D&D 5E Formula D&D - Racing in D&D

[Stormonu]

For those not familiar with the board game Formula D, it is a racing board game that uses various dice - D4 to D30 - to simulate a car's speed. There are, of course, additional rules - having to stop 1-3 time in corners to keep for taking them "too fast" and the ability to track tire, transmission, body and other wear on the car as the players jockey for position. It even has rules for illegal street racing and options for really dirty racing with weapons on the cars.

I'm going to be running Tomb of Annihilation for our group, and the dinosaur races in Port Nyanzaru got me thinking ... maybe it'd be fun to take a session to play out the dino races using a slightly modified Formula D system. Since only one of my players has played Formula D before, I think I'll probably do a "qualifier" lap, then from there do the actual race(s).

I'm still in the planning stages this, but thought I'd put out here for others who might be interested. I'm also trying to think of other campaigns where this might be of value - perhaps in Descent to Avernus (though Thunder Road might fit that better...)?

Most post to follow as I hash out some aspects - and possibly a card side system to add in a little chaos into a race that's happening right in the middle of the city.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

I am very familiar with both Formula D (even from back when it was Formula De) AND I've run the Chultan Dino Races a few times. But not the two together!

The idea has me intrigued.

What changes do you have in mind? Do Dinos really have "gears"? (I think it will work, if you simply call it "momentum". Tires would just be HP. Engines what, Exhaustion? Is there a "pit" for pit-stops? I think: why not?

Cool idea.

 

[Stormonu]

I think momentum is a great term to use for the dino's overall speed. Replacing tires with "Bulk"/HP will probably be the way to go and Engine to Exhaustion. Looking at the city map, I see a couple spots that might be good for a "pit stop" if needed, and I'm considering the possibility of "alternate routes" that may allow some of the smaller dinos to take to narrow, twisting streets (or jumping rooftops for the really daring) to make things a bit more interesting.

In fact, I think I may add a 4th race to the current three - "The Blitz", where a pack of smaller riders (say on deinonychus, monoclonius or other small but swift dinos) try to stay ahead of a very large chase dinosaur (one that takes up multiple spaces) that will simply bowl the smaller over (or "tagged" in some fashion to indicate they're out of the running) if they get caught in the way. This would be one where taking side alleys and the like would be encouraged, but have several places where the riders have to pass on the main track.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

Is that board game by Asmodee? Maybe there are some deals between Asmodee/Embracer Group and Hasbro.