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When you gain the Tech sphere, you gain 5 ranks in the Craft (mechanical) skill, plus 5 ranks per additional talent spent in the Tech sphere (maximum ranks equal to your total Hit Dice). If you already have ranks in the Craft (mechanical) skill you may immediately retrain them, but you do not get to retrain when only temporarily gaining talents, such as through the armiger’s customized weapons class feature. The Tech sphere saving throw DC, if any, is determined using the normal formula for combat sphere talents, using the practitioner’s ranks in Craft (mechanical) in place of their base attack bonus. When you first gain the Tech sphere, you may learn any one (gadget) talent you qualify for.
Charge Pool
Gadgets from the Tech sphere are powered by charges, a neutral term for a source of energy which may be described as alchemical, clockwork, etc., depending upon what would be appropriate for the character and campaign setting. Your charge pool begins with zero charges, but you may add a number of charges equal to 1 + 1 per 2 ranks of Craft (mechanical) you possess to your pool with 30 minutes of work or 15 minutes if you have access to an engineering kit. After roughly 8 hours of rest, you may choose for a charge to dissipate or stay where it is (whether it’s in your charge pool or being stored in another gadget). The maximum number of charges your charge pool can hold at once is equal to your ranks in Craft (mechanical) + the number of Tech talents you possess (minimum 4). Your charges stored in gadgets (excluding batteries) and drones count toward the maximum number of charges you may have in play at once. You may instantly apply these charges to gadgets you have in your possession during this recharge period.
Gadgets
Some Tech talents have the (gadget) descriptor; these are devices of technological tools you can only create once you’ve learned the talent. You are considered proficient with any gadget you create. Unless otherwise noted, all gadgets are crafted without any charges.
By default gadgets are considered Tiny objects unless stated otherwise. A Small object counts as 2 Tiny objects or 1/2 a Medium object, etc. A light weapon counts as a Tiny object, a one-handed weapon as a Small object, etc. Unless otherwise stated, a gadget has a hardness equal to your ranks in Craft (mechanical), and 5 hit points + 5 hit points per 2 ranks in Craft (mechanical) you possess.
Unless otherwise stated, a gadget has a bonus to saving throws equal to half your ranks in Craft (mechanical) plus your practitioner modifier.
Augments
Some gadget talents have the (augment) descriptor; these are devices of mechanical parts that function as technological improvements of the wearer to make them faster, stronger, harder, better. They can be described as exoskeletal parts designed to slip over the users own body to improve their functioning. Augments occupy a type of slot similar to cybertech but separate from them. Unless otherwise specified, a single slot may only ever host a single augment. Augment slots are separate from normal magic item slots and cybertech slots, and do not count as being used for the purposes of worn magic items or implanted cybertech or grafts. Donning or removing an augment functions as putting on or taking off leather armor, and increases armor check penalties by 2 if donned hastily. Augments are clunky and stand out instantly inducing a penalty to Disguise checks equal to 10 + 2 per augment donned.
Augments, Grafts, and Nonstandard Body Types
Not every creature follows the humanoid body type. Functionally, a creature may only ever have 1 body and brain slot. Even if they possess multiple brains or somehow multiple bodies, the augment is shared between them for the augment to be effective. However, if the creature possesses multiple of the other kind of slot (legs, arms, eyes, ears), they can benefit from more available augment slots.
Augments used to create new limbs can also benefit from additional augments that fit that kind of slot.
Augments, Grafts, and Polymorph Effects
Donned augments are treated as worn equipment for the purpose of polymorph effects, and will be subsumed as part of the transformation. While affected by a polymorph effect, augments do not function, even if donned after the transformation.
Grafts, however, are treated as a creature's innate trait. Usually, these innate traits are also subsumed as part of the effect, however some types of polymorph effects (such as Anthropomorphic Form from the Alteration sphere) allow a creature to retain its innate abilities.
Drone and Rote Function
Some gadgets have the (drone) descriptor. This means that this gadget can be an innate gadget of a drone. Innate gadgets built inside the drone don’t count towards the maximum number of gadgets you can maintain at once. In addition if a gadget has a function designated a rote function, the drone can pay a single charge to power every single rote function at once, and increasing the duration of the function to 8 hours (unless the base duration is higher). Functions not marked with the rote function must be powered as normal.
Moddable and Accessory
Some gadgets have the (accessory) descriptor, or (moddable) descriptor; (accessory) alters the kind of attack or damage that is done with a gadget, and (moddable) indicates that the gadget can use (accessory) talents. A moddable gadget may have any number of accessories, but unless further specified cannot have multiple of the same accessory.
Routines
Some (gadget) talents are also designated as (routine) talents; these gadgets consist mainly of software as opposed to a physical tool. You cannot select a (routine) talent as your first Tech sphere (gadget) talent.
A (routine) talent does not necessarily represent software as we imagine it today. They can be advanced punch card systems for clockwork engines, a series of mystical runes for a stone magitech slab, or a carefully arranged nutrient drip for an organic supercomputer.
When you gain your first (routine) talent you learn how to make storage devices for routines. This uses the same method as creating a gadget regularly, except storage devices do not count towards the maximum number of gadgets you may maintain at once. Each storage device can store one routine. When you create a routine, it begins inside of a storage device you have created that is also in your possession.
This storage device can be attached to an appropriate gadget (or technological item when applicable) you created in your possession as a swift action. Once the storage device is attached you may upload/download the routine into or out of the gadget as a part of that swift action, at which point it becomes safe to remove the storage device without damaging the routine. Gadgets can store any number of storage devices as well as house any number of routines.
You can activate or deactivate a routine inside of a gadget the same way you activate a normal gadget, and you can transfer routines to and from a remote control to any other gadget within its signal range as part of their activation.
If you successfully hack a foreign gadget using the Remote Hacking feat, you may instead transfer a routine into it instead of trying to control it. Deactivating a gadget will deactivate any routine inside it.
Signals
Some gadgets have the (signal) descriptor; these gadgets create a long distance signal that can be used for varied purposes; from long range control to receiving and sending information.
Unless otherwise stated, the base signal range of signal gadgets is close range (25 ft. + 5 ft. per 2 ranks in Craft (mechanical)). A signal can penetrate most barriers, but certain amounts of dense materials may severely reduce the signal range. When a signal attempts to pass through 1 ft. of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 ft. of wood or dirt, the remaining signal distance is halved (rounded down to the nearest 5 feet.). Barriers made of force such as force fields or barriers created with the Protection sphere do not block signals at all. Signal boosters and signal jammers can also affect signal range, as well as other phenomena (as determined by the GM).
Signals that can cross planes can also reach into extradimensional spaces.
Sphere Restrictions
Unless otherwise specified, animal companions, Conjuration sphere companions, drake companions, drones, eidolons, familiars, and other similar companions or pets cannot gain this sphere or talents from this sphere.
Crafting of Devices
The necessary components for creating gadgets are gathered over the course of a given day. While there is no monetary cost to creating a device, each gadget is considered to be built using expensive or rare material components for the purpose of the Creation sphere and similar spells or abilities. You may craft any device you know in 30 minutes, or 15 minutes if you have access to an engineering kit, but due to the primitive nature of the devices you cannot prepare more devices at one time than a number equal to 1/2 your ranks in Craft (mechanical) (minimum 1) + the number of (gadget) talents you possess. If you attempt to craft a gadget that would push your total beyond this limit, you must disassemble gadgets for parts until the gadget total is low enough to permit the new created gadget. Gadgets require near constant maintenance from the creator, gadgets may be declared abandoned during a 15/30 minute crafting period causing the abandoned gadget to break down, allowing the creation of more gadgets as if disassembled. At the GM’s discretion, some devices may be constructed from materials in the environment even without an engineering kit.
After crafting a gadget, you may stow or retrieve the device as a move action as if it were a weapon (or as a free action if you possess the Quick Draw feat, Fast Draw talent, or similar ability).
Activation of Gadgets
Gadgets are activated and deactivated as a move action (unless otherwise stated). In order to activate or deactivate a gadget, a creature must succeed a Craft (mechanical) check against your Tech sphere DC (as the device activation action) while within touch range of the device, unless they possess the Technologist feat (or Tech Savvy talent). You always succeed at activating or deactivating your own devices. During activation, the activating creature may transfer any number of charges from their charge pool or a battery in their possession into the gadget.
A gadget without charges will automatically deactivate on the beginning of your next turn.
Selling or Trading of Devices
Because devices crafted with the Tech sphere are more unstable than standard technological equipment, they are disregarded by most buyers as junk; it is relatively easy (DC 10 Appraise) to recognize the unstable and impermanent nature of these devices, so typically they have no monetary value; a potential buyer who fails their Appraise check assumes they are spare parts or salvage worth no more than 10 gp.
Technomancy, Sprites, Routines, and Hacking
The Arcforge Campaign Setting: Spheres of Influence by Legendary Games introduced the Technomancy sphere. The sphere creates magical sprites to infest, control, or boost technological items. The sphere was not designed with routines or Tech sphere gadgets in mind, so the following clarifies their interactions, as well as other interactions that deal with routines and hacking:
Effects that affect routines also affect sprites, and vice versa.
Use your ranks in Craft (mechanical) in place of your magic skill bonus, and use your ranks in Craft (mechanical) + 11 in place of your magic skill defense for effects that require it.
If a drone possesses a routine as an innate gadget it cannot be targeted by effects that target routines.
If an AI would be installed in a drone or construct (granting it an aggregate template), it cannot be targeted by effects that target routines (but is targeted as a construct instead).
A sprite's creator counts as its source of origin.
If a sprite is required to attempt a saving throw, it uses its casters saving throw modifier.
If an effect would destroy a Beta AI or stronger (such as a Gamma or Delta AI), with a single save or check (such as the Consume Sprite (program)), the effect instead deals 1d4 Charisma damage to the AI, +1d4 damage for every 5 caster levels or ranks in Craft (mechanical) the effect possesses. If an AI takes too much ability damage it is destroyed as normal.
Tech Talents
Collapsible Drone
When deactivated, drones you create are collapsed into a more portable object that is three size categories smaller than they normally are; this has no effect on the drone’s weight. When activated, the drone expands out of its collapsed state.
Combined Augment
When you create an augment, you may choose to combine it with another augment of your choice that occupies the same augment slot. Augments combined this way share the same pool of charges but are powered independently.
Efficient Drones
You may reduce the weight of your drones as if one size category smaller. In addition, the time required to gather your drone parts or the gold to purchase drones are treated as if your drone is one size category closer to Medium by one step. You may take this talent up to 4 times, its effects stack.
Extra Gadgets
The number of gadgets that you can have prepared at one time increases by 2, and increases your charge pool by 1. You may select this talent multiple times. Its effect stacks.
Improved User Interface
Gadgets you create can be designed to be more or less user friendly to users that are not you. You can create gadgets with superior user interface, granting a +5 to the check to activate the gadget.
You can also create gadgets with a lock (be it a literal lock, or just a difficult way to utilize the gadget) preventing creatures from benefiting from superior user interface bonuses as well as imposing a -5 penalty to activate the gadget unless they possess a key (be it a literal key or a passcode, or just the proper method of activating your tech).
If you possess at least 10 ranks in Craft (mechanical), you may take this talent a second time increasing the bonuses and penalties granted by this talent by an additional 5.
Gadgets benefiting from a lock also gain a +1 bonus to Will saves to resist hacking attempts (such as through Remote Hacking). This bonus increases to +2 if this talent is taken a second time.
Mass Drone Deployment
You may expend your martial focus as a full-round action to activate any number of drones you have created. You still must be within signal range to activate your drones.
Momentum Transfer (stance) [Youxia HB]
While in this stance, whenever you successfully damage a creature with a CR of at least half your Hit Dice with an attack action, you may add 1 temporary charge to your charge pool as a free action that can be taken even outside of your turn. This charge expires after 1 minute if not used. You may instantly apply these charges to gadgets you have in your possession.
Repairable Drone
Instead of being destroyed when your drone reaches 0 hit points, it becomes deactivated until it is restored to 1 hit point or more. If a drone takes damage from a single attack equal to or greater than its maximum hit points while it has 0 current hp, the drone is destroyed.
Standardized Drones
You can create standardized drones. Standardized drones benefit from standardized bonus hit points, natural armor bonus, and base ability scores in place of those granted by their size. Standardized drones have bonus hit points equal to 3 times their base attack bonus, and a natural armor bonus equal to half their base attack bonus.
In addition standardized drones possess a base Strength and Dexterity score of 12 and increase their Strength or Dexterity by 1 for every Hit Die they possess (chosen for each Hit Die they gain). Drones created this way all have the same material cost of the largest size category you would normally be able to make regardless of their actual size.
Tech Savvy
You are considered to be trained in any skill used against a technology-based subject. If the skill in question requires training to use even against non-technological subjects, you may instead make a Craft (mechanical) check in its place with a -5 penalty. Associated Feat: Technologist.
Accessory Talents
Alternate Element Pack (accessory, gadget)
You may choose to change all damage done by a gadget with the (moddable) descriptor to another type of damage. This choice must be taken at the time of the gadget's creation. Attaching this accessory to a ranged weapon applies the effects to its ammunition. This change applies to the base damage type and not extra damage done (such as precision damage or the flaming enhancement). The type of damage you may select for your gadget is limited by your ranks in Craft (mechanical):
- 1 rank: Fire or nonlethal or bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing
- 5 ranks: Acid, cold, or electricity
- 10 ranks: Sonic
Chameleon Suit (gadget, accessory)
This gadget is attached to any kind of armor, and when activated with 1 or more charges, grants the user a circumstance bonus to Stealth checks equal to your ranks in Craft (mechanical). This does not stack with similar abilities such as invisibility or the Light sphere Chameleon talent. This requires 1 charge for every 10 minutes in use.
In addition as a swift action (or as a free action by expending martial focus), the user may activate the suit’s deep stealth function. Deep stealth function grants the wearer concealment (20% miss chance), but also consumes an additional charge per minute in use, plus an additional charge for every round the user moves more than half their movement speed in a round.
A long distance fuel pack gadget can be used to power the chameleon suit, allowing it to function for 1 hour per charge, and for 10 minutes in deep stealth for every additional charge (moving more than half speed a round consumes an extra charge as normal).
Control Harness (accessory, drone, gadget, signal)
This gadget allows the user to use their full body to control construct-like gadgets (such as collapsible vehicles, turrets or drones). It takes the form of a handheld case that can be unfolded, as a swift action, into a harness of the size of its user. Each harness is created for a specific creature type, and collapses into a size two categories smaller than the creature for transport. Donning the harness when its unfolded is a full-round action which prevents the user from moving from the spot the harness was set up in.
Once inside, the wearer can control a single construct-like gadget within signal range (a set of automators counts as a single construct for this purpose) using the construct’s movements and actions as if they themselves were the construct (moving the construct as a move action, attacking with a weapon it possesses as a standard action, etc.). If the construct possesses an appropriate weapon, the wearer may even make attacks of opportunity. The wearer may still perform actions not related to the construct (for example, throwing a formulae or activating another gadget), but doing so means the pilot cannot use that same action to control the construct. The wearer can change the construct they are controlling as a swift action.
The harness can instead be made into an armor accessory, and once activated as a swift action allows the wearer to convey actions to a construct as normal without having to don a harness. However the wearer is considered flat-footed and battered during any turn that they used actions to control a construct remotely this way. Drones with the harness as an innate gadget possess a pilot seat used to control the drone and only that drone.
While in the pilot seat, the pilot and the drone are essentially a single creature, using the drone’s physical stats and the pilot’s mental stats. The pilot cannot be targeted by weapons or by magic that behaves like a weapon (for example, effects that require an attack roll or allow a Reflex save) until the drone is reduced to 0 hit points, but otherwise is still susceptible to magical effects. A creature who successfully grapples the drone or climbs onto it using Scale Foe from the Athletics sphere may attack the pilot directly, or even move the pilot instead of the drone after a qualifying grapple check, removing the pilot from their seat. If the drone also possesses the Collapsible Vehicle talent as an innate gadget, the benefits of cover it grants to its passengers also applies to the pilot.
A control harness requires a charge for every 4 hours in use. This is considered a rote action.
Dash Engine (accessory, augment, drone, gadget)
This gadget greatly increase the user’s speed to a nearly uncontrollable extent.
When you first select this talent you must choose between gaining it as an accessory or augment. If you select this talent a second time you can make it as the other type.
Dash engines can be attached to armor or weapons as an accessory, and occupies either the legs, arms or body slot as an augment.
You may activate a dash engine as part of a charge, withdraw, or run action. This consumes a charge and increases the distance you can move (this can be applied to any movement speed mode you possess) by 10 feet for every rank you possess in Craft (mechanical). If done as part of a run action, increase this amount to 30 feet per rank instead. This increase counts as an increase to the creatures base land speed for effects that depend on it (such as racial bonuses to Acrobatics checks to jump).
The first creature that you hit with a melee weapon attack the round you moved (if the gadget is an accessory attached to a melee weapon, the attack must be with the weapon the gadget is attached to) suffers an additional 1d6 damage for every 6 ranks in Craft (mechanical) you possess. This extra damage is not increased on a critical hit.
Failing a Reflex save against Remote Control allows the controller to activate the dash engine against your will on his turn and move you 10 feet for every rank you possess in Craft (mechanical) in a direction of their choice.
Disarmer (accessory, gadget)
This accessory adds some way for weapons used to parry attacks to steal away weapons used on them, such as a magnet or an alchemical adhesive. This accessory can only be attached to melee weapons or weapons the wielder knows how to use in melee.
Whenever a target attacks the weapon’s bearer with a melee weapon and misses him by a margin of 5 or more, they must succeed at a Reflex saving throw against your Tech sphere DC or be disarmed of their weapon, as it sticks to the modified weapon (this does not affect the wielded weapon’s effectiveness in combat). This margin decreases by 1 for every 10 ranks you possess in Craft (mechanical). A creature may attempt a disarm attempt to retrieve the weapon from the accessorised weapon.
The disarmer consumes 1 charge every time it successfully disarms a target.
Homing Pack (accessory, gadget)
This accessory can only apply to ranged weapons, granting its attacks homing properties. Ranged attacks with that weapon ignore 2 points of the AC bonus from cover, plus an additional 2 points for every 6 ranks you possess in Craft (mechanical). In addition, the wielder may treat creatures behind total cover as if the cover granted a +8 bonus to AC rather than being invalid targets for attack; however, there must be a gap in the cover large enough to fit the ammunition through.
Hookshot (accessory, gadget)
This accessory applies to ranged weapons, attaching auto-retracting cords to projectiles it fires.
Whenever the user makes an attack with the weapon during their turn, they can expend a charge from the gadget in order to connect the projectile to the weapon with a cord (or connect the user directly to a thrown weapon). This limits the maximum range of the weapon to close range (25 feet + 5 feet per 2 ranks in Craft (mechanical)).
If the attack misses its target, the cord simply automatically retracts itself (taking its fired or thrown projectile back with it if you so desire), but if the attack successfully hits its target, the projectile latches on, and links the weapon (or the attacker) and the target together.
The attacker and the target cannot exceed the maximum distance of the cord unless:
- The attacker disconnects the cord from the ranged weapon (or themselves) as a free action.
- The attacker loses the ranged weapon.
- The cord is destroyed (it has the hit points and hardness of a gadget you can create and uses your Tech sphere DC as its Break DC).
- The cord’s size limit is exceeded. The cord can vertically hold up a Medium-sized creature or object + 1 size category larger for every 4 ranks in Craft (mechanical). If the size limit is exceeded the cord breaks. Lighter or heavier objects can count as a size category smaller or larger. Multiple cords working at once can add their effective maximum size categories together to determine the maximum size of the object they hold up (1 for Medium size, 2 for Large size, 4 for Huge size, etc.).
- The target succeeds on a Strength check against your Tech sphere DC as a standard action to disconnect the cable from themselves.
