HI! First post here, and I'm loving this game.

So after looking at all of the races, my players and I felt like Droids were lacking in the characteristic area.

I was thinking of a way that house rules could fix this and I think i might have come across something that works.

When a Droid receives experience he may spend it on increasing his characteristics with the normal character creation rules (x10 none past 5), but with a catch: for every characteristic point the Droid already has past the first (maybe second) it costs an additional 10 experience.

With this house rule a Droid can increase a characteristic from 1 to 2 for 30 (20 + 10 for first time increasing) exp, from 2 to 3 50 exp (30 + 20 for second time increasing), from 3 to 4 70 exp (40 + 30 for third time increasing), and from 4 to 5 90 exp (50 + 40 for fourth time increasing). For a total of 240 exp. (it would be 200 if you allowed 1 to 2 to be free, then added a cumulative 10 from 2-3 and so fourth)

So a quick chart:

1 to 2 = 30 exp (or 20 exp)

2 to 3 = 50 exp (or 40 exp)

3 to 4 = 70 exp (or 60 exp)

4 to 5 = 90 exp (or 80 exp)

I think that this might entice players to play Droids from a mechanical standpoint (because really, without house rules, i think the only reason to play one would be from a roleplaying standpoint)

What do you guys think of this house rule? is it overpowered? I don't think so, because it is a really hefty experience investment that all of the other players would be spending on skills or talents.

The problem is that spending XP to raise Characteristics past character creation becomes too good, and you're bound to soon end up with a party of nothing but droid PCs. Increasing a Characteristic is often far more beneficial than buying a skill rank, since you're rolling more dice, and the math wizards that have passed through these boards have noted that if you're looking to roll more successes than anything, extra ability dice are the way to go.

I think the three extra skill ranks (worth about 15 to 25 XP depending on career and specialization combo) as well as the ability to install multiple cybernetic implants (which themselves provide Characteristic boosts) and not being limited to their Brawn score, as well as Enduring (worth at least 15 XP based on it's placement in the Mechanic and some of the AoR Beta specs) for free are perks enough to play a droid. To say nothing of being able to recover from damage quicker, as Mechanics checks to recover Wounds don't have the "once per encounter" restriction that Medicine checks do to allow a meatbag to recover Wounds. As well as being able to make any piece of gear a "built-in" item that can't simply be taken away from you; pretty darn handy to have a blaster carbine integrated into your combat droid's chassis, preventing bad guys from taking it away from you the way they did the merc's blaster rifle or the Wookiee's vibro-ax.

As well as being able to make any piece of gear a "built-in" item that can't simply be taken away from you; pretty darn handy to have a blaster carbine integrated into your combat droid's chassis, preventing bad guys from taking it away from you the way they did the merc's blaster rifle or the Wookiee's vibro-ax.

The downside is that an enemy that can't be disarmed by normal means is more likely to be killed/destroyed by any right-thinking opponent.

I'm not sure how you mean they are lacking with characteristics. The stats of the droid in my group are in line with the non-droids. He also had the benefit of being able to choose which skills he was higher in unlike the other members.

I'd be careful house ruling anything in that allows anyone to raise their stats outside of the way you do it now with the talent in the specialization tree.

There is nothing wrong with droids the way they are written in fact they are the most powerful race in some instances. Having 6 for implants with 1 Brawn is huge, huge, huge! +1 soak, better recovery from damage, able to have most items "built-in", no sleeping, breathing, etc. Droids are almost overpowered.

Players shouldn't be thinking droids are like other races. I tell my players droids are specialized you'll probably have a 4 or 3 maybe a 2 and the rest 1's. That's how Droids are supposed to be.

Having 6 for implants with 1 Brawn is huge, huge, huge! +1 soak, better recovery from damage, able to have most items "built-in", no sleeping, breathing, etc. Droids are almost overpowered.

Having Brawn 1 has so many downsides that I think you'll find it rather uncommon for most PC Droids, and I'm not sure that I agree that they have better recovery from damage.

There is also the very real issue that Droids are typically considered property rather than people. While other PCs are probably going to treat you as an equal, don't expect the same from the vast majority of the galaxy.

Having 6 for implants with 1 Brawn is huge, huge, huge! +1 soak, better recovery from damage, able to have most items "built-in", no sleeping, breathing, etc. Droids are almost overpowered.

