Mecha Superstructure and Armor

[h=5]MECHA SUPERSTRUCTURE[/h] A mecha’s superstructure—its exoskeleton, interior braces, and other structural parts—can be made from any sufficiently advanced metal alloy. Whatever its composition, a mecha’s superstructure has a hardness that reduces the damage the mecha takes from weapons and collisions.
To build a mecha superstructure from scratch, a character must succeed at a Craft (mechanical) check (DC 30) and a Craft (structural) check (DC 30) after investing the requisite amount of assembly time, based on the mecha’s size: Large 150 hours, Huge 300 hours, Gargantuan 600 hours, Colossal 1,200 hours. A character without a mechanical tool kit takes a –4 penalty on both skill checks. The character must also make a Wealth check against the mecha’s base purchase DC.
Different types of superstructure materials are presented below and summarized in Table: Superstructure Materials.
Hardness: The amount of damage the material absorbs from a weapon hit or collision.
Base Purchase DC Modifier: The modifier applied to the mecha’s base purchase DC.
Restriction: Since mecha require a license to own and operate, the materials used for making them do not require special licenses to purchase.

Table: Superstructure Materials
[h=6]ALUMISTEEL (PL 5)[/h] This easy-to-acquire alloy is lightweight and reasonably strong. Alumisteel can also be used for armor (see Mecha Armor, below).
Hardness: 10
Base Purchase DC Modifier: -4
[h=6]DURALLOY (PL 6)[/h] Duralloy is harder, heavier, and more durable than alumisteel. It can also be used to fashion armor (see Mecha Armor, below).
Hardness: 15
Base Purchase DC Modifier: None
[h=6]VANADIUM (PL 6)[/h] Vanadium alloy absorbs a respectable amount of damage and is easy to mold.
Hardness: 20
Base Purchase DC Modifier: +4
[h=6]NEOVULCANIUM (PL 7)[/h] Similar to duralloy, neovulcanium uses plasma-forging techniques to create an alloy of unparalleled resilience. Neovulcanium can also be used for armor (see Mecha Armor, below).
Hardness: 20
Base Purchase DC Modifier: None
[h=6]NEUTRONITE (PL 7)[/h] Neutronite is a tough steel alloy into which a weave of free neutrons has been pressed. It is extremely resilient but also incredibly massive, weighing approximately five times more than a similar volume of lead.
Hardness: 25
Base Purchase DC Modifier: +4
[h=6]MEGATANIUM (PL 8)[/h] Sandwiched layers of crystal carbon and neovulcanium held in a magnetic matrix, megatanium is exceedingly hard and durable. Megatanium can also be used for armor (see Mecha Armor, below).
Hardness: 30
Base Purchase DC Modifier: None
[h=5]MECHA ARMOR[/h] Armor can be welded or otherwise fixed securely to a mecha’s superstructure, providing an equipment bonus to the mecha’s Defense. Mecha armor does not impose a maximum Dexterity bonus upon the mecha operator (as worn armor does) and does not require a special proficiency feat to use.
Installing armor on a mecha requires a Craft (mechanical) check (DC 20). The check is made after investing an amount of time determined by the mecha’s size: Large 3 hours, Huge 6 hours, Gargantuan 12 hours, and Colossal 24 hours. Armor can be removed in half the time with a successful Repair check (DC 20).
Different types of mecha armor are presented below, along with the following statistics:
Equipment Bonus: The equipment bonus that the armor provides to the operator’s Defense.
Armor Penalty: Mecha armor applies this penalty on its operator’s Balance, Climb, Escape Artist, Hide, Jump, Move Silently, and Tumble checks.
Speed Penalty: The amount by which the armor reduces the mecha’s base speed.
Purchase DC: The cost of the armor.
Restriction: Since mecha require a license to own and operate, mecha armor does not require a special license to purchase.
[h=6]ALUMISTEEL ARMOR (PL 5)[/h] This easy-to-acquire alloy is lightweight and reasonably strong. Alumisteel can also be used as a building material for mecha superstructures (see Mecha Superstructure, above).
Equipment Bonus: +5
Armor Penalty: -6
Speed Penalty: –5 feet
Purchase DC: 10 + one-half the mecha’s base purchase DC
[h=6]DURAPLASTIC ARMOR (PL 5)[/h] Duraplastic armor is made of advanced plastic polymers, such as carbon fiber and high-grade fiberglass. Although relatively cheap and light, it doesn’t offer tremendous protection.
Equipment Bonus: +3
Armor Penalty: -4
Speed Penalty: None
Purchase DC: 5 + one-half the mecha’s base purchase DC
[h=6]DURALLOY ARMOR (PL 6)[/h] Duralloy is harder, heavier, and more durable than alumisteel. It can also be used as a building material for mecha superstructures (see Mecha Superstructure, above).
Equipment Bonus: +8
Armor Penalty: -8
Speed Penalty: -10 feet
Purchase DC: 10 + one-half the mecha’s base purchase DC
[h=6]RESILIUM ARMOR (PL 6)[/h] Resilium is a more malleable alloy than duralloy, although not as strong.
Equipment Bonus: +6
Armor Penalty: -5
Speed Penalty: None
Purchase DC: 5 + one-half the mecha’s base purchase DC
[h=6]CRYSTAL CARBON ARMOR (PL 7)[/h] Grown in orbital laboratories, crystal carbon is a composite fiber material that narrowly outperforms neovulcanium (see below) on the battlefield.
Equipment Bonus: +10
Armor Penalty: -8
Speed Penalty: None
Purchase DC: 15 + one-half the mecha’s base purchase DC
[h=6]NEOVULCANIUM ARMOR (PL 7)[/h] Similar to duralloy, neovulcanium uses plasma-forging techniques to create an alloy of surprising resilience. It is also used as a building material for mecha superstructures (see Mecha Superstructure, above).
Equipment Bonus: +10
Armor Penalty: -10
Speed Penalty: -5 feet
Purchase DC: 10 + one-half the mecha’s base purchase DC
[h=6]MEGATANIUM ARMOR (PL 8)[/h] Sandwiched layers of crystal carbon and neovulcanium held in a magnetic matrix, megatanium is exceedingly hard and durable. It can also be used as a building material for mecha superstructures (see Mecha Superstructure, above).
Equipment Bonus: +12
Armor Penalty: -10
Speed Penalty: -10 feet
Purchase DC: 10 + one-half the mecha’s base purchase DC
[h=6]REACTIVE ARMOR (PL 8)[/h] Consisting of layers of insulating gel or compressed gas between cerametal sheets, reactive armor provides the same protection as crystal carbon armor but is considerably cheaper and easier to produce.
Equipment Bonus: +8
Armor Penalty: -5
Speed Penalty: None
Purchase DC: 5 + one-half the mecha’s base purchase DC