Hello All,
I'm really confused with vehicle rules.
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/other-rules/vehicles#TOC-Driving-Vehi cles
Can a driver use Keep It Going in addition to any other driving action, basically doubling speed of vehicle? Or not?
As per wording it's looks like that it is allowed, but I'm not sure, cause it means that pilot should make 2 driving checks per turn and after reading all rules it seems that it is assumed that driver makes only one driving check per turn and vehicle moves only once per turn.
Can please someone help me clear this out?
And a bit later there is a following statement:
Movement: At the start of the driver’s turn, she makes a driving check to control the vehicle as detailed in the Driving Vehicles section. When doing so, she takes whatever action is required before doing anything else that turn. Vehicles usually ignore difficult terrain due to rubble and foliage, but treat steep inclines as difficult terrain, and depending on the vehicle type and GM judgment, they may be affected by other difficult terrain types as well.
From what I can see here it is clearly implied (but not stated clearly) that pilot makes only one driving check per round and vehicle moves also only once during turn...
Oh hell, it drives me crazy, really.
Please, please, please someone experienced in PF, help me.
I have struggled with these rules as well. The RAW are unclear so it's up to speculation/interpretation...
I believe that it's one drive check per round, here is why; if more than one drive check was allowed then all drivers could make 2 drive checks per turn(1 move, 1 standard OR 2 moves) unless they did something else with the actions they have left on their turn. Using a car chase as an example, the drivers of 2 different vehicles(same speed) would be making drive checks to close or evade respectively... If the escaping driver is at top speed for his vehicle, was armed(one-handed firearm) and wanted to make a ranged attack on his turn, he could Keep It Going as a move action and shoot his ranged weapon as a standard... meaning the second drive check does not happen and the vehicle either makes no movement or takes the Uncontrolled action. This was not addressed in the rules at all and must mean that making multiple drive checks does not exist. It DOES say that the driver makes it's drive check at the beginning of it's turn before any other action can be taken or the vehicle automatically assume the Uncontrolled action.
So why does it matter what kind of action it takes for a particular drive check? Simplest answer I know, to determine whether or not a driver can attack, cast a spell(standard action or less), drink a potion, etc.
If you are accelerating, decelerating, turning or any kind of drive check that is a standard action then you are using a majority of your turn's action controlling that vehicle. Keep It Going is a less consuming action that allows, for example, a bank robber driver to shoot his firearm at the pursuing police in the same turn.
This makes the Expert Driver feat really nice for a driver/ship captain, enabling them to take any Standard action(melee/ranged attack, cast a spell, drink a potion, etc.) while remaining in full control of the vehicle.
I didn't see anywhere in the rules that said you need 2 free hands to make drive checks but I think it's safe to assume that you at least need one.