Chauncymancer
2012-05-29, 01:04 PM
The purpose of this post to to submit for suggestions the rules I came up with for mecha in D&D 3.5. Like most posts in this forum I guess, but I just wandered in from the main RPG's forum (and boy are my arms tired:smallbiggrin:)
Without further ado, introducing:
Mazes and Mecha
Mazes and Mecha
Note: Anytime you see the word "Note:" it indicates either a reminder to the players of the campaign these rules were designed for, or a design note to the individuals reviewing this homebrew. Notes occuring one after another may or may not be separate notes: I am putting note at the beginning of each paragraph that is part of a note, so that readers may distinguish ideas, dev notes, and campaign specific information from the (hopefully) final form of the rule the are describing.
Note: The text "Special:" at the beginning of the paragraph indicates that the following is the exception, either to a rule just stated, or to a core rule of d&d.
Table of Content
Table of Contents
1............... Table of Contents [ToC]
2............... Basic Mech [BM]
3............... Mech Scanners [MS]
4............... Movement [Mo]
5............... Mech combat [MC]
6............... Melee Combat Components [MeCC]
7............... Ranged Combat Components [RaCC]
8............... Armor and shields [MAC]
9............... Repair and Looting [RL]
10............. Components and Special Properties [CSP]
Appendix.. Character options.
Basic Mech
[BM]: Basic Mech.............................................. .................................................. .............. 2
For speed, hit die, cost, and attributes, including natural attacks and BaB, treat the mech as a construct of its size category. The basic mech's HD are equal to the lowest value on the HD entry's range for the mech's size. Mech differ from constructs in that they have good fort saves, and are NOT destroyed when they reach 0 hitpoints.
Mecha can be piloted (mindless vehicles like on Gundam) wild (sentient animals like on Zoids) or wildheart, previously wild or piloted mechs that have been tamed or awakened (like in Zoids: Chaotic Century. Similar to Gurren Lagann's earliest episodes).
A mechs speed, reach and natural weapons are derived from not only its size, but whether it is long or tall. Tall mechs may choose the bite/claws natural attack of long mechs, but not vice versa. Mech with claw attacks cannot grip or pick up objects with their hands.
Cost: a basic mech costs 2,578gp if Huge, 2,714 gp if Gargantuan, or 3,802 if Colossal. DM's in mech campaigns are advised to give players the basic mech for free (as the game is about playing in mech's).
Table 2:1 Starting Mech's
Huge Gargantuan Colossal
T / L T / L T / L HD 4d10-16d10 16d10-32d10 32d10+
Speed 50 / 100 60 / 120 70 / 140
Str 28 32 36
Dex 8 6 4
Con1 19 21 23
Int2 4 4 4
Wis2 4 5 6
Cha2 4 5 7
Fort Save +4 +10 +16
NatAtt 2 Slams 2d6/ 2slams 2d8/ 2slams 4d6/
2claw 1d8 and 2claw 2d6 and 2claw 2d8 and
1bite 1d6 1bite 1d8 1bite 2d6
Reach 15 / 10 20/10 25/15
_______________
1: Mech's have discernable anatomy when targeted by mech's. A mech is subject to critical hits from other mechs and mech attacks that requre Fort. saves, even if they do not affect objects. (Non-mechs can only affect mechs as if they were objects)
2: Wild and wildheart mech's use the mental scores listed here when unpiloted. Piloted mechs do not have mental scores and are mindless.
A mech's base stats may be improved according to the table below. Piloted and Wildheart mech do not gain stat increases, base save increases, or feats when their HD are improved by purchase. Non-wild mech do not gain XP, their pilots do.
Table 2:2 Improving Mechs
Enhancement bonus to stat 1000gpx new enhancement bonus (total)
Enhancement bonus to Fort save 1000gpx new enhancement bonus (total)
Extra HD 1000gpx (new HD- base HD)
Mech Scanners
[MS]: Mech Scanners.......................................... .................................................. ................3
Basic Scanner........................................... .................................................. ......................Free
The basic scanner can detet terrain features and mech at a range of 400ft, providing the pilot with land coordinates but not the altitude of enemy mech. Enemies with cover or concealment are not detected by basic scanners.
Increased scanner range............................................. .................................................. .270gp
This upgrade doubles scanner range. It can be purchased multiple times and its effects stack. (Purchased once the range is 800ft, twice the range is 1600, etc.)
Clearsight........................................ .................................................. .............................500gp
Enemies in scanner range with concealment (including magical darkness and invisiblity) are visible.
X-ray Sight............................................. .................................................. ......................500gp
Enemies in scanner range that are behind cover are visible.
Allsight.......................................... .................................................. .............................1500gp
Provides the pilot with a 3D representation of the scanner range, similar to radar. Will provide warning when a mech with scramblers enters scanner range.
Special: Allsight can only be equipped to mech which already have the Clearsight and X-ray Sight improvements.
