[Skill] Human Echolocation

ArchonShiva · 02-01-2015, 11:49 AM

A podcast about human echolocation gave me the idea to give the Thief character in my upcoming campaign the ability, so I needed to come up with a reasonable skill for it. It's meant to at the edge of realism, much less cinematic than Blind Fighting. Note that heavy penalties mean that a lot of the things listed as possible will seldom work without lots of training, but you can avoid bumping into walls and falling into pits.

The simplified modifiers for combat use are meant to mirror both normal melee and ranged combat rules, Visibility (p. 394) and Blind-Fighting (p. 180).

So basically, how does it look?

Echolocation Per/Very Hard
Default: Per-10
Prerequisite: Blindness (or Unusual Training)

You have learned to navigate by using sound and reflected sound. An Echolocation skill roll lets you get a general feeling for the shape and texture of your surroundings.
Combat use: Only use modifiers for size, range and non-battle background noise. You may use Echolocation skill instead of Hearing-2 to discover a foe's location. When fighting an unseen foe whose location is known, you may use the lower of Echolocation or your weapon skill at no vision penalty, and may target specific hit locations at an extra -2. A successful Echolocation roll makes you aware of an attack you cannot see and lets you defend at -2. This lets you defend against an attack from the back at -6!

Modifiers: Appropriate modifiers from the Size and Speed/Range Table. Background noise adds a penalty: -1 for rain, -2 for heavy rain or a storm, -3 for a crowded, noisy area or heavy machinery, -4 for a full football stadium, or -5 in the middle of an artillery barrage. When detecting a silent target through reflected sound, -3 if you don't have a distinct, familiar sound to work from, such as the tapping of your cane or the snapping of your fingers. If the target emits sound, +1 per step on the Hearing Distance Table (p. 358). Add your level of Acute Hearing to the roll.

02-01-2015, 11:49 AM	#1
ArchonShiva Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Montréal, Québec	[Skill] Human Echolocation A podcast about human echolocation gave me the idea to give the Thief character in my upcoming campaign the ability, so I needed to come up with a reasonable skill for it. It's meant to at the edge of realism, much less cinematic than Blind Fighting. Note that heavy penalties mean that a lot of the things listed as possible will seldom work without lots of training, but you can avoid bumping into walls and falling into pits. The simplified modifiers for combat use are meant to mirror both normal melee and ranged combat rules, Visibility (p. 394) and Blind-Fighting (p. 180). So basically, how does it look? Echolocation Per/Very Hard Default: Per-10 Prerequisite: Blindness (or Unusual Training) You have learned to navigate by using sound and reflected sound. An Echolocation skill roll lets you get a general feeling for the shape and texture of your surroundings. Combat use: Only use modifiers for size, range and non-battle background noise. You may use Echolocation skill instead of Hearing-2 to discover a foe's location. When fighting an unseen foe whose location is known, you may use the lower of Echolocation or your weapon skill at no vision penalty, and may target specific hit locations at an extra -2. A successful Echolocation roll makes you aware of an attack you cannot see and lets you defend at -2. This lets you defend against an attack from the back at -6! Modifiers: Appropriate modifiers from the Size and Speed/Range Table. Background noise adds a penalty: -1 for rain, -2 for heavy rain or a storm, -3 for a crowded, noisy area or heavy machinery, -4 for a full football stadium, or -5 in the middle of an artillery barrage. When detecting a silent target through reflected sound, -3 if you don't have a distinct, familiar sound to work from, such as the tapping of your cane or the snapping of your fingers. If the target emits sound, +1 per step on the Hearing Distance Table (p. 358). Add your level of Acute Hearing to the roll.