Homebrew Armor-Bound Species Details

Whether you were cursed and your soul haunts a suit of armor, you were in a terrible accident with no limbs and are now bound to a suit of armor, or you were created by a wizard and became self-aware, you are trapped in a shell and cannot live outside of it.

Construct or Humanoid?

You can choose your history of how you came to be and as such choose your nature or creature type either humanoid or construct.

Maybe you are a homunculus having a heart made from a magical crystal that gives an otherwise inanimate object life (if not a magical crystal, maybe a beating heart). Most homunculi are unable to talk, but yet, the wizard or spell caster that gave you life gave you the ability to talk and reason. Or maybe your body was killed but your soul was ferried away and put in a suit of armor (i.e. Full Metal Alchemist, etc.). Technically you haven't died though your mortal body is no longer a viable option. Or maybe you were in a terrible accident or were cut down in a fight no longer having limbs or paralyzed permanently from a great fall (i.e. Darth Vader, War Machine, etc.). You now have magical prosthetic suit of armor that you will into motion, but without it, you are unable to move normally. Or you can come up with another option you and your DM agree upon that fits. This is also a viable option for if a party member dies through the course of the adventure to have a wizard or some other creature resurrect them by putting their consciousness or broken body into a magical suit of armor.

Humanoids can be healed by spells like Cure Wounds and can potentially fully recover through spells like Greater Restoration or Wish. You require air, food, and sleep.

Constructs cannot be healed by spells like Cure Wounds, Healing Word, Lesser Restoration, etc. You can be healed with the cantrip Mending. If targeted by this spell you gain 2d6 of hit points. Once you gain hit points this way you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest. If a spell effects a construct differently you are subject to those effects. You also do not require air, food, or sleep. You obtain a long rest by doing light work such as physically mending your armor (that's how you gain your health back during a long or short rest). You are also resistant to poison damage and cannot be poisoned.

Anti-magic.

You are effected by anti-magical fields and spells (i.e. Dispel Magic). If you enter an area or hit by a spell and are subject to anti-magic you gain a level of exhaustion. For every hour you spend in an anti-magical area you gain another level of exhaustion.

For a spell like Dispel Magic it requires a level of spell. Your spell level keeping you alive is based off your total level divided in half, rounded up.

Your Body is Your Armor

You can choose what type of armor you are in which would fall into three categories: heavy, medium, or light armor. Use the Player's Handbook to decide what your armor is made out of, for example, light armor is usually leather, and heavy can be plate, chain, or splint armor. The armor you choose should have a helmet, gauntlets, arms, legs, greaves, boots, etc. to complete your body to move around. You can alternately choose to float across the ground or have your gauntlets magically move around not actually connected by anything else. Or perhaps your right arm and legs are missing requiring those parts, but your left arm is still intact. Your imagination is the limit in how it functions. This race is set up to function like a normal humanoid but upgrades are allowed, which are mentioned in a later section.

Your Armor Class is dependent of your choice and is magically enhanced. You gain AC as you level up based on your proficiency bonus. Also, choosing light, medium, or heavy could restrict some of your abilities and upgrades.

Light Armor. Your AC is 10 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier

Medium Armor. Your AC is 13 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier (maximum of +2 from Dex).

Heavy Armor. Your AC is 15 + your proficiency bonus. (Note: in order to make it compatible with dndbeyond.com character sheets I had to tweak the stats. So if it looks funny when you look at your dndbeyond.com character sheet, that's why. But it should be correct reflecting this formula.)

You do not have disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks in any armor you pick. The armor is like your skin and you can feel through it in a sense, so you can more carefully move around. That is why even heavy armor does not impose disadvantage.

You cannot put more armor over top of your armored body but you can change your armor to a different type or even into a magical set of armor. In order to do this you must have another suit of armor of the same type to change into and you must have a spell caster to cast a spell as a ritual to do the transfer. The ritual takes 6 hours (does not count as a long rest) and requires a gem worth at least 50 gp which is consumed in the spell. You and the DM determine how the spell actually looks based off your character's history or physical appearance. The armor you choose to move into should be a full suit of armor having a helmet, arms and gauntlets, legs and greaves with boots (plus any other details). If you do not have this in a base model of armor (i.e. breast plate medium armor does not include this) you can modify the armor with a cost that you and the DM agree upon. The missing material should be made out of leather or something similar to fill the gaps.