If the attacker chooses the cord to retract to a desired distance, at the end of their turn the cord makes a combat maneuver check using your Craft (mechanical) modifier as its combat maneuver bonus. This attack is compared against both the attacker’s and target’s combat maneuver defense. If the attack exceeds neither creature’s combat maneuver defense, nothing happens. If the check exceeds at least one of the creatures defenses, the creature with the lower combat maneuver defense is moved 10 feet (including vertically if necessary) closer towards the other target for every point the check exceeds their combat maneuver defense, or until the cord has retracted the desired amount (this movement does not provoke an attack of opportunity and is halted if it would move them into a solid object or another creature). If both creatures have the same combat maneuver defense, an opposed Strength check determines who gets moved by the cord.
For the purposes of this check, objects are considered to have a combat maneuver defense of 15 + their special size modifier. If an object or creature is larger then the cord’s size limit, it cannot be moved by the cord regardless of the check result (which may result in the creature with the higher CMD to be moved by the cord). Creatures can also choose to be moved by the cord the full distance. If both creatures choose to be moved by the cord, the creature with the lower CMD is moved as normal. If used by the attacker to propel themselves a distance intentionally, this movement is considered both jumping and flying for the purposes of benefiting from the Athletics sphere.
The attacker can choose fire the other end of the cable (i.e. the one they have connected to themselves or their weapon) against a target within close range of the first target. If the attack succeeds, then both targets are now considered to be connected to one another. If the attacker fires the other end of the cable during the same turn they fired the first part of the cable, the attacks are not limited to targets within close range, instead both targets must be within close range of one another. A creature can be affected by multiple cords at once, but cannot be successfully moved more than once per your turn. Instead the maximum size limit is increased. The accessory can generate multiple cords at the same time, each one requiring a charge to create.
If you select this talent a second time, the cord’s maximum length is increased to medium range (100 feet + 10 feet per rank in Craft (mechanical)).
Integrated Armory (accessory, gadget)
This accessory is fitted between two weapons so that wielding the larger weapon counts as wielding the other weapon. If the weapons are the same size you can wield both at once in the same hand/hands. Shields (excluding bucklers) may be attached in place of weapons.
Internal Tool (accessory, augment, drone, gadget)
You may create an accessory or augment that can be used to store a single tool, weapon, or (non-augment) gadget for quick retrieval chosen at the time of the gadget’s creation. The integrated tool can be simply stored inside the accessory or augment, and can be retrieved as a standard action, and put back the same way. Or the tool or weapon may be configured in such a way to be integrated with the gadget. Tools integrated this way can be retrieved and stored as a swift action, can be sundered but cannot be disarmed, or detached. Tools integrated as an augment still require the user to use the limb they normally use to operate such a tool (for instance thieves tools integrated in an ear slot would still require hands to utilize). If you possess the Quickdraw feat, Fast Draw talent, or similar ability, you can retrieve stored or integrated weapons or gadgets as a free action.
The maximum size of the tool depends on the slot used to store the tool (assuming the creature is Medium-sized). Arm: 1 Tiny object, Leg: 1 Small object, Body: 1 Small object, Ears, Eyes, Brain, and Head: 1 Fine object; however the tool may be stored between different slots as long as its modular enough to do so (gadgets are assumed to be so by default), however it only functions when together. Failing a Will save against remote control, allows the controller to withdraw or retract integrated tools or drop or prevent access to stored tools for 1 round.
Laser Pack (accessory, gadget)
You may choose a gadget with the (moddable) descriptor that deals fire damage to deal laser damage, removing all other damage types except fire. This choice must be taken at the time of the gadget’s creation. If you have 10 ranks in Craft (mechanical) you may have the weapon retain its other damage types (instead of dealing only fire damage), but still be treated as a laser weapon.
Laser Weapons
Laser damage can pass through force fields and force effects, such as a wall of force, to strike a foe beyond without damaging that field. Objects like glass or other transparent barriers do not provide cover from lasers—but unlike force barriers, a transparent physical barrier still takes damage from a laser passing through it. Invisible creatures are immune to laser damage. Fog, smoke, and other clouds provide cover in addition to concealment from laser damage. Darkness (magical or otherwise) has no effect on lasers other than providing concealment, and a lasers do not provide significant illumination to change the light levels of a surrounding area.
Laser weapons always target touch AC no matter the range increment, but cannot benefit from Strength modifiers to damage.
Misfire Manager (accessory, gadget)
This accessory can only be attached to firearms. Whenever your firearm would misfire, you can spend a charge from the accessory as an immediate action to prevent the misfire from happening (as if your firearm's misfire chance was 0).
At 10 ranks in Craft (mechanical), you can activate the accessory as a free action even outside of your turn.
Mobile Armor (accessory, gadget)
This gadget lines the inside of medium and heavy armors, allowing the wearers to move swiftly. Armor with this accessory has its movement penalty completely removed.
This accessory consumes 1 charge per hour in use.
Pressure Mechanism (accessory, augment, gadget)
This gadget greatly increase the user’s impact with their attacks.
When you first select this gadget you can choose between gaining it as an accessory or augment. If you select this talent a second time you can make it as the other type. Pressure mechanisms can be attached to weapons, and occupies either the legs or arms as an augment.
You may activate the pressure mechanism as a move action that expends 2 charges.
Beginning on the next round, on the first successful attack the wearer makes (if the gadget is an accessory the weapon must be the one gadget is attached to, if the gadget is an augment it must be made with a melee or thrown weapon wielded the limb the augment is attached to), the pressure is unleashed, dealing an amount of additional damage to the creature equal to 1d6, +1d6 per 2 ranks in Craft (mechanical) you possess, and the creature is pushed directly away from the attacker 5 feet for every rank in Craft (mechanical) you possess. If the creature would impact an object or other creature before they can complete this movement, they stop in place, and are knocked prone. This extra damage is not increased on a critical hit. The pressure is wasted and needs to be regained again if not used by the next round.
Failing a Will save against Remote Control allows the controller impart a -5 penalty to attack rolls made with that limb for 1 round.
Range Amplifier (accessory, gadget)
This accessory can only be attached to ranged weapons. The weapon has its range increment doubled. You can select this talent an additional time for every 5 ranks in Craft (mechanical) you possess, increasing the multiplier by 1 each time (thus, if the talent is taken twice, the weapon’s range would be multiplied by 3).
Sniper Scope (accessory, augment, gadget)
This accessory can only be attached to ranged weapons. As a move action, the wielder may use the scope to aid in aiming, reducing range penalties by half for their next attack made before the end of their turn. If you possess 4 ranks in Craft (mechanical), the scope also provides a +4 bonus to attack rolls made when aiming this way. If created as an augment it occupies the eyes slot and requires 1 charge per 8 hours, but grants the user its ability to any ranged weapon wielded.
Failing a Will save against Remote Control allows the controller to blind the user.
Speed Lever (accessory, gadget)
This accessory can only be attached to ranged weapons, decreasing their reload time. The time required to reload the weapon is reduced by one step (i.e., full-round action becomes a standard action, move action becomes a free action).
At 5 ranks in Craft (mechanical), the accessory reduces the reload time by an additional step (to a minimum reload time of a free action).
This modification stacks with existing abilities (such as the Expert Reload talent) that reduce reload time.
Superior Joints (gadget, accessory)
This gadget integrates with armor to make it less cumbersome and more efficient. The armor’s maximum Dexterity bonus is increased by 1, and the armor’s armor check penalty is reduced by 3. These bonuses increase by 1 for every 6 ranks in Craft (mechanical) you possess. This accessory consumes 1 charge per hour in use.
Weapon Upgrade (accessory, gadget)
This accessory can only be granted to melee weapons. The weapon gains one of the following weapon special features: Blocking, brace, deadly, disarm, distracting, reach, sunder, trip. This accessory can be attached multiple times. Each time it is attached, the weapon gains a different special feature. This accessory cannot grant a weapon a special feature it already possesses.
Gadget Talents
Accessory Suit (gadget, moddable)
This gadget is an airtight bodysuit designed to integrate with other technological options.
The bodysuit can be sealed as a free action to protect the user from harmful atmospheric effects such as vacuum or airborne hazards (such as inhalation poisons), but does not provide its user with oxygen otherwise (additional air generating equipment can be worn without compromising its seal). This bodysuit counts as light armor and uses the same statistics as leather armor. While donned, the armor is treated as an additional body slot for augments.
In place of separate piece of armor, this bodysuit may be integrated into a pre-existing piece of armor (this requires a minute of time), granting it the extra body slot, its airtight quality, and the moddable quality.
Alternate Element Pack (accessory, gadget)
You may choose to change all damage done by a gadget with the (moddable) descriptor to another type of damage. This choice must be taken at the time of the gadget's creation. Attaching this accessory to a ranged weapon applies the effects to its ammunition. This change applies to the base damage type and not extra damage done (such as precision damage or the flaming enhancement). The type of damage you may select for your gadget is limited by your ranks in Craft (mechanical):
- 1 rank: Fire or nonlethal or bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing
- 5 ranks: Acid, cold, or electricity
- 10 ranks: Sonic
Alt Weapon Mode (gadget)
You may attach this gadget to any kind of weapon. Weapons with this attachment can benefit from (accessory) talents as if they were (moddable) gadgets. Choices that must be made at the time of the (moddable) gadget's creation must instead be chosen at the time of this gadget's creation. This gadget uses up 1 charge for each attached accessory per minute of use (in 1 minute nonconsecutive increments).
Ammo Spitter (gadget, moddable)
This gadget has the ability to process raw materials (assumed to be part of your engineering kit) into different kinds of ammunition. It can expend a charge to create 30 rounds of regular ammunition (including arrows, bolts, bullets or firearm ammunition), 5 throwing weapons, or 1 round of regular ammunition for siege engines (including independent inventions with the siege engine base form) (such as ballista bolts, cannon balls, etc). Technological ammunition, such as charges for the plasma pistol, plasma rifle, and plasma thrower do not qualify as “regular ammunition”. If you use an appropriate accessory gadget as part of the raw materials used for the creation of the ammunition, the accessory is subsumed and applied into all of the individual pieces of ammunition (as if they were gadgets with the moddable quality), but still only count as 1 accessory for the purpose of how many accessory talents you can maintain at once. Treat ammunition created this way as a single set. A set shares all charges that the accessory uses, and an individual piece of ammunition cannot be split from its set for more than 1 round without becoming inert. Ammunition and throwing weapons created by the ammo spitter are impermanent and crumble back into their base parts 8 hours after creation, and are always destroyed after an attack whether or not they hit their target.
Ammo Spitters, when creating sets of 30 rounds per charge, are assumed to make ammunition for weapons of Medium-size or smaller, however if the weapon is larger than that, you need to gather raw materials. Treat this as collecting drone materials (see Drone Chapter), and 30 rounds of ammunition as being the same amount of materials as a drone 2 size categories smaller then the weapon itself.
Anatomical Structure (augment, drone, gadget)
You gain access to the following attachable gadget schematics. If all the limbs created are in place of pre-existing lost limbs they do not occupy an augment slot. When creating these limbs you may always choose to create less limbs than listed.
Additional Arms
You create a gadget that you can attach to or remove from a creature. When activated with 1 or more charges, the attached creature gains an additional pair of arms with hands that can manipulate objects as a human’s can. This cannot be used to gain additional attacks, but can be used to stow and hold items or any other way. Each charge allows these additional arms to function regularly for 8 hours (which can be used in nonconsecutive increments of 1 hour) and is a rote function, or instead be used to double their maximum weight capacity for 1 hour instead. Additional arms occupy the body slot. Drones built with this as a innate gadget replace their basic appendages, before additional appendages count for further limbs. Failing a Reflex save against remote control prevents you from using that limb for 1 round and causes it to drop whatever its holding.
Additional Head
When activated with 1 or more charges, the attached creature gains an additional head granting low-light vision and darkvision 60 feet. Each charge allows this additional head to function regularly for 8 hours (which can be used in nonconsecutive increments of 1 hour) and is a rote function, or instead be used to grant immunity to flanking for 1 minute. Additional heads occupy the brain slot as the information from extra heads is relayed much more directly. Failing a Will save against remote control makes you confused for 1 round.
Additional Legs
When activated with 1 or more charges, the attached creature gains an additional pair of legs granting a land movement speed of 30 ft. or increasing increasing carrying capacity as a quadruped if used on a being with less than 4 legs. Each charge allows these additional legs to function regularly for 8 hours (which can be used in nonconsecutive increments of 1 hour) and is a rote function, or instead be used to increase movement speed by 15 ft. for 10 minutes. Additional legs occupy the legs slot as their mechanics tap into the leg related nervous system. Failing a Reflex save against remote control knocks you prone.
Antivirus Application (gadget, routine)
When activated, and part of a gadget, this routine protects the gadget from outside interference.
Whenever the gadget is subject to technological-based effects with negative repercussions (such as Remote Hacking or the Technomancy sphere sprites), the application will grant your gadget a bonus to the saving throw or your magic skill defense equal to 2 + 1 for every 5 ranks in Craft (mechanical) you possess. In addition once per round if your gadget would be successfully influenced, the routine can be set to spend an additional charge from the installed gadget’s charge pool to force the foreign force to either attempt another check or grant the gadget another save to prevent the effect (even if it would not normally be allowed an additional save or check otherwise).
You may select this talent a second time to grant your routine the ability to detect unseen threats, as well as to trace and destroy enemy influences. You can set the routine to detect enemy threats inside of the gadget (such as undetected routines or sprites), forcing them to attempt another check at the beginning of your turn to remain concealed. The frequency of this check depends on the rate of power consumed. An additional check will be required every hour if no additional charges are consumed, every minute if an additional charge is consumed every hour, or every round if an additional charge is consumed every ten minutes.
Once the application detects a foreign routine, at the beginning of your turn it will make you aware of the threat, try to determine its origin and then attempt to purge the routine completely. The routine must attempt a Will save opposed by its Tech sphere DC. On a failed save, the origin of the effect is successfully determined and alerted to you (this counts as knowing the origin signal of the effect), and the foreign routine is destroyed. It will repeat this process for every foreign routine it detects.
Artificial Intelligence (drone, gadget, routine)
You can create Alpha AI and install them into your gadgets.
Running an Alpha AI consumes an additional charge from the gadget running it for every 8 hours of use, and is considered a rote action for a drone.
An AI may be simply run inside of a drone or be installed as its main control unit (granting it the aggregate template). If a drone possesses an AI as an innate gadget, that AI is hard-wired into the drone (granting it the aggregate template) and cannot be removed.
Similarly to drones, AI do not count against your maximum number of gadgets prepared. You may have a total number of AI activated at any one time whose combined level does not exceed your ranks in Craft (mechanical).
This talent counts as a (drone) talent for the purposes of determining the maximum number of Hit Dice worth of drones you may have at once (you must still possess the (drone) talent in order to create them as normal). AI count their level as Hit Dice towards the maximum number of drone Hit Dice you may have active at once, and can substitute for drones for the purposes of determining the maximum amount of AI levels you may have active at once.
You may take this talent in combination with the (drone) talent up to 4 times, increasing the amount of Hit Dice and Levels of drones and AI you may have active in tandem. If you possess either Drone or Artificial Intelligence 4 times, you may retrain one of these talents immediately for a talent of the other category.
See the Technological Options section for additional rules on creating AI.
Auto Injector (augment, gadget)
You create an auto injector. This gadget can inject 1 potion or potion-like substance (such as formulae from the Alchemy sphere) into the user as a swift action without provoking attacks of opportunity using up 1 charge to do so. For every additional 10 ranks of Craft (mechanical) the auto injector can store an additional potion. It occupies any 1 slot of choice. Inserting or removing a potion from an auto injector requires a minute. If used in conjunction with the Evac Pack, the Evac Pack will activate the auto injector after withdrawing. Failing a Fortitude save against remote control allows the controller to inject a potion stored in the auto injector into you.
Automator (gadget)
An automator is a catch all type of gadget that exists to automate basic actions. Such as opening doors or lighting a gaslamp. Automators do not possess much agility, but are still capable of doing basic functions.
Consider the automator a 1 Hit Die construct with average hit points and hardness for a gadget, size of Tiny or small (chosen at the time of the creation), no ability scores except a Strength and Dexterity score of 10, an AC equal to 10 + 1/2 your ranks in Craft (mechanical), a bonus to saves equal to +0, movement speed of 0, and a base attack bonus of 0. It possesses no senses or auditory functions. Automators possess no magic item or augment slots. Automators cannot perform any action that requires an attack roll or combat action, but may perform ability and skill checks (this is left ultimately to the GM’s discretion).
The exact shape of an automator is determined at the time of creation. An automator can possess up to 2 limbs that must be inbuilt with whatever they wield or use. For instance an automator that can open or close a single door can take the form of a simple box with a pulley that attaches to a door. An automator may be created with only 1 limb in order to increase its movement speed to 5 feet. Automators can work in tandem to accomplish multiple smaller tasks that amount to a singular larger task. You can create and maintain a number of automators equal to your practitioner modifier as one gadget.
Each charge allows an individual automator to function for 8 hours (which can be used in non-consecutive 1 hour increments).
Battery (gadget)
You create a gadget which can be used to power other technological devices you possess (including other gadgets you or someone else creates). Unlike other gadgets, a battery does not need to be activated to be used or have charges allocated to it from a charge pool. Instead, the battery is crafted already containing a number of charges equal to your practitioner modifier (minimum 1). You may completely recharge a battery as part of the time used to replenish charges by spending an additional minute to recharge the battery itself. You may attach this battery to a technological device (such as a gadget) as a swift action.
Batteries may not be attached to other batteries. Once attached, charges are first drained from the battery before draining any remaining charges from the attached device. No more than a single battery may be attached to device at a time.
Charging Batteries
While batteries do not require activation or have charges allocated to it from a pool, a battery can be recharged as such. However, an individual battery cannot hold more charges than the creator's practitioner modifier. Attempting to put more charges into a battery over this maximum causes the extra charges to be wasted. This also holds true for the Plasma Creation talent from the Creation sphere.
Camera (drone, gadget)
You gain access to the following gadget schematics, each of which come with a small remote handheld display:
Photograph
You create a gadget that when activated is able to take still photographs. The gadget can take up to 10 still photographs for each charge spent. These photos are high resolution, and may be taken at a rate designated by the user, but defaults to one photo every six minutes unless otherwise directed. Regardless of how many charges a photograph gadget has, it can only maintain 10 still photographs worth of data at a time per 4 ranks in Craft (mechanical) (minimum 1 photo). If you attempt to take photos that would push your total beyond this limit, your gadget will erase stored photo data sequentially from oldest to newest until the gadget’s total number of still photographs is low enough to permit the new taken photos.
Stored still photographs taken may as a full-round action and be permanently imprinted upon a cloth or vegetable-based surface such as linen, paper, parchment, or wood.
Video Recorder
You create a gadget that when activated, is able to record moving pictures. The gadget can record up to 1 hour of poor resolution video for each charge spent as a rote function (charges can be spent in nonconsecutive 1 hour segments). Regardless of how many charges a video recorder has, it can only maintain 1 hour of video data per rank in Craft (mechanical) you possess. If you attempt to record an amount of video data that would push your total beyond this limit, your gadget will erase stored video data sequentially from oldest to newest until the gadget’s total video data is low enough to permit the new recorded content.
Data retrieved with the camera may be viewed through the small remote handheld display. Drones with the photographs gadget include a small button or switch that allows for the camera’s user to take individual photos as an immediate action while within signal range through the handheld display. Video recorder gadgets can livestream the information through the remote control while in its signal range.
Chameleon Suit (gadget, accessory)
This gadget is attached to any kind of armor, and when activated with 1 or more charges, grants the user a circumstance bonus to Stealth checks equal to your ranks in Craft (mechanical). This does not stack with similar abilities such as invisibility or the Light sphere Chameleon talent. This requires 1 charge for every 10 minutes in use.
