Droids

All Droids   1st‑Degree Droids   2nd‑Degree Droids   3rd‑Degree Droids   4th‑Degree Droids   5th‑Degree Droids

A droid is a kind of intelligent robot, a mechanical automaton electronically programmed to act, think, and behave in a certain way.
     Droids facilitate various tasks that organic beings find tedious, difficult, or hazardous. They are typically fashioned in the likeness of their creators or in a utilitarian design that stresses function. Their usefulness makes them a common sight on nearly every inhabited world in the galay. They provide assistance, advice, and sometimes even friendship to trillions of sentient beings on a daily basis.

A Droid’s Life

Droids are usually property, bought and sold like any other piece of equipment. Although some droid ownsers com to think of their droids as friends, the fact remains that droids are programmed to serve whoever is designated as their master. To the vast majority of droids, the concept of droid independence is unthinkable. Without someone to command them, what would they do?
     Even so, ownership and control are two very different things. Droids must do what they are commanded to do to the best of their ability, but their programming dictates how they accomplish their orders. Ordered to find a replacement part for an X-wing, a droid might commence a systematic search of the repair bay, then the docking facility, then the neighborhood, then the countryside, and so on—all the while thinking its actions are perfectly logical. Droids often need very specific instructions to do what their masters command, in a manner meeting their master’s expectations.
     Occasionally, events conspire to lead a droid to independence. These so-called “self-owned” droids are few, but not as rare as many believe. One might hear stories of droids that escape their masters after years of abuse, or of an entire line of droids that manifest violent personalities as the result of a programming glitch. However, independent droids are rarely haywire, rampaging killers. Independent droids often enter into partnerships with organic beings, particularly on worlds where a lone droid without a master draws a lot of unwanted attention. Independent droids sometimes even seek each other out, hoping to find strength and security in numbers. Some independent droids are thrust into the unlikely role of hero, helping to defend the galaxy from the depredations of evil as personified by the likes of the Empire and the Yuuzhan Vong.

Creating a Droid Hero

If you want to play a droid as a hero, you can either play an existing droid from this chapter or create your own unique droid hero. Droid heroes are assumed either to be “self-owned” or to be owned by another player character (with the approval of both the Gamemaster and the player in question). Even if owned by another member of the party, the Gamemaster should ensure that the owner does not abuse his authority by giving unreasonable or unwanted orders to the other player’s droid character. A droid player character should be treated the same as any other player character, and in most cases it is best to give suggestions or advice instead of actual orders. (in fact, most droid heroes have a heuristic processor so that they can creatively interpret orders and thus justify acting as they wish.)
     When you decide to play a droid hero, you’ll have to pick out a few details about what type of droid your character will be. This is the equivelent of picking a species for a non-droid character.

Option 1: Playing a Custom Droid

You can play a droid of your own design. The only choices you have to make are choosing your degree, size, and accessories, and assigning your ability scores.Once you have taken note of these details on your character sheet, continue with character generation normally.

Determining Ability Scores

Droid characters determine their ability scores the same way non-droid characters do. However, droids do not have Constitution scores because they are not actually living beings; they only need scores for their five remaining abilities. You can determine your ability scores in one of three ways:
     Rolling: Roll 4d6 five times, discarding the lowest die each time. Add up the remaining three dices and assign the result to any one of your five abilities.
     Planned Generation: All your ability scores start at 8, and you have 21 points to spend to increase them (see Planned Generation).
     Standard Score Package: The standard score package for droid heroes is 15, 14, 13, 12, 10. Assign these five scores to your five abilities as you see fit.

Degree

Table: Droid Degrees
Degree	Ability Modifiers	Typical Roles
1st	+2 Int, +2 Wis, −2 Str	medical, scientific
2nd	+2 Int, −2 Cha	astromech, technical
3rd	+2 Wis, +2 Cha, −2 Str	protocol, service
4th	+2 Dex, −2 Int, −2 Cha	combat, security
5th	+4 Str, −4 Int, −4 Cha	labor, utility

Droids are classified by degree, reflecting the types of tasks they typically perform. Generally, 1st-degree droids are medical and analytical droids, 2nd-degree droids are mechanical and technical droids, 3rd-degree droids are protocol and domestic droids, 4th-degree are security and battle droids, and 5th-degree droids are labor and utility droids. A droid’s function does not have to match its degree, but this is uncommon.
     Pick a degree (1dt, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, or 5th) for your droid. This determines your ability score modifiers, as shown in Table: Droid Degrees. For example, a 3rd-degree protocol droid increases its Wisdom and Charisma scores by 2 and reduces its Strength score by 2.
     Below are some examples of the droid types you can pick.
          1st-Degree
          2nd-Degree
          3rd-Degree
          4th-Degree
          5th-Degree

