Homebrew Guardian Species Details
“The soul is what matters, not the shape of the vessel.”
“What makes you think he has a soul?” Gerrion said.
“What makes you think you do?”
The Guardians were built to fight in the Dark War. With the help of the Goddess Valeyna, the Dwarves of Old created these constructs blending organic and inorganic materials and gave them sentience. Guardians are made from wood and metal, but they can feel pain and emotion. Built as weapons and tools, they must now find a purpose beyond the war. A Guardian can be a steadfast ally, a cold-hearted killing machine, or a visionary in search of purpose and meaning.
Living Steel and Stone
Guardians are formed from a blend of organic and inorganic materials. Root-like cords infused with alchemical fluids serve as their muscles, wrapped around a framework of steel, darkwood or stone. Armored plates form a protective outer shell and reinforce joints. All Guardians share a common facial design, with a hinged jaw and crystal eyes embedded beneath a reinforced brow ridge. Beyond these common elements of Guardian design, the precise materials and build of a Guardian vary based on the purpose for which it was designed. A juggernaut warrior is a massive brute with a heavy steel frame, while a skirmisher can be crafted from wood and light mithral to grant it lithe and elegant movement. Some Guardians carried out other non-combat focused tasks like forging, shaping wood or serving in a household, their frames we're also purpose built to suit their needs.
While they’re formed from stone and steel, Guardians are living humanoids. Resting, healing magic, and the Medicine skill all provide the same benefits to Guardians that they do to other humanoids. A Guardian can focus its mind on its body as it rests, adjusting its shape and form to assume one of a few defensive postures. A Guardian who expects heavy combat might focus on durability, while during a time of peace they might be content to adopt a lighter, less aggressive form.
Each guardian is powered by the Matrix of Will which lasts 15 years before it needs to be recharged via a certain technique. However, following the Sundering, the technique was lost, resulting in many guardians shutting down or going feral as the Matrix degrades overtime. There are some Matrices, however, that are able to enter a low-powered state to preserve themselves, putting the guardian into a long sleep.
Guardian Personality
The Guardians were built to serve and to fight. For most of their existence, Guardians had a clearly defined function and were encouraged to focus purely on that role. The Treaty of Solwynn gave them freedom, but many Guardians struggle both to find a place in the post-war world.
Many Guardians embrace a concrete purpose — protecting allies, completing a contract, or other pursuits — and devote themselves to this task as they once did to war. However, there are Guardians who delight in exploring their feelings and their freedom. Most Guardians have no interest in religion, but some embrace faith and mysticism, seeking higher purpose and deeper meaning.
The typical Guardians has a muscular, sexless body shape. Some Guardians ignore the concept of gender entirely, while others adopt a gender identity in emulation of creatures around them.
The Echo
All Guardians possess a little device called an Echo. It is a companion construct that emerges from their body which resembles a small, flying sphere with a jeweled eye, which they can use to see through at a distance. Although it is more than just a simple construct, most Guardians would describe it as part of their own being. Guardians have been built so each one can repair their own Echo with sufficient time and materials found in nature, should it get damaged or destroyed.
Guardian Names
Guardians were assigned numerical designations for use in military service. Many of them adopted nicknames, often given to them by their comrades. As free individuals, some have chosen new names as a way to express their path in life. A few take on human names, often the name of a fallen friend or mentor.
Guardian Names: Anchor, Banner, Bastion, Blade, Blue, Bow, Chopper, Church, Crunch, Crystal, Dagger, Dent, Five, Glaive, Hammer, Iron, Lucky, Mace, Pants, Pierce, Red, Rusty, Scout, Seven, Shield, Slash, Smith, Spike, Stone, Temple, Tracker, Vault, Wall, Wood.
Guardian Traits
Your Guardian has the following traits.Ability Score Increase
Your Constitution score increases by 1.
Two different ability scores of limited choice increase by 1.
Age
A typical Guardian is between two and ten years old. The maximum lifespan of the Guardians remains a mystery; so far, Guardians have shown no signs of deterioration due to age.
Alignment
Most Guardians take comfort in order and discipline, tending toward law and neutrality. But some have absorbed the morality — or lack thereof — of the beings with which they served.
Size
Your size is Medium. Most Guardians stand between 5 and 6 1/2 feet tall.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Guardian Resilience
You were created to have remarkable fortitude, represented by the following benefits.
- You have advantage on saving throws against being poisoned, and you have resistance to poison damage.
- You are immune to disease.
- You don’t need to eat, drink, or breathe.
- You don’t need to sleep and don’t suffer the effects of exhaustion due to lack of rest, and magic can’t put you to sleep.
Sentry's Rest
When you take a long rest, you must spend at least six hours in an inactive, motionless state, rather than sleeping. In this state, you appear inert, but it doesn’t render you unconscious, and you can see and hear as normal.
Integrated Protection
Your body has built-in defensive layers, which determine your armor class. You gain no benefit from wearing armor, but if you are using a shield, you apply its bonus as normal.
You can alter your body to enter different defensive modes; each time you finish a long rest, choose one mode to adopt from the Integrated Protection table, provided you meet the mode’s prerequisite.
| Mode | Prerequisite | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Darkwood Core (unarmored) | None | 11 + your Dexterity modifier (add proficiency bonus if proficient with light armor) |
| Composite Plating (armor) | Medium armor proficiency | 13 + your Dexterity modifier (maximum of 2) + your proficiency bonus. |
| Heavy Plating (armor) | Heavy armor proficiency | 16 + your proficiency bonus; disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks. |
Languages
You can speak, read, and write Common.
Specialized Design
You gain one skill proficiency of your choice, one tool proficiency of your choice, and fluency in one language of your choice.
Integrated Tool
Choose one tool you’re proficient with. This tool is integrated into your body, and you double your proficiency bonus for any ability checks you make with it. You must have your hands free to use this integrated tool.