Creating a Numerian War Machine
“Numerian war machine” is an inherited template that can be added to any construct (referred to hereafter as the base creature). A Numerian war machine retains all the base creature's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
CR: Same as the base creature + 3
Type: The base creature gains the Robot subtype. Clockwork constructs lose their Clockwork subtype.
Special Qualities and Defenses: The Robot subtype modifies the base creature as follow:
Intelligent: Robots are intelligent, and thus have skills and feats as appropriate for their Hit Dice. Unless otherwise indicated for a specific robot, all robots have Intelligence scores of 10. The following are class skills for robots: Climb, Disable Device, Fly, Knowledge (all), Linguistics, Perception, and Sense Motive.
Vulnerable to Critical Hits: Whenever a robot takes extra damage from a critical hit, it must make a DC 15 Fortitude save to avoid being stunned for 1 round. If it makes a successful saving throw, it is staggered for 1 round. The robot remains immune to other sources of the stunned condition.
Vulnerable to Electricity: Robots take 150% as much damage as normal from electricity attacks, unless they are immune to electricity via other special defenses.
Special Abilities: A Numerian war machine has a number of Construction Points (CP) used to purchase abilities and defenses. A Fine construct has 1 CP, and constructs bigger than Fine gain 1 extra CP for each size category above Fine; a medium animated object has 5 CP. If a Numerian war machine spends more CP than its size category would allow, its CR increases by 1 (minimum of +1) for every 2 additional CP spent. Unless noted otherwise, these options can be taken multiple times.
Force Field (Ex, 2 CP): A force field sheathes a machine in a thin layer of shimmering energy that grants a number of bonus hit points that varies according to the machine (typically 5 × the machine’s CR). All damage dealt to a machine with an active force field is reduced from these hit points first. As long as the force field is active, the machine is immune to critical hits. A force field has fast healing equal to the machine’s CR, but once its hit points are reduced to 0, the force field shuts down and does not reactivate for 24 hours. This can only be taken once.
Integrated Weaponry (Ex, 1 CP): A machine that has one technological weapon (such as a laser rifle or chain gun) built into its body treats such weapons as natural attacks and not manufactured weapons attacks, and cannot make iterative attacks with these weapons. Integrated weaponry can still be targeted by effects that target manufactured weapons (such as magic weapon spells or sunder attempts), but as a general rule cannot be harvested for use outside of the machine’s body once the machine is destroyed. A machine is always proficient with its integrated weapons. Integrated ranged weapons do not provoke attacks of opportunity when fired in melee combat. The weapon has the same statistics as a firearm sized for the base creature, except that it never misfires, automatically reloads itself as a free action and never needs ammo. Taking this option also grants the following ability:
Combined Arms (Ex) When taking a full attack action, a machine can attack with melee and ranged integrated weapons simultaneously.
Laser Weapon (Ex, 2 CP): These weapons emit beams of intensely focused light waves that resolve as touch attacks and deal fire damage. A laser can pass through force fields and force effects like a wall of force without damaging that field to strike a foe beyond. Objects like glass or other transparent barriers do not provide cover from lasers (but unlike force barriers, glass still takes damage from a laser strike passing through it). Invisible creatures are immune to damage caused by a laser weapon. Fog, smoke, and other clouds provide cover in addition to concealment from laser attacks. A laser weapon has the same statistics as a firearm sized for the base creature, except that it deals double damage, deals fire damage, never misfires, automatically reloads itself as a free action and never needs ammo.
Plasma Weapon (Ex, 2 CP): These weapons emit bursts of superheated, electrically charged gas known as plasma. A plasma weapon’s attacks resolve as touch attacks. Half the damage dealt by plasma is fire damage, and half is electricity damage. A laser weapon has the same statistics as a firearm sized for the base creature, except that it deals double damage, deals half fire damage and half electricity damage, never misfires, automatically reloads itself as a free action and never needs ammo.
Lancing Blast (Ex, 2 CP): These upgrades laser or plasma weapons can fire a shot, as a standard action once every 3 rounds, as a 120-foot-long line. All creatures in this area take 1d6 points of damage per the base creature’s HD and a Reflex saves halves the damage. The save DC is Intelligence-based. The damage is either fire (laser) or half fire and half electricity (plasma). This option can only be taken if the machine has taken Laser Weapon and/or Plasma Weapon first, and it applies to only one weapon at the time of creation, thus a Numerian war machine with two laser weapons would need to take this option twice to apply Lancing Blast to both weapons.
Additional Movement (Ex, 1 CP): Gains a new mode of movement (burrow, climb, fly [clumsy], or swim) at a speed equal to its base speed. This can be taken multiple times for a fly speed, increasing the maneuverability by one step, up to Perfect. This option can be taken to gain a ground speed equal to the base creature’s alternate base speed.
Speed Boost (Ex, 1 CP): As a swift action up to 1 time per 2 HD per hour, a machine can double one of its speed for a duration of 1 minute.
Faster (Ex, 1 CP): One of the machine's movement modes increases by +10 ft.
Pilot Seat (Ex, 3 CP): A special seat with controls has been built into the machine, allowing a creature two sizes smaller than the base creature to get inside and control the machine. The machine retains its own abilities, physical scores, resistances, immunities and weaknesses, but gains the driver’s mental scores, skills and feats. Each time the machine is damage, one quarter of the damage received is also dealt to the driver, modified by its own resistances, immunities and weaknesses. The driver uses the machine’s defensive abilities and has total concealment if the machine is targeted. However, it is possible to target the driver directly using mind-affecting effects and such. It takes a full-action to get in and out of the machine. Unless the machine is willing, due to its Intelligent quality, the driver must make a Will saving throw to control the machine for one round. The DC is equal to twice the machine’s HD. Failing the save doesn’t allow the machine to be controlled, but the driver can still retry on the next round, or get out. If the machine is willing, the driver can let the machine control itself, thus gaining a safe spot to hide. This can only be taken once.
