Which is fine as a houserule. But if you go by RAW they shouldn't be starting out with anything they don't purchase with the starting credits. To keep all the beginning characters balanced, the astromech would need to purchase the toolkit for 350 credits to begin play with all their built in components in working order. Astromechs that don't purchase the toolkit can be thought of as having the standard factory installed bits either broken or replaced with the other items the player chose to purchase.

To me, saying that astromechs start the game as not being astromechs (not having access to their basic physiological characteristics) is like saying that rodians don't get their suction cups, or that trandoshans have to purchase headgear to see in the infrared spectrum. It's ridiculous.

Does the Rodian suction cups add a mechanical benefit to the game? If so, they should be balanced by some sort of XP cost. I am afb at the moment, so remind me... is the Trandoshan IR sight in the benefits given to PCs or is it simply fluff?

Sounds pretty much like they start with the Tool Kit which is covered by the initial 500 cr. Anything within it covers all your Mechanics checks (and I'd even allow for a scomp as techs need to access the computers that control many vehicles and such) and can be used as an improvised weapon initially. Later on they can get better at using them as weapons. This can be shown by ranks in Melee or Ranged (light) and purchasing a viboknife, a flame projector, or a blaster pistol to be built in. Otherwise they can take extra Obligation for extra cash can get them other items such as a Holo-messenger, Electrobinoculars, Comm gear, Electronic Lock Breaker, or Slicer Gear (this could be better programs or other equipment to make it a better slicer) as can playing the game.

Point being, here, that "appropriate gear" varies by spec. Some are obvious what their basic gear should be - doctors, mechanics, slicers, for example. They would all be getting 350-500 creds worth of gear for free.

The "appropriate basic gear" for a bounty hunter or a politico or a smuggler is not quite so obvious. You can't point at one thing and say "that? that's necessary politico gear" like you can with a toolkit for a technician. In those cases, I'm saying the politico (for example) should get equivalent value to buy stuff as they please - clothes, a blaster, etc - not deducted from their normal starting funds.

The starting funds are there for the players to purchase their appropriate gear. If you want to buy something else you're free to do so, that's also why you can get extra credits for additional obligation.

You're apparently not reading the posts I'm responding to so please stop quoting and responding to me out of context.

Unless I'm interpretting you incorrectly, you believe that characters should begin with gear in addition to the starting credits. Going by that, and your desire to include "appropriate starting kits," I am in fact responding in context. And to clarify, I am reading the posts you're responding to.

Which is fine as a houserule. But if you go by RAW they shouldn't be starting out with anything they don't purchase with the starting credits. To keep all the beginning characters balanced, the astromech would need to purchase the toolkit for 350 credits to begin play with all their built in components in working order. Astromechs that don't purchase the toolkit can be thought of as having the standard factory installed bits either broken or replaced with the other items the player chose to purchase.

To me, saying that astromechs start the game as not being astromechs (not having access to their basic physiological characteristics) is like saying that rodians don't get their suction cups, or that trandoshans have to purchase headgear to see in the infrared spectrum. It's ridiculous.

Does the Rodian suction cups add a mechanical benefit to the game? If so, they should be balanced by some sort of XP cost. I am afb at the moment, so remind me... is the Trandoshan IR sight in the benefits given to PCs or is it simply fluff?

In a narrative system, the difference between mechanical benefits and fluff is extremely thin. If the fluff says that trandoshans can see in infra-red, they can see in infra-red. If it says that rodians have suction cups that aid in climbing and have saved many rodians from falling to their deaths, it means that rodians have suction cups that aid in climbing.

You might argue that that is "just fluff", but it's right there, in the book, and the exact effects of that is up for interpretation based on the fluff available, and narratively may or may not have an effect by the GM:s discretion, although in the interest of telling a communal story, I would find it odd if the GM just flat out said that "No, your well-established and available suction cups does suddenly not exist." or "No, you cannot see in infra-red and thus cannot detect these laser tripwires that by all accounts should be perfectly visible to you, nee nee nee".

Likewise, if the fluff says that an R2-unit comes with this or that tool, then they come with this or that tool (in fact "a wide variety of tools"). I don't see how this is rocket science.

So.. if I play 'Princess' the pink droideka, I should get shield and ersatz blaster rifle for free.

If the GM allows you to play a fully functional droideka? Yes. I even think that those things have laser *cannons*, not just blaster rifles. Of course, if the GM allows you to do that, I'd question his sanity.