Scramblers........................................ .................................................. .........................1300gp
Mask the equipped mech from scanner upgrades Clearsight and X-ray Sight. The mech will not appear on Allsight, but Allsight will provide the pilot with a warning that a mech with scramblers is somewhere in the scanner range.
Movement
[Mo]: Movement.......................................... .................................................. .................4
A mech's base ground speed is described on table 2:1. A mech's movement may be modified by Thrusters and/or by Flight Units. If using a battle mat one square in mech combat is 20ft on a side (colossal tall mechs have reach 1). Modifications to mech speed include both the number of feet and also the number of battle mat squares the mech's speed is increased by.
Thrusters......................................... .................................................. .....................See Table
Thrusters improve ground speed. Add the thruster modifier in feet to your mech's base speed by size. This determines the mech's final movement speed. At this time, you cannot add more than 6 increments of Thrusters.
Table 4:1 Thrusters
Bonus to speed in ft (bonus in squares) Cost
20ft(1sq) 500
40ft(2sq) 2000
60ft(3sq) 4500
80ft(4sq) 8000
100ft(5sq) 12500
120ft(6sq) 18000
Flight Units............................................. .................................................. ...............See Table
A mech equipped with a flight unit doesn't just have wings glued to it: It has been rebalanced and streamlined for flight. The speed modifier on a flight unit is added to the base move speed of the mech (after adding thrusters if applicable) to find the mech's flight speed. Even if a mech is designed for a flight manuverability greater than clumsy, the mech's flight manuverability will be clumsy unless the pilot has taken the Flight Training feat.
Table 4:2 Flight Units
Manuverability Speed Squares Cost
Clumsy 20 1 10000
Poor 40 2 20000
Average 60 3 30000
Good 80 4 40000
Mech Combat
[MC]: Mech Combat............................................ .................................................. ............5
Mechs act on their pilot's initiative unless they are unpiloted (either wild or wildheart).
On a single turn, the mech and its pilot have two mech actions and a single pilot action. A mech action is a standard action equivalent performed by the mech. The pilot action is a standard action as performed by the pilot. On the pilot action, the pilot has line of effect on the mech and themselves, or anyone in the mech. The mech may take a full round action by spending two mech actions. A pilot does not gain addition pilot actions if hasted and controlling the mech. A pilot may act normally within the mech (moving, taking a full round action, etc.) by leaving the mech unpiloted.
Mecha make the Fort Saves when they and their pilot are targeted, Pilots make the Reflex Saves when they and their mecha are targeted, and pilots make their own Will Saves. The mecha is affected by any spell that requires a Fort or Reflex Save, the pilot by spells that require a Will Save.
Piloted mechs get no actions on turns when they are unpiloted. Wild mechs get no pilot actions period (They do not have pilots). Wildheart mechs may act on their own while unpiloted, but this will cause the pilot to lose control.
Basic Attack rolls for range and melee are 1d20+Pilot's BaB+the pilot's final modifier to their Mech Gunner skill checks. (All wild mechs have 3/4 BaB and Mech Gunner as a class skill.)
A mech's AC is equal to 10+ AC+ Shield+ Misc+ one half the pilot's final modifer to their Mech Pilot skill checks. (All wild mechs have Mech Pilot as a class skill.)
Mech are not capable of the Attack of Opportunity, but may ready actions to attack an opponent on the opponent's turn (if they: Don't surrender, leave that square, etc.)
Special: Do NOT add the mech's size modifier to its basic attack rolls or AC.
Special: Mechs are not at this time capable of unique combat manuvers (Trip, Disarm) other than charge. Rules for these manuvers have neither been proposed nor tested, though if there's a clamor for a manuver ask.
Mech are vulnerable to critical hits from other mechs. Ranged attacks crit as if a heavy crossbow. The attacker may either deal critical damage or (choose before rolling damage):
1. The defending pilot must make a Mech Pilot check equal to the critical damage or be knocked unconscious.
OR
2. The defending pilot must make a Reflex save equal to the normal damage or be knocked prone.
Rather than use the ordinary +X bonus to equipment, weapon damage may be increased by 1d6 for a price of 270gp/d6. Special weapon and armor properties with +X equivilencies may be bought for a number of d6 equal to the +X equivalent. No mech attack may be modified to have more d6 (including special qualities and base damage) than the pilot's character level. The mech's armor may also only have as many d6 equivalencies as the pilot's character level.
Example: A lightning gun attack deals 3d6 damage. If it's range were doubled (1d6) and its area of effect was a 20ft burst (1d6) then a 6th level character could give the mech's ranged attack a +1 weapon special quality or 1d6 of additional damage, but not both (6-[3d6+1d6+1d6]=1)
Special: Shaping, extra damage, and elemental damage special qualities are not allowed. Ranged weapons may not take the Bane special quality.
