Dr. MID-Nite Posted November 9, 2003 Report Share Posted November 9, 2003 Hello all, I'm looking to let a jedi have an R2 unit as a follower(this is a superheroic campaign). I'm having trouble keeping the point cost...acceptable. Anyone have a cheap R2 variant out there?(Less than 200 points is what I'm gunning for.) Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JmOz Posted November 10, 2003 Report Share Posted November 10, 2003 I find it hard to beleive R2 is running you so much, can I see one of 6your write ups? Just curious) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sociotard Posted November 10, 2003 Report Share Posted November 10, 2003 I guess it would depend on what cache' of powers he wants the droid to have. In the movies we've seen the standard robot Life Support and other automaton powers. In addition, we've seen him with a camera, projector, arc welder, light-saber launcher, and circular saw. We've even seen him fly, use computer interaction on par with mind control, and jack into an X-wing! consider all that on top of the large skill base he has to have, and I could easily see him topping 350. I bet you could just use some sort of multipower or VPP, as most gadgeteer robots would have, and get it done under budget. Is this going to be a follower thing? If so, just lay on the disadvantage points and enjoy the point break! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightfly Posted November 10, 2003 Report Share Posted November 10, 2003 good luck w/ that. The one time I tried to make a reasonable (film) version of R2 it came up to 507 pts (and that was trying to be conservative). I was able to bring it down to 360 pts, but that was a significantly different beast / droid [more like a super-powerful tricorder]. Astromech Droids are just too heroic for anything less than 400 or 500 pts. That is if you wanna make 'em like the R2 we all know an love. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sketchpad Posted November 10, 2003 Report Share Posted November 10, 2003 Here's a rough "base" model that I worked up Hope it helps R2 Series Astromech Droid Player: Val Char Cost 8 STR -2 12 DEX 6 0 CON -20 15 BODY 10 13 INT 3 0 EGO 0 8 PRE -2 10 COM 0 5 PD 3 5 ED 5 3 SPD 8 0 REC -4 50 END 25 0 STUN -19 6" RUN02" SWIM01 1/2" LEAP0Characteristics Cost: 13 Cost Power END 8 Arc Welder: RKA 1d6 (15 Active Points); OIF (-1/2), Limited Range: 1" (-1/4) 1 15 Holographic Interface: Sight and Hearing Groups Images, 1" radius 1 Sensor Suite, all slots: Requires A System Operation Roll (-1/2) 13 1) Sensor Suite: Radio Perception/Transmission (Radio Group), Discriminatory, Analyze (20 Active Points); Requires A System Operation Roll (-1/2) 3 2) Sensor Suite: IR Perception (Sight Group) (5 Active Points); Requires A System Operation Roll (-1/2) 17 3) Sensor Suite: Radar (Radio Group), Discriminatory, Analyze (25 Active Points); Requires A System Operation Roll (-1/2) 5 Extension Arm: Extra Limb (1) 10 Magnetic Adherence: Clinging (23 STR) (15 Active Points); Limited Power Only on Metal (-1/2) 12 Side Jets: Flight 6" 1 20 Computer Access Extension: Telepathy 6d6 ( Machine class of minds) (30 Active Points); Requires A Computer Programming Roll (-1/2) 3 20 Robotic Body: LS (Longevity: 200 Years; Safe in High Pressure; Safe in High Radiation; Safe in Intense Cold; Safe in Intense Heat; Safe in Low Pressure/Vacuum; Self-Contained Breathing) Powers Cost: 123 Cost Skill 3 Combat Piloting 11- 8 Computer Programming (Computer Networks, Personal Computers, Mainframes and Supercomputers, Military Computers) 12- 3 Electronics 12- 3 KS: Popular Ship Schematics 12- 3 Mechanics 12- 11 Navigation (Air, Land, Marine, Space) 15- 3 Oratory 11- 9 Systems Operation (Communications Systems, Environmental Systems, Air/Space Traffic Control Systems, FTL Sensors, Radar, Sensor Jamming Equipment, Sonar) 12- 1 TF: Commercial Spacecraft & Space Yachts, Industrial & Exploratory Spacecraft Skills Cost: 44 Cost Talent 2 Environmental Movement (Rough Land) Talents Cost: 2 Total Character Cost: 182 Val Disadvantages 10 Vulnerability: 2 x Effect Ion Energy (Uncommon) 15 Physical Limitation: Limited Maneuverability (Frequently, Greatly Impairing) 10 Physical Limitation: Robotic, Can Be Reprogrammed, Wiped, etc. (Infrequently, Greatly Impairing) Disadvantage Points: 35 Base Points: 200 Experience Required: 0 Total Experience Available: 0 Experience Unspent: 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightfly Posted November 10, 2003 Report Share Posted November 10, 2003 Some Combat Luck or high DCV should be in order too - I would think. At least 1d6 of Luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. MID-Nite Posted November 10, 2003 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2003 Thanks Sketchpad, That was exactly what I was looking for. I noticed you didn't give the R2 the "only takes BODY" power. What happens when he's hit? Automatic stun? I could always reduce the stats even further and give him the automaton power. Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JmOz Posted November 10, 2003 Report Share Posted November 10, 2003 Good Write up, BUT drop the END to 0 and give him an END Reserve Second, He should have the automation Power, but I would also give him a MP for his tools (Such as the Arc Welder) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sketchpad Posted November 10, 2003 Report Share Posted November 10, 2003 He should have the Only Takes Body ... this is what I get for making a character after getting my Wisdom teeth yanked out As for the MP ... I didn't use it because I've read that R2 units can multitask quite easy ... so they could have their extension arm out AND use their arc welder Using an END Battery would be a good idea ... the only reason why I didn't use it was because I was trying to get some base stats down Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Rand Posted November 11, 2003 Report Share Posted November 11, 2003 I've seen a Star Wars to Hero System that has, among other things, R2 astromech droids in it somewhere on the net. I'll post the link once I find it again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Rand Posted November 11, 2003 Report Share Posted November 11, 2003 I don't have a link to post, but I'll tell you how to get there. 