I started a separate thread around general technological expectations of the Star Wars Universe stemming out of the discussions in this thread.

In terms of Droids, remember that PC droids are different from "stock" droids as well, in that their sentience is on a different level than from most others that one might encounter. They actively seek to improve themselves beyond their basic programming. As such, it makes sense for them to have the same limitations that organic PCs. It isn't about min-maxing at all. That having been said, Droid characters come with more experience than any other race, and they get to pick six career and three specialization skills right off the hop. They already have a fair bit built in. Purchasing upgrades is the same for any other droid.

C-3P0 has an interesting history as a "PC" droid. Episode I has him built by Anakin Skywalker. While this is partially true, he is still a mass produced model of the 3P0 series of droids. He was first activated in 112 BBY (I think)... Serving in different capacities before running afoul of something on Tatooine, where he was effectively junked. Anakin found him and started rebuilding him, and he got a new lease on life. Of course, his memory would have been wiped more than once in this capacity.

In terms of droids with more built-in features, the probe droids have built in weaponry, hyperwave communications capability, repulsorlift transport capacity, and of course, lots of sensors. There's precedence for it, but one cannot expect a droid like that right out of the box. R2-D2 was a veritable Swiss Army knife, but that could be simulated in two different ways: one is to have him "equipped" with a utility belt representing a number of his apparent features. Secondly, it seemed that he might have had the "utility belt" talent, being able to produce a particular bit of gear (or in his case, yet to be known functionality) as the plot required. Certainly R2 was not armed with anything lethal. His little stun wand would have been another piece of equipment that he "learned" how to convert into a very short range equivalent of shock gloves... Which would have been represented by paying the cost of shock gloves, and it manifests in the way it did in the films.

I think having this talk about the true utility of droids is helpful, but also to set expectations at the point where PC droids are actively seeking to go beyond their base manufacturing specs. Even so, looking up Droid examples in the adversaries section can at least give them an idea of where to start. Equipment and xp = upgrades beyond basic manufacturing specs in most cases.

this is a great thread for my group.!!! as i have a nephew running an assassin droid. i have had to limit what he could do and told him that if he wanted that heavy blaster weapon built in he would have to lose a limb for it to happen and that he would be a one armed assassin droid who wouldn't be able to conceal that fact. and that if he needed two hands for anything he wouldn't be able to do it. so he got a vibro knife attachment that allows him to switch from a hand to a lethal weapon that can also be concealed. any thoughts on how i ruled this?

Oh I almost forgot. I am thinking of allowing him to be able to trade out arms in certain situations. but it will be expensive and then he will have to find a weapons expert/mechanic in order to have it fitted which will be equally expensive.

Well, there are rules for concealed weapons like that under cybernetics. I think if a droid wants a concealed weapon that can pop out, that's the kind of upgrade he's looking for.

Of course, I'd also allow a droid to have hidden compartments around his body that can help him conceal items in the same way that a person wearing clothes can, but I wouldn't allow him to install weapons without following the rules (and cost) of the cybernetics upgrade.

I'm late to this thread and I'm not trying to be mean, but I have to ask: Have your player's watched the original three films recently?

It's pretty obvious in the films this game is based on that Droids are not computers. Their basically, at least the ones that would be a PC, sentient AI's in metal bodies. They can have stuff built in (R2's Shock thingy, radar, and that computer interface member) but then some times they don't. 3P0 didn't have anything, well he had hands when R2 only has an extending grabby thing. I mean R2 and 3P0 had to communicate verbally for peet's sake...

I suggest you have a Star Wars movie night.

I suggest you have a Star Wars movie night.

Dear Mr Furious,

I don't need a reason, putting blu-ray in the machine and away we go.

I know one of my players tried to be all "well I'm immune to fear, right? droids can have that shut down in their programming. that should be free". You have to be very careful with players who want to play droids. Droids in Star Wars are self aware; they can be afraid or be outwitted just like anyone else with a mental score can.

I know one of my players tried to be all "well I'm immune to fear, right? droids can have that shut down in their programming. that should be free". You have to be very careful with players who want to play droids. Droids in Star Wars are self aware; they can be afraid or be outwitted just like anyone else with a mental score can.

Heck, C-3PO spends, like, six movies being afraid of everything . It's more reasonable to assume a droid would be more susceptible to fear.

I know one of my players tried to be all "well I'm immune to fear, right? droids can have that shut down in their programming. that should be free". You have to be very careful with players who want to play droids. Droids in Star Wars are self aware; they can be afraid or be outwitted just like anyone else with a mental score can.

Heck, C-3PO spends, like, six movies being afraid of everything . It's more reasonable to assume a droid would be more susceptible to fear.

Good points. One in-character explanation is that heuristic processor of the droid brain, which allows it to learn and is basically responsible for it becoming self-aware, is also prone to develop quirks and glitches, which tend to resemble "emotions." "Fear" would be nothing more than a computational struggle when the droid's self-preservation subroutine is in conflict with another course of action. That subroutine would have its own built in defense against being shut down, because if it could be turned off, it really doesn't serve a purpose.

In game terms, the designers made droids a "race" in order to make it more accessible to play. But they are "Droids" not "robots." So put it this way, the same feature that lets a droid earn and spend XP in order to advance their skills also makes them susceptible to cognitive anomalies, just like any human. (Or Rodian, Bothan, etc.)

it's very easy to explain to a player why Droids have a limitation like that; tell them "it's Star Wars. that's just the way it works there. Star Wars has very little to do with hard science fiction. Maybe if Droids were real, you could just turn off their fear but in Star Wars a Droid is really just a person trapped in a robot's body. They can be emotional and have colorful character just like anyone else in the setting. No science to it. None that matters anyway."

Great topic.

Something that hasn't been mentioned is that there is a real prejudice within the Empire against droids. Most people don't see droids as beings, they are machines and tools. They are property. An assassin droid is either going to have to be very adept at camouflage to pose as another type of droid or else is going to be violently dealing with this prejudice while racking up infamy. Droids are not going to be welcome in seedier places - take the bar on Tatooine which had sensors at the door to alert the barkeep when droids tried to enter. Droids don't drink. Droids can be used to hide recording devices, sensors or weapons. Lots of places won't want droids around. Droids aren't welcome. When you have a player character droid, they should feel like outsiders in the world at large. That said, within the PC group, a droid may feel real belonging for the first time in it's existence, especially if the other characters treat them as an equal. Look at the difference between how Luke treats C-3PO and how Han does. For Luke, he's a friend and companion. For Han, 3PO is a tool, albeit one valued by his friend Luke.

The whole relationship between Luke and his droids should be the exception, not the rule, in the Star Wars universe. Even in core of the Empire, where aliens are ostracized as well, droids rank lower. The good news there is that droids are so commonplace on the Core worlds that they tend to be ignored like a piece of furniture, rather than despised. Going back to the "I'm immune to fear" idea, the environment towards droids is going to cause most droids to have a healthy sense of paranoia where people are concerned, including party members.

Something that hasn't been mentioned is that there is a real prejudice within the Empire against droids. Most people don't see droids as beings, they are machines and tools. They are property.

I would also attribute some of the prejudice and hatred to the Clone Wars, where the Separatist forces were predominately droids.

I would also attribute some of the prejudice and hatred to the Clone Wars, where the Separatist forces were predominately droids.

Great point. I hadn't considered that before, but that is probably a very real possibility.

I understand your need for game balance. I think that is what you are attempting to get your players to understand.

You can start with: Well this model is the base model. With the right expertise, time, and a whole stack of credits, then you can start to install upgrades.

Remember as the GM, you are in control as to what is available at any given time.

JZ