[cdavid]

I really don't understand how drones should work. Do they have one attack each? How do I create one? When buying them, how do I define if they are Heavy, Medium or Small (pg 135)?

[waspeyelad]

Just ran in the same road block you did when brainstorming a Ganger character. I can't find any info on the actual Drones on the Riggers featured in the book either.

[SoulGambit]

They are Shadow Amps that grant attacks, and equipment/weapons.

[cdavid]

So they can't attack alone? I can't tell them to attack something while I do some other thing? And they don't have stats (Logic, etc.)? They are not NPCs, like a summoned spirit? Because enemy drones are NPCs and they don't work like that.

[waspeyelad]

The Drivethru pdf just got updated with the missing rules!
Now Vehicles and drones have proper stats.

[Gingivitis]

Even with the new stats, PC drones are different from enemy drones.  Friendly drones are just Shadow Amps.  But they add +1 attack/+1 move (with the drone only).  You narrate what they are doing during your own Narration.

So basically the rigger gets his/her 1 movement and 1 attack (with a pistol, etc.), then the drone gets 1 movement and 1 attack (with its drone mounted machine gun, etc.).  You don't have to move together, for instance you can move away while your drone moves closer to the enemy.  They are yours and you tell them what to do but they use your stats because you are in control.

p. 47. When you are Jumped In to your drone, you are in VR and get your Control Rig's extra dice and rerolls, but you cannot do physical body actions (like moving your meat-body or shooting your meat-pistol).  When the drone shoots, you still use your stats but you add the benefits of the Control Rig.

p. 204, Drones now have a stated armor (usually 6 for a basic Shadow Amp drone) that can presumably be increased by 3 for every SA point spent on it (just like character armor).  Once a PC's drone's armor is depleted, it cannot be used until it is repaired.  Friendly drones do not have Condition Monitors (that is a game balance thing).  Basically you have it and use it until it is bricked, similar to a cyberdeck.

p. 48 Vehicles and drones have a Durability value that is evidently only used in crashes.  It is possible that they meant to use Durability as a Condition Monitor or something similar but it is never stated (the phrase "Durability" is used exactly twice in the rules).  It is also bass-ackwards in that the higher the Durability, the more damage a vehicle takes in a crash.  Here is my advice on that: Ignore Durability rules.  Just narrate your crashes.

[waspeyelad]

Just narrate your crashes and use Durability as a condition tracker?
Or just use the Armor?

Considering they list both of them, I think the intention is it to be the "condition tracker" for the drones.

[Gingivitis]

I  dunno:

p. 47 "Once a vehicle’s armor is depleted, the vehicle is
out of commission and probably totaled, depending on
the situation. Vehicle armor can be repaired in the same
manner as character armor. When Shadow Amp drone
lose all of their armor, they are not lost, but the Amp cannot
be used until at least one Armor circle is repaired."

That seems pretty clear that friendly drones have no other condition monitor besides armor.  Durability is mentioned only in the context of crashing.

Personally, I am giving them armor only and taking away the Physical Condition monitor of Enemy Drones.  They are hard to kill as it is with 16 defense dice and armor plating on the Small ones (that STILL get Grenade Launchers!)  If I want them to be more of a challenge to my players, I will just use more of them.

There are some balance issues, obviously.  I don't think they should basically double the armor and double the physical condition monitor of a rigger for 2 Shadow Amp points.

[waspeyelad]

I  dunno:

p. 47 "Once a vehicle’s armor is depleted, the vehicle is
out of commission and probably totaled, depending on
the situation. Vehicle armor can be repaired in the same
manner as character armor. When Shadow Amp drone
lose all of their armor, they are not lost, but the Amp cannot
be used until at least one Armor circle is repaired."

That seems pretty clear that friendly drones have no other condition monitor besides armor.  Durability is mentioned only in the context of crashing.

Personally, I am giving them armor only and taking away the Physical Condition monitor of Enemy Drones.  They are hard to kill as it is with 16 defense dice and armor plating on the Small ones (that STILL get Grenade Launchers!)  If I want them to be more of a challenge to my players, I will just use more of them.

There are some balance issues, obviously.  I don't think they should basically double the armor and double the physical condition monitor of a rigger for 2 Shadow Amp points.

That does sounds more reasonable. I guess I'll follow this.

[cdavid]

So:

If I pay 1 SA, I have a drone that can't attack by itself. I taking this from this line:
Drone/Vehicle Mounted Assault Rifle (Amp Level 1): Acts as weapon, but only provides additional attack per turn with increase Amp Level

If I pay another 1 SA, I get +1 attack with it. I can pay up to +3 SA, to get +3 attacks. So with 4 SA, I get a drone with a weapon and +3 attacks.

Is that it? And is there some way to define if my drone can fly, it's size or anything else?

[Gingivitis]

"Drone/Vehicle Mounted Assault Rifle (Amp Level 1): Acts as weapon, but only provides additional attack per turn with increase Amp Level"

I think of this as buying a weapon.  That's it.  You can put it on your GMC Bulldog or your Ford American.

1 SA gets you a drone.  That's it.  No benefits, no dice, no attack.  It's a story drone, used to further the plot.  You can jump in it with your control rig and snoop around, maybe get a guard to abandon his post, etc.  1 more point and your get "a thing." It could be a +1 to Perception like the Fly-Spy, or a melee weapon attack like the Doberman, or an attack with your custom gun drones.  Those drones start with a story-appropriate amount of armor and Durability (which, remember, does nothing).  You probably should start with 6 armor base.  1 more SA gets you another thing: another +1 Perception or another attack.  You could likely add some armor (3 extra armor, like character armor), some sensors (a reroll? Or +1 to gunnery), or armor plating (like enemy drones),  instead.

Does it fly?  I don't know, DOES it? Talk it over with your GM.  If it is a roto-drone, probably. If it's a aztech crawler, probably not.  If it's a custom built, Renraku Eagle Death Rocket drone (which I just made up) then, yeah it flies.  Work it out with your GM.

[cdavid]

So, Drones:

-Have a base cost of 1;
-If you buy an extra attack with the drone, it gets the gun-drone weapon;
-I can buy other weapons by paying another +1;
-They start with armor 6 and crash after that is spent.

Thanks!

[waspeyelad]

So, Drones:

-Have a base cost of 1;
-If you buy an extra attack with the drone, it gets the gun-drone weapon;
-I can buy other weapons by paying another +1;
-They start with armor 6 and crash after that is spent.

Thanks!

Actually you buy an extra attack.
You treat their weapons as regular weapons. Just check out the gear section.

Think this way: Drones are a special place to mont weapons. You buy with 1 point the "mount". You get to drive around it in vr or even ar if you wish and if you spend your weapon slot to equip the drone, you can fire from it.
If you spend the extra point, the drone can move "by itself" as you move around too. Hence, the extra attack.