Automatic crossbows

[Phasma Felis]

First off, thanks for the Dragonmech forum! Now I can start a new thread for this topic without feeling bad.

(from this thread) when you make a combination of steam powers that performs automatic attacks, what attack bonus, if any, does it use? for instance, if i used the repeating crossbow + automator + targetor + discriminator + voice command example from the book...is it using a straight +0 or the attack bonus of the creator/owner?

I'd give it the creator's BAB, if only because it would be pretty useless at high levels otherwise. If you need to justify this in-game, say that the coglayer's increasing understanding of combat allows him to fine-tune the targeting servos for better accuracy, or some such technobabble. This does mean that a fighter/coglayer or a steamborg can make more accurate autoweapons than a coglayer of equivalent level; if this bothers you, say that it just uses half the character level (round down) as the BAB, regardless of class(es).

I've got a question, also: does that auto-crossbow require an animator, or not? The descriptions of Animator and Targeter say yes, the power list for the "Cover Fire" gadget says no. Personally, I'd say no: it sounds like a targeter includes the servos necessary to aim the weapon and does so by itself, so the automator's task list becomes "pull trigger, turn reloading crank, repeat."

I'd also say that you could leave out the voice command and control the weapon with a switch. This would make it a move action instead of a free action, which has some definite drawbacks.

[goodmangames]

I'd give it the creator's BAB, if only because it would be pretty useless at high levels otherwise. If you need to justify this in-game, say that the coglayer's increasing understanding of combat allows him to fine-tune the targeting servos for better accuracy, or some such technobabble. This does mean that a fighter/coglayer or a steamborg can make more accurate autoweapons than a coglayer of equivalent level; if this bothers you, say that it just uses half the character level (round down) as the BAB, regardless of class(es).

This is right on. I believe this was covered in another thread, but just to reiterate, the above is correct. Someone also mentioned that you can find the documentation in the iron arm descriptive text, which specifically mentions to use the creator's stats.

I'd use the full BAB even with multiclassed coglayers; after all, the fighter class levels mean the coglayer is more accomplished in hand-to-hand or ranged combat, which is reflected in his ability to build devices that participate in such combat.

I've got a question, also: does that auto-crossbow require an animator, or not? The descriptions of Animator and Targeter say yes, the power list for the "Cover Fire" gadget says no. Personally, I'd say no: it sounds like a targeter includes the servos necessary to aim the weapon and does so by itself, so the automator's task list becomes "pull trigger, turn reloading crank, repeat."

You're right; it doesn't need an animator. The targeter is basically a specialized animator. In theory, you could use an animator designed to work as a targeter in place of a targeter. The animator is more for clockwork puppets.

I'd also say that you could leave out the voice command and control the weapon with a switch. This would make it a move action instead of a free action, which has some definite drawbacks.

Yep, that's correct. It's definitely better with the voice command, but you could do without it in a pinch.