SWSE: Pod racer?

[Alejandro]

One of my players is designing a pod racer, which they intend to race with and hopefully earn some prize money. The character in question has Tech Specialist, Starship Designer, and a very good Mechanics and Knowledge Technology, so there is no question they are able to design a pod racer.

Here's my question: Are there any stats for the things? I have been paging through my resources, and am (so far) not finding anything on the subject.

[IdleMuse]

There's a Podrace statted as a Skill Challenge in GoI, but I think that's the only meaningful reference to them in Saga. It's almost like most of the content from The Phantom Menace is swept under a rug :smallannoyed: which is oddd, given the inclusion of Gungans in the core book.

(Just as an aside, I recommend any Star Wars fans to look up the 'Phantom Edit', it's a re-edit of tPM, very well done. Demonstrates how easily a tone of a film can be changed with some small (albeit extensive) changes. The Phantom Edit feels much more like a 'Star Wars' film, akin to IV and V, than the original edit. A must see for any Star Wars fan, it's now the only version I'll watch :smallamused:)

Anyway, on topic, it seems like there's more advice and info out there for how to be a podracing character than for how pods should be statted (other than the subtext of the GoI skill challenge, that being that the stats of your pod don't matter and the race should be handled as a series of events).

So yeah, frankly, I'd just suggest using the SotG system and design a Pod from scratch. Pods vary from Large to Huge (you can easily extend the size graph on p38 down to Large, with a costmod of x0.5) so you could start with a stock Light Fighter and go from there, or modify a speeder bike or something with massive Maneuvering Jets.

[Alejandro]

There's a Podrace statted as a Skill Challenge in GoI, but I think that's the only meaningful reference to them in Saga. It's almost like most of the content from The Phantom Menace is swept under a rug :smallannoyed: which is oddd, given the inclusion of Gungans in the core book.

(Just as an aside, I recommend any Star Wars fans to look up the 'Phantom Edit', it's a re-edit of tPM, very well done. Demonstrates how easily a tone of a film can be changed with some small (albeit extensive) changes. The Phantom Edit feels much more like a 'Star Wars' film, akin to IV and V, than the original edit. A must see for any Star Wars fan, it's now the only version I'll watch :smallamused:)

Anyway, on topic, it seems like there's more advice and info out there for how to be a podracing character than for how pods should be statted (other than the subtext of the GoI skill challenge, that being that the stats of your pod don't matter and the race should be handled as a series of events).

So yeah, frankly, I'd just suggest using the SotG system and design a Pod from scratch. Pods vary from Large to Huge (you can easily extend the size graph on p38 down to Large, with a costmod of x0.5) so you could start with a stock Light Fighter and go from there, or modify a speeder bike or something with massive Maneuvering Jets.

IdleMuse, we meet again at last. The circuit is now complete. :)

I liked the Phantom Edit. And while I still feel it's the weakest SW film by far, they did include Gungans, the double saber, Naboo ships, and all kinds of other items from it, so it surprises me that there are no pod racers, since the film devotes significant time to it.

I plan to just use a high powered racing swoop made more durable.

[Mando Knight]

From what I understand of Pod Racing, most racers aren't necessarily designers as well... Tech Specialist is good, but Starship Designer is an entirely different level of specialization (Walex Blissex (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Walex_Blissex) and Raith Sienar (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Raith_Sienar) would have Designer, Solo and Anakin don't... and they're the ones that most Racers would be like).

Pilot is what's most important to podracing, since the fastest engines in the Outer Rim won't help you if you're just going to rip off the manifolds when you get to a hairpin turn with rock walls.

[Alejandro]

From what I understand of Pod Racing, most racers aren't necessarily designers as well... Tech Specialist is good, but Starship Designer is an entirely different level of specialization (Walex Blissex (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Walex_Blissex) and Raith Sienar (http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Raith_Sienar) would have Designer, Solo and Anakin don't... and they're the ones that most Racers would be like).

Pilot is what's most important to podracing, since the fastest engines in the Outer Rim won't help you if you're just going to rip off the manifolds when you get to a hairpin turn with rock walls.

The pod is not for her. She is only going to design and build it. The PC that is going to race with it is their ace pilot. :)

There's no Speeder Design feat, so I am just assuming that someone who can design and build an A-wing can build a high speed racing speeder. :)

[Raimun]

Pod racing, eh?

And I thought I wouldn't be ever interested to turn against fellow party members. :smallamused:

[LibraryOgre]

For all intents and purposes, I'd treat it as crafting a masterwork or enchanted podracer.

Want a podracer that will give a +1 to Pilot: Podracing? You're going to need to hit a certain check. A +2 will be a harder check, etc.

Not knowing the SWSE economy, I'd suggest giving an amount of X per week that must be spent, with you needing to make Y checks of Z difficulty to succeed. So if you set X at 100, and require 5 checks at DC 20, you're going to spend at least 500 credits. Allow increasing the DC to increase the speed, etc.

[Alejandro]

For all intents and purposes, I'd treat it as crafting a masterwork or enchanted podracer.

Want a podracer that will give a +1 to Pilot: Podracing? You're going to need to hit a certain check. A +2 will be a harder check, etc.

Not knowing the SWSE economy, I'd suggest giving an amount of X per week that must be spent, with you needing to make Y checks of Z difficulty to succeed. So if you set X at 100, and require 5 checks at DC 20, you're going to spend at least 500 credits. Allow increasing the DC to increase the speed, etc.

The tech specialist feat actually covers this. You can spend money and make Mechanics checks to increase a vehicle's Dex (which raises your Pilot check with it) raises its top speeds, or improve its shield rating (if it has any.)

[LibraryOgre]

The tech specialist feat actually covers this. You can spend money and make Mechanics checks to increase a vehicle's Dex (which raises your Pilot check with it) raises its top speeds, or improve its shield rating (if it has any.)

There you go. Since they're not racing the thing, the plan is to make it a better tool. Better tool in d20 derivatives = masterwork = +x to checks.

[Alejandro]

Oh, they'll be racing it. One PC is building the thing, and another will race it.

[Thrysierius]

Oh no, I would NEVER want to race a pod and make some money, not me with my +16 piloting skill, starship maneuvers and penchant for LYING THROUGH MY TEETH...:smallwink:

[Alejandro]

Oh no, I would NEVER want to race a pod and make some money, not me with my +16 piloting skill, starship maneuvers and penchant for LYING THROUGH MY TEETH...:smallwink:

It would be a shame if Drek lost a few of those teeth.