In addition as a swift action (or as a free action by expending martial focus), the user may activate the suit’s deep stealth function. Deep stealth function grants the wearer concealment (20% miss chance), but also consumes an additional charge per minute in use, plus an additional charge for every round the user moves more than half their movement speed in a round.
A long distance fuel pack gadget can be used to power the chameleon suit, allowing it to function for 1 hour per charge, and for 10 minutes in deep stealth for every additional charge (moving more than half speed a round consumes an extra charge as normal).
Chemalyzer (gadget)
You create a small extendable wand tipped with a sampling nozzle. When activated, the chemalyzer grants a +1 competence bonus to all Craft (alchemy) or Knowledge (engineering) checks to identify an unknown pharmaceutical, poison, chemical, or substance (such as alchemical items or formulae). It cannot aid in the identification of magical effects or items like potions. The chemalyzer uses up 1 charge per use. For every 5 ranks in Craft (mechanical) you possess, the competence bonus granted by the chemalyzer increases by 2.
Clamp Boots (augment, drone, gadget)
This gadget takes the form of advanced boots that allow a user to climb on walls and vertical ceilings without requiring the use of their hands. The boots grant a climb speed equal to the creatures base movement speed, and do not require the user to attempt Climb checks when traversing a vertical or horizontal surface (including ceilings). The boots require 1 charge for every minute in use.
As an immediate action the wearer can have the boots clamp the wearer to their current location, granting a circumstance bonus to combat maneuver defense and saving throws to resist being forcibly moved from the spot (such as to resist bull rush attempts or telekinesis) equal to half your ranks in Craft (mechanical) (minimum 1). While clamped in place, the user cannot move from his current position until the boots unclamp from their current position as a free action. Clamp boots occupy the legs slot or can be combined with an extendo limb to allow it to plant itself on any surface (including ceilings).
Failing a Reflex save against Remote Control allows the controller to activate or deactivate the climb speed and clamp function against your will.
Collapsible Vehicle (drone, gadget)
You may create a small box about 2 ft. in diameter that can expanded as a full-round action to become a Medium or Large vehicle (chosen at the time of its creation). A vehicle can remain in its expanded form even without charges.
It can carry a total number of creatures equal to twice its size category (2 Medium creatures can fit inside a Medium vehicle, 4 Medium creatures can fit inside a Large vehicle, etc.)
The vehicle is a 1 HD construct with hit points, hardness, and saving throws appropriate for a gadget, no ability scores except a Strength and Dexterity score of 10 + 2 for every 5 ranks you possess in Craft (mechanical), an AC equal to 10 + 1/2 your ranks in Craft (mechanical), and is considered a quadruped for the purposes of carrying capacity. Vehicles possess no magic item or augment slots. It has a land or swim speed of of 40 ft. + 10 ft. for every 5 ranks you possess in Craft (mechanical) (chosen at the time of its creation). Vehicles can make a slam attack (1d6 Medium, 1d8 Large) with their body during a charge attack (its reach is always 5 ft. regardless of size), however making an attack with it this way causes it to take half the damage it inflicts onto its own body. The construct gets no actions of its own and must be activated to perform any set of actions.
The vehicle may be activated as a standard action, which gives the vehicle its own actions set for that turn (granting it a swift, move, and standard action). When activating a vehicle, you can substitute a required Craft (mechanical) check for a Profession (pilot) check. The creature activating the gadget uses their base attack bonus (or ranks in Craft (mechanical), if higher) + their Intelligence modifier when calculating the weapon’s attack bonus, with the appropriate size modifiers for the weapon’s size (i.e., -4 for Gargantuan, etc.). A collapsible vehicle uses 1 charge per 10 minutes of operation (in nonconsecutive 10 minute increments).
The base vehicle is not covered, granting creatures easy access to the interior. Soft cover is granted to passengers against creatures outside of the vehicle.
If you select this talent a second time you can create covered vehicles. Passengers inside of the vehicle gain total cover, but cannot interact with or make attacks against anything outside the vehicle. Any creature within the vehicle may create an opening as a move action, reducing this bonus to improved cover (+8 to AC, +4 to Reflex saves), allowing the creature to make attacks and interact with targets outside the vehicle. When making an attack in this fashion, targets outside the vehicle gain soft cover against attacks originating from inside the vehicle (+2 AC, +1 Reflex saves).
If integrated as part of a drone, this gadget functions differently. It loses the ability to be collapsible however the drone is considered the vehicle, and as such uses the drones statistics, and actions (however the drone uses the vehicle segments movement speed). As drones can be larger or smaller than Medium and Large size, the amount of passengers a vehicle can carry is increased accordingly. If the gadget is integrated this way it requires no further charges.
Commset (gadget, signal)
You create a pair of handheld devices that allows for communication with other commset users within signal range. The commset once activated, uses up 1 charge per 2 hours. You may attach the commset to an item slot as part of the same action used to activate the gadget, otherwise the gadget must be held until attached to an item slot as a move action. Commset gadgets created by different practitioners may be synced up to utilize the same communication channel, provided all participating practitioners are aware, willing, and within signal range.
Compact Shield (gadget, moddable)
This expandable shield can be as large as is required for the situation. This gadget takes the form of a buckler, light shield, heavy shield, or a tower shield, and the user can switch between the types as a swift action (this still requires the user to have the appropriate limb to use the shield).
If you possess 4 ranks in Craft (mechanical), the user can use the shield to grant themselves cover as if it were a tower shield while it is in light shield or heavy shield form.
Additionally, the bearer may let go of his shield and leave it as a freestanding wall (using your Craft (mechanical) modifier +10 as its combat maneuver defense), which remains in place until a creature in the correct square spends a move action to pick it up and end this effect.
You may take this talent a second time. If you do, Compact Shield grants total cover for all creatures who are attacked through the shield, not only for the bearer, when using the tower shield ability (whether or not the shield is in tower shield form). The shield also counts as total cover in relation to targeted spells. The shield itself may still be targeted by effects.
If you possess 8 or more ranks in Craft (mechanical), the bearer may deploy the shield as freestanding wall as a move action instead of a standard action.
Control Harness (accessory, drone, gadget, signal)
This gadget allows the user to use their full body to control construct-like gadgets (such as collapsible vehicles, turrets or drones). It takes the form of a handheld case that can be unfolded, as a swift action, into a harness of the size of its user. Each harness is created for a specific creature type, and collapses into a size two categories smaller than the creature for transport. Donning the harness when its unfolded is a full-round action which prevents the user from moving from the spot the harness was set up in.
Once inside, the wearer can control a single construct-like gadget within signal range (a set of automators counts as a single construct for this purpose) using the construct’s movements and actions as if they themselves were the construct (moving the construct as a move action, attacking with a weapon it possesses as a standard action, etc.). If the construct possesses an appropriate weapon, the wearer may even make attacks of opportunity. The wearer may still perform actions not related to the construct (for example, throwing a formulae or activating another gadget), but doing so means the pilot cannot use that same action to control the construct. The wearer can change the construct they are controlling as a swift action.
The harness can instead be made into an armor accessory, and once activated as a swift action allows the wearer to convey actions to a construct as normal without having to don a harness. However the wearer is considered flat-footed and battered during any turn that they used actions to control a construct remotely this way. Drones with the harness as an innate gadget possess a pilot seat used to control the drone and only that drone.
While in the pilot seat, the pilot and the drone are essentially a single creature, using the drone’s physical stats and the pilot’s mental stats. The pilot cannot be targeted by weapons or by magic that behaves like a weapon (for example, effects that require an attack roll or allow a Reflex save) until the drone is reduced to 0 hit points, but otherwise is still susceptible to magical effects. A creature who successfully grapples the drone or climbs onto it using Scale Foe from the Athletics sphere may attack the pilot directly, or even move the pilot instead of the drone after a qualifying grapple check, removing the pilot from their seat. If the drone also possesses the Collapsible Vehicle talent as an innate gadget, the benefits of cover it grants to its passengers also applies to the pilot.
A control harness requires a charge for every 4 hours in use. This is considered a rote action.
Dash Engine (accessory, augment, drone, gadget)
This gadget greatly increase the user’s speed to a nearly uncontrollable extent.
When you first select this talent you must choose between gaining it as an accessory or augment. If you select this talent a second time you can make it as the other type.
Dash engines can be attached to armor or weapons as an accessory, and occupies either the legs, arms or body slot as an augment.
You may activate a dash engine as part of a charge, withdraw, or run action. This consumes a charge and increases the distance you can move (this can be applied to any movement speed mode you possess) by 10 feet for every rank you possess in Craft (mechanical). If done as part of a run action, increase this amount to 30 feet per rank instead. This increase counts as an increase to the creatures base land speed for effects that depend on it (such as racial bonuses to Acrobatics checks to jump).
The first creature that you hit with a melee weapon attack the round you moved (if the gadget is an accessory attached to a melee weapon, the attack must be with the weapon the gadget is attached to) suffers an additional 1d6 damage for every 6 ranks in Craft (mechanical) you possess. This extra damage is not increased on a critical hit.
Failing a Reflex save against Remote Control allows the controller to activate the dash engine against your will on his turn and move you 10 feet for every rank you possess in Craft (mechanical) in a direction of their choice.
Dermal Plating (augment, drone, gadget)
When activated with 1 or more charges, the attached creature gains a +2 enhancement bonus to natural armor bonus. This natural armor bonus does not stack with any enhancement bonus to natural armor the attached creature possesses (although it does stack with a normal natural armor bonus). The plating uses up 1 charge per minute of use. The natural armor bonus increases by +1 per 5 ranks in Craft (mechanical). The dermal plating occupies the body slot. Failing a Fortitude save against remote control makes you lose the natural armor bonus for 1 round.
Diga Drill (drone, gadget)
You create a diga drill, which is a martial two-handed technological melee weapon as well as an advanced digging and drilling tool. For the purpose of feats or abilities, the diga drill is considered and functions as a lance and may be used one-handed while mounted. When used in such a function the gadget requires no charges. However by spending a charge during a charge action you can have the drill activate its “breaker” form. This expands it to roughly your size, uses a different set of weapon statistics, and grants you a burrow speed equal to your normal speed for that round. You can burrow through loose dirt and anything with hardness 0 or less with no difficulty, however if during your burrow you encounter something with hardness 1 or greater, you may make a attack with the drill against it for that round. The drill bypasses a point of hardness for every 2 ranks you possess in Craft (mechanical). If you manage to destroy the obstacle with this attack you may continue forward treating the squares of the destroyed obstacle as difficult terrain. This can allow you to initiate a charge through squares that you do not have line of sight to. You may resolve your charge attack against any valid target within reach of the charge’s path after passing through the barriers (creature or object) blocking your line of sight. This ability may be used in conjunction with the Unstoppable Brute talent. Drones inbuilt with this gadget are always considered to be attacking with this weapon “Mounted” and do not require an extra hand to hold it.
Diga Drills | Dmg (S) | Dmg (M) | Critical | Range | Charge Use | Weight | Type | Special |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Diga Drill | 1d6 | 1d8 | x3 | - | 0 | 10 lbs. | P | Reach |
Diga Drill (Breaker form) | 1d10 | 1d12 | x4 | - | 1 | 10 lbs. | P | Reach |
Disarmer (accessory, gadget)
This accessory adds some way for weapons used to parry attacks to steal away weapons used on them, such as a magnet or an alchemical adhesive. This accessory can only be attached to melee weapons or weapons the wielder knows how to use in melee.
Whenever a target attacks the weapon’s bearer with a melee weapon and misses him by a margin of 5 or more, they must succeed at a Reflex saving throw against your Tech sphere DC or be disarmed of their weapon, as it sticks to the modified weapon (this does not affect the wielded weapon’s effectiveness in combat). This margin decreases by 1 for every 10 ranks you possess in Craft (mechanical). A creature may attempt a disarm attempt to retrieve the weapon from the accessorised weapon.
The disarmer consumes 1 charge every time it successfully disarms a target.
Drone (gadget, signal)
You may build and modify drones, constructs which are under their creator’s control. Unlike other gadgets, drones do not count against your maximum number of gadgets prepared. Instead you are limited by how many Hit Dice worth of drones you may have activated at a time. You may have a total number of drones activated at any one time whose combined Hit Dice does not exceed your ranks in Craft (mechanical). If you attempt to activate a drone that would push your total beyond this limit, your drones deactivate sequentially from oldest to newest until the Hit Dice total is low enough to permit the new activated drone.
You may take this talent up to 4 times, each time after the first, you increase the total Hit Dice of drones you may have activated at once by an additional 1 per rank in Craft (mechanical) you possess.
See the Tech Sphere Drone section for additional rules on building drones.
Emergency Gear (drone, gadget, signal)
You gain access to the following gadget schematics.
Beacon
You create a tiny, pod-shaped device that emits a bright red flash from a dome on its top once every 6 seconds when activated. The beacon once activated uses up 1 charge per 8 hours (in 8 hour increments) as a rote function. The beacon also transmits its location. Any device capable of receiving signals of any sort (such as the Commset gadget) can pick up a beacon signal, which can then be tracked back to the source with a successful DC 15 Knowledge (engineering) or Survival check. Unlike other gadget’s a beacon’s base signal strength is 5 miles (or your gadgets innate signal strength whichever is higher) over flat terrain, but this range is halved in forests or hills, and quartered in mountainous terrain or through water. Beginning at 5 ranks in Craft (mechanical), you can also transmit words in addition to the transmitted location.
For every 5 ranks you have in Craft (mechanical), you can transmit 3 words, in addition to the transmitted location.
Shelter
An emergency shelter is a small, 2-ft. long egg-shaped device. Once activated, the shelter rapidly unfolds and inflates into a hut with composed of a number of contiguous 10-ft. cubes equal to half your ranks in Craft (mechanical) (min 1). It’s capable of providing shelter for up to six Medium or Small creatures per cube (a Large creature takes up 4 Medium creature slots, 4 Tiny creatures fit within a single Medium creature slot). This process takes 1 minute to complete. The shelter includes pneumatic spike anchors that can attach it to any ground cover of hardness 8 or less. The interior is lit alchemically in normal light. The shelter can withstand winds of up to 120 mph, extreme pressure (such as deep sea pressure), and doesn’t collapse in void, providing excellent insulation for those inside, maintaining a temperature between 50 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit (10 and 26 degrees Celsius). A small combination heater/air scrubber set on the floor near the entrance to the shelter controls the temperature and recycles the internal air into breathable air. The hut has fire resistance 20, cold resistance 20, and acid resistance 10. The 1-in. walls are made of dense resin (see sidebar below). You can choose for separate sections of the resin to be transparent or opaque as you desire. The hut cannot float on water. The door is airtight and contains an airlock, allowing anyone inside an emergency shelter to live in inhospitable conditions with ease and exit the shelter without compromising its internal conditions.
The hut can be integrated inside of of pre-existing structures buildings or vehicles, with the resin automatically moulding itself to adjust its walls to fit any cracks in the interior. A shelter can be integrated as part of a Large building or vehicle plus an additional size category larger for each additional 10-ft. cube the shelter is composed of. Vehicles with a shelter integrated this way don’t benefit from its elemental resistances, but the creatures inside the vehicle still do.
The shelter uses up 1 charge per 8 hours (in 8 hour increments) as a rote function, and will automatically deactivate when out of charges. Upon deactivation, all foreign objects and creatures will be harmlessly ejected from the emergency shelter, compacting itself back down into its portable shape over the course of 1 minute.
Dense Resin Hardness: 8, Hit Points: 10/in. thickness
Evac Pack (augment, drone, gadget)
When activated with 1 or more charges, the gadget will remain dormant until a special set of actions that will trigger once the attached creature drops to 0 hit points (or when ordered by its creator as an immediate action).
Once the gadget has been triggered, it will expend charges at the rate of 1 per minute. On the round that the evac pack is first triggered, the gadget will during your next round pick the attached creature up (if prone), and take a double movement toward a designated extraction point (using the attached creature’s movement speed, minimum 30 ft.) which a wearer may designate as a free action during their turn as a space within long range (400 ft. + 40 ft. per rank in Craft (mechanical)). Each round following the triggered round, the evac pack will take the withdrawal action until it reaches the designated extraction point. The gadget will then set the attached creature down in a safe space and deactivate. This augment occupies the legs slot. Failing a Reflex save against remote control, allows the controller to determine the designated extraction point and force the Evac pack to withdraw towards it (using the attached creature’s movement speed, minimum 30 ft.) for 1 round.
Exo-Skeletal Muscles (augment, drone, gadget)
When activated with 1 or more charges, the attached creature gains a +2 enhancement bonus to Strength. The muscles use up 1 charge per minute of use. This bonus to Strength increases by +2 per 7 ranks in Craft (mechanical). The exoskeletal muscles occupy the body slot. Failing a Reflex save against remote control makes you staggered for 1 round.
Extendo Appendage (augment, drone, gadget)
This gadget creates a lithe, snakelike appendage that can extend an extreme distance. When activated with 1 or more charges, the wearer can use the extendo appendage to either move themselves or other creatures and objects within close range (25 feet + 5 feet per 2 ranks in Craft (mechanical)).
The extendo appendage is not dextrous enough to wield weapons or perform actions requiring finesse but is capable of making unarmed strikes (this does not grant extra attacks). An anatomical structure arm can be combined with an extendo appendage in order to grant it the dexterity of a normal hand and the ability to wield weapons, but still only occupies the slot that the extendo appendage occupies, and does not require additional charges for base functionality (but you may still spend extra charges to double maximum weight capacity).
If used to attack, the extendo limb may be used to perform melee attacks against targets within range (including combat maneuvers) or lift other objects (this does not increase your threatened area).
Once per turn as a free action, you can plant/detach one extendo appendage on/off a flat, stable, unoccupied surface within range. By suspending yourself from the planted appendage, you may move yourself anywhere within close range of the planted square as a movement action (including vertically and diagonally). If you have multiple extendo appendages planted, you must remain in range of each of them.
If you possess the Combat Limbs legendary Tech sphere talent, you can substitute extendo appendage in place of a single anatomical structure arm.
You may make miniaturized versions of the extendo appendages. They are too small to make attacks or to suspend yourself but they can be used to hold and move objects at least 3 sizes smaller than your size category. A sensory set can be combined with the appendage in order to provide sensation to an area within close range (such as using an eyeball to peek behind a wall), and does not require a slot, and not require extra charges for base functionality (but you may still spend extra charges to use improvements as normal).
You can select this talent a second time if you have at least 10 ranks in Craft (mechanical) to increase the extendo limbs reach to medium range (100 feet + 10 feet per rank in Craft (mechanical)).
An extendo appendage can be attached to the body, arm, or leg slot, and mini extendo limbs do not require a slot, and can be attached to other augments. Extendo limbs use 1 charge per hour in use.
Failing a Will save against Remote Control allows the controller to maneuver you around with the limb, or attack with the limb on their turn using their own base attack bonus and your ability modifiers.
External Health Modulator (augment, drone, gadget)
When activated with 1 or more charges, the attached creature gains a +2 enhancement bonus to Constitution. The modulator use up 1 charge per minute of use. This bonus to Constitution increases by +2 per 7 ranks in Craft (mechanical). The External Health Modulator occupies the body slot. Failing a Fortitude save against remote control makes you nauseated for 1 round. Creatures without Constitution scores wearing this active augment instead gain 1 temporary hit point per Hit Dice, plus an additional hit point per Hit Dice per 7 ranks in Craft (mechanical).
Firefighter Equipment (drone, gadget)
You gain access to the following gadget schematics.