Melee Combat Components
[MeCC]: Melee Combat Components........................................ ...................6
Mech with claw attacks use the natural attack values provided in table 2:1. Mech with slam attacks may substitute manufactured weapons for their slams by equipping manufactured weapons. Either way, a mech may only attack with one attack per mech action.
Weapon price is equal to the price for a medium weapon in the PHB1 modified by size as follows:
Table 6:1 Mech Weapon Cost
Weapon Base Cost x4 if the weilding mech is Huge
Weapon Base Cost x8 if Gargantuan
Weapon Base Cost x16 if Colossal
The damage die of the weapon is determined by finding the base weapon's medium damage on the chart below, and finding the size of the wielding mech on that row of the table.
Table 6:2 Mech Weapon Damage
Base DMG Mech's Size Category
Huge Gargantuan Colossal
1d4 1d8 1d10 2d6
1d6 1d10 2d6 3d6
1d8 2d6 3d6 4d6
1d10 3d6 4d6 5d6
2d6/1d12 4d6 5d6 6d6
Melee weapon special qualities
Elemental Damage............................................ ......................................1d6
The weapon deals no extra damage. Instead all damage d6 deal one of the five elemental types instead of physical damage. The five elemental types are fire, acid, sonic, cold, and force.
Ranged Combat Components
[RaCC]: Ranged Combat Components........................................ ..................................7
A ranged combat component (known as a gun) has a standard range of 200ft and weighs as much as a heavy crossbow of its size. It does not have standard damage. Instead a single d6 of ranged damage bought at the normal price comes with free gun. Basic guns target a single creature in range.
Ranged weapon special qualities
Air Bane.............................................. .................................................. ......................1d6
Half Damage against targets on ground. If a target is flying, double the damage and treat the attack as having Double Range 1 for free.
Burst............................................. .................................................. ................................1d6
Instead of targeting a single creature, this ranged attack is a 40ft (2 squares on a side) burst beginning on a corner square of player's choice. It can be purchased multiple times, its effect stacks: The second time the burst is 60ft (3 squares wide), the third time the burst is 80ft (4 squares wide), etc.
Double Range............................................. .................................................. .....................1d6
This upgrade doubles weapon range. It can be purchased multiple times and its effects stack. (Purchased once the range is 400ft, twice the range is 800, etc.)
Elemental Damage............................................ .................................................. ...............1d6
The weapon deals no extra damage. Instead all damage d6 deal one of the five elemental types instead of physical damage. The five elemental types are fire, acid, sonic, cold, and force.
Independent Targeting......................................... .................................................. ....270gp
This attack may target up to as many creatures as it deals damage in d6. Divide the d6 you would roll for damage between the targets before you roll them. Roll each group of d6 seperately and deal that much damage on a hit. This quality may be combined with Line Effect and Burst to create a number of bursts or lines instead of targeting a number of creatures.
Line Effect............................................ .................................................. ..........................2d6
Instead of targeting a single creature, this ranged attack has an area of effect as a line equal to its range.
Armor and Shields
[MAC]: Armor and Shields........................................... .................................................. ........8
Armor Class: Mech may be equipt with armor and shields that provide their ordinary AC bonus, weigh as much as armors of their size, and have their prices modified as on the table below.
Table 8:1 Mech Armor Cost
Armor/Shield Base Cost x4 if the weilding mech is Huge
Armor/Shield Base Cost x8 if Gargantuan
Armor/Shield Base Cost x16 if Colossal
Armor Special Qualities
Note: Armor special qualities listed in the DMG with +X equivalencies cost a number of d6 equal to the enhancement bonus. This may seem odd as Armor has nothing to do with d6. It is a balance mechanic between armor and weapons and should not be thought of as anything else. Remember that the armor can have no more d6 than your character's level.
Damage Resistance........................................ .................................................. ..........270gp
This is DR1/--. It may be purhased multiple times, its effects stack.
Energy Resistance........................................ .................................................. .........2100gp
This is energy resistance 5 for all energy types. It may be purchased multiple times, its effects stack.
Impenetrable Shield............................................ .................................................. ....1012gp
This effect creates a wall of force equal to your mech's height on its front side (as the spell wall of force) You may not take mech actions while the shield is on. You may turn the shield on and off as a pilot action.
Repair and Looting
RL]: Repair and Looting........................................... .................................................. ...9
Note: Due to the vast difference between mechs (about half of which are living individuals) and the social stigma attached to mech dissasembly, looting is not an effective tactic in this campaign.
Repair
The magical and quasi-living components of a mech allow it to heal "naturally" at a rate of HD+Con modifier each day. Piloted mech are incapable of combat but able to move if at 0 or negative HP, while wild mech are unconsious.
The Craft:(Mech) skill allows a mech to heal HP equal to the check result every 1d6 hours until either the mech is fully healed or the pilot stops working on it. If a mech is at negative HP total, then raise the mech to 0 points automatically before adding the check result as repair for the first time increment.
