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The following document attempts to condense all of the various mechanics regarding the
Star Wars crafting system and regarding droids within the Star Wars universe. Bulleted
lists are used to improve readability. Statements using the red arrow bullet ( ) contain
my own proposed ideas for revising the game. Please take careful review of these red
arrow items and tell me what you all think.
Crafting System:
Craft Skills
All that is needed to start crafting is the appropriate crafting tools and the proper
amount of time and credits. No feats, classes, or even skill ranks are necessary.
Anyone can craft.
Building an item or item component utilizes a specific Craft skill, like Craft
(electronic items) or Craft (droids).
Due to the large amount of different Craft skills listed in the Revised Core
Rulebook (RCR), all Craft skills are condensed to a smaller number of skills.
New Craft skill
Craft (Armor)
Craft (Melee Weapons)
Craft (Ranged Weapons)
Craft (Electronic Devices)
Craft (Droids)
Craft (Medpacs)
Craft (Cybernetics)
Craft (Vehicles)
Craft (Starships)
Craft (Costumes)
Craft (Holoart)
Craft (Sculpture)
The medpacs craft skill was not included in electronic devices because healing
and ailment items are powerful and deserve their own craft skill. The various art
skills are kept separate in order to maintain their uniqueness (a sculptor should not
be able to photoshop just because it's art). It is expected that unique crafting skills
may arise out of roleplay necessity, such as Craft (lightsaber) or other exotic
weapons. However, the appropriate crafting tool should be one of these 12 skills
(e.g. Craft (lightsaber) should require Melee Weapon crafting tools, perhaps at a
higher grade).
Craft Tools
The crafting process requires possession of appropriate crafting tools.
Different Craft skills use different crafting tools. As such, crafting with two
different skills requires two different sets of crafting tools. For example, building
a sensor pack requires Electronic Device crafting tools, and building a blaster
pistol requires Ranged Weapon crafting tools.
There are different grades of crafting tools: Low (worth 5 credits), Medium (50
credits), High (150), Extreme (1,000), and Astronomical (3,000).
In the RCR, items have a Craft DC based on how complex the item is. Building
an item required possessing crafting tools appropriate to the item's complexity.
Instead, an item's Craft DC and complexity will be determined by the DM.
Building an item with inferior crafting tools imposes a cumulative -4 penalty for
every step of grade to the crafter's Craft bonus. This penalty affects all Craft
checks (i.e. daily progress, the final check, etc.) regarding that item while the
inferior tools are used. Higher-grade tools can build less-complex items, but no
bonuses are conferred.
Crafting tools have two types of quality; standard and ideal. Standard crafting
tools offer no additional bonuses. Ideal crafting tools provides a +2 circumstance
bonus to all Craft checks. Ideal crafting tools cost ten times their standard
quality's price. e.g. Ideal Extreme Droid crafting tools offer a +2 bonus to all
crafting projects extreme or below. Any astronomical projects result in a net -2
penalty (=+2-4).
Crafting tools are acquired by purchase from a merchant. They cannot be crafted
by a crafter, as they represent very specialized tools, designed and manufactured
by professionals in connected, yet very different fields. To balance this, any sort
of tools, regardless of skill-type, grade, or quality are widely accessible, although
perhaps at a premium in some places.
Crafting tools can be upgraded to higher grades and upgraded to ideal quality.
Upgrades are also only done by purchase and are widely accessible. The upgrade
is done by paying the difference in credit cost. e.g. Upgrading high-grade tools to
extreme requires paying a merchant 850 credits (=1000-150).
Crafting tools serves as a barrier for entry into the different tiers of the crafting
system. An upfront credit cost is necessary to profit from the higher levels of
what one can build. The barrier is small to get your feet wet (low-grade tools are
cheap). However, higher-grade tools are needed to effectively build more
complex items, and ideal-quality tools are needed to make those items more
efficiently.
Crafting Process
First, determine the item's Craft DC and complexity. Describe the item to the
DM, and he will judge what the DC should be and how complex it is. Use the
table on RCR 81 as a guide, but it is not needed to follow it to the letter. The DC
and complexity can independently vary. For instance, a starship component
might be difficult to make (DC 30), but only require commonly-held tools, such
as high-grade. On the other hand, a lightsaber crystal may require a very specific
tool, making it astronomical-grade, but it is relatively simple to craft (DC 10).
Next, determine the item's base price. Most items already have a price already
listed in one of the books. Otherwise, consult the DM for a price.
Once those three parameters are set, start the process by paying one-third the
item's price (round up) in raw materials and possessing the appropriate crafting
tools.
For each day of crafting, make a Craft check (d20 + skill modifier). You can take
10. Multiply the check result by your skill modifier (Craft ranks + Int + misc.
modifiers), and this value represents how much of the item you completed, valued
in credits. For instance, with a skill modifier of 12 and a d20 roll of 5, the crafter
would have made 204 (=[5+12]x12) credits worth of progress towards the
completion of the item. You do not need to beat the item's Craft DC in order to
make progress.
