DAW

Return to Savage Borderlands: BAE

Note: These rules prioritize balance between the DAW types and consistent rules over capturing
the exact mechanics of the video game. For example, Replaceable Resources went from an inherent
part of clones to an add-on that any DAW can take.

Contents [hide]
Basic Rules
      Common Features
      Special DAW Advances
      DAW Hardware
— DAW Options —
Clone
      Special Clone Advance
Combat Robot
Drone, Attack
Drone, Recon
      Special Recon Drone Advance
Drone, Support
      Special Support Drone Advances
Mech
Turret
      Special Turret Advance

These are the options for the Digistructed Autonomous Weapon (DAW) Edge.

Basic Rules
Common Features
All DAWs are mute Constructs. They get +2 to recover from being Shaken, ignore one level of
Wound modifiers, don't breathe, and are immune to disease and poison. They are non-organic and
thus take extra damage from Corrosive attacks instead of Incendiary ones.

They materialize with ammo equal to your maximum ammo count; this is digistructed ammo which
they cannot share with you.

They are Extras, but you may spend your own Bennies on their actions. If a DAW becomes a Wild
Card (see the DAW Edge for details) it gets its own Bennies; you may still spend your Bennies on it,
but it cannot return the favor.

The only Skills a DAW has are listed. They do not receive free Core skills like regular characters;
e.g., if no Stealth is listed, it's d4-2, not d4.

Special DAW Advances

When a DAW advances, you may choose from the usual options (e.g., raising an Attribute, bumping
two Skills, or adding an Edge), or one of the special options that make sense only for a digistructed
weapon. The options below fit any DAW (unless an exception is noted); in addition, form-specific
Advances can be found beneath the different types of DAW.

Blast: (Seasoned; any but support drone.) Once per materialization, the DAW may generate a
nova-style blast as the only action it takes that turn. This does 3d6 damage to all non-allies in
an MBT centered on itself. The build-up to the blast is obvious, so it may be evaded.
 Hardware Upgrade: (Varies; any.) Either add a new piece of White gear to the
DAW or upgrade the color of one piece of gear, to a maximum of Purple. See DAW
Hardware below for more details. This Advance is Novice for most gear, but Seasoned to add a
shield, Veteran to add a grenade mod or sniper rifle, and Heroic to add a rocket launcher.

Mag Lock: (Seasoned; any but drones.) Your DAW can be deployed on walls or ceilings. It can
also move on these surfaces (assuming it can move).

Replaceable Resources: (Novice; any.) When your DAW is destroyed, it reforms next to you
automatically next combat turn instead of counting as destroyed! Reforming counts as all of its
actions that turn. It is not a new "materialization" for the purpose of "once per materialization"
abilities. The downside to this ability is that it drastically increases the effort your control
systems must put forth; while the DAW is active, you are at -1 to all rolls. This penalty is
cumulative if you have multiple active DAWs with this feature! You cannot turn this ability off.

Shield Repair: (Seasoned; any.) As the only action it takes that turn, the DAW may restore
the shields of one subject within 6". The shield wearer immediately recovers d4+1 Capacity; this
roll can Ace.

Supply Drop: (Novice; any.) Your DAW comes with gifts from the company. When your DAW
first materializes, one person adjacent to it may refill one ammo counter to full (for free).

DAW Hardware
Some DAW start with gear (weapons, shield, etc.) and all can be granted gear via the "Hardware
Upgrade" advance (above), so it's important to explain a few basics.

The Rank of your DAW's gear is your Rank. This means every time you advance, your must also
add an Upgrade to every piece of gear built into your DAW. Fortunately, you choose your Upgrades
instead of rolling randomly. (This keeps it fair since the DAW is stuck with that choice forever.) You
also choose any elements and may choose Slag. You cannot choose to add Red Text or an
Anointment.

A DAW cannot use external gear, only its built-in hardware. It cannot be disarmed or drop a
weapon, as its weapons are inherent. Some (like the Clone) carry their weapons in their hands
normally, but if disarmed the weapon just de-rezzes and reappears in the Clone's hands.

By default, a DAW can have up to two weapons equipped at once, though it doesn't matter if they're
one- or two-handed ones. This is in addition to having a shield and grenade mod equipped. If it has
more weapons than it can use at once, it may change its loadout as a standard Action; the old gear
de-rezzes and the new gear rezzes in.

— DAW Options —
Clone
Clones look like obviously holographic projections of their owner. Like all DAWs, they cannot truly
speak, but their owner can record dozens of quips that the clone will play randomly while fighting
(or doing anything); this is reflected by their Taunt skill.

Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6

Skills: Athletics d6, Fighting d6, Notice d6, Shooting d6, Stealth d4, Taunt d6
Pace: 6, Parry: 5, Toughness: 7 (2)

Edges: Ambidextrous, Dodge, Provoke

Gear: One white pistol, SMG, assault rifle, shotgun, or melee weapon. By default, this is a Dahl
Peacemaker (see below).
Dahl Peacemaker: Range 8/16/32, Damage 2d8+1, AP 0, RoF 1, Shots 10, Notes: 3RB.

Special Abilities:
Armor +2.
Construct.
Normal Hands. At most, the clone can wield one two-handed weapon or two one-handed
weapons, like a normal human.

Special Clone Advance

Bodyguard: (Seasoned.) This clone looks like you, not just a holographic projection. When
you're hit by an attack, instead of rolling to Soak, you may spend a Benny to declare that your
clone took the hit instead. If this destroys the clone, it cannot use this ability again this fight
(this only matters if it has Replaceable Resources, above).

Combat Robot
This robot is a monster in melee, though some owners eventually upgrade it with ranged
capabilities.

Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigor d8

Skills: Athletics d4, Fighting d6, Intimidation d6, Notice d4

Pace: 6, Parry: 5, Toughness: 10 (4)

Edges: Ambidextrous

Gear: One white melee weapon. By default, this is a Dahl Halberd (see below), though Gaige's
Deathtrap has Dahl Armblades.
Dahl Halberd: Str+d8, Reach 1, 2 hands.

Special Abilities:
Armor +4.
Construct.
Hover Jets. Ignores difficult terrain (solid only, not water, etc.). Its Run die is d4.

Drone, Attack
All drones have extendable manipulators for opening doors, grabbing Quest Items, etc. The attack
drone focuses on staying mobile and dealing damage.

Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d4, Strength d4, Vigor d6

Skills: Athletics d6, Notice d4, Shooting d8

Pace: 12 (Flight), Parry: 2, Toughness: 9 (4)

Edges: Ambidextrous
Gear: One white pistol, SMG, assault rifle, or shotgun. By default, this is a Dahl Defender (see
below). If upgraded with grenades, it drops them using Athletics.
Dahl Defender: Range 12/24/48, Damage 2d8, AP 1, RoF 2, Notes: 3RB.

Special Abilities:
Armor +4.
Construct.
Dodge. Ranged attacks against the drone are made at -2.

Drone, Recon
The recon drone excels at aerial reconnaissance, gathering information for its owner.

Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4, Spirit d4, Strength d4, Vigor d6

Skills: Athletics d6, Notice d6+2, Stealth d8

Pace: 12 (Flight), Parry: 2, Toughness: 7 (2)

Edges: Ambidextrous

Gear: Infrared audio/video camera. This drone can be upgraded with ranged weapons as for an
attack drone, but attacking causes its Adaptive Paint ability to drop; it cannot be reactivated until
the drone's next turn.

Special Abilities:
Adaptive Paint. The drone can maintain partial invisibility by rolling against Stealth each turn,
at -2 if moving (no penalty if still). Success gives others -4 on rolls to Notice or attack the drone;
a raise gives -6.
Armor +2.
Construct.
Size -1.

Special Recon Drone Advance

Complete Invisibility: (Veteran.) Adaptive Paint no longer takes -2 to Stealth if moving. In
addition, if the recon drone is equipped with a weapon, after attacking it may attempt to
reestablish Adaptive Paint; however, it must reserve an action to do so and takes the usual
multi-action penalties.

Drone, Support
The support drone backs its owner up defensively. Popular advances include the Repair skill and
Shield Repair ability, gradually upgrading the drone into a full surveyor.

Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit d6, Strength d4, Vigor d6

Skills: Athletics d6, Healing d6

Pace: 12 (Flight), Parry: 2, Toughness: 9 (4)

Edges: Ambidextrous

Gear: Infrared audio/video camera. This drone is not designed for assault combat; if it is given
weapons via Hardware Upgrade, all of its rolls are at -1.
Special Abilities:
Armor +4.
Construct.
Healing Nanobots. The drone can project healing nanobots at any subject within 6", but this is
the only action it can take this turn. The drone makes a Healing roll at the subject's current
Wound penalty; success has the effect of a health vial.

Special Support Drone Advances

Combat Support: (Novice; Hardware Upgrade.) The support drone is rebuilt to accommodate
both weapons and its healing systems; it is no longer penalized for being equipped with a
weapon.

Digidealer: (Veteran.) The drone's Healing Nanobots can now inject various drugs and toxins
in allied and enemy organisms (not robots). Roll against the drone's Healing (as its only action
this turn) to use the boost/lower Trait power with no Modifiers.

Mech
A big suit of armor, which can act independently or be worn by its owner.

Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigor d10

Skills: Athletics d4, Notice d4, Shooting d6

Pace: 4 (Run die d4), Parry: 2, Toughness: 13 (4)

Edges: Ambidextrous

Gear: One white SMG, assault rifle, or shotgun. By default this is a Torgue Bangstick (see below),
though Vladof Renegade (see Turret) is almost as common.
Torgue Bangstick: Range 4/8/16, Damage (1-3)d6 Explosive, AP 0, RoF 1, Shots
4, Notes: Consumes 3 ammo per shot; SBT; Sticky bombs.

Special Abilities:
Armor +4.
Construct.
Size +2.
Pilotable. The owner chooses whether to summon it around themselves or adjacent to
themselves. Entering and exiting the mech is a standard Action. While inside the mech, the
owner has no access to or benefits from their own gear (including shield), but has full control
over the mech and its weapons, using their own Skills, Smarts, Spirit, and Vigor (not the
mech's). Any damage is applied to the mech directly. If the mech is destroyed while the owner is
inside, the owner is automatically Shaken.

Turret
The only DAW incapable of movement or manipulation of any sort, with its full focus on "being a
gun." Its Strength is mainly for Min Str purposes.

Attributes: Agility d4, Smarts d4, Spirit d6, Strength d8, Vigor d10

Skills: Notice d4+2, Shooting d8

Edges: Combat Reflexes, Combat Slinger, Iron Jaw, Rock and Roll!

Pace: 0, Parry: 2, Toughness: 12 (4)

Gear: One white pistol, SMG, assault rifle, or shotgun. By default, this is a Vladof Renegade (see
below).
Vladof Renegade: Range 12/24/48, Damage 2d8, AP 1, RoF 3.

Special Abilities:
Armor +4.
Cover. The turret can be used (by anyone) as Light cover. If it's later equipped with a shield,
that shield also protects those taking advantage of this cover.
Construct.
Size +1.

Special Turret Advance

Dual Targeting System: (Veteran; Hardware Upgrade.) The turret ignores 2 points of multi-
action penalties each turn, as long as it is attacking with two different weapons.