Basic Rules

All abilities in SRWd20 besides spellcasting/manifesting and SLAs/PLAs are [Ex] unless noted otherwise, representing advanced technology and exceptional piloting skills.

Mecha Scale
Mechas are too big to work in feet so they work in mecha units (mu). A medium mecha fills a 5 mu side square. One mu corresponds to 6 feet, so a medium mecha is the size of a normal colossal creature, filling a 30-foot-by-30-foot square.

Pilot feats, skills, class features and other effects that refer to feet are amplified to mu, at a ratio of 5 mu for each 5 feet.

Mecha Combat
Getting inside a mecha you own is a standard action as long as you're adjacent to it (getting inside a mecha you don't own will demand hacking and tricking and be completely dependent on the situation and extremely time-inefficient).

Getting outside a mecha is a move action, putting you in any adjacent square. While piloting the mecha, it counts as equipped to you just for Plain History purposes. Ceasing to pilot without exiting the mecha is still a move action, and restarting from inside is still a standard action.

Unless otherwise noted, each mecha has only enough space inside for the pilot carrying a light load. This can be spent to carry other people if the pilot is strong enough, although those other people cannot contribute to the mecha's abilities unless noted otherwise, and will have to squeeze in the pilot's lap/back. Such freeloaders cannot take any actions besides basic speaking that can never trigger other stuff, including being unable to use Spirits unless they have a specific class feature that mentions it (like a Ship Captain's Distinguished Officer or a Peace Princess's Passenger ability. The exception is a move action to exit. If the current pilot does not wish to let freeloader exit, roll opposed pilot level+Str mod checks.

Mecha Ranged Weapons add the wielder's Dex mod to damage rolls. Ranged weapons with the Brutal property can add the wielder's Str mod to damage rolls instead. Mecha ranged weapons always provoke AoOs when firing while threatened.

Mecha weapons count as two-handed for purposes of power-attack and similar abilities if no other weapons are used in the same round.

Mecha Melee weapons add 1.5 the Str mod of the user if they don't use any other weapon for that round. If it is a Main Weapon, 2x Str mod. If it's a melee weapon, 2.5 Str mod. If it is a Main melee weapon, 3x Str mod. The same thing with ranged weapons and Dex.

When full attacking, a mecha may choose to either perform iteratives with a single weapon or attack once with any or all of its in-built and arsenal weapons, up to a total of weapons equal to 1 + 1/3 their pilot level, rounded down. In the latter case, all weapons after the first take a -5 penalty on the attack roll and only add half the relevant stat to damage, and cannot benefit from any precision damage.

Mecha weapons always count as [Force] effects whenever it would be beneficial for them, such as affecting incorporeal opponents, except for bypassing DR.

For mecha combat schools, any attack that demands you to hit your enemy with a basic strike still deals damage as normal on top of any other effects unless otherwise noted.

The mecha uses the pilot's base saves, BAB, skill bonuses, feats, and self-buff class abilities for fighting (except Regeneration), plus the pilot's Str and Dex scores (it takes a strong pilot to handle a mecha under stress, and it takes good reflexes to make it react in time). Remember that they're amplified to the mecha's size, with every foot involved increasing to one mu (for example, a pilot in a mecha takes a -1 penalty on spot checks for every 10 mu of distance, instead of for every 10 feet). Spells that affect others, Psionics, Breath Weapons, Rays and other similar abilities from the pilot cannot be used while inside the mecha, unless it possesses a system for that (maneuvers can still be "channeled" just fine through a mecha though). A mecha is unaffected by the pilot's size (although you cannot pilot a mecha that's smaller than you). A mecha can only change size by taking the Super Robot Growth upgrade or some other ability that explicitly allows a mecha/ship to change its size. This includes a mecha ignoring abilities of its Pilot such as powerful build.

Despite being machines, mechas are vulnerable to critical hits due to having complex internal structures. They also take normal damage from fire, cold and electricity and overall possess no inherent resistances or immunities besides what's explicitly mentioned, however have no break DC. Otherwise count them as objects for any other abilities, even if they somehow acquire mental scores, such as the Sentient upgrade.

