I have a mechanic in my group who just bought 10 restraining bolts. I'm not sure exactly how or what he intends to do with them yet, but it brings up some questions I need advice on so I can be ready for what he tries to do.

1. Can he apply a restraining bolt to a droid the group is in combat with?

2. How long does it take, what is the process of applying a restraining bolt?

3. Would all droids which are not in combat with the group just stand there and allow this?

4. And most importantly of all, what type of control would the restraining bolt give my mechanic player over the droid?

Thanks,

Darthslash

For the good of the order .

1. Combat & security droids generally don't have places to put restraining bolts. And besides that, it's not like a droid can't resist the attempt to affix a restraining bolt. So might be worth a discussion with your player.

2. Probably about a minute. A mechanics check could apply.

3. The droid would have to be willing and/or helpless. Some droids might allow it it they trusted the PCs (or were owned by them), but otherwise they might try and resist.

4. It varies. Again, it's worth having a discussion with your player to determine his expectations.

It sounds like your player expects to weaponize restraining bolts. This isn't their design, so I would encourage you to have a talk with the player.

1. Can he apply a restraining bolt to a droid the group is in combat with?

Possibly, up to the GM. See point 2.

2. How long does it take, what is the process of applying a restraining bolt?

The process can be seen in Star Wars EpIV A New Hope. Jawas shoot R2-D2 with an ion blaster to disable him, then take him back to their sand crawler and attach a bolt before he gets sucked up into the tube.

It doesn't take but a few seconds really. The tech must take out a bolt and a small spot welder, hold the bolt onto the droid in a correct place (usually the chest), and then spot-weld it in place. Against an unconscious droid it's probably pretty easy.... against a conscious one actively trying to prevent you from doing it.. not so much.

3. Would all droids which are not in combat with the group just stand there and allow this?

Depends on the exact scenario, but if it's like him vs. a squad of droids then I'd say no, they'd attempt to intervene...

4. And most importantly of all, what type of control would the restraining bolt give my mechanic player over the droid?

It allows the droid to be forced to follow the commands of the person holding the droid caller. How far this goes is up to the GM, some keep it simple, allowing only basic commands like "come here" "Stop" "Shut down" other give you more leeway within reasonable restrictions "Three-laws safe" and others allow full control "BEHOLD MY ROBOT ARMY!"

As away says, it's probably worth a chat with the player. If he's planning to RBolt his way into having a robot army for free, might be better to let him down easy and just offer him a refund.

As an interesting side-note, B-1 battle droids in the prequel films appear to all have restraining bolts already affixed, suggest most droids intended for combat functionalities probably have them all as standard equipment, so just in case something goes wrong they can be quickly shut down...

I agree with everything that was already said. In addition i would rule, that each restraining bolt needs to be programmed to do more than the most basic functions. A bolt that will make a squrity droid the players personal tool of destruction that obeys all orders might require some serious programming of the bolt. A bolt that basicly forces a droid to shut down might be a lot easier.

In any case the result of the computers check for programming the bolt could affect the difficulty of the resisting decipline check of the droid.

That way interesting things could happen, e.g. A mistake on the bolt programming leading to unintended behaviour.

Above all a restraining bolt shouldn't be the fast and easy way to power down all kinds of droids and shouldn't give limitless control over the droid.

Agreed with Slave0.

Also, how common are droids in your campaign? I may not have to be so restrictive with restraining bolts if your story does not involve many droids.

I would liken the applying of a restraining bolt to putting on handcuffs. It only takes a few seconds to actually close cuffs around a persons wrists if they are willing or unable to resist but if they are not it's a whole different story. With a bolt you would have to successfully get it to the specific spot for that model Droid, get it attached in that spot, and then get it activated before the Droid takes it off which should be a fairly Easy Roll for the Droid. So: Easy Mechanics Roll to know where to attach the bolt, somewhat difficult Brawling Roll to get the bolt attached in the right spot, then an Action activate the bolt hopefully before the Droid removes it because you're not going to get a chance to spot weld it.