Size

You can choose to play a Medium or Small droid. Droids of other sizes exist, but they are controlled by the GM.
     A droid’s size determines its ability modifiers, its size bonus to Reflex Defense, its size bonus on Stealth checks, adjustments to hit points and damage threshold, its carrying capacity, and its cost factor, as shown in Table: Droid Sizes.
     Medium: Player character droids of Medium size have no special modifiers because of their size. They have a walking locomotion system and a speed of 6 squares.
     Small: Player character droids of Small size apply the following ability score modifiers: +2 Dexterity, −2 Strength. They have a tracked locomotion system and a speed of 4 squares. Small droid gain a +1 size bonus to their Reflex Defense and a +5 size bonus on Stealth checks. However, their lifting and carrying limits are three-quarters of those of Medium characters.
     Cost Factor: A droid’s cost factor is used to calculate the cost of the droid and some droid systems. Particularly large droids can be very expensive, but particularly small droids are not any cheaper due to the expenses associated with miniaturization. Droids that are Small size or smaller treat their cost factor as being equal to 2 ÷ their cost factor for the purposes of determining accessory weight.

Table: Droid Sizes
Droid Size	Ability Modifiers	Reflex Defense Modifier	Sealth Modifier	Extra Hit Points	Damage Threshold Bonus	Carrying Capacity	Cost Factor
Colossal	+32 Str, −4 Dex	−10	−20	+100	+50	×20	×20
Gargantuan	+24 Str, −4 Dex	−5	−15	+50	+20	×10	×10
Huge	+16 Str, −4 Dex	−2	−10	+20	+10	×5	×5
Large	+8 Str, −2 Dex	−1	−5	+10	+5	×2	×2
Medium	None	+0	+0	—	—	×1	×1
Small	−2 Str, +2 Dex	+1	+5	—	—	×0.75	×2
Tiny	−4 Str, +4 Dex	+2	+10	—	—	×0.5	×5
Diminutive	−6 Str, +6 Dex	+5	+15	—	—	×0.25	×10
Fine	−8 Str, +8 Dex	+10	+20	—	—	×0.01	×20

Class and Level

You are 1st level in one heroic class (noble, scoundrel, scout, or soldier) of your choice. You cannot choose the Jedi class.

Systems and Accessories

You have a heuristic processor (see below) and two arm appendages (see below).
     You may spend up to 1,000 credits on additional locomotion systems, appendages, and accessories as you see fit. As with standard droid models, your starting locomotion, appendages, and accessories do not count against your carrying capacity. You do not get to keep any leftover credits, but you still gain the appropriate starting credits according to your class.

Droid Common Traits

All droid characters have certain traits in common as discussed in Droid Traits below.

Option 2: Playing a Standard Droid Model

If you wish to forego creating your own custom droid, you can always play one of the stock models found later in the chapter. If you use this option, you do not roll for ability scores; instead, you automatically have the ability scores listed for the selected model of droid. The droid you select must meet the following criteria, and you may modify the stock model as noted here.
     Size: You can only be Small or Medium size.
     Processor: You cannot have a remote processor, so you must install a basic processor or heuristic processor if the selected model of droid does not normally include one.
     Class and Level: The droid you select can have no more than three levels in the nonheroic class or one level in any heroic class. If the droid you select has only one or two levels in the nonheroic class, you may choose to add one level in a heroic class of your choice; this adds 1,500 credits to your droid’s final cost.
     You begin play with the minimum number of experience points necessary for your character level. For example, a 2nd-level nonheroic/1st-level scoundrel would begin play with 3,000 XP.
     Final Cost: The final cost of your droid, including any necessary adjustments for a processor or adding a level in a heroic classs, cannot exceed 5,000 credits. You may add accessories or replace systems as you see fit as long as your final cost remains within this limit. You do not get to keep any unspent credts, but you still gain the appropriate starting credits acording to your class.
     All droid characters have certain traits in common.
     Once you have made all neccessary adjustments and noted these details on your character sheet, continue with character generation normally.

