1 hour ago, Zombre said:

I guess what I'm asking is, could a restraining bolt that is installed on a droid be used in a similar manner as the scene from Rebels with the combat droids? Could the slicer controlling the restraining bolt force the Imperial combat droids to attack Imperials until the bolt is destroyed/removed?

Possibly, it's up to your GM.

The book text says advanced models do allow control, but that leaves a lot open (as happens in this system). Usually that's a sign the GM can call for a roll, and interperate the results.

Again, shutting down vs. controlling are sticky issues for GMs. Don't allow something and you're not using the material and options. Allow it and it's open for abuse.

A point of issue might also simply be: Don't you think Imperial Combat Droids already have restraining bolts installed? I mean the Empire doesn't seem like a pro droids rights kinda operation...

So the GM has options. Yes, no, yes but against 4 red dice...

22 hours ago, Zombre said:

I guess what I'm asking is, could a restraining bolt that is installed on a droid be used in a similar manner as the scene from Rebels with the combat droids? Could the slicer controlling the restraining bolt force the Imperial combat droids to attack Imperials until the bolt is destroyed/removed?

My understanding is that Restraining Bolts and their controllers are more like a leash with a call and shutoff button, everything else is programming and coercion. Think slavery or the military because thats what the relationship between Droids and their Masters is, the Bolt is merely the chains. The Master is whoever legally owns the Droid. Coded into the Droid's base programming is a way to recognize a Master or a new Master when certain conditions are met. C3P0 for example understood that Luke was his new Master as soon as the transaction between his family and the Jawa's was complete. So in your example all the Slicer would be able to do is shutdown or force the Droid to return, it wouldn't keep the droid from attacking them when it was activated without being reprogrammed unless those preprogrammed conditions were met, or the Droid wanted to avoid being shutdown and destroyed. I would imagine that Imperial Droids do not have restraining bolts as such but are programmed to follow orders only from Imperials depending on their rank.

5 minutes ago, FuriousGreg said:

My understanding is that Restraining Bolts and their controllers are more like a leash with a call and shutoff button, everything else is programming and coercion. Think slavery or the military because thats what the relationship between Droids and their Masters is, the Bolt is merely the chains. The Master is whoever legally owns the Droid. Coded into the Droid's base programming is a way to recognize a Master or a new Master when certain conditions are met. C3P0 for example understood that Luke was his new Master as soon as the transaction between his family and the Jawa's was complete. So in your example all the Slicer would be able to do is shutdown or force the Droid to return, it wouldn't keep the droid from attacking them when it was activated without being reprogrammed unless those preprogrammed conditions were met, or the Droid wanted to avoid being shutdown and destroyed. I would imagine that Imperial Droids do not have restraining bolts as such but are programmed to follow orders only from Imperials depending on their rank.

Using the FFG game mechanics, how can Agent Kallus reprogram the 2 combat droids to attack Thrawn and the 2 stormtroopers in the above Rebels clip in what looks like about 5 minutes or less?

Even with 3 ranks in Technical Aptitude it would take hours to reprogram combat directives.

1 hour ago, Zombre said:

Using the FFG game mechanics, how can Agent Kallus reprogram the 2 combat droids to attack Thrawn and the 2 stormtroopers in the above Rebels clip in what looks like about 5 minutes or less?

Even with 3 ranks in Technical Aptitude it would take hours to reprogram combat directives.

First I don't agree that Kallus reprogrammed the Droids what I believe he did was disable their safeties so they'ed attack everyone they came into contact with and then ordered them into Thrawn's office.

But for sake of argument lets say he did have to reprogram each droid: Agent Kallus didn't need to spend much time accessing the system, he is ISB after all and likely has access or a quick way to get it. So all he had to do was get past any security the Droids had and either reverse their Friend or Foe programming or negate it (they did attack everyone they came into contact with). Again the security was likely something he was not only familiar with but had access to because of his position so he'd get Boost dice on that. Then disabling their safeties isn't really reprogramming them to fight for you just not to recognize friends from foe. A Rebel trying to do this would likely take longer with a higher level of risk.
This is why I suggested in my other post that the difficulty should be set based on the Droid and situation as well as the intended result.

6 hours ago, Zombre said:

Using the FFG game mechanics, how can Agent Kallus reprogram the 2 combat droids to attack Thrawn and the 2 stormtroopers in the above Rebels clip in what looks like about 5 minutes or less?

Even with 3 ranks in Technical Aptitude it would take hours to reprogram combat directives.

By not doing a total reprogramming because that's not what's needed.

David : Wait... Can Kallus do something like program one of these droids to go into the next room and attack whoever they find there?

GM: With a Hard computers check plus two setbacks for thier security programming...

David: That's it?

GM: These aren't complex thinker droids with barely a personality, and they are already configured as Thrawn's sparring partners with altered IFF algorithms, so the alterations you want to make aren't a stretch. You're just changing a safe word and the sparring location and partner parameters.

David: *rolls* whew, 2 success and a Triumph... Can I use the Triumph to do it to a second one?

GM:....yeah ok, the two go marching into the room and attack the officer and Thrawn.

Taylor: Wow, that's a heck of a distraction... I guess it's time for Ezra and Chopper to make a Stealth check....