Technological Options
Technological Options
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence
The following are structured rules for running Artificial Intelligence (or AI for short) in your games. AIs are both creatures (in that they take actions and decisions) and routines (a being of software and not hardware). AI need to be uploaded into a gadget to have enough processing power to “think”. An AI stored in a storage device is too compressed to function properly.
Once installed, an AI can take actions as normal, but is limited to what the gadget it inhabits can do. An artificial intelligence if installed in a gadget grants it control of a gadget as if it is being wielded by its creator. Activating the gadget against the will of the AI requires an activation check with a -5 penalty. AI installed in augments are treated as if controlling them through remote controls.
Creating an Artificial Intelligence
Creating an Artificial Intelligence
Creating an Artificial Intelligence
An artificial intelligence’s stat block is similar to that of an intelligent magic item. Note that these statistics reflect only the artificial intelligence itself, not the host. Unless noted otherwise, building an AI has a cost and crafting time equal to the largest drone you could craft. Building an AI stat block requires the following statistics.
Note: This kind of artificial intelligence is considered a Gamma AI.
Note:
Level: An artificial intelligence’s level sets its ability scores, saves, and skill checks. An AI’s CR is equal to its level. The maximum level of AI you can create is equal to your ranks in Craft (mechanical).
Alignment and Type: An AI can be any alignment. Its type is “artificial intelligence,” and it counts as a construct for all effects that target creature type.
Initiative: The installed AI modifies its initiative check with its Intelligence modifier, not its Dexterity modifier.
Senses: An AI needs access to a drone, cameras, microphones, or other mechanical sensory tools in order to be able to notice things in the outside world. These senses should be listed in the appropriate encounter areas, not in the AI’s stats, since it is likely that an AI will have access to a variety of sensory devices over a large area.
Defenses: An AI does not have AC, hit points, or other statistics related to a physical form; it relies on its host or structure for those scores. An AI uses its own saving throws only against attacks that target its mind - in most cases, this means it primarily uses its Will save. An AI uses its CR as its effective Hit Dice for determining its base saves — it has good Will saves and poor Fortitude and Reflex saves.
Base Attack Bonus: An AI possess a base attack bonus equal to its level.
Ability Scores: An AI’s base ability scores are 14, 12, and 10 (AI possess no innate physical ability scores). Arrange them in any order desired. For every 2 levels it possesses, it gains a + 2 bonus to an ability score. An AI is immune to ability damage but is not immune to ability drain and can be targeted through the gadget it is installed inside of.
Skills: An AI has skill points equal to 6 + its Intelligence modifier per level. An AI has a number of class skills equal to its Charisma modifier. These may be any skill, though the most common class skills for AIs are: Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge (all), Linguistics, Perception, and Sense Motive.
Feats: An AI has a number of feats equal to half its level (minimum 1). An AI must meet all prerequisites of its feats.
Languages: AIs speak one language chosen at the time of their creation. An AI knows a number of additional languages equal to its Intelligence modifier.
Special Abilities: Some AI possess additional abilities.
Level:
Alignment and Type:
Initiative:
Senses:
Defenses:
Base Attack Bonus:
Ability Scores:
Skills:
Feats:
Languages:
Special Abilities:
Variants
Variants
Not all AI are built the same. The type of AI listed above is called a Gamma AI. One of the apex types of AI with intelligence on par or surpassing of most humanoid creatures. However other kinds exist:
Alpha AI: Possessing the intelligence comparable to that of an insect, alpha AI are the most basic AI there are and used for basic utilities. Alpha AI have the following differences from Gamma AI:
Alpha AI:
- An Alpha AI’s level counts as 1/4 a Gamma AIs level (minimum 1) for the purposes of determining the maximum number of AI or drones you may have active at once.
- Alpha AI are mindless, possessing no Intelligence score and immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, patterns, and phantasms). Mindless creatures have no feats or skills.
- Alpha AI have starting ability scores of Wisdom 6, and Charisma 6.
- Alpha AI have an initiative modifier of +0 regardless of the Intelligence score.
- Alpha AI have a true neutral alignment.
- Alpha AI can communicate and understand basic information in one language that you speak.
