So... I have a droid tech in my group who tends to like to take Imperial droids and reprogram them. (Being a hipster he did this before Rogue One - before it was cool.) Are there any actual rules for reprogramming a droid? I have followed the rules in Special Modifications, and have just skipped the construction part (Mechanics) and gone straight to the programming part (Computers). But this seems almost too easy! How would you play this?

Would you raise the difficulty? Have the tech first slice the droid before programming? How long would it take? Curious to hear from you all...

Depends on the droid. I'd make an opposed pool computer v computer and if the NPC had applicable Talents I'd add that in. You could also just pull the Difficulties from sort of chasis it is in crafting and dial that up with ranks of Adversary. Then just handle doing directives like the book.

Opposed check vs. the droid's Computer skill? I'm not quite sure I can make sense of that....

The chassis difficulty makes more sense to me though.

I think using something other then the droids computer skills, possibly resilience or discipline? Combat or infiltration droids need to have additional difficulty.

15 minutes ago, lecudas said:

Opposed check vs. the droid's Computer skill? I'm not quite sure I can make sense of that....

The chassis difficulty makes more sense to me though.

What else would a self aware computer use to resist having its programming changed?

Resilience relates to the physical characteristics of a droid, its body, fimware, servos, hydraulics, etc. Discipline is what an organic uses for things like Force powers, but droids are immune to that. Reprogramming involves software, the tech version of brainwashing. Computer v computer makes perfect sense to me.

As I see it there are three ways to gain a droids loyalty.

1. Hostile reprogramming. Opposed Computers skill checks like the Pirate suggested.

2. Resetting and memory wipe. Power down the droid, initiate memory wipe and reset to factory defaults, set PC as current owner.

3. Lie. "I just bought you at Watto's firesale, here is the receipt, now you belong to me."

But a computer check would be a droids skills with computers... Being that their programming is their mind, and is a physical characteristic it seems for a droid it's the equivalent to a person resisting coercion or brainwashing, at least if your programing is in opposition to its current programming.

Double post

I could see a Computer check vs. the original maker/manufacturer's Computer skill... But not the droid's.

A droid's not a computer, it's an AI. So when it's defending it's droid brain from attack what should it be using?

What does any other pc use?

The most appropriate skill, in this case if it was defending it's cybernetic mind, it would be computers, oh yah, that's what we are talking about.....

no if the pc was protecting there own organic mind, because a pc can't have a cyber-brain only a cyber implant which assists their organic mind.

The droid's programing is their whole mind not a computer which is assisting their mind. They'd use computers to defend an additional cybernetic enhancement of the mind just like any other pc, at least thats how it should work in my opinion.

So to recap...

If I slice a computer I use computer skill.

If I defend a computer being sliced I oppose slicing with computer skill.

If I program a droid I create I use computer skill.

If I slice into a droid to reprogram one I roll against Discipline or Resilience.........

To each their own.

I think it would use the same thing your brain would use if it was getting reprogrammed.

Namely: nothing.

Droid brains are designed to be reprogrammed. They dont get a resistance to getting reprogrammed it is only a difficulty for the programmer to get the program right.

Quite frankly, unless there is some compelling reason for it not to work, like hacking on the fly, or there is a reason for there to be a programming booby trap, there shouldnt even be a roll. All you are doing is changing the loyalty parameters, which are another thing that droids are designed to do.

Jewel of Yavin has the PC slicer rolling against a droid's Discipline to slice into it, for what it's worth.

I don't think an imperial integration droid is designed for its loyalty to be easily changed...

In fact I'd assume is was designed to resist that.

That idea works for minions or simple labor droids and maybe even protocol droids but certainly not anything combat or infiltration etc. Why use a droid which could just be sliced by your enemy and turned against you.

Discipline makes perfect sense

I would agree with Discipline. Perhaps the PC will get additional setback dice for better makes.

My second question though is: How long would such a reprogramming take? A minute? A day?

On ‎1‎/‎28‎/‎2017 at 7:01 PM, 2P51 said:

A droid's not a computer, it's an AI. So when it's defending it's droid brain from attack what should it be using?

Discipline. It is used to resist the restraining bolt, it can be used to resist tampering with programming. Yes, this is a use of the skill that has no equivalent for non-droids, but consider that several uses of Resilience have no uses for droids, so its okay for things to not be entirely even.

Special modifications p92 has a table for mechanics pay regarding rewriting personality quirks called refactoring. And memory wiping as well. Both are a base cost multiplied by the Droids will stat.

This would indicate the Droid is resisting with a will based skill.

OK, now try PC droids transferring their conscience in order to give themself a different body.

Agreed, Discipline sounds like the best stat to use.

On 29.1.2017 at 1:45 AM, korjik said:

I think it would use the same thing your brain would use if it was getting reprogrammed.

Namely: nothing.

Droid brains are designed to be reprogrammed. They dont get a resistance to getting reprogrammed it is only a difficulty for the programmer to get the program right.

Quite frankly, unless there is some compelling reason for it not to work, like hacking on the fly, or there is a reason for there to be a programming booby trap, there shouldnt even be a roll. All you are doing is changing the loyalty parameters, which are another thing that droids are designed to do.

Droids are designed to be reprogrammed by authorized users. So if the slicer does his work in an imperial facility and using the appropriate factory and security codes, sure. No roll. Otherwise, yes, I would imagine droid manufacturers put in as many safeguards as feasible given their budget. Chief among those the Willpower and Discipline stats of their droid.

35 minutes ago, Cifer said:

Agreed, Discipline sounds like the best stat to use.

Droids are designed to be reprogrammed by authorized users. So if the slicer does his work in an imperial facility and using the appropriate factory and security codes, sure. No roll. Otherwise, yes, I would imagine droid manufacturers put in as many safeguards as feasible given their budget. Chief among those the Willpower and Discipline stats of their droid.

If a moisture farmer in the back edge of nowhere can get a droid set back to its factory settings after buying it off the back of a Sandcrawler, I would have to say that is cant be all that hard to get thru the security.

Plus look at what I said: If there is a reason to have a time crunch, then yeah, you have to roll. If there isnt, then the rolls are a little superfluous and dont make them

On 28/1/2017 at 8:21 PM, Tom Cruise said:

Jewel of Yavin has the PC slicer rolling against a droid's Discipline to slice into it, for what it's worth.

This is correct. But Slice into the droid does not grant de reprogramming. If I recall correctly, the slice allows to deactivate the security alarm and disable the motor functions.

I personally would request 2 rolls. One against Discipline to deactivate (and possibly erase the memory), and a computer check to reprogram a new protocol. This will require a lot of time, so it should discourage your PC from stealing imperial property.

Edit: Also, per JoY a Restraining Bolt should downgrade the check twice. I think in this particular case it suppresses the ranks in Discipline, making it a check against Willpower. I make this interpretation since the Restraining Bolt always goes against Willpower of the Droid and does not consider Discipline.

Edit 2: Restraining bolts goes against a Discipline check without modification. So, my conclusion was wrong.