Damage taken by the mecha is absorbed by the mecha's own HP, never by the pilot, unless the attack was a successful critical hit. In that case, the pilot takes the amount of damage that would have been dealt if not for the critical hit, and the mecha takes the critical damage. Some mechas may have extra pilot protection, reducing this damage further.

A mecha reduced to 0 HP starts to collapse. If the pilot was smaller than the mecha, he/she automatically ejects in a pod which has 1/10 the mecha's total HP and same Nat armor/DR, but is one size category bigger than the pilot and counts as a mecha for attack purposes. The pod travels 1d12 x5 mu in a direction of the pilot's choice without provoking attacks of opportunity. Some mechas may have improved pods which can move and/or fight on their own. Exiting the pod is a move action. Pilots of the same size as the mecha are instead thrown 1d12x5 mu in a direction of their choice without provoking attacks of opportunity.

A non-destroyed mecha can repair 10% of its missing HP with 1 hour of work if all of its crew/pilot work on it and aren't interrupted.

Mechas are immune to the Wrap ability, as well as any other ability that would combine multiple creatures into one, directly or indirectly.

Area Assault
A mecha can choose to use a single-target weapon to damage all targets smaller than himself in a single square as big as its own area (minimum 5 mu).

Metal Trample
A Mecha moving may choose to move over creatures/mechas/objects two or more size categories smaller than itself and trample them, dealing 1d12+Str mod bludgeoning damage for a medium sized mecha with the Rending and Downfall properties. Victims can choose to not make an AoO in order to attempt a Reflex save with DC 10+1/2 Pilot level+Str mod. Success means no damage. A non-prone victim may add +4 to the save by willingly knocking themselves prone. No target may suffer from Metal Trample from the same mecha more than 1/round, they either get out of the way or get partially buried for the moment.

Mecha Weapon Size Scaling
Several effects increase a mecha's weapon damage size. In those cases follow the following progression instead of the normal. If you would increase to a size bigger than colossal, add (2+X/2)d6 rounded down dmg, where X is the number of sizes you're bigger than colossal.
 * Fine-> Diminutive = +1d2 dmg
 * Diminutive->Tiny = +1d2 dmg
 * Tiny-> Small = +1d3 dmg
 * Small-> Normal = +1d4 dmg
 * Normal -> Large = +1d6 dmg
 * Large -> Huge = +1d6 dmg
 * Huge -> Gargantuan = +2d6 dmg
 * Gargantuan -> Colossal = +2d6 dmg

weapons gain double the extra dice.

Combat between Mecha and non-Mecha
Besides their size, mechas don't have that many advantages over non-mecha opponents. Giant robots inevitably have weak joints and vital systems to be targeted, and their targeting systems have trouble landing a clean blow on much smaller opponents.

Other creatures are converted to mecha scale, reducing colossal creatures to medium, gargantuan to small, huge to tiny, large to diminutive, and medium or smaller to fine-sized.

A mecha ignores size penalty to AC and attacks against non-mecha opponents. Such enemies don't gain size bonus to attacks and AC against mecha targets.

A mecha can choose to use a single-target weapon to damage all targets smaller than himself in a single square as big as its own area (minimum 5 mu).

Mechas ignore all non-damage effects produced by non-mecha sources unless they affect an area bigger than the mecha itself, or are single-target from a creature as least as big as the mecha. This includes positive effects, like area buffs.

Mechas also automatically ignore the DR and hardness of non-mecha targets smaller than themselves. The mecha's own DR counts double against non-mecha enemies smaller than itself.

Mecha weapons deal maximized damage to non-mecha enemies. Non-mecha weapons deal minimum damage to mechas. This applies only to the weapon damage die. So for example a rogue's sneak attack wouldn't be affected, but the Frost property would.

Thus it is possible for normal enemies to take down a mecha, but between their superior mobility and range, they'll have to work for it.

As a conclusion, a campaign which includes this mecha rules should focus on mecha vs mecha combat, but you can still throw regular opponents against them, they'll just be at somewhat of a disadvantage. As a rule of thumb, a mecha counts as 2 levels higher than a non-mecha opponent.

Standard Extras
All mechas possess the following utility systems.

Lights
All mechas are equipped with either a searchlight that can provide clear illumination in a 60-mu cone and shadowy illumination in a 120-mu cone or large lamps that provide clear illumination in a 30-mu radius and provide shadowy illumination in a 60-foot radius. Activating or shutting down said lanterns is a swift action.