Fire Extinguisher
This cylindrical device has a nozzle at one end and a handle on one side. When activated, a fire extinguisher creates a 15-ft. cone of misty vapor that swiftly extinguishes fires within its area of effect. The fire extinguisher uses up 1 charge per use. Against magical fire effects, such as those created by a wall of fire or similar spell, the fire extinguisher only extinguishes the part of the larger effect its vapors directly contact. Continual magic flames, such as those of a flaming weapon or fire creature, are suppressed for 6 rounds before they automatically reignite. To extinguish an instantaneous fire effect or spell, the wielder must use a readied action with the fire extinguisher to counter the effect; this can cancel the entire effect, provided the source of the effect is in the extinguisher’s area of effect.
When used against a creature of the fire subtype, a blast from a fire extinguisher deals 1d6 points of cold damage per 2 ranks of Craft (mechanical) (minimum 1d6) (Reflex for half). A breathing creature exposed to a direct blast from a fire extinguisher is not harmed as long as the area is relatively well-ventilated—using a fire extinguisher in a confined area with poor or no ventilation can result in slow suffocation (at the GM’s discretion).
Flashlight
When activated, a flashlight creates a beam of normal light in a 60-ft. cone. You may attach the flashlight to an item slot as part of the same action used to activate the gadget, otherwise the gadget must be held until attached to an item slot as a move action. The direction of the cone is chosen once each round as a free action.
It also increases the light level in the area beyond this initial cone by one step, out to a 120-ft. cone. It does not increase the light level in normal light or bright light. Against magical darkness, the flashlight may expend an additional charge to suppresses the magical darkness (turning it into regular darkness) for 1 minute before the darkness overwhelms the light. In normal conditions, the flashlight uses up 1 charge per 8 hours of use as a rote action and can be integrated into a drone without counting towards the maximum number of integrated gadgets it may possess.
Respirator
When activated, a respirator forms a mask over the face of the wearer which creates a vacuum seal, scrubbing the air which the wearer breathes out, allowing them to breathe in contaminated areas or oxygen deprived areas (including underwater environments) so long as the respirator has power. Variations of this gadget exist for creatures dependent on different environments. Aquatic creatures for example may have a respirator that allows them to “breathe” outside of water. Generally, the respirator gadget does not prevent the use of other head slot items such as circlets, crowns, hats, and hoods. The respirator uses up 1 charge per hour of use. Drones don’t usually need respirators, however a drone with a integrated respirator may activate theirs for willing adjacent creatures.
Gravity Clip (drone, gadget)
A gravity clip is a small, disc-shaped device that can be attached to an area, creature, melee weapon, or object with different effects based on target. Attaching a clip to a square in your space, yourself, or an object or melee weapon you are holding requires only a move action, which automatically activates the device. Removing an attached clip is a standard action, which immediately deactivates and expends any remaining charges.
To target an area with the clip, you must successfully make a melee or ranged touch attack (range 15 ft.) against a solid space within range to attach it. Once attached, the clip will automatically activate, causing the clip to create an area of light or heavy gravity (chosen at time of activation) with a radius of up to 5 ft. + 5 ft. for every 2 ranks you possess in Craft (mechanical), and expend a single charge at the start of each round.
The clip may also be used to normalize gravity. This functions to turn areas of, light, heavy or no gravity into areas of normal gravity. This may be used to provide normal gravity to either an area with a radius of up to 5 ft. + 5 ft. for every 2 ranks you possess in Craft (mechanical) or for a single building, structure or vehicle with a maximum size of Colossal. Using the gravity this way requires a single charge for an hour of use and is a rote function.
To target a creature with the clip, you must successfully make a melee or ranged touch attack (range 15 ft.) to attach it. Once attached, the clip will activate, causing the creature to act as if in light or heavy gravity (chosen at time of activation), and expend a single charge at the start of each round.
To target a melee weapon with the clip, you must successfully make a melee or ranged touch attack (range 15 ft.) to attach it. Once attached, the clip will automatically activate, causing the weapon’s mass to modulate with each successful attack on the moment of impact, via the manipulation of the gravity fields around the weapon. Each successful hit against a target consumes a charge from a gravity clip and causes the damage from the hit to resolve as if the weapon were one size category smaller or larger (chosen at time of activation) than its actual size. This effect does not stack with similar effects, such as those granted by the spell lead blades.
To target an object that isn’t a weapon, you must successfully make a melee or ranged touch attack (range 15 ft.) to attach it. Once attached, the clip will automatically activate, causing the object to double or halve its density. Mechanically, this doubles or halves the object’s weight, and causes the object to count as one category lighter or heavier for the purposes of the Telekinesis sphere and other effects. The clip will expend a single charge at the start of each round.
You may attach the gravity clip to a different ranged weapon as long as the weapon fires a physical projectile, and use its range increments for its effect, however in that case this ability is no longer a touch attack even if the weapon itself would be.
Heavy Gravity: In heavy gravity areas, Acrobatics, Climb, Ride, and Swim checks incur a -2 circumstance penalty, as do all attack rolls. All item weights are effectively doubled, which might affect a character's speed. Weapon ranges are halved. A character's strength and Dexterity scores are not affected. Characters that fall in areas of heavy gravity take 1d10 points of damage for each 10 ft. fallen, to a maximum of 20d10 points of damage.
Light Gravity: Characters in an area of light gravity gain a +2 circumstance bonus on attack rolls and on Acrobatics and Ride checks. All items weigh half as much, and weapon ranges double. Strength and Dexterity don't change as a result of light gravity, but what you can do with such scores does change. Falling characters in light gravity take 1d4 points of damage for each 10 ft. fallen (maximum 20d4).
Homing Pack (accessory, gadget)
This accessory can only apply to ranged weapons, granting its attacks homing properties. Ranged attacks with that weapon ignore 2 points of the AC bonus from cover, plus an additional 2 points for every 6 ranks you possess in Craft (mechanical). In addition, the wielder may treat creatures behind total cover as if the cover granted a +8 bonus to AC rather than being invalid targets for attack; however, there must be a gap in the cover large enough to fit the ammunition through.
Hookshot (accessory, gadget)
See its entry above.
Integrated Armory (accessory, gadget)
This accessory is fitted between two weapons so that wielding the larger weapon counts as wielding the other weapon. If the weapons are the same size you can wield both at once in the same hand/hands. Shields (excluding bucklers) may be attached in place of weapons.
Internal Tool (accessory, augment, drone, gadget)
You may create an accessory or augment that can be used to store a single tool, weapon, or (non-augment) gadget for quick retrieval chosen at the time of the gadget’s creation.
The integrated tool can be simply stored inside the accessory or augment, and can be retrieved as a standard action, and put back the same way. Or the tool or weapon may be configured in such a way to be integrated with the gadget. Tools integrated this way can be retrieved and stored as a swift action, can be sundered but cannot be disarmed, or detached. Tools integrated as an augment still require the user to use the limb they normally use to operate such a tool (for instance thieves tools integrated in an ear slot would still require hands to utilize). If you possess the Quickdraw feat, Fast Draw talent, or similar ability, you can retrieve stored or integrated weapons or gadgets as a free action.
The maximum size of the tool depends on the slot used to store the tool (assuming the creature is Medium-sized). Arm: 1 Tiny object, Leg: 1 Small object, Body: 1 Small object, Ears, Eyes, Brain, and Head: 1 Fine object; however the tool may be stored between different slots as long as its modular enough to do so (gadgets are assumed to be so by default), however it only functions when together. Failing a Will save against remote control, allows the controller to withdraw or retract integrated tools or drop or prevent access to stored tools for 1 round.
Jet-boosters (drone, gadget)
Jet-boosters consist of a pair of cylindrical tanks which may be attached to any empty item slot as a move action (although are normally used with the feet or shoulder slot) and are created with a pair of motion-sensitive rings worn on the thumbs that are used as wireless thrust and attitude controls. The jet-boosters once activated, grant a fly speed of 60 ft. with poor maneuverability. If the wearer successfully hovers near ground level, she obscures visibility as though she was Large size and had the Hover feat. The exhaust isn’t hot or concentrated enough to be used as a weapon. The jet-boosters use up 1 charge per round of use.
Jet-boosters can be operated in slow burn mode as a rote function, giving the wearer a fly speed of 30 ft. with perfect maneuverability and consuming 1 charges per 4 hours (in consecutive 4 hour periods). You cannot fly while carrying anything other than a light load while in this mode. In addition, this fly speed only allows you to maintain yourself a 3 ft. above the surface of the ground. If you are higher than that on the end of your turn, you glides to 3 ft. above the ground, taking no falling damage. Jet-boosters operated in slow burn do not obscure visibility.
Jet-boosters can be operated in overdrive, giving the wearer a fly speed of 90 ft. with clumsy maneuverability and consuming 2 charges per round (instead of the normal 1 per round).
As a standard action, jet-booster canisters may be attached to an unwilling creature with a successful melee touch attack, and activated as part of the same action. At the end of each of your turns, the active jet-boosters will consume a charge and forcefully move the creature 30 feet in a direction of your choice (which can be changed as a movement action by Remote Control). This movement does not provoke attacks of opportunity. Creatures with attached jet-boosters can remove them from themselves by spending a standard action on their turn.
As an alternative the jet-boosters can be designed to function underwater, and grant propulsion underwater the same way they can grant a flight speed above ground, except that creatures gain a swim speed instead of fly speed. When used underwater, creatures with ranks in the Swim skill may attempt a Swim check vs. your Tech sphere saving throw to reduce the forced movement by half. Aquatic jet-boosters used on slow burn are not limited to being only 3 feet above ground. The type of booster this talent functions as must be chosen at the time of creation.
Laser Pack (accessory, gadget)
You may choose a gadget with the (moddable) descriptor that deals fire damage to deal laser damage, removing all other damage types except fire. This choice must be taken at the time of the gadget’s creation. If you have 10 ranks in Craft (mechanical) you may have the weapon retain its other damage types (instead of dealing only fire damage), but still be treated as a laser weapon.
Laser Weapons
Laser damage can pass through force fields and force effects, such as a wall of force, to strike a foe beyond without damaging that field. Objects like glass or other transparent barriers do not provide cover from lasers—but unlike force barriers, a transparent physical barrier still takes damage from a laser passing through it. Invisible creatures are immune to laser damage. Fog, smoke, and other clouds provide cover in addition to concealment from laser damage. Darkness (magical or otherwise) has no effect on lasers other than providing concealment, and a lasers do not provide significant illumination to change the light levels of a surrounding area.
Laser weapons always target touch AC no matter the range increment, but cannot benefit from Strength modifiers to damage.
Load Bearer (augment, drone, gadget)
When activated with 1 or more charges, the creature is treated as if they were one size category larger for the purposes of their carrying capacity and the size of weapons they may wield. This increases to two size categories larger at 7 ranks in Craft (mechanical), and to three size categories at 14 ranks in Craft (mechanical). Unless otherwise stated, this does not stack with other abilities that increase the maximum size of weapons you may wield, but does stack with other effects that increase effective carrying capacity. The load bearer occupies the body slot and uses up 1 charge per minute of use. Failing a Reflex save against Remote Control makes you staggered for 1 round.
Mechanical Ranged Weaponry (gadget, moddable)
You may select this talent multiple times, each time expanding the list of ranged weapons you may create as a gadget (chosen at time of creation). Unlike normal weapons of their kind, weapons created with this talent have built-in adapters allowing them to use charges (at a one-one ratio) instead of regular ammunition, if so desired. Reloading a weapon with a charge is a free action.
The first time you gain this talent, you may create your choice of hand crossbow, repeating heavy crossbow, and repeating light crossbow. A hand crossbow is an exotic light crossbow, the repeating light crossbow is an exotic one-handed crossbow, and the repeating heavy crossbow is an exotic two-handed crossbow.
The second time you gain this talent, you expand your list to include the blunderbuss, musket, and pistol. The blunderbuss and musket are exotic two-handed early firearms, while the pistol is an exotic one-handed early firearm.
The third time you gain this talent, you expand your list to include the revolver, rifle, and shotgun. A revolver, is an exotic one-handed advanced firearm, while the rifle and shotgun are exotic two-handed advanced firearms.
Exotic Crossbows | Dmg (S) | Dmg (M) | Critical | Range | Misfire | Capacity | Weight | Type | Special |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Crossbow, Hand | 1d3 | 1d4 | 19-20/x2 | 30 ft. | - | 1 | 2 lbs. | P | - |
Crossbow, Heavy Repeating | 1d8 | 1d10 | 19-20/x2 | 120 ft. | - | 5 | 12 lbs. | P | - |
Crossbow, Light Repeating | 1d6 | 1d8 | 19-20/x2 | 80 ft. | - | 5 | 6 lbs. | P | - |
Early Firearms | Dmg (S) | Dmg (M) | Critical | Range | Misfire | Capacity | Weight | Type | Special |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Blunderbuss | 1d6 | 1d8 | x2 | special | 1-2 (10 ft.) | 1 | 8 lbs. | B and P | scatter, touch |
Musket | 1d10 | 1d12 | x4 | 40 ft. | 1-2 (5 ft.) | 1 | 9 lbs. | B and P | touch |
Pistol | 1d6 | 1d8 | x4 | 20 ft. | 1 (5 ft.) | 1 | 4 lbs. | B and P | touch |
Advanced Firearms | Dmg (S) | Dmg (M) | Critical | Range | Misfire | Capacity | Weight | Type | Special |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Revolver | 1d6 | 1d8 | x4 | 20 ft. | 1 | 6 | 4 lbs. | B and P | touch |
Rifle | 1d8 | 1d10 | x4 | 80 ft. | 1 | 1 | 12 lbs. | B and P | touch |
Shotgun | 1d6 | 1d8 | x2 | 20 ft. | 1-2 | 1 | 12 lbs. | B and P | scatter, touch |
Mechanical Tool (drone, gadget)
You create a gadget can be used as an advanced tool chosen at the time of the gadget’s creation. When crafting this gadget, pick a skill from the list: Acrobatics, Craft (any), Climb, Disable Device, Escape Artist, Fly, Heal, Perception, Profession (any), Ride, Sleight of Hand, Stealth, or the Swim skill. This gadget counts as masterwork tools for the purposes of that skill. Using the gadget this way requires 1 charge per 8 hours use as a rote function. Or you can spend a charge to have the tool grant a competence bonus to that skill for 1 specific use equal to 3 + 1/2 your ranks in Craft (mechanical).
A mechanical tool is a Tiny object that can expand up to a Small-sized object for its use (the GM is the final arbiter on its necessary size).
Misfire Manager (accessory, gadget)
This accessory can only be attached to firearms. Whenever your firearm would misfire, you can spend a charge from the accessory as an immediate action to prevent the misfire from happening (as if your firearm's misfire chance was 0).
At 10 ranks in Craft (mechanical), you can activate the accessory as a free action even outside of your turn.
Mobile Armor (accessory, gadget)
This gadget lines the inside of medium and heavy armors, allowing the wearers to move swiftly. Armor with this accessory has its movement penalty completely removed. This accessory consumes 1 charge per hour in use.
Modular Slot (augment, gadget)
You create a modular augment slot, for any augment slot of your choice. After the modular slot is donned for that augment slot, the wearer may remove or attach a single augment gadget to that slot as a standard action (or as a move action by expending your martial focus).
The modular slot requires no charges, as it receives its required charge through the other augment. For every device you dedicate to create an augment gadget (excluding modular slots) you may create a modular augment slot without requiring a device. Failing a Will save against remote control, allows the controller to simply reject the attached augment causing it to fall to the ground in your square.
Overdrive (gadget, routine)
When activated as a swift action as part of a gadget that grants a competence or enhancement bonus, this gadget grants an additional +2 insight bonus of the same type the enhancement bonus was affecting (for example, a gadget enhancing a Constitution score would grant an additional insight bonus to Constitution), +1 for every 10 ranks you possess in Craft (mechanical), but you can choose to benefit from a smaller insight bonus instead.
The gadget consumes 2 times the granted insight bonus as additional charges for each round in use. Once the overdrive is deactivated, the gadget it has been installed into shuts down and becomes inoperable until 30 minutes have been spent making the gadget operational (15 minutes with an engineering kit).
Particle Weapon (gadget, moddable)
You may create a small handheld device which as a move action (or as a free action with the Quick Draw feat, or similar ability), folds out into one of three simple technological melee weapons, which deal your choice of bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing (chosen at time of creation). The appearance of the weapon may be shaped to one that appeals to the wielder, but regardless of appearance, the particle weapon uses the stats found in the table below. While the weapon normally doesn’t require charges to use, you may activate the particle weapon for 1 round, allowing any attacks that the weapon makes to bypass an amount of DR or Hardness equal to your ranks in Craft (mechanical) while active. If you expend your martial focus when you activate the particle weapon, the weapon instead remains active for a number of rounds equal to your practitioner ability modifier (minimum 2 rounds).
Particle Weapons | Dmg (S) | Dmg (M) | Critical | Range | Charge Use | Weight | Type | Special |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Light Particle Weapon | 1d4 | 1d6 | x2 | - | 1 | 1 lb. | B, P, or S | - |
One-Handed Particle Weapon | 1d6 | 1d8 | x2 | - | 1 | 2 lbs. | B, P, or S | - |
Two-Handed Particle Weapon | 1d10 | 2d6 | x2 | - | 1 | 4 lbs. | B, P, or S | - |
Pneumatic Box (gadget)
You may create a pneumatically sealed box that can manipulate clouds and gaseous forms. When activated, the gadget completely inhales one gas, fog, smoke, mist, or similar cloud-like effect expending charges at the rate of 1 charge each minute. The cloud-like effect can have no larger of a radius than 10 ft. + 5 ft. per 5 ranks in Craft (mechanical). Inhaling the cloud removes it from the area, leaving normal breathable air in its place. Gaseous creatures gain a Reflex save to avoid being inhaled. If the cloud has a duration, the time the cloud is contained within the gadget counts toward that duration (gaseous creatures are immediately and harmlessly expelled from the device, breaking the pneumatic box, should their gaseous form expire).
While the cloud or gaseous form is contained, if the pneumatic box should break (hardness 8, hit points 10), the device immediately deactivates. When deactivated, any gas, fog, smoke, or similar cloud-like effect is expelled as a breath weapon, filling a 60-ft. cone (or the cloud’s original area, if smaller). Any creature in the breath’s area is subject to its normal effects, making saving throws and spell resistance checks as appropriate against the cloud’s original DC’s. The exhaled cloud resumes its duration, if any.
Pressure Mechanism (accessory, augment, gadget)
This gadget greatly increase the user’s impact with their attacks.
When you first select this gadget you can choose between gaining it as an accessory or augment. If you select this talent a second time you can make it as the other type. Pressure mechanisms can be attached to weapons, and occupies either the legs or arms as an augment.
You may activate the pressure mechanism as a move action that expends 2 charges.
Beginning on the next round, on the first successful attack the wearer makes (if the gadget is an accessory the weapon must be the one gadget is attached to, if the gadget is an augment it must be made with a melee or thrown weapon wielded the limb the augment is attached to), the pressure is unleashed, dealing an amount of additional damage to the creature equal to 1d6, +1d6 per 2 ranks in Craft (mechanical) you possess, and the creature is pushed directly away from the attacker 5 feet for every rank in Craft (mechanical) you possess. If the creature would impact an object or other creature before they can complete this movement, they stop in place, and are knocked prone. This extra damage is not increased on a critical hit. The pressure is wasted and needs to be regained again if not used by the next round.
Failing a Will save against Remote Control allows the controller impart a -5 penalty to attack rolls made with that limb for 1 round.
Range Amplifier (accessory, gadget)
This accessory can only be attached to ranged weapons. The weapon has its range increment doubled. You can select this talent an additional time for every 5 ranks in Craft (mechanical) you possess, increasing the multiplier by 1 each time (thus, if the talent is taken twice, the weapon’s range would be multiplied by 3).
Remote Control (gadget, signal)
A remote control is a handheld device fitted with a circular screen and a set of buttons. This remote control grants centralized control over all gadgets you have created.
