Droideka idea input

By Quantum7, in Star Wars: Edge of the Empire RPG

This is the droideka i made for my game as it stands now my players will be facing one or two next Sunday as it is I wanted some input on how it is built and ideas for alteration and improvement.

Nemesis

Droideka destroyer droid

Brawn 3 agility 4 intellect 1 cunning 2 willpower 2 presence 1

S 7 w.t. 16, s.t. 22, r.d. 2 m.d. 2

Ranged heavy 3, athletics 2

Talents: adversary 2, rolling form (gains 2 maneuvers, maneuvers may only be used to move, action may only be used to end rolling or be converted to a maneuver, Shield defense off), suppressing fire, shield defense (parry 8, reflect 10, supreme parry, supreme reflect, defensive strain recovery (recovers upto 4 strain used to reflect or parry each turn))

Twin blaster cannons 9 crit 3 range long, auto-fire linked

I used Blaster rifle stats for the weapon less stun and added auto-fire and linked.

Rolling form is homebrew granting the abilities in parenthesis.

Shield defense is homebrew granting the abilities in parenthesis. I chose reflect and parry as it cost strain to prevent the damage and allows for the shield to be overwhelmed. The supreme versions are for when energy is not dedicated to the weapons.

Defensive strain recovery is a homebrew granting the abilities in parenthesis. This recovery ability is to represent energy recovery for the shield.

The Droid does not choose to not reflect or parry it just does until it cannot.

How about making a rule that someone throwing a grenade can spend a Triumph or 3 Advantage to bypass the shield, to reflect how they showed in The Clone Wars that gently lobbing a grenade just right can pass through the shield if it's not thrown too hard.

There are stats for them, in Chronicles of the Gatekeeper.

If you don't want to get the Chronicles of The Gatekeeper, you could also consider one of the new Adversary decks. I think Hunters and Force Users is the deck you want for the Droideka stats. Don't have the cards with me at the mo so can't say for definite.

I've been using modified Inquisitor stats for clone wars Droidikas.

I like the grenades bypassing the shield by spending advantage showing they got them slow enough to slip through the shields.

How about making a rule that someone throwing a grenade can spend a Triumph or 3 Advantage to bypass the shield, to reflect how they showed in The Clone Wars that gently lobbing a grenade just right can pass through the shield if it's not thrown too hard.

There are stats for them, in Chronicles of the Gatekeeper.

I've been using modified Inquisitor stats for clone wars Droidikas.

I also question the ranged and melee defenses. If the shield is granting those bonuses, why are they getting better defense than any other armor out there?

My second comment relates to the shield granting parry. I'm not sure I would grant parry, since shields are designed for ranged weapons.

Also, consider giving less reflect to the shields. The droid has soak 7 to begin with. If you add reflect 10, it is soaking enormous damage. At reflect 5, they will still stop most hits from personal weapons. Especially with that strain recovery.

You also may want to consider a rule to drop the shield when the droideka hits 1/2 strain threshold. Otherwise they will be dropped by strain quickly if the PC's figure out the rules. If you can hit one 8 times in a round (assuming it is shooting back) the shields drop simultaneously with the droid. Call it 10-15 times over 2 rounds if it stops fighting back on round 2. And the hits can be from any weapon, so a pistol class autofire weapon could do a lot of shield damage.

I do like that method of dealing with shields though. I wouldn't mind seeing a version for fighters. You might have to boost their system strain though.

Another method of bypassing shield would be to use the method for aiming where you take 2 setback to hit target a held object or body part.

In this case, you are taking your time to slowly roll a grenade through the Droideka's shields. The advantage to this is that it's an active attempt, versus the more passive or reactive action that Atama suggested.

Edited by kaosoe

Another method of bypassing shield would be to use the method for aiming where you take 2 setback to hit target a held object or body part.

In this case, you are taking your time to slowly roll a grenade through the Droideka's shields. The advantage to this is that it's an active attempt, versus the more passive or reactive action that Atama suggested.

Ohhh nice use of that rule!

Koasoe I agree that having that as an option is a very good idea.

Inquisitor Building stats are in the back of Force and Destiny.

Originally I ran a simple Adversary 3 20 wound, 20 strain Brute with Parry, Reflect, and Intimidating Presence, armed with a Heavy Blaster Rifle. Two of those terrified my Knight level players, and I didnt like the way sabers were doing "chip damage" (a point here, a point there) while the shield was active.

These days, I use the following:

Adversary 3, Range Defence 2 (shield gauntlet), Soak 6, 10 wounds, 30 strain Reflect 10, Parry 10, Terrifying (hard fear check)

Improved Parry (Shield Gauntlet 4), Heavy Blaster Rifle YYYY 10 damage autofire, (always targeting the two most unwounded PCs, or the most defensive PC and NPCs) Brawl YYY Shied Gauntlet

Resists move with RRR Athletics,, Discipline YYG, Vigilance YGG

I think I'll have it get one defense when it is in rolling form due to quick movement but remove it from the base unit.

The parry comes not from seeingredients it in action but more from the unwillingness for anyone to try melee in the show or movie.

I chose the reflect so high as in the show and episode one the seem to take the whole of a Blaster rifles damage. I have the soak at for in the clone wars show even after the shield when down on a droideka theyou would shoot 4-5 before it stopped moving but I the a 5 or 6 could work there.

The auto fire pistol was on my did cross my mind but none of my players use any so it was a non issue for me.

I like and will incorporate the half strain idea into the droid. I chose 22 strain as the shield would drop with 1 left and the Droid would not but if someone yells at it at that point it would shut down.

I also was thinking if the Droid was moved too quickly the shields would turn off as such of someone using force push.

I also question the ranged and melee defenses. If the shield is granting those bonuses, why are they getting better defense than any other armor out there?

