Is it wortjwhile? Assuming we end up in a light frigate, there's a -10 to all pilot checks
Same penalty for piloting the death star
vehicular combat lets you do a lot of things that make space combat survivable
including being able to negate a shot by awesome flying skillz
So with only a +10 in the skill, I'd need to roll a 19 or higher just to be a better defense than a stock yt models reflex.
I am quite interested in being the pilot, though, especially since wilco is So Much gunner.
in which case yeah you need vehicular combat
Also, I have basically lost complete control of this character, so why not.
Whoops, just saw responses, plurking from phone.
So you think feat is good idea?
Okay. Nowhere, is there any way to reduce penalty to point where it doesn't require a 20?
Maybe some kind of combat thrusters or pilot bonuses?
I'll probably be taking it next level, regardless.
Oh, I like this game. It's called "Let's List All of the Reasons Why Sean is Wrong"
I haven't gotten to play that game in years
Firstly, Vehicular Combat does two things: let you negate hits, and let you use shipboard weapons without penalty.
That first thing is by far the most useful, and given that your average YT-1300, or the Dynamic-class that you're fond of, has a Reflex Defense of 12
it's a pretty useful thing to be able to do.
As for reducing the ship's size modifier, no, there's not a whole lot you can do about that.
Regarding whether or not VC is worth a feat slot, regardless of its actual usefulness (of which there is a lot), it's a required feat for most of the piloting feats and most ship-related prestige classes
Now, for the Pilot skill, there are a lot of ways to get piloting bonuses
The most obvious of these is Skill Focus
But the Personalized Controls modification can give you a bonus, and there are other feats and talents that can improve piloting
There is a modification called Combat Thrusters, which is useful, but it doesn't actually reduce size penalties, but rather lets you treat a space transport as a fighter for the purposes of dogfighting and
being targeted by a capital ship
Well, the above actually confirms my cranky suspicions, though I do admit that I was looking at the yt-2400...
But it would be good anyway, if I devoted more feats into it...
<i>strangled choking noises </i>
So I'll probably go ahead add devote levels 3 and 9 to being a badass pilot, since 6 is going into natural leader.
Thus my combat feats will start coming online from 12-15.
Though really, meh. Wilco has that covered as soon as he picks up his big gun.
And I won't be too bad anyway.
Plus, I kinda like some of the maneuvers in sotg.
Ok, I've worked out how to get in some piloting skills. As noted above, 3rd will be the first major pilot level.
Also, 9th will likely be Ace Pilot + a couple maneuvers.