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10/20/2006
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FutureTechMeetsFantasy
ByWilliamCanavan
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Theconceptofintroducingfuturistictechnologyintoafantasy
D&DsettingisalmostasoldasDungeons&Dragonsitself.
FromAdvancedDungeonsandDragons'Expeditiontothe
BarrierPeaks,toBasicD&D'sCityoftheGods,toAD&D2nd
Edition'sTaleoftheComet,futuretech'hasalonghistoryof
findingitswayintotheworldoffantasy.Nowwithd20Future
Tech,itiseveneasiertoincorporateadvancedtechnologyinto
yourD&Dsetting.
Althoughtherearemanyexamplesoffuturetechinfantasyfrom
whichtodraw,thisarticlewillfocusonmecha.Forthosenot
familiarwiththeterm,"mecha"isbothsingularandplural,
derivedfromJapaneseanimationinwhichitcanrefertoanytypeofequipment,fromweaponsandarmorto
vehiclesandstarships.Ind20Future,theterm"mecha"specificallyreferstogiantpilotedrobots,withtherules
formechaoperationfoundind20Futureandd20FutureTech.Mechausuallylooklikearmoredgiants,
althoughsomearedesignedtoresembleanimalsormythicalcreatures.
ThetemptationtopityourPCsagainstmechafromd20Future Foranotherlookatfuturetechintroducedto
Techcanbegreat,butdespitethesimilaritiesofthed20
afantasyworld,checkouttheReturn
ModernandD&Drules,mechaaresurprisinglytrickyto
ExpeditiontoBarrierPeaks.
incorporateintoaDungeons&Dragonscampaign.For
example,oneofthefirstquestionsaDMmayencounterishowtodeterminethechallengeratingofamecha.
Unfortunately,theansweris"youcan't".Mechaarenotcreaturestheyaren'tevenconstructs.Mechaarevery
large,verypowerfulpiecesofequipment.Therefore,theydonothaveaCRoftheirown.
TheChallengeofChallengeRatings
Soifmechadon'thaveaCR,howcanyouplanabalancedencounterwithone?Thekeyisinrecognizingthat
amechaisnodifferentfromasuitofmagicarmor.ThearmorhasnoCRofitsown,butshouldonlybeinthe
possessionofanNPCwithenoughwealthtoaffordit.Byusingtable423intheDMG(pg.127)youcan
determinehowmuchwealthanNPCofagivenlevelshouldhave.
YetwhileD&Dusesacashsystemofgoldpiecestodetermine
wealth,d20ModernusesanabstractsystemofpurchaseDCs
andwealthchecks.Byconvertingamecha'spurchaseDCinto
agoldpiecevalue,youcandeterminetheminimumlevela
NPCmustbeinordertopossessaparticulartypeofmecha
(assumingit'ssomehowavailabletothem!).Thisinturnwill
allowyoutodeterminetheleveloftheencounter.Tosimplify
conversionbetweenthetwosystems,usethetablebelow:
Mecha
Gold
Purchase Piece
DC
Value
Minimum
NPC
Level
36
10,000gp
37
13,750gp
10
38
17,500gp
11
39
25,000gp
12
40
32,500gp
13
41
45,000gp
14
42
60,000gp
15
43
75,000gp
16
44
100,000gp 17
45
137,500gp 18
46
175,000gp 19
47
250,000gp 20
Mechapilotsrequireanumberofskillsand
featstobetrulyeffective(andformecha
introducedtoD&Dcampaigns,severalof
thesewillsimplynotexisttheirinclusionwill
needtobeimprovised).TheComputerUse
skillisneededtooperatethemecha's
sensorsandthePilotand/orDriveskillsare
neededtomaneuverit(unlessthepilotuses
theTumbleskill).Acharacterwithoutthese
skillscanattempttousethemuntrained
(exceptforthePilotskill,whichistrained
only).Alloftheskillslistedaboveshouldbe
consideredcrossclassskillsforanyD&D
characterthatwishestoputranksintothem.
MechapilotsshouldtaketheMecha
Operationfeatassoonaspossible.Withoutit
theysuffera4penaltytoBalance,Climb,
Drive,EscapeArtist,Hide,MoveSilently,
PilotandTumblechecksmadewhile
operatingmecha.MechaOperationalso
servesasaprerequisiteforanumberof
othermecharelatedfeatsthatapilotcould
usetomakethemechamoreeffectivein
combat.
