Question about assault on Sky Tower (little spoilerish)

[BobtheBarbarian]

So in that adventure the the Com badges are like tech level 3 but everyone is a level zero character so can they even use those com badges? Maybe I have the artifact check rules wrong? I thought the tech level was the maximum that a character could use that tech?

Also do mutants only have strange appearance to start?

[KJ Obrien]

So in that adventure the the Com badges are like tech level 3 but everyone is a level zero character so can they even use those com badges? Maybe I have the artifact check rules wrong? I thought the tech level was the maximum that a character could use that tech?

The max tech level a PC understands is based on either their INT or class level. If you check on page 16, under the Ability Score Modifiers, there's a column for "Max Tech Level". So to understand Tech Level 3, a PC would need either a minimum INT of 10 or be level 3.

Page 166 under "TECH LEVELS AND COMPLEXITY MODIFIERS":
"The maximum Tech Level that a PC can understand is based either on Intelligence score (see Table 1-1: Ability Score Modifiers) or class level, whichever is higher."

Also do mutants only have strange appearance to start?

Yup. My group was underwhelmed by some of the less blatant mutant appearances, so I started allowing mutant PCs to roll up to 3 times on the appearance table or a d200 roll in the Metamorphica (modifying results to be cosmetic only), which is an amazing supplement easily integrated into MCC. We also use the Metamorphica for Manimal and Plantient types, which has resulted in such things as marijuana Plantients and shark Manimals.

If you're interested in the Metamorphica, there's a free "classic" version found here as well as a paid "revised" version here.

[BobtheBarbarian]

Thank you so much. I missed that part of the table. Seems like a dumb question now. Also thanks for the link that supplement, I am going to get it as I am in love with mutations.

[Belares]

So in that adventure the the Com badges are like tech level 3 but everyone is a level zero character so can they even use those com badges? Maybe I have the artifact check rules wrong? I thought the tech level was the maximum that a character could use that tech?

Also, the com badges are Tech level 4 and CM 3. So only a character with a 12+ INT can use it. In the module a lot of things just show CM and not TL so it can be confusing. Unless it was meant that way for 0 levels to make AC rolls with just the CM. I would find it strange but several things are TL 5 or higher and that is pretty high INT scores.