Travel

Travel in the Sburb RPG is fairly simple, but there are a few rules to keep track of. This section covers movement in and out of combat, as well as overland travel, troop movement, and vehicular transportation.

Move Score
Every character has a Move score, which represents the distance in yards they can cover on flat, solid ground, at a good hustle in a single move action (roughly 3 seconds). A character's Move score is equal to their Cool plus any bonuses or penalties they currently have to either their Cool or their Move.

Running
Characters are assumed to be moving at an easy jog in combat, but there are times when they really need to get the lead out. A character who wishes to move at a full-on sprint takes a full action. They move at 4X their regular speed, and must test Enduring or be dazed on their next turn. Each successive turn they spend running adds a cumulative -4 penalty to Enduring as an Affliction that lasts until the end of the scene.

Climbing
A character with one hand free can spend a move action to climb. The GM sets an appropriate modifier for the surface to be climbed, and the character tests Traversing using that modifier. On a success, they are able to proceed move 1/2 their move speed across the climbable surface that turn. On a critical failure, they fall.

A climbing character is considered distracted and takes a -4 to DV. If a climbing character takes damage from any source other than an affliction, they must immediately test Traversing using the climbing surface's modifier or fall. A climbing character who doesn't wish to move on a given turn need not make a climbing check so long as they take no damage. Note that this may require an endurance check at the GM's discretion if the character remains for too long.

Equipment that provides bonuses to climbing or makes it safer should be available, or at least Alchemizable.

Falling
A character can freely fall 3 yards plus their cool or mangrit modifier (whichever is higher). After that, the character takes 1d6 Physical damage per yard fallen (not including the "free" fall distance). Fall speed is highly variable, but can be abstracted to 50 yards/round. A character falling a significant distance may actually spend a turn or two before they hit the ground.

Equipment, such as grappling hooks, bungie cords, parachutes, and jetpacks may be of great help in cases of falling. Any item or power that enables the user to fly and is activated during a fall immediately causes the user to catch themselves midair and prevent any damage.

When a character hits the ground and takes damage, they may make a Traversing check with a -1 penalty per yard fallen (not counting the "free" fall distance). Success means they land on their feet, otherwise they fall prone.

Swimming
A character attempting to move through a significant body of water or another fluid may swim as a move action. The GM sets an appropriate modifier for the swim challenge and the character tests Traversing. On a success, the character moves at 1/2 their move speed. On a failure, they are unable to move. On a critical failure they begin to drown.

Some environments with fast-flowing water or downward suction may require a second Traversing check after a failed one. If the character fails the second check, they begin to drown.

Characters in water may engage in combat, but take a -4 to AT and DV unless they have Perks or Items that specifically negate this penalty.

Drowning
A character can hold their breath for 3 rounds. Thereafter, they must make an Enduring check each round at a cumulative penalty, starting at -2 and adding an additional -2 every round thereafter. Once a character fails this check, they fall unconscious and take 20+10d6 water damage each round. If they are removed from the water, they continue to take this damage as their lungs remain filled with fluid. Any source of healing other than an ongoing effect acts to resucitate the character and remove the drowning effect.

Flight
Flight is an important and awesome way of getting around. A flying character can generally move at their move speed with no skill check involved, though this may vary depending on the item, perk, or power being used.

In addition to moving over any terrain at full speed, fliers can ascend and descend vertically, giving them full three-dimensional movement. If the game is being played on a grid map, it may be useful to add markers to fliers to indicate their elevation.

Fliers can battle in the air. There are no real mechanical drawbacks to doing this, though a flier who is knocked unconscious or made to fall asleep may fall out of the sky or otherwise lose control. Stunned and Dazed fliers maintain enough control to remain aloft.

Overland Movement
Overland travel indicates the steady movement of individuals on foot over large distances without interruption. A healthy character may travel for 8 hours (assuming short breaks for food, rest, etc) before becoming exhuasted. Every half-hour thereafter, the character tests Endurance at a cumulative -2 penalty. On a failure, the character collapses and is unable to continue without at least 8 hours of rest. Certain equipment or perks may aid a character in traversing rough terrain.

Troop Movement
Large (20+) groups of characters moving in cohesion use overland travel rates, but subtract 1 hour from the time they may travel, as setting up camp for a large number of characters becomes time-consuming.

Teleportation
Teleportation is the fastest form of transit, moving an individual from point A to point B without any of the hassle of intervening space. A character who teleports or is teleported does so without needing to take an action (though the activation of the power or item that teleported them may require some sort of action).

Some Teleportation effects are static (such as portals and transportalizers), and can be interacted with by any character. Generally, a character moves on top of or adjacent to the static effect, then moves through it, which always counts as moving one yard.

Vehicles
Vehicles are treated as characters with their own Stats. Mounts are simply living vehicles and are statted the same way.

Each vehicle has a control skill and difficulty. The skill is usually Traversing, and the difficulty is the modifier to the skill check that must be made each round that a character attempts to pilot the vehicle in combat, with failure resulting in the vehicle stalling, crashing, or going in a random direction, per the GM's discretion.

Control action refers to the type of action the driver must take to control the vehicle. Some vehicles require more attention than others. A living vehicle can take actions on its own, though that doesn't necessarily mean it will choose to do so productively. A vehicle's occupants and driver are considered prone if seated or restricted in any way, but may still attempt action from within the vehicle (such as swinging a sword out the window) if the GM feels the action is feasable.

Passenger capacity represents the absolute maximum limit of people you can stuff in or on the thing. For instance, the car in the example below holds 8 characters, and at that number you're really cramming them in.

1993 Ford Taurus

Vehicle

HP:115/115

Huge

Mangrit: 23, Cool: 25, Brains: 0, Spirit: 0

DV: 31

Move: 25

Flaws: Inanimate, Mechanical

Control Skill: Traversing

Control Difficulty: -6

Control Action: Full Action

Passenger Capacity: 8

Soaks: Physical 8, Fire 4, Toxin **, Ice 4

Powers:

Ram

Casting Time: Free Action (see below)

Duration: Instant

Contest: Vehicle's Traversing vs Target's Traversing

This power is automatically activated as a free action whenever the 1993 Ford Taurus attmepts to enter a space containing a creature or object. If the target is Medium or smaller, they are pushed to one side and take 6d6 Physical damage. If the target is big or larger, both the target and the vehicle take 6d6 Physical damage and the 1993 Ford Taurus comes to a stop. Assuming it isn't destroyed, the vehicle may be moved again next round.

A target who succeeds at their traversing check moves one yard to an empty space of their choosing, and may not be targeted by this ability again this round.