Mechs
Act as Golems with People in the inside. The position of the characters determines what they can do on their turns.
Pilot – The Pilot is the main controller of the mech. Mechs move from a series of manipulated leavers so it takes Standard actions to move a mech rather than move actions. This may be improved to a move action with the proper feat.
|
Move |
Standard Action |
The pilot moves the mech its movement rate |
|
Trample |
Standard Action |
This causes Damage as per the mech description. |
|
Weaponry |
Varies |
As per description. |
Co - Pilot – Some Mechs are too big for just one
pilot to control. To work at full capacity, a pilot needs co-pilots. The Co-pilots don’t get to take any actions
but help the pilot. If they are not present the pilot loses one move action for
each required co-pilot not present. So if two co-pilots are missing then the
pilot misses two move actions worth of movement which counts as both the
standard and move actions.
Commander – The commander usually sits in the same area as the gunners and pilots. The commander can use his or her powers (ie commander’s strike) to help others operate the controls. Ie A pilot with a commander can make a commanders strike with the robot’s melee weapon. The commander is usually a warlord or leader of some sort.
Laborer – Laborers are needed to keep the mechs going. If it is a large steam mech, the laborers fuel the fires. In man powered mechs, the laborers provide the muscle to keep the unit going. If you are missing laborers, then the top speed of the mech is reduced. If there are no laborers, then the mech can’t move or make attacks aside from separately mounted weapons. Reduce speed of mech by proportion of laborers needed. Ie if you need 6 laborers and have a top speed of 10, your top speed is 5 if you have just 3 laborers.
Gunner – The
gunners can attack with the weapons of the mech as
per description. Only one operator can fire each system a round.
Lookout – Some Mechs
have look out areas where the person can see all around the mech. Unless otherwise noted, these areas are unprotected;
however, these areas also have the ability to fire at anyone trying to climb
the mech. Some mechs have protected passenger areas
that fill the same role.
Passengers – Some Mechs come with room for Passengers. These people are usually fully protected in the Mech while their windows are hatched down. There is usually one window hatch per Passenger and Sentry so those on board can fire out at approaching enemies.
Sentries – Larger
Mechs have guards onboard to fend off anyone that
tries to board the mech.
Protection Inside a Mech
Those inside a mech receive a certain amount
of protection from the unit. Unless otherwise noted, a perception check has to
be made to target an individual on a mech. Pilots, Co-Pilots and Gunners all receive
superior cover (-5 to attacks). Laborers, Sentries, Commanders and Passengers
cannot be targeted unless they open a window near them so they can attack out
from the mech. There is usually one window hatch per Passenger and
Sentry so those on board can fire out at approaching enemies. Those attacking from a mech can be targeted, but they are considered to have
superior cover (-5 to attacks targeting them). Lookouts usually have no cover.
These rules apply to personal ranged weapons. Mech,
Melee and Siege weapons are another story and covered below.
Mechs, Melee and Siege Weapons can also
target crew, but they suffer more limitations. Any siege or mech
weapon that targets crew has to first make the perception check followed by the
normal cover penalty. The cover penalty is to take into account the aimed shot
with a large weapon. If the weapon hits the mech,
then adjust the total damage by the mech and split
the remaining damage evenly between the crew affected and the mech. Critical
hits made when targeting crew do not count on the Mech
Critical Damage table.
Riding a Mech
You don’t need to be inside a mech to be
riding it. You can climb a mech and hold onto it if
you wish. To ride a mech you need to make an
acrobatics check (DC 15) every round that you are on the mech. If you fail, you
fall taking damage appropriate to whatever height you fell from. This check
difficulty is increased by 5 if the outside of the mech
has been covered in lubricant to deter boarders. The difficulty is reduced by 5
if hand holds have been fashioned to the mech
specifically for riders to hold onto.
