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Radio and Robots – High-Tech Equipment for Classic D&D

by Cab Davidson from Threshold Magazine issue 34

Whether you’re trying to equip a party of NPCs from high-tech societies such as oard or planar spiders, running a science fantasy game such as Blackmoor at the very peak of its civilisation, or even just wanting to drop a few oddball items into a normal fantasy campaign, a list of high-tech equipment is a must have. This is something we see frequent reference to in old-school D&D without ever really getting anything like a comprehensive list. So here is a selection of some of the weird, wacky, wonderful and (just sometimes) useful items that might be available to buy, steal, or that might flat-out kill you next time your party is shopping at Alpha Proxima Megamart or exploring the smoking remains of a crashed starship.

Much of the equipment here is adapted from TSR’s classic “Star Frontiers” game, while other items are influenced by technological items in classic D&D, such as the DA module series and “Wrath of the Immortals”. This article is an attempt to consolidate the whole topic of high-tech equipment in a simple, easy to use list, and to add many new options not given in earlier products too. Included is a simple guide to vehicles in high-tech societies, essential for when your budding wizard-monk character needs to sell their speeder to escape a backwater desert planet and join the galactic rebellion, and a short guide to robots and cyborgs.

But first, some general notes on what you’re about to read.

Costs: These are assumed to be gold piece equivalent. Whether you’re paying Republic Credits, Galactic Ningis, or actual gold pieces, treat these costs as ratiometrically correct. A flashlight may not literally cost you 5gp (or if that’s how the economy works on your planet, it may) but it’s probably fair to say that a personal wormhole, rated as costing 5,000gp, is worth about a thousand times more than that.

Encumbrance: Precise weights are not given, as I’m assuming that you’re using the simplified classic D&D encumbrance rules from the 1983 Basic Set. If that is not the case, then feel free to add weights to each or any of the items here. Some items, such as an allweather blanket, weigh practically nothing but are quite bulky and might have a nominal encumbrance of 20cn despite weighing less than 5cn, whereas a chronocom may weigh around 2cn but being worn like a wristwatch means it has no measurable encumbrance at all. DMs are encouraged to think rationally about how much detail they wish to add.

Power Sources: Power sources for powered equipment, where not included in the item themselves, are interchangeable with those used to power high-tech weapons (see accompanying article). Energy clips are roughly palm-sized, rechargeable units weighing 3cn that slot into the handle or stock of the weapon, holding 20 charges that can be expended before charging. Belt packs are around 8" by 4" by 2", weigh 50cn, and hold 50 charges. Multiple devices can be plugged into belt packs, and they can also be recharged. Power backpacks are larger still and hold 150 charges. They can also be used to simultaneously power multiple devices, but they are heavy, having an encumbrance of 150cn, and they prevent any other backpack being worn. Lastly, for static guns or linking to huge numbers of smaller devices (typically used with heavy lasers) static power banks can be used. These may come in capacities ranging from 500 to 2,000 charges, can simultaneously supply power to many devices, but they are essentially immobile. Ships and other large vehicles and installations contain many generators, and can be used to charge any rechargeable power source, at a rate of 20% of maximum capacity per hour (for example, a 20-charge power clip gains 4 charges per hour if left charging).

Item Descriptions

Allweather Blanket: Foil and plastic laminate material, will keep a single creature warm while sleeping in conditions as cold as -20°C (-4°F).

Anti-Shock Implant: Must be implanted by a surgeon. Confers immunity to stun and delay effects and gives a +4 bonus to saves vs. knockout and paralysis. Battery life is 2 years.

Babelvox: Worn like a band around the neck, with a wire connecting to an earpiece (or to two), this device detects incoming languages and translates any known language into whichever language it is programmed to output for the user, and likewise translates the user’s words into the language it determines those nearby can hear. It can learn a new language in d% hours of exposure to that spoken tongue, and all are pre-programmed with all known Frontier languages and Interlac (a simplified language common on Federation and Frontier worlds). A babelvox uses 1 charge per day of use and can hold up to 6 charges.

Breathing Apparatus: Fits over the head, with goggles, for environments without breathable air but with traces of oxygen, and where a simple gasmask is insufficient. Comes with scrubbers and oxygen-concentrator gills. One standard charge lasts 20 hours.

Bugbot: A slow-moving (30') but tiny and inconspicuous (half an inch across) semi-autonomous (RC2) robot that can be synced with a chronocom or any other personal computer device to allow tracking and sound recording, with a transmission range of 12 miles (or up to 100 miles from an orbital position). Can easily be destroyed if discovered.

Chronocom: A miniature computer (RC4) worn on the wrist like a watch. It can be used for video and audio communication or for interfacing with robots and other devices under the operator’s control. Without other devices to boost signal (such as transmitter towers or radiophone) it can contact other chonocom or padcomp devices within 5 miles. This device is charged by the motion of its wearer, but if unworn it runs out of charge after 1 week.

Envirosuit: A tight-fitting, environmentally controlled suit that incorporates breathing apparatus or a gasmask, for survival in hostile environments. It uses 1 energy charge per day to heat or cool, or 1 charge per hour if it must also protect its wearer from vacuum or high/low pressure environments. It has standard energy and data fittings.

Everflame: A small lighter, containing a tiny radioisotope source which converts the air ¼" above it to burning plasma when a button is pressed, igniting any combustible material it is brought into contact with. Each device has an anticipated lifespan of 5 years and cannot be recharged.

Exoskeleton: A frame constructed to be worn outside any clothing, joining to arm and leg joints, and bracing the neck and back of the wearer. Donning or removing an exoskeleton takes two full turns. It allows the wearer to run at up to double their normal movement rate, with four times their normal carrying capacity. They may jump straight up into the air 20', or forward by 30'. The wearer gains a +3 bonus to their strength. Exoskeletons containing slots for weaponry, welding tools, etc., are known from certain military and other specialised providers but are not easily available. An exoskeleton uses 1 standard charge per minute of operation.

Flashlight: A small torch that can fit a standard energy clip or be linked to any other energy pack, using 1 charge per 10 hours of use, illuminating an area up to 30' across up to 300' away.

Freezefield: A personal (5" by 5" box) stasis field that can be activated for a single individual to which it is (potentially very rapidly) attached. When used with a dead or dying victim within 2 minutes of any form of death not too extreme (damage inflicted taking the subject to no more than -50hp) this places the patient into stasis, no longer degrading any further, for up to 200 hours (at which point its internal battery runs out and the patient dies). During this time a medic, cleric or medbot may try to revive the character (who is treated as if alive, but with 0hp).

Gasmask: Where toxins or dangerous gases are present in an otherwise breathable environment, a gasmask confers immunity thereto.

Gravboots: Boots with small gravity generators, allowing the wearer to walk and run normally in low-gravity environments. Can be toggled to a padcomp or chronocom for wireless control (allowing, for example, a character to take a run up and then turn the gravboots off to cross a chasm with a single jump in low-gravity environments). They contain their own power supply, which needs recharging (equivalent to 10 standard power charges) after 24 hours of use.

