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Message: <blockquote data-quote="BlackJaw" data-source="post: 1450786" data-attributes="member: 888">While I'm at it lets talk a little bit about terms and pricing concepts.A vehicle is defined by it's type, size, hit dice, emphases, special systems, and weapons.Types are construct, plant, aberration, undead.Size uses the basic size listing in D&D.  We extended that into some extra versions of collossal for realy big ships (they did something similar in Draconomicon for advanced epic dragons too, and dragon star has something along those lines for its non-grid skill based vehicles)  each size has a range of hit dice it covers.Hit Dice is just that, hit dice.  They are used to determine hit points.  players could roll for the ones on their vehicle, but most DMs will just find it easier to stat them like monsters.  divide the dice type in half and add .5 then multiply by the number of hit dice.Emphases are how you list the focus of the vehicle's design and construction.  There are 4(?) Emphases: Weapons, Engines, Armor, and Support.  vehicle builders put ranks in them to increase functions related to that emphasis.  Vehicles have a total number of empahses ranks equal to their number of hit dice, and all must be spent.Weapons = space for weaponsengines = fly faster, with more manuvering, or slower without dropping like a rock.armor = get thicker armor for a higher armor classsupport = get special systemsSpecial systems are aditional or special functions of the vehicle not easily covered by a emphasis.  Zepplin or hot air balloon like blimps/balloons... force sheilds, interior space, cargo space, etc.  A vehicle gets one system slot at 1st hit dice, and one more every 3 hit dice it has (3, 6, 9, 12, 15, etc).  The system must still be purchased individualy, and may have requirements for the vehicles it can be placed in.  special systems may be allowed or disallowed based on setting restrictions.  Emphasis ranks in Support gets you extra special system slots beyond the every 3 hit dice rule.  1 rank = one more speical system.  the cheapest ones are cargo, interior space, and extra fuel space.Weapons are vehicle weapons.  Having an emphasis in weapons provides you with weapon slots, but not the weapon itself.  They must be purchased seperatly.  some weapons are larger then others and require combining weapon slots to fit them into the vehicle.  Some weapons are simple to make based off those found in the DMG (balistas etc) others will need a speical mechanic.  cost increases, size increases...  you get more damage, a weapon no longer mounted (turrets), better or difrent damage types, smaller requirements on power drain (if it uses power instead of ammo)...etc.  I figure a 1-1 ration on weapon slots to weapon emphasis ranks.  because getting larger weapons requires more ranks to fit, that should keep larger vehicles from have a to many guns, although if your building a star destroyer, you'd need 30-60 guns wouldn't you?Build a gun mechanic:base price is for a "medium sized" gun (what you get with 1 slot of weapon emphasis) that fires once before being reloaded as a full round action.  It does peircing damage and uses ammo instead of power. (A simple small cannon). For a price you can do various upgrades:  change from reloading as a standard action to standard, standard to move, and move to free (automatic) allowing it to be fired without being reloaded by hand. For a price you can also change the type of damage from piercing to bludgeoning, or slashing (fantasy weapons after all), or even to energy weapons... think of magic ballistas that fire bolts of lightning, or laser guns that shoot heat beams (fire damage).  For an even larger price you can get sonic, acid, force, etc. Doing energy or force damage can also let you switch to power instead of ammo.  power is done in charged (provided by special systems) and a basic weapon uses 1 charge per shot.  Charges reset at the start of each round.  For a price you can also get more damage from the gun, but that cuases it to grow in size as well (and increases ammor or power usage).  every time you add 1 rank of weapon emphasis to the gun it gets 1 size larger.  You can have a weapon up to one size larger then that of your vehicle.  Increasing the size of a vehicle weapon can also be used to allow it to swivel about easier (use the wielder's size bonus or penalty instead of the vehicles) or increase ammo capacity (or decrease power usage.)</blockquote>

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