1) Using your favorite search engine, go to The Stuff Heroes Are Made Of. 2) Click on Web Directory. 3) Click on Star Hero. 4) Scroll down the list and you'll find the Star Wars conversion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darren Watts Posted November 11, 2003 Report Share Posted November 11, 2003 As a "roleplaying challenge," I once played an R2 unit in a Star Wars Hero game as a PC. I wasn't allowed to talk in character, so I had a little mini-droid figure that made R2-noises when you pressed its head and then handed notes to the one other PC who understood me. Even more fun, I had once belonged to a great Jedi who'd been killed by Vader, and I'd had my memory wiped and was re-sold. Except the wipe was only partially successful, so I still had access to secrets of the Jedi Academy and would occasionally think I was still working with the Jedi, which caused me to try to push my new owner, a fairly cowardly smuggler, into heroic behavior. We were all about 300 points in 4th Edition, and I had no problem spending all mine despite the obvious limitations. That was a great campaign that unfortunately never really got off the ground and petered out too quickly. Boy, I loved that character, though. dw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bartman Posted November 11, 2003 Report Share Posted November 11, 2003 Originally posted by Sketchpad He should have the Only Takes Body ... I'm not sure that is the case. First R2 is far more independent than Automaton would allow. Second there are at least two instances in the original trilogy where is incapacitated but not damaged by attacks. The first is when he is ambushed by the Jawas. The second is when he is shot on Endor. In both cases no physical damage is obvious but R2 is still knocked 'unconscious.' This sound a lot like Stun damage to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trechriron Posted November 11, 2003 Report Share Posted November 11, 2003 Originally posted by Mark Rand I don't have a link to post, but I'll tell you how to get there. 1) Using your favorite search engine, go to The Stuff Heroes Are Made Of. 2) Click on Web Directory. 3) Click on Star Hero. 4) Scroll down the list and you'll find the Star Wars conversion. It's not there anymore, unless I'm really missing it somewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Rand Posted November 11, 2003 Report Share Posted November 11, 2003 Once you're at Star Hero, scroll down to Star Wars Hero and click it. The R2 droid is in the character creation section. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sociotard Posted November 12, 2003 Report Share Posted November 12, 2003 Originally posted by Bartman I'm not sure that is the case. First R2 is far more independent than Automaton would allow. Second there are at least two instances in the original trilogy where is incapacitated but not damaged by attacks. The first is when he is ambushed by the Jawas. The second is when he is shot on Endor. In both cases no physical damage is obvious but R2 is still knocked 'unconscious.' This sound a lot like Stun damage to me. I think the idea was to make the droid a follower with automaton powers, not an automaton per se. As for taking stun, I think the instances you refer to would be represented with some sort of physical disadvantage or susceptability to simulate being stunned, since I think it only happened with electrical surges. Or you could give him a small stun pool and a limitation -1/4 "not vs. electical attacks" on his "takes no stun" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bartman Posted November 12, 2003 Report Share Posted November 12, 2003 Originally posted by Sociotard I think the idea was to make the droid a follower with automaton powers, not an automaton per se. As for taking stun, I think the instances you refer to would be represented with some sort of physical disadvantage or susceptability to simulate being stunned, since I think it only happened with electrical surges. Or you could give him a small stun pool and a limitation -1/4 "not vs. electical attacks" on his "takes no stun" But doesn't taking any automaton power automatically make the character an automaton? R2 is clearly not an automaton, he regularly ignores direct commands from his owners. Now in some cases he appears to be following overriding pre-existing comands. But he also frequently takes independent actions which could not have been anticipated let alone pre-ordered such as his fight with Yoda in ESB. His concern over whether Luke likes him in ANH is also not something one should expect from an automaton. R2 is clearly not a character with 0 Ego as represented in the writeup above. And I still question the Only Takes Body for droids in Star Wars. Here are all the instances of droids being attacked that I can think of: ANH: R2D2 is knocked unconcious by an electric blast ANH: C3P0 loses conciousness when the Sandpeople rip a couple limbs from him. C3P0 actually uses the term "blacked out." ANH: R2D2 loses conciousness when Vader blows him half apart over the Death Star ESB: R2D2 seems slightly stunned after being spit out of the mouth of the swamp beast ESB: R2D2 remains uneffected by light blows from Yoda ESB: R2D2 seems slightly stunned after being dropped by Luke's Telekenesis ESB: C3P0 loses conciousness when shot at close range with blaster in