The amount of progress made cannot be zero or negative. Round up such values
to the minimum of 1.
A roll of 1 on the daily Craft check results in no progress made for that day. A
roll of 20 on the daily Craft check results in double the amount of progress
(=2x20x[s+20]).
Progress = s 2 + s d20, where s = skill modifier
Taking 10 results in s 2 + 10 s credits per day. Taking a chance with the RCR's
rules (no penalty for nat 1, no bonus for nat 20) averages to s 2 + 10.5s credits per
day. Taking a chance with the above house rule averages to s 2 + 11.45s credits
per day.
Continue making daily craft checks until your accumulated progress is greater
than the item's base price. The more progress you make per day, the quicker you
make the item. Progress grows quadratically with skill increases and linearly with
luck. The greatest boosts will result from increases in the skill modifier, such as
new ranks in the craft skill or acquiring a bonus. Having inferior crafting tools
impose a penalty, effectively making the build harder and more time-consuming.
After sufficient progress is made, a final Craft check is made. You can take 10.
If this check result exceeds the item's Craft DC, then the item is finished and
works properly. If the result fails, then subtract 10% of the item's base price
(round up) from the accumulated progress. Additionally, if the result fails by 5 or
more, then another one-sixth of the item's price (round up) must be paid again in
the form of raw materials, representing the replacement of ruined parts.
After failing on the final Craft check, check to see if the accumulated progress
still exceeds the item's base price after the loss. If it does, then the item merely
looks finished and imposes a -2 penalty to its functions, if used. You can attempt
to finish it properly by waiting until the next day and making the final Craft check
again. Success on this subsequent check removes the penalty. Treat failure
normally. If the accumulated progress dips below the item's base price, then go
back to making daily Craft checks until progress exceeds price and attempt the
final Craft check again.
A list of the different modifications available and the modification's DC are listed
nearby.
o The crafter making the modification can use either the Repair skill or the
appropriate Craft skill.
Either a tool kit, if using the Repair skill, or the appropriate crafting tools,
if using the Craft skill, is required to make a modification. Use whatever
crafting tools are needed to build the item new. Using inferior tools
impose a cumulative -4 penalty for every step of grade to the crafter's
Craft bonus. Using ideal tools grant a +2 equipment bonus to the Craft
bonus. Using a tool kit grants a +2 equipment bonus to the Repair bonus.
The AEG mentions that not having the proper tools imposes a -5 penalty.
Ignore that. A tool kit or the appropriate crafting tools (any grade) is
required.
o Possessing five ranks or more in both Repair and the appropriate Craft
skill grants a +2 synergy bonus to the skill bonus.
o Having the appropriate Mastercraft feat or the appropriate Tech Specialist
Mastercrafter class feature grants a +2 circumstance bonus to the skill
bonus.
o While the item is being modified, it cannot be used.
o Weapon/Armor/Vehicle Modification Process
Calculate the item's base price.
Pay 1/4 the base price in raw materials immediately.
Calculate the modified item's base price after this modification is
performed. Each modification costs 50% of the base price. i.e. A
weapon with one mod is 1.5x. A weapon with two mods is 2x. A
weapon with three mods is 3x.
Perform daily skill checks like in normal crafting. You may take
10. Ignore the part in the AEG mentioning that the daily check has
to beat the item's DC (either Craft DC or modification DC). It
does not.
Progress = s 2 + s d20, where s = skill modifier
If the accumulated progress is greater than the modified item's base
price, then perform a final skill check based on the modification's
DC (listed in the appropriate table). You may take 10. On
success, then the modification is complete. On failure, the item
breaks and must be repaired or jury-rigged (see RCR 97, requires a
Repair check). All progress on the modification is lost. Try again.
Apply the same rules on multiple crafters for crafting new items
towards this modification process.
o Modifications can be done with little skill investment. The modification
DCs are not too difficult and are not based on the item's DC. Modifying a
stock blaster pistol is as difficult as modifying an uber blaster pistol. Their
big difficulty is the amount of time needed to modify an item. Modifying
an item will take longer than building the item brand-new.
Starships have a system that is laid out in the Starships of the Galaxy handbook
(SotG), starting on page 28.
A system can be downgraded by more than one level. Each level reduces
the DC by 5. Multiple systems can be downgraded, reducing the DC by 5
per system per level.
o Modifying a starship is not too difficult, skill-wise, and it does not take a
terrible amount of time. However, as with all things related to starships, it
is costly. The modification process alone is a guaranteed minimum of
10,000 credits.
Droids can be modified and reprogrammed. See the Droid chapters much later in
this document.
No other items (different tools, security kits, medpacs, etc.) can be modified
without the DM's consultation.
It is not necessary to know how to make the item from scratch in order to modify
it. Non-hero droids can perform modifications.
Attachments
Items can also be enhanced with separate components that are added to the item
post-production. These types of enhancements are usually simple to accomplish,
possibly requiring a Repair check to successfully make the attachment (in most
cases, no check is necessary). The difficulty is acquiring the attachment, whether
it is purchased or crafted. Attachments usually enhance an item by granting it a
new function or changing the rules in some fashion.