Droid Traits

Droids share the following basic traits:

•      Abilities: Droids are nonliving entities, so they do not have Constitution scores. Droids can increase any two of their five remaining ability scores by +1 each at 4th level and every four levels thereafter, just like any other character. These increases represent improved heuristics and algorithms that the droid has developed from experience as well as upgrades to its components undertaken as a part of routine maintenance. Droid ability modifiers are determined by their degree and size (see above). A droid can never have an ability score less than 1, regardless of modifications.
•      Behavioral Inhibitors: Droids (except 4th-degree droids) cannot intentionally harm a sentient living being or knowingly allow a sentient living being to be harmed. Furthermore, all droids must follow orders given to them by their rightful owners, as long as those orders don’t require the droid to harm a sentient living being. Droids with heuristic processors can sometimes violate these restrictions by creatively interpreting their behavioral inhibitions (see Processors).
•      Ion Damage Vulnerability: As electronic constructs, droids are vulnerable to ion damage. Generally, ion weapons have the same effect on droids that stun weapons have on living beings.
•      Maintenance: Droids do not sleep, eat or breathe. However, they do need to enter shutdown mode and recharge for 1 hour after 100 hours of operation. If a droid fails to do so, it must make an Endurance check each hour (DC 10, +1 per additional hour after the first) or move −1 persistent step along the condition track. This persistent condition can only be removed by the droid recharging for 1 hour.
•      Memory: A droid’s trained skills, feats, and talents can be reassigned with the Use Computer skill. A droid hero can use its own Use Computer skill to perform this reprogramming, but takes a −5 penalty on its skill check. If a droid is ever subjected to a complete memory wipe, it becomes a basic model of its type, losing any levels and abilities gained (see Processors below).
•      Nonliving: A droid is immune to poison, disease, radiation, noncorrosive atmospheric hazards, vacuum, mind-affecting effects, stunning effects, and any other that works only on living targets. Droids have no connection to the Force and can’t gain the Force Sensitivity feat or learn Force powers. Droids do not have a Constitution score, so they don’t get bonus hit points for having a high Constitution, and they apply their Strength modifier to their Fortitude Defense. Droids do not gain an ability bonus to Constitution-based skill checks and may not take feats or talents with a Constitution prerequisite.
       Unlike living beings, droids don’t “die,” but they can be disabled or destroyed. If a droid is reduced to 0 hit points, it is disabled and cannot be reactivated until it is repaired so that it has at least 1 hit point. If the attack that reduced the droid to 0 hit points also exceeds the droid’s damage threshold, the droid is destroyed instead. A destroyed droid cannot be repaired or salvaged.
•      Repair: Droids can regain lost hit points only through the use of the Mechanics skill. A droid can use this skill to repair itself, but it takes a −5 penalty on its skill check.
•      Shut Down: A droid that is shut down can take no actions and is effectively unconscious. Shutting down a willing droid is a a standard action. Shutting down an unwilling droid is more difficult, requiring that you grab the droid and then make a Mechanics check (DC = droid’s Will Defense) as a standard action while it’s grabbed. You cannot shut down an unwilling droid with locked access unless it is disabled or otherwise helpless.
•      Skills: Droids normally cannot use any skill untrained except for Acrobatics, Climb, Jump, and Perception. A droid with a heuristic processor ignores this limitation (see Processors below).
•      Systems: Droids can have many of their characteristics changed by installing or replacing existing systems (see Modifying Droids below).
•      Automatic Languages: Binary plus one language chosen by the designer (usually Basic).

Droid Systems

Unlike Characters and creatures, droids are essentially collections of different equipment called systems. A droid’s systems can be upgraded, replaced, and modified many times throughout a droid’s operational lifetime. A droid system falls into one of four categories: locomotion, processor, appendage, or accessory.

Locomotion

All droids begin with a base movement speed determined by its locomotion system (see Table: Droid Locomotion). Droids can have more than moe locomotion system. Add 500 × the droid’s cost factor for the second locomotion system, 1000 × the droid’s cost factor for the third, 2000 × the droid’s cost factor for the fourth, and 5000 × the droid’s cost factor for the fifth.
     Walking Droids: Walking droids are the most versatile droids, having legs and feet that let them travel like bipeds, quadrupeds, and other similar creatures. The most common chassis for walking droids is the “humanoid” form (two arms, two legs, and a head). They suffer the usual penalties when moving through difficult terrain.
     Wheeled Droids: Wheeled droids use one or more powered wheels to move and are generally desinged to traverse smooth surfaces. Wheeled droids can’t use the Climb skill, and the penalties of moving through difficult terrain are doubled.
     Tracked Droids: Tracked droids are an improvement on the wheeled droid, having ridged treads that give them more traction. Tracked droids ignore the penalties of difficult terrain, but they take a −5 penalty on all Climb checks.
     Hovering Droids: Hovering droids use repulsorlift technology to float slowly above the ground (within 3 meters). They ignore the penalties of difficult terrain.
     Flying Droids: Flying droids use engines of some kind to travel mor or less wherever they please. They are not hampered by any type of terrain, but tend to be the most expensive.
     Stationary Droids: Stationary droids do not have a locomotion system and cannot move from a fixed location.