Hazard Gauge: A device typically worn round the wrist which alerts its user to risks, lighting up blue if exposed to hazardous radioactivity, red in low oxygen conditions, and yellow if toxic substances are detected in the air. A user may also push a central button to get readouts of all three parameters on screen, which will appear green if no hazards are present. It can be linked to a padcomp for data logging or transmission. It is powered by the wearer’s movement.

Instaraft: Around the size of a suitcase, the removal of a pin and pulling of a string causes an immediate inflation of a life raft therefrom. The vessel is 12' long, 6' wide, covered, and made of a very robust rubbery plastic. With a single entry point that can be zipped up, it can fit 6 people with limited comfort. It contains sufficient survival rations for 6 people for 2 weeks, and 2 dozen emergency water bottles with reusable filters (allowing them to be used to desalinise and remove any toxins from water). A small beacon light is found at the point of the roof cover, and an emergency radio transmitter can be activated by passengers.

Ion Boots: Each boot is powered using a standard energy clip, using 1 charge per day. While turned on, the wearer walks roughly 1" above the surface of the ground, allowing them to walk on water or any similar liquid, and allowing them to avoid pit traps.

IR Goggles: These can operate in two modes. In passive mode they provide infravision to a range of 90', but only in darkness. In active mode they give infravision to a range of 120', in any lighting conditions, but the wearer is very visible to others with infravision due to the emission of bright IR light that is needed for this function. In passive mode they use 1 standard charge per day, while in active mode they use one charge per hour.

IR Jammer: A small box worn on a belt. This confers invisibility to IR goggles or infravision, using 1 standard charge per hour.

Jetpack: A small, portable rucksack (weighing around 100cn) that allows the wearer to fly. Any standard power pack can be used, including a power backpack (to which it can be attached). Jetpacks confer the ability to fly at up to 360' per turn, at the cost of 1 charge per turn, or at emergency speed up to 360' per round, also at the cost of a single charge per round. Usually they are steered by the wearer holding a portable joystick in one hand, but some may be configured to read the direction the wearer’s head is facing.

Life Jacket: A tough, self-inflating floatation device that can either be worn under or over clothing or packed into a ball around the size of a fist. Pulling a string causes it to inflate instantly. It also contains a small light source that will remain visible for up to 2 days, and a whistle.

Magnigoggles: Can focus on items from 6" distance to anything within sight, providing up to 10x magnification. They take a standard energy supply and use 1 charge per turn of use.

Medkit: A standard medkit contains the following:
Acid neutraliser. 1 bottle of liquid to neutralise acids (restores half of all acid damage if applied within 2 rounds).
Antiseptic. 5 cans of spray to clean and disinfect a skin area (if applied within 6 rounds, any disease-causing effect is neutralised).
Surgeon Bot. A small machine that keeps wounds open and controls bleeding during surgery, and which can allow a surgeon to perform minor procedures on themselves.
Laser scalpel. Used to make incisions.
Mediscan. An electrical instrument used to diagnose ailments (determining the nature of any and all injuries, poisons or illnesses).
Microforceps. Adjustable, used to remove shrapnel and bullet fragments from wounds.
Medical Glue. 5 cans of spray that closes wounds and heals burns (treat as cure light wounds).
Hypospray. Syringe used to give shots without a needle. Contains:
Universal Adjuvant. 10 hypo doses that increase the body’s ability to recover from diseases (treat as cure disease).
Antitox. 10 hypo doses to neutralise poisons (treat as neutralise poison).
Stem Cell Booster. 20 hypo doses to stimulate very fast healing (treat as cure serious wounds).
Veritas Blend. 10 hypo doses of truth serum (victim must save vs. poison or be forced to tell the truth for 1 turn).
Stim. 10 hypo doses to revive unconscious individuals (removes knockout, stun and paralysis effects).
Save dose. 10 hypo doses to sustain a dying person for 20 hours (treat as cure light wounds, but only for subjects with under 10hp).
Painaway. Local anaesthetic. 10 hypo doses to relieve pain.
Panacyclin. A near universal antibiotic. 10 hypo doses to control infections.

Charges of hypo-spray treatments and other consumables from the kit can be replaced at a cost of 30gp equivalent each.

Nanite Pack: A small, hand-sized box containing millions of tiny robots, with a miniaturised control dial on the outside of the box. A number of mission settings can be chosen for the nanobots, and the box placed on one creature (possibly necessitating an attack roll) at which point the nanites will work to complete their selected mission. A list of standard missions includes the following:

Heal: The nanites work for 5d6 rounds, restoring 1d6+1hp of damage per round.
Protect: Predictive algorithms allow the nanites to shield the subject from incoming damage. For 1 hour, each time the recipient would take damage they may make a saving throw vs. spells to reduce that damage by half.
Enhance: The recipient benefits from bonuses of +2 to strength, dexterity and constitution for 1 hour.
Accelerate: The recipient’s standard movement rate is doubled for 1 hour.
Harm: The nanites work for 5d6 rounds, inflicting 1d6+1 damage per round.
Soften: The algorithms designed to protect a user are instead used to maximise the force of incoming damage. Each time the recipient would take damage, they must make a saving throw vs. spells or instead take double that damage.
Hinder: The recipient, if struck by the nanite pack, suffers -2 penalties to strength, dexterity and constitution for 1 hour.
Slow: The recipient is, if struck by the nanite pack, slowed for 1 hour, being able to move at only half of their normal movement rate.

Note that any nanite pack applied to any creature under the influence of an already active nanite pack will immediately neutralise the first effect. No creature can have two nanite packs active at any one time. If a character wishes to remove a negative effect of a nanite pack, cure disease, neutralise poison, cureall or other similar effects will do so.

Nanosolv: A small, single-use aerosol of a solvent that can be used to dissolve web, tangler grenade strands, polymer rope bonds, glue, and similar materials.

Padcomp: A small (5" by 4") hand-held, touch-screen computer (RC4) and communications device, made to wirelessly link to any standard computer terminal or communicable robot. Can be used to control and program such devices, as well as to interface and communicate via ships or land-based networks. Can connect to orbital transmitters, and has a range of 20 miles for communicating with robots and other padcomps or chronocoms. An accompanying earpiece can allow hands-free communication with others connected to a network. Uses 2 standard charges per day, can hold up to 10 charges.

Parawing: Essentially a parachute with small rocket motors, facilitating escape from high altitude, and conferring the same effects as a fly spell for up to 3 turns. It requires 30' of space to open.

Personal Wormhole Generator: A handy device fitting around the wrist, which fits a standard energy clip. For the expenditure of 4 charges, the wearer can step to any visible location within 240', as per a dimension door spell.