Attachments stack with modifications.
Multiple attachments can be used for an item, but use common sense. e.g. Only
one scope may be attached to a rifle, and you cannot scope an axe.
Weapon attachments are listed on HG 123 and AEG 38.
Weapon attachments are obtained by either purchase or crafted with either Craft
(Melee Weapons) or Craft (Ranged Weapons) as appropriate.
Armor attachments are listed on AEG 45. They are more like accessories.
Armor attachments are obtained by either purchase or crafted with the Craft
(Armor) skill.
All other items have no attachments listed in the sourcebooks, but the DM can
choose to invent some.
It is not necessary to know how to make the item from scratch in order to perform
an attachment. Non-hero droids can perform the attachment.
Mastercrafted
Weapons, armor, datapads and computers, medpacs, security kits, and sensor
packs can be crafted as a mastercrafted item. The mastercrafted quality imparts a
bonus to a function of the item beyond what standard-quality items are capable.
Mastercraft items come in three grades: +1, +2, and +3. This value represents the
additional bonus imparted to the item.
Mastercraft weapons grant a bonus to its damage. A +1 mastercraft blaster pistol
does 3d6+1 damage compared to a standard blaster's damage of 3d6. Mastercraft
armor grants a bonus to the damage reduction of the armor. A +1 mastercraft
combat jumpsuit has DR 4 compared to a standard combat jumpsuit's DR of 3.
Mastercraft medpacs grant additional health. A +1 mastercraft medpac heals for
of character building. Time costs, credit costs, and expected profit are detailed
below.
A standard item has a base price of x credits.
A standard item takes on average y days to build, largely based off crafting skill.
Before Rule Change
Item
Cost
1
x
Standard
3
2
Mastercraft
x
+1
3
4
Mastercraft
x
+2
3
8
Mastercraft
x
+3
3
After Rule Change
Item
Cost
1
x
Standard
3
2
Mastercraft
x
+1
3
Mastercraft
x
+2
Mastercraft
+3
4
x
3
Time
Sale Price
Profit
2
x
3
4
x
3
8
x
3
16
x
3
Profit/day
2x
3y
2x
3y
2x
3y
2x
3y
2y
2x
4y
4x
8y
8x
Time
Sale Price
Profit
2
x
3
4
x
3
Profit/day
2x
3y
2x
3y
x
y
5x
3y
2y
2x
3y
4x
3x
4y
8x
20
x
3
As a baseline, the Profession skill offers a way to make money using the skill
(RCR 96). Make a Profession check and multiply that by 100 credits. That
represents one week of dedicated work. The crafting skill makes its money by
expending time and capital to manufacture a product and selling that product later
for a profit. Its income is derived by figuring out the expected profit and
x
averaging it out over the time invested. Realizing that
represents the average
y
daily progress in the crafting process, we generate the following formulas
(assuming taking 10's on d20 rolls):
(s + 10) 100 14.3s + 143
Profession Income =
7
2
Standard Crafting and + 1 Mastercrafting Profit = s 2 + 10 s 0.667 s 2 + 6.67 s
3
2
+ 2 Mastercrafting Profit = s + 10 s
+ 3 Mastercrafting Profit =
5 2
s + 10 s 1.67 s 2 + 16.7 s, where s = skill bonus
3
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
0
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Skill Bonus
Profession
+2 Mastercraf ting
Profession
5000
4500
+2 Mastercrafting
4000
+3 Mastercrafting
3500
3000
2500
1500
1000
500
0
0
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
Skill Bonus
x is the item's base price and p is the average progress per day (based on craft
skill).
Assume only standard crafting and taking 10.
x( p + 125)
credits.
For blueprints, there is a net loss of
750
500
2 x1 +
p
x1 +
p
credits due to its massive strength. Salvaging even a percent of the custom price
should not produce enough to barter for a new CLL-8.
Salvage should ultimately be a process subject to the whim of the DM, and selling
and trading should actively be encouraged more out of a roleplay aspect. For
example, rather than saying this engineer salvaged his old 500-credit pistol for 50
credits worth of parts, have a merchant buy his pistol for 250 credits and another
merchant sell 125 credits worth of parts for 250 credits. This process looks less
arbitrary of the DM from the player's perspective.
Droids:
Droid mechanics
A droid is an intelligent robot; a mechanical automaton electronically
programmed to act, think, and behave in a certain way.
Across the galaxy, the prevailing thought is that droids are property. Droids act
according to the commands of their masters to the best of their ability (with their
best being subject to the DM's whim). It is up to the owner to be responsible for
issuing commands and performing maintenance.
Most droids will be officially played by the DM. A player might hold onto the
droid as a stat block, like any other piece of equipment in the character's
inventory. A character might issue commands to the droid, but how the command
is executed is up to the DM. The DM may wish to be no-nonsense. Ordering a
droid to guard the ship might mean the droid acts like any other character, where
it makes spot checks and does something according to its programming if a
possible intruder is detected. On the other hand, the DM may wish to "be special"
with the droid, such as coming to the conclusion that the best way to defend the
ship is to seek out threats proactively.
