I am running the Against the Aeon Throne. I am currently in the "Escape from the Prison Moon". My players keep wanting to hack the security robots and the topic of permanently reprogramming the security robots keep coming up. I don't think that Starfinder takes this into account. How should I handle this situation? Can PCs permanently take control of security robots?
I fear that the PCs would quickly become overpowered with an army of security robots. Any help would be appreciated.
You can theoretically hack robotic constructs, there is even a drone mod you can get that increases their protection from being hacked.... But there is no info on how to calculate their effective Computer Tier for the purposes of hacking so unless the construct is being controlled by a separate computer and you hack that, there isn't mechanical support for hacking enemy robots.
I have heard some people treat robotic constructs as having computer tiers equal to half level (minimum 1), but even then you need to access the constructs interface to try and hack it all the while using full-actions to try and hack it, which would make it difficult to do in the middle of combat since most security robots wont stand still while you plug your datajack into them.
The Level/2 (min 1) also has the issue of playable constructs being very easy to hack (If you are playing an SRO please restrict your motorfunctions and thoughts behind Root Access).
Hacking a robotic creature is a higher level mechanic ability, and its effects are fairly lackluster.
To be clear, Ghost in the Machine lets them take over robotic creatures Without Hacking.
Hacking robots, as in reprograming them, is the realm of the DM's discretion. Robots as monsters are effectively independent enemies and cannot be affected with normal PC abilities (outside of spells and Mechanic powers).
For example, if a robot can be hacked, a Starfinder Society scenario will specifically mention it and call out what effects it has.
Short answer, those robots are Azlanti to their base code and will not join your PCs' team.
Permanently reprogramming the security robots sounds like it could be a great example of an activity that would take some downtime to really do. It could be fairly reasonable to allow the party to reprogram a robot if they can shut it down, and manage to carry it away with them, while escaping, but to still rule it an impossible task to accomplish in a few minutes, mid-infiltration.
That could strike a balance between making it possible for the PCs to do something cool, if they have got a good plan to get things out of there, and making it impossible to copy a small army of bots, because there's no way to haul them all out without being trapped and murdered by a large security response force.
|
I would assume that they can be hacked. However, I would also assume that any of their programming would be behind root access. So..essentially the DC would be 13 + (4 x (1/2 robot tier) ) +20. So, if they are hyper specialized, they could possibly achieve that. Thus getting into Hammerjack's point of downtime, even then it would take some time. Hammerjack's solution is the middle ground that I'd run with, however I'd still use my formula above. If they are pro level hacker(s) they should be able to achieve root access. If not, at least they have some more parts for crafting. Hobby hackers shouldn't be able to easily hack government level stuff. Make them work for it.
Why half tier? Did you mean half level?
It could be fairly reasonable to allow the party to reprogram a robot if they can shut it down, and manage to carry it away with them, while escaping, but to still rule it an impossible task to accomplish in a few minutes, mid-infiltration.
Why make hacking a level 1 robot equivalent time to hacking the most expensive super-computers in existence?
They aren't trying to hack the robots mid combat. It is during downtime.
Just to make sure we're using the same words the same way, when I say "downtime" I didn't just mean out of combat, but over the course of days, after managing to get the inactive robots back onto their ship. I thought from the original post that they were trying to do this in Gulta. Is that not correct?
Rebuilding one after destroying it would probably be a crafting activity with an expenditure.
Nothing should be free.
I would agree with that, but it may not be relevant. No one has said anything about destroying the robots first, and, based on the specific robots and scenario in question, there may easily be no need for them to be destroyed.
Just to make sure we're using the same words the same way, when I say "downtime" I didn't just mean out of combat, but over the course of days, after managing to get the inactive robots back onto their ship. I thought from the original post that they were trying to do this in Gulta. Is that not correct?
You are right. I meant more like 10 min rest.
Rebuilding one after destroying it would probably be a crafting activity with an expenditure.
Nothing should be free.
If they are crafting one, what would be the cost and difficulty to do so?
I would agree with that, but it may not be relevant. No one has said anything about destroying the robots first, and, based on the specific robots and scenario in question, there may easily be no need for them to be destroyed.Rebuilding one after destroying it would probably be a crafting activity with an expenditure.
Nothing should be free.
They want to use a terminal in the maintenance bay to hack them. I ruled that it would take hours and made it seem urgent that they moved on before getting caught but I would like to figure out how to handle it in the future because I am sure it will come up. Hacking robots quickly would step on the Mechanic abilities toes a bit and it isn't permanent.
You are right. I meant more like 10 min rest.
The enough time to make a few attempts to hack (and you'll probably need a few attempts).
They want to use a terminal in the maintenance bay to hack them. I ruled that it would take hours and made it seem urgent that they moved on before getting caught but I would like to figure out how to handle it in the future because I am sure it will come up. Hacking robots quickly would step on the Mechanic abilities toes a bit and it isn't permanent.
If there is a terminal that controls them. Then you can hack them without needing hours (also hacking in starfinder just flat doesn't take hours). Just determine the tier of that computer and follow the rules for trying to hack it so that you can access that computers restricted components, which includes the control module which is controlling the robots.