Vehicles as mecha using the custom vehicle rules

[ZombieKira]

Vehicles as mecha
The mecha system Paizo is good however it is difficult to incorporate into a game seeing as they add a +3 level adjustment to the party. Thanks to the custom vehicle rules I had an idea for making a mech on a smaller scale. Essentially mecha are vehicles, the custom vehicle rules with the grafts they have can make some interesting mecha.

When creating a vehicle you can choose to make it a mecha or a standard vehicle. If you decide to make it a mecha apply the following sub graft to whatever base frame you want.

Subtype graft
Mecha
Modification 2 manipulators
Special: adjustments to normal vehicle rules

Vehicle rule adjustments for vehicle mecha. Manipulators use the normal rules except the following.
Mecha manipulators are designed to use weapons sized for them.
These manipulators can wield weapons 1 and 2 handed weapons with 1 manipulator. As long as the weapon doesn’t exceed the maximum bulk the manipulator can lift.
Manipulators can wield melee weapons and shields. When wielding a melee weapon the mecha does bonus damage instead of strength equal to half item level rounded down.
The manipulators can’t however do delicate tasks, hacking picking locks ect.
Weapons are pulled from the level character list. Each weapon is purchased separately as per normal vehicle rules. Any qualifying weapon can be mounted in the weapon mount (even weapons with the integrated quality).
Weapon mounts on a mecha can violate the normal rule of 1 per occupant of the vehicle.
When a mecha is wrecked the weapons in its hands are considered destroyed until you repair or rebuild the mecha. rebuilding or repairing returns all its weapons and any remaining ammo to it’s pre wrecked condition.
A mecha only takes the attack roll penalty if it moved that round.
If a mech ever takes damage that exceeds twice its Hit Points, it’s destroyed and can’t be repaired.
When attacking with weapon mounted/held in the manipulator of a mecha you may use your ranks on piloting instead of your base attack bonus.
Actions in a mecha you get out of it what you put into it. The pilot spends his actions to control the mecha or it sits there idle.

Optional rule
External hard points

These are points on a mecha that additional armor or weapons can be mounted, in being external they can be targeted independently of the mecha in a similar fashion to the manipulators. These hard points can be mounted with a multitude of things ranging from a simple hard shell backpack, external armor plating, even reentry gear for orbital drop or halo drops. Most upgrades can fill an external hard point (dm discretionary). External hard points can be attacked separately. The equipment in the external hard point has the following stats.
EAC is equal to 4 + the vehicle’s EAC
KAC is equal to the 4 + the vehicle’s KAC.
It has Hit Points equal to 3 × the item level of the vehicle and hardness equal to half the vehicle’s hardness.
Equipment in the external hard point that has lost at least half of its total Hit Points gains the broken condition.
Back 2 slots
Legs 1 each (at least 2 if you went tank treads etc)
Shoulders 1 each ( these aren’t destroyed if the manipulator is)

New stuff (i designed these for mecha, however they can easily be used in Normal vehicles)

External ablative armoring system
Takes up the arm and leg hard points of a mecha (if using the external hard point optional rule, if not then 1 upgrade slot). It costs 100xthe mecha level and can be repaired, or fixed and is used till the external ablative armoring system is depleted or it is purged. These count as temporary hp and are removed before affecting the Mecha hp, hardness still applies. The hp is equal too 10x the item lvl of the mecha. Also while the external ablative armoring system is attached your mecha speed is decreased by 10ft. If you also have the reactive amor mod on your mecha, it doesn’t function until the external ablative armoring system is used up or purged.

Reactive armor (an upgrade slot)
Reactive armor augments existing armor helping protect against weapons with the penetrating quality. When ever hit a weapon that would ignore hardness, this upgrade counters that with a micro explosive detonation this effectively increasing the hardness of the mecha’s armor equal to an amount equal to the mecha item level against that attack. This functions a number of times equal to 2x the item level of the mecha. This upgrade cost 200x the item level of the mecha. This upgrade can’t be repaired it lasts until depleted or purged. This upgrade reduces your mecha speed by 5ft while equipped. This upgrade doesn’t function with any upgrade that covers the outside of the mecha.

Fortified armor
This upgrade reinforces critical areas of your armor with extra defensive plates, granting you a fortification ability, which functions as a force field’s fortification except the ability is always active. The fortification granted by fortified plates doesn’t stack with a force field’s fortification or other similar abilities. The percentage depends on the upgrade’s type, as listed below.
Lvl Special Price
Mk 1 14 20% chance 65,500
Mk 2 15 40% chance 104,000
Mk 3 16 60% chance 151,000
Mk 4 17 80% chance 262,000
Mk 5 19 100% chance 550,000