Awesome 80s: Transforming Cycle Armor (for Starfinder First Edition) (Patreon)

Some weird, awesome stuff came out in the 1980s, and some of it impacted my geek trajectory significantly. The "Awesome80s" line of blog posts is about sharing some of the things I have been inspired to create by movies, shows, games, and literature of that decade.

In this case, it’s an armor module that can transform to be either a motorcycle or additional protective plates (depending on the needs of the wearer).

Dragoon Frame (Armor Upgrade)

Model Level Cost Crit Negation Cycle SpeedBrass __ 2 _ 450 cr. 10% ________________30 ft.Bronze _ 4 _ 2,850 cr. 20% _______________ 40 ft.Copper 9 _ 7,000 cr. 30% _______________ 50 ft.Silver __14 _30,000 cr. 40% _______________ 60 ft.Gold __ 19__200,000 cr. 50% _______________ 70 ft.

A dragoon frame is designed to enhance the mobility of armored infantry units, allowing them to choose between greater mobility or greater resilience. When installed, a dragoon frame appears to be a series of angular armored plates and curved matte-black highlights that fit around the armor. While in this reinforcing plates mode, the dragoon frame grants the armor’s wearer the listed percent chance to negate the critical hit effect of a critical hit (though it does not negate the double damage of the critical or any ability triggered by a critical hit other than critical effects). This chance is rolled separately from (and after) any chance to completely negate a critical hit (such as might be gained from high-level force fields).

As part of any action that allows the armor’s wearer to move (including guarded steps and the movement element of a trick attack), a dragoon frame can unfold from the reinforced plate mode, and reassemble as a motorcycle ridden by that armored character. In this mode it doesn't offer any protection against critical hit effects, instead giving the rider the listed land speed, and the ability to carry one additional creature of the same size (or smaller) as the armor wearer without worrying about bulk or using any arms to do so. As long as the armored character is not overburdened, the cycle’s speed is not reduced by armor modifiers or encumbrance. If the armored character is overburdened, the cycle’s movement is reduced to 0.

However, a dragoon frame in cycle mode isn’t as maneuverable as being on foot. When moving in cycle mode, the armored character’s land movement acts a great deal as if they were flying (though limited to movement on the ground) and had average maneuverability (see Chapter 8 of the Starfinder Core Rulebook). This includes it costing you an additional 5 feet of movement to turn 45 degrees, needing to make Acrobatics checks (see the skill description) when driving in high winds (though you gain a +8 bonus to such checks and may choose to use Piloting rather than Acrobatics). When moving in motorcycle mode, the armor wearer can also use Piloting in place of Acrobatics for the balance and tumble tasks.

It does not take any hands to pilot the cycle – everything is managed by the onboard system of the linked armor. No one but the wearer of the armor with the dragoon frame upgrade can normally pilot the frame in motorcycle mode. The armor wearer can leave the cycle, but it cannot be piloted (or change from cycle mode to reinforcing plates mode) when not ridden by someone wearing the armor it is an upgrade for.

When in cycle mode, the dragoon frame can fold back onto its armor as part of any move or full action taken by its pilot, setting any passenger that was riding it on the passenger’s feet in an adjacent square of the armor wearer’s choice when it does so.

(What's one step above an armor upgrade being extra defense or a cycle? Having it ALSO be able to take actions on its own. Behold a MechaServe! Art by Jacob Blackmon.)

MechaServe Pilot ThemeType

Okay, but what if you don't just want your armor's augmentation to be either extra defense or a motorcycle. What if you ALSO want it to be able to move around on its own? A robot that act like a drone but can also be a vehicle but can also become augmentated defense for your armor. Yep, it’s a pretty specific example. I’m going with the name “MechaServe Pilot.”

To create this as a PC option, we’re using a ThemeType, a PC option that combines a character’s Theme with an Archetype to allow them to be significantly more varied than a typical character. I first introduced and explained ThemeTypes in a 2018 article, and they remain a useful tool for some kinds of character concepts.

ThemeType Rules

A ThemeType gives you some abilities that are powerful enough to make you seem to have taken a second character class, but it also counts as both your theme (preventing you from gaining any other theme, and requiring you to select the ThemeType at 1st level) and as an archetype for the first class you take levels in (requiring you to give up some abilities of your primary class, as normal for an archetype).

ThemeType abilities marked with (Theme) occur when you reach the listed character level, regardless of what classes you have taken levels in. Those marked (Archetype) are gained only when you reach the listed level in the first character class you take levels in. However, it is also recommended that characters with a ThemeType not also use normal multiclassing rules (in which case the character’s character level and class level will always match).

It's worth noting that taking a ThemeType prevents you from getting the +1 to one ability score that a typical theme grants. However, that's a fairly minor also a minor issue. Losing that +1 never needs to result in having a lower ability bonus — all it does is make a single score that would have been odd instead be even, and thus potentially not qualify for feats with ability score minimums. That’s not nothing, but it’s also not a major character balance issue. Essentially, you give up a slight edge in a narrow range of feat prerequisites in favor of the greater flexibility of accessing abilities on scale with accessing the features of another character class.

MechaServe Pilot ThemeType

You have access to a MechaServe – a robot that can also be a vehicle that can also become part of (and thus augment) your armor. Maybe you built it. Maybe you found it in a cache of lost technology. Maybe you’re from a world where MechaServes are common. Maybe it came with your role in the cyberband "Street Sabres!" Whatever its origin, it’s yours now, and that gives you a lot of flexibility.