Pocket Tool: A small pocket multitool, reminiscent of a Swiss Army Knife, with the following functions:

A penknife blade
A universal screwdriver
A small, adjustable wrench
A miniature saw blade
A pen
Tweezers
A corkscrew
Vice pliers
A hole puncher
A small flashlight

Quantum Communicator: Also known as a quantophone. Similar to a radiophone, but massively more powerful. Using quantum waves it can be used to contact any known radiophone, quantum communicator, or other communication device within the same star system, and up to 1 plane of existence away (the ethereal from the prime, any of the elemental planes, the astral or the prime from the ethereal, etc.).

Radiophone: A long-range communication device, around 8" by 8" by 4", able to connect with stations and ships in orbit and other radiophones within 1,000 miles, regardless of connection to computer networks. 10 minutes of use drains one standard charge from any power pack. Can be used to connect padcomps or chronocoms within 1,000 miles to produce a network.

Robocom Kit: Standard toolkit for robotics and computer specialists. Contains:

Breadboard circuits. Standard boards for mounting robot circuitry.
Sonic Calipers. Capable of taking measurements as small as 0.0001'.
Components. Box of transistors, diodes and computer chips for robot circuits.
Demagnetizer. Electrical tool to demagnetise fouled circuits.
Sonic Driver. Rotates all shapes and sizes of screws and bolts.
Sonocutter. Powered metal-cutting shears (sheet metal only).
Insulated wire. 30'.
Plasma Tape. 6" wide x 15' long, bonds directly to any metal.
Lasoldering iron. Laser soldering iron.
By-pass clips. 10 small connectors used to short-circuit wiring.
Miniature flashlight. 20 hours of light; magnetised handle.
Needlenose pliers. Similar to 20th century tool.
Oscilloscope. Miniaturised viewer which displays information on electrical flow and other aspects of circuitry.
Solv Spray. Spray solvent to remove dirt from the robot’s works; 10 applications.
Spray Lube. 10 applications of pressurised oil.
PTFE Spray. Will insulate circuits, cloth, etc., from moisture; five applications.
Sonic Scalpel. Tool for cutting plastic, metal or flesh; makes a smooth, bloodless incision up to 5mm deep.
Solder. 1-metre roll of conductive soft metal.

Scancorder: A powerful sensor device, a rugged hand-held (RC4) computer and scanner that can log information about its surroundings. It can be used to analyse and record sound, electromagnetic and ionising radiation, motion, the chemical and physical makeup of materials, power sources, and the type and number of living organisms, all within a range of 100'. The closer the subject interrogated, the better the information gained. A scancorder can be used to detect and identify diseases and injuries, or for diagnosing mechanical defects and damage to machinery. It can be calibrated to detect both invisible and magical effects, if used by skilled operatives. It uses 1 energy charge per hour of use and can hold up to 20 charges, and can be wirelessly linked to padcomps, robots of RC4 or higher, and other communications and computer devices both to reprogram for unusual sensing applications and to upload data.

Polyblastix: The standard plastic explosive used across the Federation often referred to as “kaboomite”. Only a licensed demolitions expert can purchase this legally. It is typically used with a variable timer/detonator, which can be set from 1–60 seconds, 1–60 minutes or 1–60 hours, but radio detonators are also known. A 1cn charge inflicts 8d6 damage to any creature within 3' of the explosion, with each additional 1cn increasing damage by 4d6, to a maximum damage of 20d6. For each 2cn added, the area of effect of the explosion is increased by 3', to a maximum area of effect of 60'. For damage to buildings, a well-placed charge (with a successful skill check) does full damage to any construction, with a failed skill check or inexpert use of the charge only damaging the building as per normal rules for fire damage. Note that with safe packaging, polyblastix must contain at least 2lb of packing material, whether 1cn or many hundreds are carried.

Polyblastix is somewhat more stable in pentaspaces than traditional ammunition (see the accompanying guns article for details) but can still be unpredictable. It is only likely to explode unpredictably in large volumes, of more than 10cn. Every 2cn above this is treated as an extra round of ammunition for determination of instability.

Starflare: A small, dense, single-use power source with a rocket attachment that, when triggered, flies straight up 600' (or until it hits a hard ceiling) before discharging its power over 1 hour, illuminating an area 1 mile across.

Suction Gun: A pistol containing a single charge that fires a piton on the end of a long (300') rope. It has a laser pointer projecting a point at a target, giving a +4 to hit, and with a hit roll modified thus the gun propels the piton to a target where it embeds. A button can then be pressed, causing the rope to coil back into the gun, with straps from the handle of the gun wrapping around the user’s wrists either taking the user towards the target or the target towards the user (if it is not held and it is lighter than the user). This can be used to climb sheer surfaces, get up to a bridge from below, grab an item from a distance, etc. If used as a weapon it causes 2d6 damage, and if skewered by the piton, the wielder (if desired) may pull the target towards them (or if the target is heavier, be pulled to the target). A save vs. paralysis roll is allowed to avoid being skewered by the piton and pulled to the wielder. The cord recoils at a rate of 60' per round.

A suction gun is a single-use item.

Sungoggles: Thick sunglasses, for use in bright environments.

Survival Rations: Foil-wrapped survival rations, usually in biscuit or slab form, with dissolvable tablets to purify up to 2 gallons of water. The cost is the equivalent of 1gp per person per day.

Techkit: The standard tools of a technician. Contains:

Sonic Driver. Rotates all shapes and sizes of screws and bolts.
Sonosnips. Powered metal-cutting shears (sheet metal only).
Insulated wire. 30'.
Plasma Tape. 6" wide x 15' long, bonds directly to any metal.
Hammer. Large ball-peen high-impact head.
Jack. 5,000 kg capacity, 18" lift, collapses to a 10" cube.
Mag grips, Electromagnetic vice-grips.
Wrench. Adjustable (as socket wrench).
Polybond. Tube of plastic filler, bonds to any plastic surface in one minute; five applications.
Prybar. 3' plasteel rod, collapses to 6".
Spray lubricant. 10 applications of pressurised synthoil.
PTFE waterproofing. Will insulate circuits, cloth, etc., from moisture; 5 applications.
Socket wrench. Adjustable from ¼" to 2".
Uninsulated wire. 80', can support 2 tons.
10 pneumatic hoses. Of assorted sizes.
500 nuts, bolts, clamps, screws and nails. Of assorted shapes and sizes.

Tracker: A small (around 2" square), self-adhesive transmitter that is activated by tapping it to a com unit (padcomp, chronocom, etc.) which pairs it to the tracker. After which, the pad can give a direction and distance reading to the tracker, as long as it is still working, is not shielded in any way, on the same plane of existence, and is within the same star system. The tracker gives no further information than location.

The backing of a tracker is engineered to stick to nearly any surface but is typically attached to vehicles or robots. A tracker has sufficient power to transmit location information for up to 5 days.

Utility Drone: A small (18" by 18") circular quadcopter drone designed to attach to any standard power charger on common vehicle and generator type to charge, and able to operate independently for up to 24 hours on a single charge. Its standard operation is simple, and it can be paired with any padcomp or chronocom.