Mechs and Siege Weapons can also target
crew, but they suffer more limitations. Any siege or mech
weapon that targets crew has to first make the perception check followed by the
normal cover penalty. The cover penalty is to take into account the aimed shot
with a large weapon. If the weapon hits the target inside the mech, then adjust the total damage for the mech and split the remaining damage evenly between the crew
member affected and the mech. Critical hits made when targeting crew do not
count on the Mech Critical Damage table.
Boarding a Mech
One very effective way to stop a mech is to
take out its crew. Personal arms only go so far. You can board a mech and make the fight personal. You can enter a Mech in several ways.
1.
Through an
open passage such as an open top, glass cockpit area, or other easily passed
openings.
2.
By dealing
enough damage to the mech that holes appear in the
armor. Except with specialized weapons designed to tear holes, most attacks do
not leave entry points large enough for a human. A mighty steam cannon hit
might leave a hole only one foot across, just wide enough for the cannonball! A
single attack that deals at least 20 points of damage after reductions creates
a hole big enough for Medium creatures to pass (though
it may be 20 feet from the ground!). Additionally, a mech
reduced to its orange critical threshold has been damaged enough that the
“Swiss cheese effect” allows boarders to find at least 1d4 holes suitable for
entry.
3.
By
entering through a mech’s portholes. Anyone who
manages to climb onto a mech can try to enter through
a porthole. A mech that is downed is particularly
vulnerable to such boarding actions, whether it was tripped or voluntarily sat
down. Portholes are invariably locked. They have a break DC of 28 Strength
check, the same hardness as the mech’s armor, and 30
hit points. With most normal-sized portholes, up to four Medium creatures can
cooperate in trying to pry it open. This uses the rules for cooperative
combined skill attempts, as outlined in the PHB: For each additional
participant who passes a Strength check (DC 10), the “team leader” adds +2 to
his check. Additionally, using a crowbar adds +2 to the Strength check of
anyone doing so (which adds only +2 to the team leader’s net roll but makes it
easier for the others to pass their Strength checks). Remember to force the
participants to make an acrobatics check while they climb around the outside of
a mech.
4.
PCs can
also squeeze through the firing portals when they are open with a DC 20
Thievery Check.
5.
Most times
you will have to climb onboard a mech to get to a
good vantage point to get into it. This can be deadly so see rules for riding a
mech for details on this.
Battling on board a mech.
Once the PCs are on the mech, there is two
ways to determine combat. The first is common with very large mechs. There will be a map and the encounter will be played
out as a dungeon. The second way is abstract and more common with smaller mechs. The confines of a mech are
very cramped so the following considerations take place in boarding battles
without maps.
1.
Combats
are one on one.
2.
There
cannot be more people on board than the total cargo or crew / passenger capacity
+1
3.
There is
no flanking.
4.
Ranged
weapons cannot fire inside mech except at point blank
and there is no firing into the melee of others.
5.
Area of
effect effects are determined by the DM.
6.
Some Mechs have secure crew areas that require breaking into.
7.
DM determines
order of battles on the mech. The targets will usually go least important to
the operation of the mech to the most important. Ie Sentries, passengers, lookout, laborers, commander,
gunners and then pilot.
Tripping and Downing a Mech
Many Mechs and even some characters have the
ability to trip mechs. A trip mech
is easier to board because there is no climbing involved. When a Mech is too large for a character or mech
to trip, then a group of people can attempt to pull the mech
down to the ground. One of the most shocking defeats the Stenian
Confederacy ever faced was when a horde of orc rabble
unexpectedly pulled down an Early-model Juggernaut mech,
pried open its portholes, and slaughtered the unprepared crew inside. It was
after this that Juggernauts were equipped with flame nozzles. Infantry can pull
down mechs using these
rules…
• Pulling down a mech requires an old-school
trip check.
• Attackers who can stand adjacent to the mech
(diagonals included) may try to pull it down with their bare hands (generally
by rocking it back and forth). This is a standard action; if the mech moves, the attackers will probably have to follow it
to make their attempt. Attackers in such a position are generally vulnerable to
trampling. For example, a Juggernaut has a face of 10 ft. by 10 ft., allowing
12 Medium (5-ft. face) attackers to reach it — all of whom could be trampled on
the Juggernaut’s action.
