Drones

In the 2010s, culture is moving slowly, perhaps too slowly, toward automation. While there have
been growing pains, this has given unique advantages to C ​ hronicles of Darkness​ characters.
One example of these advantages is drones. Typically, the term “drone” refers to unmanned
aerial crafts, and particularly those utilized by military personnel. Drones are also often
employed in law enforcement, bomb disposal, photography, retail delivery, navigation, and
agricultural fields, among others. Here, “drone” is a more blanket term, referring to any
unmanned vehicle, from toy radio controlled cars to the General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper.
Drones use similar but not identical rules to vehicles, found in the C ​ hronicles of Darkness
Rulebook​, p. 99.

Drone Statistics
Drones use the following statistics.
Dice Pool Modifier:​ This modifier (usually a penalty) is applied to any use of the drone. This
reflects a number of factors, including the difference between normal human motion and drone
motion, coordination between the pilot’s direct space and the drone’s, awkward maneuverability,
and anything else that could interfere with the process. Unless otherwise noted, drone control
requires a Wits + Computer roll.
Size: ​The drone’s Size rating.
Durability:​ The drone’s Durability.
Structure: ​The drone’s Structure. A drone suffering half or more of its Structure in damage
levies a -2 to any operation rolls. A drone suffering three fourths or more of its structure levies -5
to all operation rolls. These penalties include any secondary dice pools (below).
Speed:​ The drone’s Speed rating. For any base Speed rating over 20, assume the drone
accelerates to half its Speed in one turn, and reaches full Speed in the next.
Range:​ The drone’s effective operating range. Beyond this point, the drone shuts down.
Ranges are expressed in meters. This assumes basic line of sight; obstruction cuts this range in
half. Also, this assumes radio control for civilian drones. Access to satellite systems extend this
range indefinitely, but is strictly controlled by government agencies or satellite owners.
Also note, these Ranges are very loose, rough traits used to add an element of drama and
limitation to gameplay. The reality of radio ranges is complex, way more than these rules
assume. Two seemingly identical devices could operate at wildly different ranges in reality, with
even the tiniest interference. Don’t bother with ranges unless it adds to your stories.
Availability:​ This is the equipment Availability rating for the drone. This uses the normal
Availability rules on p. 100 of the ​Chronicles of Darkness Rulebook​.
Secondary Dice Pool:​ Many drones have a secondary purpose. This dice pool applies to the
appropriate action, and is used in place of the pilot’s dice pool. For example, a bomb diffusing
drone may have fine manipulators and color detection systems for delicate ordinance disposal,
reflected by a 7 dice pool. This would be used in place of the pilot’s own Skill. Generally, a
drone is incapable of conducting actions outside movement and those permitted by secondary
dice pools. Drones can have tags, like vehicles in the Chronicles of Darkness Rulebook. If
necessary, they’re included here.

Sample Drones
Here are a handful of sample drones to facilitate your stories. These are just basic, rough
templates. Feel free to modify most of the statistics by a point or two in a given direction. A more
efficient drone should come with a commensurately higher Availability rating.
Also note that ingenuity can be factored into Availability. A good, solid camera UAV can be
imported from China at about the cost of a solid fast food dinner, but that takes time and some
searching. Drone ubiquity means a wide range of styles, costs, and capabilities. Also, drone
technology is improving at a fever pitch. Depending on the specific timeline of your chronicle,
and relative level of realism and cutting-edge tech availability, these statistics can vary wildly.
These statistics reflect an “average” chronicle, not solely focused on drones in play, but where
one or two characters have at least a passing interest in using unmanned vehicles to solve
problems.

Name Dice Si Dura Struc Speed Range Avail

Pool ze
Mod

RC Car -3 2 1 3 10 50 1

Consumer UAV -2 2 0 2 10 100 2

Bomb Disposal -3 4 8 10 6 200 5

Unit

Commercial -3 15 4 15 120 5000 5

Aircraft

Military Aircraft -3 25 8 25 350 1000k 6

RC Car
This is a common, store-bought, relatively cheap radio-controlled car designed for children.
Hobbyists can make much stronger, faster, and durable models, and sometimes ones of much
more massive size. RC ground vehicles are rather benign, if a bit loud. They’re not particularly
advantageous without modifications. On the other hand, they’re cheap and available
everywhere.
Consumer UAV
These small devices represent a range of small flying devices available on the consumer
market. The most common are gyrocopters used for photography, but this could include radio
controlled helicopters, retail delivery robots (which of course would be significantly larger than
these basic statistics suggest), or other small, commercially-available drones.
Consumer UAVs are essentially high maneuverability devices, which can avoid many
obstructions by moving through three-dimensional space. By themselves, they’re not highly
functional. But, with only simple equipment like cameras or other sensors, they can extend the
perceptions of a would-be investigator, and allow access into places which are otherwise
nigh-impossible for human intrusion.
Not only are they small, but necessarily light. Even with modifications to interact with their
environments, they can only lift the lightest weights; sufficiently modified, they can lift objects
one lower Size than their own.