Black Box
Each mecha has recording systems that register every action it took, everything the pilot saw and heard as well as weather conditions, air quality and the respective times. The mecha's cockpit can also display said information to the pilot at any time, and the pilot may choose to erase specific segments they don't want with 1 round of work. Usually the Black Box can always be recovered from a mecha's wreckage unless it was destroyed by a critical hit, but with 1 hour of work the Pilot may program the Black Box to delete any amount of its contents if the mecha would be destroyed or by a simple button press as an immediate action, or yet adding passwords and encryption that means only the pilot (and those with whom he entrusted the passwords can copy). The current information in the black box can be copied to fine inexpensive devices at the rate of 1 minute each, which can then loaded to other mechas.

Heat Shielding
Since they usually have exotic engines, mechas have systems to make sure they remain at the local temperature, to both avoid standing out too much or cooking their own pilots alive.

Mecha Special Properties

 * The mecha doesn't take any penalties for moving and fighting underwater.


 * Weapons with "beam" in their names deal only half damage to you before DR is applied, but you lose 5 energy every time such a weapon hits you. If you have less than 5 energy this ability doesn't trigger. You can turn this ability on or off during your own turn as a free action.


 * All attacks against you deal only half damage before applying DR, but you lose 15 energy every time you're hit. If you have less than 15 energy this ability doesn't trigger. You can turn this ability on or off during your own turn as a free action.


 * You gain 50% miss chance every round you moved at least your normal speed.


 * Weapons with "missile" in their names suffer a 50% miss chance against you.


 * All attacks against you deal only half damage after applying DR, but you lose 10 energy every time you're hit. If you have less than 10 energy this ability doesn't trigger. You can turn this ability on or off during your own turn as a free action.

X: You recover an extra X/10 your max energy at the beginning of your turn.

X: If you suffer a critical hit, there's a X/10 chance the extra damage and pilot damage are ignored.

X: You recover X/10 your max HP at the beginning of your turn.


 * A [Rev] effect replicates a spell as a constant Ex ability as described on the entry. It cannot be dispelled. If CL is called for, use Pilot level instead. A [Rev] effect can be turned off or on as a move or swift action. If the mecha has any energy wall/barrier/coat active, all its [Rev] effects are suppressed until after 1d12 rounds after the wall/barrier/coat is turned (and remains) off.


 * The mecha can hide without actually having anything to hide behind, even in the middle of the sky or the empty space.


 * As a swift action the mecha can change shapes. Refer to the mecha's entry for details.

Weapon Special Properties
Roll to hit against all targets inside the area. If you target an opponent bigger than you with this, the area needs to reach the middle of their position.
 * Instead of a normal shot, you may make the weapon fire in an area. The type of area is mentioned in parentheses, so for example Area (line 30 width 5) means it can affect a line 30 mu long and 5 mu wide. Area (Explosive X) means it affects a sphere of radius X mu at the point of impact, and can only be used up to two range increments. If there is no type given, use (Line). If there is no length/width/radius they default to the following:
 * Line has the width of your mecha and the same length as the first range increment of the weapon (or twice width and length for Heavy weapons).
 * Cone has half the length as the first range increment of the weapon (or same length as first range increment for Heavy weapons).
 * Explosive radius equal as 1/4 the first range increment of the weapon (or 1/2 first range increment for Heavy weapon)

If this appears on a melee weapon, when you would make a normal attack you can move in a straight line up to half your base speed, ignoring any opponents in your way for purposes of movement, without causing attacks of opportunity. Any buffs to speed increase the range after the base speed is multiplied. Roll to hit against all opponents you passed through. If an opponent is bigger than you, you need to pass through the middle of their position to affect them with this.


 * This ranged weapon can always use Str for to-hit and damage rolls.


 * Creatures dealt damage by this weapon lose half their Dex and Dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves for 1 round. Multiple hits on the same round don't stack. A Heavy weapon with Concussive also inflicts a -4 penalty on Fort and Will saves on targets damaged.


