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Deployables

John A edited this page Oct 19, 2025 · 3 revisions

Overview

Deployables encompass anything that can and should be tracked in the Player's Active Mode deployable tracker, specifically Deployable and Drone-tagged equipment, but also includes Mines and other items that are not tracked in the deployable tracker.

IDeployableData (note that this does not have an id field, this is generated unique per instance):

COMP/CON Conventions

"Deployables" have a slightly different context within COMP/CON than in the Lancer Core Rulebook. Deployables in COMP/CON refer to any item that can be deployed and tracked in the Active Mode as a child object of a PC or NPC, including but not limited to items with the "Deployable" or "Drone" tags.

Rules should be represented as a deployable object when:

  • The item is explicitly described as a deployable or drone in the source material.
  • The item creates a persistent object on the battlefield that must be tracked separately from the parent PC or NPC (eg. mines, turrets, etc).
  • The item has distinct stats (HP, Armor, Evasion, etc.) that need to be tracked independently.
  • The item can be activated, deactivated, recalled, or redeployed through specific actions.
  • The item occupies space on the battlefield, affecting movement and positioning.
  • The item interacts with other game mechanics in a way that requires separate tracking (e.g., it can be targeted, damaged, or affected by status effects).

Rules may also be represented as a deployable object when:

  • The item provides unique actions, bonuses, or effects that are only active while the deployable is in play.
  • The item has specific limitations or costs associated with its deployment that differ from the parent item.
  • The item is part of a larger system structure that involves multiple deployable components.

Rules should NOT be represented as a deployable object when:

  • The item provides a one-time effect or instant action that does not create a persistent object.
  • The item modifies the parent PC or NPC's stats or abilities without creating a separate entity.
  • The item is regarded as an "area", "zone", or "field" effect that does not necessarily have a physical presence on the battlefield.
  • The item is a temporary effect that does not require tracking beyond the current turn.

Definition

{
  "name": string,
  "type": string,
  "detail": string,
  "activation"?: ActivationType,
  "deactivation"?: ActivationType,
  "recall"?: ActivationType,
  "redeploy"?: ActivationType,
  "instances"?: number,
  "cost"?: number
  "size"?: number,
  "size_special"?: string,
  "armor"?: number,
  "hp"?: number,
  "evasion"?: number,
  "edef"?: number,
  "heatcap"?: number,
  "repcap"?: number,
  "sensor_range"?: number,
  "tech_attack"?: number,
  "save"?: number,
  "ram"?: number,
  "grapple"?: number,
  "attack_bonus"?: number,
  "damage"?: IDamageData[];
  "range"?: IRangeData[];
  "actions"?: IActionData[];
  "bonuses"?: IBonusData[];
  "synergies"?: ISynergyData[];
  "counters"?: ICounterData[];
  "active_effects"?: IActiveEffectData[];
  "add_status"?: IEffectStatusData[];
  "add_special"?: IEffectSpecialData[];
  "remove_special"?: string[];
  "add_other"?: IEffectOtherData[];
  "add_resist"?: IEffectResistData[];
  "tags"?: ITagData[];
  "pilot"?: boolean,
  "mech"?: boolean,
}

Required Fields

name

The display name of the deployable as it appears in Active Mode.

type

The type of deployable. This may be any string but Drone and Mine have unique sets of default values and special handling in Active Mode.

If omitted, this defaults to Deployable.

detail

A short description of the deployable as it appears in Active Mode. HTML syntax is allowed.

Optional Fields

activation

Generates a Deploy action of ActivationType on the parent item. Using this action generates new deployable instances. Defaults to Quick.

deactivation

Generates a Deactivation action of ActivationType on the deployable. Using this action deletes the deployable instance.

recall

Generates a Recall action of ActivationType on the parent item. Using this action deletes the deployable instance, but unlike deactivation, it refunds the system the cost value in charges.

redeploy

Generates a Redeploy action of ActivationType on the deployable. This action becomes available if the deployable has been recalled. Using this action generates a new deployable instance but does not incur any cost.

instances

Determines how many copies of this deployable are created on deployment. Defaults to 1.

cost

cost will deduct its value from the parent system's limited item uses, if it is a limited-tagged item. If cost is omitted and the item is limited, cost defaults to 1.

size

Deployable size value. Defaults to 0.5 if type = "Drone".

size_special

A string that indicates a pattern or unique size characteristic (eg. Line 4, 3 adjacent spaces). This is only for display purposes in Active Mode.

armor

Deployable amor value. Can be a Special Value. Defaults to 0.

hp

Deployable amor value. Can be a Special Value. Defaults to 10 if type = "drone", or based on size if type = "deployable":

size default value
0.5 10
1 20
2 30
3+ 40

evasion

Deployable evasion value. Can be a Special Value. Defaults to 10 if type = "drone" or 5 if type = "mine".

edef

Deployable amor value. Can be a Special Value. Defaults to 0, or 8 if type = "mine".

heatcap

Deployable heatcap value. Can be a Special Value.