Cloud City RotJ: Several droids are specifically equiped to feel pain and tortured RotJ: C3P0 seems slightly stunned when struck by Jabba RotJ: C3P0 seems largely unaffected by Salcious Crumb chewing out one of his eyes RotJ: R2D2 may have been stunned falling out of the Ewok net RotJ: R2D2 seems slightly stuned by an axe blow and fall when released by the Ewoks RotJ: R2D2 loses conciousness when struck by blaster TPM: Small droid sucked into pod-racer engine. Comes out stunned and staggering. I've ignored any instance where we see a droid damaged but don't come back to see if he 'recovers' from it. There are several examples in TPM and TCW which show war-droids being incapacitated with no visible damage. This may represent stun damage or some unseen internal body damage. But I think I've made my point we see droids get stuned by blasters, electric weapons, and physical blows. Their exceptionally advanced electronics can be shocked into a stunned state from which they must recover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sketchpad Posted November 12, 2003 Report Share Posted November 12, 2003 Personally, I don't see them as taking stun ... I see it more as either an entagle or supress, not as Stun damage. As for the hit in RotJ ... that most certainly was BODY damage ... take a look at his reaction ...ouch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killer Shrike Posted November 13, 2003 Report Share Posted November 13, 2003 The movie R2 is a rolling beeping Game Master Fiat, plain and simple. He is the ultimate Dues Ex Machina. You cant point that. Just tell the player youll take care of it, run R2 yourself, and have him do absurd things to save the incompetent humans when you feel the need. Otherwise have him rolling around in the background beeping dirty pick up lines at soda machines and light sockets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sociotard Posted November 13, 2003 Report Share Posted November 13, 2003 Well, Bartman, I think you've persuaded me on the stun issue for R2, and I will agree that R2 is either a follower with ego or an AI with ego in an automaton. I will however disagree with the assertion that using any automaton power makes a character an automaton. It just wouldn't sit right for me. Why, do the rules state it explicitly somewhere? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sketchpad Posted November 13, 2003 Report Share Posted November 13, 2003 Originally posted by Killer Shrike The movie R2 is a rolling beeping Game Master Fiat, plain and simple. He is the ultimate Dues Ex Machina. You cant point that. Just tell the player youll take care of it, run R2 yourself, and have him do absurd things to save the incompetent humans when you feel the need. Otherwise have him rolling around in the background beeping dirty pick up lines at soda machines and light sockets. I agree 100% KS ... unless someone's actually playing the R2 as their main character, he should be ran as a NPC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bartman Posted November 13, 2003 Report Share Posted November 13, 2003 Originally posted by Sociotard Well, Bartman, I think you've persuaded me on the stun issue for R2, and I will agree that R2 is either a follower with ego or an AI with ego in an automaton. I will however disagree with the assertion that using any automaton power makes a character an automaton. It just wouldn't sit right for me. Why, do the rules state it explicitly somewhere? It used to be explicit in 4th Ed. I'm not sure if this is still the case in 5th Ed. The reasoning was that giving an independantly acting character complete immunity to Stun was too powerful. I'll have to look for a reference in FREd when I get home this evening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galadorn Posted November 13, 2003 Report Share Posted November 13, 2003 Originally posted by Sociotard I guess it would depend on what cache' of powers he wants the droid to have. In the movies we've seen the standard robot Life Support and other automaton powers. In addition, we've seen him with a camera, projector, arc welder, light-saber launcher, and circular saw. We've even seen him fly, use computer interaction on par with mind control, and jack into an X-wing! Consider all that on top of the large skill base he has to have, and I could easily see him topping 350. I bet you could just use some sort of multipower or VPP, as most gadgeteer robots would have, and get it done under budget. Great summary of R2's skills and programs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killer Shrike Posted November 13, 2003 Report Share Posted November 13, 2003 Originally posted by Bartman It used to be explicit in 4th Ed. I'm not sure if this is still the case in 5th Ed. The reasoning was that giving an independantly acting character complete immunity to Stun was too powerful. I'll have to look for a reference in FREd when I get home this evening. Actually in 4th you could take it for a PC w/ GM Permission. In 5th it specifically says PCs cant have the Automaton powers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bartman Posted November 14, 2003 Report Share Posted November 14, 2003 Originally posted by Killer Shrike Actually in 4th you could take it for a PC w/ GM Permission. In 5th it specifically says PCs cant have the Automaton powers. Right you are. I thought it was more strongly worded in 4th. Here is the relevant text for both: "The following are special powers that automatons may purchase. They should not be used for player characters, except with special GM permission." p180 BBB "The following are Powers which automatons may purchase. The are unique to automatons; PCs cannot purchase them." p311 FREd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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