acts as a partial shield for its driver and passengers. Any damage is absorbed by the vehicle’s Stamina and not the characters inside.

<span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">In order to hit a passenger or driver inside a vehicle, a successful called-shot maneuver (pg 67, ICONS) is necessary.

<span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">The benefit of any other defensive powers added on to the vehicle (such as Invulnerability, perhaps described as armor and bulletproof glass) or Force Field would be in addition to this default level of protection.

<span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">Some common sense is in order. A souped-up skate board will not provide the same protection as an armored sports car and the GM should feel free to waive this rule as she sees fit.

<span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;">Note: Chases Without A Vehicle  <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;">Characters with an appropriate movement power can take part in a chase. This is at the GM’s discretion. We suggest using the level of the movement power as the Speed attribute for the purpose of the pursuit.

<span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;">Below, there’s a Speed bonus chart attached to this page that can be handy when dealing with pursuits that involve vehicles or characters with different powers.

<span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">Maneuvers in Vehicle Combat  <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px"> Steve Kenson has written an article detailing how a character can (with a successful test) place a temporary aspect on another person or situation. <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">This makes a fun addition to vehicle based combat.

<span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">For example, <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px"> ''the hero Inferno (in his customized, super-charged sports car, the Firestarter) is chasing the ice-based criminal Frostbite (who is in his modified hover-tank) through the streets of the city. Inferno attempts to use his car’s flame throwers to add a “melted tank tread” aspect to Frostbite’s tank. Inferno’s player rolls a Coordination test and gets an effort of 10. Compared to Frostbite’s difficulty of 7 (for Coordination 5 and Expert Driver), that is an outcome of 3; which is a major success. Frostbite’s tank has a damaged tread for the rest of this chapter and Inferno gets a free tag for that aspect.''

<span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">Team Vehicle  <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">A team can pool their determination and buy a vehicle, Spending their collective determination to buy the Vehicle power at a rate of 1 to 1.

<span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">Chase Rules  <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">The default recommendation for chase rules for ICONS is a Success Pyramid with tests based off relevant traits such as Speed or Coordination (factoring in Specialties like Piloting or Drive.) <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">In a nutshell, a character, or group of characters, would do a series of related tests in order to accumulate enough successes to equal a massive success (an effect of 5 or more) in order to catch up with their target or to escape from their pursuer. <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">Optionally, some Pyramid Test variations (like Balanced, Competitive, Fragile, and Triggered (for accidents, collisions, etc.) could be added in to add variety and customize the feel of the chase. <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">The following link provides more details about the Success Pyramid and Pyramid Tests

<span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">Optional Extra Crunchy Chase Rules  <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">These rules present a “crunchier” alternate set of chase rules for ICONS. <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">In a chase there are two individuals or groups, a Chaser and an Escapee. There is no question as to who is chasing who. The Chaser wants to catch the Escapee, and the Escapee wants to get away. <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">( In the case where there is no reasonable way for a party without a vehicle or a movement power to take part in the chase (either pursuing or evading), then the party with the movement power simply escapes or catches up, depending on their intent.) <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">The goal of the Escapee is to increase the distance to 11 “zones”, at which point, they get away. <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">(Note that “zones” is an abstract unit and does not necessarily mean physical distance; it could also mean they are separated by city blocks, crates in a warehouse, asteroids, a sufficient number of twists and turns in a maze, crowds in a mall – whatever would be appropriate for the scene and the characters involved.) <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">Before starting the chase, the GM should determine the starting distance in zones between the Chaser and the Escapee:

<span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">Possible actions during a panel in a chase:
 * <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">Start with a base of 2.
 * <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">Add 1 if the Chaser was monologuing, blinded with a hand full of sand, or was somehow distracted from the chase.
 * <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">Subtract 1 if the Escapee was distracted, is starting prone, or disadvantaged somehow. This will yield a result from 1 to 3.

<span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">1)  <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">Get Away <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px"> – The Escapee tries to increase the distance.


 * <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">First roll a Coordination test between the Chaser and the Escapee.
 * <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">If the Escapee wins, they can add their success (i.e. the difference between the two totals) to their Speed. If they lose, they subtract the difference between the two totals.
 * <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">Add the Speed of the Escapee to the distance then subtract the Speed of the Chaser. This is the new distance. If it is 11 or more, the Escapee has successfully made a get-away.

<span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">2)  <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">Trick <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px"> – The Escapee attempts to deceive and evade the Chaser.


 * <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">The Escapee rolls a test of their Vehicle power (or other movement power being used). The Chaser rolls a Coordination test.
 * <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">If the Escapee wins, add the level of the power used to the Escapee's Speed.
 * <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">Next, add the new Speed of the Escapee to the distance
 * <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">Then subtract the Speed of the Chaser from the distance. If the new distance is 11 or more, the Escapee has successfully gotten away.

<span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">3)  <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">Attack <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px"> – A normal made by either the Chaser or Escapee.


 * <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">Handle the attack per usual ICONS rules, adding an appropriate difficulty to reflect the conditions of the chase. If the other character survives and remains in the chase, proceed with the next step.
 * <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">Subtract 2 from the attacker’s Speed.
 * <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">Add the Speed of the attacker to the Distance then subtract the Speed of the defender.
 * <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">If the new Distance number is 11 or more, the Escapee gets away.

<span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">NOTE: Additions and subtractions to speed are only for that round.

<span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">Optional: Relative Effectiveness of Powers  <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px">Sometimes one power will have an advantage over another. The value (obtained from the table linked below) is a bonus available to the Chaser or Escapee and can be used once each turn as a bonus to Speed or Coordination. <span style="font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;; font-size: 16px"> movement power matrix (1).xls 24 KB