Some droids are so advanced that they act with a mind of their own. These are
hero droids. These droids can be under the DM's control or they are playercontrolled characters. See the two hero sections for more information.
Droids have five classifications, ranging from first-degree to fifth-degree. This is
a rating system that distinguishes droids based on purpose and sophistication.
Another way of thinking about droid classifications is that these are droid "races".
Each classification has ability modifiers like races. Certain tendencies are found
in droids of a specific classification, like how all characters of a specific race have
special abilities like low-light vision. However, these tendencies are not spelled
out as a game-mechanic. Droid classification is largely a roleplay mechanic. The
table below summarizes classifications.
Classification
First-Degree
Second-Degree
Third-Degree
Ability Modifiers
+2 Int, -2 Str, -2 Cha
+2 Dex, +2 Int, -4 Str
+2 Cha, -2 Str, -2 Wis
Fourth-Degree
Fifth-Degree
Roleplay Characteristics
Physics, mathematics, and medicine
Engineering and technical sciences
Social services, translation, housekeeping,
secretarial, administration
Security and military
Labor, repetitive tasks
Droids have stats like a player's character. A droid has a base attack bonus, base
saves, Defense, Reputation, skill points, ability scores, feats, and wound points.
Droids do not have vitality points unless they are heroes or using special
equipment or modifications. Droids acquire the Ambidexterity feat for free (RCR
105, ignore all penalties for using an off hand).
Droids also have classes and acquire class features (as appropriate, i.e. a droid
noble better have a good back-story), regardless of hero status. Vitality is still
only accumulated if the droid is a hero.
Droids can see and hear, but cannot smell, taste, or touch. Droids do not breathe,
eat, or excrete.
Droids are immune to poison, radiation, disease, suffocation, drowning, and all
but the most extreme hot and cold temperatures. Droids are susceptible to rust,
droid rot, corruption, disrepair, dust, and sand.
Droids cannot be stunned except by ion weapons.
They cannot acquire Force feats, Force skills, or Force Points. They are not
affected by most all Force skills except certain Alter skills like Drain Energy,
Force Lightning, Force Strike, and Move Object.
A droid can attempt ability checks, but cannot perform most untrained skill
checks without a heuristic processor (a particular droid accessory). All droids can
perform Balance, Climb, Jump, Listen, Search, and Spot checks untrained with no
additional equipment.
All droids possess core programming. The core programming includes the droid's
behavioral inhibitors; rules of conduct revolving around obedience, safety, ethics,
and morality. The core programming also includes the statistics of the basic or
default model of the droid. Core programming is not erased by a memory wipe.
Droids are hardwired to obey the commands of the designated master and are
required to inform its master immediately if a command conflicts with its
behavioral inhibitors.
All droids develop a personality over time. What the personality is, when it
develops, and how it occurred are all up to the DM. A personality enables a droid
to temporarily subvert its behavioral inhibitors.
Personalities start off as droid quirks. As the personality develops, consider
applying one of the quirks listed on RCR 365.
Droids possess different kinds of locomotion: walking (biped, quadruped, etc.),
wheeled (possessing wheels), tracked (possessing treads), hovering (using
repulsorlift technology), flying (using some kind of engine), or stationary.
Droids possess different kinds of appendages: probe (push or pull), instrument
(specific simple task), tool (specific delicate task), claw (primitive manipulative),
or hand (complex manipulative).
Droids can be repaired.
Droids can be shutdown. This renders them helpless, but it also stabilizes
a dying droid. Succeed on a DC 10 Repair check lasting a standard action
with no cost. Shutting down an unwilling droid requires a successful
touch attack first.
ability scores. The droid's brain represents its mental form and the expression of
its experiences. This is important for custom droids. Stock droids largely ignore
the concept because it is already considered in the production.
A droid's programming can be saved to a droid repository ("droid heaven") as
backup in case a memory wipe is needed, the droid dies, or the droid is replicated.
A droid repository is a specialized computer system, much like a mainframe (HG
124) in dimension and weight. Its sole purpose is to contain and maintain droid
programming. The item can be purchased or crafted using Craft (Electronic
Devices) at high complexity and a Craft DC of 20. The cost of the repository
equates the amount of storage it holds. A droid repository can store the backups
of multiple droids and/or multiple backups of the same droid. Each backup of a
droid's programming requires an amount of storage equal to the cost of
100 droid' s level 2 credits (one-tenth the cost of its brain). A droid repository
can be upgraded with additional storage via additional crafting of the cost
difference or paying a merchant to perform the upgrade. If the droid repository is
destroyed, then all backups are lost. A backup stores the base attack bonus, base
saves, Defense, Reputation, skill ranks, feats, class levels, class features, quirks,
personality, knowledge, memories, and other roleplay characteristics of a specific
droid at the time of the save. A backup also stores the Intelligence score of the
droid at the time of the save for the purpose of tracking the backup's integrity.