Restricted Locomotion System

The cost of a droid’s locomotion system can be reduced by placing limitations on its use. The two types of restrictions are exclusive and limited. A restricted locomotion system costs only one-tenth the normal cost.
     Exclusive Locomotion System: The droid must spend a move action to engage or disengage this locomotion system. While the system is engaged, the droid can only use the move and run actions.
     Limited Locomotion System: The droid can only use this locomotion system for a limited time. After using this locomotion system for 11 round, the droid must make an Endurance check (DC 10, +1 per check after the first) or it cannot use that locomotion system again for 1 minute (10 rounds).

Climbing Claws

Claws designed to grip a surface can be added to any droid with a walking locomotion system. Climbing claws grant the droid a climb speed equal to one-half its walking speed. In addition, a droid equipped with climbing claws may reroll a failed Climb check (keeping the better result) and can take 10 on Climb checks even when rushed or threatened. Climbing claws double the cost of a walking locomotion system.

Extra Legs

Walking droids are usually bipedal, but a walking droid can be built with three or more legs (usually four) to grant the droid extra stability and carrying capacity. This doubles the cost of the walking locomotion system, but the droid’s carrying capacity is 50% higher than that of a bipedal droid of the same Strength. In addition, the droid gains a +5 stability bonus on checks to resist attempts to knock it prone.

Jump Servos

Repulsorlift-assisted jump servos can be added to any droid with a walking locomotion system. Jump servos grant the droid the ability to treat all jumps as running jumps, even without the normal running start. In addition, the droid may reroll a failed Jump check (keeping the better result) and take 10 on Jump checks even when rushed or threatened. Jump servos double the cost of a walking locomotion system.

Magnetic Feet

Electromagnetic grippers enable a droid to cling to a ship’s hull, even when the ship is moving at high speed. Only droids with walking, wheeled, or tracked locomotion can have magnetic feet.

Appendages

Table: Droid Appendages and Damage
Droid Size	Probe	Instrument	Tool	Hand	Claw
Fine	—	—	—	—	—
Diminutive	—	—	—		1
Tiny	—	—	1	1	1d2
Small	—	1	1d2	1d2	1d3
Medium	1	1d2	1d3	1d3	1d4
Large	1d2	1d3	1d4	1d4	1d6
Huge	1d3	1d4	1d6	1d6	1d8
Gargantuan	1d4	1d6	1d8	1d8	2d6
Colossal	1d6	1d8	2d6	2d6	2d8

The types of appendages a droid has determines how well it is able to touch, hold, lift, carry, push, pull, or place objects. A limb that isn’t used for locomotion or balance has one of the following types of appendages: probe, instrument, tool, claw, or hand.
     Droids can use their appendages to make unarmed attacks. The damage dealt by an unarmed attack depends on the droid’s size and the type of appendage. Table: Droid Appendages and Damage lists the base unarmed damage; remember to apply the droid’s Strength modifier to this base damage. A droid can have any number of appendages, but this does not increase the number of actions or attacks the droid can make in a round.
     Probe: Few droids have no actual manipulators. The bare minimum is a probe that can push or pull objects.
     Instruments: Instruments are a step up from simple probes. They might be designed to acomplish specific tasks. For example, a droid with a hypodermic syringe as its sole appendage can use the syringe for its intended purpose, but otherwise can only push objects with it. A few instuments are actually designed to clamp, and can thus hold objects, but they are generally delicate. A droid using an instrument of this nature has a carrying capacity as if its Strength score were one-quarter of its actual value.
     Tool: Tool appendages are somewhat sturdier than instruments. A droid must make a DC 15 Desterity check to lift, carry, or drag objects for which its tools were not designed. The GM might rule that particularly delicate objects have a higher DC. If the check fails, the droid drops the object.
     Weapons mounted on a droid are considered tool appendages unless otherwise noted. A tool mount does not include the cost of the tool or weapon mounted on it.
     Claw: Claws are an intermediate step between tools and hands. The are useful for grabbing onto objects to be moved, but aren't very good for tasks that require fine manipulation. While a droid could easily carry a blaster in its claw, it would have difficulty firing it, for example. A droid using a claw to perform a task that normally requires a true hand must make a DC 15 Desterity check to succeed at the task. If the check fails, the droid drops the object it is attempting to manipulate.
     Hand: A droid is considered to have a true hand if its gripping appendage includes at least three digits, one of which is opposable. Factory-model 3PO Series protocol droids and Baktoid Combat Automata battle droids come equipped with hands.