- Alpha AI lack a sense of decision making. They cannot execute actions unless they know those actions as commands.
- Alpha AI are created with simple weapon proficiency and 1 combat sphere talent of your choice (excluding any sphere ability that allows it to craft items or gain companion creatures). Alpha AI use Charisma as their practitioner modifier.
- Alpha AI have a CR modification of +0 when applied as an aggregate template.
An Alpha AI’s level counts as 1/4 a Gamma AIs level (minimum 1) for the purposes of determining the maximum number of AI or drones you may have active at once.
Alpha AI are mindless, possessing no Intelligence score and immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, patterns, and phantasms). Mindless creatures have no feats or skills.
Alpha AI have starting ability scores of Wisdom 6, and Charisma 6.
Alpha AI have an initiative modifier of +0 regardless of the Intelligence score.
Alpha AI have a true neutral alignment.
Alpha AI can communicate and understand basic information in one language that you speak.
Alpha AI lack a sense of decision making. They cannot execute actions unless they know those actions as commands.
Alpha AI are created with simple weapon proficiency and 1 combat sphere talent of your choice (excluding any sphere ability that allows it to craft items or gain companion creatures). Alpha AI use Charisma as their practitioner modifier.
Alpha AI have a CR modification of +0 when applied as an aggregate template.
Beta AI: Possessing the intelligence comparable to that of an animal, they are the most commonly used AI for day to day duties. Beta AI have the following differences from Gamma AI:
Beta AI:
- An Beta AI’s level counts as 1/2 a Gamma AIs level (minimum 1) for the purposes of determining the maximum number of AI or drones you may have active at once.
- Beta AI possess starting ability scores of Intelligence 2, Wisdom 10, and Charisma 8.
- Beta AI can communicate and understand basic information in one language that you speak.
- Beta AI lack a sense of decision making. They cannot execute actions unless they know those actions as commands (see below).
- Beta AI take no penalties to initiative from having a low Intelligence score, but can still gain benefits from having a high Intelligence score.
- Beta AI gain 4 skill points per level (reduced to 1 for having low Intelligence score), and possess up to 10 class skills selected from the list of class skills its creator possessed. An AI can only assign skill ranks to its class skills, unless it possesses an Intelligence of 3 or higher.
- Beta AI must select combat talents (excluding any sphere ability that allows it to craft items or gain companion creatures) by taking the Extra Combat Talent feat, using Charisma as their practitioner modifier.
An Beta AI’s level counts as 1/2 a Gamma AIs level (minimum 1) for the purposes of determining the maximum number of AI or drones you may have active at once.
Beta AI possess starting ability scores of Intelligence 2, Wisdom 10, and Charisma 8.
Beta AI can communicate and understand basic information in one language that you speak.
Beta AI lack a sense of decision making. They cannot execute actions unless they know those actions as commands (see below).
Beta AI take no penalties to initiative from having a low Intelligence score, but can still gain benefits from having a high Intelligence score.
Beta AI gain 4 skill points per level (reduced to 1 for having low Intelligence score), and possess up to 10 class skills selected from the list of class skills its creator possessed. An AI can only assign skill ranks to its class skills, unless it possesses an Intelligence of 3 or higher.
Beta AI must select combat talents (excluding any sphere ability that allows it to craft items or gain companion creatures) by taking the Extra Combat Talent feat, using Charisma as their practitioner modifier.
Delta AI: Surpassing even a Gamma AI in skills and abilities, Delta AI are almost never created from scratch and instead come from the minds of uploaded creatures or develop organically as if they were children. Full rules detailing Delta AI will be provided in future supplements.
Delta AI:
Omega AI: When an AI passes the point of singularity it develops into an Omega AI. While the power of these godlike beings may span into infinity, the point they surpass their nature as a constructed intelligence is the point they are classified as gods and not machines.
Omega AI:
Commands
Commands
A command determines what less developed AI know how to do. Commands use similar rules to animal tricks. You can tell an AI to execute a command if you are in a position to activate or deactivate its routine. This means you can request the same command from multiple AI at once if you possess a remote control.
