Android

Androids (sometime called “droids”, but never “robots”—the latter refers to non-sentient mechanoids) aren’t technically a species, and can vary greatly in appearance.

While Androids are frequently bipedal, they come in all shapes and sizes, from 1' tall cubes to 8' industrial models. There is no typical appearance for an Android, and they might feature wheels, legs, or more.

While many philosophers will debate whether or not Androids have true consciousness, they have passed every test imaginable and are legally considered to be sentient, and alive, with all the rights and responsibilities that entails.

Stronger and tougher than humans, with processors which can outpace the human mind, Androids aren’t always the most popular in the room. Androids do not usually exist as a separate culture (although at least one world is known to be populated exclusively by Androids). 

Androids make excellent scientists, engineers, and doctors.

Statistics

Size/type: Small, medium, or large; mechanoid

Attributes: STR +2, LOG +2, PSI –

Skill choices: computers, engineering, running, linguistics, [technical]

Exploits

• Mechanoid. Androids share the same range of traits as other mechanoids: they are immune to any attacks which target MENTAL DEFENSE; an Android’s PSI attribute can never rise above zero, and an Android cannot spend LUC dice to gain bonus dice when making attributes; Androids are vulnerable (1d6) to electricity damage, and vulnerable (2d6) to ion damage, and Androids do not need to eat, sleep, or breathe.

• Ageless. Androids do not age, do not have an age category, or access to age-based exploits.

• Modification. Choose two of the following modification exploits. Androids can take the Android-only Systems Upgrade universal exploit at any time to gain additional modifications.

Modification Exploits

Androids choose two of the following exploits.

• 360-degree Sensors. The Android has visual sensors which cover a full 360-degree circle, or a fully rotating head or sensor apparatus, giving it all-round sight. It is not affected by crossfire or flanking.

• Access Ports. The Android can “plug in” to a computer or computerized system, granting it a +1d6 bonus to computer checks.

• Armor. The Android is plated with armor, giving it SOAK 5. The Android’s weight is 200% normal instead of 150%, and it cannot swim (sinking to the bottom of any liquid, although it does not need to breathe and can walk on the bottom).

• Carrying Capacity. The Android doubles its carrying capacity.

• Chameleon System. The chameleon system allows the Android to change color to match its environment, granting it +1d6 to stealth-based attribute checks.

• Chrome Skin. The Android has a chrome skin which grants it +5 SOAK vs. heat damage (not compatible with Organic Appearance).

• Compute. The Android can absorb a large document (the equivalent of a major novel or textbook) in a minute, or make complex calculations, including FTL calculations which require no check at FTL factors equal to or lower than the Android’s LOG attribute.

• Durable Infrastructure. The Android gains 3d6 HEALTH.

• Electrical Discharge. The Android can shock a target by using a regular unarmed attack; this increases the Android’s unarmed damage by +1d6 and changes it to electricity damage. If this exploit is taken a second time, the electrical discharge can be upgraded to a ranged attack with a range increment of 4.

• Forcefield. The Android can generate a protective forcefield which operates just like a worn forcefield generator. It grants the Android +2 DEFENSE, but takes an action to activate and can only operate for one minute at a time before needing an hour to recharge.

• Improved Armor (requires Armor). While the base armor is a steel composite which gives SOAK 5, further upgrades can improve the Android’s armor by another +1 SOAK per upgrade. This exploit can be taken multiple times.

• Infrared Sensors. The Android’s visual sensors can see in the dark as well as in the light. The Android effectively gains superior darksight.

• Integrated Equipment. Gear like fire extinguishers, communicators, even magboots or parachutes can be integrated into the Android.

• Organic Appearance. The Android has an outer covering resembling a human (or other species) although not so alike that it would fool anyone. This is achieved from synthetic or organic tissue which covers the interior endoskeleton. Any injury will clearly reveal the Android’s true nature, as will any interaction for more than a minute or so. This is not the same level of detail as a Synthetic, which (as a race) is far more convincing as a human.

• Memory Backup. If the Android’s body is destroyed, its memories and personality may still be accessed, and, indeed, placed in a new Android body. The new body has its own attributes and exploits, but the old character’s skills and memories. To do this, an engineer must make a LOG check with a difficulty equal to three times the Android’s grade.

• Memory Wipe. An Android can have its memory wiped and a new factory-default base skillset installed. The Android’s attributes remain the same, but it loses all of its skills. Total up the Android’s current skill point total, and then divide them evenly between five newly selected skills. The unfortunate side-effect of this procedure, of course, is that the Android loses all its memories.

• Mimicry. The Android has a voice synthesizer which can mimic any voice or sound.

• Multiple Legs. The Android has four or more legs. It ignores difficult terrain.

• Protocol Package. The Android is able to read, speak, and understand any language fluently. This does not enable it to break codes, cyphers, or encrypted data, however.

• Rocket Boosters. The Android’s JUMP scores increase to 30' horizontally and vertically.

• Repair Nanites. Once per day, the Android can activate its repair nanites to recover 2d6 HEALTH. This costs two actions.

• Scanner. The Android has an inbuilt scanner (equal to a hand scanner) which it is always considered to be carrying. This scanner might be part of its body, or simply part of its sensory equipment, and may or may not be visible.

• Self-destruct System. While not popular with intelligent Androids, self-destruct systems do exist. They can be combined with a memory backup. When an Android self-destructs, it spends two actions to activate the systems and then explodes at the start of its next turn. It causes 1d6 heat damage per size category to all within 30'. Alternatively, it is possible to automate the self-destruct system to activate when the Android reaches zero HEALTH.

• Tracks (requires Wheels). Wheels can be upgraded to Treads, which removes the difficult terrain penalty.

• Weapon Integration. The Android has some kind of ranged or melee weapon integrated into its body. Choose a weapon from the core rules. The weapon must be the same size category as the Android or smaller, and worth 100cr or less. This exploit can be taken multiple times to incorporate multiple weapons, or to double the value of the weapon each time (so taking it three times results in a weapon with a value of up to 400cr).

• Wheels. The Android moves on wheels instead of legs. This reduces its SPEED to 2 across difficult terrain, but increases its SPEED by 2 on normal terrain.