Telescopic Appendage

The droid has an appendage that reaches farther from its body than normal. A telescopic appendage has twice the normal reach for the droid’s size. For example, a Medium droid with a telescopic appendage has a reach of 2 squares.

Stabilized Mount

For five times the listed cost and weight, a tool appendage can be stabilized so that it can hold a larger weapon. This allows the droid to use that weapon as if it was wielded in two hands.

Processors

Binary

Nearly all droids are programmed to understand a binary computer language used by most computers and intelligent machines. The simple version of this is a language skill called Binary. With it, droids can communicate with computers and each other. Binary allows a computer or droid to communicate mathematical or technical information in great detail at a very high rate (approximately 100 times as fast as normal speech), but it has great difficulty expressing nontechnical topics such as emotion, art, philosophy, or the Force. For example, as a free action, a droid could use Binary to describe the exact location and physical description of all objects and characters that the droid detects in a 10-square-by-10-square area, but the droid would be unable to express the nuance of a conversation or the emotion conveyed by body language.
     Obviously, some droids can understand additional languages as well—most droids in the galaxy are programed with Basic, even if they can’t actually articulate the language. Some living beings learn to interpret the binary language of droids, even if they can’t themselves speak an approximation of it. A living being who understands Binary cannot understnd the same volume of information as another droid or computer, so the speaking droid must voluntarily slow its speech to normal rates (that is, the same as Basic or any other language) so that the living being can understand it.

A droid can’t perform any functions without its processor (also known as a droid brain), which contains all the basic information the droid needs to move its appendages, travel from place to place, behave in a certain, and so on. A droid’s Intelligence score reflects the quality of its processor. Low-intelligence droids tend to specialize in single tasks thatrequire no deductive capability. High-intelligence droids are considerably more versatile—and more expensive.
     Basic Processor: Basic processors are not designed for creative thought and problem solving, and as such most droids interpret instructions and behavioral inhibitions very literally. Furthermore, basic processors are very limited in that the droid cannot perform any task for which it was not programmed. For example, a droid that is not trained in the Deception skill cannot lie or otherwise convey false or unknown information. A droid with a basic processor cannot use any skill untrained except for Acrobatics, Climb, Jump, and Perception. Similarly, a basic processor does not allow a droid to use any weapon with which it is not proficient, and a droid’s behavorial inhibitors may prevent it from harming sentient living being altogether (see Behavioral Inhibitors).
     Every droid comes with a basic processor, at the very least.
     Heuristic Processor: This type of processor allows a droid to learn by doing, usually without instruction. the droid is able to reason through potential solutions to tasks and formulate the best approach. Because of this, a droid with a heuristic processor may use skills untrained, just like any other character. Similarly, the droid can wield a weapon even if it is not proficient in its use (but still takes the normal −5 penalty on attack rolls).
     In addition, a droid with a heuristic processor can creatively interpret its instructions, allowing it to complete tasks in a manner that it deems appropriate. A heuristic processor allows a droid to work around its behavorial inhibitors as long as it can justify a given action. for example, a noncombat droid with a heuristic processor can attack and even harm a sentient living being as long as it believes that doing so will ultimately save more sentient living beings from harm.
     Over time, a droid equipped with a heuristic processor develops a unique personality based on experience. Because of this, memory wipes and restraining bolts are commonly used to ensure that a heuristic processor doesn’t allow a droid to stray too far from its intended purpose. Still, some progressive masters actually encourage their droids to break their programming, trusting the droid’s judgement to make independent decisions without taking advantage of the situation.
     Remote Processor: The droid’s processor isn’t located in the droid; instead, the droid is actually a drone for a remote processor. The processor is equipped with a trasnmitter that allows a droid equipped with the appropriate remote receiver to operate as far away as 5km (for the least expensive model) to as much a 5,000km (for the most expensive model).
     The advantage of a remote processor is that it makes the droid much less expensive because it only needs a receiver instead of a local control system. The drawback is that the droid doesn’t react as quickly as a droid with an internal processor, so it takes a −2 penalty to its Dexterity.
     Remote Receiver: This unit allows a droid to receive instructions from a remote processor. Only droids without internal processors (such as Baktoid Combat Automata battle droids) can be fitted with remote receivers. A remote receiver can only be connected to one remote processor at a time. Changing the connection to a different remote processor requires a DC 20 Mechanics check and a tool kit.
     Backup Processor: A droid with a remote receiver can also have a backup processor that allows the droid to function even if it loses contct with its remote processor. The droid will continue executing its last received orders until contact is reestablished.
     Synchronized Fire Circuits: A droid with a remote receiver can have synchronized fire circuits that better coordinate its action with other droids. When successfully using the aid another action to assist another droid connected to the same remote processor, a droid with synchronized fire circuits grants a +5 bonus instead of a +2 bonus on the other droid’s check or roll.