You can choose to do this ritual to move into a magical set of armor. Your AC is either the magical armor's max AC or your natural AC, whichever is higher. Example: if you have chain mail armor +1, the max AC for that is 17. If your natural AC exceeds 17; for example: you choose Heavy Armor option and you are level 7 with a proficiency bonus of + 3, your AC would be 18 and you would ignore any AC modifiers from the magical armor. However, any other magical effects from the magical armor still work as normal.

You can also choose to move yourself into a different size suit of armor. You can change your size to a more appropriate one. Your internal components (i.e. body, crystal, heart, etc.) have to fit and your magical power to animate the suit can only stretch so far. You are limited to: small, medium, or large armor. You cannot fit in tiny armor and you are stretching your limits in large armor. You must obey all rules from the Player's Handbook applicable to your size, example: small creatures have disadvantage with heavy weapons.

Large Rules. Large suits of armor cost four times as much as their smaller counterparts. Everyday you spend in large armor gives you a level of exhaustion which can only go away after you move back into medium or small armor. While in Large Armor you have advantage on Strength saving throws and you can wield Large weapons. If you use a Large sized Strength based weapon, on a hit you use additional dice for your damage roll equal to double the amount you would normally roll. For example: a large javelin thrown on a hit would do 2d6 damage, and a large great sword on a hit would do 4d6 damage, a critical hit with the great sword would do 8d6 damage.

UPGRADES!

You can upgrade your design with the following additional features. Each feature has a cost to purchase it and another cost to attach it to your armor (i.e. material, time, etc.). It takes a certain amount of time to make it and more time to attach it to your body during which time you're incapacitated. You are considered proficient in any upgrade, wherever applicable.

The upgrades are subject to damage. If you receive damage from a critical hit or drop below half your hit points (or another time you receive damage that the DM deems appropriate) randomly choose which upgrade receives damage with room to receive none. For example, if you have two upgrades currently attached roll a d6; on a 1 or 2, one of the upgrades is damaged, on a 3 or 4, the other upgrade takes damage, or on a 5 or 6, no upgrade receives damage. You and the DM discuss what to roll and what numbers are assigned to what. Have it planned out in advance so you can more quickly determine the outcome in combat. The damaged upgrade is no longer usable until it is repaired. In order to repair the upgrade, you must pay the repair cost, wait the time to attach the item back to you, and have access to appropriate tools, and someone proficient to use them (i.e. Smith's tools).

You can choose to change your upgrade to another by paying the price. You retain physical possession of your other upgrade. If you want to change back to one you already own you pay the repair cost only to put it back on.

You can choose out of the following upgrades to incorporate into your armor. You can have a total of upgrades equal to your proficiency bonus. You cannot have more the one upgrade in the same location (i.e. you cannot have both the armblade and arm bow in your right arm, and you can't have two different types of visors, etc). You also follow the rules of two weapon fighting. If you attach, for example, an armblade to your off hand, you would not add a bonus to your damage roll. You can also make up your own upgrade and are not limited to this selection. You and the DM agree on the upgrade with stats and cost associated.

Upgrades:

Arm Bow. You have a crossbow mechanism in your arm that does 1d6 piercing damage. This crossbow ignores the loading property and is considered light. It requires crossbow bolts for ammunition. It requires a bonus action to set up and take down. You can't use that hand until the crossbow is taken down. (Build Cost: 80 gp. Attach/Repair Cost: 20 gp. Construction Time: 3 days. Attachment Time: 1 hour.)

Armblade. You gain a retractable blade that does 1d6 slashing damage with finesse and light properties. The blade is hidden when it is retracted. You can't use that hand while extended. It retracts and extends as a bonus action. (Build Cost: 20 gp. Attach/Repair Cost: 5 gp. Construction Time: 1 days. Attachment Time: 1 hour.)

Camouflage. (Restricted: Light Armor only.) For a bonus action you can change the color of your armor to reflect your environment. This lasts for 1 minute. You gain advantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks made to hide and others have disadvantage on Wisdom (Perception) checks made to find you. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus which resets after a long rest. (Build Cost: 400 gp. Attach/Repair Cost: 100 gp. Construction Time: 7 days. Attachment Time: 24 hours.)