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KeepinmindthattheminimumNPClevelisjustaguidelineforthelevelofthemecha'spilot.Alsoremember
thatapartyshouldbeabletodefeatfourencountersoftheaveragepartylevelinasingleday.Sounlessyou
wantthePCstohaveaneasytime,youmightwanttoconsiderusingamechapilotthatwouldprovideanEL
of2to4levelshigherthantheaveragepartylevel.
Usingtheserules,youshouldbeabletocalculatetheELforanymecha.AsthecharttopsoutatPDC47,any
encounterswithmechamoreexpensivethanthatshouldbeatleastEncounterLevel20.
PerhapsthemostfamousmechainthehistoryofD&DisthelegendaryartifactknownastheMightyServantof
Leuko.Itsoriginalstatscanbefoundinthe1steditionAD&DDungeonMaster'sGuide,thenupdatedfor2nd
editionAD&DandplacedwithintheBookofArtifacts.UpdatedstatsfortheD&D3.5versionoftheMighty
Servantarepresentedbelow.
TheMightyServantofLeuko
TheMightyServantofLeukoisatoweringautomatonofjet
blackmetal,shadowycrystal,andseveralmysteriousfibrous
materials.Thedevicestandsoverninefeettall,isnearlyfivefeet
wide,andsomesixfeetdeep.Itisroundedandmightremind
oneofacrossbetweenanoverlystout(ifgigantic)dwarfanda
lumberingbeetle.Theservanthastwostockylegs,onwhichit
walkswithacuriousswayingmotion,andapairofdangling
arms.
Aninternalcompartmentisconfiguredtoseattwomansized
creaturescomfortably.Externally,asmanyasfiveothersmight
perchsafelyupontheservantwhenitisinmotion.Asmightbe
expected,thisdreadfulthingisquiteheavy,weighingnearlytwo
tons,andishideouslynoisywheninoperation.
History
TheMightyServantofLeukoisbelievedtobeaconstructof
someancientandmysteriousracewholivedinandaroundthe
BarrierPeaksbeforemigratingtothefarwest.Theworkmanship
andmaterialsevidencedintheMightyServantareunlikeany
foundintherecordedhistoriesofmen,makingitimpossibletostatejustwhattheirnaturemighthavebeen.
Somesages,citingthecraftsmanshipandappearanceofthething,speculatethatitisthehandiworkofanow
extinctbranchofthedwarves.Dwarfsagesnote(withsomereluctance,itmustbesaid)thatneverintheir
race'sextensivehistorieshasanyoneeverfoundareferencetothisconstruct.
AllaccountsoftheMightyServantbeginwithitsdiscoverybytheinfamousGeneralLeuko.Leukowasa
followerofthewarlordLum,butturnedagainsthismasterwhenhecameintopossessionofthisinstrumentof
destruction.WiththepoweroftheMightyServanttobackhim,LeukoforgedanarmythatrivaledevenLum's.
Thetwoforcesclashedmanytimes,alwaysendinginstalemate.Atlast,thetwoforcesmetinafinalbattle,
LumandLeukofacedeachother,theirmightyartifactsunleashingpowersgreaterthananysinceharnessed.
Itissaidthattheirbattlelaidwastetoagreatkingdomandleftascorcheddesertinitswake.TheMighty
Servantisbelievedbymanytohavebeendestroyedinthisfinalbattle,althoughothersbelieveitplunged
throughadimensionalriftopenedinthatgreatconflict.
Intermsofd20FutureTech,theMightyServantofLeukoisalargemechawiththefollowingstatistics:
TheMightyServantofLeuko(PL8)
TheMightyServantofLeukoprimarilyservesasalightinfantrysupportmecha,replacinganarmoredvehicle
onthebattlefield.Ithasalsoproveneffectiveinclosecombatsituations,particularlyinsiegewarfare.
TheMightyServantwiththestandardequipmentpackage(seebelow)hasapurchaseDCof47.Aspresented
below,theMightyServantofLeukoshouldbepilotedbya20thlevelcharacter.The20thlevelNPCfighter
fromtheDungeonMaster'sGuide(pg.177)wouldmakeasuitablepilot.
Size:Large(1size)
BonusHitPoints:220
Superstructure:Megatanium
Hardness:30
Armor:Megatanium
BonustoDefense:+17
ArmorPenalty:8
Reach:10ft.
StrengthBonus:+8
DexterityPenalty:
Speed:20ft.