The utility drone serves many functions. It can be set to rise to a height of up to 800' and circle, scanning the area with weak microwave emissions that penetrate soft cover (tree canopies, crops, etc.) to create a map of an area 1 mile across. This process takes 15 minutes. It can be instructed to rise to a height of 1,600' and act as a data hub, linking a group of up to 100 mobile computers of any type to a single secure network, with a range of 50 miles. It can be set to ‘guard mode’; while in this use, the drone can be set into ‘guard mode’. In this configuration, if it detects a creature taller than 18" approaching within a quarter of a mile of a given location, it will send alerts to all devices in its network. While using guard mode it can be set to active IR, during which time it will appear as a bright heat source to anyone with infravision as long as it is in line of sight, the IR light it produces being sufficient to allow infravision or standard IR devices (such as the utility drone itself) to work in daylight and to double their range at night. A user can also pilot the drone from their padcomp, with a range of up to 3 miles, viewing a real time camera feed on screen.

Utility drones have an AC of 4, and 20hp. They cannot attack. They have a movement rate of up to 360' (120').

Vitahydrate Pills: Sold in packs of 12. If two per day are taken, this reduces the need for water by 25%, thus they are immensely valuable in hot environments.

Vortex Gloves: Gloves made of a silky, white, smart plastic, each with a standard energy attachment allowing them to be linked to any standard energy pack, and each also containing a pass-through socket allowing powered items held to be connected to any carried power packs via the gloves. At a cost of 1 charge per round, the gloves can be used to manipulate objects at distance, effectively opening small wormholes between the user and any point within 180', allowing the user to wield objects at a distance, make hand to hand attacks, etc. Any objects held also appear, with the hands, at the other end of the wormhole. Note that while this may confer surprise (most creatures will not expect to be attacked thus), the wormhole is a two-way phenomenon, and the wearer of vortex gloves is not immune to damage from creatures at the far end.

Water Pack: 8 reuseable plastic water bags on a simple frame allowing them to be attached to or worn as a rucksack. Each also contains a reuseable cleaning and desalinisation filter, turning potentially dirty water clean, allowing bags to be refilled almost anywhere.

Table 1: Other Tech Gear

Item	Cost	Note
Allweather Blanket	20	Plastic, protects to -4°F
Anti Shock Implant	2,000	Confers immunity to stun and delay
Breathing Apparatus	200
Babelvox	1,000	Translator device
Bugbot	100
Chronocom	100	Watch/communication device
Compass	10
Envirosuit	100
Everflame	100
Exoskeleton	3,000	Extra strength and carrying capacity
Flashlight	5	200 hours, 300' range
Freezefield	1,200	Emergency stasis field
Gasmask	30
Gravboots	500	Points feet down
Hazard Gauge	100	Detects dangers
Instaraft	500	Emergency escape boat
Ion Boots	1,000
IR Goggles	200	24 hours on full charge
IR Jammer	600	Invisibility to infravision
Jetpack	1500	Flight enabler
Life Jacket	10
Magnigoggles	200	Binoculars and magnifiers
Medkit	500	Doctor’s kit
Nanite pack	1,500	1 dose
Padcomp	400	Small computer
Parawing	250	Jet parachute
Personal Wormhole Generator	5,000	Dimension Door tool
Pocket Tool	20	Multitool
Quantum Communicator	10,000	Contact other planes
Radiophone	600	Communicator
Robcomkit	500	For robotics and computers
Scancorder	3,000	Universal sensor
Nanosolv	10	Spray escape
Polyblastix	50/cn	Explosive ‘kaboomite’
Starflare	50	Goes up 600', illuminates 1 mile radius
Suction Gun	100	Rope gun
Sungoggles	2	Thick sunglasses
Survival Rations	1	Water purifier pill and 1 days food
Techkit	500	Standard technician’s toolkit
Tracker	400	Locator device
Utility Drone	1,500	Handy surveillance drone
Variable Timer/Detonator	5
Vitahydrate Pills	10	Salt replacement, reduces need for water
Vortex Gloves	750	Manipulate objects at range
Water Pack	5	8 resealable bags

High-Tech Vehicles

As in all things in high-tech societies, a myriad of means of getting around are produced by countless manufacturers. For simplicity these are divided into various categories presented below and summarised in table 2, with numerous vehicle classes representing many makes, models, and types. As per real world experience, many differences between near identical vehicles may be purely cosmetic, or a DM may choose to amend individual vehicles with small differences in performance.

Explanation of Vehicles Table

Vehicle: Refers to the type of vehicle. While there are many kinds of each (just as there are different manufacturers of cars and helicopters in the real world), for convenience they are divided into simple groups.

Speed: Motorised vehicle speeds are given in maximum miles per hour and yards per round. Note that vehicles do not have combat speeds per se but can operate at up to their maximum speed. Acceleration or deceleration of up to ¼ of the vehicle’s maximum movement speed per round counts as a single manoeuvre, trying to accelerate at ½ speed counts as 2 manoeuvres, ¾ as 3 manoeuvres, and to go from static to full speed in a single round counts as 4 manoeuvres.

Hover vehicles can maintain top speed over most terrain, including water, but cannot cross heavy seas, go through dense forests or through areas of large rocks. Wheeled vehicles can only reach top speeds on flat roads, and occasionally on some extremely flat natural terrain. Traditional (cobbled) roads effectively top out speeds of ground cars and ground transports at half maximum, with dirt tracks and similar modifying the speed according to the DM’s judgement. E-cycles and explorers can travel at up to 75% of full speed on dirt tracks and cobbled roads.

Seats: The number of seats that a vehicle can easily accommodate. Note that vehicles may be converted to carry more people, with ground transports and hover transports being easily adaptable into buses, exchanging cargo capacity for up to 80 seats.

Cargo: Cargo capacity is treated as normal.

Fuel: All of the vehicles described are powered by parabatteries. These range in size from fist-sized to 1 cubic metre. The following four types referred to as P1, 2, 3 and 4 are used in vehicles.

P1: E-cycles and hovercycles (6" cube, 400cn)

P2: E-cars and hovercars (18" cube, 600cn)

P3: E-transports, hover transports and explorers (2' cube, 800cn)

P4: aircars and helijets (3' cube, 1,000cn)

Manoeuvring Factor: The number of manoeuvres that a vehicle can make per round (see flying vehicle rules in Dawn of the Emperors).

Table 2: Vehicles

Vehicle	Cost	Speed	Seats	Cargo (cn)	Fuel	Manoeuvring factor	AC	HP
E-Car	5,000	120mph (600yd)	6	3,000	P2	3	1	200
E-Transport	15,000	90mph (440yd)	3	200,000	P3	2	3	400
E-Cycle	2,000	120mph (600yd)	2	400	P1	4	2	100
Hovercar	8,000	160mph (800yd)	6	2,000	P2	2	1	200
Hover Transport	20,000	120mph (600yd)	3	200,000	P3	1	3	400
Hover Cycle	2,000	160mph (800yd)	2	400	P1	3	2	100
Explorer	20,000	100mph (480yd)	6	40,000	P3	4	0	600
Helijet	40,000	300mph (1,500yd)	4	1,000	P4	3	3	400
Aircar	50,000	600mph (3,000yd)	4	6,000	P4	3	2	700

E-Car: A ground car is a wheeled vehicle very like a modern car, running on battery power. They are manoeuvrable and convenient, and commonly used. Ground cars can cross almost any type of terrain if they have ground clearance, but they are not as fast as hover vehicles on level ground or roads.