 * Weapon may be fired as an Immediate action. A set of Defensive Twin-Linked or X-Linked weapons may be fired as an Immediate action. If you're targeted by a weapon with "Missile" in their name, you may attempt to stop it by attacking it with your Defensive weapon. Make opposed attack rolls, and if you succeed the missile is stopped.


 * If you deal damage with this weapon, you can attempt a Disarm as a free action on the target without provoking attacks of opportunity nor needing to make a new attack roll, even if at range. However you cannot try to pick up the weapon of your enemy if you succeed and have a free hand. A Heavy weapon grants a +6 bonus on the Disarm roll.


 * If you deal damage with this weapon, you can attempt a Trip as a free action on the target without provoking attacks of opportunity nor needing to make a new attack roll, even if at range. If you hit a flying enemy, they instead fall 5 mu for each 5 damage taken. A Heavy weapon grants a +6 bonus on the Trip roll.


 * This melee weapon can always use Dex for to-hit rolls instead of Str. If the pilot has the weapon finesse feat, he can use Dex for damage rolls instead of Str.


 * If you deal damage with this weapon, you can attempt a Grapple as a free action without provoking attacks of opportunity nor needing to make a new attack roll. You can choose to maintain the grapple with this weapon only, in which case you can't use it while the grapple lasts, but you don't count as grappling your target. A Heavy weapon grants a +6 bonus on the Grapple roll.


 * Weapon takes a fullround action to use. Can not make iteratives, but you can ready up an attack with an heavy weapon as a fullround action. If any ability would allow you to full attack with a weapon after movement, then it can be used to perform one attack with this weapon. Those weapons add twice Str/Dex modifier to damage rolls instead of just once. If a weapon has somehow the Heavy and Defensive properties simultaneously, then only the Heavy property applies.


 * A Hybrid weapon has two statlines, which can be changed between as an Immediate action. Any bonuses/penalties that affect a weapon benefit both versions of the Hybrid weapon if valid (so for example a melee-only bonus would not affect a ranged version of a Hybrid weapon).


 * Creatures dealt damage by this weapon have their movement speeds halved for 1 round, with multiple hits stacking to a minimum speed of 5 mu. A Heavy weapon with Pinning reduces movement speeds to 1/4.


 * Attacks ignore half the target's Natural Armor, Armor and Shield bonus to AC, rounded up.


 * If you deal damage with this weapon, you can attempt a Bullrush as a free action on the target without provoking attacks of opportunity nor needing to move inside the target's space, even if at range. A Heavy weapon grants a +6 bonus on the Bullrush roll.


 * Attacks ignore half the target's DR, rounded up.


 * If you have two weapons of the same kind with this property you can attack with both as a standard action without penalties or at the end of a charge (if they're melee weapons in the case of a charge). If you perform the full attack action with them, instead of your regular routine you can fire each weapon once for each regular attack you would get with a single weapon. A set of weapons with both the Heavy and Twin-Linked property can both be fired as a single fullround action, all the other Heavy restrictions apply. If you use a Spirit that would benefit only your next attack like Strike or Valor, you may use a pair of Twin-Linked weapons and both attacks gain the Spirit's benefit. Twin-linked weapons that cost energy to use only cost as much as it would cost to use one. Using only one of a pair of Twin-Linked energy weapons still costs as much as using a non-twin-linked version of that weapon.


 * Whenever the mecha suffers damage or rolls a natural 20 on an attack roll with this weapon, there's a 50% chance this weapon is rendered useless until the mecha can swap their arsenal. If a mecha is equipped with multiple Volatile weapons, no more than 1 may explode per round.


 * As Twin-Linked, except it applies to a set of X weapons.

Multiclassing
Unless otherwise specified, to determine Pilot level for class abilities, count the full class level of the associated class plus half the other levels. For example, a Ship Captain 8/Real 4 would count as having PL 10 for other Ship Captain abilities, and PL 6 for Real abilities.

Multiclassing between Real Pilot and Super Pilot
A multiclass Real/Super Pilot can pick a Real Robot to which he has access, and then apply Super Robot upgrades to it. Count only Super Pilot levels for checking which upgrades are available.

For Arsenal access purposes, add together the Real Pilot level and Super Pilot Level-3 (minimum equal to Real Pilot level). Arsenal Spaces are added together.

Also add to the Real Robot +9 HP, +1 DR per Super Robot Pilot level, and +1 to saves for every 3 Super Pilot level.

