Barrels

[Ezram]

Apologies if this was in the book and I missed it.

What kind of protection (DR, cover, damage save, etc) would a character that's in a typical metal barrel have?

Also, are there any special rules if they decides to push it over and roll downhill?

[Mister Andersen]

Well, if said character is in the barrel and the baddies don't know, then that'd be total cover, and he'd be hidden. If they knew, it'd be total cover, but he'd be boned - no Dex, Class or most other types of bonus to defence and minimal DR.

As to damage, I'd declare it falling damage  for purposes of calculating the length of the 'fall' down the hill, but inflicted on the character as subdual rather than lethal.

[Merxiless]

At a guess, 2 or 3 DR.

Rolling downhill, would leave them dazed, if it was any sort of distance / speed. plus damage if there was a sudden stop, kind of a low speed car crash without restraints.

[Ezram]

Probably a split DR. 2-3 seems okay for ballistic damage, but not most melee weapons.

Couldn't the barrel be used as a means to trip/bash into something or someone downhill?

[Merxiless]

Once it's rolling, steering it would be impossible.

Though if you went through a defender's square, sure, bash / trip, but the person inside is going to take the same damage.

[Agent 333]

Being in a Barrel is total cover, which means that any shots on the character have to puncture the cover first. What's the Damage Save of a metal barrel? Guess that depends if it's a nuclear waste barrel or one normally used to hold apple juice concentrate...

[Ezram]

I had a typical oil barrel/drum in mind.

[Krensky]

That would be a medium object made of steel, under an inch thick. +19

[OverNinja]

That would be a medium object made of steel, under an inch thick. +19

Almost as tough as a Armored Truck!

[Krensky]

Then drop it down to it comes to a value you like. The item damage save tables give steel +14, and Medium objects a +5.

[TheTSKoala]

I'd say +9.  While it's "Under an inch thick", it's greatly under an inch thick.  So, halve or third that value.

[Ezram]

Ah, can you imagine a Chase scenario between two people in barrels rolling down a hill? I wonder how "Outfox" would work...

[Krensky]

Ah, can you imagine a Chase scenario between two people in barrels rolling down a hill? I wonder how "Outfox" would work...

No, because it's not a chase as neither part can effect the outcome.

[Ezram]

There are quite a few ways they can steer (poking out with a rod or gun butt along the ground), and there might be different paths (if they exist on the incline), with with various surface conditions (rocky, slick patches, etc).

So, a Chase scenario could end up being very interesting.

[Merxiless]

There are quite a few ways they can steer (poking out with a rod or gun butt along the ground), and there might be different paths (if they exist on the incline), with with various surface conditions (rocky, slick patches, etc).

Poking a rod out?  You're then overcoming the friction of the barrel upon the surface, with your own weight inside it.

Climb inside the nearest oil drum, turned on it's side, then poke a stick out, and see if you can turn it while just sitting there.

Then imagine rolling down a slope, at a pretty good rotation, bouncing off of things, with your frame of reference rotating 360, a few times a second...that is, when you aren't airborne, or bouncing off of things.

Until there is YouTube video of someone successfully doing this, I'd flat out rule it as:

"You jump in the barrel. You arrive at the bottom of the slope..(roll deviation) you take X damage."