E-Transport: Ground transports are heavy, wheeled trucks. They can have open or enclosed cargo areas, or can be adapted for carrying passengers.

E-Cycle: Electric motorcycles. They are fast and very manoeuvrable.

Hovercar: A hovercar, often known as a skimmer or a speeder, is a car that floats on a magnetic cushion of air a foot above the ground. A pair of turbo fans propel a hovercar through the air. Hover vehicles are faster than ground vehicles but are less manoeuvrable and limited to travelling on fairly level surfaces or calm water.

Hover Transport: A hover transport is a heavy truck version of a skimmer.

Hovercycle: Hovercycles are two-man hover motorbikes. They are easier to ride and control than a ground cycle but less manoeuvrable.

Explorer: Heavy, four-wheel drive vans built for travelling and exploring in rugged areas. Manoeuvrable and reliable. Each wheel has its own motor, and the extra-wide tyres make it very stable. Explorers are air-tight and have a retractable rudder so they can cross open water, but they can be capsized by high waves.

Helijet: A helicopter with jet engines. At low speed they fly by means of helicopter rotors. Using the jet engines allows them to fly at high speed.

Aircar: An aircar is a vertical take-off and landing vehicle, or VTOL. It takes off and lands like a helicopter, but flies like an aeroplane.

Range

All vehicles listed above can travel 1,000 miles on a fully charged parabattery before being out of energy, at which point the battery must be recharged or replaced. Full charging requires access to a power generator and takes 4 hours multiplied by the battery type number. For example, to fully charge a truck battery requires 12 hours.

Operating Vehicles

Tech vehicles work almost exactly the same way as flying mounts and ships, using the rules from “Dawn of the Emperors”, with only a few differences. Firstly, if evenly spaced through the round, instead of one manoeuvre per round being free, two manoeuvres can be carried out for free, with further manoeuvres (up to the MF value of the vehicle) requiring skill checks. However, the initiation of a 2- or 3-manoeuvre turn in one moment always requires a skill check. This means that the speed of a vehicle may make tight turns extremely difficult, because of the motion of the vehicle between manoeuvres, perhaps necessitating slowing to turn without losing control.

Attacking vehicles is treated as if attacking buildings, with damage from weapons, physical and magical attacks handled as for stone constructions. When initially a vehicle takes 10% of its total HP damage, then for each successive 20% (therefore at 30%, 50%, 70% and 90% damage) roll on table 3 to determine the effect on driving. Roll d% and add the total % vehicle hit points lost to the roll. Note that damage is cumulative – a vehicle may take 20% followed by two 40% reductions in speed, and thus be immobilised.

When a moving vehicle is being attacked, remember that it may only be possible to attack it for a tiny proportion of a round. It may only be within range for a melee or missile attack for a second or less and it is important to apply rules for partial targets only available for a fraction of a round as given in the Rules Cyclopedia, potentially increasing the maximum to hit penalty further than the -8 given therein. Targets inside a vehicle are treated as having full hard cover, unless the windows are open, at which point they are treated as having three-quarter cover (unless bending down for protection). Users of hover bikes and e-bikes have no cover.

Table 3: Vehicle Damage Table

Damage Roll	Effect	Description
11–40	Cosmetic damage	Paintwork is damaged, or bodywork dented. Perhaps the glass is cracked.
41–60	20% speed reduction	Top speed and acceleration reduced by 20%.
61–80	40% speed reduction	Top speed and acceleration reduced by 40%. Smoke or sparks may also be coming out of the vehicle.
81–100	Skid	The vehicle moves at 10% of the speed planned that round, and a skill check is required to regain control. Current speed is reduced by 90%.
101–120	Spin	The vehicle is spinning and will move in a randomly determined forward direction at 10% of its speed, and finish the round stationary (or falling), facing a random direction.
121–140	Roll	The vehicle has been upended and is rolling. It will overturn 1d6 times while moving at 10% of its former speed, causing 1d6 damage per roll to all occupants, before coming to a rest. Each roll inflicts a further 6d6 damage to the vehicle, and a flying vehicle will fall while rolling. A skill check at -4 is required to bring a falling flying vehicle back under control.
141–160	Burn	The vehicle is on fire. It continues moving as before. The vehicle takes 10d6 damage per round until the fire is extinguished, and all occupants likewise take 10d6 fire damage but can save vs. dragon breath for half damage.
161–180	Burn and roll	The vehicle suffers the effects of both roll and burn (see above).
181–200	Explodes	The vehicle explodes, inflicting 20d6 damage to all within 40'. Those outside the vehicle may save vs. dragon breath for half damage, whereas those inside take full damage (no saving throw).

Computers, Robots and Cyborgs

Computerisation is nearly ubiquitous on high-tech worlds, and it is impossible to detail every type or application thereof. But general notes for the use of computers, robots and cyborgs are provided.

A computer is any mechanical device designed to run programs, sets of instructions facilitating an almost endless set of tasks. A robot is a powered device that uses a computer to process information, with a body or physical form to carry out work. Cyborgs are robots with organic components making them very similar in appearance to living things, and contain only the most advanced computer brains. Experts in computer programming are skilled in creating the instructions to make computers and robots operate, whereas robotics experts specialise in the interactive physical forms of robots.

Robots and cyborgs range from very cheap, menial items to extraordinarily complex proxies for the most intelligent humans, from simple bottle washers to horribly beweaponed battle droids, and consequently the costs for purchasing them are hugely variable, based on the capabilities of the machine and the quality of the computer brain that operates it. Prices for buying them are summarised in table 5.

There are hundreds of varieties of computers and robots used across Federation, oard and planar spider worlds and within their ships, and computers of various forms are embedded in almost every form of technology. They vary from the most menial (shoe polishers, pocket calculators, carpet cleaners, traffic regulators, etc.) through to strategic brain bots that govern the movement of vast sums of money through markets and AI-capable robots dealing with the most profound research questions in hypermathematics and quantum multiverse theories. All robots are immune to sleep and hold spells, all poisons and poison gases, and take half damage from fire, electrical and cold based attacks (saving for a quarter). Class 1–5 robots and computers are immune to charm spells, whereas RC6 are vulnerable to such but may make a saving throw with a +4 bonus.

Computer (CC) or Robot Class (RC) and Intelligence: Computers including those embedded within robots and the various types (padcomps, chronocomps, etc.) described in the equipment section are constructed with different classes of processing power graded from class 1 to class 6. The capacity of this artificial brain governs the number of programs it can run simultaneously, but higher-capacity systems come at significantly greater cost. Each higher category of computer can accomplish all of the mental tasks of lower category robots, with extra abilities. Computer and robot classes are categorised in table 4.