Components and Special Properties
[CSP]: Components and Special Properties........................................ .............................10
Amphibious........................................ .................................................. ....................500gp
The mech gains a swim speed equal to its land speed.
Power Helm.............................................. .................................................. ..................Special
This mystical addition to the mech's cockpit allows the mech to perform the supernatural or extraordinary abilities its pilot is capable of. The mech must have a Power Helm upgrade for each race or class it can copy the abilities of, and its current pilot must have the class or racial feature in question. This component may therefore be taken multiple times. Its effects do not stack, but instead apply to a new race or class.
Feats for which class levels are a pre-resquite, or feats that modify or require a class feature such as smite or spell casting need a Power Helm to use. Other feats do not require a Power Helm. Price: 2000gp for racial helms, 1000gp for class helms.
Example: A mech with the components Power Helm (Doppelganger) and Power Helm (Rogue) has the alter self ability when piloted by a Doppelganger, and is able to sneak attack when piloted by a rogue. If a Doppelganger rogue pilots the mecha, it can alter self and sneak attack.
Note: Power Helm is the most complicated component so far, and is undergoing frequent revision.
Note: The two reasons the current version does not distinguish between supernatural and extraordinary class features are simplicity and fairness. Simplicity because I do not want rangers with three class features that don't require Power Helm and two class features that do. Fairness because if I made a distinction between types some classes would have no use for a Power Helm and others would be totally dependent on it.
Note: The distinction between feats is based on this logic: If a feat lets the pilot do something with one of his class features (reserve feats, crippling strikes) and the mech cannot use that class feature, then the mech should not be able to use the feat. Other feats should be usable for expidency: Why stat up a pilot at all if the mech can't use any of his abilities?
Note: You may have noticed that the rationale for Power Helm is primarily meta-game and mechanical. One proposed fluff explanation for this component is that every extraordinary ability such as sneak attack or fast movement is a combination of mental skill, muscle memory, and physical conditioning. (Sneak Attack isn't just knowing to do that thing with your elbow, it's having an elbow flexable enough to do that thing.) The Power Helm subtly changes the mech's physique and enhances the already impressive connection between the pilot's and mech's bodies, allowing the mech to benefit from its pilot's physical conditioning.
Sealed............................................ .................................................. ..................1000gp
The mech is air-tight when closed and has its own air supply. The pilot is effectively holding their breath at all times with regards to gases, water, etc., but is not actually holding their breath (i.e. they don't suffocate.)
Wildheart......................................... .................................................. ..........................Special
The mech is sentient, with its own mental stats. It is able to act while not piloted as if a wild mech. The drawback to this is that Wildheart mech are willful: If the DM rules that a Wildheart mech would disobey the pilot's orders, the pilot much make a will save with a DC equal to the mech's HD or lose control of the mech for 1d6 turns/minutes (in combat/out of combat). Each turn/minute the pilot may make a new will save to regain control. Whether a mech is Wildheart depends on its nature of construction and plot occurances. If you would like to have a Wildheart mech, disscuss this with your DM.
Note: The advantage of a mech that is a warrior with a mind of its own should be balanced against the disadvantage of a mech that is also a car with a mind of its own. Wildheart is not meant to have a cost, but you will want to decide how common they are to get or easy to create.
Wondrous Items............................................. .................................................. ........Normal
Mech may be equipt with properly sized wondrous items, with DM's permission.
Character Options
Appendix: Character Options
New Feats:
Flight Training- You may pilot a mech with a flight manuverability better than clumsy.
Normal: A mech's flight manuverability drops to clumsy if its pilot does not have this feat.
New Skills:
Craft (Mech) This is the ability to build, repair, diagnose, and appraise mechs. It may also be used to sabatoge mechs like disable device. Raising the DC by 5 allows the mech to continue to funtion normally until either a number of hours or days expires or a specific trigger occurs.
Mech Gunner (Wis) This is the ability to aim effective blows with a mech's ranged or melee weapons.
Mech Pilot (Dex) This is the ability to coordinate the limbs of a mech. This skill is rolled instead of Balance, Climb, Jump, or Tumble.
Mech Gunner and Mech Pilot are class skills for all classes. Mech Gunner and Mech Pilot are added to the list of skills Barbarians can use while raging.
New Items:
Mechstriker: Mechstriker is a weapon special quality that allows the weilder to affect mechs as if they were creatures. Mechs cannot take this weapon quality, but they do not need it. Price:
New Spells:
Divide Purpose
Ench, Mind Affecting
Wiz/Sorc 3, Cleric 3(?), Bard X
Target: One Mech Pilot
Range 50ft+10ft/caster lvl
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will
SR: No
Effect: The pilot of a wildheart mech must make a will save with a DC equal to his mech's HD or lose control of the mech for 1d6 rounds, during which he cannot communicate warnings or advice to the mech. Note that the mech is now under its own control, not the caster's, and may decide of its own free will to eat the caster just like its master wanted.
