DROIDS AND LIFEThe two factors that determine intelligent life,
I sentience (the ability to sense) and sapience
(the wisdom that comes from self-awareness) are
not qualities many ascribe to droids. Droids are
built to feel neither pain nor emotion. However
they function with a high intelligence that sur-
passes most biochemical minds, and over the
years without a memory wipe, personality quirks
and self-preservation often overshadow the
droid's original programing. Does this mean that
droids can develop sentience and sapience over
a period of time? It is a question that remains
without a universally accepted answer.model, the IC series is infamous as one of the most
lethal assassin droids in the galaxy. IG droids rarely
meet an opponent they cannot eliminate, and true
to their humorless nature, they follow the instruc-
tions for a particular bounty to the letter.- LE-VO Law Enforcement Droids (Rseikharhl
Droid Group): The success of LE-VOs in deter-
ring crime in the Rseikharhl sector has led to their
adoption galaxy-wide as appropriate models for
police assistance and private security. Their pro-
gramming requires them to follow Imperial codes
to the letter and only use force when absolutely
necessary. Though they are hardly ever equipped
with lethal weaponry, they know how to target a
stun weapon for maximum effect. - LOM Protocol Droid (Industrial Automaton):
The LOM series was Industrial Automaton's at-
tempt to upset a market dominated by Cybot
Galactica. IA attempted to make a protocol droid
very similar to the 3P0 units but with an insectoid
head to appeal to niche markets. However, bad
PR from at least one unit's career as a jewel thief
caused IA to scrap the line. Some of the remain-
ing LOM droids do have a habit of developing in-
teresting and unexpected personalities. - R-Series Astromech Droids (Industrial Automa-
ton): The wildly successful R-series ranges from
the original and cumbersome Rl to the famous R2
unit and all the way to the soon-to-be-released R6.
Aside from the Rl (which is more than two meters
tall and works aboard capital ships), all of the R-se-
ries astromechs are roughly a meter or so tall, and
designed to ride in sockets aboard snubfighters to
perform astrogation calculations and allow hyper-
space jumps. A wide variety of tools also make
them decent repair droids.
Society: Smugglers have long traded rumors of "droid
worlds," where automatons and cyborgs govern a so-
ciety of their own. Aside from such tall tales, droids do
not have their own society, instead laboring within the
society of their human and non-human masters. Un-
less a droid's personality has reprogrammed its cogni-
tive faculties, droids are built to obey, and they do.
However, the droids played by PCs present a spe-
cial case. Over the millennia there have been count-
less examples of droids that have transcended their
original programming to become self-aware and self
operating. Some of these automata last for hundreds
of years, repairing and upgrading themselves to re-
main at peak efficiency.Some of these droids take pride and satisfaction in
continuing to do the jobs they were designed for as
well as possible, such as an R2 unit that constantly
works to become a better pilot and astrogator. Oth-
ers break with their programming entirely and choose
new enterprises to pursue. The infamous 4-LOM
started out life as a protocol droid, before becoming
a jewel thief and eventually one of the galaxy's most
well-known bounty hunters.
Life on the Fringe: Droids from all classes operate
with smugglers and criminal groups in the Outer Rim,
where there are those who are willing to overlook their
mechanical nature and respect a fellow fringer with a
valuable skill set. Some bear their original design with-
out modification, while other units are cleverly disguised
in other bodies, such as the Cybot Galactica protocolCHARACTER CREATION
EDGE OF THE EMPIREDROID CLASSIFICATIONS•lroids manufacturers organize droids in five dis-
Utinct classes based on their primary functions.
Class One (First-degree): Specializing in
physical sciences, mathematics, and medicine,
these droids are often highly intelligent intel-
lectuals, but lacking in "common sense."
Class Two (Second-degree): Class Twos work in
the engineering and technical fields such as re-
pairs and astrogation. They are often well-liked
due to their reasonable intelligence, non-threat-
ening appearances, and quirky personalities.Class Three (Third-degree): Class Three
droids are often humanoid in appearance, as
they are intended to work directly with organ-
ics. They are programmed for the social and
service areas, such as interpretation, teaching,
protocol, and diplomatic assistance.
Class Four (Fourth-degree): Class Fours are
equipped with weaponry and designed for se-
curity, military training and operations, gladi-
atorial combat, and even assassination.
Class Five (Fifth-degree): Class Fives are sim-
ple labor units for a whole host of menial jobs,
from sanitation to load-lifting. Many do not have
enough cognition to be considered sentient.