Weather

[ZombieSlayer01]

How would you apply weather conditions to certain rolls like combat and stuff like that?

[Icefalcon]

Usually I will assign a modifier based on the severity of the weather vs. the type of combat that is being used. For example, I will assign a -4 for heavy winds in excess of 20 MPH to all ranged attack rolls. If there is heavy rain, I will assign a -2 to -4 depending on the severity. Sometimes, like with hurricanes/tornadoes/monsoons, I will say that ranged combat is impossible. There are other environmental factors that I use for combat as well. For example, the effect of weather on perception and prowl skills just as a starter. Movement can also be effected by environmental conditions.

[Pepsi Jedi]

Extreme cold weather will freeze zombies, till the thaw. One of the bigger 'weapons' in a zombie rise is to head north till winter, then you go out and pop heads of the frozen Zeds.

As for weather conditions. Unless it's truly outstanding weather, I don't mess with it. If you're talking Blizzard, -35 degrees. Sure.. or if you're talking literal Hurricane (( and even those you have a pretty narrow window when it's crazy. I lived in NC most of my life and we'd have outdoor hurricane parties in college.)).

Outside of hurricanes, a tornado bearing down on you, total white out arctic blizzard, ect I don't mess with it.

Is fighting in the rain a pain? Sure, but if you're locked in life or death combat being wet isn't going to really change that much.


Penalties for long distance? Sure but it's not just 'weather' it's more 'line of sight' type thing. A raging storm can cut your sight distance. You can't hit what you can't see. (( well you can but you know what I mean)) but once you can see the guy 200 feet away I'm not going to make it super outrageously hard to hit um.

Weather will affect the PCs. Blizzards, ungodly hot temps, swamps, ect that'll effect the players but not so much "heat of combat' type things.

Notes on cold weather can be found in Rifts Canada I belive and hot/swampy weather effects can be found in Dino Swamp, if you really need something from the book and can't just do it on the fly with your gm.