Battletech Conversions / Pregen Mechs


Mech


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Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber

While looking at the mech playtest rules, I thought it would be handy to have a source of pre-generated mechs available to give either to players who don't want to bother building their own, or to use as enemy mechs. I also thought it would be fun to convert some classic mechs from Battletech.

What follows are some pregenerated mechs, converted from Battletech. I've mostly presented them in Alien Archive format, with the build details (for those who want to tweak things) and descriptions of their special PP actions (for those who want cut-and-paste text they can give to give players) at the bottom.

Battletech conversion notes:

  • I've assigned light mechs huge frames, medium mechs gargantuan frames, and heavy and assault mechs colossal frames (based on these size charts.
  • I've set the tier of each mech equal to 1/5th of it's tonnage. (So 20 ton mechs are tier 4, and 100 ton mechs are tier 20.)
  • I've set the MP of each mech between 100 and 110% of the minimum MP of a mech of that tier.
  • Weapon assignment and placement match those in Battletech as much as the playtest rules allow. (The playtest rules don't allow, e.g., laser rifles or missle batteries to occupy upper limb slots, so I've had to move those to torso slots.)
  • __________

    The 20 ton (Tier 4) Locust Light Mech, a speedy scout/recon mech:

    Locust Details:

    LOCUST (TIER 4) (80 MP)
    Huge Mech (1-2 operators)
    Init [lowest operator]; Senses darkvision 120', blindsense (vibration) 30'; Perception +2+[operator]
    DEFENSE
    HP 40; SP 11
    EAC 23; KAC 22
    Fort +5; Ref +9
    Defensive Abilities fast healing (shields only) 4, hardness 2
    Immunities construct immunities
    OFFENSE
    Speed 120 ft
    Ranged laser rifle +9+[operator BAB/piloting ranks] (2d8 F, critical burn) [range 250', automatic, capacity 20 (4 reloads)], or gatling gun +9+[operator BAB/piloting ranks] (2d10 P) [range 120', automatic, capacity 10 (4 reloads)]
    Space 15 ft; Reach 15 ft
    STATISTICS
    Str +3
    Skills +11 or +9+[operator piloting ranks] Athletics; +7 or +5+[operator piloting ranks/stealth ranks] Stealth
    SPECIAL PP ACTIONS
    PP Initial 3; Max 9; Rate 4
    Fade (0 PP) "As a full action, the mech initiates active camouflage, granting it concealment until it makes an attack or performs other harmful actions, at which point the effect ends. If the mech begins combat while this ability is active, it begins the encounter with 1 less PP (minimum 1)."
    Cloak (4 PP) "As a standard action, the mech fades from view as per invisibility. The effect lasts for 1 round, though the mech can extend the duration each round by expending 1 PP. The effect ends if the mech makes an attack or performs other harmful actions."
    Speed Surge (2 PP) "Each time this ability is activated, the mech increases the number of times it can use an action to move by 1, exceeding the normal limit of two movements per turn. This auxiliary system can be used more than once per turn."
  • Has the ability to make Stealth checks.
  • +5 bonus to Computers when using Scan action, +2 bonus to Perception checks
    BUILD
    Frame: Phantom; Lower Limbs: Fast Biped; Upper Limbs: Precision Arms; Power Core: Dynamo Mk 4; Weapons: Laser Rifle (frame), Gatling Gun (upper limb); Auxiliary Slots: Ammo Reserve, Cloaker, Haste Circuit, Reconnaissance Array; Upgrades: Fleet (x2), Rapid Reflexes
  • __________

    The 45 ton (Tier 9) Hatchetman Medium Mech, a mech built for both ranged and melee combat:

    Hatchetman Details:

    HATCHETMAN (TIER 9) (180 MP)
    Gargantuan Mech (2-6 operators)
    Init +1+[lowest operator]; Senses darkvision 120', blindsense (vibration) 30'; Perception +[operator]
    DEFENSE
    HP 91; SP 21
    EAC 29; KAC 30
    Fort +9; Ref +10
    Defensive Abilities fast healing (shields only) 9, hardness 5
    Immunities construct immunities
    OFFENSE
    Speed 70 ft
    Melee alloyed sword +10+[operator BAB/piloting ranks] (7d4+8 S) [analog, penetrating (9), thrown 20']
    Ranged laser rifle +9+[operator BAB/piloting ranks] (4d8 F, critical burn) [range 250', automatic, capacity 20 (4 reloads)], or rocket launcher +9+[operator BAB/piloting ranks] (5d8 F&P) [range 150', explode (10'), unwieldy, capacity 2 (4 reloads)]
    Space 20 ft'; Reach 20 ft
    STATISTICS
    Str +8
    Skills +17 or +13+[operator piloting ranks] Athletics
    SPECIAL PP ACTIONS
    PP Initial 3; Max 9; Rate 4
    Siege Mode (3 PP) "As a full action, the mech reconfigures its body and ordinance into a siege configuration, providing the stability and power necessary to bombard distant targets. While so configured, the mech can’t fly, and its other movement speeds are reduced to 10 feet. The rocket launcher’s range increases to 500 feet, its explode property’s radius increases to 20 feet, and it deals medium damage for a weapon of its level. The mech can end the siege configuration as a full action."
    Power Jump (2 PP) "The mech can activate the thrusters as part of a move action, granting it a fly speed of 60 feet (average maneuverability) with a maximum height of 30 feet. The mech must either land at the end of this movement, expend additional PP to perform additional power jumps before the end of its turn, or fall."
    BUILD
    Frame: Legionnaire; Lower Limbs: Agile Biped; Upper Limbs: Powerful Arms; Power Core: Dynamo Mk 4; Weapons: Alloyed Sword (upper limbs), Laser Rifle (frame), Rocket Launcher (frame); Auxiliary Slots: Ammo Reserve, Thrusters; Upgrades: Rapid Reflexes

