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If I have a mechanic's drone, can he make skill checks or operate a gun during starship combat?
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Once a drone gets True AI at level 20, it can operate completely independently. Prior to that, it can only use the skill in it's Skill Unit when not under your direct control.
It's unclear if the Skill Subroutine mods are also able to be used unsupervised, but I would tend to think so. If you take the mod twice, you'll get the drone's Int up to 10 and it would be halfway decent with Computers or Engineering.
I wouldn't count on it being able to do much in starship combat though given the high DCs.
If we have multiple guns on our ship, shouldn't I be able to tell him to make an attack during starship combat? He gets to do that every round as long as he's in range, right?
The drone is a class feature, and unless called out specifically or houseruled, it cannot contribute to starship combat. Bolding below for emphasis.
Actions
You can take one action (usually defined by your role) per round
of starship combat. Certain actions require a minimum character
level or number of ranks in a certain skill. NPC crew members are
assumed to have a number of ranks in the appropriate skill equal
to the starship’s tier. Class features and items affect crew actions
only if specifically noted in the class feature or item. If a starship’s
tier is less than 1, treat it as 1 for this purpose.
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Starship combat doesn't have standard/move/swift actions like regular combat. You can't be giving your drone orders each round and still do something yourself. Once the drone gets True AI, it can act completely independently of its owner.
The Skill Unit specifically says it can use the skill when not under your direct control.
As for the "It's a class feature so it can't be used argument", it's only ones that affect (i.e. modify) crew actions that are banned. We're talking about a NPC follower capable of taking independent actions in certain circumstances. It's not modifying a crew action, it's giving you another member of the crew.
The way the starship DCs scale though, it will be completely unable to make the easiest checks by 14th level.
The drone is a class feature, and unless called out specifically or houseruled, it cannot contribute to starship combat. Bolding below for emphasis.
Thanks Harley, this is exactly what I was looking for.
By RAW it didn't work.
But depending on the Group size, I would rule that it works with Limits.
E.g. I currently Play in a three player Party with one mechanic.
So far he didn't ask to use his combat drone for gun Control, but if he does I would allow it, but the drone will only fire on the nearest target.
Otherwise my Group will never be able to use the complete firepower of their ship (Transporter) which will make some ship combat difficult.
As for the "It's a class feature so it can't be used argument", it's only ones that affect (i.e. modify) crew actions that are banned. We're talking about a NPC follower capable of taking independent actions in certain circumstances. It's not modifying a crew action, it's giving you another member of the crew.
The way the starship DCs scale though, it will be completely unable to make the easiest checks by 14th level.
This makes the most sense to me. They're constructs with AI able to operate independently, why wouldn't they be able to serve as crew?
If those skills happen to be engineering, computers, or running a gun a PC isn't controlling - its logical that a drone would be able to run that - even if their skill bonuses are going to be much less than a PC's.
It'd be great to get an "official" ruling on this.
This makes the most sense to me. They're constructs with AI able to operate independently, why wouldn't they be able to serve as crew?As for the "It's a class feature so it can't be used argument", it's only ones that affect (i.e. modify) crew actions that are banned. We're talking about a NPC follower capable of taking independent actions in certain circumstances. It's not modifying a crew action, it's giving you another member of the crew.
The way the starship DCs scale though, it will be completely unable to make the easiest checks by 14th level.
Because the rules assume crew members aren't permanently Staggered.
But do the rules actually say that a drone (or other permanently Staggered creature) cannot act as a crew member? Actually, are there rules defining what can and can't crew at all?
Actually there is a Side-Bar about mixing Crew Actions and 'normal' character Actions (see Starfinder Core Rulebook pg. 322).
A 'minor crew action' appears to be equivalent to a Move Action given the mechanics presented in the Side-Bar, a normal crew action appears to be equivalent to a Full-Round Action...
However since it is never explicitly stated, there doesn't seem to be anything preventing a Drone from taking its "one action (usually defined by your role) per round" during Starship combat just like any other character/creature.
If you're hung up on this, you could consider their "move" action changing roles at the start of every starship combat round.
As Gjorbjond pointed out, drones would only be effective in starship combat at lower levels anyway. Though perhaps, as members of the crew, they could aid-another in their checks. Even at level 1, their Computer or Engineering bonus will typically only be +2.
Mechanics choosing an exocortex could apply their free Skill Focus feat to Computers or Engineering and apply the permanent +3 bonus to starship combat actions. Unless someone wants to make an argument that feats granted as part of class features don't apply for starship combat, either
Skill focus is an insight bonus and will not stack with Bypass. Its good at 1st -4th or so. Then ok Bypass hits +3.
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Skill focus is an insight bonus and will not stack with Bypass. Its good at 1st -4th or so. Then ok Bypass hits +3.
Bypass is another class feature that does not explicitly state that it works with starship combat.
Unlike drones, it actually does modify crew actions when a mechanic is performing engineering checks. By RAW, the bonus should not calculate towards those checks.