All in all it's not really going to be something thats going to be even remotely easy during combat because it should require at least two consecutive actions to complete (Attach & Activate) and PCs can only do one Action per Combat Round giving the Droid a chance to remove it on their Turn. Some may try and argue that Activating could be considered a Maneuver but I would argue against it, not because activating the bolt would be difficult but because of the timing issue and, more importantly, when your GM starts doing it to your Droid PCs you're going to want the opportunity to defend against it too. What's good for the goose...

It's also entirely possible some droids simply aren't programmed to work with restraining bolts. For example, I seriously doubt Dark Troopers (they're droids, right?) or assassin droids would be affected by a simple civilian tool.

I'm not sure where I saw it, somewhere in the EU, but I think it has been the law that all Droids can be restrained for, well as long as Droids have been around. However, it's entirely possible that an individual Assassin or Bounty Hunter Droid may have had that function disabled illegally.

Edit: I also believe that part of Slicing and getting control of a Droid involves interfering with and utilizing the restraining bolt if one is attached. Imperial Droids will all have restraining bolts, even Dark Troopers, the Empire is never going to allow more than a few of it's Droids that much autonomy.

I would liken the applying of a restraining bolt to putting on handcuffs.

I think it's commonly accepted that restraining bolts require tools to put in place, so I think they're more complicated than applying handcuffs or even psychiatric restraints.

There is a reason the jawas shot R2 first 's all I'm saying.

We play that its possible to quickly attach a basic ''shut off'' restraining bolt in combat, but its a very difficult mechanics check.

Its not like its OP to allow this. It does put you in a dangerous position if you fail, and it uses up the bolt.

I would liken the applying of a restraining bolt to putting on handcuffs.

I think it's commonly accepted that restraining bolts require tools to put in place, so I think they're more complicated than applying handcuffs or even psychiatric restraints.

I agree a tool of some kind would be needed, something similar to taking off those anti-theft things on clothing, I was using handcuffs as an example of resisting and such and how I'd rule on it if the Player insisted on trying. I still think my example works even with a tool being required, the end result is that even if you manage to attach a restraining bolt unless the Droid misses an Easy roll to remove it before the PC's next turn it's not going to work.

I would liken the applying of a restraining bolt to putting on handcuffs.

I think it's commonly accepted that restraining bolts require tools to put in place, so I think they're more complicated than applying handcuffs or even psychiatric restraints.

Exactly.

Applying a restraining bolt is a rather easy and routine mechanical procedure, but it's still a mechanical procedure. It should simply be declared impossible unless the droid is either cooperating or can somehow be firmly restrained for a couple of minutes.

A better analogy would be something like changing a tire on a car. It is an easy and routine procedure - provided the car is sitting still . If the car is moving at all, the procedure instantly changes from easy and routine to absolutely impossible .

3. Would all droids which are not in combat with the group just stand there and allow this?

No, of course not.

Most droids in Star Wars are complete self-aware persons. They have fully functional minds with their own thoughts, opinions, values, goals, and emotions.

They also know perfectly well what restraining bolts are .

Very few droids would ever willingly permit a restraining bolt to be attached by anyone they didn't already recognise as a legitimate authority (and even then some might still protest and resist).

Most droids in Star Wars are complete self-aware persons. They have fully functional minds with their own thoughts, opinions, values, goals, and emotions.

No they aren't. Most droids are still just mindless machines with varying levels of programming.

Droids can, on very rare occasions and with sufficiently advanced learning programming, develop sentience. This is most common in droids who fail to undergo sufficient and regular memory wipes.

99.99999% of droids you encounter are no more self-aware than a vacuum cleaner, even those whose programming is extremely lifelike(like Protocol Droids).

0.000001% of droids do become self-aware.

PC droids are stated to be these exceptional individuals who have achieved sentience, although as droids are not recognized as being sentient they will have no rights.

If you buy a new 3P0 model droid, its not a sentient being even if it seems sentient. It may become sentient over time as it develops programming quirks(which can turn into true awareness) but to start out its nothing more than a walking mouth programmed with diplomatic niceties.

A Combat Droid will also not be self-aware, but it will be programmed to respond to threats. And someone who isn't its master trying to attach a restraining bolt would certainly qualify.

I've always wondered about Restraining Bolts on PC Droids, and for that matter, PCs using Restraining Bolts on PC Droids (I have a weird party...).

