Mechanics

Mechanics is an Intelligence-based skill. You can bypass locks and traps, set and disarm explosives, fix malfunctioning devices, and modify, repair damaged Droids, and plenty of other functions listed below!

• You can Take 10 or Take 20 on a Mechanics check. When making a Mechanics check to Jury-Rig, you can't Take 20. Characters who are untrained in the Mechanics skill can still use the Aid Another action to assist on Mechanics checks.
• Retry: You can usually retry a Mechanics check. In some specific cases, however, a failed Mechanics check has negative ramifications that prevent repeated check
• Trained Only

Common Use for the Mechanics Skill

*Skill uses marked by * can only be attempted if trained in the skill.*

Disable/Sabotage Device (Requires Security Kit)

You can use this skill to disarm a security device, defeat a lock or trap, or rig a device to fail when it is used. The action takes a Full-Round Action, and the intricacy or complexity of the item being disabled or sabotaged, as shown below:

Device Type	DC	Example
Simple	15	Sabotage a mechanical device, jam a blaster, or bypass a basic mechanical lock.
Tricky	25	Sabotage an electronic device or bypass a basic electronic lock.
Complex	35	Disarm an electrical security system, bypass a complex mechanism or electronic lock.

*If you are trained in Mechanics you may attempt to leave behind no trace of the tampering, increase the DC of the check by 5*

• These above DC are not the final number to overcome. Other factors at play may further manipulate the DC you need to surpass in any given scenario.

If the Mechanics check fails by 5 or more, something goes wrong. If it's a trap, you spring it. If it's some sort of sabotage, you think the device is disabled, but it still works normally.

Handle Explosives

Setting a simple explosive to blow up at a certain time doesn't require a check, but connecting one to a detonator does. Other examples of requiring a check include; placing an explosive for maximum effect against a structure, and disarming an explosive device. Setting a detonator, placing an explosive device, or disarming an explosive device is a Full-Round Action.   Most explosives require a detonator to go off. Connecting a detonator to an explosive requires a DC 10 check. Failure means that the explosive fails to go off as planned. Failure by 10 or more means the explosive goes off as the detonator is being installed harming all within its range. You can make an explosive difficult to disarm. To do so, you choose the disarm DC before making your check to set the detonator (it must be higher than 10). Your DC to set the detonator is equal to the disarm DC - 5. For example, you might decide to make the disarm DC 20. The DC to set the detonator and disarm the explosives becomes 15 (instead of the normal 10).   Carefully placing an explosive against a stationary, unattended inanimate object increases the damage dealt by exploiting weaknesses in its construction requires a check. On a result of 15 or higher, you ignore the Damage Reduction of any object to which the explosives are attached. On a result of 25 or higher, the explosive deals double damage to the structure or vehicle against which it's placed. On a result of 35 or higher, it deals triple damage. In all cases, it deals normal damage to all other targets within its Splash radius.   Using a Security Kit to disarm an explosive that has been set to go off requires a check. The DC is determined by the one who set the detonator and the type of explosive. If you fail the check, you do not disarm the explosive. If you fail it by 5 or more, the explosive detonates immediately. *If you are trained in Mechanics you must roll a Natural 1 for it to explode immediately.*

Jury-Rig

You can make temporary repairs to any Disabled mechanical or electronic device, from a simple tool to a complex component. Jury-rigging is a Full-Round Action and requires a successful DC 25 check. If you use a Tool Kit, you gain a +5 Equipment bonus on the check. A jury-rigged device moves +2 steps on the Condition Track and gains 1d8 hit points. At the end of the encounter, the jury-rigged device loses all gained steps in the Condition Track and becomes Disabled again.

*Biotech Adaptation (Requires Tool Kit)*

You can use the Mechanics skill to create mechanical connections to a particular Biotech Device. When you use this application of the Mechanics skill, you perform one of the following actions:

Graft Technology

You can graft sensors, communications equipment, and tiny computers onto a Biotech Device. You must spend 1 hour and make a DC 25 Mechanics check to do so. Once you have, you may treat the Biotech Device as a normal (Non-Biotech) device of the same type for the purposes of the Mechanics and Use Computer skills.

• For example, if you have a Villip (effectively a Comlink with the Biotech Template), you may use this skill to graft technology onto the Villip. From that point on, you can apply any use of the Mechanics skill or the Use Computer skill on that device as if it were a normal Comlink.
• You may not use the Tech Specialist feat on a Biotech Device, even if it has been grafted with technology (you must use the Biotech Specialist feat instead).