It allows you to activate and deactivate your gadgets that are within the remote controls signal range and line of sight as if you were adjacent to them. You may spend a charge from the remote control to activate up to 2 gadgets you created + 1 gadget per 4 ranks you possess in Craft (mechanical) as a single move action. Creatures other than you still must succeed on a Craft (mechanical) check in order to activate or deactivate each gadget you created. You may create multiple remote controls and set limits to the gadgets each one can control individually. You may use the remote control to control augments worn by others by spending a move action to do so.
Remote controlling augments fundamentally grants control of said augment as long as the creature with the augment is not resisting control. The creature with the augment must make a saving throw to avoid suffering the negative result of your control. This allows the controller to move the limb in ways it’s capable of doing (legs can take you elsewhere, arms can open doors or punch yourself, exoskeletons can carry your body), however if the creature is resisting the effect is only limited to what’s listed for each limb.
The remote control uses up 1 charge per 4 hours of use (in nonconsecutive 4 hour increments).
Seeker Missile Cannon (gadget, moddable)
A seeker missile cannon is a martial two-handed technological firearm. As a full-round action, you can expend 2 charges in order to launch an advanced homing missile against a creature or object within long range (400 ft. + 40 ft. per rank in Craft (mechanical)). You can even choose to designate a target that you have no line of sight to, as long as it broadcasts a signal, and you are within its signal range. The missiles travels up to 800 ft. on your turn towards its target, following a path of least deviation. However the missiles are capable of course correction, turning itself on your turn 90 degrees a number of times equal to 1 + 1 per 5 ranks you have in Craft (mechanical). If the missile does not reach its target in the same round it is launched, the missile may be attacked, having a touch AC equal to your Craft (mechanical) modifier, 1 hit point, and automatically fails any saves as an unattended object. Any missiles that reach their maximum range before reaching their target, stop flying and becomes a harmless dud.
Once a missile reaches its target, it explodes into an area of effect dealing 1d4 damage, half bludgeoning and half fire damage to each creature or object in a 5-ft. radius burst (Reflex half). For every rank you have in Craft (mechanical), you may launch an additional missile during your turn at no additional charge cost. If you shoot multiple missiles you may allocate your targets however you wish, having each missile strike a different target or the same target. Creatures or objects that are in the area of multiple missile explosions at once combine all their base damage together, make a single Reflex save for half damage, and are treated as a single area of effect for the purposes of dealing damage to swarms.
When you possess 10 ranks in Craft (mechanical) the targeted missile cannon instead has a range of extreme (1000 ft. + 100 ft. per rank in Craft (mechanical)), and only requires a standard action to activate.
Self Destructive Device (moddable)
You may as a move action (or an immediate action if you expend martial focus) cause an already activated gadget that you created to explode. If you possess a remote control, you can affect any of your gadgets within signal range, otherwise the range is 30 feet. All creatures within 10 ft. of the device must make a Reflex save or take 1d6 bludgeoning/piercing/slashing and fire damage per remaining charges left on the device or ranks in Craft (mechanical), whichever is lower, (minimum 2d6) (Reflex half). If used to destroy an augment, the creature takes a -5 penalty to their Reflex save. If the augment occupied a brain slot, the creature must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC is 10 + damage taken) or be slain instantly as their head explodes.
If multiple self-destructve devices explode at the same time, creatures in the overlapped area suffer diminished results from every self-destructed device but 1, suffering instead 1d6, +1d6 per 5 charges or ranks in Craft (mechanical), whichever is lower, for each overlapping device after the first.
Sensory Set (augment, gadget)
You gain access to the following attachable gadget schematics meant to grant and enhance the existing sense types. If all the extremities created are in place of pre-existing extremities they do not occupy an augment slot (so a creature without a nose can wear a smell set without requiring an additional slot). When creating these sensors you may always choose to create less sensors than listed.
Creatures wearing a sensory set are supplied with information from routines uploaded into the gadget (noted in each routine individually).
When activated with 1 or more charges, the creature gains the use of the sensory set. Each charge allows these additional senses to function regularly for 24 hours.
- Hearing Set: This gadget takes the form of a pair of audio sensors that can hear as well as humans. A hearing set can occupy any slot excluding the brain. Failing a Fortitude save against remote control deafens you for 1 round.
- Smell Set: This gadget takes the form of an olfactory sensor (usually a nose) that can smell as well as humans. A smell set can occupy any slot excluding the brain. Failing a Fortitude save against remote control nauseates you for 1 round.
- Taste Set: This gadget takes the form of a taste sensor (usually a tongue) that can taste as well as humans. A taste set can occupy any slot excluding the brain. This could allow you to taste without ingesting or licking. Failing a Fortitude save against remote control nauseates you for 1 round.
- Touch Set: This gadget takes the form of a pair of nerve sensors that can detect pressure, texture, and heat as well as humans. A touch set can occupy any slot, but if it occupies any slot except for the brain or body, the ability to sense applies to that limb only (so applying this augment to a leg would extend any abilities to only the ones done with the leg itself). Failing a Fortitude save against remote control exhausts you for 1 round.
- Vision Set: This gadget takes the form of a pair of ocular sensors that can see as well as humans. A vision set can occupy any slot excluding the brain. Failing a Will save against remote control blinds you for 1 round.
In addition, when you select this talent, gain one of the following improvements (not every improvement applies to every sensory set). Some improvements are linked to a sense type, being denied that sense type denies you the improvement as well (blindsense linked to a hearing set is disabled if the wearer is deafened for instance):
- Blindsense: This improvement can be applied to and is linked with a hearing, smell, taste, or touch set. While wearing the set the user can spend a charge as a movement action to grant themselves the blindsense special ability with a range of 30 feet for 1 minute.
- Extended: This improvement can be applied to and is linked with a hearing or vision set. As a free action during their turn the user can make their sense extended for 1 round. The user is flat-footed, but Perception check DCs linked to their sense increase by 1 per 30 feet of distance to the target rather than 1 per 10 feet. This increases by an additional 10 feet for every 5 ranks in Craft (mechanical) you possess.
- Integrated: A single sensory set can grant two senses at once chosen at the time of its creation. The number of senses a set can grant increases by 1 for every 4 ranks in Craft (mechanical) you possess. The sensory set must still still occupy an appropriate slot to function (so a set that grants vision and taste cannot occupy a brain slot), and only requires 1 charge to power its base functionality. In addition you may combine sensory sets with other augments allowing them to occupy the same slot.
- Microvision: This improvement can be applied to and is linked with a vision set. As a free action during their turn the user spend a charge to make their vision microscopic for 1 hour. The user cannot see further than 30 feet away, but gains a +1 insight bonus to Appraise checks made to determine an item’s value, Craft checks made to create an item, all Disable Device checks, and Survival checks made to follow tracks. This bonus increases by +1 for every 3 ranks in Craft (mechanical) you possess.
- Nightvision: This improvement can be applied to and is linked with a vision set. The user benefits from low-light vision and darkvision with a range of 60 feet. When entering magical darkness that limits vision that the user did not create, they can spend a charge as a free action to make the sensory set attempt a Will save with a +1 bonus for every 5 ranks you possess in Craft (mechanical), opposed by the effect’s creator’s magic skill defense to see in such darkness.
- Scent: This improvement can be applied to and is linked with a smell or taste set. While wearing the set the user can spend a charge as a movement action to grant themselves the scent special ability with a range of 30 feet for 1 hour.
- Shielded: You can gain a +4 circumstance bonus on saves vs. effects that would disable a sense type that your wearing an active sense set for, increased by +1 for every 5 ranks in Craft (mechanical) you possess as a free action by spending an extra charge (for instance being blinded while wearing a vision set).
- Thermal: This improvement can be applied to and is linked with a touch or vision set. As a movement action the user can spend a charge to amplify their ability to detect heat for 1 minute. The user ignores the miss chance for concealment (including total concealment) from creatures that radiate body heat or are exceptionally cold for their environment (like ice elementals in a jungle), though masking their body can bypass this effect (such as covering yourself in cold mud).
- Tremorsense: This improvement can be applied to and is linked with a touch set. While wearing the set the user can spend a charge as a movement action to grant themselves the tremorsense special ability with a range of 60 feet for 10 minutes.
- X-Ray: This improvement can be applied to and is linked with a vision set. As a standard action during their turn the user may spend three charges to make their vision x-ray vision for 1 round. The user is flat-footed, but can see up to 10 feet as though looking at objects in normal light even when there is no light source. This vision can see through up to 3 feet of wood or dirt, up to 1 foot of stone, or 1 inch of common metal. Thicker substances or a thin sheet of lead blocks the vision. The distance the vision can see increases by 5 feet for every 5 ranks of Craft (mechanical) you possess.
You may select this talent multiple times, each time you do, select another improvement the gadget can grant.
Signal Attenuator (drone, gadget)
You may create a gadget that either boosts or jams signals of other technological equipment within close range. Signals boosted by the gadget have their signal strength increased by one step: touch range become close range, close range become medium range, medium range become long range, long range become extreme range.
Signals jammed by the gadget have their signal strength reduced by one step: extreme range become long range, long range become medium range, medium range become close range, close range become touch range. Multiple signal attenuators may be used at once, their effects are additive (using two signal boosters will increase the signal strength by two steps, while using two signal jammers will reduce the signal strength by two steps). Each time you activate this gadget, you may choose whether to use it as a signal booster or signal jammer. Activating this gadget uses up 1 charge per 4 hours of use.
Signal Cable (gadget)
This gadget is a cable of medium length (100 feet + 10 feet per rank in Craft (mechanical)). As a swift action, you can link one end of the cable to either another end of a separate cable within reach or to a gadget of your creation (un-linking the cable is another swift action). Gadgets (including cables) can have any number of other cables linked.
Taking a linked gadget beyond medium range of another gadget requires a Strength check opposed by your Tech sphere DC. Success un-links the cables, failure means you cannot take the gadget farther than this distance. Gadgets linked by this cable are considered to be within signal distance of each other regardless of their actual distance and intervening materials, or jammed signals, even if they do not normally possess a signal otherwise. Whenever a gadget would consume a charge, it can instead consume a charge from a separate gadget linked to it by signal cable.
You can create a number of signal cables equal to your practitioner modifier as one gadget, and they count as one gadget for the purpose of the amount of gadgets you may maintain at once.
Sniper Scope (accessory, augment, gadget)
This accessory can only be attached to ranged weapons. As a move action, the wielder may use the scope to aid in aiming, reducing range penalties by half for their next attack made before the end of their turn. If you possess 4 ranks in Craft (mechanical), the scope also provides a +4 bonus to attack rolls made when aiming this way. If created as an augment it occupies the eyes slot and requires 1 charge per 8 hours, but grants the user its ability to any ranged weapon wielded.
Failing a Will save against Remote Control allows the controller to blind the user.
Speed Lever (accessory, gadget)
This accessory can only be attached to ranged weapons, decreasing their reload time. The time required to reload the weapon is reduced by one step (i.e., full-round action becomes a standard action, move action becomes a free action).
At 5 ranks in Craft (mechanical), the accessory reduces the reload time by an additional step (to a minimum reload time of a free action).
This modification stacks with existing abilities (such as the Expert Reload talent) that reduce reload time.
Superior Joints (gadget, accessory)
This gadget integrates with armor to make it less cumbersome and more efficient. The armor’s maximum Dexterity bonus is increased by 1, and the armor’s armor check penalty is reduced by 3. These bonuses increase by 1 for every 6 ranks in Craft (mechanical) you possess. This accessory consumes 1 charge per hour in use.
Synaptic Reaction Maximizer (augment, drone, gadget)
When activated with 1 or more charges, the attached creature gains a +2 enhancement bonus to Dexterity. The maximizer use up 1 charge per minute of use. This bonus to Dexterity increases by +2 per 7 ranks in Craft (mechanical). The reaction maximizer occupies the brain slot. Failing a Reflex save against remote control makes you paralyzed for 1 round.
Targeting Application (gadget, routine)
When activated, either as part of a gadget that makes attacks (either making the attack itself or wielding weapons and making attack rolls with them) or uploaded into the user's Sensory Set augment, attacks made by the user gain a +1 enhancement bonus to attack and damage rolls. This enhancement bonus increases by 1 for every 4 ranks in Craft (mechanical) possessed, to a maximum of +5 at 16 ranks. The enhancement bonus granted from this talent does not allow an attack to bypass damage reduction aside from magic.
Taser (gadget, moddable)
You may create a weapon that sends electric shocks through a target to incapacitate them. You may attach the taser to any weapon as part of the same action used to draw the gadget, otherwise the gadget must be attached to a weapon as a move action. Once attached, the wielder may expend 2 charges from the taser to make a special attack action with the weapon. On a successful attack the attack deals only nonlethal electricity damage, and deals an additional 1d8 damage nonlethal electricity damage per 2 ranks you have in Craft (mechanical) (minimum 1d8), and the damaged creature is sickened and staggered for 1 round. Creatures with the robot subtype take lethal electricity damage instead of nonlethal. Creatures damaged may make a Fortitude save to reduce the damage taken by half and avoid the sickened and staggered condition.
If attached to a net (or similar weapon), the taser expends a charge each round that a creature begins its turn entangled after the initial attack, and deals 1d8 damage nonlethal electricity damage per 5 ranks you have in Craft (mechanical) (min 1d8) damage again, forcing additional Fortitude saves versus sickened and staggered as well as the damage.
Tracker Chip (gadget, signal)
You create a gadget that usually appears to be a Fine-sized object composed of metal or circuit-board. When activated with 1 or more charges, the tracker chip pulses a signal that is usually traced using a remote control gadget or similar device. The tracker chip uses up 1 charge per 4 hours of use (in 4 hour increments). As a melee or ranged touch attack (range 15 ft.), you may attach the tracker chip to a creature or object. Finding a tracker chip that has been attached to a creature or object requires a Perception check made against your Tech sphere DC. Once the tracker chip has been located, it can be removed from a creature or object as a standard action. It tracks creatures or objects with a margin of error of 10 feet.
You may attach the tracker chip to a different ranged weapon as long as the weapon fires a physical projectile, and use its range increments for its effect.
In addition, if you possess this talent, gadgets you create can all also radiate their own signal as long as they are activated (chosen at time of their creation).
If you take tracker chip twice, tracker chips that attach themselves to gadgets can function as that device’s signal even if the gadget is not yours and the device already possesses its own signal (in which case both signals are valid for transmitting information).
Turret (drone, gadget)
This gadget takes the function of a automated system of machinery that attaches itself to a pre-existing weapon and allows it to fire without needing to be controlled. You can make a turret out of any weapon with a maximum size based on your ranks in Craft (mechanical), see Table: Turret Size below.
Follow the general rule for weapon sizes (light weapon counts as a Tiny object, a one-handed weapon as a Small object, etc.) when determining the weapons base size however many exceptions apply and are up to the GM to determine. The guideline is that a heavy crossbow is a Small weapon, a hand crossbow is a Tiny weapon, and a shuriken is a Diminutive weapon.
Consider the turret a 1 HD construct with average hit points, hardness as well as saving throws for a gadget, size equal to the weapon, no ability scores except Strength and Dexterity scores of 10, an AC equal to 10 + 1/2 your ranks in Craft (mechanical), movement speed of 0, a bonus to Perception checks equal to your Craft (mechanical) bonus (with a -5 penalty for lacking a Wisdom score) and a base attack bonus equal to your ranks in Craft (mechanical). Turrets possess no magic item or augment slots.
The setup or disassembly of a turret takes a full-round action and can be placed on a floor or on walls or ceilings with some ingenuity and extra time (Such as using pitons or glue). Activating a turret is a standard action. Once activated a turret can be given a command as part of the same action to target a specific target. The turret will attack the target to the best of its ability until the target is destroyed (or is out of line sight for 1 round or more) making a single attack with the attached weapon each turn on your initiative. An unmanned turret's bonus to hit with the attached weapon is equal to your practitioner modifier plus 1-1/2 times your ranks in Craft (mechanical). Turrets can reload themselves automatically, but reloading a weapon with a reload time of a standard or full-round action, takes place of their attack for the turn. A turret can only ever make 1 attack per round.
A turret requires 1 charge per minute of operation (in 1 minute nonconsecutive increments).
Turrets may also be fired manually. In which case firing it requires the users own actions every time its used in such a way (Such as using a standard action to use a special attack action). The creature activating the gadget uses your base attack bonus + your practitioner modifier (or their own, if higher) when calculating the weapon’s attack bonus, with the appropriate size modifiers for the weapon’s size (i.e., -4 for Gargantuan, etc.). When used manually the controller may make attack actions and apply feats and martial talents to attacks made with this Turret as if it were a weapon the controller is wielding even if using the weapon remotely. Weapons used this way are treated both as their base weapon and as technological weapons for purposes of weapon proficiency.
Turrets may also be integrated into drones as long as they are two sizes smaller than the size of the drone, granting the turret a measure of mobility. Integrated turrets can be used manually and are sundered as wielded weapons.
Turret SizeRanks in Craft (mechanical) | Maximum Weapon Size | Example |
---|---|---|
1 rank | Tiny | Hand crossbow |
3 ranks | Small | Heavy crossbow |
6 ranks | Medium | Large heavy crossbow |
9 ranks | Large | Light ballista, light catapult |
12 ranks | Huge | Heavy ballista, standard catapult |
15 ranks | Gargantuan | Gate breaker, heavy catapult |
18 ranks | Colossal | Colossal ram |
Tutor (drone, gadget, routine)
You create a routine can be used to enhance a user’s understanding of a subject chosen at the time of the routine’s creation. When crafting this gadget, pick a skill from the list: Appraise, Bluff, Diplomacy, Disguise, Handle Animal, Heal, Intimidate, Knowledge (any), Linguistics, Perform, Profession (any), Sense Motive, Survival or Spellcraft.
When activated as part of a gadget that can transmit information to its user (such as the Sensory Set augment), the user gains a +2 competence bonus to that skill and can use that skill untrained. Using the gadget this way consumes 1 extra charge from the gadget the routine has been installed into per 8 hours of use as a rote function.
You can also spend an additional charge to have the tool instead grant a competence bonus to one specific use of that skill equal to 3 + 1/2 your ranks in Craft (mechanical). If a drone possesses a tutor as an innate gadget, that gadget is hard-wired into the drone and cannot be removed.
Virus (gadget, routine)
When activated, this routine begins to cause malfunction to the gadget it is uploaded to. A virus will automatically activate if the gadget it is uploaded into is activated. You select the kind of virus this routine is when you first create it from the list below:
- Bricker: When activated, every round on your turn the bricker will make the gadget attempt a Will saving throw opposed by its Tech sphere DC. On a failed saving throw the bricker will increase the amount of charges required to operate the gadget every round by 1 (even if it normally does not require charges to operate). This effect stacks with itself. This number can be reset back to 0 after spending 30 minutes (15 minutes with an engineering kit) fixing the deactivated gadget.
- Devourer: When activated, every round on your turn the devourer will make an activated routine installed in the gadget attempt a Will saving throw opposed by its Tech sphere DC. On a failed saving throw the devourer will destroy the activated routine inside the gadget. A devourer must destroy any active antivirus routines first. Each time an antivirus routine would be destroyed by a devourer it instead takes a -5 penalty to its Craft (mechanical) DC. If this penalty becomes equal to or lower than its Craft (mechanical) modifier, it is destroyed as normal.
- Slicer: When activated, every round on your turn the slicer will make an activated routine installed in the gadget attempt a Will saving throw opposed by its Tech sphere DC. On a failed saving throw the slicer will treat the gadget as if it was successfully hacked using the Remote Hacking feat, and grant control to a pre-programmed remote control gadget within signal range of the hacked gadget for 1 round.
Weapon Upgrade (accessory, gadget)
This accessory can only be granted to melee weapons. The weapon gains one of the following weapon special features: Blocking, brace, deadly, disarm, distracting, reach, sunder, trip. This accessory can be attached multiple times. Each time it is attached, the weapon gains a different special feature. This accessory cannot grant a weapon a special feature it already possesses.