Having Brawn 1 has so many downsides that I think you'll find it rather uncommon for most PC Droids, and I'm not sure that I agree that they have better recovery from damage.

There is also the very real issue that Droids are typically considered property rather than people. While other PCs are probably going to treat you as an equal, don't expect the same from the vast majority of the galaxy.

Ok, so 6 implant points with 2 brawn, or are you saying all Droids will have 6 brawn so it's not a benefit?

Your Droid not being treated equal can be said for most races especially in the current timeline. You think a Wookie will be treated the same as a human?

The healing issue I won't restart in this thread you can look it up if interested. The short version is Droids are machines so narratively can be fixed a lot easier and faster than skin, bone, & muscle.

The rules support Medicine being better at healing biologicals than Mechanics is for droids.

As for the prejudice against species like Wookiees, most of that is confined to the Empire and its officials. OTOH, most individuals even the Rebel Alliance don't treat droidd as equals. I can't think of any droids in canon that are accepted as full beings by any outside of their personal circle. I don't believe that any significant leaders of the Rebellion are droids, while various non-human organics are accepted regularly.

The rules support Medicine being better at healing biologicals than Mechanics is for droids.

As for the prejudice against species like Wookiees, most of that is confined to the Empire and its officials. OTOH, most individuals even the Rebel Alliance don't treat droidd as equals. I can't think of any droids in canon that are accepted as full beings by any outside of their personal circle. I don't believe that any significant leaders of the Rebellion are droids, while various non-human organics are accepted regularly.

Not sure what rules your are reading, but Bacta tank 1 wound healed per 2 hours (1 wound per 6 hours if incapacitated), Oil bath 1 wound per hour or 2 wounds per 2 hours, or twice as fast healing. You could be referring to stim packs vs emergency packs but in reality they are a wash, and in my gaming experience healing 5 wounds in combat in useless when you can do or take 9+ Damage a hit. But 5 + 4 + 3 + 2 + 1 = 15 vs. 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 = 15.

Also, in the groups I've played in we have always had at least 2 people with mechanics and 1 with medicine which is overall better when the "Doc" is the one hurt.

On the prejudice part, I can't think of any Wookie, rodian, trandoshan, bothan, etc Rebel Alliance Leaders, except "it's a trap" Mon Calamari. I'm not saying Droids are equals they are machines, i do think you seem to be making it more of an issue than it is as far as it being such a huge draw back that makes Droids worse than other races. While, Droids equality depending on the type of droid might be a positive thing like an inconspicuous R2 droid just rolling past enemies or pretending to be a service droid, etc.

I have a house rule I'm using myself, which is that after character creation, the player can dedicate time, money, and a boat load of experience to increase a characteristic. First off, it costs normal experience plus thirty, which makes it good if you want to increase a characteristic from one to two, but not as good as just getting the talent. Secondly, you have to take at least a month per level to train, which means you have to spend extra depending on accommodations, and requires the group stays put. Lastly, it cost one thousand times the level you're increasing to. Like Isaid, this is good if you just need to make rolls possible, but becomes less attractive as you can spend the same amount of experience, and without the cost and less time, to increase it to higher levels.

Droids can either do the same, or pay five times as much to increase it quickly and for considerably less experience, as you can just install an implant. It costs normal to do this.

Is this good, or should it be left as is? My players have mostly bought skills and talents, and I'm just afraid that they'll regret it. So, I put this in so if they turn out to have mad a bad choice, it's not the end of the world.

I was comparing the use of Surgeon with Medicine to using Mechanics which has no corresponding talent boost (Solid Repairs specifically applies to vehicles not to droids). Bacta Specialist will also let bacta outpace oil baths since they also have no corresponding talent boost. Both of these only apply if you have a Doctor in the group.

I was comparing the use of Surgeon with Medicine to using Mechanics which has no corresponding talent boost (Solid Repairs specifically applies to vehicles not to droids). Bacta Specialist will also let bacta outpace oil baths since they also have no corresponding talent boost. Both of these only apply if you have a Doctor in the group.

Ah, that makes sense I was looking at just plain default healing. Though it is silly that Solid Repair doesn't add to Droid repairs, and I think I would House Rule that it does.