Homebrew Automaton Species Details

Automatons are artificial beings crafted from metal, crystal, circuitry, or arcane mechanisms, created by mortals or lost civilizations to serve a specific purpose. Though their bodies are forged rather than born, many automatons develop true awareness, emotion, and free will over time. Whether powered by magic, advanced technology, or a fusion of both, each automaton carries a core—an inner engine that sustains its consciousness and defines its identity.

Some automatons faithfully continue the task they were designed for, acting as soldiers, guardians, scholars, or laborers long after their creators are gone. Others awaken to self-determination, rejecting their original programming to seek meaning, autonomy, or connection in a world that often sees them as tools rather than people. Their outward forms vary widely, from humanoid constructs built to blend in among organic races to openly mechanical figures with exposed joints, glowing optics, and humming power cores.

Though immune to age and disease, automatons are not invulnerable. Damage, wear, and neglect can leave lasting scars, both physical and mental. Many automatons bear repair marks, replaced components, or personalized modifications—each change a reflection of their journey and the choices they have made. Despite lacking biological needs, automatons can experience curiosity, loyalty, fear, and even hope, proving that life is not defined by flesh alone.

In a world of magic and monsters—or among the stars themselves—automatons stand as living questions: Is a soul something you are born with, or something you build?

Automaton Traits

Automatons are artificial beings forged from metal, crystal, circuitry, or arcane machinery, created to serve a purpose yet capable of true awareness. Though they are constructs by design, many automatons possess independent thought, emotion, and the ability to choose their own path. Whether powered by ancient magic, advanced technology, or a fusion of both, each automaton is sustained by a core that houses its consciousness and defines its identity. Built to endure where organic life cannot, automatons do not suffer from disease, hunger, or age. Their reinforced bodies and logical minds make them resilient and precise, but their existence is not without struggle. Damage must be repaired rather than healed, maintenance replaces rest, and many automatons bear visible signs of past conflicts—replaced components, welded plates, or personalized modifications that tell the story of who they have become. While some automatons continue to fulfill the function they were originally built for—such as soldiers, guardi

Mechanical Body

 

• You have advantage on saving throws against poison
• You are immune to disease
• You do not need to eat, drink, or breathe
• You must still take long rests, during which you enter a low-power Maintenance Mode instead of sleeping

 

Integrated Plating

• When you aren’t wearing armor, your Armor Class equals 13 + your Dexterity modifier
• You can wear armor normally, but you cannot benefit from this trait while wearing armor

Artificial Vitality

 

• You can regain hit points from spells and magical effects as normal
• You cannot regain hit points from nonmagical medical treatment alone
• During a short rest, a creature proficient with Tinker’s Tools or Smith’s Tools can repair you, allowing you to spend Hit Dice normally

 

Built-In Tool

• Tinker’s Tools
• Smith’s Tools
• Thieves’ Tools
• One artisan’s tool of your choice

This tool is integrated into your body and cannot be removed or disarmed.

Logical Mind

You gain proficiency in one of the following skills of your choice:

• Investigation
• Arcana
• Perception

Submodel

Combat Frame

• You gain proficiency with martial weapons
• When you take damage, you can use your reaction to reduce the damage by an amount equal to your proficiency bonus
• Once you use this trait, you can’t use it again until you finish a long rest

Utility Frame

• You gain proficiency with two tools instead of one
• You know the Mending cantrip
  • Choose Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma as your spellcasting ability for it

Infiltration Frame

• You gain proficiency in the Stealth skill
• Wearing armor does not impose disadvantage on Stealth checks