Legendary Talents
Alchemical Drone
Prerequisites: Tech sphere (Drone).
Whenever you create a drone, you may grant it the alchemical subtype by adding the following properties (a drone cannot possess more than one subtype):
- Alchemy: All natural attacks made by the alchemical construct deal an additional 1d6 acid damage.
- Broken Containers: Any strike on an alchemical construct with a melee weapon deals 1 point of acid damage to the attacker. This amount increases to 1d6 points of damage if the attack is a critical hit. Alchemical constructs are not immune to bleed damage, and if subject to a critical hit, they suffer 1d6 bleed damage in addition to other effects. It is possible to provide first aid to stop bleeding as if the construct were a living creature.
- Vulnerable to Fire: Alchemical constructs take 150% as much damage as normal from fire attacks, unless they are immune to fire via other special defenses.
- Difficult to Create: Increase the time and gp cost required to create an alchemical construct by 50% over normal for a construct.
Arcanoscientific Tool (drone, gadget)
Prerequisites: Tech sphere (Mechanical Tool, at least 3 other Tech sphere talents).
Benefit: You may make another mechanical tool, which can be used for Use Magic Device checks. While attached to a magical item, you may substitute a Craft (mechanical) check for any Use Magic Device check made to activate a magic item. The tool can attach magical items to itself for easy access such as wands, or even scrolls. In addition, you may spend a charge from the arcanoscientific tool to prevent a mishap from occurring.
Artificial Intelligence, Improved (drone, gadget, routine)
Prerequisites: Tech sphere (Artificial Intelligence).
You can create a Beta AI and install it into your gadgets normally as you would with Alpha AI. Running a Beta AI consumes two additional charges from the gadget running it for every 8 hours of use. Unlike an Alpha AI, running a Beta AI is not a rote action for a drone.
Artificial Intelligence, Greater (drone, gadget, routine)
Prerequisites: Tech sphere (Artificial Intelligence, Improved Artificial Intelligence).
You can create a Gamma AI and install it into your gadgets normally as you would with other AI. Running a Gamma AI consumes an extra three charges from the gadget running it for every 8 hours of use. Unlike an Alpha AI, running a Gamma AI is not a rote action for a drone. The GM is the ultimate arbiter of which feats the Gamma AI may possess.
Bio Augment
Prerequisites: Craft (mechanical) 10 ranks, Disguise 10 ranks, Tech sphere (at least 3 augment talents, Hidden Gadget).
Benefit: You can create augments that are designed to near replicate the bodily functions of the creatures wearing them. Not only does the augment receive a circumstance bonus to Disguise checks equal to 5 + your ranks in Craft (mechanical) to appear to be part of the creature, but body scans, magical detection, and other forms of detection will not register the augment as a separate part of the being. A Bio Augment must be made for a specific creature for the disguise to work.
In addition, Bio Augments (or Bio Augment Grafts) are not subsumed as part of a creatures equipment if the creature is affected by polymorph effects. Creatures wearing bio augments take an additional -5 penalty against remote control.
Clockwork Drone
Prerequisites: Tech sphere (Drone).
Whenever you create a drone, you may grant it the clockwork subtype by adding the following properties (a drone cannot possess more than one subtype):
- Winding: The construct must be wound with a special key in order to function. As a general rule, a fully wound clockwork can remain active for 1 day per Hit Die, but shorter or longer durations are possible.
- Vulnerable to Electricity: Clockwork constructs take 150% as much damage as is normal from electricity attacks.
- Swift Reactions: Clockwork constructs generally react much more swiftly than other constructs. They gain Improved Initiative and Lightning Reflexes as bonus feats, and gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC.
- Difficult to Create: Increase the time and gp cost required to create a clockwork construct by 50% over normal for a construct.
Combat Limbs (augment, gadget)
Prerequisites: Craft (mechanical) 3 ranks, Tech sphere (Anatomical Structure).
Benefit: The arms worn with the Anatomical Structure augment can enter “combat mode” and be used to make additional attacks following the rules for creatures with multiple limbs. Combat mode consumes a charge for every minute of use. In addition this talent can be selected an additional time at 8 ranks in Craft (mechanical) and every 5 ranks thereafter (13, 18, etc.), each time allowing you to attach an additional pair of limbs to the creature, occupying the same slot. These limbs then also can go into combat mode, however each additional pair of limbs in combat mode consumes an additional charge per every minute of use.
Compactor (accessory, gadget)
Prerequisite: Tech sphere.
This gadget can allow a tool or object to be compressed to a significantly reduced size and weight. This gadget is only considered an accessory gadget if its applied to a weapon. The compactor may condense an object up to three size categories smaller as a swift action, or as a free action by spending a charge, which renders the object unusable and will deactivate any gadgets. For each size category the item is reduced, reduce its weight by a factor of 8. The maximum compaction increases by an additional size category for every 4 ranks you possess in Craft (mechanical).
Applying a compactor to an object requires a minute of work. Compactors cannot have other compactors attached to them.
Computer (gadget)
Prerequisites: Tech sphere (Remote Control).
You can create a remote control that does more than just send out commands to your gadgets.
It has a large storage capacity, and for all intents and purposes is capable of either storing 100,000 high quality photos from the camera, or 1,000 hours of high quality video recording, or a mix in-between, and can be used to transmit information to its user.
A computer also does not require line-of sight to gadgets that it activates. The user still needs a way to receive input from the area in order to make accurate judgements, such as cameras, or drones. This can be combined with other methods of control such as the control harness to control targets without line of sight.
Drawback Alleviator (gadget)
Prerequisite: Tech sphere.
This gadget removes drawbacks from itself and the gadgets it’s attached to. Each drawback alleviator must be created for a specific gadget and drawback from the Tech sphere. When attached to said gadget and activated, both this gadget and the gadget it is attached to do not suffer from the drawback. The drawback alleviator consumes 1 charge per minute.
Energy Efficient Augments
Prerequisites: Craft (mechanical) 5 ranks, Tech sphere (at least 2 (augment) talents).
Benefit: Effects of the augments you create that last for a minute per charge last for 5 minutes per charge instead. When the number of ranks you have in Craft (mechanical) reaches 10, they last for 10 minutes per charge instead, and finally when your ranks in Craft (mechanical) reaches 15, they last for 30 minutes per charge instead.
Extreme Distance Communication (gadget)
Prerequisites: Tech sphere (Commset, Remote Control, or Tracker Chip).
Benefit: The signal range of your gadgets are increased, determined by the number of ranks you possess in Craft (mechanical) at the time of its creation:
- 1 rank: 1 mile per rank in Craft (mechanical)
- 5 ranks: 10 miles per rank in Craft (mechanical)
- 10 ranks: 100 miles per rank in Craft (mechanical)
- 15 ranks: 1 billion miles per rank and across planes.
Generator (drone, gadget)
Prerequisite: Tech sphere.
You create a gadget that does not store power, but outputs it. Creating a generator requires a gathering of raw materials, weight and construction time similar to that of a drone, and you can make a generator with a size equivalent to the maximum/minimum of a drone you can create except you cannot create a generator with a size smaller than Small. Setting up a generator requires it to remain on a stable flat surface for the duration of its activation (difficult terrain counts as an unstable surface).
Activating a generator requires 1 minute multiplied by two for every size category larger than Small the generator is. Generators cannot be reduced in size, reduced in weight, or placed in extradimensional storage (such as bags of holding) without deactivating.
Once activated generators output power at a rate of 1 charge a round + 1 charge per every 5 ranks you possess in Craft (mechanical). For every size category larger than Small multiply this output by 3 (times three at Medium, times six at Large, etc.). Charges stored in non-battery gadgets from the generator still count against your maximum charge pool (excluding permanent gadgets).
You can attach/detach any number of gadgets to a generator as a swift action and split the charges it outputs between any number of them. Attached gadgets cannot be moved further than 5 feet away from the generator without detaching.
Drones may possess generators as innate gadgets that are at least 2 sizes smaller than themselves. They may use the generator to power their own functions or to supply power to outside gadgets. If the drone with the innate generator suffers a critical hit, the generator is destroyed in the process.
A generator built into a drone is considered to always be on a stable surface for this purpose, however if the drone it is built into is reduced in size or weight (such as through magical effects), or stored in an extradimensional manner the generator still stops functioning.
If a generator is made to self destruct, such as through the Self Destruct talent, treat it as possessing a number of charges equal to the number it can output in a round.
If you select this talent twice, the generator becomes more stable. The generator can be reduced in size, reduced in weight, or placed in extradimensional storage (such as bags of holding) without deactivating, and drones with innate generators do not have their generators destroyed on a critical hit.
Hammerspace Augment
Prerequisites: Craft (mechanical) 3 ranks, Tech sphere (Internal Tool).
Benefit: When crafting an Internal Tool, the augments advanced compression properties allow it to store objects that shouldn’t be able to be realistically stored inside. Each internal tool augment is capable of storing a object 2 size categories larger than before. When stored this way the object is compressed to comfortably fit inside the augment, but is only functional when retrieved. This is considered a extradimensional effect similar to a bag of holding.
Hidden Gadget
Prerequisites: Craft (mechanical) 5 ranks, Disguise 5 ranks, Tech sphere (any (gadget) talent).
Benefit: You can create gadgets that are designed to look like mundane objects and receive a circumstance bonus to Disguise checks equal to 2 + 1/3 your ranks in Craft (mechanical) to hide their nature.
Augments also no longer inflict a penalty to Disguise checks to be hidden. The disguise is obviously broken if the augment is used in a display that shows off its mechanical nature (taking out an integrated tool from an augment). A hidden augment must be made for a specific creature for the disguise to work.
It Just Works [Jester's HB]
Prerequisites: Craft (mechanical) 5 ranks, Tech sphere (any one (gadget)).
You are able to breath function into your damaged and beyond repair creations. Any non-drone gadgets in your possession with the broken condition function as if they did not have the broken condition. You may spend a charge from a destroyed nondrone gadget (a gadget with 0 hit points or less is destroyed) in your possession to allow it to function and work as if fully repaired for 1 minute as long as it remains in your possession. You must have physical pieces of the destroyed object to use it in this manner. A gadget that leaves your possession is affected normally by the broken and destroyed conditions.
Normal: A broken or destroyed gadget counts against your maximum number of prepared gadgets until it is abandoned and disassembled for a new gadget. You may always abandon any gadget you’ve crafted during a 15/30 minute crafting period to craft a new gadget. An abandoned gadget does not function in any capacity once it is abandoned, and is no longer considered a gadget.
Long Distance Fuel Pack (drone, gadget)
Prerequisites: Craft (mechanical) 6 ranks, Tech sphere.
Benefit: You can create a specific battery type, that when used to power a Jet-boosters, allows the Jet-boosters to function for 10 minutes per charge as a rote function, or 1 minute per charge when used in overdrive.
When used with a Diga Drill, it allows it to function in its breaker form for 10 minutes per charge spent (in nonconsecutive 1 minute increments) as a rote function.
Protonic Energypack (accessory, gadget)
Prerequisites: Craft (mechanical) 5 ranks, Tech sphere (Alternate Element Pack).
Benefit: The Protonic Energypack is a modified kind of gadget designed to store transdimensional energy. The energypack can be attached to a gadget with (moddable) as a move action (and detached the same way), and allows the user to activate it as an immediate action to spend 1 charge to allow all the attacks inflicted with said weapon to deal full damage and inflict full effect to incorporeal targets for 1 minute.
Return to Sender
Prerequisites: Tech sphere (Antivirus Software x2).
When your antivirus routine would successfully destroy a foreign routine, it instead can reprogram it to target its original sender with its original effect, and uploads it to its origin point (no check required as the routine is not detected as foreign). If the source of origin would be a creature (such as if a sprite uploaded by a technomancer is reprogrammed), instead of the routine’s normal effect, the creature takes 1d8 damage per rank in Craft (mechanical) you possess (Will half).
Robot Drone
Prerequisites: Tech sphere (Drone).
Whenever you create a drone, you may grant it the robot subtype by adding the following properties (a drone cannot possess more than one subtype):
- Intelligent: Robots are intelligent, and thus have skills and feats as appropriate for their Hit Dice. Unless otherwise indicated for a specific robot, all robots have Intelligence scores of 10. The following are class skills for robots: Climb, Disable Device, Fly, Knowledge (all), Linguistics, Perception, and Sense Motive. Note: Intelligent drones still cannot act on their own. When piloting a drone with its own feats, the pilot may choose on any given round to use his own feats or the construct’s, but not both. An installed AI can choose to use the robot’s Intelligence score in place of its own.
- Vulnerable to Critical Hits: Whenever a robot takes extra damage from a critical hit, it must attempt a DC 15 Fortitude save to avoid being stunned for 1 round. If it succeeds at the saving throw, it is instead staggered for 1 round.
- Vulnerable to Electricity: Robots take 150% as much damage as normal from electricity attacks, unless they are immune to electricity via other special defenses.
- Difficult to Create: Increase the time and gp cost required to create a robot construct by 50% over normal for a construct.
Signal Penetration
Prerequisites: Craft (mechanical) 5 ranks, Tech sphere (Signal Attenuator).
Signals from your gadgets that are normally reduced by dense substances, now only have their remaining signal range reduced by half with 5 ft.. of stone, 6 inches of common metal, a half inch of lead, or 15 ft. of wood. You may take this legendary talent a second time increasing the thickness of dense substances required to reduce a signals remaining range in half to 10 ft. of stone, 1 ft. of common metal, an inch of lead, or 30 ft. of wood.
Steampowered Drone
Prerequisites: Tech sphere (Drone).
Whenever you create a drone, you may grant it the steampowered subtype by adding the following properties (a drone cannot possess more than one subtype):
- Refill: A steampowered construct can only function for 1 day per Hit Die before needing to be refilled with water. A Medium construct must be refilled with 8 gallons of water. This is multiplied by 4 for each size category over Medium, or divided by 4 for every size category below Medium.
- Hydraulic Force: Steampowered constructs gain a +2 bonus to Strength. This bonus increases by +2 for every size category above Medium they possess. Note: If a steampowered drone is also created using the standardized talent, it is treated as the largest size category you can create for the purposes of benefiting from the hydraulic force ability.
- Vulnerable to Cold: Steampowered constructs take 150% as much damage as normal from cold attacks, unless they are immune to cold via other special defenses.
- Difficult to Create: Increase the time and gp cost required to create a steampowered construct by 50% over normal for a construct.
Strength Of A Million And Seventy
Prerequisites: Craft (mechanical) 5 ranks, Tech sphere (Load Bearer).
Load bearer augments that you create also add five times your ranks in Craft (mechanical) to your Strength score for the purposes of their carrying capacity and increase your effective size category by one more for the purposes of calculating your carrying capacity (this is in addition to the regular benefits of the Load Bearer talent).
Superior Mechanical Melee Weaponry (gadget, moddable)
Prerequisites: Tech sphere (Particle Weapon).
Benefit: You may create the chainsaw or the monowhip as a gadget (chosen at time of creation).
A chainsaw is an exotic two-handed technological melee weapon, that can be activated as a standard action, and doing so consumes a charge of power. The chainsaw continues to run constantly after activation, draining an additional charge each hour. A dropped chainsaw automatically turns off unless it is set down carefully as a move action. The buzzing of a chainsaw’s blade is loud and distracting (but not deafening), causing anyone carrying an activated chainsaw to take a -10 penalty on Stealth checks. An activated chainsaw grants a proficient user a +2 morale bonus on Intimidate checks.
A monowhip is an exotic light technological melee weapon, that can be activated as a move action; once activated, the whip consumes power incredibly quickly, at the rate of 1 charge per round. Wielded like a whip, a monowhip slices deeply into targets and can inflict grievous critical hits with shocking ease. Unlike other reach weapons, the reach of the monowhip has reach equal of a creature two size categories larger than your own (Small 10 ft., Medium 15 ft.), though you don’t threaten the area into which you can make an attack with the monowhip with this extended reach. In addition, unlike most other weapons with reach, you can use it against foes anywhere within your reach (including adjacent foes). However, using a monowhip provokes an attack of opportunity, just as if you had used a ranged weapon. Attacks made with a monowhip resolve as touch attacks, and they ignore hardness as if the monofilament were made of adamantine. A monowhip’s damage cannot be enhanced by strength, as the monofilament slices with equal ease regardless of the force applied.
Technological Weapons | Dmg (S) | Dmg (M) | Critical | Range | Charge Use | Weight | Type |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chainsaw | 1d12 | 3d6 | 18-20/x2 | - | 1/hr. | 10 lbs. | S |
Monowhip | 1d10 | 2d6 | 18-20/x3 | - | 1/rnd. | 1 lbs. | S |
Superior Mechanical Ranged Weaponry
Prerequisites: Tech sphere (Mechanical Ranged Weaponry x3).
Benefit: You may select this legendary talent multiple times, each time expanding the list of ranged weapons you may create with your Mechanical Ranged Weaponry talent.
The first time you gain this talent, you expand your list to include the nagant revolver, mosin-nagant rifle, and light machine gun. A nagant revolver, is an exotic one-handed modern firearm, while the mosin-nagant rifle and light machine gun are exotic two-handed modern firearms.
The second time you gain this talent, you expand your list to include the plasma pistol, plasma rifle, and plasmathrower. A plasma pistol is an exotic one-handed technological firearm, while the plasma rifle and plasmathrower are exotic two-handed technological firearms. All three of these technological firearms deal half electrical, half fire damage.
Technological firearms (such as the plasma pistol, plasma rifle, and plasma thrower) created with the Mechanical Ranged Weaponry talent do not have built-in adapters for alternative charge use or faster reload time.
Modern Firearms | Dmg (S) | Dmg (M) | Critical | Range | Misfire | Capacity | Weight | Type | Special |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Revolver, Nagant | 1d6 | 1d8 | x4 | 80 ft. | 1 | 7 | 4 lbs. | B and P | touch |
Rifle, Mosin-Nagant | 1d8 | 1d10 | x4 | 80 ft. | 1 | 5 | 9 lbs. | B and P | touch |
Machine Gun, Light | 1d10 | 2d6 | x4 | 100 ft. | 1-2 | 20, 30, or 40 | 20 lbs. | B and P | automatic, touch |
Technological Firearms | Dmg (S) | Dmg (M) | Critical | Range | Capacity | Charge Use | Weight | Type | Special |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Plasma Pistol | 1d6 | 1d8 | x2 | 50 ft. | 10 | 1 | 2 lbs. | electricity and fire | semi-auto, touch |
Plasma Rifle | 1d10 | 2d6 | x2 | 150 ft. | 20 | 1 | 6 lbs. | electricity and fire | automatic, touch |
Plasmathrower | 2d10 | 4d6 | 19-20/x2 | 60 ft. | 20 | 2 | 15 lbs. | electricity and fire | automatic or slow-firing, scatter, touch |
Automatic, Semi-Automatic, and Slow Firing
By default, automatic and semi-automatic weaponry were not designed to function with Spheres of Might in mind. The following revisions should help integrate it.
Automatic: This weapon can act as a semi-automatic weapon (see below), or it can fire a burst of shots with a single pull of the trigger to attack all creatures in a line as a full-round action that counts as a special attack. This line starts from any corner of the wielder's space and extends to the limit of the weapon's range or until it strikes a barrier it cannot penetrate. When using an automatic weapon to attack all creatures in a line, the wielder makes a separate attack roll against each creature in the line. Each creature in the line can be attacked with only one shot from each burst. Each attack roll takes a -2 penalty. Effects that grant concealment, such as fog or smoke, or the blur, invisibility, or mirror image spells, do not affect an automatic weapon's line attack. Roll to confirm each attack roll that threatens a critical hit separately. A single burst with an automatic weapon consumes 10 charges or uses of ammunition.