• Attackers unable to stand adjacent to the mech
may use ropes or chains with grappling hooks. They must all be pulling in the
same direction or their efforts cancel each other out, but their labor can
still be combined with the rocking of creatures adjacent to the mech. Latching
on a grappling hook requires a ranged attack vs
Reflex. Thereafter the creature may pull, joining in the combined skill
attempt. The mech may jerk the rope or chain out of
the puller’s hands by succeeding in an opposed Strength check
and simply walking away. (For this check,
use a modifier for each participant’s size as well as the Strength modifier: +1
for Large, +2 for Huge, +4 for Gargantuan, etc.)
• The attackers make their trip check as a cooperative combined skill
attempt, as outlined in the PHB. The strongest attacker is the “team leader.”
The other attackers make Strength checks against DC 10. For each that succeeds,
the team leader receives a +2 to his roll.
• The mech makes its check using its Strength
bonus, plus the usual +4 size bonus for each size larger than Medium that it
is. Additionally, the mech applies any bonuses to
trip checks due to its maneuverability and construction.
• If the horde succeeds in its combined trip check against the mech, the mech is toppled. It is
now downed, as described above.
Downed mechs are considered prone and cannot
attack until they are up righted again. Portals and hatches become easier to
break into too as no mech riding checks are needed to
be made.
Repairing a Mech
The best way to repair a mech is to take it to
a specialist that can do it for you.
Weapon
Proficiency (Specific type of Mech)
Prerequisite: Previous experience using the mech you are proficient in.
Benefit: You gain the proficiency bonuses to hit when using the onboard
controls of the mech for weaponry as stated in
descriptions.
STEAM-POWERED MECHS CRITICAL HITS
Roll by Threshold (d%)
Critical Hit
|
Green |
Yellow |
|
Red |
|
|
01-25 |
01-10 |
|
|
Component damage. Attack causes extra critical damage but
nothing more. |
|
26-40 |
11-25 |
|
|
Pressure leak. Mech loses 2 Str and 1 unit of speed each round until leak is
repaired. |
|
41-55 |
26-40 |
01-15 |
|
Steam pipe damage. Mech is frozen
in place for one round until back-up pipes take over. It loses its next round
worth of action. This applies to all onboard weapons and equipment powered by
the main steam engine. |
|
56-75 |
41-55 |
16-25 |
|
Arm relay damage.
Determine arm randomly. That arm is frozen in place until damage is repaired.
Weapons on that arm cannot be used. |
|
76-95 |
56-70 |
26-35 |
|
One leg is damaged. Speed is halved; maneuverability drops
by one category. |
|
96-98 |
71-80 |
36-45 |
01-10 |
Gyroscope damage. Pilot must make a Dex
Check (DC 20) with every move or fall over. Mech
suffers a –4 penalty to trip checks. |
|
99-00 |
81-85 |
46-65 |
11-30 |
Boiler damage. Mech loses power
for 1d4 rounds. It can take no actions during that time. |
|
|
86-95 |
66-73 |
31-50 |
Out of control. The pilots lose control. For the next 1d4
rounds, determine the mech’s movement and attacks
randomly. |
|
|
96-98 |
76-85 |
51-70 |
Secondary boiler explosion. A secondary boiler explodes,
dealing an additional 3d6 points of damage to the mech. Back-up boilers make
up for the power loss. |
|
|
99-00 |
86-95 |
71-85 |
Steam leak. The entire mech is suddenly
flooded with waves of scalding steam. All creatures on board have a 50%
chance of taking 1d6 points of steam damage each round. Reroll the 50% chance
each round. This continues until the leak is repaired. |
|
|
|
96-98 |
86-95 |
Controls damaged. The mech’s
control room is damaged. The mech cannot be
controlled until the damage is repaired. It cannot walk, use weapons, or do anything else. |
|
|
|
99-00 |
96-00 |
Main boiler explosion. The mech’s
main boiler explodes. It suffers 10d6 points of damage. All creatures on
board the mech suffer 1d10 points of damage from
flames and steam. The mech loses all power until
the main boiler is repaired. Continuing fires deal an additional 10 points of
damage (no resistance) to the mech per round until
a saving throw (DC 10) is made. |
MAN-POWERED MECHS CRITICAL HITS
Roll by Threshold (d%)
Critical Hit
|
Green |
Yellow |
|
Red |
|
|
01-25 |
01-10 |
|
|
Component damage. Attack causes extra critical damage but
nothing more. |
|
26-40 |
11-25 |
|
|
Broken Cogwheel. Mech loses 2 Str and 1 unit of speed each round until cogwheel is
repaired. |
|
41-55 |
26-40 |
01-15 |
|
Impact in rowing pits. The laborers are knocked out of
their seats by the impact. Mech is frozen in place
until they can get reorganized and start rowing again. It loses power and
cannot take any actions for the next 1d3 rounds. |
|
56-75 |
41-55 |
16-25 |
|
|
|
76-95 |
56-70 |
26-35 |
|
Arm relay damage.
