Ok let me set the details out first.

Have a PC who has a 5 inteligence(dumped all XP into stats at creation).

They play a Mechanic who has now got a rank of 4. (almost all exp awarded into this Skill and thier Talent Tree).

The issue,

The issue at had is now the player is attempting to craft the specific attachments and mod them and wants to do this free of charge since according to the Mechanic Skill at a certain point a PC could technically be able do this with GM approval.

The issue came to a ahead when he decided to sit down and basically upgrade the entire party's weapons and armor with superior quality and other mods and i had to put a kabosh on it because i felt it was against the spirit of the game to allow such.

The reasoning for claiming to be able to do so was we had a lot of salvage weapons and armor from prior sessions so instead of paying for the attachments he said he could use existing item and convert it to the attachment.

My ruling on it was , he could do this but by consuming an equivalent amount of loot to cover the cost of the attachment. This sat unsatisfactory as basically he said why be a mechanic, ill sell the stuff and buy attachment.

So i am in a pickle or not seeing an obvious solution. GM help please.

The Superior mod is 5000 credits, so it's pretty ballsy to ask for that for free, especially if he wants to make a bunch of them. That said, a good Mechanic should be able to build things from parts they have available. Things like "Superior" mods would require better materials, refined components, etc., but these things can often be obtained individually for a discount.

I would think of the 5000 credit cost as the retail cost, because that's the cost after all the sourcing, manufacturing, and retail markup have been included. He basically wants to be the manufacturer, so his cost might be cheaper, perhaps 50%. If he invests the time and effort, I wouldn't see a problem with giving him a 50% discount on costs. He also has to built the item "from scratch", and you might rank the difficulty similarly to the retail cost...just throwing a number out here, but maybe one difficulty die per 1000 credits of retail cost, and at least one upgrade so that there is a chance of a Despair to ruin his good works. And maybe it would take a day of work for each 1000 credits of retail cost (so 5 days for one Superior mod).

He still has to spend Mechanics rolls to install and upgrade the mods...

After squads and squadrons was introduced I worried a lot less about reining in players desires for weapons. It's easy enough to put a meat shield around a Nemesis and players can also be similarly shielded when it's time for the big James Bond-esque commando raid. I only apply common sense in what is carried, no walking around town lugging GP MGs expecting the local fuzz isn't going to take issue, no TDs dangling from your belt, etc.

In regards to slapping Superior on everything from existing parts, I've got a few old watches in my dresser, that doesn't mean no matter how clever I am I'll be able to whip up a Rolex from those parts. I'd let him do it for cheaper, but it wouldn't be free, and if he's still pissed, TFB IMO, he's being whiney and unreasonable at that point.

In order to machine 'superior' parts from existing equipment, he'll need some kind of a 'shop'. Consider being a modern armorer doing a trigger job on an AK. It's going to take, at minimum, a grinder and some precise measuring tools to complete that job, even using other AKs as spare parts. It'd also require some spring work, which could be done with existing springs, some heat and more measuring tools. The cost for the 'shop' would be X and that could likely match up well with the cost savings for the first Y upgrades. After that, it's now profitable to have the shop and he can do work for other people as well as himself. It'd also give the party a reason to want to keep the ship they have rather than just run around doing Grand Theft Starship, since it'd take some time to move the shop from ship to ship.

Cutting it down and marking for clarity.

-Snip-
1) The issue at had is now the player is attempting to craft the specific attachments and mod them and wants to do this free of charge since according to the Mechanic Skill at a certain point a PC could technically be able do this with GM approval.
-Snip-
2) The reasoning for claiming to be able to do so was we had a lot of salvage weapons and armor from prior sessions so instead of paying for the attachments he said he could use existing item and convert it to the attachment.
-Snip-

Ok... lets do this...

1) No reason to say "No" outright to this. It's reasonable... but lets find a way to make it a "Yes with a but."

2) Ok, so here's where we can start using the system. Yes, you can sometime salvage parts, but not all gear is created equal. Just assuming because you have a pile of rusty 20 year old fifth-hand E-5 blaster rifles, you can somehow have the parts to make an A280 Rifle "Superior" is pretty silly.

But... the system hints at a possible solution in the outlaw tech tree itself! It's right there at the top of the tree no less... Ootini!