BasePurchaseDC:47
StandardEquipmentPackage:ClassVISensorSystem(helmet),Pilot'scockpit(helmetandtorso),
Passenger'sCockpit(torsoandback),NanoRepairUnit(leftarm),Tsunami480PlasmaCannon(shouldersx2
andleftarm),PS25TigerClaws(rightarm),MkIVDefenseField(rightarm),ZeroPointEnergyPowerCore
(plus4slots),StructuralEnhancementx2(backandpowercore),LifeSupport(powercore),SpaceSkin
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(powercore),HeavyFortification(powercoreandbootsx2).
HitPointsandSpeed:TheMightyServantofLeukohasamegataniumsuperstructurethatgrantsthemecha
ahardnessof30with20basehitpointsand100bonushitpoints.Anadditional100bonushitpointsare
grantedbytwostructuralenhancements.Ithasabasespeedof20feet,andcannotrunorchargeunlessthe
operatorhastheMechaOperationfeat.
DefensiveCapabilities:TheMightyServanthasabaseDefensescore(i.e.,ArmorClass)of10witha1
modifierforsize,+12equipmentbonusformegataniumarmor,+4deflectionbonusfortheMkIVdefensefield,
and+1fortheenhancementbonus,foratotaldefensescoreof26.ItsNanoRepairUnitrepairs5hitpointsof
damageperround.Italsohasalifesupportsystemforthepilotanda"spaceskin",whichallowsthemecha
anditspilottooperateunderwater,inahostileatmosphere,oreveninacompletevacuumforupto24hours.
Immunities:TheMightyServantiscreatedwiththe"mechaasvehicles"variantrulesfromd20FutureTech
(pg.66).Asavehicle,ittakesonlydamagefromfireandelectricitybasedattacks,andonlydamagefrom
coldbasedattacks.Itisalsoimmunetomindinfluencingeffectsandtopoison,sleep,paralysis,stunning,
disease,necromancyeffects,andanyeffectthatrequiresaFortitudesaveunlesstheeffectalsoworkson
objectsorisharmless.Itisalsonotsubjecttocriticalhits,nonlethaldamage,abilitydamage,abilitydrain,
energydrain,ortheeffectsofmassivedamage.Thepilotandpassengerinthecockpithave100%
concealmentandtotalcoverfromanyexternalattack.Themecha'ssensorsystemalsograntsthepilot
darkvisionupto180feetandalsoallowshimorhertoseethroughalmostanybarrier.
OffensiveCapabilities:Fromanoffensivestandpoint,theMightyServanthasaStrengthscoreof26.Ithasa
numberofclawattacksbasedonthepilot'sbaseattackbonus(BAB).However,itusesitsownStrengthbonus
andsizepenaltyinsteadofthoseofthepilot.Eachsuccessfulclawattackinflicts6d8+8pointsofdamage.The
MightyServantalsohasasinglerangedweapon.Thenumberofrangedattacksisbasedonthepilot'sBAB.
Again,itusesitsownsizemodifierinsteadofthatofthepilot.
TheMightyServant'srangedweaponhastwomodesofattack.Thefirstaffectsasingletargetupto1,500feet
away.Thesecondattackmodeaffectsa60footcone(reflexsaveDC:19forhalfdamage).Eachsuccessful
rangedattackineithermodeinflicts12d6pointsoffiredamage.
DemonicPossession:TheMightyServantofLeukoisamorethanjustalargemecha.Whateveritstrue
originsmayhavebeen,themechawaspossessedbyaglabrezulongbeforeitwasdiscoveredbygeneral
Leuko.ThisdemonusesthepoweroftheMightyServanttotemptLawfulandGoodheroesintobecoming
ChaoticEvilwarlords.Asapossessingdemon,theglabrezuactsasanenhancer,grantingupto24,000gp
worthofmagicalenhancementstothemecha.Theseenhancementsareusuallyintheformofacidresistance
10,spellresistance13,anda+1enhancementbonustothemecha'sdefensescore(AC).Shouldthepilot
displeasethedemon,itcandropanyoralloftheseenhancementsatwill.
Thedemonisvulnerabletodismissal,banishmentandsimilareffects,soitwillbewaryofrevealingitstrue
nature.Ifthedemonisexorcisedorotherwiseremovedfromthemecha,theMightyServantrevertstoan
"ordinary"mecha.Itlosesanyenhancementsprovidedbythedemon,butitkeepsanyotherabilitiesitmay
havebeengrantedbyothermeans.IftheMightyServantisdestroyedwhilepossessedbytheglabrezu,the
demonrevertstoitsincorporealstateunharmed.