Determine arm randomly. That arm is frozen in place until damage is repaired.
Weapons on that arm cannot be used. |
|
96-98 |
71-80 |
36-45 |
01-10 |
Leg relay damage. Determine
leg randomly. That leg is frozen in place until damage is repaired. Weapons
on that leg cannot be used. Mech cannot walk and
suffers a –4 penalty to trip checks. |
|
99-00 |
81-85 |
46-65 |
11-30 |
Main cogwheel damage. Mech loses power
for 1d4 rounds. It can take no actions during that time. |
|
|
86-95 |
66-73 |
31-50 |
Out of control. The pilots lose control. For the next 1d4
rounds, determine the mech’s movement and attacks
randomly. |
|
|
96-98 |
76-85 |
51-70 |
Powertrain misaligned.
The power output of the laborers is halved. Halve the mech’s
Strength, Dexterity, and speed until the damage is fixed. |
|
|
99-00 |
86-95 |
71-85 |
Controls damaged. The mech’s
control room is damaged. The mech cannot be controlled
until the damage is repaired. It cannot walk, use weapons, or
do anything else. |
|
|
|
96-98 |
86-95 |
Powertrain
destroyed. No matter how hard the laborers work, their manpower isn’t
properly distributed throughout the mech’s gears.
The mech is completely immobilized until repaired.
Repairs take five times the normal amount of time. |
|
|
|
99-00 |
96-00 |
Gear scaffolding destroyed. The scaffolding that supports
the huge cogwheels that transfer power throughout the mech
collapses. Gears come crashing down in all directions. This causes 6d6 points
of damage to the mech and another 1d6+3 points of
damage each to 2d10 randomly determined crew members. Repairs take ten times
the normal amount of time. |
Taking Down a Mech…
There are a few different ways to take down a mech. The most obvious is to beat it with weapons until it stops moving. Other ways include tripping the mech, pulling it down with ropes and boarding the mech. For building
Attacks of
Attacks of opportunity between mechs are
generally resolved normally, with a few important exceptions.
• A mech firing a ranged mech weapon into melee does not provoke
an attack of opportunity.
• A mech may not take attacks of opportunity
against creatures boarding it or attacking it. The mech
does not have the agility to strike targets on itself (and even if it did, it
would risk damage to itself), nor can it react quickly enough.
• A mech’s unarmed attacks do not provoke attacks of opportunity.
It is
possible to target a specific component of a mech —
its steam cannon, left arm, right knee, cockpit. In general, a Perception check
is necessary to pick out a human-sized creature on a large moving object like a
mech. Targeting larger elements is easier. Any major
component of a mech (equal to twice the size of a
human or larger) can be targeted with a called shot. Smaller components require
a Perception check (DC 10–15, depending on size) in order to pick them out of
the whirling morass of potential targets.