Honestly though, I can't really see how droids below Class 3 would even be played, or considered sentient, and I would expect droidekas to be Class 5, maybe barely Class 4. Nevermind that pesky lack of arms or tool usage.

Droid class doesn't quite work that way. Its a category of function, not one grading sentience. In fact, many class 1 and 2 droids are highly intelligent and sentient while many class 5 droids are barely sentient brutes.

Which is fine as a houserule. But if you go by RAW they shouldn't be starting out with anything they don't purchase with the starting credits. To keep all the beginning characters balanced, the astromech would need to purchase the toolkit for 350 credits to begin play with all their built in components in working order. Astromechs that don't purchase the toolkit can be thought of as having the standard factory installed bits either broken or replaced with the other items the player chose to purchase.

To me, saying that astromechs start the game as not being astromechs (not having access to their basic physiological characteristics) is like saying that rodians don't get their suction cups, or that trandoshans have to purchase headgear to see in the infrared spectrum. It's ridiculous.

Does the Rodian suction cups add a mechanical benefit to the game? If so, they should be balanced by some sort of XP cost. I am afb at the moment, so remind me... is the Trandoshan IR sight in the benefits given to PCs or is it simply fluff?

In a narrative system, the difference between mechanical benefits and fluff is extremely thin. If the fluff says that trandoshans can see in infra-red, they can see in infra-red. If it says that rodians have suction cups that aid in climbing and have saved many rodians from falling to their deaths, it means that rodians have suction cups that aid in climbing.

You might argue that that is "just fluff", but it's right there, in the book, and the exact effects of that is up for interpretation based on the fluff available, and narratively may or may not have an effect by the GM:s discretion, although in the interest of telling a communal story, I would find it odd if the GM just flat out said that "No, your well-established and available suction cups does suddenly not exist." or "No, you cannot see in infra-red and thus cannot detect these laser tripwires that by all accounts should be perfectly visible to you, nee nee nee".

Likewise, if the fluff says that an R2-unit comes with this or that tool, then they come with this or that tool. I don't see how this is rocket science.

I would include these things in the narrative after determining the results of the roll, but the suction cups and infrared wouldn't have any mechanical benefit (like beginning with extra gear would). The toolkit and other gear are granting mechanical benefits, the suction cups and infrared in the fluff description are not. The droids beginning stats: the starting XP, the additional skills, immunity to biological elements, are all already balanced against the mechanical benefits of the other species.

Which is fine as a houserule. But if you go by RAW they shouldn't be starting out with anything they don't purchase with the starting credits. To keep all the beginning characters balanced, the astromech would need to purchase the toolkit for 350 credits to begin play with all their built in components in working order. Astromechs that don't purchase the toolkit can be thought of as having the standard factory installed bits either broken or replaced with the other items the player chose to purchase.

To me, saying that astromechs start the game as not being astromechs (not having access to their basic physiological characteristics) is like saying that rodians don't get their suction cups, or that trandoshans have to purchase headgear to see in the infrared spectrum. It's ridiculous.

Does the Rodian suction cups add a mechanical benefit to the game? If so, they should be balanced by some sort of XP cost. I am afb at the moment, so remind me... is the Trandoshan IR sight in the benefits given to PCs or is it simply fluff?

In a narrative system, the difference between mechanical benefits and fluff is extremely thin. If the fluff says that trandoshans can see in infra-red, they can see in infra-red. If it says that rodians have suction cups that aid in climbing and have saved many rodians from falling to their deaths, it means that rodians have suction cups that aid in climbing.

You might argue that that is "just fluff", but it's right there, in the book, and the exact effects of that is up for interpretation based on the fluff available, and narratively may or may not have an effect by the GM:s discretion, although in the interest of telling a communal story, I would find it odd if the GM just flat out said that "No, your well-established and available suction cups does suddenly not exist." or "No, you cannot see in infra-red and thus cannot detect these laser tripwires that by all accounts should be perfectly visible to you, nee nee nee".

Likewise, if the fluff says that an R2-unit comes with this or that tool, then they come with this or that tool (in fact "a wide variety of tools"). I don't see how this is rocket science.

Very true in that example. But why would they be IR? Why not some other wavelength, or motion sensors, or anything else.

You can be very creative in a narrative game, and unless everyone agrees not to abuse the narrative you may have issues. I think this is going to have to be another point where we simply disagree.

