Piloting (Dex)

Source Player Core pg. 204

Piloting represents your ability to command mechs, drive vehicles, pilot starships, and navigate. This also represents your basic knowledge related to identifying notable models or parts belonging to most piloted (and some semi-autonomous) vehicles. Even if you're untrained, you can Recall Knowledge.

Recall Knowledge about models of mechs, vehicles or starships; areas of piloting significance (like notable black holes or interstellar phenomena); and specific equipment or parts that might be installed on a mech, vehicle, or starship.

Piloting Trained Actions

Drive [one-action] to [three-actions]

Move

Source GM Core pg. 236

Requirements You are piloting a vehicle.

You pilot your vehicle to move. Decide how many actions you intend to spend before you begin Driving. The effects depend on the number of actions you spend. You can't Drive through spaces occupied by creatures, even if they're allies.
[one-action] Attempt a piloting check. On a success, the vehicle moves up to its Speed and can turn normally. On a failure, the vehicle moves its Speed in a straight line. On a critical failure, the vehicle moves its Speed in a straight line and becomes uncontrolled.
[two-actions] (reckless) The vehicle moves up to twice its Speed in a straight line at the vehicle's current heading.
[three-actions] (reckless) You take a –5 penalty on your piloting check to maintain control of the vehicle. The vehicle moves up to three times its Speed in a straight line at the vehicle's current heading.

Navigate

Source Player Core pg. 203

You plan a short journey. While this is most often used when traveling with a mech, vehicle, or starship, the same skill can be used to determine the optimal route to take while traveling on foot. This lets you plan a general heading on a planetoid or guide your starship on an in-system voyage. If you're navigating a short journey, you typically attempt a Piloting check only once per day, but some environments or changes might necessitate rolling more often. The GM determines the DC and how long this activity takes (usually just a minute or so). More unusual locales or those you're unfamiliar with might require you to have a minimum proficiency rank to Navigate.

Critical SuccessYou get an excellent sense of where you are. If you are in an environment with cardinal directions, you know them exactly.

SuccessYou gain enough orientation to avoid becoming hopelessly lost. If you are in an environment with cardinal directions, you have a sense of those directions.

Plot Course

Source Player Core pg. 203

You prepare for a longer journey into the stars, likely making use of your starship's Drift Engine (or similar FTL device). Attempt a Piloting check to determine if you can chart a suitable path to your ultimate destination. The GM determines how long this activity takes and the DC (GM Core).

Critical SuccessYou manage to reach your destination in half the expected time (minimum 1 day).

SuccessYou create a usable navigational plan that gets you to your intended destination on time.

FailureYour plan has several problems, and you end up reaching your destination late.

Critical FailureYou arrive in an unfamiliar star system, requiring you to plot a new course to your destination (likely at an increased DC due to the unfamiliar starting point).

Run Over [three-actions]

Source GM Core pg. 236

Requirements You are piloting a vehicle.

You try to run over creatures with your vehicle, possibly also ramming one larger creature or object. If you maintain control of your vehicle, the vehicle moves up to twice its Speed in a straight line at the vehicle's current heading. You attempt to run over any creatures in your path two sizes smaller than the vehicle or smaller, and you can attempt to ram one target creature or object in your path one size smaller than the vehicle or larger.

Each creature in your path, including a rammed target, takes the vehicle's collision damage (basic Reflex save at vehicle's collision DC). If the rammed target is a vehicle, its pilot can attempt a piloting check in place of this Reflex save, with the same results. If the target of your ram takes damage, you and your vehicle each take collision damage (no save) and your movement ends.

Stop [one-action]

Manipulate

Source GM Core pg. 236

Requirements You are piloting a vehicle in motion.

You bring the vehicle to a stop.

Stunt [one-action]

Source Player Core pg. 204

You perform a stunt while Driving your vehicle, temporarily improving its effective capabilities at the risk of losing control. Drive your vehicle and choose a stunt. All Piloting checks attempted as part of your Stunt receive the listed penalty, including Piloting checks made to take a reckless action. If the Drive action and Stunt are both reckless, you must attempt the Piloting check to keep control of the vehicle twice.

Stunt	Penalty	Benefit
Back Off	–1	Move half Speed backwards.
Evade	–1	Move half Speed to gain a +1 status bonus to AC.
Flip and Burn	–1	Move half Speed, then turn any direction.
Barrel Roll	–2	Move half Speed to gain a +2 status bonus to AC.
Flyby	–2	Move half Speed through an enemy square.
Drift	–2	Move half Speed sideways without turning.
Turn in Place	–2	Turn, then move full Speed.

Take Control [one-action]

Manipulate

Source GM Core pg. 236

Requirements You are aboard a vehicle and adjacent to its controls.

You grab the wheel or some other mechanism in order to control the vehicle. Attempt a piloting check; on a success, you become the vehicle's pilot, or regain control of the vehicle if it was uncontrolled. Some vehicles have complicated controls that cause this action to become a multi-action activity.

Reckless Piloting

Actions that have the reckless trait push the pilot and the vehicle beyond the normal parameters for safe operation, and the pilot risks losing control of the vehicle. When performing a reckless action, the pilot must first attempt an appropriate Piloting check to keep control of the vehicle, with the following effects. Resolve this Piloting check before resolving the action itself.

SuccessThe action occurs as described.

FailureThe vehicle moves its Speed in a straight line along its most recent heading, drifting up to 45 degrees at the GM's discretion, and becomes uncontrolled.

Uncontrolled Vehicles

Some situations can cause a pilot to lose control of their vehicle. Most commonly, this is due to a failed Piloting check for a reckless action, but it can also occur if a round passes without a pilot using a move action to control the vehicle or Stopping the vehicle. A vehicle can also become uncontrolled if the pilot becomes unable to act during a move action to control the vehicle. An uncontrolled vehicle continues to move each round at its most recent pilot's initiative position. The distance it moves each round is 10 feet less than on the previous round, always in a straight line at its current heading until it crashes or it comes to a stop.
At your discretion, it could slow down more if it's on uneven terrain, difficult terrain, on an upward slope, or facing other adverse conditions; alternatively, it could stay at the same speed or even accelerate if it's on a downward slope or other advantageous condition. An uncontrolled vehicle in motion interacts with obstacles, other vehicles, and creatures using the effects of the Run Over action, except that the distance it moves is dictated by the factors above instead of the Speed specified in that action.