Deployables without a heatcap will take all heat damage as Energy damage.

repcap

Deployable repcap value. Can be a Special Value.

sensor_range

Deployable sensor range value. Can be a Special Value.

tech_attack

Deployable tech attack value. Can be a Special Value.

save

Deployable save value. Can be a Special Value.

speed

Deployable speed value. Can be a Special Value.

grapple

Deployable grapple value. Can be a Special Value.

attack_bonus

Deployable attack bonus value. Can be a Special Value.

damage

Represents the damage that the deployable can deal directly to other targets, independent of the parent Mech or NPC's systems or features. See Damage

range

A Range value for any damage or effect that is not contained by a nested Action or Active Effect. Because COMP/CON does not track positioning this is only used to furnish Active Mode UI. See Range

actions

Only available when the deployable is deployed.

See ItemActionData

bonuses

Only active when the deployable is deployed.

See ItemBonusData

synergies

Only active when the deployable is deployed.

See ItemSynergyData

deployables

Only available when the deployable is deployed. Deployables issued from other deployables are injected into the owning PC/NPC's deployable trackers and are unable to nest (eg. you cannot recall a deployable to another deployable, the action will recall to the owning PC/NPC).

See ItemDeployableData

counters

Counters will only be available in the body of the Deployable UI element, and will be removed when the deployable is removed or destroyed.

See ItemCounterData

active_effects

An array of Active Effects. These Active Effects are scoped to the deployable itself, not the parent object. See Effect Objects

add_status

An array of Status Effects that populates a "Assign Status" UI within Active Mode. See IEffectStatusData for details.

add_special

An array of custom statuses or special conditions that can be assigned to the deployable via an "Assign Special" UI within Active Mode. See IEffectSpecialData for details.

remove_special

An array of strings representing special conditions that can be removed from the deployable via a "Remove Special" UI within Active Mode. These strings must match the "attribute" field of existing special conditions on the deployable. See IEffectSpecialData for details.

add_other

An array of other effects that can be applied to the deployable via an "Assign Other" UI within Active Mode. See IEffectOtherData for details.

add_resist

An array of resistances that can be applied to the deployable via an "Assign Resistance" UI within Active Mode. See IEffectResistData for details.

tags

tags in the context of a deployable are for the deployed equipment only, and not the governing system.

See Tags

pilot

Marks this deployable as pilot-only and will only allow the deployment action when the pilot is unmounted. This defaults to false unless the parent object is an item of Pilot Equipment, in which case it will default to true.

mech

Marks this deployable as mech-only and will only allow the deployment action when the pilot is mounted. This defaults to true unless the parent object is an item of Pilot Equipment, in which case it will default to false.

Examples

from lancer-data/lib/systems.json

"deployables": [
  {
    "name": "Explosive Mine",
    "type": "Mine",
    "range": [
      {
        "type": "Burst",
        "val": 1
      }
    ],
    "damage": [
      {
        "type": "Explosive",
        "val": "3d6",
        "aoe": true,
        "save": "agi",
        "save_half": true
      }
    ],
    "activation": "Quick",
    "detail": "All characters within a Burst 1 area must pass an Agility save or take 2d6 Explosive damage. On a success, they take half damage."
  }
]

from lancer-data/lib/systems.json

"deployables": [
  {
    "type": "Deployable",
    "name": "Webjaw Snare",
    "activation": "Quick",
    "size": 1,
    "hp": 10,
    "evasion": 5,
    "detail": "The Webjaw Snare does not obstruct movement, and can’t be attacked until it is triggered.<br>The snare is triggered when any character moves over it. They must succeed on a Hull save or take 1d6 AP kinetic damage and become Immobilized. This effect lasts until the snare is destroyed.",
    "damage": [
      {
        "type": "Kinetic",
        "val": "1d6",
        "ap": true,
        "save": "hull"
      }
    ],
    "add_status": [{ "id": "immobilized", "save": "hull" }]
  }
],

from lancer-data/lib/systems.json

"deployables": [
  {
    "type": "Drone",
    "name": "Assassin Drone",
    "size": 0.5,
    "hp": 5,
    "edef": 10,
    "evasion": 10,
    "detail": "Upon deployment, it targets a blast 2 area of your choice within line of sight and Sensors and you gain the Area Denial reaction (usable any number of times a round).<br>You may recall or redeploy the assassin drone as a quick action. Until recalled or destroyed, it remains deployed until the end of the scene.",
    "recall": "Quick",
    "redeploy": "Quick",
    "actions": [
      {
        "name": "Area Denial",
        "activation": "Reaction",
        "trigger": "A hostile character starts movement in or enters the area targeted by your assassin drone.",
        "detail": "You can make a ranged attack against them with the drone, gaining your Grit as a bonus to its roll, and dealing 3 Kinetic Damage.",
        "damage": [{ "type": "Kinetic", "val": 3 }]
      }
    ]
  }
],

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