I would include these things in the narrative after determining the results of the roll, but the suction cups and infrared wouldn't have any mechanical benefit (like beginning with extra gear would). The toolkit and other gear are granting mechanical benefits, the suction cups and infrared in the fluff description are not. The droids beginning stats: the starting XP, the additional skills, immunity to biological elements, are all already balanced against the mechanical benefits of the other species.

Actually both could have a mechanical benefit if abused.

Suckers could be extrapolated to grant a bonus to gripping while climbing, and IR vision could be used to grant a bonus to perception. Lots of possibilities.

You are correct though, they don't HAVE to be used to grant a mechanical benefit and can be used to explain narratively the results of a roll.

Likewise, if the fluff says that an R2-unit comes with this or that tool, then they come with this or that tool (in fact "a wide variety of tools"). I don't see how this is rocket science.

What fluff? There is only an NPC stat block. It is rather well established that NPCs do not follow the same rules as PCs. And while wookiepedia is a great resource, it is not a game resource informing on what is an is not in game. So while you may allow for all kinds of equipment in a PC droid, that is not the norm.

Point being, here, that "appropriate gear" varies by spec. Some are obvious what their basic gear should be - doctors, mechanics, slicers, for example. They would all be getting 350-500 creds worth of gear for free.

The "appropriate basic gear" for a bounty hunter or a politico or a smuggler is not quite so obvious. You can't point at one thing and say "that? that's necessary politico gear" like you can with a toolkit for a technician. In those cases, I'm saying the politico (for example) should get equivalent value to buy stuff as they please - clothes, a blaster, etc - not deducted from their normal starting funds.

The starting funds are there for the players to purchase their appropriate gear. If you want to buy something else you're free to do so, that's also why you can get extra credits for additional obligation.

You're apparently not reading the posts I'm responding to so please stop quoting and responding to me out of context.

Unless I'm interpretting you incorrectly, you believe that characters should begin with gear in addition to the starting credits. Going by that, and your desire to include "appropriate starting kits," I am in fact responding in context. And to clarify, I am reading the posts you're responding to.

Part of me says that "required to do your job at all" gear should come as part of the specialization if taken at chargen. Mainly because I see the starting credits before +Obligation as too low for some concepts. But doing so would necessitate compensation to characters who don't have "required to do your job" gear, because that's only fair. I haven't run it this way, I just see it as a developer failing by virtue of some characters having required purchases to function in their role, where others do not.

I'm also responding to the notion of astromechs getting built-in gear for free by virtue of being astromechs, and my response to that is that fairness dictates that if astromechs get a toolkit (for example) for free then everyone should get 350c value "for free" to keep the whole play group balanced.

I would include these things in the narrative after determining the results of the roll, but the suction cups and infrared wouldn't have any mechanical benefit (like beginning with extra gear would). The toolkit and other gear are granting mechanical benefits, the suction cups and infrared in the fluff description are not. The droids beginning stats: the starting XP, the additional skills, immunity to biological elements, are all already balanced against the mechanical benefits of the other species.

Actually both could have a mechanical benefit if abused.

Suckers could be extrapolated to grant a bonus to gripping while climbing, and IR vision could be used to grant a bonus to perception. Lots of possibilities.

You are correct though, they don't HAVE to be used to grant a mechanical benefit and can be used to explain narratively the results of a roll.

Oh, I agree completely. The fluff for any of the species can easily be abused to gain mechanical benefits. That's why I prefer to use it all as narative descriptions. This way, I don't feel like I'm putting the game's balance in jeopardy.

I'm thinking it might be "agree to disagree" time here on some of this.

Folks who want to play that droids get thousands of credits' worth of gear for being droids are welcome to play that way in their own games.

Folks who prefer to restrict droids' starting gear to the same 500c worth of equipment as the other players are obviously welcome to play that way as well.

I'm not sure anyone is going to convince anybody here.

Droid class doesn't quite work that way. Its a category of function, not one grading sentience. In fact, many class 1 and 2 droids are highly intelligent and sentient while many class 5 droids are barely sentient brutes.

I direct you to EotE, pg. 46

And more to the point, no matter how you choose to bend it, I highly doubt that droidekas can be considered high-functioning droids.

I would include these things in the narrative after determining the results of the roll, but the suction cups and infrared wouldn't have any mechanical benefit (like beginning with extra gear would). The toolkit and other gear are granting mechanical benefits, the suction cups and infrared in the fluff description are not. The droids beginning stats: the starting XP, the additional skills, immunity to biological elements, are all already balanced against the mechanical benefits of the other species.