Bomb Disposal Unit

Unmanned Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) units are a catch-all term for armored robots
built to safely neutralize dangerous explosives, minimizing human costs. They’re typically built
with a multiple tread system, so they can traverse highly challenging terrain safely. For this
reason, despite their slow speed, they suffer no penalties for most terrain.
Additionally, unmanned EODs are equipped with bomb disposal equipment. Often, this takes
the form of the Fine Manipulator Modification (below), which is built into every unit. Some use
high-pressure water jets and other neutralization tools.
Secondary Dice Pool: ​Dexterity + Crafts (Bomb Disposal Specialty) - 8

Commercial Aircraft
These larger aircraft drones are used for tasks such as crop dusting, terrain mapping, or other
specialized purposes. They generally look like smaller airplanes.
These sorts of commercial aircraft typically require special permits in most of the developed
world. Used suspiciously, or outside their permitted task can draw law enforcement or even
military attention.
Secondary Dice Pool:​ Since these statistics reflect a wide range of vehicles with a wide range
of tasks, reflect their intended task with a single secondary dice pool at 5 dice.

Military Aircraft
These larger aircraft are used for military scouting and offensive purposes. They’re remarkably
expensive, highly regulated, and highly secured. They typically carry weapons which are
Secondary Dice Pool: ​Military drones either have a dice pool for surveying areas (8 to
Perception + Investigation), or to weapons systems (8 to Dexterity + Firearms). Drone weapons
are often immensely damaging, using the explosives rules on p. 135 of H ​ urt Locker​. These
weapons annihilate buildings and people wholesale. If you need game statistics for this level of
attack, damage is in the +5 - +8 range, initiative penalty of 8, blast area of 20, force of 8, with
long range.

Modifications
The following modifications can be added to drones. Each requires an installation action to
initially apply. This requires an extended Intelligence + Crafts roll, with -1 for each modification
already on the drone, and an additional -2 if the modification is the same Size as the drone.
Each roll requires an hour of work, and the action requires total successes equal to five plus the
total number of modifications already on the drone. Drones cannot support greater Size
modifications than their own Size ratings.
Drones can have more specific modifications, some of which are detailed below. But the most
basic modifications are as follows:
● +1 to the dice modifier (up to five times)
● +2 to the secondary dice pool, or a new secondary pool starting at 3 dice. The third die is
considered a Specialty, chosen when the modification is taken.
● +0.5 Size (+1 Size, +1 Structure requires 2 effective modifications)
● +0.5 Durability (+1 Durability requires 2 effective modifications)
● +2 Speed, or +5 Speed for a drone with a base 20+ Speed
● Remove Slow tag from drone (requires 3 modifications)
Generic modifications should be explained in-play. Adding a secondary dice pool doesn’t just
happen; it has to make sense within the scope of the drone’s build and capabilities. For
example, an RC car is highly unlikely to be used for expert surgery.
Additionally, most of the following modifications can be further modified, reducing their effective
Size by 1. This increases Availability by 1. Additionally, they require two hours’ work per roll to
install, due to finer components.

Audio/Visual Feedback
Availability:​ 3, ​Size:​ 1
This modification adds a live camera and recording capabilities to the drone. This allows the
pilot a more direct connection to the drone’s position, and allows for more complex interactions.
Additionally, assume any normally visible and audible cues are recorded by the drone. For an
additional Availability, the sensors go beyond normal human ability, and pick up whispers, can
see in darkness, or otherwise can go above and beyond. An Availability 2 version of this
modification exists, which uses substandard equipment, like grainy, black and white footage,
and only minimal sound or no sound at all.

Fine Manipulator
Availability: ​3, ​Size:​ 2
This modification adds a claw arm, probe, or other manipulator to emulate more human
interaction. The drone pilot can take complex, creative manual actions with the drone. Use the
drone operator’s Dexterity + Larceny, applying the drone’s dice pool modifier. Without a
Audio/Visual Feedback modification (above), apply an additional -2.

Signal Extender
Availability:​ 2, ​Size:​ 1
This modification extends the drone’s effective Range trait. The drone operates at double
normal range. Beyond that and up to four times its normal range, it operates at a -2 penalty and
half Speed.
Note that this is civilian available equipment that won’t draw immense scrutiny from regulating
commissions. Military drones operate at remarkable distances, thanks to extensive
infrastructure to support long-distance covert signals. They’re beyond the scope of this
modification.

Virtual Interface
Availability:​ 3, ​Size:​ 1
This installation adds a virtual reality interface to the drone’s controls. The pilot can use
Dexterity + Drive instead of Wits + Computer to operate the vehicle, and mitigates one die of the
drone’s base dice pool modifier, as the interface is much less awkward for the pilot. Additionally,
she can use her own relevant dice pools instead of the drone’s secondary dice pool. The
interface itself is Size 2, but the installation is only Size 1.
With Availability 5, the interface is fully immersive, requiring a Size 7 space, but still operates as
a Size 1 installation. This style of interface allows Dexterity + Athletics to operate, and mitigates
the drone’s basic dice penalty.