Table 4: Computer and Robot Classes

Class	Int	Description and Examples
1	0	Can run 1 simple program (polish a floor, shoot at approaching targets, perform as a calculator, etc.).
2	2	Can run multiple simple programs or a more complex set of tasks (e.g. crush rocks and sort an ore, shoot at targets that don’t have a password, etc.). Can receive encoded radio instructions.
3	4	Can run multiple simple programs, or more complex tasks, and can receive and respond to verbal commands (and ignore them if they contravene programming). For example, a class 3 domestic servant robot may be able to run a household, prioritising tasks in order of importance to complete them to a schedule.
4	8	Can act semi-independently to accomplish a goal, thus programming can be based on a required goal rather than actions. This flexibility allows them to work out how, from any number of options, to complete a given task. Can act as a sensor and mission hub for other robots.
5	16	Can act fully independently, prioritising tasks and fully controlling other allied machines via encoded data links. For example, a security bot may choose to rescue victims of a criminal while simultaneously organising pursuit of the miscreant using other robots. Can be programmed to download software to accomplish unexpected tasks as needed, making a good proxy for independent but occasionally uncreative thought. Possesses the computer security skill (see below).
6	Up to 20	A sentient, fully autonomous robotic mind able to create and modify its own programming or that of linked devices, such as when running a factory to respond to real-time economic data, or to throw in ‘wild card’ unexpected tactics in combat to surprise and destabilise opponents. Capable of empathy and conscience, creativity, and strategy. Possesses computer programming and computer security skills (see below).

Robot Types

Infbot Ubot
AC: -2 3
HD: 8** 6
Movement: 120' (40') 30' (10')
Attacks: 2 weapons 1 grapple
Damage: By weapon 1d4
No. Appearing: 2d6 (2d6) 1d6 (2d6)
Save As: F16 F8
Morale: 10 6
Treasure Type: Nil Nil
Robot Class: 2–5 1–5
Alignment: Lawful Lawful
XP Value: 1,750 275

Ecobot Sbot
AC: 0 5
HD: 12** 3
Movement: 120' (40') 90' (30')
Attacks: 1 needler 1 weapon
Damage: 1d8+Special By weapon
No. Appearing: 1 (1) 1d6 (2d6)
Save As: F24 F6
Morale: 10 12
Treasure Type: Nil Nil
Robot Class: 4-6 2–5
Alignment: Lawful Lawful
XP Value: 3,000 35

Riotbot Medibot
AC: -3 5
HD: 16** 7
Movement (flying): 180' (60') 360' (120')
Attacks: 2 weapons 4 scalpels
Damage: By weapon 1d4 each
No. Appearing: 1 (2d4) 1 (1d6)
Save As: F32 F14
Morale: 11 12
Treasure Type: Nil Nil
Robot Class: 2–5 4–5
Alignment: Lawful Lawful
XP Value: 4,050 175

Hbot Offbot
AC: 2 -2
HD: 20–40* 12**
Movement: 90' (30') 120' (40')
Attacks: 1 2 weapons
Damage: 4d10 to 10d10 By weapon
No. Appearing: 1 (1) 1(1)
Save As: F36 F24
Morale: 12 10
Treasure Type: Nil Nil
Robot Class: 1–6 5–6
Alignment: Lawful Lawful
XP Value: 4,500 to 13,000 3,250

Infbot (Infantry Robot): Standard military-grade infantry robots, typically bipedal and designed to take the role of living infantry soldiers and commonly also used in policing. Most are of lower RC, while sergeants are usually RC4 and officers typically RC5. All contain two weapons (see accompanying article on high-tech weapons) inserted in standard weapon bays, which are for most infantry either dual blasters or lasers, occasionally with heavy-weapon models carrying grenade launchers in place of one of the blasters. Policing and riot-control units may also include grenade launchers with sleep or tangler ammunition and can incorporate needler guns for less lethal law enforcement. Melee weapons (laser and sonic swords) are sometimes preferred, but all infbots are configured to strike as if wearing shock gloves that are capable of discharging up to 6 charges (for 6d6 damage). Almost any combination of weapons can be added for different mission profiles.

A typical military squad of infbots contains around 8 members, most configured for small arms with one or two equipped with heavy weapons, but larger regiments of many hundreds are employed for specific tasks.

Infbots are able to function for 24 hours at full activity level without needing to recharge and can enter a standby mode that expends only 1 minute’s worth of normal power per hour, utilising only acoustic and optical sensors while doing so. They have infravision to a range of 60'. Weapons packs may contain up to 200 standard charges, and 40 grenades or 100 needler rounds. Models fitted with jetpacks or able to control military vehicles are known.

Ubot (Utility Robot): Standing between 3' and 4' tall, and flying on a magnetic cushion around 1' high, ubots are slow servants designed for the automation of countless tasks, everything from laundry and washing dishes through to repair of the exterior of spacecraft. While individual programming is often limited, the adaptability of the ubot means that almost any tool and software package can be used, making the ubot universal on Federation missions, in factories and in homes. Typically, a ubot carries 1d4 separate tools for various jobs, and while class 1 ubots are limited in the work they can do, higher class ubots are used for almost every automatable job.

While anything may be weaponised, ubots are approaching harmless, and it takes very specialised programming to make them hostile. If attacked they will usually wave their tools to return the attack before, typically, seeking to raise an alarm to get help.

Ecobot (Ecology Robot): Almost identical in appearance to the ubot, ecobots are more robust, with a toughened duralloy case. This case is equipped with a holographic projection unit that allows them to hide their presence, allowing them to surprise any foe on a 1–5 on 1d6. They are designed to collect ecological specimens from worlds visited by Federation vessels, carrying 60 rounds of needler ammunition to allow them to stun animals, with a range of cutting and sampling tools to take specimens of air, earth, water, and plant matter. They are capable of conducting complex biochemical and genetic analysis of any plants, fungi, stunned or knocked-out animals, and can instantly synthesise serum to incapacitate them for 2d6 hours, during which time they are typically programmed to contact their mothership and await collection.

Ecobots are not aggressive, but in their desire to fulfil their programming they are invariably tenacious. An ecobot usually contains sufficient charge to remain active for 72 hours, or up to 6 months on power-saving mode, allowing them to wait and monitor a location for an extended period.

Sbot (Service Robot): Typically constructed to resemble their makers (a human would normally build a human-shaped sbot, a vrusk may have vrusk-shaped sbots, etc.), service robots are typically found doing domestic and menial work. They are commonly found acting as servants in the home, tour guides, teaching assistants, etc., anywhere that an anthropomorphic form would be preferred to something more abstract. While generally resembling their creators, they are not easily mistaken for living creatures in the way cyborgs are, usually having no organic components.

