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Robot (Homebrew Race)

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DISCLAIMER, THIS IS INTENDED FOR NPCS IN MY HOME GAME.

I'm not opposed to a full robot player, but I want a consistent way to develop colorful robot NPCs of any reasonable size and shape without creating something from nothing every time.

Robot

Ability Adjustments: +2 CON, -2 CHA

Hit Points: 4

Racial Traits

Type
Robots are constructs with the technological type by default.

Size
Robots come in a wide range of sizes and shapes depending on their purpose. When building a robot character, choose one size from the list below:

  • Tiny - +2 DEX. Tiny robots are designed for support tasks. As adventurers they tend to be paired with a ship or a person as an advanced scout. Tiny robots have a 30ft fly speed, and are only capable of using weapons or interacting with objects as if they had one arm.
  • Small - +2 WIS. Small robots are designed for nuts and bolts independent work for a given task. They go anywhere and do whatever is necessary with little oversight. They typically use treads, wheels, or levitation to move over legs. Small robots cannot have their movement reduced by encumbrance or nonmagical terrain.
  • Medium - +2 INT, -2 WIS, +2 CHA. Medium robots tend to be entirely humanoid in appearance and designed to function in roles that require interaction with thousands of individuals organically, though they tend to be deceived by those who know their AI’s weak points. Medium robots learn two additional languages, and choose a bonus expanded trait.
  • Large - +2 STR. Large robots are designed for construction and war, at least any that might be found traveling through space. Their appearance varies drastically, but their threat tends to be obvious. Large robots add their Constitution modifier to their starting hit points, and gain a +2 racial bonus to perform or defend against combat maneuvers.

Mechanical
Robots receive a +2 racial bonus to saving throws against disease, mind-affecting effects, poison, and sleep, unless those effects specifically target constructs. In addition, androids do not breathe or suffer the normal environmental effects of being in a vacuum. Reductions to a robot’s hit point total cannot be healed with magic or rest, but can be repaired with any ability that can repair a ship or other technological item. When a Robot’s hit point total reaches 0 they are immediately destroyed and cannot be revived unless their AI data can be retrieved and placed into a new body for the cost of 15,000 credits.

A Robot does not eat or breathe, but requires rest like a typical Human to maintain its AI’s function.

Inherent Armor
A Robot can never don armor besides power armor. Instead, a Robot’s EAC and KAC is equal to 10 + their character level. A Robot’s inherent armor supports a number of armor upgrades equal to 1/3 their character level (minimum 1). When wearing power armor, the Robot uses the power armor’s statistics in place of their Inherent Armor.

Standard Senses
A Robot has the hearing and sight of a human by default.

Expanded Traits
A Robot possess expanded traits to reflect its intended purpose. A robot chooses a single expanded trait, unless it is Medium sized then it chooses two.

Infrared Viewer - The Robot gains low-light vision and darkvision up to 60 feet.

Heavy Armor - The Robot gains a +3 racial bonus to KAC and EAC.

Comlink - The Robot gains wireless communication and a number wireless communication appendages equal to their Charisma bonus (minimum 1). These appendages can be used to communicate with individuals discretely, or as a microphone installed in a suitable location or object. A Robot can replace any number of its appendages each day after resting.

Data Link - The Robot can use Diplomacy or Bluff in place of Computer checks to interface with a computer or in place of Piloting checks with a vehicle that possesses the technology to interface with a computer. These checks do not require the use of a kit.

Advanced Attenuation - The Robot gains blindsense out to 30ft.

Surveillance Disc - The Robot can record, store, and playback anything they can sense in a fashion that is understandable to most intelligent creatures. This playback can be done on their body or projected to a computer screen with a Data Link. This ability add video surveillance to a Comlink.

Magnetic Appendages - The Robot is designed for working in any environment. They gain magnetic appendages that can adhere to metal surfaces and support their weight, and can make Engineering checks without and engineering kit.

Radar - The Robot can perceive objects at any distance so long as no physical barrier obscures the object, and determine the distance to that object. To use this instrument, the robot must be stationary.

Cloud Storage - The Robot’s data is saved automatically, and can be reloaded into a new body without retrieving a physical data storage device.

Shielded Internal Compartment - A Tiny Robot possesses 0.5 cubic feet of storage that can be heated or cooled to best preserve the contents. This space doubles for each size larger the Robot is, up to a maximum of 4 cubic feet in a Large Robot. This trait can be selected twice, tripling the storage capacity.

Field Dressing - The Robot can make Medicine checks without a medicine kit, and Medicine is always a class skill for them.

-----

Exclusive Feats
A Robot can choose the following feat.

Upgrade
You have modified your chassis to include additional features.
Prerequisite: You must be a robot.
Benefit: You gain 2 expanded traits from the Robot racial feature of the same name.

Constructs don’t have a Constitution score, and are probably immune to some of the things you give bonuses on saving throws against.

In “mechanical” you left one instance of the word “android”.

I think it could be confusing for the medium robot to have both a -2 and a +2 to Charisma.
Wayfinders

There could be a better way to format the ability score changes, such as "All robots gain +2 to DEX. See Robot sizes for further adjustments." That way there's less room for error in interpretation.

Are they going to be given classes? Maybe you could tie in size with a field like specialization (like scout, protocol droid, or war machine) because I can't picture tiny robots having certain player classes.

Just my input, seems pretty solid as an npc race concept overall. Player robots would be a little harder to balance imo.

OK, some updates.

First, thank you for the feedback and review! I have been trying to get some input across different boards, and as always this place has the best editors :p

Anyways, Here's a breakdown of updates:

  • Added a brief fluff for a robot with class levels.
  • Changed the type from Constructed(Technological) to Constructed(Triunite) and clarified that they have a constitution score and lose Construct Immunities.
  • Adjusted how stats are presented to be more in line with other races.
  • Removed rogue copied text.