Failed transfers out of the repository damage the backup, and too much damage
can destroy the backup. To perform a save, a droid needs only to be connected to
the droid repository while shut down.
A droid dies when its wound points reach -10 or lower or its Constitution score
reaches 0 or lower. When a droid reaches this point, its droid brain shuts down
permanently and the body is irreparably damaged. There is no way to repair the
brain or body at this point. Although, they might be salvaged.
If a new droid brain and body are prepared, then a droid's programming can be
transferred from a backup in a droid repository to the new brain, effectively
resurrecting the droid. Either a stock droid or a custom droid may be used
regardless if the droid was originally a stock or a custom droid. Regardless of the
type of droid used, the new droid brain (or the levels of the new stock droid) must
be sufficient to contain all of the levels stored in the backup. A Repair check is
required to successfully transfer the droid's programming. The DC is 20 if the
same basic model is used (i.e. same stock droid as the original or a custom droid
with at least the same amount of levels and ability scores as the original when the
programming was saved). The DC is 25 if a different model is used, but the
model is of the same classification. The DC is 35 if a different model and a
different classification. If the Repair check fails, then the droid must make an
Intelligence check (DC 15). If this check fails, the droid's backup takes 1d6
permanent Intelligence damage that cannot be repaired. Adjust all skills and feats
accordingly. If the Intelligence score of a droid's backup reaches 0 or below, then
the backup is irrevocably lost. A successful Repair check means the droid is
operational again in the new droid brain and body. Import the base attack bonus,
base saves, Defense, Reputation, skill ranks, feats, class levels, class features, and
quirks of the original droid saved in the backup (minus any skill or feat loss from
failed transfers) to the new droid. The droid uses the new body's ability scores
and suffers Intelligence damage from any failed transfers. Any personality,
knowledge, memories, and other roleplay characteristics should be maintained.
Although, there should be conflict in attitude and behavior if the model and/or
classification changed (instead of resurrection, it was reincarnated).
The droid programming transfer to a new droid can still occur without the loss of
the original droid. This is considered as replicating the droid. This is usually
only done by large corporations, trying to mass-produce a droid with a lot of
custom programming or with a particularly desirable personality quirk. The
average user would not want two of the same identical droid. There would be too
much bickering.
A character can be the master to an unlimited number of droids. Only logistics
(monitoring, commanding, maintenance, etc.) truly restrict how many droids a
single individual could manage. In addition, space requirements (e.g. stowage
space on a ship) and credit fees (purchase, modifications, and repairs) further
restrict in a practical sense.
A droid cannot be the master of another droid. However, droid heroes can be
masters of other droids.
There is no restriction between character and droid levels. A level 1 character
governs a level 20 droid as easily as he could control a level 1 droid. Just
remember that a level 20 droid is likely more set in its ways and crotchety than a
level 1 droid.
Stock Droids
All droids listed in the RCR and the AEG are considered stock droids. At one
point, someone might have built the droid as a custom droid. However, with
further refinements towards construction efficiency, the droid gets upgraded to
stock.
The benefit of a stock droid is that its base price is not determined by the droid's
abilities or components. For instance, a droid like the CLL-8 lifter droid (AEG
62) would be worth near 800,000 credits if it were built custom. However, the
Cybot Galactica company, of course, saw the potential market for a heavy lifter in
space ports galaxy-wide and refined that custom droid until it became the CLL-8
droid of today, worth only 2,000 credits and can be built at a fraction of the cost.
The drawback of a stock droid is limited opportunity to upgrade. The only real
upgrade path is through equipment and droid accessories. Skills and feats might
be swapped out, but it is rare and solely dependent on the particular stock droid
model. A non-hero stock droid will never acquire new skills, feats, class levels,
base statistic increases, ability score increases, or wound point increases.
Stock droids with an availability of either prevalent or common should be
considered known to any crafter not isolated from society. Stock droids with a
more limited availability, like military or illegal, will require a design.
Any equipment or droid accessories that are listed in a stock droid's description in
the sourcebooks are considered part of the droid itself. It cannot be removed
easily, and even if it could be removed, it cannot be usable immediately.
Changing a skill rank from one skill to another requires a successful Computer
Use check of DC 30 + the droid's Intelligence modifier. Make a check for each
rank swapped. The process takes 5 minutes per rank. Class skills can only be
swapped out with other class skills. Cross-class skills can only be swapped out
with other cross-class skills. A droid can attempt to reprogram itself, but it cannot
change the number of ranks in Computer Use. Hiring a professional to reprogram
is 50 credits per rank.
Changing a feat from one feat to another requires a successful Computer Use
check of DC 35 + the droid's Intelligence modifier. Make a check for each feat
swapped. The process takes 20 minutes per feat. The droid must meet all of the
prerequisites of the new feat. A droid can attempt to reprogram itself. Hiring a
professional to reprogram is 1,000 credits per feat.