If the wielder of this weapon possesses the Barrage sphere, they can choose to spend their martial focus to make additional line attacks as if making a barrage attack. The same area can be targeted by the same burst twice, and apply (blitz) talents to every creature in said lines.
Semi-Automatic: A semi-automatic weapon normally fires one shot as an attack. However, the user can take a special attack action to fire twice, as if using the Barrage sphere's barrage ability (including taking a -2 penalty on all attacks), except using the Barrage sphere this way does not allow the user to expend martial focus for additional attacks. If the wielder has the Barrage sphere's barrage ability, they can instead count their base attack bonus as five points higher exclusively for the purposes of qualifying for additional attacks when martial focus is expended.
Slow-Firing: A slow-firing weapon requires a full-round action to use, and thus cannot be used to make iterative attacks or used with attack actions or special attack actions.
Transporter (gadget)
Prerequisites: Craft (mechanical) 10 ranks, Tech sphere (Remote Control, Tracking Chip).
Benefit This gadget takes the form of two small disks which when unfolded become 5 ft. bases for a linked teleporter. Additional pairs of disks can be added to the set similarly to commsets. Folding and unfolding a transporter requires a full-round action. A creature on the platform or adjacent to it can activate the transporter as a movement action, teleporting a creature or object on the base to another linked and unfolded platform of their choice. This uses up 4 charges from the individual disk.
A transporter can only teleport to another transporter within signal distance, and only one creature and its carried equipment. The failsafes inside the transporter prevent horrific fusion accidents. When using the transporter you can spend an additional 2 charges to have the teleportation disk to come with you as opposed to staying behind.
Untraceable Gadget
Prerequisites: Craft (mechanical) 10 ranks, Disguise 10 ranks, Tech sphere (any (gadget) talent, Hidden Gadget).
Benefit: You can create gadgets that are designed to fool more then just cursory examination in regards to their nature. They receive a circumstance bonus of 5 + your ranks in Craft (mechanical) to appear to be something else, and scans, magical detection, and other forms of nonstandard detection will not detect the gadget unless they succeed on a MSB check (or some other kind of check if appropriate) opposed by 11 + your Tech sphere modifier.
You can create augments that are designed to near replicate the bodily functions of the creatures wearing them.
Not only does the augment receive a circumstance bonus to Disguise checks equal to 5 + your ranks in Craft (mechanical) to appear to be part of the creature, but body scans, magical detection, and other forms of detection will not register the augment as a separate part of the being unless they succeed on a MSB check (or some other kind of check if appropriate) opposed by your Tech sphere modifier. A bio augment must be made for a specific creature for the disguise to work.
In addition, bio augments, cybernetics, and grafts are not subsumed as part of a creatures equipment if the creature is affected by polymorph effects.
Creatures wearing bio augments take an additional -5 penalty against remote control.
Vigorous Gadgets
Prerequisite: Tech sphere.
Your gadgets and drones can receive healing from either negative energy or positive energy. Once this choice is made it cannot be changed.
Wireless Charge
Prerequisite: Tech sphere.
Your gadget’s signals are capable of transmitting charges. Whenever a gadget would consume a charge, it can instead consume a charge from a separate gadget you created within its signal range.
Tech Sphere Drones
Building Your Tech Sphere Drone
Drones are considered creatures that possess the construct creature type, but they cannot be awakened or modified as a construct can. A drone possesses its own hit points, armor class, saving throws, and ability scores. It can carry items like a horse or wagon can. However, unlike other construct creatures, drones cannot act, move, or attack on their own. Drones are mindless, even compared to other constructs. Unless otherwise stated, they possess only a Strength and Dexterity score, with no skill points or feats or magic item slots. If a controller makes an attack action with a drone, they use their own base attack bonus and the drones Strength or Dexterity scores to calculate the attacks.
A drone must first be activated to perform actions, but a drone doesn't lose charges for simply being active unless utilizing innate gadgets; a drone with 0 hit points or no charges remaining will automatically deactivate at the end of its turn. In order to perform actions, a creature must be adjacent to the drone (or have it within signal range if they possess a remote control), and spend a standard action operating the drone. The drone may take a full turn of actions at the time it is operated, but cannot take more than one turn per round (i.e., so long as the creator or another creature has piloted the drone that round, another creature cannot make actions with the drone unless he impedes the piloting creature from controlling the drone for 1 round).
Piloting a drone functions similarly to activating it, and requires a Craft (mechanical) check against your Tech sphere DC (as the drone piloting action). The controller may make attack actions and apply feats and combat talents to attacks made with drones as if they were made by the controller. You always succeed at piloting your own drones.
Rather than exclusively being composed of the components gathered during the day, each drone is composed of further parts that are found and/or processed over dedicated workdays. This time may always be waived by simply paying for the parts directly removing the need for the additional time investment altogether. While the specific kind of material is not set in stone, it is considered to be expensive or rare material components for the purpose of the Creation sphere and similar spells or abilities.
Finding the parts requires 8 hours of per workday. This period does not require a comfortable environment, is not limited to an investment of 8 hours per day, and need not be consecutive. However the parts gathered for a drone can only be used for a drone its size or smaller. You can repair an drone for an amount of hp equal to his ranks in Craft (mechanical) with 1 hour of work or heal them completely full with 8 hours of work.
All drones are created proficient with simple weapons. While not proficient in any armor, a drone can wear barding. However, most drones do not wear barding as they are considered to always be wearing armor with an AC bonus determined by its Hit Dice. This armor may be enchanted, but at twice the normal cost. Drones gain a stat bonus increase for every 4 Hit Dice, just like other creatures.
A drone gains the base form outlined below. In addition to the qualities provided by ranks in Craft (mechanical), size, and base form, each drone begins with a hardness of 5 and a 30 ft. land speed.
Drone Base Form
Drones are designed with 2 simple grasping limbs. Far too crude to do anything more complex than wield weapons or lift a box (they can also be used for unarmed strikes). However drones are designed to be built with innate gadgets with the (drone) descriptor.
Innate gadgets that are part of the drone don’t require a skill check to activate, and cannot be activated by anything but the drone. However piloting the drone allows one to activate or deactivate any one of its gadgets.
If innate gadgets require a drone to possess items or augment slots the drone is considered to have those item slots for the purposes of the function of the innate gadget. A drone can contain a number of innate gadgets equal to 4 + 1 for every 4 ranks you possess in Craft (mechanical).
Table: DronesCreator’s ranks in Craft (mechanical) | Hit Dice (average) | Maximum Size | Minimum Size | Armor Bonus | Base Saving Throws (all) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1d10 (5) | Medium | Medium | +0 | +0 |
2 | 2d10 (11) | Medium | Medium | +0 | +0 |
3 | 3d10 (16) | Medium | Medium | +1 | +1 |
4 | 4d10 (22) | Medium | Medium | +1 | +1 |
5 | 5d10 (27) | Large | Small | +1 | +1 |
6 | 6d10 (34) | Large | Small | +2 | +2 |
7 | 7d10 (39) | Large | Small | +2 | +2 |
8 | 8d10 (45) | Large | Small | +2 | +2 |
9 | 9d10 (50) | Huge | Tiny | +3 | +3 |
10 | 10d10 (56) | Huge | Tiny | +3 | +3 |
11 | 11d10 (61) | Huge | Tiny | +3 | +3 |
12 | 12d10 (67) | Huge | Tiny | +4 | +4 |
13 | 13d10 (72) | Gargantuan | Diminutive | +4 | +4 |
14 | 14d10 (78) | Gargantuan | Diminutive | +4 | +4 |
15 | 15d10 (83) | Gargantuan | Diminutive | +5 | +5 |
16 | 16d10 (89) | Gargantuan | Diminutive | +5 | +5 |
17 | 17d10 (94) | Colossal | Fine | +5 | +5 |
18 | 18d10 (100) | Colossal | Fine | +6 | +6 |
19 | 19d10 (105) | Colossal | Fine | +6 | +6 |
20 | 20d10 (111) | Colossal | Fine | +6 | +6 |
Size | Time | Cost | Weight |
---|---|---|---|
Fine | 16 Workdays | 5,000 gp | .1 lb. |
Diminutive | 8 Workdays | 1,000 gp | 1 lb. |
Tiny | 4 Workdays | 500 gp | 10 lbs. |
Small | 2 Workdays | 100 gp | 40 lbs. |
Medium | 1 Workday | 50 gp | 200 lbs. |
Large | 2 Workdays | 100 gp | 1 ton |
Huge | 4 Workdays | 500 gp | 5 tons |
Gargantuan | 8 Workdays | 1,000 gp | 25 tons |
Colossal | 16 Workdays | 5,000 gp | 125 tons |
Size | Base Str/Dex | Hit Points | AC/Attack | Natural AC | CMB/CMD | Space | Natural Reach | Fly Skill | Stealth Skill |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fine | 4/18 | +0 | +8 | +4 | -8 | 1/2 ft. | 0 | +8 | +16 |
Diminutive | 4/16 | +0 | +4 | +4 | -4 | 1 ft. | 0 | +6 | +12 |
Tiny | 6/14 | +0 | +2 | +4 | -2 | 2 1/2 ft. | 0 | +4 | +8 |
Small | 10/12 | +10 | +1 | +4 | -1 | 5 ft. | 5 ft. | +2 | +4 |
Medium | 14/10 | +20 | +0 | +4 | +0 | 5 ft. | 5 ft. | +0 | +0 |
Large | 22/8 | +30 | -1 | +6 | +1 | 10 ft. | 10 ft. | -2 | -4 |
Huge | 30/6 | +40 | -2 | +9 | +2 | 15 ft. | 15 ft. | -4 | -8 |
Gargantuan | 38/6 | +60 | -4 | +13 | +4 | 20 ft. | 20 ft. | -6 | -12 |
Colossal | 46/6 | +80 | -8 | +18 | +8 | 30 ft. | 30 ft. | -8 | -16 |
Technological Options
Artificial Intelligence
The following are structured rules for running Artificial Intelligence (or AI for short) in your games. AIs are both creatures (in that they take actions and decisions) and routines (a being of software and not hardware). AI need to be uploaded into a gadget to have enough processing power to “think”. An AI stored in a storage device is too compressed to function properly.
Once installed, an AI can take actions as normal, but is limited to what the gadget it inhabits can do. An artificial intelligence if installed in a gadget grants it control of a gadget as if it is being wielded by its creator. Activating the gadget against the will of the AI requires an activation check with a -5 penalty. AI installed in augments are treated as if controlling them through remote controls.
Creating an Artificial Intelligence
An artificial intelligence’s stat block is similar to that of an intelligent magic item. Note that these statistics reflect only the artificial intelligence itself, not the host. Unless noted otherwise, building an AI has a cost and crafting time equal to the largest drone you could craft. Building an AI stat block requires the following statistics.
Note: This kind of artificial intelligence is considered a Gamma AI.
Level: An artificial intelligence’s level sets its ability scores, saves, and skill checks. An AI’s CR is equal to its level. The maximum level of AI you can create is equal to your ranks in Craft (mechanical).
Alignment and Type: An AI can be any alignment. Its type is “artificial intelligence,” and it counts as a construct for all effects that target creature type.
Initiative: The installed AI modifies its initiative check with its Intelligence modifier, not its Dexterity modifier.
Senses: An AI needs access to a drone, cameras, microphones, or other mechanical sensory tools in order to be able to notice things in the outside world. These senses should be listed in the appropriate encounter areas, not in the AI’s stats, since it is likely that an AI will have access to a variety of sensory devices over a large area.
Defenses: An AI does not have AC, hit points, or other statistics related to a physical form; it relies on its host or structure for those scores. An AI uses its own saving throws only against attacks that target its mind - in most cases, this means it primarily uses its Will save. An AI uses its CR as its effective Hit Dice for determining its base saves — it has good Will saves and poor Fortitude and Reflex saves.
Base Attack Bonus: An AI possess a base attack bonus equal to its level.
Ability Scores: An AI’s base ability scores are 14, 12, and 10 (AI possess no innate physical ability scores). Arrange them in any order desired. For every 2 levels it possesses, it gains a + 2 bonus to an ability score. An AI is immune to ability damage but is not immune to ability drain and can be targeted through the gadget it is installed inside of.
Skills: An AI has skill points equal to 6 + its Intelligence modifier per level. An AI has a number of class skills equal to its Charisma modifier. These may be any skill, though the most common class skills for AIs are: Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge (all), Linguistics, Perception, and Sense Motive.
Feats: An AI has a number of feats equal to half its level (minimum 1). An AI must meet all prerequisites of its feats.
Languages: AIs speak one language chosen at the time of their creation. An AI knows a number of additional languages equal to its Intelligence modifier.
Special Abilities: Some AI possess additional abilities.
Variants
Not all AI are built the same. The type of AI listed above is called a Gamma AI. One of the apex types of AI with intelligence on par or surpassing of most humanoid creatures. However other kinds exist:
Alpha AI: Possessing the intelligence comparable to that of an insect, alpha AI are the most basic AI there are and used for basic utilities. Alpha AI have the following differences from Gamma AI:
- An Alpha AI’s level counts as 1/4 a Gamma AIs level (minimum 1) for the purposes of determining the maximum number of AI or drones you may have active at once.
- Alpha AI are mindless, possessing no Intelligence score and immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, patterns, and phantasms). Mindless creatures have no feats or skills.
- Alpha AI have starting ability scores of Wisdom 6, and Charisma 6.
- Alpha AI have an initiative modifier of +0 regardless of the Intelligence score.
- Alpha AI have a true neutral alignment.
- Alpha AI can communicate and understand basic information in one language that you speak.
- Alpha AI lack a sense of decision making. They cannot execute actions unless they know those actions as commands.
- Alpha AI are created with simple weapon proficiency and 1 combat sphere talent of your choice (excluding any sphere ability that allows it to craft items or gain companion creatures). Alpha AI use Charisma as their practitioner modifier.
- Alpha AI have a CR modification of +0 when applied as an aggregate template.
Beta AI: Possessing the intelligence comparable to that of an animal, they are the most commonly used AI for day to day duties. Beta AI have the following differences from Gamma AI:
- An Beta AI’s level counts as 1/2 a Gamma AIs level (minimum 1) for the purposes of determining the maximum number of AI or drones you may have active at once.
- Beta AI possess starting ability scores of Intelligence 2, Wisdom 10, and Charisma 8.
- Beta AI can communicate and understand basic information in one language that you speak.
- Beta AI lack a sense of decision making. They cannot execute actions unless they know those actions as commands (see below).
- Beta AI take no penalties to initiative from having a low Intelligence score, but can still gain benefits from having a high Intelligence score.
- Beta AI gain 4 skill points per level (reduced to 1 for having low Intelligence score), and possess up to 10 class skills selected from the list of class skills its creator possessed. An AI can only assign skill ranks to its class skills, unless it possesses an Intelligence of 3 or higher.
- Beta AI must select combat talents (excluding any sphere ability that allows it to craft items or gain companion creatures) by taking the Extra Combat Talent feat, using Charisma as their practitioner modifier.
Delta AI: Surpassing even a Gamma AI in skills and abilities, Delta AI are almost never created from scratch and instead come from the minds of uploaded creatures or develop organically as if they were children. Full rules detailing Delta AI will be provided in future supplements.
Omega AI: When an AI passes the point of singularity it develops into an Omega AI. While the power of these godlike beings may span into infinity, the point they surpass their nature as a constructed intelligence is the point they are classified as gods and not machines.
Commands
A command determines what less developed AI know how to do. Commands use similar rules to animal tricks. You can tell an AI to execute a command if you are in a position to activate or deactivate its routine. This means you can request the same command from multiple AI at once if you possess a remote control.
You can program an AI to understand a specific command with 8 hours of work against an indicated DC using Craft (mechanical). Alpha AI can know 5 maximum commands while a Beta AI can know a number of commands equal to 2 plus Intelligence score multiplied by 3 (minimum 5).
You can "push" a Beta AI to execute a command it does not know as a standard action against a Craft (mechanical) DC of 25 but you cannot push an Alpha AI to execute a command it does not know.
An AI can execute the following animal tricks as commands (using Craft (mechanical) in place of Handle Animal). The AI must be housed in a gadget (usually a drone) that can execute those commands if asked: Aid, attack, bombard, build simple structure, bury, come, defend, deliver, demolish, detect, down, exclusive, fetch, flank, flee, guard, guide, heel, maneuver, pose as scenery (as inert gadget), receive spell, rescue, seek, serve, stay, subdue, work.
In addition the following are AI exclusive commands:
Communicate (DC 20): The AI can communicate very simple concepts through speech, primitive body movements or displaying text on a screen. The AI's vocabulary is very limited, usually knowing about 200 words (about as much as a toddler). The AI is not very capable of creating organic dialogue and sticks to responding with pre-scripted questions or replies.
Operate Gadget (DC 15): The AI learns how to operate a number of gadgets equal to your practitioner modifier. An AI does not need to attempt activation checks for gadgets created by you. An AI counts a drone and all its innate gadgets as 1 gadget for the purposes of this command. This command can be taught multiple times, each time increasing the amount of gadgets it can operate by your practitioner modifier.
Sort (DC 10): The AI can sort basic information into a multitude of ways. This information is usually pure data in digital form, but even physical objects can be interacted with in this way if the AI possesses a way to manipulate and sense them.
Transfer (DC 10): The AI transfers itself and any number of other routines (that you created) and knows how to use on the same gadget to another gadget within signal range.
Trigger (DC 10): The AI attempts to execute any amount of other commands it knows when a specific circumstance is met. For example, if it is alerted by a routine of an enemy gadget's signal, it might upload a virus to its location. This command can be taught multiple times, each time granting another set of triggering circumstances and things to do when they are met.
Installing AI in Constructs and Drones
Artificial intelligence can be integrated as parts of drones, or installed in willing or helpless mindless constructs with the GMs permission. The GM determines the type of construct the AI is compatible with.
This grants the construct the Aggregate Template:
CR: Same as the base construct + 1. When a base AI is housed entirely in an aggregate, defeating the construct is considered the same as defeating the AI — at the GM’s discretion this may replace the normal XP award for an AI on its own. Treat drones as having a CR equal to their Hit Dice -2 for this calculation.
Alignment: The aggregates alignment changes to match the base Al’s alignment.
Initiative: The aggregate modifies initiative with the base AI Intelligence modifier instead of the base construct’s Dexterity. This stacks with any other modifiers the base construct possesses.
Senses: An aggregate retains all of the base construct’s senses.
Saves: An aggregate uses the base construct’s saves, though adjust its Will save to account for its new Wisdom score.
Defensive Abilities: An aggregate retains all of the base construct’s defensive abilities and gains those possessed by the base AI, if any.
Attacks: An aggregate uses the base construct’s base attack bonus and retains all of the base construct’s natural attacks. If the construct does not possess a base attack bonus use the AI’s base attack bonus. If neither the AI nor the construct posesses a base attack bonus the GM can determine that the construct gains a base attack bonus progression of poor.
Special Attacks: An aggregate retains all of its special attacks and gains those possessed by the base AI.
Abilities: An aggregate uses the base Al’s Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores.
Skills: An aggregate retains all the base construct’s skills (recalculated as appropriate for its new Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores), and gains all of the base Al’s skill ranks as bonus skill ranks. These bonus skill ranks do not stack with skill ranks the base construct already has; use the higher of the two for each skill.
Feats: An aggregate retains its feats, and gains all of the base Al’s feats as bonus feats.
Talents: An aggregate retains its talents, and gains all of the base Al’s talents as bonus talents.
Languages: An aggregate retains all of the base construct’s languages, and gains any additional languages known by the base AI as bonus languages.
Technological Procedures
Technological procedures are experimental means of getting an effect, or a technology that require some prep. While most gadgets are generally stable once created and usually require no cost, procedures require extended periods of time to execute.
