Charioteer (feat)

Prerequisite: Land vehicles tool proficiency
You’ve developed the razor-fast reflexes of a charioteer, making you a threat even when you aren’t astride a chariot. You gain the following benefits:
* When you are in a chariot, you have advantage on melee attack rolls against any creature of smaller size than your chariot.
* When you inflict damage with a chariot by ramming or using scything blades, you can add your proficiency bonus to each type of damage inflicted. You also ignore an amount of the chariot’s damage threshold equal to your proficiency bonus if attacking a chariot directly.
* When making a Dexterity saving throw against a chariot’s Ram DC, you can add your proficiency bonus. If you have Dexterity saving throw proficiency, your proficiency modifier is doubled for this check.

Classes of Chariot

These ‘classes’ are more taxonomical than specific, and cover a wide variety of different machines. However, they tend towards sharing qualities and traits, as below:
* Utility chariots are little more than a team-driven cart, from which a farmer can sow seed or travel with a little produce. They make poor vehicles for racing, but might be pressed into a pursuit or used for a novelty event.
* Racing chariots are lightweight, fast-moving vehicles, built with minimal reinforcement to the frame. They are made for speed, not endurance.
* Light chariots tend to be the first chariots used in war - they are able to move quickly across several different types of terrain, perhaps carrying scouts or skirmish troops. However, they lack the reinforcement necessary to withstand heavy combat.
* Medium chariots are a middleground in utility - able to carry a small squad of mobile troops into battle or to deliver heavily-armored troops to where they are most needed. These often have a high defensive pod for the driver, to make seeing through the chaos of battle easier. Medium and larger chariots tend to have two or more axles, making them less likely to overturn, but much slower and heavier.
* Heavy chariots are great, bulky things made to plow into battle-lines and deliver a hard-hitting punch to foes. They move more sluggishly than lighter chariots, but their impact can be tremendous.
* Super-heavy chariots are each a unique, bespoke work of art. These are built at the behest of a warlord, high-ranking templar, or perhaps even a sorcerer-king. Most are heavily customized, but even a ‘base model’ is a hulking engine of war, equipped with a raised crew gallery and able to deliver incredible force in battle.

Mechanics for Chariots

A chariot must have a driver, who needs to spend an action each round on steering and maintaining speed. While pulling a chariot, the draft beasts use their entire action pulling the chariot and cannot take other actions, including to make attacks.

If the driver uses their action to do something else (make an attack, cast a spell, or another task), the chariot cannot be steered and automatically collides with any object or creature in its path (see Ramming, below), losing half of its maximum speed after making its movement. This also applies if the driver is incapacitated, unconscious, or dead.

A chariot can be ‘started’ at its base speed as an action, and maintains its current speed for the round.

A driver can take an action to make a Wisdom (Animal Handling) check or a Dexterity (Land Vehicles) proficiency check against DC 10 to increase the chariot’s speed by 20 feet per round, up to the maximum speed listed for the chariot. The driver may not move from their position while driving, unless there is a backup driver.

While a driver is present, they can turn their chariot in a 30-foot cone at the start of the driver’s action, and then must move the chariot’s current speed in a straight line.

The driver can make a Wisdom (Animal Handling) check or a Dexterity (Land Vehicles) proficiency check against DC 10 + the number of momentum dice to make an additional turn in a 30-foot cone, avoid an obstacle no larger than the chariot, or to slow the chariot (all of which reduce the chariot’s current speed by one-half and losing the appropriate number of momentum dice). If attempting to avoid an obstacle larger than the chariot, the check is at disadvantage.

All chariots gain momentum dice as they gain speed (one momentum dice per 20ft. per round of speed). The chariot’s type of momentum dice are listed in its profile, above. A chariot cannot Dash.

Additional Rules

Damage Threshold: A chariot has immunity to damage unless it takes an amount of damage equal to or greater than its damage threshold, in which case it takes damage as normal. Any damage that fails to meet or exceed the damage threshold is considered superficial and doesn’t reduce the chariot’s hit points.

Falling from chariots: A creature that falls from a chariot must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw against the chariot’s Ram DC. On a failed save, the creature takes bludgeoning damage equal to 1d6 per momentum dice, or half this damage on a successful save. A creature unlucky enough to be tied, chained, or otherwise dragged behind a chariot additionally takes 1d4 slashing damage per momentum dice of the chariot, doubled if passing through difficult terrain.

Momentum: For each full 20 ft. per round that the chariot is moving, it gains one momentum die, which is listed based on the chariot’s class (for example, a racing chariot traveling at its maximum speed of 120 ft per round has 6 d4s as its momentum dice, while a super-heavy chariot traveling at its maximum speed of 60 ft per round has 3 d12s as its momentum dice).