Behavioral Inhibitors

Even without a restraining bolt or periodic memory wipes, most droids operate according to a rigid set of guidelines. A droid’s core programming—the part of its memory that can’t be wiped—provides it with strict instructions on how to react to common circumstances, most of which revolve around obedience, safety, ethics, and morality. These instructions are the droid’s behavorial inhibitors.
     The most common restriction coded into a droid’s memory is the notion that it can’t harm a sentient living being or, through inaction, allow a sentient living being to come to harm. (Fourth-degree droids do not have this restriction.) Droids are under similar strictures not to allow themselves to be harmed unless specifically ordered to do so. Of course, droids are also hardwired to obey the commands of their designated masters. When a master’s orders conflict with the droid’s behavioral inhibitors, the droid is required to inform its master immediately.
     Restraining Bolt: A restraining bolt turns off a droid’s motor impulse without actually shutting down the droid. The restraining bolt is activated with a handheld device called a droid caller (see below). Restraining bolts must be secured to specific locations on droids. Attaching or removing a restraining bolt is a full-round action and requires a DC 10 Mechanics check. A droid fitted with a restraining bolt can’t upgrade or improve its skills (see Reprogramming).
     A droid with a heuristic processor can attempt to remove its own restrining bolt as a standard action with a successful DC 20 Charisma check followed by a successful DC 15 Mechanics check. A droid that fails the Charisma check can’t atempt to remove the restrining bolt again until 24 hours pass.
     Droid Caller: The droid caller is a handheld transmitter weighing 0.2kg. It transmits a signal to any droid equipped with a restraining bolt. The droid caller overrides a droid’s motor function and impels it toward the caller for as long as the device is activated. A droid with a heuristic processor fitted with a restraining bolt can resist the droid caller with a successful DC 20 Charisma check. If successful, that droid can’t be affected by that specific droid caller for 24 hours.

Reprogramming

A basic model droid comes with factory-preset skills and a certain set of trained skills, feats, and sometimes talents. These factory-presets are embedded in the droid’s core programming and cannot be altered, but many droids have one or more trained skills left unassigned so that they can easily be programmed for their specific duties. Unassigned skills as well as feats and talents gained through level advancement can be altered through reprogramming.
     Reprogramming a droid requires a Use Computer check (DC = droid’s Will Defense) and 30 minutes of uninterrupted work. Reprogramming feats and talents is more difficult, so you take a −5 penalty on your Use Computer check. Furthermore, feats and talents can only be reprogrammed if they are neither a requirement for any of the droid’s prestige classes nor a prerequisite for any feat or talent the droid retains. As always, a droid must meet all prerequisites for any replacement feats or talents. A droid can only have talents he is eligible for based on his classes; thus, a droid with 5 levels in the soldier class could only be reprogrammed with 3 talents that can be taken by soldiers (soldier levels 1, 3, and 5). A droid with 5 levels of soldier and 3 levels of scoundrel could be reprogrammed with 3 soldier talents and 2 scoundrel talents. Reprogramming requires that the droid be shut down for the duration of the procedure (but see “Droid Self-Reprogramming,” below).
     To reprogram a skill, the programmer must be trained in that skill or purchase a skill package (100 credits). To reprogram a feat or talent, the programmer must either have that feat or talent or purchase a feat or talent package (1,000 credits).
     If the droid’s owner is unable to do the reprogramming himself, he can hire a professional programmer to do the task for him. The standard cost of hiring a programmer is (droid’s Will Defense squared) × 10 credits for a skill, or 10 times this amount for a feat or talent. The cost includes any necessary skill, feat, or talent packages.
     Droid Self-Reprogramming: A droid trained in the Use Computer skill may attempt to reprogram itself. However, the droid must have the appropriate skill, feat, or talent package to do so, and it takes a −5 penalty on its Use Computer skill check. A droid attempting to self-reprogram does not have to be shut down, but it is helpless and unable to take any actions until the attempt is completed.

