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I've bet knocking around the idea of prosthetics in Golarion, and the idea of having a partial or full conversion "cyborg" (inspired by RIFTS rpg) available to my players appeals to me. The first thing I looked at was, of course, the Eberron Warforged. The Ironborn of Questhaven looks like it could inspire ideas, but I'm hesitant to buy it. So here's working with what I already posses.
For a "Full Conversion", The Warforged "race" seems to be a good starting point. I'm trying to keep a brain in a jar feel to this. Here's what I have so far (and no, I haven't consulted the ARG on this yet).
Full Conversion Artificial (Name ideas please!)
Medium artificial/augmented Humanoid
Base Speed: 30ft
Attribute modifiers: Str+2, Dex-2, Con+4, Cha-2
The Body of a Full Conversion has good physical strength and exceptional resilience, but suffers due to a heavy body and a expressionless face. Attempts at adding detailed features has generally made things worse (hello uncanny valley!).
Immune to poisons, disease, paralysis, nausea and sickness (except when effect comes from mind effecting sources).
The body lacks a circulatory system required by these effects
Does not need to eat, drink, or breath. Food and drink can be enjoyed, to ease the burden of being non-fleshy.
Cannot heal naturally. Must use cure/repair spells and (some kind of) repair skill
Weak against effects that target Constructs
Tireless Body: Fatigue and Exhaustion only affect only Wis, Int, and Cha.
The Body of a conversion never tires, but the mind within still needs to rest.
Iron Skin:+2 Natural Armor (Stacks with armor)
Dense Body: -2 swim Armor check penalty to skills (stacks with armor)
Now, all this is well and good and will develop with time, but where I really have problems is the idea of a Partial Conversion. What do you guys think? Templates for various levels of conversion?
Checking the Advanced Race Guide would be a good step. There is half-construct subtype that would be appropriate for the race you are creating.
You could also look at grafts from 3.5, those would be good for your idea I think.
Borthos Brewhammer wrote: You could also look at grafts from 3.5, those would be good for your idea I think. I don't recall grafts... What was their source?
Uhh...there were draconic grafts in one of the dragon books. Dragon Magic maybe? You could google it and find the books that way.
It will take me some time to dig up, but I have done a conversion of many 3.5 grafts, and the Fleshwarper Prestige Class, the king of grafts.
blackbloodtroll wrote: It will take me some time to dig up, but I have done a conversion of many 3.5 grafts, and the Fleshwarper Prestige Class, the king of grafts. Blackblood, for the purposes of this project, I would love to see any work you have on Construct Grafts. Thanks to B.B., I found the original rules in "Faiths of Ebberon", which I have to admit I was not expecting as a source.
At first glance, it looks like a pretty decent mechanic.
there were construct grafts in fiend folio.
toastwolf wrote: there were construct grafts in fiend folio. Was it a web enhancement? The Graft section skips from Beholder to Fiend.
Ok, since I now have a foundation for partial conversions, I would like to get ideas and opinions on the full conversion "race". I know that stat blocks can only impart so much information, but my original post is still lacking... something. I feel that my "brain in a jar" theme hasn't been satisfied.
Fluff the "mummification" and "preserve organs" alchemist discoveries as it. Done.
ArgentumLupus wrote: toastwolf wrote: there were construct grafts in fiend folio. Was it a web enhancement? The Graft section skips from Beholder to Fiend. they were called Maugs, though if i recall the grafts were all stone so some refluff is probably necessary if you want metal.
p.s.they are listed after illithid grafts.
toastwolf wrote: ArgentumLupus wrote: toastwolf wrote: there were construct grafts in fiend folio. Was it a web enhancement? The Graft section skips from Beholder to Fiend. they were called Maugs, though if i recall the grafts were all stone so some refluff is probably necessary if you want metal.
p.s.they are listed after illithid grafts. Found 'em. Thanks!
widuj wrote: name: Promethean Like, and taken. Thank you
I have written up a racial description for the full conversion (Promethean from this point on). I have a lot of elements I want to change on my original post, but here's my flavor text.
Prometheans
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Prometheans are not a race in the traditional sense of the word, but are instead artificial bodies implanted with a soul. The soul acts as the controlling force, and continues to live on much as the original person had in their lives, minus a few biological functions.
Physical Description: There are few examples of a Prometheans appearance, all of which have replaced the bodies of Humans. To the extent known, Prometheans are larger than humans, standing about 7 feet tall, and weighing in around 300 pounds. While the body uses a humanoid shape, there is little chance a casual observer will mistake it for anything but what it is. Without armor plating attached, the body is a rippling mass of plant fiber “muscle” over a metal frame, animated with similar methodology used in Golem crafting. The body can be designed to have either a masculine or feminine outline, but any semblance of sex ends there. Only a smooth, mostly featureless head sports any metal plating as standard. One known individual requested the face to bear a skull motif. She is, unsurprisingly, the leader of the “Death’s Head” mercenaries.
Society: Prometheans do not have a society of their own. Given the nature of the injuries (or the choice) that leads to such methods to continue living, Prometheans will often reside in a high ranking military culture, or among wealthy adventurers.
Relations: There is often little change in a Promethean’s relationships from their original bodies. While some among all races are disturbed by the appearance of someone who used to be made of flesh, other’s become accustom to it when they recognize the person inside the body. Some factions that are extremely aggressive against undead have voiced their displeasure, believing that binding a mortal soul to a non-living body is little different than undeath.
Alignment and Religion: Prometheans differ little in matters of morals and faith from when they still had their original bodies. They can be as good or as evil as they were originally, though a few may their faith slipping away as a result of their artificial bodies.
Adventurers: The drive to see, to learn, and to acquire is not at all diminished with a Promethean. Being more likely found among military culture, adventuring is a great way to test their new bodies against the dangers of the world that would have overwhelmed them before. The excitement of battle is felt as acutely by a Promethean as it is by any Dwarf, Human, or Orc. Adventuring parties would be more than happy to have such ally, though special considerations need to be taken due to the Promethean body not being able to heal itself naturally.
Names: Promethean names do not differ from their original bodies, though if one wishes to start an entirely new life along with their new body, there is nothing stopping them from changing their own name.
James Jacobs commented before, though I do not recall where unfortunately, about the technology in Numeria and beyond and how to stat it up.
His suggestion was that the easiest method is just to change the flavor/fluff text.
Some examples of mine, partially inspired from what I recall JJ saying:
Augmented muscle tissue? = Belt of Giant's Strength (maybe taking the bracers/arms slot instead of belt)
Augmented Reflexes? = Belt of Dexterity
Internal laser gun? = Spring-loaded wrist-sheath with a wand of scorching ray. Clip of 50 shots/charges. The wrist sheath maintains grip on the wand, allowing it to retract. Usually that's a full-round action, but you can bump the cost to make it a swift action to retract as well.
Bio-filter for lungs? = Necklace of Adaptation.
Etc.
Cheers
Oh, come on. You don't want your characters running around with nanogolems healing them of 2 hp/rd, arcanoboost reflex augmentors, and adamantine-reinforced rune-carved skeletons?
Where is your resolve?
Grafts originally came out in Lords of Madness, and the sithilar grafts are the most unobtrusive and useful of that bunch. Treat them just like magical item purchases that are slotless, and you're good to go. Grafts from illithids, devils and dragons tend to be incredibly obvious and unsettling.
Heck, there's an entire prestige class devoted to grafting in Lords of Madness.
==Aelryinth
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