If a chariot moves into difficult terrain, the driver must make a Dexterity (Land Vehicles) proficiency check against DC 5 + its current number of momentum dice. On a failed check, the chariot collides with some portion of the terrain; this is resolved as if striking an object of equal size to the chariot. Either way, on entering difficult terrain, the chariot loses half of its current speed (and therefore, momentum dice) after resolving these effects.

Mounting chariots: While still, climbing into a chariot is simple. While in motion, a creature can ready an action to jump onto the chariot when it comes into contact with them, allowing them to make Strength (Athletics) or Dexterity (Acrobatics) check against the chariot’s Ram DC + the number of momentum dice. A successful check means that the creature has mounted the chariot and is prone until the start of their next turn. A failed check means that the creatures take damage as if from being rammed (see below).

A creature that attempts to jump from one moving chariot to another, from a moving chariot to the ground, or another similar feat of daring, can make a long jump or high jump without needing to have moved beforehand.

Ramming: When a chariot enters a creature’s space, follow the below steps:
* The creature can make a Dexterity saving throw against the chariot’s Ram DC.
* If the creature is of smaller size than the chariot, the chariot is not forced to stop.
* If the creature is of equal size or larger than the chariot, the chariot stops, the chariot takes damage equal to its current momentum dice, and then the chariot’s momentum dice are reduced to 0. The driver, team, and any passengers must also make a Dexterity saving throw against the chariot’s Ram DC.
* All creatures that failed a save against the chariot’s Ram DC (including both the creature rammed and those on the chariot) take bludgeoning damage equal to the chariot’s momentum dice. On a successful save, they take no damage, and are pushed out of the chariot’s space.

Team: The minimum number of creatures (be they animals or slaves) needed to haul the chariot at its base speed. Where more than 1 creature is required, if less than the minimum ‘team’ number are present, the chariot’s speed is halved (for example, a light chariot usually requires 1-2 crodlu or 2-4 kanks. A light chariot with 1 crodlu can move at the listed speed, but if it has no crodlu, then it can’t move at all. However, if it only had 1 of 2 kanks required, the chariot could only move at half of its base speed). If the chariot is forced to stop by collision, the team must succeed on a Dexterity saving throw against the chariot’s Ram DC or take damage, as in the ramming section above.

Unstable: If making attacks from a chariot moving at higher than its base speed against targets outside the chariot, the attackers are at disadvantage, unless the chariot has a harness or the stable quality.

Chariot Qualities

Armored: The driver and passengers have half cover (+2 bonus to AC and Dexterity saving throws) against attacks made from outside the chariot at ground level (this quality does not protect from elevated attacks or attacks made by flying creatures).

Elevated: The chariot’s construction incorporates a raised platform that allows the listed crew to take up an elevated firing position. Elevated crew have clearer lines of sight over terrain, infantry, or the sides of other chariots, usually allowing them to ignore the benefits of half or three-quarters cover. The entry for ‘elevated’ will specify how many and which of the chariot’s crew gain this benefit.

Fragile: The chariot is engineered for precision movement, and becoming imbalanced or damaged can cause a wreck. Whenever the chariot takes damage while moving at higher than its base speed, the driver must make a Constitution saving throw to maintain their concentration. The DC equals 10 or half the damage taken, whichever number is higher. On a failed saving throw, the chariot immediately stops and takes damage equal to the chariot’s momentum dice. Additionally, the driver must succeed at a Dexterity saving throw against the chariot’s Ram DC. On a failed saving throw, the driver also takes damage equal to the chariot’s momentum dice.

Heavily Armored: The driver and passengers have half cover (+2 bonus to AC and Dexterity saving throws) against attacks made from outside the chariot.

Nimble: When making checks to avoid obstacles or make turns, the driver of the chariot has advantage.

Stable: Passengers in the chariot do not have disadvantage on attack rolls made from the chariot, unless the chariot is traveling across difficult terrain.

Modular Enhancements for Chariots

Additional armor: The chariot has been clad with additional plates of chitin or planks, reinforcing its frame. The chariot’s AC is increased by +1, as is the AC of the driver and passengers.

Additional Team: Where a variable range is listed, only the minimum number of team members is required. Additional team members can be added, giving ‘spares’ in case of casualties. For each additional team member above the minimum number, the chariot’s maximum speed is increased by 10 ft.

Banner: This allows the chariot to be seen from a great distance, often marking the position of an officer or the sorcerer-monarch themselves.

Harness: A leather harness or even a simple giant-hair rope, this secures a driver or passenger in place. The crew member has advantage on saving throws to remain inside the chariot, and their attacks from within the chariot are not made at disadvantage. One crew member must make an object interaction action to tie the harness before it gives any benefit.