Without further ado, introducing:
Mazes and Mecha
Mazes and Mecha
Note: Anytime you see the word "Note:" it indicates either a reminder to the players of the campaign these rules were designed for, or a design note to the individuals reviewing this homebrew. Notes occuring one after another may or may not be separate notes: I am putting note at the beginning of each paragraph that is part of a note, so that readers may distinguish ideas, dev notes, and campaign specific information from the (hopefully) final form of the rule the are describing.
Note: The text "Special:" at the beginning of the paragraph indicates that the following is the exception, either to a rule just stated, or to a core rule of d&d.
Table of Content
Table of Contents
1............... Table of Contents [ToC]
2............... Basic Mech [BM]
3............... Mech Scanners [MS]
4............... Movement [Mo]
5............... Mech combat [MC]
6............... Melee Combat Components [MeCC]
7............... Ranged Combat Components [RaCC]
8............... Armor and shields [MAC]
9............... Repair and Looting [RL]
10............. Components and Special Properties [CSP]
Appendix.. Character options.
Basic Mech
[BM]: Basic Mech.............................................. .................................................. .............. 2
For speed, hit die, cost, and attributes, including natural attacks and BaB, treat the mech as a construct of its size category. The basic mech's HD are equal to the lowest value on the HD entry's range for the mech's size. Mech differ from constructs in that they have good fort saves, and are NOT destroyed when they reach 0 hitpoints.
Mecha can be piloted (mindless vehicles like on Gundam) wild (sentient animals like on Zoids) or wildheart, previously wild or piloted mechs that have been tamed or awakened (like in Zoids: Chaotic Century. Similar to Gurren Lagann's earliest episodes).
A mechs speed, reach and natural weapons are derived from not only its size, but whether it is long or tall. Tall mechs may choose the bite/claws natural attack of long mechs, but not vice versa. Mech with claw attacks cannot grip or pick up objects with their hands.
Cost: a basic mech costs 2,578gp if Huge, 2,714 gp if Gargantuan, or 3,802 if Colossal. DM's in mech campaigns are advised to give players the basic mech for free (as the game is about playing in mech's).
Table 2:1 Starting Mech's
Huge Gargantuan Colossal
T / L T / L T / L HD 4d10-16d10 16d10-32d10 32d10+
Speed 50 / 100 60 / 120 70 / 140
Str 28 32 36
Dex 8 6 4
Con1 19 21 23
Int2 4 4 4
Wis2 4 5 6
Cha2 4 5 7
Fort Save +4 +10 +16
NatAtt 2 Slams 2d6/ 2slams 2d8/ 2slams 4d6/
2claw 1d8 and 2claw 2d6 and 2claw 2d8 and
1bite 1d6 1bite 1d8 1bite 2d6
Reach 15 / 10 20/10 25/15
_______________
1: Mech's have discernable anatomy when targeted by mech's. A mech is subject to critical hits from other mechs and mech attacks that requre Fort. saves, even if they do not affect objects. (Non-mechs can only affect mechs as if they were objects)
2: Wild and wildheart mech's use the mental scores listed here when unpiloted. Piloted mechs do not have mental scores and are mindless.
A mech's base stats may be improved according to the table below. Piloted and Wildheart mech do not gain stat increases, base save increases, or feats when their HD are improved by purchase. Non-wild mech do not gain XP, their pilots do.
Table 2:2 Improving Mechs
Enhancement bonus to stat 1000gpx new enhancement bonus (total)
Enhancement bonus to Fort save 1000gpx new enhancement bonus (total)
Extra HD 1000gpx (new HD- base HD)
Mech Scanners
[MS]: Mech Scanners.......................................... .................................................. ................3
Basic Scanner........................................... .................................................. ......................Free
The basic scanner can detet terrain features and mech at a range of 400ft, providing the pilot with land coordinates but not the altitude of enemy mech. Enemies with cover or concealment are not detected by basic scanners.
Increased scanner range............................................. .................................................. .270gp
This upgrade doubles scanner range. It can be purchased multiple times and its effects stack. (Purchased once the range is 800ft, twice the range is 1600, etc.)
Clearsight........................................ .................................................. .............................500gp
Enemies in scanner range with concealment (including magical darkness and invisiblity) are visible.
X-ray Sight............................................. .................................................. ......................500gp
Enemies in scanner range that are behind cover are visible.
Allsight.......................................... .................................................. .............................1500gp
Provides the pilot with a 3D representation of the scanner range, similar to radar. Will provide warning when a mech with scramblers enters scanner range.
Special: Allsight can only be equipped to mech which already have the Clearsight and X-ray Sight improvements.