Most are class 3 or 4, being able to adapt to many simple tasks, but a few are class 2 (typically restricted to opening doors, polishing metalwork, etc.) and RC5 specimens (taking charge of other domestic robots within larger households, operating departments in large shops, etc.) are also known. They cannot (according to Federation law) be programmed for violence or aggression, but they may protect their masters if attacked (containing firmware requiring that they fight to the death to do so if necessary), typically attacking with a single weapon.

Sbots are not designed for endurance, and usually only contain a small power cell allowing 12 hours of constant action before requiring charging. Some models do allow the sbot to plug in a second battery that can charge while they are active, thus swapping their own power supply and remaining active for longer.

Riotbot: This is a medium-sized (6' x 6') autonomous or semi-autonomous quadcopter designed to work in unison with others of its type to control crowds, provide information, and suppress riots or uprisings where necessary. Each is equipped with a loudspeaker, a light projector and a screen on the underside such that messages may be transmitted vocally or visually to any who can see or hear it (usually from below), and two weapons from a wide range of available options (including needlers with 80 rounds, lasers or sonics with 200 charges, gyrojets with 75 rounds, and grenade launchers containing up to 20 rounds) that can be deployed at any targets lateral to or below the robot. In addition to standard weapons, one of the bays may be configured to contain gas cylinders containing 8 charges of a gas, which can be sprayed in a 200' cone, 80' wide at the far end. All those within the area of effect may make a save vs. poison or succumb to the effects of the gas. Various gases have been encountered, including those causing sleep, charm, fear, and deadly poison.

Typically, class 3 and 4 riotbots are deployed for most tasks, but for complex missions a type 5 is usually used for command and control of larger swarms.

Medibot (Medical Robot): Medibots are crudely humanoid in form, with four large fans located to force air through their bodies (on their shoulders and hips) to allow for quadcopter-style flight, to allow them to travel rapidly to an injured character. Most used in civilian roles are RC5 whereas to save cost most employed in military roles are RC4. Their role is to travel to a site of need (an accident or injury), rapidly assess the situation, provide emergency medical care, and arrange evacuation of the patient (typically via a second quickly deployed robot).

They are not programmed for combat but will try to hold any attackers at bay while treating a patient, being programmed to do so at any risk to themselves. They have four arms, with which they can apply medicines, perform medical tasks, or wield scalpels in defence. They carry a range of treatments and medications, including antitoxins, liquid skin, bandages, tourniquets, and full standard-issue Federation medipacks. For simplicity this can be treated as the capacity to cure critical wounds up to 6 times on a single load, neutralise poison up to a dozen times, and cure disease 4 times. They can also employ freeze fields to put up to 5 dying characters into stasis and can remain alongside to maintain this shield until assistance arrives.

Medical robots are made for fast response rather than resilience, and typically have around 12 hours of charge.

Hbot (Heavy Robot): Existing in various forms, from quadrupedal with heavy machinery on a huge platform, to massive humanoid machines, through autonomous tracked vehicles with cranes, diggers, and rock-crushing devices. They are essentially the machinery for the heaviest kinds of mining and industry, entrusted to do the work of many thousands of workers for months on end. They are to be found running everything from nuclear reactors to forestry plantations, from farm equipment to machine assembly. Most can be programmed for a variety of tasks, only limited by hardware. Most have battery power for up to a week.

Heavy robots are rarely programmed for aggression but will defend themselves or their work if attacked. While none have weapons as such, being hit with a crane, run over by machine tracks, or picked up and hurled into a rock crusher can cause immense damage. Class 1 robots are used for single jobs, while the responsibilities of a RC5 hbot may extend to controlling other robots in entire production lines, mines, or farms, while RC6 models may even control whole colonies or modify production lines in response to real-time market data.

Offbot (Officer Robot): Typically constructed on similar lines to infbots, offbots are created to lead and control other robots in combat, law enforcement, security, and other tactical situations. Highly intelligent and able to create and transmit novel programming for themselves and other robots in their control, they are capable of complex tactical and strategic planning. While not primarily designed to do so, they are more than capable of fighting, with similar capacity to infantry robots, and they have a more substantial build quality. Understanding their strategic importance, they are willing to sacrifice infbots to ensure their own survival.

Cyborgs

Cyborg, Standard Cyborg, HK
AC: 0 -4
HD: 12** 24**
Movement: 120' (80') 180' (120')
Attacks: 1 fist/1 weapon 2 fists/2 weapons
Damage: 3d10 or by weapon 4d20 or by weapon
No. Appearing: 1d4 (1d4) 1 (1)
Save As: F20 F24
Morale: 10 12
Treasure Type: Special Nil
Robot Class: 6 6
Alignment: Lawful Lawful
XP Value: 3,000 8,750

Cyborg, Infiltrator Cyborg, Pleasure
AC: 3 9
HD: 10** 5**
Movement: 120' (80') 120' (80')
Attacks: 1 fist or 1 weapon 1 fist or 1 weapon
Damage: 2d10 or by weapon 2d10 or by weapon
No. Appearing: 1 (1) 1(1)
Save As: F20 F20
Morale: 9 10
Treasure Type: Special Nil
Robot Class: 6 6
Alignment: Lawful Lawful
XP Value: 2,500 325

In some ways the peak of robot design and construction, cyborgs are constructed from toughened duralloy components and high-spec robotic parts over which organic tissue is grown. They are in effect robots with organic components, which often allow them to be mistaken for humans (or other organisms that they can be built to resemble). While most are constructed to do the work of organic creatures where this would be too dangerous or too difficult, and while many cyborgs are strictly programmed to inflict no harm, there are numerous forms that have been or can be programmed to kill.

All cyborgs possess 60' infravision and have excellent hearing and vision. They can only be surprised on a roll of 1 on 1d10. Their reactions are faster than those of any human, and in the first round of any combat they gain +4 to initiative, and each subsequent round they are treated as having a dexterity score of 18 (thus +3 to individual initiative). They can handle any weapon as if of skilled weapon mastery, and if it is anticipated they need to use such they are usually equipped with both melee and ranged high-tech weapons. Their incredible response time also allows them to operate twice as fast as most creatures during a combat round, with a combat speed of two thirds of their standard speed.

Cyborgs can both receive and send programming and can be instructed from a distance. They can act as hubs for whole fleets of lesser robots and will obey their masters’ instructions even to the point of self-destruction (an explosion causing 20d6 damage to all within 20', as if a fireball, all within range saving vs. spells for half damage). They contain self-regulating atomic power sources that allow the cyborg to work independently for up to 6 months, but which then require replacement (their power cells cannot be recharged).

Cyborgs are immune to poison, sleep, hold and similar magic, but being RC6 they are susceptible to charm and other mind-affecting magic.

Standard Cyborgs: Appearing as normal members of any sentient race, standard cyborgs tend to have rather stilted speech patterns and unusual mannerisms that may give them away as artificial constructs. They are therefore poor at infiltration but are tirelessly capable of many complex tasks. While in pristine condition from the factory they are almost incapable of violence, but numerous simple software patches can be applied to turn them into formidable warriors. They are typically tasked with maintaining and operating spacecraft while the crew are in hypersleep, and with managing teams of robots with specific tasks.