    __________

    The 75 ton (Tier 15) Marauder Heavy Mech, a ranged combat mech that can use dual strikes to lay down a hail of devastating blasts:

    Marauder Details:

    MARAUDER (TIER 15) (315 MP)
    Colossal Mech (2-6 operators)
    Init +3+[lowest operator]; Senses darkvision 120', blindsense (vibration) 30'; Perception +[operator]
    DEFENSE
    HP 160; SP 33
    EAC 33; KAC 36
    Fort +15; Ref +14
    Defensive Abilities fast healing (shields only) 15, hardness 9
    Immunities construct immunities
    OFFENSE
    Speed 50 ft
    Ranged left arm plasma rifle +11+[operator BAB/piloting ranks] (10d10 E&F, critical wound) [range 100', line, capacity 10 (4 reloads)], or right arm plasma rifle +11+[operator BAB/piloting ranks] (10d10 E&F, critical wound) [range 100', line, capacity 10 (4 reloads)], or rocket launcher +11+[operator BAB/piloting ranks] (10d10 F&P) [range 150', explode (10'), unwieldy, capacity 2 (4 reloads)]
    Space 30 ft; Reach 30 ft
    STATISTICS
    Str +9
    Skills +21 or +14+[operator piloting ranks] Athletics
    SPECIAL PP ACTIONS
    PP Initial 1; Max 7; Rate 3
    Dual Strike (1 PP) "When making a full attack with two different weapons mounted on your arms, you attack twice with one of those weapons and once with the other weapon. You take a –4 penalty to these attacks."
    Siege Mode (3 PP) "As a full action, the mech reconfigures its body and ordinance into a siege configuration, providing the stability and power necessary to bombard distant targets. While so configured, the mech can’t fly, and its other movement speeds are reduced to 10 feet. The rocket launcher’s range increases to 500 feet, its explode property’s radius increases to 20 feet, and it deals medium damage for a weapon of its level. The mech can end the siege configuration as a full action."
    Accurate Strikes (1 PP) "For 1 round, the mech treats all of its operators as though they each had a number of Piloting ranks equal to their respective levels for the purpose of calculating the mech’s attack bonuses."
    Energize Weapon (2 PP) "Choose one of the weapon core’s two types of energy. As part of a standard action or full action used to make one or more attacks with one of the mech’s melee weapons, the mech charges the weapon with the chosen energy; the energy selected must be a type of energy damage the weapon does not currently deal. Until the end of the mech’s turn, half of the damage dealt by this weapon is replaced with damage of the chosen type. If the weapon already deals two types of damage, replace one of them with the chosen energy damage. This effect never causes a weapon that normally targets KAC to target EAC."
    Trample (2 PP) "As a full action, the mech uses the trample universal creature ability. This deals low bludgeoning damage as a mech weapon of a level equal to the mech’s tier. The Reflex save DC equals 12 + 1/2 the mech’s tier."
    BUILD
    Frame: Juggernaut; Lower Limbs: Heavy Biped; Upper Limbs: Assault Arms; Power Core: Dynamo Mk 2; Weapons: Plasma Rifle (x2) (arms), Rocket Launcher (frame); Auxiliary Slots: Ammo Reserve, Autotarget, Entry Hatch, Weapon Core

    __________

    The 100 ton (Tier 20) Atlas Assault Mech, a heavily armored mech for front-line fighting:

    Atlas Details:

    ATLAS (TIER 20) (440 MP)
    Colossal Mech (2-6 operators)
    Init +4+[lowest operator]; Senses darkvision 120', blindsense (vibration) 30'; Perception +[operator]
    DEFENSE
    HP 230; SP 63
    EAC 42; KAC 44
    Fort +20; Ref +18
    Defensive Abilities fast healing (shields only) 20, hardness 12
    Immunities construct immunities
    OFFENSE
    Speed 50 ft
    Ranged laser rifle +12+[operator BAB/piloting ranks] (15d8 F, critical burn) [range 250', automatic, capacity 20 (4 reloads)], or missile battery +12+[operator BAB/piloting ranks] (15d6 F&P) [range 200', capacity 12 (4 reloads), volley], or rocket launcher +12+[operator BAB/piloting ranks] (15d10 F&P) [range 150', explode (10'), unwieldy, capacity 2 (4 reloads)]
    Space 30 ft; Reach 30 ft
    STATISTICS
    Str +11
    Skills +26 or +16+[operator piloting ranks] Athletics
    SPECIAL PP ACTIONS
    PP Initial 4; Max 8; Rate 1
    Siege Mode (3 PP) "As a full action, the mech reconfigures its body and ordinance into a siege configuration, providing the stability and power necessary to bombard distant targets. While so configured, the mech can’t fly, and its other movement speeds are reduced to 10 feet. The rocket launcher’s range increases to 500 feet, its explode property’s radius increases to 20 feet, and it deals medium damage for a weapon of its level. The mech can end the siege configuration as a full action."
    Energized Retort (2 PP) "As a reaction when the mech takes damage that causes it to lose Shield Points, the mech channels the shields’ lost energy into one of its weapons that deals energy damage. The next time the weapon deals damage before the end of the mech’s next turn, the weapon deals additional damage equal to half the number of SP the mech lost from the triggering attack."
    Bulldoze (2 PP) "The mech can activate this ability when it attempts a bull rush or reposition combat maneuver. The mech gains a +2 bonus to the attack roll, and if the combat maneuver succeeds, the target also takes damage equal to the mech’s tier plus its Strength modifier."
    Energize Weapon (2 PP) "Choose one of the weapon core’s two types of energy. As part of a standard action or full action used to make one or more attacks with one of the mech’s melee weapons, the mech charges the weapon with the chosen energy; the energy selected must be a type of energy damage the weapon does not currently deal. Until the end of the mech’s turn, half of the damage dealt by this weapon is replaced with damage of the chosen type. If the weapon already deals two types of damage, replace one of them with the chosen energy damage. This effect never causes a weapon that normally targets KAC to target EAC."
    Trample (2 PP) "As a full action, the mech uses the trample universal creature ability. This deals low bludgeoning damage as a mech weapon of a level equal to the mech’s tier. The Reflex save DC equals 12 + 1/2 the mech’s tier."
    BUILD
    Frame: Juggernaut; Lower Limbs: Heavy Biped; Upper Limbs: Tough Arms; Power Core: Eternal Mk 0; Weapons: Laser Rifle (frame), Missile Battery (frame); Rocket Launcher (frame); Auxiliary Slots: Ammo Reserve, Plow Plating, Plasma Shock-Circuits, Weapon Core; Upgrades: Enhanced Shields, Unbreakable Armor


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    These are great!


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    I take it energize weapons is to be used with the trample for both the Marauder and Atlas Mecha, otherwise it is worthless for them since they lack melee weapons.


    Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Superscriber; Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
    Jack Rift wrote:
    I take it energize weapons is to be used with the trample for both the Marauder and Atlas Mecha, otherwise it is worthless for them since they lack melee weapons.

    Good catch. My first draft of the Marauder and Atlas conversions gave them both analog melee weapons to fit some of their descriptive text:

    "The Magna Hellstar PPCs that provide the Marauder's main armament are of an advanced design, compact enough to be carried in the Mech's arms and durable enough to withstand the heavy shocks of hand-to-hand combat." (Technical Readout 3025, p98)

    "This has created many horror stories concerning Atlases and their ability to pick up medium-sized Mechs with one hand and fling them to the ground as though they were mere toys." (Technical Readout 3025, p122)

    But I ended up needing to cut them given the MP constraints, and forgot to replace the Weapon Core auxiliary system with something more fitting.

    I guess one could still keep the Weapon Core systems for use in tramples, as you've suggested. Alternatively, one could replace them with Plasma-Shock Circuits (for the Marauder) and the Autotarget system (for the Atlas).


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    I think replacing them would probably be better, that way you are not burning through tons of PP just to do so moderate damage.


    Also you may have missed bonus damage based on tier for each Mech, which would have help in your Kyokor fight.


    "Mech Attack = 1d20 + 8 + 1/5 the mech’s tier + bonuses from upper
    limb components (upper limb weapons only) + the operator’s base
    attack bonus or the operator’s ranks in the Piloting skill + bonuses
    from the weapon + range penalty"

    For the ranks in Piloting skill, are we including ranks for class skill and ranks from ability modifiers or just raw ranks the PC put in Piloting?


    Tarren the Dungeon Master wrote:

    "Mech Attack = 1d20 + 8 + 1/5 the mech’s tier + bonuses from upper

    limb components (upper limb weapons only) + the operator’s base
    attack bonus or the operator’s ranks in the Piloting skill + bonuses
    from the weapon + range penalty"

    For the ranks in Piloting skill, are we including ranks for class skill and ranks from ability modifiers or just raw ranks the PC put in Piloting?

    The latter. Its just like how you calculate the Gunnery bonus for ship combat.

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