Next post will have the updated text.

Robot
Not all robots are created equal, many are manufactured with increasingly advanced AIs. However, self-awareness is only gifted to a few. These random incursions of manufacturing protocols do not always gain sapience at their creation, but at the bits flop into place after interacting with the world. Frequently not even understanding what individuality and free will means a robot can spend its entire existence performing the task it was designed for, though some break free entirely of their bondage and venture forth into the world fueled by a curiosity that was never there before.

Ability Adjustments: +2 CON, see below
Hit Points: 4

Racial Traits

Type
Robots are constructs with the triunite type by default. Constructs with the triunite type have a Constitution score, and do not possess Construct Immunities or gain bonus hit points based on their size.

Size
Robots come in a wide range of sizes and shapes depending on their purpose. When building a robot character, choose one size from the list below:

  • Tiny - +2 DEX, -2 CHA. Tiny robots are designed for support tasks. As adventurers they tend to be paired with a ship or a person as an advanced scout. Tiny robots have a 30ft fly speed, and are only capable of using weapons or interacting with objects as if they had one arm.
  • Small - +2 WIS, -2 CHA. Small robots are designed for nuts and bolts independent work for a given task. They go anywhere and do whatever is necessary with little oversight. They typically use treads, wheels, or levitation to move over legs. Small robots cannot have their movement reduced by encumbrance or nonmagical terrain.
  • Medium - +2 INT, -2 WIS. Medium robots tend to be entirely humanoid in appearance and designed to function in roles that require interaction with thousands of individuals organically, though they tend to be deceived by those who know their AI’s weak points. Medium robots learn two additional languages, and choose a bonus expanded trait.
  • Large - +2 STR, -2 CHA. Large robots are designed for construction and war, at least any that might be found traveling through space. Their appearance varies drastically, but their threat tends to be obvious. Large robots add +2 to their starting hit points, and gain a +2 racial bonus to perform or defend against combat maneuvers.

Mechanical
Robots receive a +2 racial bonus to saving throws against disease, mind-affecting effects, poison, and sleep, unless those effects specifically target constructs. In addition, Robots do not breathe or suffer the normal environmental effects of being in a vacuum. Reductions to a robot’s hit point total cannot be healed with magic or rest, but can be repaired with any ability that can repair a ship or other technological item. When a Robot’s hit point total reaches 0 they are immediately destroyed and cannot be revived unless their AI data can be retrieved and placed into a new body for the cost of 15,000 credits.
A Robot does not eat or breathe, but requires rest like a typical Human to maintain its AI’s function.

Inherent Armor
A Robot can never don armor besides power armor. Instead, a Robot’s EAC and KAC is equal to 10 + their character level. A Robot’s inherent armor supports a number of armor upgrades equal to 1/3 their character level (minimum 1). When wearing power armor, the Robot uses the power armor’s statistics in place of their Inherent Armor.

Standard Senses
A Robot has the hearing and sight of a human by default.

Expanded Traits
A Robot possess expanded traits to reflect its intended purpose. A robot chooses a single expanded trait, unless it is Medium sized then it chooses two.

  • Infrared Viewer - The Robot gains low-light vision and darkvision up to 60 feet.
  • Heavy Armor - The Robot gains a +3 racial bonus to KAC and EAC.
  • Comlink - The Robot gains wireless communication and a number wireless communication appendages equal to their Charisma bonus (minimum 1). These appendages can be used to communicate with individuals discretely, or as a microphone installed in a suitable location or object. A Robot can replace any number of its appendages each day after resting.
  • Data Link - The Robot can use Diplomacy or Bluff in place of Computer checks to interface with a computer or in place of Piloting checks with a vehicle that possesses the technology to interface with a computer. These checks do not require the use of a kit.
  • Advanced Attenuation - The Robot gains blindsense out to 30ft.
  • Surveillance Disc - The Robot can record, store, and playback anything they can sense in a fashion that is understandable to most intelligent creatures. This playback can be done on their body or projected to a computer screen with a Data Link. This ability add video surveillance to a Comlink.
  • Magnetic Appendages - The Robot is designed for working in any environment. They gain magnetic appendages that can adhere to metal surfaces and support their weight, and can make Engineering checks without and engineering kit.
  • Radar - The Robot can perceive objects at any distance so long as no physical barrier obscures the object, and determine the distance to that object. To use this instrument, the robot must be stationary.
  • Cloud Storage - The Robot’s data is saved automatically, and can be reloaded into a new body without retrieving a physical data storage device.
  • Shielded Internal Compartment - A Tiny Robot possesses 0.5 cubic feet of storage that can be heated or cooled to best preserve the contents. This space doubles for each size larger the Robot is, up to a maximum of 4 cubic feet in a Large Robot. This trait can be selected twice, tripling the storage capacity.
  • Field Dressing - The Robot can make Medicine checks without a medicine kit, and Medicine is always a class skill for them.

-----

Exclusive Feats
A Robot can choose the following feat.

Upgrade
You have modified your chassis to include additional features.
Prerequisite - You must be a robot.
Benefit - You gain 2 expanded traits from the Robot racial feature of the same name.

Hi Tom -

I see quite a few advantages to being a robot. However, a hero isn't a hero without a few flaws, and I'd like to see something like that examined here.

What are the disadvantages of being a robot?

A few things that could be interesting to explore:

  • Are they vulnerable to Hacking
  • Do they require an external power source from time to time (recharge)
  • Is there a societal bias concerning them?
  • Do they have normal social/emotional interaction?

You may also consider giving them the technological subtype, and thus vulnerable to spells that target technological items and creatures.
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