Again, it depends on your definition, since the in-system differentiation is extremely thin. Saying that having IR-sight or expressly being better at climbing not having mechanical effects is ridiculous. It allows you to do things others can't, due to the nature of your physiology. Much like having expressly built-in tools and functionalities.

Very true in that example. But why would they be IR? Why not some other wavelength, or motion sensors, or anything else.

You can be very creative in a narrative game, and unless everyone agrees not to abuse the narrative you may have issues. I think this is going to have to be another point where we simply disagree.

Why would they be IR? Because that's what it says they are. I'm sure that there's other species' with other wavelengths and so on. But when talking specifically about trandoshans, we're talking IR.

They COULD be something else, but that's not the way it was written.

What fluff? There is only an NPC stat block. It is rather well established that NPCs do not follow the same rules as PCs. And while wookiepedia is a great resource, it is not a game resource informing on what is an is not in game. So while you may allow for all kinds of equipment in a PC droid, that is not the norm.

If Wookiepedia isn't good enough for you, read the in-book species section.

Either way, no matter how you try and twist it, we're all operating in the same overall universe, bar personal retcons and refluffs. To even question such well-established fluff is a tad childish and just makes you look desperate.

Actually, in the cases of the Rodian's suction cups and the Trandoshan's IR vision they may have left them for the narrative on purpose. This way a GM could apply a bonus when it was deemed relevent since not every situation can be ruled for. This way a GM could allow for a bonus of some type in different situations without an exact rule since it can not forsee every situation abilities may be in play.

Heh heh. Did you even read the Droid Classifications? That is well established fluff. All droids made for security or war (with weapons) are Class 4. Classification has nothing to do with sentience. In fact lower class droids (1-3) tend to be smarter than their higher class brethren. Class 1s and 3s also tend to be the most sociable too. And nothing in the droid species write up indicates they should start with any more than any other species. So again, if you want to this it is a houserule and nothing more.

Part of me says that "required to do your job at all" gear should come as part of the specialization if taken at chargen. Mainly because I see the starting credits before +Obligation as too low for some concepts. But doing so would necessitate compensation to characters who don't have "required to do your job" gear, because that's only fair. I haven't run it this way, I just see it as a developer failing by virtue of some characters having required purchases to function in their role, where others do not.

I'm also responding to the notion of astromechs getting built-in gear for free by virtue of being astromechs, and my response to that is that fairness dictates that if astromechs get a toolkit (for example) for free then everyone should get 350c value "for free" to keep the whole play group balanced.

I agree that if you're giving free beginning gear to a player, everone should get something of equivalent value to balance it. But at that point, why not just let everyone buy their gear with the starting credits and use obligation if they want more that their 500 cr can afford? Sure, some items required for the different specs take a large chunk of that, the slicer gear is a good example. If you have a slicer and he/she only has the slicing tools, that just means they've kept their nose clean and haven't taken the risks that other people have (those with higher obligation).

Actually, in the cases of the Rodian's suction cups and the Trandoshan's IR vision they may have left them for the narrative on purpose. This way a GM could apply a bonus when it was deemed relevent since not every situation can be ruled for. This way a GM could allow for a bonus of some type in different situations without an exact rule since it can not forsee every situation abilities may be in play.

Heh heh. Did you even read the Droid Classifications? That is well established fluff. All droids made for security or war (with weapons) are Class 4. Classification has nothing to do with sentience. In fact lower class droids (1-3) tend to be smarter than their higher class brethren. Class 1s and 3s also tend to be the most sociable too. And nothing in the droid species write up indicates they should start with any more than any other species. So again, if you want to this it is a houserule and nothing more.

I'm by no means a Star Wars fluffmaster, so if it's usually otherwise, I apologize, but in places where various fluff conflicts, I would think that the game fluff would take precedence when playing the game it's mentioned in, but mileage may vary. Rodians have suction cups, Bothans can smell well and have an extended range of eye-focus, Trandoshans see in IR, and astromech droids have a wide variety of tools (exactly which are clarified in other sources, but fair enough if you want to stick to "book only" information and make your own universe based on the information only available in game supplements and nothing else).

Again, this is not rocket science, and I genuinely don't see what the issue is. It's a narrative system, every single aspect of your characters aren't listed on a check list unless you want them to be. Wookies are hairy. Deal with it.

Edit: Unless shaven.