Failure on the Computer Use check is a loss of time and the original skill ranks or
original feats. The original skill ranks or feat has to be deleted before the
reprogramming attempt can be made, and that deletion is automatically
successful. Retries only risk time.
Ignore the rule about only droid heroes being able to wear armor. Any droid can
wear armor if it is bipedal or acquire the armor droid accessory.
Stock droid heroes do not require sleep. They do need to shutdown and recharge
for 1 hour after 100 hours of operation. Failure to do so forces a DC 10 Will save
to avoid suffering Intelligence damage (droid rot, RCR 364, 366).
Stock droid heroes can use the Repair skill on itself.
Stock droid heroes can use the Craft (Droids) skill on itself.
If a stock droid hero is ever subject to a complete memory wipe, then the
character effectively dies. The stock droid hero becomes a non-hero basic model
stock droid.
A stock droid hero can make modifications to itself without shutting down.
A stock droid hero can preserve and replicate itself with a droid repository.
Custom Droids
Custom droids represent droids that are built by a player or the DM from the
ground up. No sourcebook details this.
Custom droids are droids that are built by trial and error. No particular design
was used to figure out how to piece the components together. Only by sheer skill
and the brute force of a large bankroll can someone craft a droid that will put all
others to shame.
The benefit of a custom droid is its modular construction. Nearly every aspect of
the droid can be designed and altered as time progresses. Any type of equipment
or droid accessory within reason is possible. Ability scores can change over time.
Levels can be added. All skills and feats can be adjusted. A custom droid can
match the qualities of stock droid heroes and, if the price is right, exceed them.
The drawback is the massive cost. While a custom droid can be built upon over
time, a level 20 droid with a 50 point buy across its ability scores will have a base
price of 525,000 credits, and this is before any modifications. Note that the base
price affects Repair costs too, such as when repairing a wound point after a battle.
Custom droids tend to develop personalities quicker and are more expressive than
their stock counterparts. All custom droids get one quirk, which must be taken,
and it is added to its core personality.
Custom Droid Construction
Crafting a custom droid is very much like creating a new character, then crafting
it as an item. First, start by designing what the new droid will be like as a
character. While the DM is ultimately responsible for how the droid turns out,
you guide the process by determining starting ability scores, class levels, skills,
and feats. Use the steps below to help guide and scale the design.
Droids come as two major components. By building a custom droid, you are
building these components from scratch, and as such, you get to determine what
statistics they should have. The component's credit cost is based on its stats.
The droid body represents its hardware. Building a more complex body means
the droid can enjoy higher ability scores. Determine the new droid's ability scores
with an expanded system of the point buy setup detailed in the Planned
Cost
-7
-6
-5
-4
-3
-2
-1
0
1
Score
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
Cost
2
3
4
5
6
8
10
13
16
Score
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
Cost
20
24
29
34
40
46
53
60
68
Score
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
Cost
76
85
94
104
114
125
136
148
160
The table is like the normal point buy table. However, substandard scores (less
than 8) are incentivized with a modest bonus. Large score values scale up
geometrically. Once the ability scores are set, tally up the point costs for all six
ability scores. Then, plug this total into the following formula for the price of the
body:
Droid Body Cost = 50 Point Buy Total 2
1200000
1000000
800000
600000
400000
200000
0
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
With this pricing system, above-average stat gains are at a very common price.
This should be the case since who would want to build a droid who is subpar to
any hired help. However, phenomenal stat gains can get exorbitant. A 34 stat
(+12 mod) is worth close to 900,000 credits. Having a 34 in all six abilities
means the body alone would be worth over 32 million credits, almost the cost of a
Dreadnaught-class heavy cruiser. And it should be worth that much if you were
trying to build Devastator.
The droid brain represents its software. Building a more complex brain means
more class levels can be stored and utilized. Heroic class levels and profession
class levels are equal in these terms. Total the number of levels the droid
possesses and enter it into the following formula:
Droid Brain Cost = 1000 Class Level Total 2
450000
400000
350000
300000
250000
200000
150000
100000
50000
0
0
10
12
14
16
18
20
Level
This pricing system allows for simple, low-level droids at a reasonable cost, but
high-level droids scale quadratically.
Choose a droid classification. Remember that this represents the purpose and
outlook of the droid for roleplaying. Apply the droid classification ability
modifiers after the droid body is finished. The droid's classification cannot be
changed after creation.
Assign which classes are taken at the available levels granted by the droid brain.
Apply base attack bonuses, base saves, Defense, Reputation, class features,
available skill points, and available feats appropriately.
Assign skill points and feats appropriately. No skill checks or credit costs are
involved for this step in creation.
Pick and choose any droid accessories that will be included with this droid at
creation. The accessories are assumed to be crafted with the droid. No skill
checks are needed, but add in the full price of each accessory to the base price of
the droid.
Pick and choose any equipment that will be included with this droid. All
equipment must be procured or crafted separately. No skill checks are needed to
add the equipment to the droid, but add in the full base price of each item to the
base price of the droid.
