Droids

A Droid is a kind of intelligent robot, a mechanical automaton electronically programmed to act, think, and behave in a certain way.

Droids facilitate various tasks that organic beings find tedious, difficult, or hazardous. They are typically fashioned in the likeness of their creators or in a utilitarian design that stresses function. Their usefulness makes them a common sight on nearly every inhabited world in the galaxy. They provide assistance, advice, and sometimes even friendship to trillions of sentient beings on a daily basis.

A Droid's Life

Droids are usually property, bought and sold like any other piece of equipment. Although some Droid owners come to think of their Droids as friends, the fact remains that Droids are programmed to serve whoever is designated as their master. To the vast majority of Droids, the concept of Droid independence is unthinkable. Without someone to command them, what would they do?

Even so, ownership and control are two very different things. Droids must do what they are commanded to do to the best of their ability, but their programming dictates how they accomplish their orders. Ordered to find a replacement part for an X-wing, a Droid might commence a systematic search of the repair bay, then the docking facility, then the neighborhood, then the countryside, and so on- all while thinking its actions are perfectly logical. Droids often need very specific instructions to do what their masters command, in a manner meeting their master's expectations.

Occasionally, events conspire to lead a Droid to independence. These so-called "self-owned" Droids are few, but not as rare as many believe. One might hear stories of Droids that escape their masters after years of abuse, or of an entire line of Droids that manifest violent personalities as the result of a programming glitch. However, independent Droids are rarely haywire, rampaging killers. Independent Droids often enter into partnerships organic beings, particularly on worlds where a lone Droid without a master draws a lot of unwanted attention. Independent Droids sometimes even seek each other out, hoping to find strength and security in numbers. Some independent Droids are thrust into the unlikely role of hero, helping to defend the galaxy from the depredations of evil as personified by the likes of the Empire and the Yuuzhan Vong.

Droid Heroes

Main Article: Droid Heroes

If you want to play a Droid as a hero, you can either play an existing Droid from this section or create your own unique Droid hero. Droid heroes are assumed either to be "self-owned" or to be owned by another player character (With the approval of both the Gamemaster and the player in question). Even if owned by another member of the party, the Gamemaster should ensure that the owner does not abuse their authority by giving unreasonable or unwanted orders to the other player's Droid character. A Droid player character should be treated the same as any other player character, and in most cases it is best to give suggestions or advice instead of actual orders. (In fact, most Droid heroes have a Heuristic Processor so that they can creatively interpret orders and thus justify acting as they wish.)

When you decide to play a Droid hero, you'll have to pack out a few details about what type of Droid your character will be. This is the equivalent of picking a Species for a non-Droid character.

 Droid Models

The following sample Droids are presented as basic models, in their factory-preset state. The Trained Skills and Feats possessed by a basic model represent the Droid's core programming- characteristics the Droid maintains even after being subjected to a Memory Wipe.

The five available Droid Models include:

• 1st-Degree Droid Models- Medical and analytical Droids
• 2nd-Degree Droid Models- Mechanical and technical Droids
• 3rd-Degree Droid Models- Protocol and domestic Droids
• 4th-Degree Droid Models- Security and battle Droids
• 5th-Degree Droid Models- Labor and utility Droids

Droid Systems

Main Article: Droid Systems

Droids are mechanical beings with interchangeable parts. As such, the functionality of Droids range as widely as the organic Species of Star Wars. Droids can be differentiated between one another based on their Droid Model, as well as their own Droid Systems. While the Model represents the Droid's function, the modified Droid Systems a Droid installs can show a Droid's personality and specializations.

Droid Traits

Main Article: Droid Traits

As inorganic mechanical beings, all Droids have certain attributes that affect how they interact with their environment and other beings.

Droid Talents

Main Article: Droid Talents

Droid Talents work the same as the Talents presented in the primary Talents page; however, each Droid Talent Tree is available only to Droids of a particular Degree. Any time a Droid would normally gain a Talent (Such as from gaining an odd-numbered level to a Heroic Class), the Droid can select a Droid Talent from among those present in the below Droid Talent Trees.

Additional Droid Data Ports

Reference Book: Star Wars Saga Edition Scavenger's Guide to Droids

Main Article: Droid Data Ports

For the most part, Gamemasters and players need not worry about the exact type of data ports and other connections between a Droid and a computer, Vehicle, or network. However, the Gamemaster might decide that this information should play a part in the story or would otherwise logically come into play. For instance, it might make sense for an astromech Droid to be able to slice into a complex computer system, but a lowly power Droid probably does not have the equipment for it. Also, rare or alien Droids or those from another era might have nonstandard ports.