Designing, Customizing and Maintaining droids

Droid Modification Overview

Droids in the Star Wars universe can be built and modified the same as any vehicle or piece of equipment. In most cases, however, the internal mechanics of a droid are so complicated that only the most learned and experienced beings can adequately do the work required.

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DROID-RELATED SKILLS

There are three primary skills a character can possess for the express purpose of working on droids: • Droid Programming • Droid Repair • (A) Droid Engineering (advanced skill)

Droid Programming

Whenever a character wishes to modify a droid's basic programming, she must make a droid programming roll to accomplish her task. For more information on droid programming, refer to the "Attributes & Skills" chapter.

Droid Repair

Characters use this skill to repair or modify droids. See below for more information on droid repair, as well as the "Attributes & Skills" chapter.

(A) Droid Engineering

The (A) droid engineering skill encompasses the various facets of layout, design, and implementation involved in producing a droid from scratch.

While it is possible for a character to construct a droid using the normal droid repair skill, the process is extremely difficult—hence the advantage of using (A) droid engineering.

As an advanced skill, (A) droid engineering: • Requires double the Character Points to advance. • Requires a droid repair or droid programming die code of at least 5D.

If a character has 5D in droid repair but not droid programming, that character may purchase (A) droid engineering; however, the bonus effects from the advanced skill will only apply to attempts that normally fall under the droid repair skill. The same is true for characters with droid programming but not droid repair: the advanced skill can be used in situations where droid programming rolls would be allowed.

If both prerequisite skills are at 5D or greater, (A) droid engineering can be used to both repair and program a droid.

Refer to Chapter 3 for more information on advanced skills.

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NOTE TO GAMEMASTERS

The following material presents optional rules for designing and improving droid characters. If you feel the bookkeeping involved takes away from the flavor of your game, modify the rules to suit your campaign.

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DESIGNING A DROID

Owning a droid can be an interesting challenge for a character. The player has the ability to maintain, upgrade, and—with the gamemaster's assistance—even create a droid.

When a character wishes to build a droid, the first thing that must be decided is the droid's intended function: • What is the droid's primary purpose? • What will it be used for?

Remember that droids are always created with a specific purpose in mind, and the skills and components the unit possesses should reflect that purpose.

Other factors to keep in mind: • The droid's appearance • How it interacts with other characters • Where the droid will see service

Questions to consider (subject to gamemaster approval): • Does the droid appear humanoid? • Will it work in human-compatible surroundings, or in zero-gravity or other harsh environments? • Is the droid a player character, or primarily a tool used by other characters?

Answering questions like these makes the new droid more interesting during the campaign.

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TIME TAKEN

Much of the information in this chapter refers to a difficulty number. Except where noted, these skill checks also require time to complete.

In addition, some modifications take longer than others: • SkillWare (programming a droid carries) is easier to modify. • TraitWare (physical components that make up a droid) takes longer.

Use the chart below to determine the time required.

Time Taken by Difficulty

Gamemaster Note: These estimates are general; if a character rolls particularly well (or very badly), vary the time taken as appropriate.

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THE DROID CHASSIS (TraitWare)

After deciding the droid's intended function, it must be fit into one of the primary five degrees. For example: • Protocol unit → Third degree chassis • Astromech droid → Second degree chassis

Once the degree has been determined, the engineer must purchase TraitWare for the droid—this is called outfitting the chassis.

TraitWare purchased during the creation of a new droid type is considered hardwired into the droid, forming the basic framework for all droids of that type.

Note: TraitWare understanding can be purchased either by full die or by pips.

Technology limit: Current technology limits any attribute to 10D (though it is possible—though not recommended—for a droid to have attributes as low as 0D).

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Example: Outfitting a Second Degree Droid

Jeff's character, Dug, wants to build an astromech unit similar to R2-D2. Dug wants his droid—PR6-3—to have: • Knowledge 2D • Mechanical 2D+1 • Technical 3D • All other attributes at 1D each

Jeff cross-references the droid's degree (second degree) with the attribute being purchased (see "Attributes & Skills"). • Knowledge (edge dice): 300 credits per die • 2D × 300 = 600 credits • Mechanical: 150 credits per die; 50 credits per pip • 2D × 150 = 300 • +1 pip = 50 • Total Mechanical cost = 350 credits • Technical: 150 credits per die • 3D × 150 = 450 credits • Other attributes at 1D each: • Dexterity 1D = 300 credits • Perception 1D = 300 credits • Strength 1D = 350 credits • Total for these = 950 credits

Total cost: 600 + 350 + 450 + 950 = 2,350 credits

Because Dug is purchasing this TraitWare for the creation of a completely new droid, Jeff does not have to roll to install it.