For determining Pilot level for other abilities, count full class level plus half the other levels for purposes of that class. So for example a Super 8/Real 4 would count as having PL 10 for other Super ability purposes and PL 6 for other Real ability purposes.

Multiclassing between Ship Captain and Super Pilot
A multiclass Ship Captain/Super Pilot applies Super Robot upgrades to the battleship. Count only Super Pilot levels for determining which upgrades are available. The battleship automatically gains the mecha property for free, allowing it to turn into a massive humanoid of the battleship's size as a swift action. In humanoid form, its natural armor is reduced by 2, its battleship flight speed is traded for the 30 mu base speed of a Super Robot, and it gains the two in-built melee weapons a base Super Robot would obtain. In this form, the Battleship can perform trips and grapples, but becomes vulnerable to them as well. If either the growth or miniaturization upgrades are taken, the character can choose for one of its transformed forms to have one of its previous sizes.

For Arsenal access purposes, add together the Ship Captain level and Super Pilot Level -3 (minimum Ship Captain level). The base Arsenal space remains 4. Arsenal weapons deal damage appropriate to the battleship's size when in massive humanoid form, as medium mecha otherwise.

Furthermore, the battleship gains +9 HP, +1 DR for each Super Robot Pilot level the Captain has, +1 Natural armor for every 2 SRP levels, and +1 to saves for every 3 SRP levels.

Multiclassing between Ship Captain and Real Pilot
A multiclass Ship Captain/Real Pilot gains a mecha that allows her to join the fray personally, while still commanding her battleship from afar. When deployed, the Captain's leader aura is center on her Real Robot.

The Real Captain can still command the Battleship as if inside it while it remains inside her leadership aura, otherwise the crew will follow the captain's last orders to the best of their ability, counting as having no feats or spirits, and 10 on all ability scores (if the Captain has an officer gained from the Ship Captain class, the officer will take command instead). If the Battleship is destroyed and the captain is inside, she automatically ejects, piloting her Real Robot instead of an escape pod.

If the Real Robot is destroyed, the Battleship successfully recovers the escape pod if it was within the leadership aura.

For Arsenal access purposes, add together the Ship Captain level and Real Robot Pilot level, then subtract 3 (minimum equal to Real Robot Pilot level). The real robot and battleship have separate weapons/hardpoints.

Furthermore, the Real Robot gains +9 HP, +1 DR for each Ship Captain level, +1 to Natural Armor and a +1 Dodge bonus to AC per 2 Ship Captain levels, and +1 to Saves for every 3 SC levels.

The battleship gains these same benefits, though they are based on Real Pilot levels instead of Ship Captain levels.

Multiclassing between Ship Captain, Real Pilot, and Super Pilot
If, by some twist of fate, a character has multiclassed into Super Pilot, Real Pilot, and Ship Captain, they gain a real robot that can be enhanced with Super upgrades, as well as a battleship that can also be enhanced with Super upgrades. Both types of upgrades come from the same pool of points, and the character may choose to focus on the ship or the robot, or even split the upgrades between them. The Arsenal level is equal to Real level+Super level+Captain level-3 (minimum Real level).

Mecha Maneuvers and Stances
This project includes several martial schools specifically designed for it.

Unlike normal martial disciplines, SRWd20 maneuvers do not need to be recharged, but consume energy from the mecha equal to the Maneuver's level x 5 when used. Stances do not cost any energy to maintain, but their cost must be paid when the pilot switches to it.

Spirits
Spirits can be used as a free action at the beginning of your turn by paying their cost in spirit points (before you take any other action). A pilot of any kind needs to meditate for 5 minutes to recover their spirit points. You can use multiple spirits in a turn, but only once each kind of spirit. Spirits that trigger in a condition, such as valor and alert, last 1 minute and are lost if not triggered by the end of the duration.

Each spirit has a [Real Pilot], [Super Pilot] or [Ship Captain] tag. If that's not your highest level class, then the Spirit costs +20% spirit points to use. If you have multiple classes tied for highest level, you must pick one as your "primary".

The number in (parentheses) is the spirit cost.

Pilot Proficiencies
Unless otherwise noted, pilot classes here are not proficient with any kind of armor or shield.