Star Wars Droid Characters

[atomn]

In the section detailing how to make a droid character it says to choose a droid type to use as the base character. R-2 Astromech droids have 4 levels of expert, so does that mean you cannot take a hero class until you reach character level 5? Or do those levels of expert count as your first level and once you gain enough XP for character level 2, you can take your first heroic level? Thanks!

 

[Donovan Morningfire]

In the section detailing how to make a droid character it says to choose a droid type to use as the base character. R-2 Astromech droids have 4 levels of expert, so does that mean you cannot take a hero class until you reach character level 5? Or do those levels of expert count as your first level and once you gain enough XP for character level 2, you can take your first heroic level? Thanks!

It pretty much means that a stock R2 Astromech is a 4th level character, and can't advance until they garner enough XP to reach 5th level.

As far as playing one in a group, I think the unofficial guideline is to count a droid's levels in Professional classes (Diplomat, Expert or Thug) as half the listed. So for the R2, being a 4th level Expert, he'd fit in with a group of 2nd level characters with heroic levels; it might have more skill points and slightly better saves/base attack bonus, but it also has no Vitality Points to start with.

 

[atomn]

Slick, thanks!

 

[RodneyThompson]

Yeah, me likey the Professional class levels as 1/2 a heroic level thing. Makes the game much more playable as a droid.

One of the things we've done in Saga Edition is make it very, very easy to play droid characters, just because there's always such a high demand.

 

[lukelightning]

Personally I find it easier to just make droid a race, without including any "preloaded" classes. Ability stats are generated the same way as other PCs, with appropriate modifiers (i.e. an astromech droid gets +2 Int and -2 str).

 

[Donovan Morningfire]

Personally I find it easier to just make droid a race, without including any "preloaded" classes. Ability stats are generated the same way as other PCs, with appropriate modifiers (i.e. an astromech droid gets +2 Int and -2 str).

Actually, droids do have races under RCR, which is what droid grade they are. I don't have my books handy nor do I recall what they are exactly, but I do know there's five of them, each one centered around the droid's primary purprose.

I think this is the general breakdown (don't quote me on it, could be wildly inaccurate)
Medical droids are Grade 1
R2's and other astromechs are Grade 2
Protocol droids are Grade 3
Combat droids are Grade 4
Manual labor-type droids are Grade 5

 

[Donovan Morningfire]

Yeah, me likey the Professional class levels as 1/2 a heroic level thing. Makes the game much more playable as a droid.

One of the things we've done in Saga Edition is make it very, very easy to play droid characters, just because there's always such a high demand.

Nice to hear this is being addressed for SECR. Granted, I think I've only ever had one player in d20 version of Star Wars that wanted to be droid (but since he wanted to be a one-of-a-kind combat droid, it was easy enough to fudge), but at least the option will be more open.

 

[atomn]

Personally I find it easier to just make droid a race, without including any "preloaded" classes. Ability stats are generated the same way as other PCs, with appropriate modifiers (i.e. an astromech droid gets +2 Int and -2 str).

That isn't a bad way of going about it, I think I'll pose this to my GM. Having a sort of level adjustment just because you're an R2 unit is pretty terrible.

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

In another version of the game {WEG} I used a house rule that split Droid character generation into two pieces:

- Hardware, this is based entirely on the Chassis and can only be upgraded through physical manipulation...ie Droid Programming skill. Includes the physical stats {STR, DEX, CON} and a select skills the Droid uses in its purpose {an R2 unit would have hardcoded navigation and pilot skills}

- Software, based entirely on the AI and can be upgraded through gaining XP. Includes the mental stats {INT, WIS, CHR} and learned skills. Any hard coded skills are considered class skills. When the Droid has both hard-coded and learned, they use the better of the two.

This allowed for the recovery of 'destroyed' droids and reincarnating them into a new chassis