Tech Skills
No new skills are introduced to interact with technology — existing skills are expanded instead. Without the Technologist feat, all technology-related skill checks are treated as untrained, even if the character has ranks in that skill.
Benefit: You are considered trained in any skill used against a technology-based subject. If a skill requires training to use even against non-technological subjects, you must still have ranks in it to gain this benefit.
Normal: All skill checks made against technology are treated as untrained, which may prevent certain checks even if you have ranks in the skill.
Skills & Technology
Craft (Int)
Those who wish to construct or repair technological items use the Craft (mechanical) skill in conjunction with the technological item crafting feats. Without Technologist, Craft (mechanical) can still be used to craft less advanced forms of technology such as gears, hinges, and pulleys. Note that NPCs with the means of crafting technological items are extremely rare in most campaign settings — GMs are encouraged to discuss availability with their players before allowing technological crafting.
Disable Device (Dex; Armor Check Penalty; Trained Only)
With the Technologist feat you can use Disable Device to arm or disarm high-tech explosives or disable electronic triggers or locks. Technologist is not required to disable a high-tech trap or object, but such traps and objects often have significantly higher DCs than low-tech equivalents.
Arm Explosive
If you possess a detonator, you can arm an explosive weapon as a trap. Connecting a detonator to an explosive requires a successful DC 10 Disable Device check. Failure means the attempt fails; failure by 5 or more triggers the explosive immediately. You can attempt to make an explosive difficult to disarm by choosing a target disarm DC of 15 or higher (in increments of 5). This becomes both the DC to set the explosive and the DC to disarm it.
Disable Electronic Lock or Trigger
Disabling an electronic lock on a door or an electronic trigger for a trap (not the trap itself) is easier with an e-pick. Without an e-pick, you take a −5 penalty on such checks.
Disarm Explosive
Disarming an explosive requires a Disable Device check as if disarming a trap (usually DC 10, unless a higher DC was set when the explosive was armed). Failure by 5 or more immediately triggers the explosive.
Special: You can take 10 when arming or disarming explosives, but cannot take 20.
Time: Arming an explosive takes 1 minute or more. Disarming is treated as a complex trap — 2d4 rounds.
Linguistics (Int; Trained Only)
A character with the Technologist feat can attempt a Linguistics check to decipher complex messages that appear in ruins. Many such messages are written in Androffan.
Androffan: This language is spoken outside certain ruins only rarely. Some robots may know it in addition to (or in place of) Common. Androffan cannot be chosen as a bonus language for high Intelligence without GM permission.
Researching Technology
The following skills can be used to research technological subjects. Other skills may have research applications as well, subject to GM approval.
| Skill | Use |
|---|---|
| Heal (Wis) | Used to identify and understand pharmaceuticals. |
| Knowledge (Arcana) | Note: Knowledge (arcana) cannot be used to identify robots or their abilities and weaknesses. |
| Knowledge (Engineering) | The most important skill for technological subjects. Can identify a robot's abilities and weaknesses; used to identify unknown technological objects (similar to Spellcraft for magic items). The DC equals the object's Craft DC. Objects with Craft DC 15 or lower are automatically identified by someone trained in Knowledge (engineering) who also has Technologist. |
| Knowledge (Geography) | Used for astronomy. |
Technology Feats
The following feats require the Technologist feat or relate directly to technology use. Full feat descriptions are available in the feat compendium.
| Feat | Prerequisites | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Craft Cybernetics | Technologist, Heal 9 ranks, Knowledge (engineering) 9 ranks | Create and install cybertech |
| Craft Pharmaceutical | Technologist, Heal 9 ranks, Knowledge (nature) 9 ranks | Create pharmaceutical items |
| Craft Technological Arms and Armor | Technologist, Craft (mechanical) 7 ranks, Knowledge (engineering) 7 ranks | Create technological weapons and armor |
| Craft Technological Item | Technologist, Craft (mechanical) 5 ranks, Knowledge (engineering) 5 ranks | Create technological items |
| Robot's Bane | Knowledge (engineering) 5 ranks | Gain offensive and defensive bonuses against robots |
| Scavenger's Luck | Knowledge (engineering) 1 rank | When using timeworn technology, roll twice to determine the glitch effect |
| Technologist | — | Can use skills with technological subjects (see above) |
| Technology Adept Combat | Dex 13, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (firearms), Point-Blank Shot | Gain a bonus on save DCs to resist the effects of technological firearms |
| Technophobe | Improved Sunder | Gain a morale bonus when you destroy a robot or technological item |
| Wrest Charge | Disable Device 5 ranks, Knowledge (engineering) 5 ranks | Jury-rig a depleted battery to hold 1 charge |