Bypass is another class feature that does not explicitly state that it works with starship combat.
I agree that by RAW, that is correct, although dumb. :)
By RAW, the exocortex would not work at all in starship combat, and thus you'd lose the skill focus also.| 1 person marked this as FAQ candidate. |
I agree that by RAW, that is correct, although dumb. :)
By RAW, the exocortex would not work at all in starship combat, and thus you'd lose the skill focus also.
The difference is the Exocortex's Memory Module provides a free Skill Focus feat, not a direct skill bonus. Feats, regardless of their source, are not class features.
I agree that its stupid and that's exactly why we need this in the FAQ.
Its more than just drones in combat, the major argument against drones in combat is that they're a "class feature". There are numerous threads asking for clarification as to exactly where we should draw the line here.
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When a class feature grants you a thing (such as a Bonus Feat), that thing does not become a class feature itself. Your right to a drone is a class feature; but the drone itself is an NPC (whose characteristics are determined by a class feature). The bonus feat you get from the Memory Module is likewise a Feat, not a class feature.
But I could be wrong; Starfinder ended up a clusterf@$$ of bad writing (but hey, at least they explicitly defined handedness and what it means to "wield" a weapon as opposed to "carry" it).
When a class feature grants you a thing (such as a Bonus Feat), that thing does not become a class feature itself. Your right to a drone is a class feature; but the drone itself is an NPC (whose characteristics are determined by a class feature). The bonus feat you get from the Memory Module is likewise a Feat, not a class feature.
The core question of this thread is still waiting an official answer, in addition to so many other cases such as whether the insight bonus granted by a Mechanic's Bypass class feature applies in starship combat.
If you'd like an official answer please up-vote the top post of the thread for a FAQ candidate.
Quick question..
Can a drone use starship weapons as heavy weapons? I didnt see this anywhere....
Thoughts...
Quick question..
Can a drone use starship weapons as heavy weapons? I didnt see this anywhere....
Thoughts...
I don't understand your question.
Heavy weapons are for PCs/NPCs to use in regular "person to person" combat.
Starship weapon aren't intended to be used in that kind of combat at all.
There is a sidebar someplace that says if a starship is involved in "person to person" combat it's weapons deal 10 times the damage against characters as they do against other starships, because they're different scales of weapons.
So I guess the answer as I understand the question is, no your drone cannot even physically wield starship weapons.
Thank you for the quick reply. Since I am trying to maximize my damage, My other question would be as a mechanic what WND weapon can I possibly invent, For other players to use, and my drones
I'm going to assume you meant WMD (weapon of mass destruction) not WND which I have no idea what that would be an acronym for.
As far as what you can create...well not a lot to be honest.
You see, the rules for Starfinder don't cover trying to create "custom" weapons of any sort beyond using the table of already stated up weapons, applying weapon mods/augments (which also already have stats) and at most crafting those items yourself. But crafting items yourself has very little value in Starfinder. You can see the rules for crafting items here.
So, you can make weapons with mods/augments that already stated. If you choose to make heavy weapons, some of them are line, cone, or other area of effect weapons which could be called "WMDs".
But I get the sense that's not what you're after. I think you're after making a completely custom item that would have better stats than the items in books/SRD. And there are simply no rules to do that, nothing that even comes close. And if you did it wouldn't be balanced. So it's going to be completely up to a GM what they would allow you to do.
Yes sorry for typo. Meant wmd. The mechanic dosent seem to be very inventive, just built for improving already built items =MEH....the next question is can anyone built drones and starships?
Im thinking of just building one or buying one. Havent found anything about the cost.
Drones do very well with artillery/aoe weapons that meam they don't need to hit.
Yes sorry for typo. Meant wmd. The mechanic dosent seem to be very inventive, just built for improving already built items =MEH....the next question is can anyone built drones and starships?
Im thinking of just building one or buying one. Havent found anything about the cost.
It's not the mechanic specifically though, it's just the system limits. No one gets to design weapons from scratch. Like you could play any class with engineering as a skill (not even a class skill, just take the skill) and you can build weapons. It's just the benefits are very minimal to doing so. If you want to pretend like you designed your own weapon that's fine, but mechanically you'll have to use something on this list.
I should note also that the class is called Mechanic, not Inventor.
And really what the mechanic class does is let you use a drone as a combat buddy (and your drone is better than what other people can buy) or have an computer in your brain that let's you be better than you could on your own physically.
They can't let you design weapons willy nilly, they'd end up mechanically broken and be a problem for game play. Or they would be so limited that they'd be worse than other options.
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There's the experiemental weapons mechanic, they get some more custom job/tinkerinig flavor.
Ok, speaking of custom weapons/gear..... the evolitionusts can form gear via robotics. Is there a source for this or just left open?
There's the experiemental weapons mechanic, they get some more custom job/tinkerinig flavor.
Yes, but it's still uses existing published weapons as a base and you customize them some, but to me the customization isn't even that impressive.