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NOTE TO GAMEMASTERS

Selecting a droid chassis and purchasing SkillWare and TraitWare is a "quick and dirty" system. Prices reflect the cost of programming modules and physical components, but remain guidelines. If the gamemaster does not want the characters to construct a droid, parts may be unavailable or scarce enough that the cost is prohibitive.

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Optional Rule: Building From Scratch

The above rules assume the character is ordering a chassis from a manufacturer. If the player and gamemaster agree, you may instead use the installation rules in "Upgrading TraitWare" to build a droid from scratch. • Attributes are hardwired and installation takes double the normal installation time.

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Upgrading TraitWare

Once a droid chassis has been created, the hardwired attributes are unchangeable. With great difficulty, an owner may attempt to improve a droid's attributes by purchasing and installing additional TraitWare.

TraitWare used this way is considered soft installed and is subject to erasure during memory wipes.

TraitWare Datacards • TraitWare is purchased on datacards. • Each datacard holds enough information to boost an attribute by one pip. • Cost is the same as purchasing an additional pip for chassis construction. • Installing the datacard requires (A) droid engineering.

If a character attempts installation with droid repair (instead of (A) droid engineering), increase the difficulty by two levels. • Make one (A) droid engineering roll per datacard installed. • On installation, information is erased from the datacard; the card becomes useless. • If successful: add the pip to the attribute. • If failed: no pip is added, and a new datacard must be purchased to try again.

Rumors exist of technicians copying datacards before installation, but manufacturers often use complex copy protection—attempts are risky.

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OUTFITTING THE CHASSIS (SkillWare)

Once the chassis is designed, the character can purchase and install SkillWare. These programs are readily available in most of the galaxy and are (for the most part) fairly easy to install.

SkillWare allows upgrades to old systems and installation of new ones. In game terms, this increases the droid's skill die codes.

SkillWare may or may not require external hardware to fully utilize the programming. If a program is installed but the droid lacks the physical capacity, only functions that don't require the missing hardware apply.

Example: Jeni installs the languages skill into her R2 unit. Because the unit has no vocabulator, it may understand languages but not speak them. Jeni resolves this by adding Industrial Automaton's R-series Voice Box Adapter.

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Purchasing SkillWare

Use the SkillWare Catalog (next few pages). To price SkillWare: 1. Find the skill's base cost (credits per D). 2. Cross-reference the droid's degree with the governing attribute on the SkillWare Degree Multiplier Chart. 3. Total cost = base cost × multiplier × number of dice purchased.

Notes: • SkillWare is not available in pips—only full dice (D). • At creation, a chassis can accept 4D worth of SkillWare for a specific skill. • Current technology limits a droid's skills to 13D maximum.

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SkillWare Catalog

Dexterity SkillWare

Knowledge SkillWare

Mechanical SkillWare

Perception SkillWare

Strength SkillWare

Technical SkillWare

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Installation

After purchase, the character makes a droid programming roll to install SkillWare. • Use the Time Taken chart. • Use the SkillWare Installation Difficulties chart.

Important: Like TraitWare, SkillWare datacards are erased after installation. If the droid programming roll fails, the datacard information is lost and must be repurchased.

Example: Installing Sensors SkillWare

Dug installs sensors SkillWare on PR6 (a second degree astromech). Sensors is a Mechanical skill. • Catalog price: 75 credits per D • Second degree Mechanical multiplier: ×1.5 • Cost per D: 75 × 1.5 = 112.5 → 113 credits (rounded up)

Dug buys 2D, costing 226 credits total, bringing PR6's sensors to 4D+1.

Installation requires one roll per D: • Mechanical skill + second degree = Easy difficulty. • First roll succeeds (installs 1D). • Second roll fails (Wild Die complication): second D does not install; Dug must repurchase and try again.

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Upgrading SkillWare with Character Points

Droids receive Character Points like organic PCs. A droid may improve a skill with Character Points only if: • It has at least 1D of SkillWare installed above the governing attribute.

Example: • Dexterity 3D, blaster 4D → can improve blaster with Character Points. • Knowledge 2D, cultures 2D (no added dice) → must install at least 1D of cultures SkillWare before improving cultures with Character Points.

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EQUIPMENT AND ATTACHMENTS

After SkillWare, it's often necessary to purchase and install equipment and attachments.

Equipment

Many droids can pick up and use equipment if they have manipulator limbs and the necessary programming. Sometimes, owners want to integrate a piece of equipment into the droid. • Buy equipment normally. • "Droid-ready" equipment costs +25%. • Install using droid repair. • Installation difficulty is based on equipment availability.