Called
shots are automatically full-round actions. By pausing to aim its next shot
carefully, the attacker provokes an attack of opportunity. Finally, a –4
penalty applies to the attack roll. If the attack hits, the GM resolves the
effects. Generally an attack upon a weapon may cause damage to the weapon, an
attack
on
an arm may damage the arm, and so on. Called shots against the boiler have no
additional
effect
on most mechs, since it is one of the best-armored
parts of the mech. The most effective target for called shots is the cockpit or
gunner’s ports. In this case the attacking mech
specifically tries to damage the mech’s interior so
that it can hit crew inside. If a called shot against a crew area succeeds,
defend with their reflex defense. This determines their ability to dodge the mech’s weapon as it tries to fillet them.
Those
who fail split the mech’s damage roll with the mech.
Half damage from the attack is divided equally between all affected crew
members, with the rest going to the mech. The damage is reduced by the Mech’s reduction unless it is from small personal arms
fire.
|
Flanigan Warrior |
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|
Base Initiative: pilot’s initiative |
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|
Melee – Sword Attack (Standard; at-will) * Weapon [prof +3: Warrior Walker] |
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|
Melee – Trample (Standard; at-will) * Weapon [prof +2: Warrior Walker] |
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|
Ranged – Big Crossbow (Standard; at-will) * Weapon [prof +2: Warrior Walker] |
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|
The Warrior
Walker houses two laborers that provide power to the mech
through hand and foot cycling and room for one pilot. The pilot controls all of
the mech’s weaponry and the mech’s
movement. This unit is built to give an edge in infantry combat. It is not
intended to go against other mechs or Lunar Dragons.
|
Flanigan Totem Mech |
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|
Base Initiative: -1 adjusted to pilot’s initiative |
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|
Melee – Kick / Ram (Standard; at-will) * Weapon [prof +2: Warrior Walker] – Pilot Attack |
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|
Melee – Trample (Standard; at-will) * Weapon [prof +2: Warrior Walker] – Pilot Attack |
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|
Large Catapult, Prof: +1, Dam: 3d6, Rng: 30/60, Cost: 550gp,
Group: Artillery, Properties: Inaccurate, Load 1 Standard, High Critical,
Minimum Range 15 (Intelligence modifies attack roll and damage) |
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|
Totem is a man powered mech popular to Nomadic and
Tribal Humans because of how easy it is to use. 4 workers row oars in an
armored compartment to power the unit. The pilot rides in the front and controls
the movement of the mech. At the top there is a 360 degrees fire port where the
passenger can shoot a ranged weapon at targets. The catapult is partly in the
rowing area so the rowing crew doubles as crew for the weapon and there for
have to stop the unit from moving when they go to make a ranged attack. Unlike
the picture, all of the crew areas are covered.
|
|
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|
Base Initiative: pilot’s initiative |
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|
Melee – Large Mace (Standard; at-will) * Weapon [prof +2: Defender] |
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|
Melee – Trample (Standard; at-will) * Weapon [prof +2: Defender] |
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|
The Defender
is a cheaply made wooden mech commonly employed by
the Legion. Others make them too as their plans are fairly available to all.
|
MagWagon (Freight Model) Mech |
||||||
|
Base Initiative: -1 adjusted to pilot’s initiative |
||||||
|
Melee – Kick / Punch (Standard; at-will) * Weapon [prof +2: MagWagon] – Pilot
Attack |
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|
Melee – Trample (Standard; at-will) * Weapon [prof +2: MagWagon] – Pilot
Attack |
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|
Medium Hand Medium Steam Cannon (Standard; at-will) * Weapon [Prof: +2: MagWagon] |
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|
The Magwagon is an old mech model. It was originally built as a stopgap solution. The Stenians needed to develop a mech fleet quickly to extend their influence, so they constructed large, intimidating mechs with readily available materials. The Magwagon, with its stone armor and impressive physique, was one such creation. As more advanced mechs were later built, many Magwagons were retrofitted to freight duty. The above profile is for a Magwagon freighter, which resembles an awkward dump truck on legs.
