Arcforge and Spheres: Will It Blend?

[Illogictree]

So this is about two third-party subsystems: the Companion Mecha from Legendary Games' Arcforge books; and Drop Dead Studios' Spheres of Might. And, actually, a more general question I can't seem to find an obvious answer for.

So with the Pilot sphere from the Arcforge books, there's the possibility of a Spheres-using character gaining access to a Companion Mecha they can pilot. However, I can't seem to find anything that would indicate that a Companion Mecha can take advantage of any of the Spheres its pilot knows, beyond the basic ability to apply movement-related Spheres abilities. That indicates to me that by default, a Companion Mecha cannot benefit from Spheres talents. Is this correct?

That leads to a more general question: do Companion Mecha not benefit from combat feats their pilot may have? Or am I overlooking something obvious? (And if that IS correct, are there ways to get around that?)

[StSword]

Because you are thinking of it the wrong way.

Mecha do nothing, pilots do. "Mechs cannot take actions on their own, and instead use the pilot’s actions," page 38.

They are essentially just armor. They provide strength and dexterity bonuses, they use the pilot's speed, it counts as armor worn for Monks and Druids, they add to the character's AC, and the character still uses his BAB, weapon proficiencies, skills, etc.

So no, mecha can't use sphere talents, but that's because mecha don't do anything. The character can use their sphere talents as normal, just as they can cast spells or whatever.

Even if that weren't the case, yes, there would be ways around it. Techniques- You could combine piloting with other sphere techniques, or use the Integrated Mech talent which specifies that it leaves the pilot's hands free.

[Illogictree]

I'm not entirely convinced by the "they're just armor" argument. If they did, then you should be able to do stuff like initiate Path of War maneuvers while piloting them. But if you could do that, why does the Themistoclein Helmsman have an ability (Warrior's Vessel) that specifically calls out that they now have the ability to do that? Also "spending your actions" implies a similarity to how you can spend an action to get an animal companion to do a trick. You spend the action, but the mecha carries out an action of its own (effectively transferring your action to the mecha).

I note that the companion vehicles rules do say you can use your own feats etc. when making attacks, but substitute the vehicle's stats for yours. I'm not sure if this is an oversight and companion mecha are supposed to work in a similar way (with the rules specifying only attack-related abilities explaining the Pilot sphere's movement-related clause). Anyone have any further clarification?

[Calthropstu]

I made the attempt. However, I used a cheap $5 blender. The result was a cut book cover and I now need a new cheap $5 blender.

[StSword]

I'm not entirely convinced by the "they're just armor" argument. If they did, then you should be able to do stuff like initiate Path of War maneuvers while piloting them. But if you could do that, why does the Themistoclein Helmsman have an ability (Warrior's Vessel) that specifically calls out that they now have the ability to do that? Also "spending your actions" implies a similarity to how you can spend an action to get an animal companion to do a trick. You spend the action, but the mecha carries out an action of its own (effectively transferring your action to the mecha).

I note that the companion vehicles rules do say you can use your own feats etc. when making attacks, but substitute the vehicle's stats for yours. I'm not sure if this is an oversight and companion mecha are supposed to work in a similar way (with the rules specifying only attack-related abilities explaining the Pilot sphere's movement-related clause). Anyone have any further clarification?

I covered this. Mecha in Arcforge rules don't have stats, they use the player's stats.

They count as wearing armor for classes such as Monks and druids. How can that matter if they weren't able to use their class features while piloting a mech in the first place?

And you misread Warrior's Stance. It doesn't give you the ability to have your bonded mech benefit from stances et al, it allows bonded vessels to benefit from stances et al.

Bonded vessels, as in your starship or your motorcycle. That's the point of Warrior's Stance. It would also allow you to have your companion mech benefit from a stance et al if you are't wearing it but piloting it remotely, in which case the mech is acting as an "animal" companion like a companion vehicle.

{Scrubbed}

Mech is armor, vehicles are "animal" companions, the rules for companion vehicles are completely irrelevant unless you are remotely piloting the mech, in which case it would be acting as an "animal" companion as well.

{Scrubbed}