Mechanical Enhancements

You can mechanically enhance a Biotech Device or Biotech Vehicle, effectively connecting another device to that piece of Biotech. You must spend 1 hour and make a DC 30 Mechanics check to do so. Once you have, you effectively treat the Biotech Device as though it also has the traits of the device you have enhanced it with. You can only use this application of Biotech Adaptation on Biotech Devices upon which you have also used the Graft Technology application (see above). You can only enhance a Biotech Device with another device of its size or smaller. A Biotech Device can only have one such mechanical enhancement, and only devices (not weapons or armor) can be attached to a Biotech Device in this manner.

• For example, if you posses a Razor Bug (a Tiny object), you could attach an Audio Recorder to the Razor Bug using this application of Biotech Adaptation; at a later point, you could activate the Recording Unit and hurl the Razor Bug onto a wall to clandestinely record conversations in the area.

The Biotech Adaptation applications allow you to connect Biotech Devices to non-Biotech Devices, effectively creating a hybrid device.

*Booby Trap (Requires Tool Kit)*

Whenever you would make a Mechanics check to sabotage a piece of Equipment, you can install a booby trap to damage the next character who uses the item. For every 1d4 damage you would have the trap deal, you must increase the Mechanics DC by 5. So booby trapping a blaster to deal 3d4 damage to its next user requires a DC 30 Mechanics check (base DC 15 to jam the blaster, +15 for 3d4 damage).   Once the trap is installed, it attacks the next character to use the item, using your Base Attack Bonus against the target's Reflex Defense. If the attack hits, it deals the indicated damage.

*Build Object (Requires Tool Kit)*

You can make a Mechanics check to construct an object (other than a Droid) from scratch and/or with manufactured parts. Building an object requires a proper Tool Kit, raw materials, and possibly access to an electronics or machine shop. Some objects are beyond the ability of most characters. The raw materials for an object cost the same as the completed object, though heroes who have the Scavenger feat can often come up with raw materials scrounged from other Equipment. Use the costs given in in the Equipment sections as a base guide for material costs. Remote locations, rare parts, or expensive materials might raise the costs to double, triple, or even higher.   When building an object, determine the object's final Hit Points based on the Object Statistics table. For Vehicles, use the actual Hit Points of the completed object. All objects being built in this manner start at 0 Hit Points. Each Hour that you work on building an object, make a Mechanics check against the DC for the object's type (see Object Complexity table, below). Success indicates you build 1d8 Hit Points' worth of the object's total Hit Points. When the item reaches full Hit Points, it is completed and can be used as normal.   Object Complexity

Object Type	DC	Description
Simple	10	Item easily created from a few raw materials, using common tools and parts.
Moderate	25	Item requiring basic electronics, special materials, and/or specialized knowledge.
Complex	40	Item requiring significant design and manufacturing skills, sophisticated parts, and special facilities.

Circumstances

DC Modifier	Description
-5	Based on a well-known item.
-10	Detailed knowledge of the specific item.
-10	Have detailed schematics for the object available.
+10	Poor quality materials.

Large items require more time to build than smaller ones. Multiply the object's Hit Points based on the following table below for the purpose of determining how long it takes to build the object (when completed, the object's Hit Points are unchanged). For example, a Large manufactured object has 10 Hit Points. However, since it is a Large item, it effectively has 50 Hit Points for the purpose of determining how long it takes to build the object (how many Hit Points you must build before it is completed). When completed, the object has 10 Hit Points as normal.   HP Size Multiplier

Object Size	HP Multiplier
Medium	x2
Large	x5
Huge	x10
Gargantuan	x20
Colossal	x50

Environmental Adaptation (Requires Tool Kit)

Many Vehicles and objects do not work well in extremely harsh environments. The intense cold of Hoth or the severe heat of the day side of Ryloth can cause Vehicles and objects to function poorly or not at all. You can spend 10 minutes adapting one object (or one hour adapting one Vehicle) to the extreme environmental hazards, after which you make a Mechanics check.   If your Mechanics check result exceeds the object or Vehicle's current Fortitude Defense, you can use the result of your Mechanics check in place of its Fortitude Defense when it is attacked by Extreme Temperatures or Atmospheric Hazards. However, when you do so, you effectively adapt the object or Vehicle's defenses for that particular environment. If you use that Vehicle or object on another planet that has a different environment, you must repeat this process for the new conditions.   You can Take 20 on this check, but the adaptation takes 20 times as long.

*Hot Shot (Requires Tool Kit)*

You can overload an energy weapon to deliver a deadlier attack, but at the risk of a mishap or explosion. You must spend 1 hour and succeed on a Mechanics check. The DC is 20 plus 5 for every weapon size category above Tiny. If the check succeeds, the weapon deals an additional +3 points of damage. Any natural attack roll of 5 or lower, however, causes the weapon to become Disabled.   A natural attack roll of 1 causes the weapon to explode in the wielder's hands, dealing the modified weapon's damage to the wielder and half damage to all adjacent creatures.