If availability has two codes (e.g., 3, X), make two droid repair rolls.

Wild Die warning: If the installer rolls a "1" on the Wild Die, the attempt fails catastrophically and destroys the equipment. Subsequent installation attempts are one difficulty level higher, cumulative.

Installation Difficulty by Availability

Results Table

If equipment is destroyed after a Wild Die "1," the failure is doubly catastrophic: a short circuit or similar malfunction inflicts 4D damage on the droid as well.

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Attachments

Equipment is considered an attachment if any of the following are true: • It has resident SkillWare (boosts a skill). • It provides a special ability or function (Move rating, special skill, etc.).

Databases

Databases grant bonus dice to Knowledge and Technical skills. • Purchased in 1D increments. • Must be installed. • Price per die is constant for all droid degrees. • Once installed, a database cannot be modified. • A droid's behavioral circuitry matrix allows one database at a time. Installing a second causes conflict and voids both.

Database Installation Difficulties

Only Knowledge and Technical skills may be boosted this way. Because databases are attachments, they do not use a degree multiplier.

Cost: base SkillWare price per D (from catalog) × database dice.

Example: Dug installs a planetary systems database (+2D) on PR6-3. Planetary systems SkillWare costs 75 credits per D, so the database costs 150 credits total. Installation requires a single droid programming roll at Easy difficulty.

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Locomotion

Locomotion attachments raise Move (wheels, legs, treads, repulsorlifts). Each has a cost based on Move.

Terrain effects by type: • Wheels: Movement roll difficulties increase by one level. • Legs: Normal terrain difficulties. • Treads: Terrain difficulties decrease by one level. • Repulsorlifts: No terrain penalties; rolls may be needed for maneuvering.

Locomotive Type Costs

Installation difficulty by type: • Wheels: Easy • Legs: Moderate • Treads: Difficult • Repulsorlifts: Very Difficult

Example: Dug buys wheels Move 7 (350 credits) and a repulsorlift Move 3 (600 credits). PR6's Move becomes 7 (wheels); 3 (repulsorlift).

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Sensors

"Sensors" covers everything from photoreceptors and audio sensors to long-range motion and combat sensors. Most droids have basic sensors within normal human ranges; upgraded packages are common.

Many sensors add dice to search for specific target types (moving targets, organic targets, heat sources, etc.). • Standard visual/auditory sensors: ~100 credits. • General-purpose sensors (five or more target types) are much more expensive: multiply base cost by 10. Often cheaper to install multiple specialized sensors instead.

Sensor cost depends on: 1. The dice bonus to search. 2. Number of target types.

Sensor Base Costs

Sensor Cost Modifiers

Note: Droid sensors cannot track more than six kinds of targets.

Example: Dug buys a sensor package that grants PR6 +2D to search for objects at a distance (25–50 meters) and sources of heat. Base cost 300 × 2 target types = 600 credits.

Not all sensors improve search—some provide bonuses to blaster, dodge, etc.—but search sensors are the most common. Gamemasters should set pricing and availability for other sensor types as needed.

PERSONALITY

At the time of activation, some droids are programmed with basic personality matrices. A droid personality matrix begins with a primary personality archetype which acts as the basis for the droid's personality. Over time (and without memory wipes), a droid's personality will mature and grow, customizing itself to its surroundings.

Matrices come in a variety of types—far too many to list here—so when a player is designing a droid, the gamemaster must judge the price and installation difficulty based on how complex the intended personality is.

Personality Complexities

There are five basic categories of droid personalities: none, simple, elementary, advanced, and complex. • None: The droid has no need for a personality; it will seldom interact with organics. A droid without a personality matrix may still communicate with mechanicals and organics; it simply tends to be cold and mechanical. Many fifth degree droids do not come with standard personality matrices. • Simple: Installed on droids that only rarely need to be around organics. Often describable in a single word (friendly, ornery, cruel, timid, etc.). Power droids and some more sophisticated MSE-6 "mouse droids" have Simple matrices. • Programming from scratch: Moderate (A) droid engineering or Difficult droid programming. • Elementary: Used for droids with occasional organic contact. Astromech droids typically have Elementary matrices. • Programming from scratch: Moderate (A) droid engineering or Difficult droid programming. • Advanced: For droids that interact with organics fairly often. Supports limited intelligent conversation (often task-focused). Depth develops over time. Medical droids typically have Advanced matrices. • Programming from scratch: Very Difficult (A) droid engineering or Heroic droid programming. • Complex: For droids whose primary function involves regular interaction with organics. They can seem fully sentient. Protocol droids typically have Complex matrices. • Programming from scratch: Very Difficult (A) droid engineering or Heroic droid programming.