My second comment relates to the shield granting parry. I'm not sure I would grant parry, since shields are designed for ranged weapons.

Also, consider giving less reflect to the shields. The droid has soak 7 to begin with. If you add reflect 10, it is soaking enormous damage. At reflect 5, they will still stop most hits from personal weapons. Especially with that strain recovery.

You also may want to consider a rule to drop the shield when the droideka hits 1/2 strain threshold. Otherwise they will be dropped by strain quickly if the PC's figure out the rules. If you can hit one 8 times in a round (assuming it is shooting back) the shields drop simultaneously with the droid. Call it 10-15 times over 2 rounds if it stops fighting back on round 2. And the hits can be from any weapon, so a pistol class autofire weapon could do a lot of shield damage.

I do like that method of dealing with shields though. I wouldn't mind seeing a version for fighters. You might have to boost their system strain though.

Edited by Quantum7

OK, I see. I was looking for a pregenerated adversary and this has lots of cool ideas for future challenges. It seems that our idea on how to work the shields do have overlap.

Why would you give the droideka improved parry? Does this stem from some lore or was this a balancing thing for your players.

I agreed with edgookin that it seemed redundant with the massive reflect and parry. I haven't tried this out with my players so I can't say so how was your experience with both the reflect and defense?

Inquisitor Building stats are in the back of Force and Destiny.

Originally I ran a simple Adversary 3 20 wound, 20 strain Brute with Parry, Reflect, and Intimidating Presence, armed with a Heavy Blaster Rifle. Two of those terrified my Knight level players, and I didnt like the way sabers were doing "chip damage" (a point here, a point there) while the shield was active.

These days, I use the following:

Adversary 3, Range Defence 2 (shield gauntlet), Soak 6, 10 wounds, 30 strain Reflect 10, Parry 10, Terrifying (hard fear check)

Improved Parry (Shield Gauntlet 4), Heavy Blaster Rifle YYYY 10 damage autofire, (always targeting the two most unwounded PCs, or the most defensive PC and NPCs) Brawl YYY Shied Gauntlet

Resists move with RRR Athletics,, Discipline YYG, Vigilance YGG

Edgookin I think I'll have the shield drop when strain drops below 10 rather than 50%. That way it'll receive 5 hits before the shields drop.

Edited by Quantum7

I put Improved Parry with a Stun weapon to reflect the "zap!" that would happen when striking the shield with a melee weapon. unfortunately, in practive the 4 strain gets absobed by PC armor.

OK I understand that and it makes sense that explains why shield gauntlet was written next to the improved parry I hade thought the was what was giving the improved parry. I saw it as the talent that makes the attacker receive there full damage in turn.

Edited by Quantum7

Thanks all for the input. Have fun I'll continue to check this for thoughts and ideas at a later time.

Remember as a player droid you can play a droideka. Bonus points if you are pink and have a vocabulator so you can say "I am a pretty princess" as a battlecry.

I put Improved Parry with a Stun weapon to reflect the "zap!" that would happen when striking the shield with a melee weapon. unfortunately, in practive the 4 strain gets absobed by PC armor.

Have it be 2 strain that ignores soak.

I put Improved Parry with a Stun weapon to reflect the "zap!" that would happen when striking the shield with a melee weapon. unfortunately, in practive the 4 strain gets absobed by PC armor.

Make it Active Stun, and it will ignore all Soak. ;)

So in the Clone Wars show, can a lightsaber get through the droideka shield?

If not, I'd just make it something like: "While the shield is on, the droid has Armor 2 (or maybe 3) against attacks from energy weapons and melee weapons, but it can't move. Slow-moving projectiles like grenades can penetrate the shield."

The stats for the shield in CotG are pretty weak (2 Defense, upgrade incoming attacks once). That shield would only barely slow down the heavy repeating blaster-wielder in my campaign, when what it should do is force the party to find a different way to deal with the threat other than "more dakka."

Edited by FuriousGuy

In The Clone Wars, as in The Phantom Menace, the shields would stop blaster bolts and lightsabers equally. I assume slugthrowers also since fast-moving objects get deflected. I presume a slow-moving Jedi could stealth up behind a droideka and slowly pass through the shield before activating his lightsaber and stabbing the droid, but that seems pretty freaking gutsy.

In The Clone Wars, as in The Phantom Menace, the shields would stop blaster bolts and lightsabers equally. I assume slugthrowers also since fast-moving objects get deflected. I presume a slow-moving Jedi could stealth up behind a droideka and slowly pass through the shield before activating his lightsaber and stabbing the droid, but that seems pretty freaking gutsy.

Sounds like something Anakin would do.

In The Clone Wars, as in The Phantom Menace, the shields would stop blaster bolts and lightsabers equally. I assume slugthrowers also since fast-moving objects get deflected. I presume a slow-moving Jedi could stealth up behind a droideka and slowly pass through the shield before activating his lightsaber and stabbing the droid, but that seems pretty freaking gutsy.

I dunno... in the Clone Wars show, Ray Shields are nasty stuff. I'm thinking the episode "the box", where one unique alien could pass through a ray shield without harm.

Others could pass through, sure, but it sure wasnt harmless.

In The Clone Wars, as in The Phantom Menace, the shields would stop blaster bolts and lightsabers equally. I assume slugthrowers also since fast-moving objects get deflected. I presume a slow-moving Jedi could stealth up behind a droideka and slowly pass through the shield before activating his lightsaber and stabbing the droid, but that seems pretty freaking gutsy.

Sounds like something Anakin would do.

A little too sneaky for Anakin. He could do stealth, but usually wasn't subtle about his attacks. But I could see a PC stealth build doing this. Even a non Jedi. Slips up behind, attach a magnetic ion mine and zap.