Whileitpossessesthemecha,theglabrezucannotuseanyofitsExtraordinary,SpelllikeorSupernatural
Abilities.Ifthedemonfindsasuitablepilot,itmayreturntoitsphysicalbodyasafreeactionanduseallofits
powers,butdoingsodropsalloftheenhancementstotheMightyServant.Itcanagainshuckitsphysicalform
andrepossesstheMightyServantatanytime.
Oneofthedemon'sfavoritetacticsforcorruptingapilotistoofferwishesthatimproveoraddtothepowersof
theMightyServant.NotethatGeneralLeukohadthisartifactinhispossessionforaverylongtime.Thereis
notellinghowmanywisheshewasgrantedbytheglabrezu,orwhetherhemighthaveusedthemtofurther
enhancetheMightyServant.Thestatslistedaboveareabaselineonly.DMsareencouragedtotailorthe
MightyServanttofittheirownfiendishneeds.
AdventureHooks
TheMightyServantofLeukoisafamousartifactfromthe
WorldofGreyhawk.Accordingtolegend,itdisappeared
throughadimensionalriftduringGeneralLeuko'sfinalbattle
againstLumtheMadandhisInfernalMachine.Thisallowsthe
DMtoinserttheMightyServantintoanycampaignsetting
despiteitsoriginsinGreyhawk,andtherearemanywaysto
bringthispowerfulartifacttotheattentionofyourPCs.
Considerthefollowing:
1.TheTreasureHunter:Anoldmanapproachestheparty
seekingtheirhelpinrecoveringalostirongolemofdwarven
design.Hebelieveshehasdiscovereditslocation,butitis
remoteanddangerous.Heiswillingtopaythegroup
handsomelyiftheyescorthimtothegolem'srestingplaceand
helphimbringitsafelybacktocivilization.
TheFiendishCodexI:HordesoftheAbyss
containsdetailedrulesfordemonpossessed
objects(pg.25)theseruleswereusedto
determinethevalueoftheMightyServant's
enhancements.d20Futurecontainsdetailed
rulesforbuildingandoperatingmecha,and
d20FutureTechhasexpandedrulesfor
mechaconstructionandcombattheserules
wereusedtodeterminetheMightyServant's
basepurchaseDC.Theglabrezuitselfcan
befoundintheMonsterManual.Allofthese
booksshouldbeconsultedbeforeattempting
tointroducetheMightyServantofLeuko
intoyourcampaign.
d100Motivations
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0160Theoldmanisasageandacollectorofrareoddities.Hetrulybelievesthatwhatheseeksisjusta
uniqueirongolemandhasnoideathathehasstumbledacrosstheMightyServantofLeuko.
6190Theoldmanisasageandcollectorofrareoddities.HeknowsthathehasfoundtheMightyServant,but
doesnotwantanyoneelsetoknowitstruenature.
91100Theoldmanispossessedbytheglabrezu.ItplanstoleadthewouldbeheroestotheMightyServant
inordertocorruptthem.
d100Complications
0160Anothergroupoverhearstheoldmanandattemptstobeatthepartytothe"golem".
6190TheMightyServantistheprizedpossessionofagreatredwyrm.
91100TheMightyServantisfloatingintheAstralPlane.
2.TheWarlord:ApowerfulwarlordhasdiscoveredtheMightyServantofLeukoandisusingittoconquer
nearbylands.Amessengerseeksoutthepartyandbegsthemtostopthewarlord.
d100Motivations
0150Themessengeristellingthetruth.Iftheheroesdon'tact,civilizationisdoomed.
5180Themessengerispossessedbytheglabrezu.Thecurrentpilothasdispleasedthedemonanditwantsa
newpilotfortheMightyServant.
81100ThemessengerisintheserviceofLumtheMad.HewantstheMightyServantdestroyedsothatno
onewillbeabletostophisownattemptatconquest.
d100Complications
0150InadditiontotheMightyServant,thewarlordhasraisedanarmyofthousandsofevilorpossiblyundead
warriors.
5180InadditiontotheMightyServant,thewarlordhasraisedanarmyofthousandsofcommonerswho
believetheyareonaholyquestfortheforcesofLawandGood.
81100Inadditiontothethousandsofwarriorsorcommoners(above),thecurrentpilotoftheMightyServantis
a10thlevelfallenpaladin/10thlevelblackguard.
AbouttheAuthor
BillCanavanhasbeengamingformorethantwentyfiveyears.Duringthattime,hehaswrittenandrun
adventuresfortheDungeons&Dragons,d20Modern,andStarWarsd20games.BillcurrentlylivesinNew
Hampshirewithhiswifeandtwocats.
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