I've been working on building stats for a tank-like vehicle, and I've been pondering how best to present its statistics. I've tried building the vehicle both as a monster, taking inspiration from the Hellfire Engine and that sweet Infernal War Machine miniature, and as a vehicle according to the outlines of the Ghosts of Saltmarsh vehicle rules. The vehicle is sized gargantuan with a 20ft.x10ft. profile. There are definite pros and cons to both methods:
Monster -Easier to include in traditional tactical combat -Easier to include ram attacks and relevant monster abilities (see Hellfire Engine's Flesh-Crunching Stride or Stone Juggernaut's Devastating Roll. -Doesn't leave much role for a crew (the aforementioned monsters have no crews, but are simply animated constructs) -AFAIK, there's no precedent for monsters with a non-square profile
Vehicle -Nicely accounts for separate vehicle components -Doesn't require any extra language to implement slow turning (ie. 90 degrees max per movement action) -Doesn't inherently restrict vehicles to square profiles -Doesn't offer much guidance or leeway for alternative ramming methods in tactical combat, ie. crushing, drilling, swallowing, etc. -Generally a clunkier stat block that was designed for waterborne vehicles -No RAW precedent for vertical movement, ie. flying, burrowing, etc.
I've already created my vehicle according to both sets of rules, but I don't really like either. Maybe the upcoming Eberron material will include simple rules for land vehicles. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I suspect that Descent into Avernus will have rules for land vehicles but I suspect they may not be much simpler than the Ghosts of Saltmarsh rules.
I also think that vehicles monsters use can work better with monster stat blocks. While they might not possess the same level of intricacy, the monster stat blocks are more familiar and keeps the game moving.
"The relevant equation is: Knowledge = power = energy = matter = mass; a good bookshop is just a genteel Black Hole that knows how to read." - Terry Pratchett
I suspect that Descent into Avernus will have rules for land vehicles but I suspect they may not be much simpler than the Ghosts of Saltmarsh rules.
I also think that vehicles monsters use can work better with monster stat blocks. While they might not possess the same level of intricacy, the monster stat blocks are more familiar and keeps the game moving.
That's right, I'd forgotten about DtA. Yeah, they must have some treatment of the infernal tank. From the miniature, it's also implied that it can hold a crew. Man, I really want that model...
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Hi all,
I've been working on building stats for a tank-like vehicle, and I've been pondering how best to present its statistics. I've tried building the vehicle both as a monster, taking inspiration from the Hellfire Engine and that sweet Infernal War Machine miniature, and as a vehicle according to the outlines of the Ghosts of Saltmarsh vehicle rules. The vehicle is sized gargantuan with a 20ft.x10ft. profile. There are definite pros and cons to both methods:
Monster
-Easier to include in traditional tactical combat
-Easier to include ram attacks and relevant monster abilities (see Hellfire Engine's Flesh-Crunching Stride or Stone Juggernaut's Devastating Roll.
-Doesn't leave much role for a crew (the aforementioned monsters have no crews, but are simply animated constructs)
-AFAIK, there's no precedent for monsters with a non-square profile
Vehicle
-Nicely accounts for separate vehicle components
-Doesn't require any extra language to implement slow turning (ie. 90 degrees max per movement action)
-Doesn't inherently restrict vehicles to square profiles
-Doesn't offer much guidance or leeway for alternative ramming methods in tactical combat, ie. crushing, drilling, swallowing, etc.
-Generally a clunkier stat block that was designed for waterborne vehicles
-No RAW precedent for vertical movement, ie. flying, burrowing, etc.
I've already created my vehicle according to both sets of rules, but I don't really like either. Maybe the upcoming Eberron material will include simple rules for land vehicles. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I suspect that Descent into Avernus will have rules for land vehicles but I suspect they may not be much simpler than the Ghosts of Saltmarsh rules.
I also think that vehicles monsters use can work better with monster stat blocks. While they might not possess the same level of intricacy, the monster stat blocks are more familiar and keeps the game moving.
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"The relevant equation is: Knowledge = power = energy = matter = mass; a good bookshop is just a genteel Black Hole that knows how to read." - Terry Pratchett
That's right, I'd forgotten about DtA. Yeah, they must have some treatment of the infernal tank. From the miniature, it's also implied that it can hold a crew. Man, I really want that model...