Ion VS. Stun damage to droids

[emmjay 319]

Had an interesting discussion come up today in our game session:

 

Can the stun setting be used to reduce strain on droids like it can for biologicals?

 

In the AoR rulebook page 170 Ion specifically references damage to droids as strain damage.  Also on page 170 Stun (Active) does not specify that it doesn't affect droids (or only affect biologicals).  So, from what we saw RAW, stun setting works on droids.  Is there anywhere that shows differently?

[bradknowles 4,441]

I don’t know that there’s anything canonical on this, but I’d certainly allow Stun to affect droids.

IMO, the key is that Ion damage affects *only* droids and cybernetics, it doesn’t otherwise cause harm to biological entities.

But there’s nothing in the books that I know of that says that Stun does *not* affect droids.

[Richardbuxton 7,287]

In this system Stun inflicts Strain damage on everyone, including Droids. Ion is unique because it doesn't affect Meat Bags. Its not that Droids are special its that Ion and Meat Bags are.

[amrothe 152]

I agree strain damage affects everything that has strain. If it doesn't have strain treat it as affecting wounds, but narritively its a pass out not a kill on minions.

[atama2 694]

In this system Stun inflicts Strain damage on everyone, including Droids. Ion is unique because it doesn't affect Meat Bags. Its not that Droids are special its that Ion and Meat Bags are.

 

Technically, ion weapons cause a "sting" on organic creatures.  They do no actual damage, not even Strain damage, but apparently it's not pleasant (the CRBs describe the effect of an ion blaster as feeling like a sunburn).

There's no in-game effect but I'd think that shooting someone repeatedly with an ion weapon would be an effective way to use the Coercion skill on them, since the CRBs say that an ion blaster is used for "controlling droids and sentients alike".

[amrothe 152]

Forget water boarding we need to shoot terroists with ion blasters repeatedly to make them talk.

[Richardbuxton 7,287]

And vehicle mounted Ion weapons would be rather nasty too I'm sure!

[SEApocalypse 4,439]

 

In this system Stun inflicts Strain damage on everyone, including Droids. Ion is unique because it doesn't affect Meat Bags. Its not that Droids are special its that Ion and Meat Bags are.

 

Technically, ion weapons cause a "sting" on organic creatures.  They do no actual damage, not even Strain damage, but apparently it's not pleasant (the CRBs describe the effect of an ion blaster as feeling like a sunburn).

There's no in-game effect but I'd think that shooting someone repeatedly with an ion weapon would be an effective way to use the Coercion skill on them, since the CRBs say that an ion blaster is used for "controlling droids and sentients alike".

 

 

There is an effect as the weapon has disorient 5. Though there is an ionisation blaster as well, which works as enhanced restriction bolt signal and does literally nothing against meatbags. That one does not come with the ion quality and is accidently used as picture for the ion blaster too. The ion blaster is described as shoulder mounted weapon with the goal to be used against vehicles. 

 

Overall the text on the personal scale ion and anti-droid weapon in general is something which would deserve a little better polish. 

[HappyDaze 9,898]

And vehicle mounted Ion weapons would be rather nasty too I'm sure!

An easy house rule would be that planetary-scale ion weapons inflict equivalent (so, 1/10 what you'd normally get) personal scale stun damage to organic targets. It still means that a light ion cannon is only as effective as a light blaster pistol to flesh and blood targets, but it still shows that pouring a bunch of energy into a body isn't entirely safe.

[Ghostofman 8,297]

I don’t know that there’s anything canonical on this, but I’d certainly allow Stun to affect droids.

In Rebels Heras dad shoots Chopper with a stun bolt and it does stun him. So there's your Canon...

[ExpandingUniverse 609]

Well.. for my newest created character - unplayed/untested as he's part of a 'Possible Pool of Characters' - I bought a blaster AND an Ion blaster.... just in case the GM rules NO... stun does not affect droids....

 

I was under the impression.. both from the RAW and the 'There's one! Set for stun!' scene that stun affects a 'Bloodsack's' nerve system and so cannot affect droids.

 

Stun only doesn't give you the Disorient 5 though pretty handy at 0 experience PCs

Edited September 12, 2016 by ExpandingUniverse

[themensch 3,089]

I think this question was posed to the developers in that one podcast nobody listens to, and it was noted, I heard, that stun damage is intended to affect droids as there were no rules indicating it did not.  