Scramblers........................................ .................................................. .........................1300gp
Mask the equipped mech from scanner upgrades Clearsight and X-ray Sight. The mech will not appear on Allsight, but Allsight will provide the pilot with a warning that a mech with scramblers is somewhere in the scanner range.
Movement
[Mo]: Movement.......................................... .................................................. .................4
A mech's base ground speed is described on table 2:1. A mech's movement may be modified by Thrusters and/or by Flight Units. If using a battle mat one square in mech combat is 20ft on a side (colossal tall mechs have reach 1). Modifications to mech speed include both the number of feet and also the number of battle mat squares the mech's speed is increased by.
Thrusters......................................... .................................................. .....................See Table
Thrusters improve ground speed. Add the thruster modifier in feet to your mech's base speed by size. This determines the mech's final movement speed. At this time, you cannot add more than 6 increments of Thrusters.
Table 4:1 Thrusters
Bonus to speed in ft (bonus in squares) Cost
20ft(1sq) 500
40ft(2sq) 2000
60ft(3sq) 4500
80ft(4sq) 8000
100ft(5sq) 12500
120ft(6sq) 18000
Flight Units............................................. .................................................. ...............See Table
A mech equipped with a flight unit doesn't just have wings glued to it: It has been rebalanced and streamlined for flight. The speed modifier on a flight unit is added to the base move speed of the mech (after adding thrusters if applicable) to find the mech's flight speed. Even if a mech is designed for a flight manuverability greater than clumsy, the mech's flight manuverability will be clumsy unless the pilot has taken the Flight Training feat.
Table 4:2 Flight Units
Manuverability Speed Squares Cost
Clumsy 20 1 10000
Poor 40 2 20000
Average 60 3 30000
Good 80 4 40000
Mech Combat
[MC]: Mech Combat............................................ .................................................. ............5
Mechs act on their pilot's initiative unless they are unpiloted (either wild or wildheart).
On a single turn, the mech and its pilot have two mech actions and a single pilot action. A mech action is a standard action equivalent performed by the mech. The pilot action is a standard action as performed by the pilot. On the pilot action, the pilot has line of effect on the mech and themselves, or anyone in the mech. The mech may take a full round action by spending two mech actions. A pilot does not gain addition pilot actions if hasted and controlling the mech. A pilot may act normally within the mech (moving, taking a full round action, etc.) by leaving the mech unpiloted.
Mecha make the Fort Saves when they and their pilot are targeted, Pilots make the Reflex Saves when they and their mecha are targeted, and pilots make their own Will Saves. The mecha is affected by any spell that requires a Fort or Reflex Save, the pilot by spells that require a Will Save.
Piloted mechs get no actions on turns when they are unpiloted. Wild mechs get no pilot actions period (They do not have pilots). Wildheart mechs may act on their own while unpiloted, but this will cause the pilot to lose control.
Basic Attack rolls for range and melee are 1d20+Pilot's BaB+the pilot's final modifier to their Mech Gunner skill checks. (All wild mechs have 3/4 BaB and Mech Gunner as a class skill.)
A mech's AC is equal to 10+ AC+ Shield+ Misc+ one half the pilot's final modifer to their Mech Pilot skill checks. (All wild mechs have Mech Pilot as a class skill.)
Mech are not capable of the Attack of Opportunity, but may ready actions to attack an opponent on the opponent's turn (if they: Don't surrender, leave that square, etc.)
Special: Do NOT add the mech's size modifier to its basic attack rolls or AC.
Special: Mechs are not at this time capable of unique combat manuvers (Trip, Disarm) other than charge. Rules for these manuvers have neither been proposed nor tested, though if there's a clamor for a manuver ask.
Mech are vulnerable to critical hits from other mechs. Ranged attacks crit as if a heavy crossbow. The attacker may either deal critical damage or (choose before rolling damage):
1. The defending pilot must make a Mech Pilot check equal to the critical damage or be knocked unconscious.
OR
2. The defending pilot must make a Reflex save equal to the normal damage or be knocked prone.
Rather than use the ordinary +X bonus to equipment, weapon damage may be increased by 1d6 for a price of 270gp/d6. Special weapon and armor properties with +X equivilencies may be bought for a number of d6 equal to the +X equivalent. No mech attack may be modified to have more d6 (including special qualities and base damage) than the pilot's character level. The mech's armor may also only have as many d6 equivalencies as the pilot's character level.
Example: A lightning gun attack deals 3d6 damage. If it's range were doubled (1d6) and its area of effect was a 20ft burst (1d6) then a 6th level character could give the mech's ranged attack a +1 weapon special quality or 1d6 of additional damage, but not both (6-[3d6+1d6+1d6]=1)
Special: Shaping, extra damage, and elemental damage special qualities are not allowed. Ranged weapons may not take the Bane special quality.
Melee Combat Components
[MeCC]: Melee Combat Components........................................ ...................6
Mech with claw attacks use the natural attack values provided in table 2:1. Mech with slam attacks may substitute manufactured weapons for their slams by equipping manufactured weapons. Either way, a mech may only attack with one attack per mech action.