*Improvised Connection (Requires Tool Kit)*

You may attempt to connect electronic devices or computers without proper cables, using improvised materials. This endeavor takes 1 hour and requires a DC 20 Mechanics check to succeed.

*Refit Antiqued Vehicle or Weapon (Requires Tool Kit)*

You can use the Mechanics skill to refit an Antiquated Vehicle or Antiquated Weapon; using modern technology to replace outdated components. You must spend 20% of the base value of the Vehicle or weapon (before the application of the Antiquated Vehicle Template or Antiquated Weapon Template) on raw materials for the upgrade. The refitting process takes a number of days (each day representing 8 hours of continuous work) determined by the object's size: Medium or smaller, 1 day; Large, 2 days; Huge, 5 days; Gargantuan, 10 days; Colossal, 20 days; Colossal (Frigate), 60 days; Colossal (Cruiser), 180 days; Colossal (Station), 360 days.   If multiple characters Trained in the Mechanics skill work on the refit simultaneously, divide the amount of time taken by the number of characters working on the refit (a maximum of 20 characters can reduce the refit time, minimum of 1 day). Once the work is complete, apply the Refitted Vehicle Template or Refitted Weapon Template to the base item instead of the Antiquated Vehicle Template or Antiquated Weapon Template.

*Repair (Requires Tool Kit)*

You can repair a damaged or Disabled Droid or object (including devices and Vehicles). This requires at least 1 hour of work, at the end of which time you must make a Mechanics check. Only one character may Repair a given object at a time, but other characters may use the Aid Another Action to assist.   You can spend 1 hour and make a DC 20 Mechanics check to repair a damaged or Disabled Droid, restoring Hit Points by rolling the Droid's Hit Die determined by the Character Level + 1/2 your Hero Level, this also removes any Persistent Conditions currently affecting the Droid. A Droid trained in Mechanics can attempt to Repair itself, but it takes a -5 penalty on the Skill Check.   You can spend 1 hour and make a DC 20 Mechanics check to repair a damaged or Disabled object, restoring 1d8 Hit Points and removing any Persistent Conditions currently affecting the device or Vehicle. (If you surpass the DC 20 by 5 or more the item recovers an additional d8 Hit Points, this effect stacks for each multiple of 5 your result surpasses the DC.) If you are on board a damaged Vehicle while you attempt to Repair it, apply any penalties from the Vehicle's position on the Condition Track on your Mechanics check. {Major Vehicle repairs are best attempted in a vehicle garage (+10 Equipment bonus on your checks), a larger vehicle's hangar (+15 Equipment bonus + the larger vehicle's Crew bonus on your checks), a satellite facility's dry dock (+25 Equipment bonus and reroll any result lower than 5), or another specialized facility.}    

Mechanic Facilities

  Repairs attempted in the field will always take longer than repairs attempted with the proper equipment, with well-stocked Mechanics equipment.

Mechanic's Bay

An area on most ships larger than a standard frigate. They provide a +10 Equipment bonus & reduce the time necessary to use Mechanic skills by 25%. These bonuses only affect items that can fit inside the bay.

Mechanic's Station

An area roughly the size of a storefront found mostly in/on planetside shops and in smaller satellite stations. They provide a +20 Equipment bonus & reduce the time necessary to us Mechanic skills by 50%. These bonuses only affect items that can fit inside the station.

Vehicle Garage/Shop

An area that can fit up to Huge size vehicles. All Mechanics checks involving vehicles stored here receive a +10 Equipment bonus and may reroll Natural 1's, if the second result is still a 1 you may treat it as a 2.

Vehicle Hanger

A large hanger bay in a Cruiser-sized vehicle or larger. A vehicle's hanger can only fit 4 vehicles two types smaller than it. All Mechanics checks involving vehicles stored here receive a +15 Equipment bonus and may reroll Natural 1's, if the second result is still a 1 you may treat it as a 3.

Dry Dock

A large docking area found only; planetside, on a Capital-sized Vehicle, or on a Large-sized or larger Satellite Station. All Mechanics checks involving vehicles stored here receive a +25 Equipment bonus and reroll any result lower than a 5, if the second result is still below a 5 you may treat it as a 6. The time it takes for Vehicle mechanics checks here is reduced by 25%.

Engineer Dock

A large specialized docking area & Mechanics Station that is found either, planetside or on a Colossal Satellite Station or larger. All Mechanics checks done here receive a +30 Equipment bonus and any result lower than a 10, is treated as a 10. The time it takes for Vehicle mechanics checks here is reduced by 50%.