[GreyMatter 846]

I think this question was posed to the developers in that one podcast nobody listens to, and it was noted, I heard, that stun damage is intended to affect droids as there were no rules indicating it did not.  

 

This is correct. It has been brought up several times on a podcast I haven't listened to. One specific example they used was the Stun Grenade, which is described as using "sonic waves, concussion shocks". These are effects that would work on a droid as much as a meatbag.

 

For unique stun weapons, such as the Field Sports Model 77 Air Rifle (from EtU), which fires small tranq darts, you'd need to come up with some creative narrative about how the stun effect worked. But it's not much of a stretch. (The tranq darts are still armor piercing, and their biogel payload is rated to interrupt electrical circuits in the same manner that they interrupt nerves.)

[edwardavern 363]

 

I think this question was posed to the developers in that one podcast nobody listens to, and it was noted, I heard, that stun damage is intended to affect droids as there were no rules indicating it did not.  

 

This is correct. It has been brought up several times on a podcast I haven't listened to. One specific example they used was the Stun Grenade, which is described as using "sonic waves, concussion shocks". These are effects that would work on a droid as much as a meatbag.

 

For unique stun weapons, such as the Field Sports Model 77 Air Rifle (from EtU), which fires small tranq darts, you'd need to come up with some creative narrative about how the stun effect worked. But it's not much of a stretch. (The tranq darts are still armor piercing, and their biogel payload is rated to interrupt electrical circuits in the same manner that they interrupt nerves.)

 

 

I would have said the Model 77 didn't affect droids - are we not considering the effects of a "tranquilizer agent" to fall under the "droids are unaffected by toxins or poisons" rule?

 

Now, if a PC is wielding a Model 77 and wants to create darts that affect droids, that would be fine and dandy.  Quick look at the crafting rules, whip up a template for ion darts, and boom.  But otherwise I would rule droids safe from dart weapons - being a droid comes with a fair number of disadvantages, and it's nice when players actually get a benefit from their abilities.

[Richardbuxton 7,287]

Very good point on the Model 77. Stun covers a broad range of methods of achieving similar effects.

[GreyMatter 846]

 

 

I think this question was posed to the developers in that one podcast nobody listens to, and it was noted, I heard, that stun damage is intended to affect droids as there were no rules indicating it did not.  

 

This is correct. It has been brought up several times on a podcast I haven't listened to. One specific example they used was the Stun Grenade, which is described as using "sonic waves, concussion shocks". These are effects that would work on a droid as much as a meatbag.

 

For unique stun weapons, such as the Field Sports Model 77 Air Rifle (from EtU), which fires small tranq darts, you'd need to come up with some creative narrative about how the stun effect worked. But it's not much of a stretch. (The tranq darts are still armor piercing, and their biogel payload is rated to interrupt electrical circuits in the same manner that they interrupt nerves.)

 

 

I would have said the Model 77 didn't affect droids - are we not considering the effects of a "tranquilizer agent" to fall under the "droids are unaffected by toxins or poisons" rule?

 

Now, if a PC is wielding a Model 77 and wants to create darts that affect droids, that would be fine and dandy.  Quick look at the crafting rules, whip up a template for ion darts, and boom.  But otherwise I would rule droids safe from dart weapons - being a droid comes with a fair number of disadvantages, and it's nice when players actually get a benefit from their abilities.

 

 

This is just going to be one of those situations where you have to decide if you're going to go with the defined effects (all of which emphatically do affect droids, using RAW) or with the fluff (which in my mind is a little bit of a grey area). But even the fluff is a bit vague:

 

"It fires tiny, spin-stabilized darts with laser-honed tips capable of piercing the thickest hide...Each dart contains a dose of tranquilizer agent that induces unconsciousness. In addition, the Model's darts can be loaded with the heavy-duty 'SmartTranq' tranquilizer with an active ingredient that adapts itself upon contact with the target's bloodstream to be as effective as possible no matter what the species."

 

"Tranquilizer agent" does not in and of itself encompass "toxins and poisons" per se: it could be something else entirely (such as a burst of nanoprobes in the case of droids). The pan-species reference also suggests it does affect any conceivable species. The only kink in this definition is "bloodstream", which droids emphatically do not have.

 

I think there's a case for either ruling. I'd definitely allow either, depending on PC justification/RPing.