Calculate the construction price of the droid by summing together the cost of the
droid brain, the droid body, and any droid accessories. Exempt the cost of
equipment since the equipment is procured separately.
Present the concept for the droid to the DM. He will determine its complexity and
Craft DC. Consider using the following guideline:
6
Complexity
Craft
DC
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Low
Low
Low
Low
Medium
Medium
Medium
Medium
High
High
11
13
14
16
17
19
21
23
24
26
Expected
Success
Rate
65%
60%
60%
55%
55%
50%
45%
40%
40%
35%
Droid
Level
Complexity
Craft
DC
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
High
High
Extreme
Extreme
Extreme
Extreme
Astronomical
Astronomical
Astronomical
Astronomical
28
30
32
34
36
38
40
43
45
47
Expected
Success
Rate
30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
-10%
-15%
-20%
50
45
40
Skill Rank or DC
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
0
10
12
14
16
18
20
DC f or 50% success
Recommended DC
The expected success rate is based on attempting the Craft DC with max training
and no other bonuses (Int, tools, assist, etc.). Complexity and Craft DC is
recommended to solely be based on the droid's character level because character
level is a major and significant indicator of raw power and potential. This means
that changes to the body is related to the brain.
For instance, making a high-stat level 1 droid will be expensive, but easy to craft.
Then, upgrading it to a high-stat, high-level droid will be expensive and difficult.
However, starting with a high-level and low-stat droid will be difficult to craft and
still expensive. Then, upgrading that droid to a high-stat droid will be identically
difficult and just as expensive. That high Craft check will need to be made twice.
This scenario is acceptable because it means the least difficult way of making an
uber droid will be pumping its stats as high as conceivably possible before
leveling up the droid. Stat gains represent less of a power jump than a level-up.
Since stat gains are generally more expensive than level-ups, the crafter is limited
to just how far he could take the droid's body before he would prefer brain
upgrades. A wise builder will start modestly and improve the body and brain
together steadily in order to balance future construction difficulty with immediate
droid performance.
Continue the item crafting process using the construction price as the basis for
credit fees and crafting time. Any penalties applied to the droid are applied to all
of its attack rolls, saves, skill checks, and ability checks.
Additional crafter assistance is at the DM's discretion.
Custom droids can benefit from designs, but one example needs to be built first.
A design is not needed to make a custom droid.
The base price of the custom droid is the construction price plus any equipment
added to the droid. It is this value that determines repair costs and market price.
Custom Droid Modification
Custom droids can change pretty much everything except their droid classification
at any time after construction.
Custom droids can upgrade their bodies and brains, granting them better ability
scores, new class levels, and all of the benefits that come along with those levels.
Begin the process by considering what the droid will be like after the
modifications. Use the guide above as if you were constructing a new
droid. Calculate its construction price (price of brain, body, and
accessories).
Calculate the difference between the construction price of the droid before
the modifications and afterwards. This difference will be the basis for the
crafting process. Consult the DM for the complexity and Craft DC for the
modification. It is recommended that they are the same as if the aftermodification droid was constructed brand-new. Note that this difference
in credits can be zero, but not less than zero. While it is possible to
downgrade a droid, it does not net a credit refund in any manner.
Perform a crafting process using the difference value. Pay one-third of the
difference value in raw materials and perform daily Craft checks until the
accumulated progress exceeds the difference value. Finally, make the
final Craft check with the usual possible results. Any penalties applied to
the droid are applied to the droid entirely (all attack rolls, saves, skill
checks, and ability checks) even if only part of the droid was being
worked on.
Once the crafting process is complete, any adjustments to ability scores
are effective immediately. Any wound points acquired due to an increase
in Constitution are gained immediately (not retroactive to previous levels,
just like normal characters). Any increase in Intelligence does not afford
new skill points immediately, but it might mean more skill points on
future level-ups. Any increases in class level immediately afford the droid
a possible increase in its base attack bonus, base saves, Defense,
Reputation, unspent skill points, unspent feats, and vitality points (hero
only). Any unspent skill points and feats must be programmed first in
order to be usable (see later in the section). Any new class features are
immediately available. If a new class feature is a bonus feat, then choose
the feat and apply it immediately. Bonus feats do not need to be
programmed. Treat multiclass levels appropriately.
Equipment and accessories can be attached to a custom droid after construction in
a similar manner as stock droids. Since custom droids have a modular design and
compatibility is not an issue, the process for adding one new piece of equipment
or accessory is one hour with a DC 15 Repair check regardless of the type of part.
A custom droid's skills and feats can be reprogrammed in a similar manner as
stock droids. Since custom droids use high-level abstract code that is easier to
write than low-level streamlined code, there is no penalty for a custom droid's
Intelligence. In fact, it is expected for highly-intelligent custom droids to
eventually reprogram itself. Reprogramming skill ranks is a DC 30 Computer
Use check taking 5 minutes per rank. Reprogramming a feat is a DC 35
Computer Use check taking 20 minutes. Any prerequisites must be met. All skill
ranks and feats, including those acquired at construction, can be reprogrammed.