You can program an AI to understand a specific command with 8 hours of work against an indicated DC using Craft (mechanical). Alpha AI can know 5 maximum commands while a Beta AI can know a number of commands equal to 2 plus Intelligence score multiplied by 3 (minimum 5).
You can "push" a Beta AI to execute a command it does not know as a standard action against a Craft (mechanical) DC of 25 but you cannot push an Alpha AI to execute a command it does not know.
An AI can execute the following animal tricks as commands (using Craft (mechanical) in place of Handle Animal). The AI must be housed in a gadget (usually a drone) that can execute those commands if asked: Aid, attack, bombard, build simple structure, bury, come, defend, deliver, demolish, detect, down, exclusive, fetch, flank, flee, guard, guide, heel, maneuver, pose as scenery (as inert gadget), receive spell, rescue, seek, serve, stay, subdue, work.
In addition the following are AI exclusive commands:
Communicate (DC 20): The AI can communicate very simple concepts through speech, primitive body movements or displaying text on a screen. The AI's vocabulary is very limited, usually knowing about 200 words (about as much as a toddler). The AI is not very capable of creating organic dialogue and sticks to responding with pre-scripted questions or replies.
Communicate (DC 20):
Operate Gadget (DC 15): The AI learns how to operate a number of gadgets equal to your practitioner modifier. An AI does not need to attempt activation checks for gadgets created by you. An AI counts a drone and all its innate gadgets as 1 gadget for the purposes of this command. This command can be taught multiple times, each time increasing the amount of gadgets it can operate by your practitioner modifier.
Operate Gadget (DC 15):
Sort (DC 10): The AI can sort basic information into a multitude of ways. This information is usually pure data in digital form, but even physical objects can be interacted with in this way if the AI possesses a way to manipulate and sense them.
Sort (DC 10):
Transfer (DC 10): The AI transfers itself and any number of other routines (that you created) and knows how to use on the same gadget to another gadget within signal range.
Transfer (DC 10):
Trigger (DC 10): The AI attempts to execute any amount of other commands it knows when a specific circumstance is met. For example, if it is alerted by a routine of an enemy gadget's signal, it might upload a virus to its location. This command can be taught multiple times, each time granting another set of triggering circumstances and things to do when they are met.
Trigger (DC 10):
Installing AI in Constructs and Drones
Installing AI in Constructs and Drones
Installing AI in Constructs and Drones
Artificial intelligence can be integrated as parts of drones, or installed in willing or helpless mindless constructs with the GMs permission. The GM determines the type of construct the AI is compatible with.
This grants the construct the Aggregate Template:
CR: Same as the base construct + 1. When a base AI is housed entirely in an aggregate, defeating the construct is considered the same as defeating the AI — at the GM’s discretion this may replace the normal XP award for an AI on its own. Treat drones as having a CR equal to their Hit Dice -2 for this calculation.
Alignment: The aggregates alignment changes to match the base Al’s alignment.
Initiative: The aggregate modifies initiative with the base AI Intelligence modifier instead of the base construct’s Dexterity. This stacks with any other modifiers the base construct possesses.
Senses: An aggregate retains all of the base construct’s senses.
Saves: An aggregate uses the base construct’s saves, though adjust its Will save to account for its new Wisdom score.
Defensive Abilities: An aggregate retains all of the base construct’s defensive abilities and gains those possessed by the base AI, if any.
Attacks: An aggregate uses the base construct’s base attack bonus and retains all of the base construct’s natural attacks. If the construct does not possess a base attack bonus use the AI’s base attack bonus. If neither the AI nor the construct posesses a base attack bonus the GM can determine that the construct gains a base attack bonus progression of poor.
Special Attacks: An aggregate retains all of its special attacks and gains those possessed by the base AI.
Abilities: An aggregate uses the base Al’s Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores.
Skills: An aggregate retains all the base construct’s skills (recalculated as appropriate for its new Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores), and gains all of the base Al’s skill ranks as bonus skill ranks. These bonus skill ranks do not stack with skill ranks the base construct already has; use the higher of the two for each skill.
Feats: An aggregate retains its feats, and gains all of the base Al’s feats as bonus feats.
Talents: An aggregate retains its talents, and gains all of the base Al’s talents as bonus talents.