So start by requiring a Perception check to search the gear he's got on hand. Base difficulty should be something like... average, with 2 setback since hes going through a lot of things that might not be intended to work together... increased by one if the gear he's searching doesn't match the item he's upgrading (say searching blaster pistols for parts to upgrade a rifle), and upgraded on top of that if it's totally off (searching blaster parts to upgrade armor, or a slugthrower).

If he's successful, well Ootini! he's got the parts to make a single attachment. Advantage... he gets to pick the attachment he can make... Triumph? SUPER OOTINI! he's got the parts to make 2 attachments! Threat? He's got the parts to make half an attachment... gotta buy the rest (hey 50% off is 50% off right?). Despair? It's Junk. In addition to the results above he's completely exhausted the pile of loot. Not only will it provide no more parts, it's also devalued everything he searched by 50% and/or rendered it non-functional.

Ok, so now all he's got to do is build it. This by comparison should be pretty straight forward. Mechanics check. Start at average difficulty...upgraded because he's using salvaged parts... toss in a couple setback if those parts are from unlike sources.

Success he made the part. Advantage, it's actually pretty good part and gives a boost die the first couple times it's used. Triumph, it's better them off the shelf and comes with a free Mod of the GM's choice. Threat? It's functional, but temperamental, one setback whenever the item it's attached to is used. Despair? It's totally flawed, the item breaks completely on 2 threat or 1 despair when used.

I'm getting that Munchkin feeling...

Regardless, I'm with whafrog on the solution.

I don't really see where in the book it says anyone can do anything like this for free. Its going to cost something. Time, some credits, or even the items being picked over for parts.

If I have a pile of basic guns, that doesn't mean I have the parts for a Superior gun. In fact, it is implicit in the fiction that I don't.

Could I make those parts? Sure. I'll just need the requisite raw materials and, as some mentioned up thread, a fully kitted out machine shop. Far Horizon recommends a new business cost around 50k with some Obligation to boot. If your PC wants to be building Superior attachments, that sounds like a reasonable price for a base 50% discount.

I'm with Brandig and Gnosticism on this, with one additional add. I like in game consequences. So, you've tricked out everyone's hardware to a point that will bring a tear to a Mandos eye. Groovy. Break out the boomsticks. But wait! It's all high end custom work built by the same person. The unique upgrades have a specific blast signature. It gets noticed.

On this week's episode of CSI:ISB, a new terrorist cell is striking at the Empire with new unique custom weapons. This mystery weaponsmith has to be tracked down before his designs an mods find their way to Black Sun. . . Or the Rebellion. Enter ISB specials agents Gybbs and B'auer.

Your party is now SERIOUSLY cannoned up. So much so that you've acquired a new ISB nemesis.

Edit: autocorrect is the true terrorist here

This can be tough to deal with at times. Fortunately, this system rarely has additions that go very far, compared with options in other games.

I think Ghostofman laid out a reasonable path. This is what the player wants the character to be good at - would you deny someone who spent all their xp to be good at shooting things a chance to actually shoot things? Of course not, just as you would not deny the pilot a chance to fly.

Make the upgrades a part of the story - making each of those things takes special parts, possibly only obtainable in odd locations, or from dangerous NPCs.

And then make GrimmSqueeker's idea take shape - people start looking for this guy. Sure, ISB is looking...but so are the crime lords, bounty hunters, and assassins, all of whom want him to make things for them, possibly via blackmail and so forth.

But really, the guy has built this character to do it - don't spoil that, roll with it.

This can be tough to deal with at times. Fortunately, this system rarely has additions that go very far, compared with options in other games.

I think Ghostofman laid out a reasonable path. This is what the player wants the character to be good at - would you deny someone who spent all their xp to be good at shooting things a chance to actually shoot things? Of course not, just as you would not deny the pilot a chance to fly.

Make the upgrades a part of the story - making each of those things takes special parts, possibly only obtainable in odd locations, or from dangerous NPCs.

And then make GrimmSqueeker's idea take shape - people start looking for this guy. Sure, ISB is looking...but so are the crime lords, bounty hunters, and assassins, all of whom want him to make things for them, possibly via blackmail and so forth.

But really, the guy has built this character to do it - don't spoil that, roll with it.

I think the problem is the character wants to do this without any type of cost associated with it. I'm all for helping a character reach the ultimate goal the player has for them, but if the ultimate goal is some type of autowin, well that isn't going to happen. This doesn't mean make it unfun for the player, but making superior attachments from scratch for 10-15 pieces of gear without an associated cost is a quick path to a broken game.