Most droids in Star Wars are complete self-aware persons. They have fully functional minds with their own thoughts, opinions, values, goals, and emotions.

No they aren't. Most droids are still just mindless machines with varying levels of programming.

Droids can, on very rare occasions and with sufficiently advanced learning programming, develop sentience. This is most common in droids who fail to undergo sufficient and regular memory wipes.

99.99999% of droids you encounter are no more self-aware than a vacuum cleaner, even those whose programming is extremely lifelike(like Protocol Droids).

0.000001% of droids do become self-aware.

PC droids are stated to be these exceptional individuals who have achieved sentience, although as droids are not recognized as being sentient they will have no rights.

If you buy a new 3P0 model droid, its not a sentient being even if it seems sentient. It may become sentient over time as it develops programming quirks(which can turn into true awareness) but to start out its nothing more than a walking mouth programmed with diplomatic niceties.

A Combat Droid will also not be self-aware, but it will be programmed to respond to threats. And someone who isn't its master trying to attach a restraining bolt would certainly qualify.

You have a very different idea about droids than that given by the source material. Granted, much of that is out the window as "Legends," so maybe you're right.

A better analogy would be something like changing a tire on a car. It is an easy and routine procedure - provided the car is sitting still . If the car is moving at all, the procedure instantly changes from easy and routine to absolutely impossible .

Not quite absolutely impossible. Just very highly improbable and extraordinarily difficult, unless the vehicle in question can be popped up on two tires while it is rolling, and then the mechanic leans out the window while someone is holding onto his belt, … and just about silly enough for some crazy-ass PC in some game to actually try.

But unless you’re a movie stuntman who has been involved in carefully rigging up such a system for the latest remake of "Cannonball Run" or one of the "Fast and Furious" series, then I would challenge you to find a person on this planet who has actually done this trick.

Most droids in Star Wars are complete self-aware persons. They have fully functional minds with their own thoughts, opinions, values, goals, and emotions.

Disagree. Re-read the books with regards to the various droid types.

Most of the droids we see on screen for any appreciable amount of time are self-aware, yes. But they are the relatively rare exception to the rule.

A Combat Droid will also not be self-aware, but it will be programmed to respond to threats. And someone who isn't its master trying to attach a restraining bolt would certainly qualify.

Disagree. B1 combat droids are about as self-aware as Stormtroopers. Witness the reactions of an un-named B1 battle droid lieutenant at General Grievous’ castle , versus TK-626 . Yes, the lieutenant acted in a manner that was beyond the normal operating mode for a B1, but even the normal operating mode for a B1 was probably better than what TK-626 did. I mean, who looks at a paint bomb for that long and then says "uh-oh"?

Maybe B1s are a half step down from Stormtroopers, but not a whole step down.

Even lowly MSE droids can be scared by a Wookiee.

That said, self-aware droids are the exception and not the rule.

I've always wondered about Restraining Bolts on PC Droids, and for that matter, PCs using Restraining Bolts on PC Droids (I have a weird party...).

IIRC, they are difficult to over-ride, but a PC droid can do it.

Here we go, EotE, page 178, right-hand column, second paragraph for the entry by the same name:

Most droids cannot resist restraining bolts when one is attached to them (a process that requires a few seconds and a spot welder). However, any Player Character who happens to be a droid is obviously made of sterner stuff than NPC droids. Player Character droids may make a Daunting ( ♦♦♦♦ ) Discipline Check to overcome the effects of a restraining bolt and act normally when the bolt is applied. They may retry the test at the GM’s discretion.

[Edit: Use real colored diamond characters to show the difficulty of the roll ]

That said, self-aware droids are the exception and not the rule.

According to The New Essential Guide to Droids , pretty much all droids are self-aware except possibly class-5 (labor) droids. That's what I was referring to in my previous post. It's Legends now, so who knows if it means anything anymore.

That said, self-aware droids are the exception and not the rule.

According to The New Essential Guide to Droids , pretty much all droids are self-aware except possibly class-5 (labor) droids. That's what I was referring to in my previous post. It's Legends now, so who knows if it means anything anymore.

I think what he was getting at is that there are probably more Type 5 Droids around then there are any other. So I don't think you were far off, a little far. Even those little rolling trash cans has some personality though so the difference is probably academic.