Memory Wipes

Although intelligent droids consider it frightful and ghoulish and heroic droids regard it as a fate worse than death, the memory wipe is a fact of existence for most droids. Its primary purpose is to eradicate personality quirks that distinguish an independent droid.
     Wiping a droid’s memory requires a successful Use Computer check against the droid’s Will Defense. The droid must be shut down to perform the memory wipe. A memory wipe erases one class level per minute. A completed memory wipe reduces a droid to a basic model with no personality quirks and no class abilities. For example, a 3PO Series protocol droid that had been a 1st-level nonheroic/4th-level scoundrel becomes a 1st-level nonheroic basic model after a 4 minute memory wipe, losing its scoundrel levels and all the corresponding benefits.

Downloading and Restoring Memory

Unlike organic beings, droids have a form of mechanical immortality: if a droid’s programming is saved to a computer system, and a new chassis and droid brain can be bought or found, others can attempt to load its memory into the new droid and reactivate the droid.

Same model	DC 20
Different model, same degree	DC 25
Different model, different degree	DC 35

A successful Use Computer check is required to transfer a droid’s programming into a new chassis. the DC for the Use Computer check depends on the type of new chassis being used.
     Each time the transfer is attempted, the droid must make a DC 15 Intelligence check. A failed check indicates that the droid’s memory suffers corruption: a permanent reduction of 1d6 Intelligence points. The corrupted programming can’t be repaired; if the droid’s Intelligence modifer decreases because of corruption, the droid’s trained skills must be reduced accordingly. The droid also loses access to feats that have an Intelligence prerequisite higher than the droid’s new Intelligence score.
     A droid successfully transferred into another droid of the same model resumes functioning as it was before the transfer, retaining all ability scores, class levels, skills, feats, and talents.
     A droid successfully transferred into a different model adopts the Strength and Dexterity of the new model but keeps its previous Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. The droid retains its trained skills, although skill modifiers based on Strength and Dexterity might need adjusting. Finally, the droid loses one class level (including all associated talents and feats) as it has to reprogram and adapt its memory and sensory inputs for the new chassis.

Accessories

Any miscellaneous system that does not fall under one of the above categories can be considered an accessory. Accessories add functions or improve existing systems on a droid, making them more capable and efficient. Table: Droid Accessories summarizes the various accessories described in this chapter.
     Cost and Weight: Sometimes a droid accessory has a flat cost or weight. Often the cost and/or weight is determined by multiplying a base number by the droid’s cost factor, which is determined by the droid’s size.
     Availability: Some droid accessories have limited availability or are strictly regulated, as described in Restricted Items.

Armor

Droids can be equipped with built-in armor that provides an armor bonus to Reflex Defense. Bipedal droids with two hand appendages can also wear armor designed for humanoid creatures; however, the armor bonus granted by built-in armor does not stack with the armor bonus provided by worn armor. Table: Droid Armor summarizes the different types of built-in droid armor available.
     Speed: A droid with built-in armor takes an armor check penalty on attack rolls as well as skill checks made using the following skills: Acrobatics, Climb, Endurance, Initiative, Jump, Stealth, and Swim. The type of armor work determines the size of the penalty: light, −2; medium, −5; heavy, −10. A droid with the appropriate Armor Proficiency feat negates these penalties.
     Maximum Dexterity Bonus: Built-in droid armor has a maximum Dexterity bonus, just like normal armor.
     Availability: Some armor has limited availability.
     Rare: This armor is rarely for sale on the open market. The price of the armor on the black market is usually double the listed cost.
     Licensed, Restricted, Military, or Illegal: Ownership of the armor is limited or strictly regulated, as described in Restricted Items.
     Running in Heavy Armor: When running in heavy armor, a droid can only move up to three times its speed (instead of four times).

Communications

All droids are capable of emitting the sounds necessary to speak Binary, a language used by droids and computers to quickly transmit large amounts of information.
     Vocabulator: The droid is equipped with a speaker that enables it to emulate speech, rather than simply spout machine code. This device is standard if the droid has the ability to speak any language other than Binary.
     Commlink: The droid is equipped with an integrated comlink system. It is otherwise identical to the standard comlink.

Diagnostics Package

Some droids are equipped to perform diagnostics, either as an aid to a technician or as a general safety feature. The diagnostic package gives a droid a +2 equipment bonus on Mechanics checks to diagnose problems.

Hardened Systems

Droids of Large or greater size can bee designed to have internal armor and redundant systems that enable it to continues functioning despite heavy damage. this is represented by a multiplier that increases the bonus hit points and damage threshold based on the droid’s size. For example, a Large droid with hardened systems ×3 would have +30 hit points and a +15 bonus to its damage threshold instead of the usual +10 hit points and +5 to its damage threshold.