Standard cyborgs do not carry treasure, but are often entrusted with protecting valuables or cash, their owners understanding that this may be useful in many environments.

HK (Hunter Killer) Cyborgs: Designed and programmed with a specific purpose, to hunt out and kill specified prey, HK cyborgs acting as assassins are feared across the Frontier. They appear and act very like standard cyborgs but are massively more dangerous. Containing collapsium rather than duralloy frames, they are both more durable and more damaging. HKs are constructed for a single job, to seek out and kill named individuals, and once tasked with this they will continue until either their target(s) or they are destroyed, or until a recall notice is received from their owners. Capable of reprogramming other robots they come into contact with, and able to create new programming for them on the fly, they are especially dangerous in and around other robots, which they freely employ for their purposes.

HKs are treated as ‘expert’ with all weapons, and may be armed with almost any weapon available to their owners.

Infiltrator Cyborgs: Infiltrators are designed with composite polymer components, utilising a minimal amount of metal in their construction to allow them to pass through simple scanners without detection. In behaviour and action, they are more akin to the creatures they’re built to resemble, and to most who meet them they are nearly identical to normal members of the species. Indeed, without some magical means (or a more complex scanning technology) they will remain undetected unless their programming necessitates they do something suspicious.

Infiltrators are made to find information, store it, and send it back to their owners (using their inbuilt communications device) when that will not be detected. They act as spies both for governments and businesses but also as scouts amongst primitive societies in which they may be planted for anthropological research. They may be programmed to commit acts of violence if that would be necessary to blend in and are treated as having skilled weapon mastery with all weapons.

Cyborg, Pleasure: Constructed to fulfil the wishes and desires of their creators, pleasure cyborgs are almost invariably created to represent physical perfection as perceived by their owners. Skilled as musicians, actors, cooks, masseurs, in all acts of physicality, but also in medicine and psychiatry, they are used to help maintain the physical and mental health of crews in long space missions. They may be gym buddies, confidants, players of games, or they can fulfil any other roles required. They are as adept at acting the role of their portrayed species as infiltrators but without the complex programming necessary to maintain a hidden identity. They are frequently found on starships in deep space, where they may be imagined to provide little practical worth but are viewed as essential parts of crews.

While not usually programmed for violence, they, like every other invention, may be hacked for such a purpose.

Table 5: Costs for buying robots and cyborgs.

	Robot Class
Type	1	2	3	4	5	6
Robots
Ecobot	-	-	-	12,000	16,000	32,000
Infbot		8,000	12,000	16,000	20,000	-
Hbot	5,000 to 20,000	7,000 to 22,000	10,000 to 25,000	15,000 to 30,000	25,000 to 50,000	50,000+
Medibot	-	-	-	20,000	35,000	-
Offbot					30,000	60,000
Riotbot	-	10,000	15,000	20,000	25,000	-
Sbot	-	500	1,000	4,000	8,000	-
Ubot	1,000	2,000	4,000	8,000	16,000	-
Cyborgs
HK	-	-	-	-	-	100,000
Infiltrator	-	-	-	-	-	75,000
Pleasure	-	-	-	-	-	20,000
Standard	-	-	-	-	-	40,000

Technology Skills

While most technological equipment can be used by any character, to get the most from complex items it is useful if a character possesses the correct skillset. Skills listed below are common in high-tech societies but almost unheard-of in magical worlds.

Typically, many skills available in standard D&D games are also available to characters from high-tech worlds. Profession and science skills are essentially the same, but more specialised forms are available allowing greater depth of knowledge, e.g. there are botanists in both fantasy and high-tech settings, but molecular botany and exobotany may only be found in societies that have greater scientific capability.

Alien Anthropology (Intelligence): Spacefaring characters frequently find themselves on worlds with primitive or, at least, very alien intelligent species. While the moral and social codes thereof are almost infinitely variable, some themes and trends tend to emerge as such societies develop. A specialist in alien anthropology can categorise such cultures based on material, scientific and artistic cultural materials and artefacts, and a successful check can allow a character to interpret the actions or motivations of natives of alien planets and may allow them to make peaceful or, at least, less dangerous contact.

Computer Programming (Intelligence): Use of computers is universal in high-tech societies, but writing programs to make a computer do something new is a somewhat rarer skill. Ordinary use of a computer (retrieving information, using installed software, etc.) does not require the use of a skill, but adapting a computer or robotic brain to do a new task does require the use of a programming skill. Note that a new program cannot change the basic capabilities of a computer – a class 2 computer can accomplish simple tasks, and can never be capable of fully autonomous action like, for example, a class 5 or 6 computer. The time required to program a computer is determined by the DM, but more complex tasks require more work.

Computer Security (Intelligence): The employment of complex software and coding to make computers and robots secure. To protect a computer from hacking, a skill check is required, and the DM should record the number rolled. When trying to alter the software of a computer programmed and protected thus (to hack somebody else’s programming), a skill check is required, beating the initial skill with an opposed check by as far as it was made, modified by -1 per level of the computer.

For example, a character with the computer security skill wishes to protect a class 3 computer brain from hacking. That character rolls a d20 and the result is 5 under their intelligence score. A second character tries to hack that computer and change the programming, and to do so they must make a computer security check by 8 (the 5 that the initial check was made by, +3 because it is a class 3 computer brain).

Demolitions (Intelligence): While almost anyone can set an explosive charge with a detonator, to understand their best use for destroying buildings, bridges, vehicles, etc., requires a skilled demolitions expert. A successful check allocates the full damage of an explosive charge to the HP of a building or other target to which the explosive has been applied, whereas an unskilled use of explosives can still damage buildings, but is treated as fire.

Driving (Dexterity): Operating a ground-based vehicle. While there are some technical differences between transport, land cars, hoverbikes, etc., their basic control is similar. Ordinary operation does not require a skill check, but use in stressful situations, chases, etc., does require a check.

Mechanical Engineering (Intelligence): Repairing vehicles and other equipment for use, a highly skilled process in a technological society with a myriad of different machines. If spare parts are available, a successful check will allow a character to repair damage to vehicles at a rate of 1d6+1hp per hour of work. If spare parts are not available, a maximum of half of all damage to an item can be repaired. This skill is required to add equipment to robots, fix vehicles, replace broken parts of computers, and to effect any complex repairs. While most characters in a high-tech society can manage some repairs (replacing a tyre, fitting a memory chip to a computer, etc.), more complex work is best carried out by a skilled operator.

Medic (Intelligence): A successful skill check gets the maximum from futuristic medical equipment (i.e. maximum number of HP restored, most rapid removal of paralysis, etc.).

Piloting (Dexterity): Controlling flying vehicles such as air cars, jet copters, etc. This skill is essentially analogous to the driving skill.

Robotics (Intelligence): A specialised form of mechanical engineering, allowing a character to modify robots (adding limbs, changing functions, etc.), and to make best use of the components of a robcom toolkit.