Procedures function as rituals (from Spheres of Power), replicating the effects of spells except created through technological means instead of magical ones, for a GM that wants to introduce the same kind of utility that spells and rituals provide a tech-focused game.
Procedures are not assumed to be magical effects (and as such not subject to counterspells or spell resistance) but the GM may rule otherwise. Procedures use Craft (mechanical) in place of Spellcraft checks, use your ranks in Craft (mechanical) in place of your caster level, and use your practitioner modifier in place of your casting ability modifier.
Using a Procedure: Similarly to rituals the practitioner must possess a written copy of the procedure, and must have deciphered it beforehand, which functions like deciphering a ritual book, and pay an associated material component cost. There is no procedure equivalent to ritual scrolls. They also possess an associated base sphere as normal. A practitioner counts as having a number of base spheres equal to 3 + 1 for every 4 ranks of Craft (mechanical) they possess when they first receive their first Tech sphere talent. Procedures may be researched like rituals if the practitioner possesses the Develop Procedures item creation feat.
The GM is free to put additional limitations on procedures as he sees fit to enable the worldbuilding, such as requiring them to be conducted in specialized facilities (with different facilities enabling different schools of magic) that may limit the highest possible level of procedure to be conducted.
Procedures and Blueprints: To expand the potential of gadget- and formulae-based item creation further, a GM may allow the use of blueprints in their game. Blueprints are procedures that pertain to a Tech sphere talent that can be substituted for talent requirements when crafting permanent gadgets or formulae. Blueprints are created with a spell level just like regular procedures but as gadgets and formulae do not possess a spell level, a blueprint’s spell level determines the maximum amount of ranks a gadget or formulae can be created with that uses the blueprint as a talent prerequisite. The maximum ranks a blueprint can be substituted for is equal to 1 + its level, multiplied by two. Blueprints possess no base sphere requirement to use or research. Blueprints may be crafted by creatures with the Develop Procedures item creation feat.
Incantations: Incantations can also be easily adapted to come from a technological source and not a magical one. All it requires is a few Craft (mechanical) rolls and the right thematic setup, such as having the expensive material component be a geothermal lab, and not a glowing crystal skull.
Develop Procedures (item creation)
Prerequisites: Tech sphere.
Benefit: You may research procedures similarly to how one could research a ritual.
Procedural Scientist (ritual)
Prerequisites: Tech sphere.
Benefit: You may use a procedure, even if you do not possess that procedures’s base sphere. If you also possess the Develop Procedures item creation feat, you still cannot research a ritual unless you meet all of its prerequisites.
Sample Procedures
Beginner Jets
Gadget Jet-boosters; Blueprint Level 2
Description This blueprint can be substituted for item creation purposes.
Portal To Hell
Sphere Warp; Procedure Level 9
Preparation Time: 2 days
Components A 9th level technological facility
Description This functions as the gate spell, except it can only function as a means of interdimensional travel, and cannot be used to call creatures.
Universal Translator
Sphere Divination; Procedure Level 3
Preparation Time 30 minutes
Components Requires a tiny portable device to house a base translator unit worth 25 gp.
Description This functions as the tongues spell.
Expanded Crafting Rules
Some games that use The Inventor’s Handbook may want to expand the role it has for options for treasure and for more worldbuilding options, making technological items more versatile in type similarly to magical items.
The following feats require the GM’s permission to use, as they change the nature of the gameplay and worldbuilding significantly, and take the place of the Craft Permanent Gadget item creation feat.
Creating Technical Items
To create a technical item, a creator must possess the appropriate item creation feat, and ranks in Craft with that sphere equal to or greater than the ranks in Craft of the item. Temporary increases in ranks in Craft, such as a prodigy’s adaptation being used to grant it the Craftsman Equipment sphere talent, do not count towards a creator’s maximum ranks in Craft for the purpose of crafting technical items. A creature cannot create a technical item dependent on an ability they cannot use due to a martial tradition or setting framework drawback.
Additionally, the crafter must supply materials whose cost is equal to 1/2 the base cost of the item to be created. When creating an item that requires an existing object, the object must be supplied separately.
Finally, the crafter needs a fairly quiet, comfortable, and well-lit place in which to create a technical item. The crafter must spend 8 hours (1 day) per 1,000 gp in the item’s base cost crafting the technical item. Formulae, poisons, widgets and gizmos, only take 2 hours to craft if their base cost is 250 gp or lower, but all other items require a minimum of 8 hours to create. The crafter spends the materials required to create the item at the beginning of the crafting process, and cannot create more than one item per day. A creature cannot spend more than 8 hours per day crafting. The days spend crafting need not be consecutive.
Crafting must be done in 4 hour blocks at a minimum. If a crafter is working in an area that is distracting or dangerous (such as in the back of a wagon or in an area that is not quiet), they net only half benefit from time spent crafting. A creator can attempt to work on crafting a technical item throughout a day of adventuring (spending time during meals or their shift during watch to do what work they can), but the combination of distracting environments and lack of time mean they only net 2 hours of crafting per day spent in this fashion.
At the end of the crafting period, the creator must attempt a single skill check (determined by the nature of the item in question) to determine if the item was created correctly. Failing this check means that the item does not function correctly and the materials and time are wasted. When creating a technical item, the crafter must possess the base sphere and the talents associated with the item created, either on their own or through an ally, or blueprint/schematic.
Cooperative Crafting
If you need another character or a blueprint to supply one of an item’s requirements, both you and the other character or blueprint must be present for the entire duration of the crafting process.
Talent-Based Technical Item Creation
Technical items use the talent-based creation system, its base cost is twice the cost of creation for the type of item being created, as detailed under the different technical item creation feats listed below. While the item’s ranks in Craft determines its power just as it does for creators, the item’s complexity is determined by the number and type of benefits it possesses.
All items created through the talent-based creation system must choose a base sphere and ability from the list presented below, and begin with a complexity of 1. The crafter may increase or decrease the item’s complexity through any of the following alterations, but an effect’s complexity always has a minimum of 1. When combining multiple talent-based effects, they all must be crafted with the same ranks in Craft, though each may have its own complexity. An item’s ranks in Craft must be equal to or greater than its complexity (unless you possess the Versatile Crafter feat).
Other
Technical items use their creators skill, ability, and practitioner modifiers at time of creation when determining effect DCs, modifiers and other such effects (discounting temporary modifiers such as a temporary enhancement bonus to the practitioner modifier). Created gadgets possess an activation DC of 10 + their ranks in Craft (mechanical), or the activation DC of an equivalent gadget created by the creator, whichever is higher.
Gadgets are crafted fully charged with a maximum charge capacity equal to half their ranks in Craft (mechanical) (minimum 1). Unless otherwise stated, gadgets can be recharged with the Tech sphere during the same 15/30 minute time period as a battery. Charges stored within crafted gadgets do not count towards the maximum charges you possess in your charge pool.
If a gadget possesses a costly material requirement to create (such as drones), this gets added on top of its base cost. Gadgets are considered masterwork quality and may be permanently enhanced with the use of the Smith Magical Weapons And Armor (or similar feats or abilities), when applicable.
With the GM’s permission the expanded gadget crafting feats could be used as substitute prerequisite feats for other kinds of technological items.
Item Base Creation
Alchemy
The DC of checks to create poisons is equal to 10 + the ranks in Craft (alchemy) of the item.
The DC of checks to create formulae is the DC used to create one normally or 10 + the ranks in Craft (alchemy) of the item (whichever is higher).
Formulae
Create a single formulae that you know of unmodified by other Alchemy sphere talents or abilities (including abilities the formulae may get from being selected multiple times), however it can benefit from having its creation DC increased. Creatures can be healed by created salves any number of times. Formulae have a base complexity of 1.
Poison
Create a single poison that you know of unmodified by other Alchemy sphere talents or abilities (including abilities the poison may get from being selected multiple times). Poisons have a base complexity of 1.
Complexity
- Add Talent: You may add the effects of any talent from the item’s base sphere at a cost of +1 complexity per talent.
Tech
The DC of checks to create gadgets is equal to 10 + the ranks in Craft (mechanical) of the item.
Drone (requires Tech (Drone))
Create a drone with a number of Hit Dice equal to its ranks in Craft (mechanical). It does not possess any innate gadgets. Drones have a base complexity of 1.
Gadget
Create a single gadget that you know how to create unmodified by other Tech sphere talents or abilities (including abilities the gadget may get from being selected multiple times). Gadgets have a base complexity of 1.
Complexity
- Add Innate Gadget: Your drone gains an innate gadget at a cost of +1 complexity per innate gadget.
- Add Talent: You may add the effects of any talent from the item’s base sphere at a cost of +1 complexity per talent.
New Crafting Feats
Brew Stable Formulae (item creation)
Prerequisites: Alchemy sphere
Benefit: You can create permanent formulae and poisons that do not count towards the maximum amount of formulae you may maintain. These items do not decompose over time, and maintain their value as normal items even though they are based off of the alchemy sphere’s talents.
A formulae’s cost of creation is 20 gp x the creator’s ranks in Craft (alchemy) x the complexity.
A poison’s cost of creation is 10 gp x the creator’s ranks in Craft (alchemy) x the complexity.
Craft Appliances And Contraptions (item creation)
Prerequisites: Craft (mechanical) 3 ranks, Tech sphere.
Benefit: A character who possesses this feat can create appliances and contraptions. Appliances and contraptions can both be recharged by any creature as if they possessed the Tech sphere and had access to an engineering kit.
Appliances do not require activation checks to use. Contraptions require an activation check to use by anybody except their creator.
An appliance’s cost of creation is 400 gp x the creator’s ranks in Craft (mechanical) x the complexity.
A contraption’s cost of creation is 200 gp x the creator’s ranks in Craft (mechanical) x the complexity.
Craft Augment Graft (item creation)
Prerequisites: Craft (mechanical) 3 ranks, Tech sphere, Craft Appliances And Contraptions.
Benefit: You can create graft versions of your augments, and implant them into creatures. Augments created this way automatically double the duration of any of its effects that require spending charges (this also applies to any non-graft augment attached to a grafted modular augment slot). They also no longer occupy augment slots and instead occupy graft slots, allowing for additional augments to be worn over them. An augment graft can be made as a contraption, or an appliance. Creatures with grafts take a -5 penalty to saves against Remote Control.
Implanting and Removing Augment Grafts
Like cybertech, each augment graft has an implantation value indicating how invasive the implant is. Unless otherwise noted, an augment graft's implantation value is 2. The total combined value of all cybertech and augment grafts implanted in a single creature can't exceed either that creature's Constitution score or Intelligence score - a creature's Constitution score sets the physical limit of what its body can accept in the form of cybernetic or augment graft implants, while the creature's Intelligence sets the mental limit of what its brain can control. Creatures with no Constitution score, but are treated like having a Constitution score of 10, are treated as having no Constitution score for the purpose of implantation. An implant whose total value would cause the total to exceed either of these two scores does not function but still takes up a body slot. In addition, as long as a character has augment graft implants installed whose combined implantation exceeds his Constitution or Intelligence, he takes a -4 penalty on all saving throws. A creature with neither a Constitution score nor an Intelligence score cannot receive benefits from augment grafts, but a creature with only one of these scores can.
Similar to cybertech, installing an augment graft takes a number of hours equal to the implantation value if the installation is done by hand - certain technological items can speed this installation time. Unlike cybertech, while the target must be willing or helpless during the entire installation, the installer is not required to make a Heal check to install the augment graft, nor does the target take Constitution damage for implanting or removing the graft (unlike with cybertech). Instead, when removing an augment graft, the attached target must make a Fortitude save or become fatigued. Creatures that fail their save and are already fatigues instead become exhausted, while exhausted creatures instead become unconscious.
Craft Widgets And Gizmos (item creation)
Prerequisites: Tech sphere, Craft (mechanical) 1 ranks.
Benefit: A character who possesses this feat can create widgets and gizmos. Widgets and gizmos cannot be recharged and become permanently inoperable once they run out of charges. If a widget or gizmo does not use charges, it instead becomes useless after they are used a number of times equal to 1/4 the number of ranks used in their creation (minimum 1 use). If a gadget does not state how long an activation usually lasts, then an activation lasts for 4 hours.
Gizmos do not require activation checks to use. Widgets require an activation check to use by anybody except their creator.
A gizmo’s cost of creation is 20 gp x the creator’s ranks in Craft (mechanical) x the complexity.
A widget’s cost of creation is 10 gp x the creator’s ranks in Craft (mechanical) x the complexity.
(Old Feat) Craft Permanent Gadget (item creation)
Prerequisites: Tech sphere, Craft (mechanical) 3 ranks.
Benefit: You can create permanent versions of Tech sphere gadgets that you know. Permanent gadgets don’t count towards the maximum amount of gadgets you can maintain with the Tech sphere. Unless otherwise stated, the cost to craft a permanent gadget using this feat is equal to 400 x the creator’s ranks in Craft (mechanical) gp. Permanent gadgets are crafted with a maximum charge capacity equal to half your ranks in Craft (mechanical) (minimum 1). Permanent gadgets may not be crafted with a maximum charge capacity lower than their minimum charge use. For example, a plasma thrower must be created with a maximum charge capacity with no less than 2 charges. Permanent gadgets with a listed capacity value (such as technological weapons) may not be filled above their maximum charge capacity. For example, a plasma pistol created with a maximum charge capacity of 2 cannot be filled to 10 charges, despite its normal capacity value of 10. Crafting a permanent gadget uses the same time crafting rules as magic items, and just as with magic items, you may reduce your effective number of ranks in Craft (mechanical) (minimum 2 ranks) when creating a permanent gadget. Permanent gadgets can be recharged with the Tech sphere during the same 15/30 minute time period as a battery.
Permanent gadgets are considered masterwork quality and may be permanently enhanced with use of the Smith Magical Weapons and Armor item creation feat, when applicable.
Running The Tech Sphere
Adapting the Tech sphere to your Campaign
First off, it should be recognized that the Tech sphere is not appropriate for every campaign setting or playstyle. For example, in low-magic, low-fantasy campaigns taking place in the stone ages, it is likely wildly inappropriate for characters to have access to the Tech sphere. But even still, an adventure where fantasy characters journey from the future to the past could still rectify this.
Outliers and exceptions aside, there are many ways to refluff the Tech sphere to work in other settings. This could be as simple as changing the names and power source to something more in-line with the setting or technological age. Charges of your devices could be refluffed to be clockwork or steam to work within an industrial age. In more magic-based settings, the Tech sphere could be introduced as a sphere of artifice, where specialists and tinkers jury-rig broken wands and other knick-knacks to build their devices, powering their makeshift devices with alchemical canisters.
Player’s who desire to utilize the Tech sphere should work with their GM’s to determine how the sphere fits within the theme and setting of the campaign. GM’s who feel that adapting the Tech sphere would be inappropriate for the game should perhaps encourage the player to instead use the technician class from Spheres of Might.
Firearms in Your Campaign
While the Tech sphere generally provides a level of technology above that which is available to the commonwealth, GMs should be encouraged to take special care when handling the Mechanical Ranged Weaponry talent and the Superior Mechanical Ranged Weaponry legendary talent. Below are suggestions on how a GM may modify the talent to fit their particular campaign setting:
No Guns: If you do not want firearms in your campaign, simply limit the number of times a character may take Mechanical Ranged Weaponry to only once. Even in primitive eras where crossbows are normally rare or nonexistent, it should normally be appropriate for characters with this sphere to gain access to the exotic crossbows with one instance of the talent.
Very Rare Guns: If early firearms exist, but are very rare, so much so that even the gunslinger class is restricted to only NPCs, limit the number of times a character may take Mechanical Ranged Weaponry to only twice.
Emerging Guns: If early firearms are more common, and the gunslinger class is available to PCs, but advanced firearms are still relatively rare, characters should not be limited with Mechanical Ranged Weaponry, but probably still restricted from the Superior Mechanical Ranged Weaponry legendary talent. This is generally considered the standard for many Pathfinder Campaign Settings.
Commonplace Guns: If firearms are very common, so much so that they are now considered martial weapons (instead of exotic), characters who invest a single talent into Mechanical Ranged Weaponry should unlock both exotic crossbows and early firearms. Investing a second talent should unlock advanced firearms. Superior Mechanical Ranged Weaponry if allowed, should be available to PCs with two talents invested in Mechanical Ranged Weaponry (instead of 3).
Guns Everywhere: If firearms are so common that they are considered simple weapons (instead of exotic), characters who invest a single talent into Mechanical Ranged Weaponry, should unlock exotic crossbows, early firearms, and advanced firearms as if investing three talents.
Players should treat the first instance of Superior Mechanical Ranged Weaponry not as a legendary talent but as a basic talent. The second instance of Superior Mechanical Ranged Weaponry should still be treated as a legendary talent unless other technological weapons are available on the open market.
Setting Frameworks
Unlike magic, which exists as pure speculation, technology is a real and visible part of everyday life in the real world. Some groups may find that having advanced, non-magical robots, laser-swords, and miraculous medical marvels borne purely of chemistry breaks the established mold for their setting. To account for this, use setting frameworks as a guide for how best to integrate technology into your setting.
Setting frameworks are sets of drawbacks for the Alchemy, Tech, and Trap sphere, as well as a suggested list of what talents are more or less appropriate for that type of setting (as these drawbacks would be based upon the settings limitations and not the characters, they could not be bought off with talents). Setting framework drawbacks would also be applied to any crafted technical items if that optional ruleset is being used.
These frameworks are written with the idea that technology is different in every setting, more or less advanced, or perhaps nonexistent! Maybe your “technology” is really just small constructs powered by woodland critters, or merely a different subset of magical abilities. Regardless, use setting frameworks as a guideline when determining how best to integrate Alchemy, Tech, and Trap spheres’ mechanics into your setting.
A GM can have a setting have multiple frameworks at once, and create any they feel is appropriate. Here are some sample setting frameworks:
Anachronist
In this setting technology exists anachronistically and generally developed separately from general society and only introduced recently. Perhaps a cache from a fallen civilization was discovered. Or is scavenged from a crashed ship. Regardless, this technology is often unreliable and irreproducible.
Framework Drawbacks: Environmental Fuel Source (existing power grids), Expensive Gadgets, Incomplete Knowledge, Specific Drone (robot)
Steampunk
Often seen in Victorian or wild west settings, technology takes a different path, and develops years ahead of its time creating technological marvels with an early industrial aesthetic.
Framework Drawbacks: Alternative Craft (Knowledge (engineering)), Expensive Fuel Source (coal), Obvious Activation, Specific Drone (steampowered drone), Uninsulated (water), Wired Gadgets
Stranger Magic
This setting has well-understood, widespread magic, and technology and chemistry as presented in the Alchemy, Tech, and Trap spheres are simply an alternate practice of magic.
Framework Drawbacks: Mana Chemistry, Mana Engineering, Mana Trap
Starfinder Conversion
In addition to the conversion rules found in Spheres of Might (pages 232 - 235), make the following changes when converting the Tech sphere to the Starfinder system.
- Any reference to the Craft (mechanical) skill should now refer to the Engineering skill.
- Any reference to the Profession (driver) skill should now refer to the Piloting skill.
The Drone talent has the following changes:
Drone (gadget, signal)
You may build and modify a drone, similar to those available to the mechanic class. Your effective mechanic level for the purpose of this drone is equal to your ranks in Engineering -3 (minimum 1). If you already possess a drone or if you take this talent a second time, your effective mechanic level increases by 4, to a maximum of your character level. Your effective mechanic level stacks with those from other sources to a maximum of your character level.
Archetypes Specializing In Tech
-Machinehead
The Machinehead is an Armiger who can create and combine technological tools.
-Rigger
The Rigger is a Technician who can quickly recharge and jury-rig devices.
-Space Marine
The Space Marine is a Gunslinger who gains adept martial proficiency and can use mechanical ranged weaponry to great effect.