Digitigrade Legs. Your legs reflect that of animals giving you greater speed and jumping capability. You gain +10 walking speed, and your jumping distance is doubled. (Build Cost: 200 gp. Attach/Repair Cost: 50 gp. Construction Time: 7 days. Attachment Time: 12 hours.)

Flamethrower. You know the Burning Hands spell and can cast it at level 1. Once you use this spell this way you must finish a long rest before you can use it again. Constitution is your spell casting ability for this. (Build Cost: 80 gp. Attach/Repair Cost: 20 gp. Construction Time: 3 days. Attachment Time: 12 hours.)

Flash Light. You know the Light cantrip and can use it with the following changes. You can only target yourself and you can change what color of light you produce. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for this spell. (Build Cost: 40 gp. Attach/Repair Cost: 10 gp. Construction Time: 1 day. Attachment Time: 4 hours.)

Lightweight Armor. (Restricted Medium or Heavy Armor only.) You gain +1 to your Dexterity Score. (Build Cost: 160 gp. Attach/Repair Cost: 40 gp. Construction Time: 7 days. Attachment Time: 24 hours.)

Reinforced Armor. (Restricted Medium or Heavy Armor only.) You gain +1 to your Constitution Score. (Build Cost: 160 gp. Attach/Repair Cost: 40 gp. Construction Time: 7 days. Attachment Time: 24 hours.)

Reinforced Joints. (Restricted Medium or Heavy Armor only.) You gain +1 to your Strength Score. (Build Cost: 160 gp. Attach/Repair Cost: 40 gp. Construction Time: 7 days. Attachment Time: 24 hours.)

Shield. Your magical aura produces a shimmering shield around your body for 1 minute. For a bonus action you can gain +2 to your AC. This feature doesn't affect your AC if you already have a bonus to your AC from a shield. You can use this feature a number of times equal to your proficiency bonus which resets after a long rest. (Build Cost: 400 gp. Attach/Repair Cost: 100 gp. Construction Time: 7 days. Attachment Time: 24 hours.)

Skill Versatility. You gain proficiency in one skill or tool of your choice. (Build Cost: 40 gp. Attach/Repair Cost: 10 gp. Construction Time: 2 days. Attachment Time: 4 hours.)

Torch. You know the Produce Flame cantrip. Constitution is your spell casting ability for this spell. (Build Cost: 40 gp. Attach/Repair Cost: 10 gp. Construction Time: 2 days. Attachment Time: 4 hours.)

Visor of Aim. You can gain the Archery fighting style (+2 to range attack rolls) unless you already have this fighting style from another feature. (Build Cost: 200 gp. Attach/Repair Cost: 50 gp. Construction 7 Time: days. Attachment Time: 4 hours.)

Visor of Diving. You can hold your breath if you are humanoid for 12 hours. (Build Cost: 120 gp. Attach/Repair Cost: 30 gp. Construction Time: 7 days. Attachment Time: 4 hours.)

Visor of Sight. You gain darkvision out to 60 feet and blindsight out to 5 feet. (Build Cost: 200 gp. Attach/Repair Cost: 50 gp. Construction Time: 7 days. Attachment Time: 4 hours.)

Webbed Limbs. For a bonus action you can activate your retracted webbed gauntlets and flipper boots which are normally hidden. You gain 30 feet of swimming speed. (Build Cost: 200 gp. Attach/Repair Cost: 50 gp. Construction Time: 7 days. Attachment Time: 24 hours.)

Wings. (Restricted to Light or Medium) You gain flying speed of 30 feet. (Build Cost: 800 gp. Attach/Repair Cost: 200 gp. Construction Time: 14 days. Attachment Time: 48 hours.)

Custom. You can also make up your own upgrade and are not limited to this selection. You and the DM agree on the upgrade with stats and cost associated.

Armor-Bound Traits

Ability Score, Armor Type, Size, Language, Creature Type, Upgraded Design, Anti-Magic Exhaustion

Anti-Magic Exhaustion

For a spell like Dispel Magic it requires a level of spell. Your spell level keeping you alive is based off your total level divided in half, rounded up.