Theme Knowledge (Ex, Theme, 1st Level): At first level, you gain Piloting as a class skill. You may use your Intelligence bonus, rather than your Dexterity bonus, to determine your Piloting skill bonus total, if you wish. You also gain a free dragoon armor upgrade with an item level equal to your character level (minimum item level 2), that only you may use. It can be installed in your armor without using an upgrade slot. It can become either a cycle (as noted in the dragoon armor upgrade) or any other single vehicle of your choice with an item level no greater than your character level. You can change what vehicle this is each time you gain a level. This is your basic MechaServe, which starts with two modes (reinforced plates and vehicle, as outlined in the dragoon armor upgrade).

The vehicle mode can always be steered by you without using any hands, and can always carry at least you and all your gear as long as you are not overburdened. If not the standard dragoon cycle, the vehicle must follow these limitations. The vehicle form must be within one size category of your base form. While in a vehicle form, the MechaServe gains a +20 bonus to Disguise checks to appear to be that vehicle (including appearing to have an appropriate driver or pilot, even if it actually doesn’t).

Basic MechaServe (Ex, Archetype, 2nd Level): Your dragoon armor upgrade vehicle also acts as a mechanic’s drone, as if you had the drone version of the mechanic’s artificial intelligence class feature. Your effective mechanic level is equal to your class level –1, to a maximum mechanic level of 3rd. Select a chassis for your drone and build it normally. Your drone can switch between this drone form and the vehicle form for your dragoon armor upgrade.

Your MechaServe now has three modes: Reinforced plates, drone, or vehicle. It can change directly from drone or vehicle to reinforced plates, but must be adjacent to you to do so. Anything it carries in its drone form is stowed within it in its vehicle or reinforced plates form, and the MechaServe may opt to allow it to be accessed by riders, passengers, or its armor wearer. If the drone form has the capacity to use armor or weapons it is carrying, it may integrate them when it takes on its drone form.

You do not gain any other mechanic class features, but your MechaServe does gain drone special abilities, feats, and drone mods appropriate for your effective mechanic level. When in vehicle form it only has access to abilities from that vehicle, and it can still only take actions as allowed by your drone version of the mechanic’s artificial intelligence class feature.

MechaServe Improvement (Ex, Archetype, 4th Level): Though still calculated as your character level –1, your maximum effective mechanic level for your MechaServe’s drone mode increases by +1. You can use one MechaServe Upgrade Swap (see below).

MechaServe Repair (Ex, Theme, 6th Level): You gain the repair drone mechanic trick, treating your mechanic level as your character level -1. You can use one additional MechaServe Upgrade Swap (see below).

MechaServe Improvement (Ex, Archetype, 6th Level): Though now calculated as your character level –2, your maximum effective mechanic level for your MechaServe’s drone mode increases by +2. You can use one additional MechaServe Upgrade Swap (see below).

MechaServe Improvement (Ex, Archetype, 12th Level): Though still calculated as your character level –2, your maximum effective mechanic level for your MechaServe’s drone mode increases by +3. You can use one additional MechaServe Upgrade Swap (see below).

MechaServe Trick (Ex, Theme, 18th Level): You gain one mechanic trick, selected from the mechanic tricks of 8th level or less that grant an ability to your MechaServe’s drone mode (such as drone meld or overclocking). You can use one additional MechaServe Upgrade Swap (see below).

MechaServe Improvement (Ex, Archetype 18th): Though still calculated as your character level –2, your maximum effective mechanic level for your MechaServe’s drone mode increases by +2. You can use one additional MechaServe Upgrade Swap (see below).

MechaServe Upgrade Swaps

Your MechaServe can gain the following abilities in place of drone feats or mods. Essentially, your MechaServe has one less feat or mod in drone mode, but gains the upgrade swap of your choice from the list below. You can’t have more upgrade swaps than have been granted to you by the MechaServe Pilot ThemeType, and you can change what swaps you have at each character level.

MechaServe Enlargement: When your MechaServe is in reinforced plates mode, you can choose to be one size category larger. This increases your reach by 5 feet, and the amount of bulk you can carry without becoming encumbered or overburdened by +10.

MechaServe Reinforcement: When your MechaServe is in reinforced plates mode, you gain a +1 shield bonus to AC. This increases to +2 if your character level is 14th level or higher.

Robotic Flexibility: Your MechaServe retains all its vehicle movement types and equipment when it is in drone mode. If you select this a second time, your MechaServe can carry as many passengers in drone mode as it can in vehicle mode, without becoming encumbered or overburdened. If you select this a third time, when your MechaServe is in reinforced plates mode, you can use any movement form your MechaServe has in drone or vehicle mode.

Swift Switch: Once per round, your MechaServe can change mode as a free action.

Upgrade Flexibility: When your MechaServe is in reinforced plates mode, it can grant your armor any one armor upgrade with an item level no greater than your character level -2. This does not require an upgrade slot, has no cost, and can be an upgrade for any type of armor (light, heavy, or powered), regardless of your actual armor. You may change what this upgrade is each time you gain a new level. If you select this a second time, your MechaServe also has this upgrade when in drone mode. If you select it a third time, your MechaServe also has this upgrade in vehicle mode.

Vehicular Flexability: Your MechaServe retains use of its drone weapons and equipment while in vehicle mode. If you select this a second time, you also have access to its weapons when it is in reinforced plates mode. If you select this a third time, your MechaServe has access to all its drone feats and upgrades while in vehicle mode.

(Jacob carefully made sure an armored humanoid fit in his MechaServe in reinforced plates mode)