Drive DCs

[Hecknoshow]

The Base DC for a drive check is listed as 5, which increases to 20 when the driver is in combat.

Does the driver count as in combat when the vehicle is attacked, or only when he is threatened or attacked directly?

[rainzax]

(raise)

bump

[Blymurkla]

The only definition of »being in combat« I've found is from the Combat chapter:

PRD wrote:

1. When combat begins, all combatants roll initiative.

I pondered on this question in regards to Invisibility, which gives you a +20 on Perception DCs to notice you, but a –20 »In combat or speaking«.

My conclusion then was that if you have an initiative score, then you're in combat.

I'd make the same ruling in regards to driving a vehicle. If combat - very hectic, dangerous stuff - is going on around you, even if you aren't directly involved yet, it's going to affect your driving.

Maybe I'd allow the easier DC 5 if the driver chose to forgo her initiative score - quietly trying to mind her own business, driving as if there wasn't a combat. You'd simply move at a set speed each round.

But without an initiative score you aren't acting on the time scale as the actual combatants, and are thus not entitled to react to anything - someone using Create Pit ahead of the vehicle or shoving an ally in its path - and you'd be flat-footed if attacked.

[rainzax]

I don't think a player can elect to "not roll initiative" because the vehicle moves on the driver's initiative.

I would say that "while in initiative" (so to speak) that they could certainly no longer take 10 - I'm just wondering if the (vast) difference in DCs has to do with "being threatened" or "being shot at" or as you said "being in initiative"...