Internal Storage

Droid Size	Maximum Weight Limit
Small	5kb
Medium	10kg
Large	20kg
Huge	50kg
Gargantuan	500kg
Colossal	5,000kg

The droid has a certain amount of open space in its chassis, allowing for the addition of new internal components or compartments for carried items. Droids of Tiny size or smaller cannot have internal storage.
     For each 50 credits spent, the droid can carry 1kg of meterial or equipment in internal storage. A droid’s size determines the maximum weight of items stored in internal storage, as noted on the table to the right.
     Spring-Loaded Mechanism: This device allows a Small, Medium, or Large droid to launch an item held in an internal storage compartment up to 4 squares as a standard action. The item can weigh no more than 4kg. and the droid makes a ranged attack against the Reflex Defense 10 to launch the projectile into a designated square. Anyone within reach of the target square who has a readied action can try to catch the item, provided the droid’s attack succeeds. (if the attack fails, the item lands in a randomly determined square adjacent to the target square.) Catching the item requires a DC 10 Dexterity check and is considered a move action.
     Spring-loaded mechanisms are not typically designed (or practical) for droids of Huge or larger size.

Secondary Battery

A secondary battery (sometimes called a redundant battery or backup battery) provides the droid with additional power, allowing it to operate for a longer duration. The secondary battery enables the droid to remain operational for 200 hours (instead of the normal 100 hours) before it needs to shut down and recharge.

Self-Destruct System

Droid Size	Damage
Small	4d6
Medium	6d6
Large	8d6
Huge	10d6
Gargantuan or larger	20d6

To prevent capture and analysis, the droid comes equipped with a powerful explosive. The charge destroys the droid from within (no attack required), and a droid destroyed in this fashion cannot be repaired or salvaged. The explosion is treated as an area attack (+5 attack bonus). The damage to all targets within the area is determined by the droid’s size (see right), and the burst radius of the explosion is 2 squares per 4d6 of damage (minimum 2 squares). Droids of tiny size and smaller do not deal collateral damage when they self-destruct.

Sensors

Sensors allow the droid to perceive its surroundings. Most droids are equipped with a standard sensor array that gives them the visual and auditory acuity of an average Human. For an additional cost, a droid can be outfitted with an improved sensor package or with darkvision.
     Improved Sensor Package: A droid with an improved sensor pacage gains a +2 equipment bonus on Perception checks. In adition, the droid gains low-light vision, ignoring concealment (but not total concealment) from darkness.
     Darkvision: The droid with darkvision ignores concealment (including total concealment) from darkness.

Shield Generator

The droid is fitted with a deflector shield generator—the same type mounted on starships. Whenever the droid would take damage, reduce the damage by the droid’s shield rating (SR). If the damage is equal to or greater than the droid’s shield rating, the droid’s shield rating is reduced by 5. By spending three swift actions on the same or consecutive rounds, the droid may make a DC 20 Endurance check to restore lost shield power. If the check succeeds, the droid’s shield rating increases by 5 points (up to its normal shield rating).
     Due to the size and energy requirements of shield generators, only droids of Small size or larger can be equipped with a SR 10 generator. Only droids of Medium size or larger can be equipped with a SR 15 generator. Only droids of Large or bigger size can be equipped with a SR 20 generator.

Translator Unit

The droid is equipped with a device that allows it to understand and convey information in a variety of languages, including nonverbal ones. When the droid experiences a form of communication for the first time, it makes an Intelligence check to determine whether it can identify and understand the language. The DC is based on the translator unit’s database, with the better units having a lower DC.

Modifying Droids

A droid can be modified to carry additional equipment simply by attaching the new equipment to the droid’s chassis and connecting the new component to the droid’s processor. Adding equipment increases the droid’s weight. Droids suffer from encumberance penalties the same way organic characters do: They slow down. Adding, removing, or replacing the systems on a droid requires a Mechanics check, the DC set by the type of system.
     Locomotion: DC 25 Mechanics check, representing 1 day of work.
     Processor: DC 20 Use Computer check and DC 20 Mechanics check, representing 1 day of work.
     Appendage: DC 20 Mechanics check, representing 1 hour of work.
     Accessory: DC 15 Mechanics check, representing 1 hour of work.
     Tool, Weapon, or Instument Mounted on an Appendage: DC 15 Mechanics check, representing 10 minutes of work. You take a −5 penalty on your Mechanics check when installing a weapon on a 1st-, 2nd-, 3rd-, and 5th-dagree droid.
     Self-Modification: A droid may install or replace a locomotion system, appendage, or accessory on itself, but it takes a −5 penalty on its Mechanics check. A droid cannot replace or install a processor on itsef.

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