D&D 3E/3.5 Converting monsters from Mayfair Games Role Aids product line

[Cleon]

Hmm, the -2 competence penalty is probably enough.

So, which do you prefer. The +4 ranged touch with the competence penalty plus "Targeting" bonus or the +1 ranged with the competence penalty and without the "Targeting" bonus?

I'm leaning toward the second.

But we need to get something fun for the logic breakdown. Unfortunately, I'm blanking other than having it spin in circles.

How about a small table of random "circuit breakdowns"?

Defective Droid: A defective droid has the following traits in addition to a standard droid's Robot Traits.
Faulty Circuits: A defective droid's misfiring circuitry give it a -2 competence penalty to all its Dexterity-based abilities (including AC, Initiative, Reflex saves and ranged attacks) and a -4 competence penalty to all Dexterity, Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma-based ability checks and skill checks.
Paradox Break: If a defective droid is presented with a paradox it must succeed at X [Will save? Int check?] or suffer a cognitive breakdown. An opponent can force paradox check by making a DC Y Bluff or Diplomacy check to present the defective droid with an anti-logical argument. A defective droid must also make a paradox check if it in a situation that isn't covered by its programming (e.g. a defective security droid that is programmed to remain within a fortress would suffer a paradox check if it finds itself outside the fortress and has no instructions as to how to address the situation. If it succeeded on its paradox check, it could use its Radiospeech to ask for assistance, or set out in search for the fortress). Once a defective droid fails a paradox check, it immediately starts performing a random, nonsensical behavior determined by a roll on the Paradox Breakdown Table (see below). A paradox breakdown continues until the defective droid is repaired.

Paradox Breakdown Table
Roll dZ Behaviour
?-? The defective droid judders to a stop, emits a shower of sparks, and goes into emergency shutdown (see Power Failure under Robot Traits).
?-? The defective droid starts moving in a straight line or rolling in circles (50% chance of each) while repeatedly saying "Mite... Mite... Mite...". Sages theorize this word means "error" or "does not compute" in the language of the droids' original creators.
?-? The defective droid acts as if it were affected by a confusion spell.
?-? The defective droid obsessively tries to perform its core function - a miner droid could try to dig to the center of the planet; a guardian droid may select a random object and attack any creature that tries to move or damage it; a valet droid might try to launder any clothing it sees, and so forth.
?-? Any other ideas?

 

[freyar]

I'd be ok with +1.

Hehehe, make the paradox check an Int check that already has a -4 penalty. Poor droid. The paradox breakdown table is perfect. We can take the 4 breakdowns and just make them equally likely.

 

[Cleon]

I'd be ok with +1.

Good! That's the one I prefer.

I'll update the Guardian Droid Working Draft with that.

Hehehe, make the paradox check an Int check that already has a -4 penalty. Poor droid. The paradox breakdown table is perfect. We can take the 4 breakdowns and just make them equally likely.

Yes, using an ability score would be my preferred solution. Although come to think of it a Wisdom check would make at least as much sense.

DC 10? That's a 65% failure chance with its -4 defective circuits penalty.

I wouldn't mind adding another couple of defective behaviours to the list.

How about this one:

?-? The defective droid gets stuck in a "loop", mindlessly repeating whatever actions it took in the 1d4 rounds before its breakdown. It does adjust its actions to account for changes in the circumstances. For example, a guardian droid that got "looped" after it charged out of its sentry post and attacked an intruder would keep on returning to its post, then charging out to attack a square the intruder was in. If there is a creature or object in that square, the "looping" defective droid attacks it with a 50% miss chance, since this is equivalent to blindly attacking.

Can you think of another?

 

[freyar]

That one looks good, but I'm not coming up with anything new at the moment. I suppose we could add a self-destruct option.

 

[Cleon]

That one looks good, but I'm not coming up with anything new at the moment. I suppose we could add a self-destruct option.

Self destruct as in "explodes for fire damage" or "does itself damage every round until destroyed"? I'd prefer the latter, i.e.

?-? The defective droid goes into self-destructive spasms, thrashing itself with its limbs and smashing into objects. Every round the droid moves 20 feet in a random direction and does its slam damage to itself. The droid can destroy itself if its spasms continue for long enough.

That's a nice round six. Shall I update it with that?

 

[freyar]

Yes, that'll do.

But given that it's probably hard to repair a droid that's self-destructing like that, should we give them a save every so often to try to "snap out of it"?

 

[Cleon]

Yes, that'll do.

But given that it's probably hard to repair a droid that's self-destructing like that, should we give them a save every so often to try to "snap out of it"?

I'd be OK giving them some sort of saving throw to go into Emergency Shut Down rather than damaging themselves. Maybe a DC 15 Wisdom check per round? That'd be a 10% chance of success.

 

[freyar]

Sure!

 

[Cleon]

Sure!

Like so?:

?-? The defective droid goes into self-destructive spasms, thrashing itself with its limbs and smashing into objects. Every round the droid moves 20 feet in a random direction and does its slam damage to itself. If the droid succeeds at a DC 15 Wisdom check at the end of its turn, it goes into Emergency Shut Down to stop damaging itself. The droid can destroy itself if its spasms continue for long enough.

I think that's enough to update the Guardian Droid Working Draft.

 

[freyar]

Yes. Make it roll 1d6 and give even odds for each possible breakdown?