New Mechanically inclined species

[Kytross]

I'm looking to put together a new species with super Mechanical stats. Something with the bonuses of the Sluissi or Verpine but with the Mechanical attribute instead of Technical.

Any suggestions you guys could offer would be appreciated.

The one suggestion I've gotten so far that appeals to me quite a bit is to let the race raise their Mechanical skills at half cost, basically allowing them to pay for normal skills at specialization costs.

[Raven Redstar]

You don't like the Duros? What about Wroonians? Just to name a few. Duros get an extra D thrown in to most piloting skills at character creation. You could increase it beyond the 2D for the first 1D spent and make it double, like several other species in the alien stats book. You could also maybe use this for your new species if you don't like the Duros.

[garhkal]

What downsides will they have?
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[Kytross]

Originally I was going to take the Sluissi and transliterate the stats and bonuses, but the 2x time penalty wouldn't work with mechanical. If I go with the Sluissi idea then they'd start with 13D but one of their attributes would need to cap out at 2D and all of the other four attributes would have to be capped at < 4D.

Then I was thinking of giving them an ingame penalty like the Verpine. As we all know the Verpine are strict pacifists.

Anyway, what I ended up coming up with is that it's a species from a recently discovered planet in Hutt space or the Unknown Regions or even Wild Space with low level technology, somewhat ahead of Earth's but below galactic standard. Restrict their starting skills.

-No to space transports, starfighter, cap ship and related skills.
-Yes to archaic starship piloting, shields and astrogation

-No to Blaster and related skills, vibro-weapon specialties
-Yes to missile weapons and firearms

-I'm not sure on repulsorlift or Walker operation. I'm leaning toward no on both

If I went with this restriction I'd do the Sluissi 13D with Technical capped out at 2D. Mechanical would be capped out at 5D. I'd drop the Sluissi dice bonus and give them Mechanical skills cost 1/2 price to upgrade and turn them into a race that grows into their bonuses.

The idea here is that the species is phenomenal at using machines but generally below-average to average at making them. I'd make their society kind of like the US: I'd say roughly 20-25% of everyone knows how to fix a car but everyone has at least one car, usually more. Yes, I know that's a generalization.

What do you guys think?

[Esoomian]

You could go with a species like the Yaka. They were a rather underdeveloped civilisation until they were cybernetically uplifted. They get 1/2 character points to advance in both technical and knowledge skills. It wouldn't be too hard to imagine that bonus being for mechanical skills for a different Arkanian experiment.
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[Rerun941]

Other than just the raw Mechanical attribute, there are very few special abilities associated with piloting.

Duros and Wroonians make good pilots as mentioned previously.

Also, Lafrarians from the Han Solo sourcebook make good pilots, being descended from avian predators. They also have a vision bonus.

Sullustans actually make good pilots/astrogators with their 4D+1 to Mech, along with good low-light vision and Location Sense.

One possible Special Ability might be "3D Spatial Sense" which would be very useful in piloting. Explanation could be: descended from avian species (as in the Lafrarians), a tunnelling species (like the Sullustans) or perhaps an aquatic species.
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[Kytross]

Ok, I've looked for it but I can't find the Wroonian piloting bonus people keep mentioning. Maybe I need to update my version of Gry's alien stats.

Anyone have a link or can just copy & paste the bonus for me?

[Esoomian]

I don't think Wroonians have a bonus as such they just have a maximum mechanical score of 4D+2 so they can min/max for piloting more than a human can.
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[Ankhanu]

Iktotchi?
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[garhkal]

What is the 'back story' for this suppoesdly superior mechanically inclined race? Why has the empire not subjugated or exterminated them? if not, why not?
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[Kytross]

Good question. Until I come up with something more indepth I'd say they were one of the Wildspace races subjugated by Thrawn bewfore his return in "Heir to the Empire."

If you want to use them in a campaign before that time period then use them as explorers utilizing what the Republic/Empire would consider esoteric, archaic hyperdrives.

[Esoomian]

Have you tried these guys?

Xa Fel
Home Planet: Xa Fel
Attribute Dice: 9D
DEXTERITY 1D/3D
KNOWLEDGE 1D/3D
MECHANICAL 1D/4D+1
PERCEPTION 2D/4D
STRENGTH 1D/2D
TECHNICAL 1D/4D+1
Special Abilities:
Mechanical Aptitude: The Xa Fel seem to have a natural aptitude for machinery and vehicles, particularly spaceships. At the time of character creation, they receive 2D for every 1D of beginning skill dice they place in any starshipor starship repairskills.
Story Factors:
Corporate Slaves: The Xa Fel have been virtual slaves of Kuat Drive Yards for decades, subjugated by strict forced-labor contracts. They despise their corporate masters. Due to the depleted nature of their world, and the health problems resulting from the pollution of their environment, they are unable to fight back against the masters they so despise.
Size:1.5-1.8 meters tall
Move:7/10
Source: Alien Encounters (page 108), The Thrawn Trilogy Sourcebook (pages 146-147), The Last Command Sourcebook (page 107)
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Don't waste money on expensive binoculars.

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[Kytross]

I forgot about the Xa Fel. I'm looking for an all around great Mechanical operator species, not a specific one. Like sluissi or Verpine not the Polis Massan

Attribute Dice: 12D
DEXTERITY 1D/3D
KNOWLEDGE 3D/5D
MECHANICAL 2D/4D
PERCEPTION 2D/4D
STRENGTH 1D/3D
TECHNICAL 3D/5D
Special Abilities:
Natural Telepathy: All Polis Massans are mildly telepathic.
This telepathy works just as the Force power projective
telepathy does, but for Polis Massans it is a Perception skill.
Like projective telepathy, Polis Massan telepathy is modified
by relationship and proximity.
Deep-Focus Eyes: Grant a +1D bonus to search visually.
Expert Medics: Polis Massans treat the Medicine advanced
skill like a regular skill for advancement cost purposes.

Though their medical skill is probably where I got the idea for my species' Mechanical abilities. I've poured over Gry's alien stats book more times then I can count. And I can count to at least three!

[Esoomian]

Ah, in that case you'll probably have to design your own or settle for a species with a high maximum mechanical attribute.
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Don't waste money on expensive binoculars.

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[garhkal]

The Xa Fel are the closest you will get to what you are looking for.
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