Personality Installation

If the designer programs the matrix from scratch (using the difficulty guidelines above), there is no additional cost to install it.

Alternatively, the designer may purchase a ready-made personality matrix. Use the chart below to determine the cost and the installation difficulty. The designer may use either the (A) droid engineering skill or the droid programming skill (only one roll required).

Personality Matrices

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MAINTENANCE SERVICES

Once a droid has been built, purchased, or otherwise acquired, it's up to the owner to keep it functional. While an owner can perform standard maintenance, it's often easier (and sometimes cheaper) to use an authorized service center.

Repairs

Droids inevitably need repairs. Owners may attempt repairs themselves or use a service center.

Note: When repairing a droid, you do not pay for both service and parts—the service costs below include required parts.

Droid Repair Costs

Oil Baths

An oil bath doesn't "clean" a droid so much as lubricate it, improving fluid and accurate movement—especially on harsh-climate worlds. Many service centers and starports offer oil baths. • Typical service cost ranges from 50 credits (small droid, e.g., astromech) to 1,000 credits (large droid, 2–3 meters). • Permanent oil baths are sometimes purchased by owners with multiple droids, but baths large enough for anything bigger than speeder scale are essentially unheard of. • Recommended frequency: twice per season, or more in harsh environments. • Optional wear rule: the gamemaster may apply −1 pip Dexterity per month spent in harsh environments without an oil bath.

Droid Oil Bath (item block) • Model: Fryil Industries TD series bath • Type: Droid oil bath • Skill: N/A • Cost: 50–1,000 credits (service); 1,500 credits (new, character scale); 5,000 credits (new, speeder scale) • Availability: 1 • Game Notes: Oil baths assist in cleansing droid movement control actuators. An oil bath negates negative modifiers gained from extended exposure to harsh environments.

Memory Wipes

Memory wipes ("mindwipes") are common practice—especially when buying used droids. A wipe removes accumulated memories and personality development, leaving only hardwired programming intact.

Droid Memory Wipe (item block) • Skill: Droid programming • Cost: 50–500 (depending on local fees) • Availability: 1 • Difficulty: Difficult • Game Notes: A successful wipe returns the personality matrix to its basic configuration, removing development since activation or the last wipe. Any pips added via "tinkering" are lost. Only hardwired skills remain.

Restraining Bolts and Callers

Restraining bolts allow an owner to bypass motivational programming and compel basic actions—commonly activate/deactivate.

Restraining Bolt (item block) • Skill: Droid repair • Cost: 50 credits • Availability: 1 • Game Notes: A droid fitted with a restraining bolt must obey commands sent by a "Caller." The droid cannot resist.

Caller (item block) • Skill: Droid programming • Cost: 100–500 credits • Availability: 1 • Game Notes: A compact short-range signaling device that broadcasts into a droid's motivational processor (via a restraining bolt). Simple callers transmit simple commands; advanced callers transmit more complex commands. Typical range: 20 meters.

Rental Restraining Bolt (item block) • Type: Credit-activated restraining bolt • Cost: 10 • Availability: 2 • Game Notes: Functions like a standard bolt, but includes a credit reader. The user deposits credits to control the droid for a set time; when time expires, the droid deactivates until more credits are deposited.

Droid Remote Control (item block) • Type: Navigation override system • Cost: 500 • Availability: 2 • Game Notes: An advanced restraining-bolt-style system that lets the owner use a caller to move the droid using its own locomotion. It can't be compelled to use other systems/possessions; it simply moves as directed at Cautious speed.

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OVERRIDING LIFE PRESERVATION PROGRAMMING

Most droids (except some fourth degree models) are required by Imperial law to include Life Preservation Programming (LPP), which prevents harming organic beings. Overriding LPP is difficult.

To override LPP in game terms, the character must make two successful rolls: 1. Droid programming (difficulty depends on droid degree) 2. Command, opposed by the droid's willpower or Knowledge (whichever is higher)

Gamemasters may require both rolls in one round (applying multiple action penalties) or allow two rounds.

Droid Programming Override Difficulties

    •        First Degree: Very Difficult
    •        Second Degree: Difficult
    •        Third Degree: Heroic
    •        Fourth Degree: Moderate
    •        Fifth Degree: Difficult

To determine whether LPP has been overridden, make a droid programming roll using the same difficulty; time required: 1D minutes.

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Source: REUP:381