I agree that if you're giving free beginning gear to a player, everone should get something of equivalent value to balance it. But at that point, why not just let everyone buy their gear with the starting credits and use obligation if they want more that their 500 cr can afford? Sure, some items required for the different specs take a large chunk of that, the slicer gear is a good example. If you have a slicer and he/she only has the slicing tools, that just means they've kept their nose clean and haven't taken the risks that other people have (those with higher obligation).

Because in some cases, the stuff simply doesn't exist as listed items, and while I would definitely give the most basic equipment associated with a Specialization or Career to a player, an astromech droid shouldn't have to pay more for his built-in tools than a trandoshan does for his eyes or a human for his arms.

Not all species' are created equal, and the fluff will affect the narrative, and the narrative will have mechanical effects. Some droids can't even climb ladders.

Is that a mechanical effect? Technically not, but the result of the narrative is still the same. You don't have legs, you don't get to climb ladders. What's even the price-tag on such an effect?

A tool kit is a mechanical bonus, not a fluff bonus like a narrative effect, such as what you are stating about Rodians and Trandoshans. Those are situational bonuses that may or may not apply due to different factors. A tool kit is a bonus you will always get if you have it and are making Mechanics checks. A Rodian may not get the bonus for suction cups or the Trandoshan for IR if the situation doesn't allow for it. The only way you don't get the bonus for Tool Kits is if you don't have it. There is a difference.

Oh and technically you can give a PC astromech the ability to make Mechanics checks with his fluffy tools. He just wouldn't get the bonus of having an actual Tool Kit though.

A tool kit is a mechanical bonus, not a fluff bonus like a narrative effect, such as what you are stating about Rodians and Trandoshans. Those are situational bonuses that may or may not apply due to different factors. A tool kit is a bonus you will always get if you have it and are making Mechanics checks. A Rodian may not get the bonus for suction cups or the Trandoshan for IR if the situation doesn't allow for it. The only way you don't get the bonus for Tool Kits is if you don't have it. There is a difference.

Oh and technically you can give a PC astromech the ability to make Mechanics checks with his fluffy tools. He just wouldn't get the bonus of having an actual Tool Kit though.

Are you high? Or do you just not actually play the game, and just enjoy arguing on the boards?

I'm not trying to offend. Serious question.

I think some people are forgetting a key point here, or are at least not considering it, and that is the rules for building a PC are not the same thing as the PC . The RAW is to create a fair starting point for all PCs regardless of their species. All PCs start bare bones and then you build them with an equivalent level of resources (EXP, Cash, and Obligation) to get the end result you want. No PC has enough of these resources to be exactly what they want at this point so they have to go out and earn more EXP and Cash to further develop. That's the Game folks.

It doesn't matter what you see in the films, TV, etc. because thats not character creation. Character creation is a game mechanic to build any character up to the level of a starting PC, nothing more. It is not a justification to change the character building mechanic in the RAW by adding without cost what you "think" a PC should have.

If you want to further equip, or have higher Attributes or Skills or Talents, your PC beyond the amount of character building resources available at the beginning of the game, Droid or otherwise, you can , however you will be doing this outside the RAW . This is okay as long as you account for it in some way to make sure all the Players are treated fairly.

I think some people are forgetting a key point here, or are at least not considering it, and that is the rules for building a PC are not the same thing as the PC . The RAW is to create a fair starting point for all PCs regardless of their species. All PCs start bare bones and then you build them with an equivalent level of resources (EXP, Cash, and Obligation) to get the end result you want. No PC has enough of these resources to be exactly what they want at this point so they have to go out and earn more EXP and Cash to further develop. That's the Game folks.

It doesn't matter what you see in the films, TV, etc. because thats not character creation. Character creation is a game mechanic to build any character up to the level of a starting PC, nothing more. Its is not a justification to change the character building mechanic in the RAW by adding without cost what you "think" a PC should have.

If you want to further equip, or have higher Attributes or Skills or Talents, your PC beyond the amount of character building resources available, Droid or otherwise, at the beginning of the game you can, however you will be doing this outside the RAW . This is okay as long as you account for it in some way to make sure all the Players are treated fairly.

I don't think anyone is arguing against this. While I'd throw a Tool Kit at all Technicians and Slicer Gear to all Slicers - and other such minor objects depending on the character - I don't think anyone would argue that that would be RAW.

Maybe it should be, but it's not.

So.. Captain Obvious moment?