Ability Score

When you determine your ability scores, increase one of those scores by 2, and increase a different one by 1. These increases can’t raise a score above 20. You follow this rule regardless of the method you use to determine the scores, such as rolling or point buy. If you are replacing your race with a lineage, replace any Ability Score Increases you previously had with these.

Armor Type

Your soul or body is bound to a suit of armor. Your armor will determine your Armor Class, as well as, other feats your character can do. You cannot put on another suit of armor over your armor. You are considered proficient in the armor you are bound to. Your armor is magical when determining resistance or other effects. You AC increases magically as you level up based on your proficiency bonus.

Choose one of the following:

Light Armor. You're AC is 10 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier.

Medium Armor. You're AC is 13 + your proficiency bonus + your Dexterity modifier (maximum of +2).

Heavy Armor. You're AC is 15 + your proficiency modifier.

You can choose to change your armor type at a later time. In order to do this you must have another suit of armor of the same type to change into and you must have a spell caster to cast a spell as a ritual to do the transfer. The ritual takes 6 hours and requires a gem worth at least 50 gp which is consumed in the spell. You and the DM determine how the spell actually looks based off your character's history or physical appearance. The armor you choose to move into should be a full suit of armor having a helmet, arms and gauntlets, legs and greaves with boots (plus any other details). If you do not have this in a base model of armor (i.e. breast plate medium armor does not include this) you can modify the armor with a cost that you and the DM agree upon. The missing material should be made out of leather or something similar to fill the gaps.

You can choose to do this ritual to move into a magical set of armor. Your AC is either the magical armor's max AC or your natural AC, whichever is higher. Example: if you have chain mail armor + 1, the max AC for that is 17. If your natural AC exceeds 17; for example: you choose Heavy Armor option and you are level 7 with a proficiency bonus of + 3, your AC would be 18 and you would ignore any AC modifiers from the magical armor. However, any other magical effects from the magical armor still work as normal.

Creature Type

You can choose either humanoid or construct depending on your character's history.

Humanoids can be healed by spells like Cure Wounds and can potentially recover through spells like Greater Restoration or Wish. You require air, food, and sleep.

Constructs cannot be healed by spells like Cure Wounds, Healing Word, Lesser Restoration, etc. You can be healed with the cantrip Mending. If targeted by this spell you gain 2d6 of hit points. Once you gain hit points this way you can't do so again until you finish a short or long rest. If a spell effects a construct differently you a subject to those effects. You also do not require air, food, or sleep. You obtain a long rest by doing light work such as physically mending your armor (that's how you gain your health back during a long or short rest). You are also resistant to poison damage and can't be poisoned.

Language

Your character can speak, read, and write Common and one other language that you and your DM agree is appropriate for the character. The Player's Handbook offers a list of widespread languages to choose from. The DM is free to add or remove languages from that list for a particular campaign. If you are replacing your race with a lineage, you retain any languages you had and gain no new languages.

You choose how your character talks, if he has vocal cords or not. However, this is verbal and can be heard through normal means of hearing.

Size

Your size is Medium or Small when you start (choose when you gain this lineage).

Upgraded Design

The upgrades are subject to damage. If you receive damage from a critical hit or drop below half your hit points (or another time you receive damage that the DM deems appropriate) randomly choose which upgrade receives damage with room to receive none. For example, if you have two upgrades currently attached roll a d6; on a 1 or 2, one of the upgrades is damaged, on a 3 or 4, the other upgrade takes damage, or on a 5 or 6, no upgrade receives damage. You and the DM discuss what to roll and what numbers are assigned to what. Have it planned out in advance so you can more quickly determine the outcome in combat. The damaged upgrade is no longer usable until it is repaired. In order to repair the upgrade, you must pay the repair cost, wait the time to attach the item back to you, and have access to appropriate tools and someone proficient to use them (i.e. Smith's tools).

Upgrades:

Arm Bow, Armblade, Camouflage (Restricted to Light Armor), Digitigrade Legs, Flamethrower, Flash Light, Lightweight Armor (Restricted to Medium or Heavy Armor) Reinforced Armor (Restricted to Medium or Heavy Armor), Reinforced Joints (Restricted to Medium or Heavy Armor), Shield, Skill Versatility, Torch, Visor of Aim, Visor of Diving, Visor of Sight, Webbed Limbs, Wings (Restricted to Medium or Light Armor), or Custom.

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