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Mechs / Mech Combat

Mech Actions

Source Tech Revolution pg. 112
A mech’s available actions per turn depend on the number of operators currently controlling it. While at least one operator is controlling it, a mech can take one move action per turn and one reaction per round.
Operators can take a full action to pilot a mech, granting it an additional move action or standard action that turn (maximum six additional actions per turn). A mech can perform a full action either in place of a standard and move action or in place of two standard actions. Regardless of its total number of actions, a mech can’t use more than two actions to move each turn, and it can’t activate any one mech component (such as a weapon or auxiliary system; see pages 102–108) more than once per round unless otherwise noted.
For example, if a mech has four operators, and each takes a full action to grant the mech actions, the mech can take up to four standard actions and one move action. The mech could use these actions to move its speed and attack once each with four different weapons. Alternatively, the mech could move its speed twice, attack once with one weapon, and make a full attack with another weapon. There are many other possible combinations, depending on the mech’s available systems.
Skills: A mech with at least one operator can take the appropriate action, if any, to attempt an Acrobatics, Athletics, or Perception skill check, or else an Intimidate check to demoralize. Some frames and auxiliary systems allow mechs to use additional skills; see page 112 for calculating a mech’s skill modifiers.
Guarded Step: When using the guarded step action, a mech can move up to 10 feet without provoking an attack of opportunity.

Power Points

Source Tech Revolution pg. 113
Each mech’s power core (page 102) provides it ample energy to move and fight while also generating excess power—measured in Power Points (PP)—that the mech can exploit to supercharge its systems. A mech’s power core determines how many PP it begins each encounter with, how many it can store at a time, and how many it generates at the end of each turn. Many auxiliary systems, weapons, and other components have special abilities that require expending PP to function.
In addition, several Power Points abilities available to all mechs can be used without spending actions. None of these abilities can be applied to the same check more than once.
Aim (1 PP): Before attempting an attack roll, the mech can activate this ability to roll 1d4 and add the result as an insight bonus to the attack roll.
Devastating Hit (3 PP): After hitting a creature with an attack, but before dealing damage, the mech increases its weapon’s damage value by one step against that creature (e.g. medium damage instead deals high damage). A weapon that already deals extreme damage instead adds 1 additional damage for every damage die rolled for the attack. This ability can’t be used for weapons that attack an intersection rather than a creature, such as weapons with the explode weapon special property.
Maneuver (1 PP): Choose one skill. Until the beginning of the mech’s next turn, operators add any insight bonuses they have that apply to that skill to the mech’s checks with that skill.
Replenish (2 PP): Activate this ability when regaining Shield Points. The number of SP the mech recovers increases by 1d8. This increases by an additional 1d8 at tier 5 and every 5 tiers thereafter.
Resist (1 PP): Before attempting a saving throw, the mech can activate this ability to roll 1d4 and add the result as a resistance bonus to the saving throw.

Special Mech Actions

Source Tech Revolution pg. 113
In addition to the actions detailed in Chapter 8 of the Core Rulebook, mechs can perform the following special actions.
Called Shot (Standard Action): The mech expends either 1 PP or 3 PP and makes an attack against a single mech. If the attack’s damage causes system damage, the operator can choose which component takes system damage, excluding the power core or cockpit; if the mech expended 3 PP, the operator can select any component to take the system damage.
Hurl (Full Action): The mech grabs a nearby object and throws it as a ranged attack with a range increment of 30 feet. The object can be, at largest, two size categories smaller than the mech. For an object of the maximum size or next smallest size, the attack deals medium damage to the thrown object and the target as if it were a weapon with a level equal to the mech’s tier. For any smaller objects, the weapon deals light damage instead.
The mech can use this ability to grab and throw a creature or moving vehicle within reach, but to do so, the mech must also succeed at a grapple combat maneuver against the creature to be thrown. If the combat maneuver fails, the hurl action fails, but the mech gains a move action (effectively wasting a standard action).
Scan (Move Action): The mech uses its sensor array to study one creature, mech, or object it is observing with a precise sense. Against a creature, this functions as a check to identify a creature, using the mech’s Computers bonus in place of the skill typically used to identify creatures of that type. If the check succeeds, the mech also gains a +1 insight bonus to the next attack it makes against that creature before the end of its next turn.
If the mech scans a mech or object, the mech attempts a Computers check; against an unattended mech or object, the DC is 10, and against a wielded object or piloted mech, the DC equals 10 + the target’s tier or item level. If it succeeds, the mech identifies two of the following pieces of information about the mech or object (operator’s choice): its hardness, maximum Hit Points, resistances (if any), EAC, KAC, number of passengers or operators, Strength DC to break, speed, full speed (vehicle only), systems or auxiliary systems, or weapons. For every 5 by which the Computers check exceeds the DC, the mech identifies one additional piece of information.
Repeated scans reveal little information unless the mech expends additional energy. Each additional attempt to scan a target requires the mech expend 1 PP for each previous time the mech has attempted to scan that target within the last hour.