I don't think anyone is arguing against this. While I'd throw a Tool Kit at all Technicians and Slicer Gear to all Slicers - and other such minor objects depending on the character - I don't think anyone would argue that that would be RAW.

Okay, so how would you determine which kit to give for free to a Droid? Would you base it on their profession, or would you just figure a Droid would have XYZ? From what I've read in this thread, and in similar Droid threads, people just want to give Droids anything they think is Droid-like. So maybe not so obvious.

I don't think anyone is arguing against this. While I'd throw a Tool Kit at all Technicians and Slicer Gear to all Slicers - and other such minor objects depending on the character - I don't think anyone would argue that that would be RAW.

Okay, so how would you determine which kit to give for free to a Droid? Would you base it on their profession, or would you just figure a Droid would have XYZ? From what I've read in this thread, and in similar Droid threads, people just want to give Droids anything they think is Droid-like. So maybe not so obvious.

I wouldn't give droids anything special just for being droids, just like I wouldn't give any species anything special just for being their species. I'd let them use their characters and their quirks to their advantage (or disadvantage, when applicable). Since certain droids comes with various functionality, this would be a call to make based on what kind of droid someone would like to play; for example, R3-units comes with a built-in blaster, and in my group we judged it fair that it would be a basic holdout blaster (mechanics-wise).

Another group might judge it differently, and base the blaster of something else, or come up with a rationale as to why it doesn't have that blaster. But at the end of the day, when R3-units come off the assembly line, they are equipped with a basic blaster of some kind. And astromech droids have a wide range of tools. And Trandoshans are born with IR-sensitive eyes.

It's up to the GM:s to make calls based on the fluff as to what mechanical benefits may apply and how, in a way that makes in the narrative. For many things, these effects are plainly stated, and in others, there may be no need to codify the effects at all, and in other cases, there has to be a call (just how much longer can Bothans see, eye focus-wise, for example). This is no stranger to me than the fact that Sullustans can find their way and always know what direction they are heading, regardless of physical signs or conditions. These are relevant yet uncodified benefits of Sullustans, and there are benefits (or the opposite) such as these for nearly every race.

These are relevant but unlisted circumstances of being a certain kind of species', and when I say that astromechs have a certain number of tools straight off the assembly line, I think less of this as giving them a free Tool Kit, and more of it as simply being a part of who they are, intrinsically, same as Jawas being short and Toydarians having wings.

I wouldn't give droids anything special just for being droids, just like I wouldn't give any species anything special just for being their species. I'd let them use their characters and their quirks to their advantage (or disadvantage, when applicable). Since certain droids comes with various functionality, this would be a call to make based on what kind of droid someone would like to play; for example, R3-units comes with a built-in blaster, and in my group we judged it fair that it would be a basic holdout blaster (mechanics-wise).

Another group might judge it differently, and base the blaster of something else, or come up with a rationale as to why it doesn't have that blaster. But at the end of the day, when R3-units come off the assembly line, they are equipped with a basic blaster of some kind. And astromech droids have a wide range of tools. And Trandoshans are born with IR-sensitive eyes.

It's up to the GM:s to make calls based on the fluff as to what mechanical benefits may apply and how, in a way that makes in the narrative. For many things, these effects are plainly stated, and in others, there may be no need to codify the effects at all, and in other cases, there has to be a call (just how much longer can Bothans see, eye focus-wise, for example). This is no stranger to me than the fact that Sullustans can find their way and always know what direction they are heading, regardless of physical signs or conditions. These are relevant yet uncodified benefits of Sullustans, and there are benefits (or the opposite) such as these for nearly every race.

These are relevant but unlisted circumstances of being a certain kind of species', and when I say that astromechs have a certain number of tools straight off the assembly line, I think less of this as giving them a free Tool Kit, and more of it as simply being a part of who they are, intrinsically, same as Jawas being short and Toydarians having wings.

And this is my point. An Astromech Droid may come off the assembly line with an Aurodium ingot in their exhaust port for all I care but their not PCs. A PC Droid gets created by the character creation rules in the RAW just like any other PC does, their not built in a factory and then modified to be a PC. If you want an R3 Unit with a basic blaster then you buy a holdout blaster and equip it for your PC. If you want a Med/Mech/Slicer/Pole Dancing kit they you buy it just like any other PC has to. This doesn't mean an Astromech Droid doesn't have a manipulator or can't Slice it means they don't have a Mech Kit or Slicer Gear, or a Comlink for that matter. You are creating a character not purchasing a Droid from a dealership.