I have a 'chase' where the party is in a rowboat going through rapids trying to catch up to another boat.
I took the Chase Complications from the DMG and revised the wording for a watercraft. What I'm confused about running a chase when the party is using a vehicle/mount is which ability do I use the players or the vehicle/mount?
Example: I roll the following complication.
A large obstacle such as a rocks or trees blocks your way. Make a DC 15 Dexterity (Acrobatics) check to get past the obstacle. On a failed check, the obstacle counts as 10 feet of difficult terrain.
Would the check be made based on the boat dex (https://www.dndbeyond.com/vehicles/rowboat) or the player with the oars? If it is the player is there any condition when I would use the boat dex or other ability scores in such a case as a chase?
I would say the player, since they are controlling the boat. (It makes sense mechanically, to my mind, and also from a game play perspective since it also lets the player do something, rather than you just there rolling dice and saying what happened, and making the players wonder why they are even at the table.)
I could see using the boat scores either if its unattended and just floating downstream, or for saving throws, if say, someone casts a fireball, I'd use it to see if the boat avoids some of the damage.
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I have a 'chase' where the party is in a rowboat going through rapids trying to catch up to another boat.
I took the Chase Complications from the DMG and revised the wording for a watercraft. What I'm confused about running a chase when the party is using a vehicle/mount is which ability do I use the players or the vehicle/mount?
Example: I roll the following complication.
Would the check be made based on the boat dex (https://www.dndbeyond.com/vehicles/rowboat) or the player with the oars? If it is the player is there any condition when I would use the boat dex or other ability scores in such a case as a chase?
I would say the player, since they are controlling the boat. (It makes sense mechanically, to my mind, and also from a game play perspective since it also lets the player do something, rather than you just there rolling dice and saying what happened, and making the players wonder why they are even at the table.)
I could see using the boat scores either if its unattended and just floating downstream, or for saving throws, if say, someone casts a fireball, I'd use it to see if the boat avoids some of the damage.