A custom droid can attempt to reprogram itself, and a custom droid can even
reprogram its Computer Use skill.
A custom droid's classes can be reprogrammed in a similar manner to skill ranks
and feats. Reprogramming a class is a Computer Use check with the DC equal to
60 + the droid's Intelligence modifier. The check is made for each class level. It
takes one day per class level. Failure on the check results in a loss of time and the
original class level lost. The droid's brain does not change at all, and it is still
capable of storing another class level. However, the droid looses any benefit it
might have gained from that class level, excluding any feat acquired from a level
gain. Failure is very much like a short exposure to a memory wipe. Retries only
risk time. If the check is successful, then swap out one class level for a level in
another class. Apply the adjustments to the base attack bonus, base saves,
Defense, and Reputation immediately. Any new class features are immediately
available. If a new class feature is a bonus feat, then choose the feat and apply it
immediately. If the new class has more skill points than the old class, then the
droid gets the difference in unspent skill points. Unspent skill points must be
programmed before they can be used. If the new class has less skill points than
the old class, then choose a number of ranks in skills known by the droid equal to
the difference. These skill ranks are lost immediately. A custom droid can
attempt to reprogram its own class level. If a custom droid looses all class levels,
then the droid suffered a complete memory wipe. In addition to the class levels,
all personality is lost. Either the droid must be restored from a backup, or the
droid brain must be rebuilt from scratch.
A custom droid does not need to be shut down during the modification process.
During the hours while the custom droid is being crafted upon, it cannot perform
any standard functions. However, the droid can act normally in between daily
crafting sessions.
A custom droid can assist in its own modification as a secondary crafter, if it has
the proper tools and can make the assist check.
It is expected that a custom droid will go through many different iterations
throughout its lifetime. Complete overhauls are possible, and the crafter is not in
complete control. The droid exercises some direction over how it progresses with
its self-modification features. While most instances of self-modification are of
the droid genuinely attempting to better itself in order to carry out its master's
wishes, it is not all instances. However, all instances of self-modification do
occur without its master's consent.
Custom Droids as Heroes
Custom droids as heroes act just like stock droids as heroes with two important
differences.
Custom droid heroes can do all of the things custom droids can do. They can
modify themselves in almost every way, as long as the raw materials are there.
Custom droid heroes receive experience points differently. This is represented ingame as a reward of raw materials specific towards upgrading the droid brain
equal in credit-worth to twice the value of experience points in credits. For
instance, if a custom droid hero gets 2,000 experience for a gameplay session,
then he receives 4,000 credits worth of raw materials for upgrading its brain. The
droid hero must still go through the modification process to actually claim its
levels. There is no experience penalty to worry about like with stock droids since
all custom droids start their construction as a blank slate. The end result is that a
custom droid hero will have most of its brain upgrade costs covered by a
campaign's experience rewards.
A custom droid hero does not acquire ability score points in any manner through
gaining experience (no new points every 4 levels, no d30 rolls; just through
modifications). Since stat gains are easy to come by and ramp up quickly, giving
out free ability score points could be equivalent to giving millions of free credits.
A custom droid hero gets two free quirks total; one for being a custom droid and
another for being a hero.
New Tech Specialty - Mastercrafter (Droids)
As per a new house rule in order to make tech specialists more combat effective,
this new tech specialty is available. It grants the tech specialist the ability to
create a special companion droid that he can control as if the droid was a droid
hero to the tech specialist's player.
The new droid acts similarly to a druid's animal companion. It becomes a second
character that the tech specialist's player can control semi-independently. It is not
a droid that the DM controls.
The goal is not to provide two viable characters to the player. While the droid can
move and behave on its own (i.e. the player can perform move actions and free
actions for the droid without the tech specialist's concentration), any complex
behavior requires the tech specialist's guidance via some interface (i.e. any
standard or full-round actions by the droid require the tech specialist to expend
some action utilizing a device).
Non-hero tech specialist droids cannot take this new tech specialty.
The interface can be one of the computer systems listed below. Lighter
computers offer more mobility. Computers that are more powerful offer better
response times. Performing either a standard action or a full action as a droid
requires the tech specialist to spend a type of action depending on the computer.
Utilizing a computer system to operate a droid provokes an attack of opportunity,
except for the asterisked method.
Type
Mobility
Portable (3kg)
Stationary (5.5kg)
Portable (3.3kg)
Stationary (4.5kg
+ 10kg)
Portable
(cybernetic)
Move
Standard
Free*
Move
can be operational at one time. All other companion droids must be shutdown.
This is strictly for game balance reasons.
The companion droid is crafted like any other custom droid. It is recommended
to install a comlink accessory for wireless communication.
Companion droids can be upgraded like any other custom droid.
There are no second or third ranks of the Mastercrafter (Droids) specialty.
While other Mastercrafter specialties matched with a Mastercraft feat for
characters who were not tech specialists, there is no equivalent Mastercraft feat
for non-tech specialists with droids.