Star Wars Universe Roleplaying Game
The Next Generation of Star Wars Tabletop Adventure
The Next Generation of Star Wars Tabletop Adventure
Protocol Droids are among the most common and recognizable droid models in the galaxy, serving as translators, diplomats, legal aides, cultural advisors, and etiquette specialists. From Imperial courts and corporate boardrooms to Outer Rim trading posts and crime syndicate negotiations, protocol droids exist to make communication possible — and to make misunderstandings harder to ignore. Built for cognition rather than combat, they possess vast linguistic databases and cultural reference libraries that allow them to navigate thousands, sometimes millions, of forms of communication.
In SWURPG encounters, a protocol droid is almost never a physical threat. Its real power lies in information, procedure, and consequence. A single protocol droid can delay violence with unwanted diplomacy, expose legal or cultural violations at the worst possible moment, or become the deciding factor in whether a tense encounter escalates into open conflict. Their presence often forces players to consider reputations, witnesses, laws, and political fallout rather than simply reaching for their weapons.
For Game Masters, protocol droids are narrative accelerants and complications wrapped in polite manners and endless explanations. They are excellent tools for delivering exposition organically, enforcing institutional authority, or creating pressure without combat. When threatened or damaged, protocol droids tend to panic, overexplain, or comply too quickly — often worsening situations by revealing sensitive information, invoking regulations, or calling attention to actions the party hoped would go unnoticed. Used well, a protocol droid can transform a simple scene into a farce, a moral dilemma, or a slow-burning bureaucratic disaster.
Droid encounters in SWURPG should feel different than “people with blasters.” Droids are built for directives: deny access, neutralize intruders, guard the objective, isolate a target, or hold a corridor until reinforcements arrive. Run Protocol Droid (Standard) like a machine with a job — and make the battlefield part of that job: alarms, doors, cameras, lockdown phases, and patrol loops.
Recommended Level Range: 1-3 | Difficulty Rating (DR): 0.25
Difficulty Rating (DR): 0.25
Type (Size): Droid (Medium)
Initiative: +0
AC: 9 (Polished Protocol Chassis (decorative plating))
HP: 4 (1d6)
Speed: 20 ft.
Shields: Recharge: none
Attributes:
STR 8 (-1), DEX 8 (-1), INT 16 (+3), WIS 12 (+1), CHA 14 (+2)
Saves: WIS +3, CHA +4
Skills: Persuasion +4, Deception +4, Insight +3, Knowledge: Galactic Lore +5, Use Computer +5
Languages: Translator Unit - The Droid is equipped with a device that allows it to understand and convey information in a variety of languages, including nonverbal ones.
Traits:
Ion Vulnerability. The protocol droid has Vulnerability to ion damage. If it takes any ion damage, it must succeed on a DC 10 WIS saving throw or become Disabled (incapacitated, speed 0) until the end of its next turn.
Noncombatant Programming. The protocol droid is not designed for combat. It has Disadvantage on attack rolls and cannot make opportunity attacks.
Cultural Liaison. The protocol droid has Advantage on Persuasion, Deception, and Insight checks made during negotiations, translations, or formal social interactions involving unfamiliar cultures, customs, or legal frameworks.
Information Asset. If questioned for at least 1 minute, the protocol droid can provide accurate historical, cultural, or procedural information relevant to its programming, at the GM’s discretion. This information is factual but may be incomplete or outdated.
Anxious Compliance. When threatened or damaged, the protocol droid prioritizes self-preservation and obedience. As a Reaction when first damaged in a scene, it can immediately attempt to surrender, plead, or provide information to de-escalate the situation.
Actions:
Panicked Flail
(Melee Weapon Attack)
: +1 to hit,
range/reach 5 ft,
one target.
Hit: 1 (1d4−1) kinetic damage
This attack is made with obvious reluctance and has no additional effects.
Protocol droids avoid combat whenever possible and are rarely deployed with the expectation of fighting. In encounters, they position themselves near authority figures, behind guards, or in socially protected spaces where violence would carry consequences. When tension rises, they attempt to interject verbally — translating, clarifying, warning of legal ramifications, or proposing formal solutions that slow escalation rather than stop it outright.
At the table, treat the protocol droid as a social obstacle or narrative trigger rather than an enemy combatant. It may interrupt a fight to plead for mercy, announce violations of law or treaty, or attempt to negotiate surrender on behalf of its employer — whether or not that employer agrees. If attacked, the droid seeks protection, attempts to flee, or loudly draws attention to the aggressors, potentially summoning guards, witnesses, or legal repercussions. A protocol droid’s goal is not survival through strength, but survival through relevance — ensuring that whatever the party does next will have witnesses, records, and consequences.
To explore more droid threats, return to the Battle Droids & Security Units index and expand your roster with additional patrol units, assassin frames, enforcer models, and facility guardians.