Weapon price is equal to the price for a medium weapon in the PHB1 modified by size as follows:
Table 6:1 Mech Weapon Cost
Weapon Base Cost x4 if the weilding mech is Huge
Weapon Base Cost x8 if Gargantuan
Weapon Base Cost x16 if Colossal
The damage die of the weapon is determined by finding the base weapon's medium damage on the chart below, and finding the size of the wielding mech on that row of the table.
Table 6:2 Mech Weapon Damage
Base DMG Mech's Size Category
Huge Gargantuan Colossal
1d4 1d8 1d10 2d6
1d6 1d10 2d6 3d6
1d8 2d6 3d6 4d6
1d10 3d6 4d6 5d6
2d6/1d12 4d6 5d6 6d6
Melee weapon special qualities
Elemental Damage............................................ ......................................1d6
The weapon deals no extra damage. Instead all damage d6 deal one of the five elemental types instead of physical damage. The five elemental types are fire, acid, sonic, cold, and force.
Ranged Combat Components
[RaCC]: Ranged Combat Components........................................ ..................................7
A ranged combat component (known as a gun) has a standard range of 200ft and weighs as much as a heavy crossbow of its size. It does not have standard damage. Instead a single d6 of ranged damage bought at the normal price comes with free gun. Basic guns target a single creature in range.
Ranged weapon special qualities
Air Bane.............................................. .................................................. ......................1d6
Half Damage against targets on ground. If a target is flying, double the damage and treat the attack as having Double Range 1 for free.
Burst............................................. .................................................. ................................1d6
Instead of targeting a single creature, this ranged attack is a 40ft (2 squares on a side) burst beginning on a corner square of player's choice. It can be purchased multiple times, its effect stacks: The second time the burst is 60ft (3 squares wide), the third time the burst is 80ft (4 squares wide), etc.
Double Range............................................. .................................................. .....................1d6
This upgrade doubles weapon range. It can be purchased multiple times and its effects stack. (Purchased once the range is 400ft, twice the range is 800, etc.)
Elemental Damage............................................ .................................................. ...............1d6
The weapon deals no extra damage. Instead all damage d6 deal one of the five elemental types instead of physical damage. The five elemental types are fire, acid, sonic, cold, and force.
Independent Targeting......................................... .................................................. ....270gp
This attack may target up to as many creatures as it deals damage in d6. Divide the d6 you would roll for damage between the targets before you roll them. Roll each group of d6 seperately and deal that much damage on a hit. This quality may be combined with Line Effect and Burst to create a number of bursts or lines instead of targeting a number of creatures.
Line Effect............................................ .................................................. ..........................2d6
Instead of targeting a single creature, this ranged attack has an area of effect as a line equal to its range.
Armor and Shields
[MAC]: Armor and Shields........................................... .................................................. ........8
Armor Class: Mech may be equipt with armor and shields that provide their ordinary AC bonus, weigh as much as armors of their size, and have their prices modified as on the table below.
Table 8:1 Mech Armor Cost
Armor/Shield Base Cost x4 if the weilding mech is Huge
Armor/Shield Base Cost x8 if Gargantuan
Armor/Shield Base Cost x16 if Colossal
Armor Special Qualities
Note: Armor special qualities listed in the DMG with +X equivalencies cost a number of d6 equal to the enhancement bonus. This may seem odd as Armor has nothing to do with d6. It is a balance mechanic between armor and weapons and should not be thought of as anything else. Remember that the armor can have no more d6 than your character's level.
Damage Resistance........................................ .................................................. ..........270gp
This is DR1/--. It may be purhased multiple times, its effects stack.
Energy Resistance........................................ .................................................. .........2100gp
This is energy resistance 5 for all energy types. It may be purchased multiple times, its effects stack.
Impenetrable Shield............................................ .................................................. ....1012gp
This effect creates a wall of force equal to your mech's height on its front side (as the spell wall of force) You may not take mech actions while the shield is on. You may turn the shield on and off as a pilot action.
Repair and Looting
RL]: Repair and Looting........................................... .................................................. ...9
Note: Due to the vast difference between mechs (about half of which are living individuals) and the social stigma attached to mech dissasembly, looting is not an effective tactic in this campaign.
Repair
The magical and quasi-living components of a mech allow it to heal "naturally" at a rate of HD+Con modifier each day. Piloted mech are incapable of combat but able to move if at 0 or negative HP, while wild mech are unconsious.
The Craft:(Mech) skill allows a mech to heal HP equal to the check result every 1d6 hours until either the mech is fully healed or the pilot stops working on it. If a mech is at negative HP total, then raise the mech to 0 points automatically before adding the check result as repair for the first time increment.
