New unit type: Mecha pilot

[Carda]

Mecha Pilot

10 CP
Skill: 1d6
Speed: 5"
Armor: 4

Insane Luck: The Mecha Pilot covers a wide variety of personalities, but almost invariably he is unwilling, underage, undertrained, and/or otherwise unqualified for the job. And yet, somehow, he invariably manages to pull off the most amazing feats of piloting skill regardless of his training level. If a Mecha Pilot is piloting a mech, he may reroll any critical failure once; if the new roll succeeds, the critical failure is nullified.

Zen and the Art of Mecha Piloting: For the Mecha Pilot, the mech is not a machine, but an extension of his body. While piloting a mech, the Mecha Pilot may use both his Move and Action on his turn.

Signature Mech: Every Mecha Pilot has that one mech that he's intimately familiar with. While piloting his Signature Mech the Mecha Pilot gets an additional 1d6 to all his dice rolls. The Signature Mech may be chosen either upon character creation (for named Heroes and Sig-Figs) or during battle setup (for nameless peons).

[DarkWolf]

Ah, but what about those oh so rare mech pilots that are trained in the art of blowing shit up? Think Chrome Hounds and Armored Core: Highly trained mercenaries who can kick the living crap out of anything.

[Carda]

This is just a basic template based on the vast majority of anime I've seen. If you wanted to combine it with a Mercenary template for a particular character (or group) that would be up to you. ^_^

[Matt]

This could be handy for an upcoming battle of mine.

[Carrnevil9]

Also keep in mind that mecha are incredibly easy to steal. Perhaps a hacking skill of some kind is implied. At the same time, lesser pilots usually can't even usually get out the entire name of an opposing machine before exploding unceremoniously. Overall, I really can't find much to pick at, damn you for your accuracy.

[Carda]

Incidentally, the image I use for the stat card just might end up being Simon from Gurren Lagann. Because he fits the description to perfection.

[IVhorseman]

Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenence?

brilliantly done, but +1d6 seems a bit high to me. perhaps just +2?

[Carda]

+2 doesn't really fit with the stereotype. In a lot of giant mecha anime, the average-or-worse character becomes a God Among Mech Pilots as soon as he sits at the controls, whether by training, skill, or sheer dumb luck.

Besides, there's still a chance of botching the roll quite horribly, since most mechs are going to have 2d6 or better armor anyway...

[IVhorseman]

armor is completely independent of skill. i'm talking about the fact that their size 5 swords will now be able to hit flies.

and i disagree with your stereotype knowledge! every pilot of your random soldier's mech is still super familiar with his ship. it's only the protagonists that become gods among mech pilots, which would be compensated by heroes in the brikwars system.

[DarkWolf]

armor is completely independent of skill. i'm talking about the fact that their size 5 swords will now be able to hit flies.

and i disagree with your stereotype knowledge! every pilot of your random soldier's mech is still super familiar with his ship. it's only the protagonists that become gods among mech pilots, which would be compensated by heroes in the brikwars system.

So we're back to my point about highly trained pilots being the lords of death, and only someone with inate skill and craploads of training and experiance being the god of death.

[IVhorseman]

no, that's still not really it. he's talking about generic anime pilots, not actual realistic pilots or the faceless ninebreakers.

[piltogg]

hmm a card would be nice
(I only have ms paint)

[Carrnevil9]

Darkwolf, to clarify, mech pilots tend to be well payed experienced mercenaries. Mecha pilots have an overwhelming tendency to be emotionally unstable teenagers. I know, I know, AC and CH are a little different, but I'll say that most (here's that word again for those of you who hate it!) anime revolves around a much younger crowd who can kill those gods of death you describe. Now that I think about it, experience tends to put a giant crosshair over your head, as so many coaches get killed leaving their students to avenge them... but that's true for anything. Let's not forget the whole slew of other Japanese stereotypes you could be trying to make:
-J-pop teen idol
-Rival/Nemisis (these are the guys who actually work to be nearly as good as the main, but can't use the power of love to defeat hordes of enemies. Not exactly a flaw...)
-Superpowered Schoolgirl
-Crappy support (the Joker, the Fat one, the Even Younger Kid with glasses)

[Commander Evil]

Don't forget the cute yet emotionally distant albino girl who eventually turns us all into Tang.

[Carda]

I think Carrnevil9 got the distinction I was trying to make and clarified it better than I could. To wit:

series featuring mechs

Mechwarrior
Armored Core
Chromehounds
Steel Battalion

series featuing mecha

Gurren Lagann
Evangelion
Escaflowne
Gundam [fill in blank]
Nadesico

The Mecha Pilot described in my original post is derived sqaurely from the latter batch.