Homebrew Animated Armour Species Details
Forged, Not Born
Animated Armour are not born but built—crafted by smiths, bound by magic, or cursed into motion. Some are forged to serve as guardians of tombs, others to march as soldiers when no mortal would. Whatever their origin, few remember their first moment of awareness. To outsiders, they are little more than a walking husk of steel, yet within the hollow shell lies a spark of will that drives them onward.
Lifeless, Yet Living
Though they lack flesh and bone, Animated Armour think and feel. They do not eat, breathe, or sleep, but they can laugh in hollow echoes, feel pride in their strength, or shame in their failures. Their alien appearance and metallic voices often unsettle others, yet those who travel alongside them soon discover loyalty as unshakable as iron.
Relics With Purpose
Some Animated Armour cling tightly to the roles they were created for: a guard that still patrols, a knight that still salutes, a ceremonial suit that still bows. Others forge new lives, wandering across the land to find meaning beyond the command that birthed them. In time, some even forget who made them—becoming truly independent beings.
Steel Among Flesh
Animated Armour walking among mortals often face suspicion. Villagers whisper of haunted castles, cursed knights, or unliving machines. Yet their endurance, steadfastness, and ability to stand vigil for days without rest make them invaluable allies in dangerous places. For adventurers, an Animated Armour is both shield and comrade, one who does not flinch, tire, or falter.
Animated Armour Traits
As a suit of animated armour you have these special traits:Armour Transference
You can transfer your consciousness from your current set of armour to another set, dependent on type. If you are transferring your consciousness to an armour of the same category e.g (Heavy to Heavy, Light to Light), you can do this over the course of a short rest. However if you are transferring your consciousness to an armour of another type e.g (Heavy to Light), you can do this over the course of a long rest as your consciousness adjusts to the weight, feel and flexibility of the new armour.
Hollow Body
You have no need to eat, drink, or breathe. You are immune to disease, have resistance to poison damage, and advantage on saving throws against poison. All magical healing you receive is halved. If the mending spell is cast on you, you can spend a Hit Die, roll it, and regain a number of hit points equal to the roll plus your Constitution modifier (minimum of 1 hit point).
Sudden Animation
If you hit a creature with an attack roll and it hasn't taken a turn in combat or is surprised, you deal additional damage, the same type as your weapon, equal to a number of d6's equal to your proficiency bonus and you can do this a number of times equal to 1+your proficiency bonus. You regain all expended uses of this feature upon completing a Long Rest.
Guarded Sentry
You are built to respond the instant battle erupts. When you roll initiative, you can add your Strength modifier to the roll
Ability Score Increase
When determining your character’s ability scores, increase one score by 2 and increase a different score by 1, or increase three different scores by 1. Follow this rule regardless of the method you use to determine the scores, such as rolling or point buy. The “Quick Build” section for your character’s class offers suggestions on which scores to increase. You can follow those suggestions or ignore them, but you can’t raise any of your scores above 20.
Comments