No I don't have that book.

While it might be harder to heal a droid (unless you have a mechanic, given that you have a starship to keep runnning is not a big stretch), they do however have an easier job healing themselves (one difficulty upgrade instead of 2, which is a considerable difference).

While it might be harder to heal a droid (unless you have a mechanic, given that you have a starship to keep runnning is not a big stretch), they do however have an easier job healing themselves (one difficulty upgrade instead of 2, which is a considerable difference).

The big issue is that there are no talents that boost healing for droids while there are several that do so for other characters. Later in the game the difference an be huge.

If you look back at the post I made earlier the difference in xp start wise is 45 xp.

As a benchmark falleen lose 10 starting xp for their pheremone ability, Gank lose 10 xp for increase in cybernetics and 5k worth installed, Chevin lose 10 xp for having durable).

So

Enduring 10 xp

Dont require food/water/oxygen/atmosphere 10 xp

In skill ranks, an optimal build, will have 20 more xp in career skills than a human.(im considering the fact that humans can only choose non career skills a disavantage as they do not further the career)

The increased cybernetics has to be worth at least 5 xp.

You may disagree about the humans ranks in skills though , but even then all the bonuses droids have are worth 35 xp, now we are at 10xp difference and IMO that is being conservative.

Now the 2 are equal or close to equal (10 xp)

While they do not have the ability to spread xp in stats as much, assuming +10 starting xp taken all droids can reach 5 in any one stat, 4 in any 2 stats (5 xp left over) 3 in any 3 stats with (35 xp).

Other species can reach 5 in any stat,but only if they start with at 3 (leaving 10 xp , not enough to boost another stat) Starting with a stat at 2 and 3 you can raise both to 4, if you spend all your xp, again limiting one of the 2 stats to a fixed option.

Why I mention this is that the droid can do this with any stat, to get one at 5 or 2 at 4 other species need to choose the ability that started at 3, this then limits the bonus skill to whatever that race gets , often this may not be a career skill. Yes I realise the other stats do not quite match, but the ability to choose your own choice of abilty to match the skills you can take from career, its entirely possible to get 2 yellows and 2 greens in 3 skills at start or if you can match it up 2 yellows and 3 greens in 2 or 3 skills, this flexibility in specialisation is difficult to pull of as anything but a droid.

Again, its about specialisation against generalisation.More skills against a higher stat potential, and other features like those mentioned earlier.

While it might be harder to heal a droid (unless you have a mechanic, given that you have a starship to keep runnning is not a big stretch), they do however have an easier job healing themselves (one difficulty upgrade instead of 2, which is a considerable difference).

The big issue is that there are no talents that boost healing for droids while there are several that do so for other characters. Later in the game the difference an be huge.

This is a very good point, and one I hope is addressed in the technician (or engineer) book. I would love a droid engineer/puppeteer spec. That could be a load of fun.

The point about the medicine is definitely a good one, but Ive realised another benefits droids get and that is they can get is that they get to ignore things like

Pain, distractions, smells and other setbacks of that ilke.

Ultimately we can go round in circles , I just happen to think that droids are balanced fine as they are. Wildly different from any other species and when I first did the math I thought that they were a poor choice. Looking deeper I came to the conclusion that they were fine as they are, they dont get the best deal on stats when taking into acoount all 6, but for a droid 4/3/2/2/1/1 isnt too bad for a starting point or if you want some more skills/talents 4/3/2/1/1/1 even 3/3/3/2/1/1 isnt a bad option - esp if brawn is not an issue effectively allowing enduring to shore up some of the Brawn deficit for a pseudo 3/3/3/2/2/1, which is how I would build a droid , they work out most effective with specialisations that double up 2 skills with their career.

Regardless, if your character concept calls for a droid I dont think it needs bonus xp to sweeten the deal, they are cool enough as they are, just very niche in comparison with their fleshy friends.

I think they are fine and I love mine, you think 3/3/3/2/2/1 is the min? I have 3/3/2/2/1. Back to my original post is do you think I should drop some specializations for another 3? I planned for 2 first rank and 1 second rank talent.

Its your concept, from a strictly min-max point of view added characteristics is usually your best bet with starting xp where you can. Also adding a dice will give you more succeses, statistically , than upgrading a die, you just have less chance of a triumph, skills can come later for that reason.

Going from 2 to 3 in agility gives you a better chance of success in 7 skills , adding a rank in 1 skill gives you a better chance of a triumph in one skill( but not a better chance of success in that skill in comparison with adding an extra green die)

Edit - this is the reason that when you look at it that droids, hav it worse off, hoever, when it come to sticking within career how many of those 6 skills are critical, at most 4 might be useful, but rarely more than 2 or 3 are critical (example most merc soldiers have brawn, agility, willpower and maybe presence , however the presence style merc can prob drop brawn from that list, and the agility style can drop presence, cunning and knowledge are dump stats)

I think (as with so many players choices in this system) the GM needs to be writing to the party's strengths and weaknesses, and a droid has a lot of narrative strengths for the GM and player to incorporate into the narrative.

When the Devs balance this system the narrative elements play an important role. so only looking at the crunch can make something seem broken. The Order 66, Tales From the Hydian Way and Skill Monkey podcasts are brilliant for understanding this at a much deeper level.

A question might arise as to how much weight such non-mechanical benefits should be given. If you give droids benefits that are not explicit, then shouldn't other species get them too, such as the supposed superb senses of the Sullustans, the climbing claws of the Wookiees, the infrared vision of the Trandoshans, etc.?

Whilst I agree with you Happy, I'm just trying to point out that Narrative is an element of the balancing of this system. I think the narrative elements that the Devs choose to highlight are up to them.