Languages: An aggregate retains all of the base construct’s languages, and gains any additional languages known by the base AI as bonus languages.
CR:
Alignment:
Initiative:
Senses:
Saves:
Defensive Abilities:
Attacks:
Special Attacks:
Abilities:
Skills:
Feats:
Talents:
Languages:
Technological Procedures
Technological Procedures
Technological Procedures
Technological procedures are experimental means of getting an effect, or a technology that require some prep. While most gadgets are generally stable once created and usually require no cost, procedures require extended periods of time to execute.
Procedures function as rituals (from Spheres of Power), replicating the effects of spells except created through technological means instead of magical ones, for a GM that wants to introduce the same kind of utility that spells and rituals provide a tech-focused game.
Procedures are not assumed to be magical effects (and as such not subject to counterspells or spell resistance) but the GM may rule otherwise. Procedures use Craft (mechanical) in place of Spellcraft checks, use your ranks in Craft (mechanical) in place of your caster level, and use your practitioner modifier in place of your casting ability modifier.
Using a Procedure: Similarly to rituals the practitioner must possess a written copy of the procedure, and must have deciphered it beforehand, which functions like deciphering a ritual book, and pay an associated material component cost. There is no procedure equivalent to ritual scrolls. They also possess an associated base sphere as normal. A practitioner counts as having a number of base spheres equal to 3 + 1 for every 4 ranks of Craft (mechanical) they possess when they first receive their first Tech sphere talent. Procedures may be researched like rituals if the practitioner possesses the Develop Procedures item creation feat.
Using a Procedure:
The GM is free to put additional limitations on procedures as he sees fit to enable the worldbuilding, such as requiring them to be conducted in specialized facilities (with different facilities enabling different schools of magic) that may limit the highest possible level of procedure to be conducted.
Procedures and Blueprints: To expand the potential of gadget- and formulae-based item creation further, a GM may allow the use of blueprints in their game. Blueprints are procedures that pertain to a Tech sphere talent that can be substituted for talent requirements when crafting permanent gadgets or formulae. Blueprints are created with a spell level just like regular procedures but as gadgets and formulae do not possess a spell level, a blueprint’s spell level determines the maximum amount of ranks a gadget or formulae can be created with that uses the blueprint as a talent prerequisite. The maximum ranks a blueprint can be substituted for is equal to 1 + its level, multiplied by two. Blueprints possess no base sphere requirement to use or research. Blueprints may be crafted by creatures with the Develop Procedures item creation feat.
Procedures and Blueprints:
Incantations: Incantations can also be easily adapted to come from a technological source and not a magical one. All it requires is a few Craft (mechanical) rolls and the right thematic setup, such as having the expensive material component be a geothermal lab, and not a glowing crystal skull.
Incantations:
Develop Procedures (item creation)
Develop Procedures (item creation)
Prerequisites: Tech sphere.
Prerequisites:
Benefit: You may research procedures similarly to how one could research a ritual.
Benefit:
Procedural Scientist (ritual)
Procedural Scientist (ritual)
Prerequisites: Tech sphere.
Prerequisites:
Benefit: You may use a procedure, even if you do not possess that procedures’s base sphere. If you also possess the Develop Procedures item creation feat, you still cannot research a ritual unless you meet all of its prerequisites.
Benefit:
Sample Procedures
Sample Procedures
Sample Procedures
Beginner Jets
Beginner Jets
Gadget Jet-boosters; Blueprint Level 2
Description This blueprint can be substituted for item creation purposes.
Gadget
Blueprint Level
Description
Portal To Hell
Portal To Hell
Sphere Warp; Procedure Level 9
Preparation Time: 2 days
Components A 9th level technological facility
Description This functions as the gate spell, except it can only function as a means of interdimensional travel, and cannot be used to call creatures.
Sphere
Procedure Level
Preparation Time:
Components
Description
Universal Translator
Universal Translator
Sphere Divination; Procedure Level 3
Preparation Time 30 minutes
Components Requires a tiny portable device to house a base translator unit worth 25 gp.
Description This functions as the tongues spell.
Sphere
Procedure Level
Preparation Time
Components
Description