Passenger Ledge: The chariot is extended, allowing an additional passenger to stand or hang from the chariot. This passenger does not gain any cover from the armored or heavily armored qualities, or from additional armor.

Psionic Rig: A great obsidian sphere confers control over the chariot. In some cases, this allows for domination of the team for better control, while others cause the chariot itself to levitate from the ground, freeing it from the effects of difficult terrain.

Ramming Spikes: The chariot’s frame has been enhanced with jutting spikes, bones, or other protrusions. When the chariot rams a creature and causes damage, the creature takes additional piercing damage equal to one-half of the chariot’s momentum dice. This damage is not taken by the driver or passengers, or the chariot itself, if the chariot wrecks.

Roll Cage: A wooden or bone structure built around the driver or an important passenger position. This gives the crew member in the protected location advantage on saving throws, and resistance to momentum damage should the chariot wreck.

Scything Blades: When the chariot rams a creature and causes damage, the creature takes additional slashing damage equal to the chariot’s momentum dice. This damage is not taken by the driver or passengers, or the chariot itself, if the chariot wrecks.

Racing Beasts of Different Breeds

Crodlu (base price 100 cp) are quick-footed riding beasts, taller and faster than kanks, but less stable. Using crodlu as a chariot team gives an increase of 10 ft. to the base speed and 20 ft. to the maximum speed of the chariot.

War Crodlu (base price 200 cp) have been extensively trained and possess a fierce disposition. In addition to the benefits above, when ramming a creature, each war crodlu can make one bite or claw attack as a bonus action against the creature.

Inix (base price 100 cp) are much larger and are fast as well as stable, but can be vicious if the chariot wrecks. Using inixes as a chariot team gives a bonus of +10 ft. to the chariot’s base speed, and gives the driver advantage on checks to avoid obstacles, turn, or slow the chariot. However, if the chariot wrecks, the inix are likely to turn hostile towards any survivors, convinced they are being pursued by predators.

Untrained kanks (base price 50cp) are reliable, sturdy, multi-footed team animals which can be used to pull chariots. Untrained kanks give no mechanical benefit, but are the cheapest option.

Trained kanks (base price 120 cp) do not increase a chariot’s movement speed, but a chariot team comprised entirely of trained kanks gives the driver advantage on checks to avoid obstacles, turn, or slow the chariot.

Slaves are less specialized, and much slower than draft teams. The chariot’s base and maximum speed are halved when using slaves. They are generally cheaper on the purse for an owner to replace, although the ethical cost is much higher.

Other Creatures may also be appropriate for chariots- civilian chariots often use giant beetles or riding lizards, although particularly exotic chariots have been known to be drawn by tembo, tigones, and other much more dangerous creatures.

Purchasing Well-Bred Steeds

Some charioteers have extensive stables of team animals, breeding them for particular traits and maintaining valuable bloodlines. The crodlu stables of Nibenay are particularly famed, with the hatchlings of some bloodlines selling for up to a thousand ceramic pieces.
* A steed with one random trait from the list below costs 1.5x of the base price for that kind of creature (note that slaves cannot be purchased as “well-bred”).
* A steed with two random traits costs 3x the base price (re-rolling repeated traits).
* A steed with one selected trait costs 2x the base price.
* A steed with one selected and one random trait costs 5x the base price (re-rolling repeated traits).
* A steed with two selected traits costs 10x the base price, and will be highly prized. It will likely be recognizable by most other people with proficiency in Animal Handling.

Traits for Well-Bred Steeds (d10)
1. Fierce - the creature gains advantage on attack rolls after moving more than 20 feet.
2. Friendly - the creature gives a rider or charioteer advantage on Animal Handling checks to train or command them.
3. Eager - the steed’s base speed is increased by +5 ft.
4. Taciturn - the steed has advantage on saving throws against being frightened.
5. Dancer - opportunity attacks against the steed or its charioteer/rider are made at disadvantage.
6. Gallant - the steed grants the rider or charioteer advantage on their first attack roll after in a round, as long as the steed has more than 50% of their maximum hit points remaining.
7. Fearsome - opponents attacking the steed with melee attacks take a -1 penalty on attack rolls.
8. Sure-footed - the steed has advantage on checks and saving throws made to avoid being knocked prone or pushed.
9. Beautiful - the steed gains +4 to its Charisma score, and is clearly a finely-bred steed, garnering attention from both traders and animal enthusiasts.
10. Seer - the steed has truesight to a range of 10 feet. The steed has no way of communicating what it sees, but it does occasionally startle at seemingly nothing.