The pilot rides in the head, which has room for two Medium creatures (Pilot and primary gunner). The boiler and coal dump are located in the huge cargo hold, which can be used for passengers or loads of even the heaviest metals. The left arm holds the mech’s only weapon, a Medium Steam Cannon.
The cargo hold can carry up to 16,000 pounds of heavy payload or give space for 8 passengers.
|
Talon Mech |
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|
Base Initiative: -1 adjusted to pilot’s initiative |
||||||
|
Melee – Kick (Standard; at-will) * Weapon [prof +2: Talon] – Pilot Attack |
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|
Melee – Trample (Standard; at-will) * Weapon [prof +2: Talon] – Pilot Attack |
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|
Huge Buzzsaw
Arms * 2 (Standard;
at-will) * Weapon [prof +3: Talon] – Pilot Attack |
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|
The talon is a specialized transport mech built to fend for itself. It
was developed by a group of independent dwarven mech operators whose back-road trade routes were profitable
but extremely dangerous. Prior to the talon, most mechs
were built for either combat or transport, not both. The talon combines those
functions. It is expensive for its size, but that’s okay — the traders can
afford it. A talon is built for transporting goods or passengers (whichever
currently pays the best), and includes sleeping space for passengers. Along
with the crew, up to four passengers can sleep comfortably, or up to 12
uncomfortably. When the mech has no passengers, the
sleeping area is put to use ferrying goods. The talon tries to stay away from
combat but is equipped with the most effective bang-for-the-buck if fighting is
unavoidable. A pilot will generally run from ranged weapons, if the terrain
permits a favorable escape, or run toward the target if he has no escape route,
hoping to close for use of the buzzsaws. Talons
rarely face organized mech opposition, so they don’t
have to worry about long-range firefights against disciplined enemies. Their
combats usually involve solitary or paired rust riders or Irontooth
clansmen, or whatever monsters inhabit the terrain they travel through.
|
|
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|
Base Initiative: pilot’s initiative |
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|
Melee – Ram (Standard; at-will) * Weapon [prof +2: Defender] |
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|
Light Steam Cannon (Standard; at-will) * Weapon [prof +2: Cannons] |
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|
Rexwood is
a mech designer that sells mechs
to the general public. The Rexwood Gun Walker is a
mass produced light mech toted as a mobile gun
platform. No Militaries are known to use this model, but it is becoming popular
with traders. The pilot has to load and fire the cannon on their own so there is a few rounds between cannon fire.
|
|
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|
Base Initiative: pilot’s initiative – 10 |
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|
Melee – Kick / Ram (Standard; at-will) * Weapon [prof +2: Iron Giant] – Pilot |
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|
Melee – Trample (Standard; at-will) * Weapon [prof +2: Iron Giant] – Pilot |
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|
2 Heavy Cannons – Gargantuan (16lb Ball), Prof: +3, Dam: 4d10 +
Intelligence, Rng: 130/260, Group: Artillery, Properties:
Armor Piercing, Inaccurate, Load 3 Standard, High Critical, Requires Cooling
(Intelligence modifies attack roll and damage) – Gunners on shoulders of
Giant |
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|
The Iron
Giant is a dwarf relic from the first age of walkers. 16 of these units laid waste
to the Elf Empire long ago and have been written in the history books as
“Titans of Steel.”
|
Early Juggernaut |
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|
Base Initiative: pilot’s initiative – 1 |
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|
Right Hand Melee – Huge Axe (Standard; at-will) * Weapon [prof +2: Juggernaut] – |
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|
Melee – Trample (Standard; at-will) * Weapon [prof +2: Juggernaut] |
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|
Left Hand Light Cannon (Standard; at-will) * Weapon [Prof: +3:
Juggernaut] |
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|
This is a
Relic of one of the first Generation Juggernauts. Today, this is the main mech of the Stenian Fleet and
often deployed to lead the way whether or not a mech is
required.