Self-Repair (Ex, 2 CP): A machine possesses nanites (microscopic swarm of robots) to heal it of damage at the rate of a number of hit points per hour equal to its Hit Dice. Up to once per day, as a full-round action, it can heal any construct it touches of 1d6 points of damage per the base creature’s HD—if a machine uses this ability on itself, it automatically heals the maximum amount. This can only be taken once.
Rockets (Ex, 2 CP): A machine can fire, as a standard action, a rocket to a range of 100 feet per 2 HD. A rocket explodes on impact in a 5-foot-radius burst per the machine’s size category, dealing 1d6 points of damage per 2 HD (half fire, half bludgeoning) to all creatures in the area. A Reflex save halves the damage. A machine carries a maximum of 1 rocket per 3 HD. Its core can replenish fired rockets at the rate of one per 12 hours, crafting new rockets from scrap metal and other collected components used in the construction process. The save DC is Intelligence-based. This can only be taken once.
Superior Optics (Ex, 1 CP): A machine can see invisible creatures or objects as if they were visible.
Built-in cable (Ex, 1 CP): A machine’s natural weapons can be used as reach weapon. Taking this option multiple times increases the reach by one step each time.
Enhanced Construction (Ex, 1 CP): One of the machine’s physical scores increases by 2.
Grab (Ex, 1 CP): The machine gains the grab special attack with one of its melee natural weapons. Taking this option applies only once per weapon.
Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Int 10 or as the base creature’s, which ever is higher.
Skills: A Numerian war machine gains skills, as per the Intelligent quality.
Feats: A Numerian war machine gains feats, as per the Intelligent quality.
There we go. In short, if you have read the Inner Sea Bestiary, you know about robots. I'm looking to create a template so I can create my own robots using existing constructs.
I'm looking for constructing comments, insights, suggestions and the whole shebang. DON'T COME HERE AND SAY "I DON'T LIKE ROBOTS, SO IT SUCKS!"; IF YOU JUST DON'T LIKE THE IDEA, DON'T COMMENT ON IT.
If you think it's broken, please tell what is, why it is and how to fix it. I'm open for suggestions.
Thanks in advance, and enjoy ^_^.
I kinda wanna see how this looks on a flesh golem.
I kinda wanna see how this looks on a flesh golem.
Hmmm... I'd say "like a Frankenstein monster with gadgets stitched to its flesh" XD
Other opinions?
Perhaps points equal to its size plus say 5 or so I mean I want to build really killy golems with this lol.
I'm actually having trouble with the CR adjustment. Right off the bat, the CR increases by 3 and like Animated Objects, every 2 extra points further increase the CR by 1.
Do I add more points? Do I reduce the initial CR adjustment? This is my primary concern here.
You can create your killer golems, but the CR will increase. A Large construct, like a Golem, has 6 CPs. However, it gets a +3 CR adjustment, or more if you go over that limit.
A Clockwork Dragon (7 CP; Pathfinder #66: The Dead Heart of Xin pg. 86) with a Pilot Seat (3 CP), 2 Intergrated Huge Laser Pepperbox Rifles (2 CP per rifle, 4 CP total) and Rockets (2 CP) becomes a CR 20 creature. Is that a reasonable increase? This is where I'm having troubles with.
You're suggesting that a Medium construct should have 10 CP (5 for being medium plus 5 as base) and a Golem 11 CP. I believe it's too much... but am I right to think that? I don't know. I feel like it's too powerful... but you may be right that it might be balanced.
Any other opinion?
seems sound dude. though do you have any rulings if the construct already has the robot subtype?
seems sound dude. though do you have any rulings if the construct already has the robot subtype?
I could go with CR+2 instead of CR+3.
seems sound dude. though do you have any rulings if the construct already has the robot subtype?I could go with CR+2 instead of CR+3.
yay upgrades, gonna have fun with a constructed creature template I found. 20 level party, say hi to Robo-Tarrasque...wait do Androids qualify for this template!?! Constructed makes it iffy, though I wouldn't think so. I guess it wouldn't be broken if it did.
yay upgrades, gonna have fun with a constructed creature template I found. 20 level party, say hi to Robo-Tarrasque...wait do Androids qualify for this template!?! Constructed makes it iffy, though I wouldn't think so. I guess it wouldn't be broken if it did.seems sound dude. though do you have any rulings if the construct already has the robot subtype?I could go with CR+2 instead of CR+3.
Hmmm... I... suppose it could work... but it would not be suitable for a PC though, due to the template increasing the CR by that much.
Hmmm... I... suppose it could work... but it would not be suitable for a PC though, due to the template increasing the CR by that much.yay upgrades, gonna have fun with a constructed creature template I found. 20 level party, say hi to Robo-Tarrasque...wait do Androids qualify for this template!?! Constructed makes it iffy, though I wouldn't think so. I guess it wouldn't be broken if it did.seems sound dude. though do you have any rulings if the construct already has the robot subtype?I could go with CR+2 instead of CR+3.
true but an NPC Android "Prime" sounds kinda awesome.
true but an NPC Android "Prime" sounds kinda awesome.
It is indeed ^_^
and use this for WAY more open robot options.
and use this for WAY more open robot options.
Yep :D
Although I'll just use the official PDF I bought instead; it's more accessible, especially if my connection gets iffy for some reasons.
and use this for WAY more open robot options.Yep :D
Although I'll just use the official PDF I bought instead; it's more accessible, especially if my connection gets iffy for some reasons.
gotta get around to buying that