You can use your exocortex’s memory module to enhance your own knowledge. Once per day, as a reaction while not in combat, you can reroll a failed skill check (see page 243) to recall knowledge (see page 143). In addition, your exocortex grants you the Skill Focus feat as a bonus feat. You can’t use your exocortex’s memory module while combat tracking is activated. Every time you gain a mechanic level, you can rebuild your exocortex’s memory module, replacing the exocortex’s bonus Skill Focus feat with Skill Focus in a different skill.

Instead of combat tracking, your exocortex can access another computer system within 20 feet, allowing it to attempt a Computers check against that computer each round, using your skill bonus. This counts as a standard action for the purpose of the Computers skill. You must remain within 20 feet of the computer system for the entire time your exocortex is interacting with the computer. If the task requires multiple actions (or even rounds) to accomplish, you can spend your actions to work in concert with your exocortex, counting both your action and the exocortex’s effective standard action toward the total time required. If you don’t have the remote hack class feature, you must be adjacent to the computer to attempt your checks

You construct an artificial intelligence (or AI), a sophisticated program of self-motivated code that you can access for help in a variety of endeavors. This AI is the product of your own genius, far more advanced and complicated than any available for sale to consumers (though it falls short of being truly self-aware), and only you know the secrets of its creation and operation. Your AI can take one of two forms: a drone or an exocortex. You must pick one of these forms upon taking your first level of mechanic, and once this choice is made, it cannot be changed.

Drone

You begin play with a powerful robotic drone to house your AI. You build and control this drone, which accompanies you on your adventures and is capable of combat, espionage, and other specialized tasks. As you gain levels, your drone advances in sophistication and gain additional abilities. While the value of your drone is immense, only you, with your extensive knowledge of its quirks and security measures, can ever hope to operate or repair it.

Exocortex

You begin play with an exocortex, an artificial processor that interacts with and augments your biological brain’s cognitive functions, which can aid you in a variety of tasks, from combat to digital infiltration. Your exocortex is implanted within your physical body or brain, similar to a piece of cybernetic hardware, allowing your AI to access your mind and feed you information. As you gain levels, your exocortex advances in sophistication and processing power. Only you can access or interact with your exocortex.

You are skilled at getting inside computer systems and electronic devices. At 1st level, you gain a +1 insight bonus to Computers and Engineering skill checks. At 5th level, every 4 levels thereafter, and at 20th level, this bonus increases by 1.

You have created a customized toolkit you can use to hack systems and items. Your custom rig can be configured to take up an upgrade slot on your armor or can be installed as a cybernetic augmentation system in your brain (though it can be combined with a datajack for the same price as installing a datajack normally), your eyes, or an arm. For more information, see augmentations. Alternatively, you can configure it to be a handheld device, meaning that you must retrieve it and hold it to use it effectively. While using this rig, you always count as having the appropriate tool or basic kit for any Computers or Engineering skill check you attempt. Some mechanic tricks and drone mods require the use of a custom rig. In addition, you can use your custom rig as a Mk I comm unit. Finally, if you have a drone, you can use your custom rig to communicate over an encrypted channel with your drone to issue commands to its AI or directly control it at a range of 2,500 feet.

If your custom rig is damaged, destroyed, lost, or stolen, you can kitbash a new one from any engineering kit, hacking kit, or other technological toolkit, reconfiguring the materials into a new custom rig with 1 hour of work. You can have only one custom rig at a time. If you create a new custom rig, your old one functions as a normal toolkit of whatever type you made it from and can no longer be used with your mechanic tricks.

As you gain experience, you learn tricks that allow you to perform wonders of engineering, aid in electronic infiltrations, and optimize gear. While some of these are things you learn, others are small cybernetic enhancements you make to yourself (none of which have a price or count against your augmentation limits). Some tricks require the use of a custom rig or other gear.

You learn your first mechanic trick at 2nd level, and you learn an additional mechanic trick at 4th level and every 2 levels thereafter. If a mechanic trick allows an opponent a saving throw to resist its effects, the DC is equal to 10 + half your mechanic level + your Intelligence modifier. If a mechanic trick requires an opponent to attempt a skill check, the DC is equal to 10 + 1-1/2 × your class level + your Intelligence modifier.

Unless otherwise specified, you can’t learn mechanic tricks more than once.

As a standard action, you can cause a short in an electronic device, including most ranged energy weapons, melee weapons with the powered special property, or a single armor upgrade. This makes the device nonfunctional for 1 round. Overload doesn’t cause a locked door, safe, or other device to open, but it prevents anyone from opening it for 1 round. You must be adjacent to the device to use this ability. If you have a drone, you can instead use this ability on an electronic device adjacent to your drone. If you have an exocortex with the wireless hack ability, you can instead use this ability on any electronic device within range of your exocortex’s wireless hack. If you use overload on an item or armor upgrade in someone’s possession, the owner can attempt a Reflex saving throw to negate the effect (DC = 10 + half your mechanic level + your Intelligence modifier). Overload doesn’t affect androids, cybernetics, drones, powered armor, robots, or creatures with the technological subtype (all of which have shielding against this sort of attack), or items larger than Medium. Once a device has been successfully overloaded, a residual static charge prevents that device from being overloaded again for 1 minute.

You gain the Weapon Specialization feat as a bonus feat for each weapon type with which this class grants you proficiency.

You can use your custom rig to attempt Computers and Engineering skill checks at a range of 20 feet. At 7th level and every 2 levels thereafter, this range increases by 10 feet. A target of this ability (or a creature attending or observing your target) can attempt a Perception or Sense Motive check (DC = 10 + 1-1/2 × your mechanic level + your Intelligence modifier) to determine that you are the origin of this activity.

Your custom rig has improved. Whenever you use your custom rig to successfully hack into a computer, you can also disable one countermeasure installed in the system (except firewalls). In addition, your custom rig can now be used as any engineering or hacking specialty kit of item level 6th or lower, and it has the features of a computer with a tier equal to half your level with the artificial personality, hardened, or security I upgrade module. It also has an audio/video recorder. You can add extra modules or countermeasures to your custom rig at the normal prices. See page 213 for more information on computers.

You can also use your custom rig to communicate over an encrypted channel with your ship, allowing you to access your ship’s downloaded data sets and transponder (see page 430) at a range of 5 miles. If you have a drone, you can issue commands to or directly control your drone at the same range.