Components and Special Properties
[CSP]: Components and Special Properties........................................ .............................10
Amphibious........................................ .................................................. ....................500gp
The mech gains a swim speed equal to its land speed.
Power Helm.............................................. .................................................. ..................Special
This mystical addition to the mech's cockpit allows the mech to perform the supernatural or extraordinary abilities its pilot is capable of. The mech must have a Power Helm upgrade for each race or class it can copy the abilities of, and its current pilot must have the class or racial feature in question. This component may therefore be taken multiple times. Its effects do not stack, but instead apply to a new race or class.
Feats for which class levels are a pre-resquite, or feats that modify or require a class feature such as smite or spell casting need a Power Helm to use. Other feats do not require a Power Helm. Price: 2000gp for racial helms, 1000gp for class helms.
Example: A mech with the components Power Helm (Doppelganger) and Power Helm (Rogue) has the alter self ability when piloted by a Doppelganger, and is able to sneak attack when piloted by a rogue. If a Doppelganger rogue pilots the mecha, it can alter self and sneak attack.
Note: Power Helm is the most complicated component so far, and is undergoing frequent revision.
Note: The two reasons the current version does not distinguish between supernatural and extraordinary class features are simplicity and fairness. Simplicity because I do not want rangers with three class features that don't require Power Helm and two class features that do. Fairness because if I made a distinction between types some classes would have no use for a Power Helm and others would be totally dependent on it.
Note: The distinction between feats is based on this logic: If a feat lets the pilot do something with one of his class features (reserve feats, crippling strikes) and the mech cannot use that class feature, then the mech should not be able to use the feat. Other feats should be usable for expidency: Why stat up a pilot at all if the mech can't use any of his abilities?
Note: You may have noticed that the rationale for Power Helm is primarily meta-game and mechanical. One proposed fluff explanation for this component is that every extraordinary ability such as sneak attack or fast movement is a combination of mental skill, muscle memory, and physical conditioning. (Sneak Attack isn't just knowing to do that thing with your elbow, it's having an elbow flexable enough to do that thing.) The Power Helm subtly changes the mech's physique and enhances the already impressive connection between the pilot's and mech's bodies, allowing the mech to benefit from its pilot's physical conditioning.
Sealed............................................ .................................................. ..................1000gp
The mech is air-tight when closed and has its own air supply. The pilot is effectively holding their breath at all times with regards to gases, water, etc., but is not actually holding their breath (i.e. they don't suffocate.)
Wildheart......................................... .................................................. ..........................Special
The mech is sentient, with its own mental stats. It is able to act while not piloted as if a wild mech. The drawback to this is that Wildheart mech are willful: If the DM rules that a Wildheart mech would disobey the pilot's orders, the pilot much make a will save with a DC equal to the mech's HD or lose control of the mech for 1d6 turns/minutes (in combat/out of combat). Each turn/minute the pilot may make a new will save to regain control. Whether a mech is Wildheart depends on its nature of construction and plot occurances. If you would like to have a Wildheart mech, disscuss this with your DM.
Note: The advantage of a mech that is a warrior with a mind of its own should be balanced against the disadvantage of a mech that is also a car with a mind of its own. Wildheart is not meant to have a cost, but you will want to decide how common they are to get or easy to create.
Wondrous Items............................................. .................................................. ........Normal
Mech may be equipt with properly sized wondrous items, with DM's permission.
Character Options
Appendix: Character Options
New Feats:
Flight Training- You may pilot a mech with a flight manuverability better than clumsy.
Normal: A mech's flight manuverability drops to clumsy if its pilot does not have this feat.
New Skills:
Craft (Mech) This is the ability to build, repair, diagnose, and appraise mechs. It may also be used to sabatoge mechs like disable device. Raising the DC by 5 allows the mech to continue to funtion normally until either a number of hours or days expires or a specific trigger occurs.
Mech Gunner (Wis) This is the ability to aim effective blows with a mech's ranged or melee weapons.
Mech Pilot (Dex) This is the ability to coordinate the limbs of a mech. This skill is rolled instead of Balance, Climb, Jump, or Tumble.
Mech Gunner and Mech Pilot are class skills for all classes. Mech Gunner and Mech Pilot are added to the list of skills Barbarians can use while raging.
New Items:
Mechstriker: Mechstriker is a weapon special quality that allows the weilder to affect mechs as if they were creatures. Mechs cannot take this weapon quality, but they do not need it. Price:
New Spells:
Divide Purpose
Ench, Mind Affecting
Wiz/Sorc 3, Cleric 3(?), Bard X
Target: One Mech Pilot
Range 50ft+10ft/caster lvl
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will
SR: No
Effect: The pilot of a wildheart mech must make a will save with a DC equal to his mech's HD or lose control of the mech for 1d6 rounds, during which he cannot communicate warnings or advice to the mech. Note that the mech is now under its own control, not the caster's, and may decide of its own free will to eat the caster just like its master wanted.