This doesn't mean make it unfun for the player, but making superior attachments from scratch for 10-15 pieces of gear without an associated cost is a quick path to a broken game.

The associated cost is the gear he has to canibalize to get the parts. This isn't the redundant systems talent, all those parts you took off the other gear did something. And you can tie it into the rolling I suggested. Setbacks can be added or removed based on how big the pile you're searching is. Big pile? Only a few easily offset by ootini. Small pile? Lots of setbacks and maybe even an increase in difficulty or upgrade.

Basically the question is, what's the difference between spending 5000 credits and ripping apart 5000 credits worth of stuff?

After all.. this was a pretty cool scene...

Man, everyone has brought some good points. But while I love what Ghost brought up in the above post, (I do love that scene, and movie) I feel that there is a huge inherit difference between what the OP is talking about and what Tucco is doing in the clip above

Tucco is in, (what at the time was) a state of the art shop with brand new guns and equipment. The OP stated that they had SALVAGE, which to me means it is not in the best condition, or even the right type of parts. What is the salvage? droid parts, computer parts, comlink parts? I can't take 5 broke iPhones to make 9mm work better... I know, I know, real life versus a game...but it is the same idea here.

Basically the question is, what's the difference between spending 5000 credits and ripping apart 5000 credits worth of stuff?

I totally agree, but not with salvage. I would say that you consume more of the salvage than you would "parts". Maybe 1.5 even 2 times as much.

The idea of using Salvage to gain the Superior Quality does not sit right with me. Getting the Superior Quality is about going out and buying THE BEST parts available, not jury rigging from scarp. Tucco took all the BEST parts from the guns to make his Uber gun, not left over scrapes from a bloody/muddy battlefield to make a usable weapon.

To go a little more real life on you. I own 2014 BMW 435i M Sport. If I want to increase my HP, torque, and stopping power, I would not go to the junk yard to do it. Putting on used tires, used breaks, and even a used and beat up super charger would not make my car Superior, it may work better and faster for a short time, but by using parts that were not designed for their intended purposes and make and model, they are in fact making my car inferior. Can I get any old exhaust pipe? Yes, but I won't find a $2,100 Supersprint Turbo down pipe in a junk heap.

This about making gear exceptional, not just repairing and maintenance upkeep on items. I would not allow "scrounged parts" to be used to make a Superior Quality item.

For some of my thoughts on this type of player, please read my post in this thread:

http://community.fantasyflightgames.com/index.php?/topic/128402-repurposing-weapons/

This doesn't mean make it unfun for the player, but making superior attachments from scratch for 10-15 pieces of gear without an associated cost is a quick path to a broken game.

The associated cost is the gear he has to canibalize to get the parts. This isn't the redundant systems talent, all those parts you took off the other gear did something. And you can tie it into the rolling I suggested. Setbacks can be added or removed based on how big the pile you're searching is. Big pile? Only a few easily offset by ootini. Small pile? Lots of setbacks and maybe even an increase in difficulty or upgrade. Basically the question is, what's the difference between spending 5000 credits and ripping apart 5000 credits worth of stuff? After all.. this was a pretty cool scene...

I'm not sure why you quoted me. I'm not arguing against anything you have suggested. If you read the original post carefully, the player got upset when the GM told him he would have to "use up" a significant portion of the "salvage" the players had accumulated. He wanted to make this stuff with almost no cost.

Ah so it is...

oh well, I really wanted to post that video anyway....

Ah so it is...

oh well, I really wanted to post that video anyway....

Hey, don't get me wrong! I appreciated the clip. Its a good one. Just trying to say I'm on your side.

Heya folks,

A quick update, I am in discussions with the player regarding this issue. All of your feedback and advice has been so awesome. Many of your points helped me clearly explain the problem.

Thanks.

Well, personally I believe the concept of buying anything called "Superior" and screwing it on top of your weapon, or whatever equipment else, without any extra effort quite silly. So I houseruled the Superior Attachment out of the game.

Now, you can either buy the superior item outright at the extra cost, or you can try and modify it through a Mechanics check, buying special superior parts; the costs depending on the result, with 5.000 credits as a basis for one success, no advantage/threat.

Heya folks,

A quick update, I am in discussions with the player regarding this issue. All of your feedback and advice has been so awesome. Many of your points helped me clearly explain the problem.

Thanks.

Please let us know what the ultimate solution is!