Can you use UPBs to fix a faulty drift engine?

[EltonJ]

Like what the title said. Can you use UPBs to fix a faulty drift engine? The rules say you can make anything with enough universal polymer bases. Can you use them to fix equipment that is faulty or broken down?

[HammerJack]

As far as I've seen, rules about what is needed to fix a Drift Engine don't exist, so there is no correct answer here, and it's entirely GM call whether you can do it with UPBS (and how many, and how much engineering skill you need to manage it) or whether you need some rare component that will be found only in the most dangerous location available.

[BigNorseWolf]

I don't see why it wouldn't work.

Unless of course the DM is trying to get your butt on the planet. UPBs are powerful but they don't fox Plotrailium.

[yukongil]

yes they can. You just declare you are throwing as many as you have into your ship's reactor. Viola, problem solved!

[HammerJack]

Thinking about it, I actually feel like using UPBs to fix your ship engine is the worst way for it to be handled.

If you need to do something to get necessary parts, it's a plot driver to lead you into the path of ADVENTURE. This adds something to the game.

If spare parts for fixing your ship are part of its operating budget, and you just need the time and elbow grease to fix it, it's convenient, so that the game can get back to something more interesting

Having to throw your UPB reserves into the engine to fix it doesn't seem to add anything interesting, just a way for you ship to eat up your credits.

[The Artificer]

I would allow it, but I would stat out a detailed plan for the order of operation in which it must be done. I feel it would be a fun chance to show how much different the process would be for repairing a space-age vehicle as opposed to modern ones,also, since all forms of crafting in this game seem to involve UPBs as a required component, I don't see the fundamental differences required for me to think it's much of a stretch for that to work. I love the recovering rare ship parts idea.. but me and my players would probably feel that that's just a basic fetch Quest that feels flat anyway. To each their own, variety is the flavor of life.

[Metaphysician]

I would lean to "no" in the practical sense. Which is to say, are UPBs a valuable tool for repairing a Drift Drive? Of course they are. However, the amount of UPBs a PC is likely to have on hand for "normal" purposes is going to be well too little for a serious engine repair. That is going to require industrial scale quantities of UPBs, which they might need to acquire first. . .

Basically, I am leery of having the character economy overly overlap with the ship economy, and "material to repair ship systems" really should fall under the ship economy. If a lack of supply is not an important part of the adventure, than I'd just say their ship's "part reserve" covers it and they can get along once they spend enough time/skill checks. If a lack of supply is an intended plot challenge, then they don't have enough or the right parts ( maybe some of the combat damage melted their "Drift Drive UPB Repair Tank" ), and have to do an adventure rather than just throwing petty cash at the problem.