Homebrew Automaton Species Details

Created in Their Image

Every automaton is created by a person or even a team of people. Usually, the body and general appearance of the automaton are based on the race of the creator(s). This is not the case if the automaton is made for a specific purpose, of course. If an automaton is designed for infiltration, assassination, or quick escapes, they will sport an agile, athletic body; Akin to that of an Elf, or Halfling. Alternatively, an automaton may be made with protection, defense, or offense as the main priority. automatons built this way have thick-built muscular bodies, modeled in the way of half-orcs, dwarves, or brawny humans. In rare cases, automatons are constructed for personal purposes, such as a friend, companion, or even an intimate partner, these Automatons are crafted to embody the most appealing physical appearance of either gender of any race desired. More often than not, automatons built for intimate relations have over-exaggerated body parts, large genitalia, oversized breasts, and buttocks, these automatons are the most frowned upon. Most often, automatons have a thin outer layer of metal sheets that hide the inner workings of the machine. Designed to imitate skin as well as protecting the automaton's insides. This outer layer, or "metal skin", will emulate that of a male or female body, shaped to the creator's wishes. The metal sheets are not connected in places like the abdominal section of the torso or shoulders but slide over each other to allow joint movement. These sheets can be made from any range of metals from iron to bronze, brass, silver, or even (in rare cases) adamantine. The heads and faces of the automatons are surrounded by the same material but do not compare as well to real-life faces as the bodies do. The faces of automatons struggle to show emotion, this is mirrored by the automaton's inability to feel emotion. Automatons very rarely have moving eyebrows, or cheeks. Their lips are stiff, and their eyes shallow. Normally only the chin and lower lip move to simulate speech. When an automaton is made with a specific purpose, such as carrying crates or firing a weapon, its hands will be crafted to only do those things. An automaton design to fire a bow will only have the fingers necessary to fire a bow. An automaton designed to carry large crates might not have fingers at all.

A New Technology

In the grand scheme of things, automatons are a relatively new creation. For many cultures and societies, science and technology have not yet come as far as to imitate life in such a way, without the aid of magic or gods. Despite their recent relevance, word spreads very quickly that an automaton is roaming the streets. Many people, especially the religious and arcane adept, fear what you mean for them. If gods or magic are not needed to create, have their purposes been a lie? Have they wasted the years away at tasks that will one day become obsolete? Workers and laborers do not welcome the new technologies, as they fear that if they are indeed better than they are, one day the laborers will no longer have jobs. The automatons may very well take the jobs real people once used to feed their families.

Entirely Unique

Emulating life can only get you so far in society. Because of this, if an automaton is left to roam freely, they find it very hard to integrate into society. An automaton left to its own devices is not a common thing, however. More often than not, an automaton is built for a purpose. If this is the case, they will not steer from this purpose. It is what they were made for it is what they will do until they are given a new purpose. Some arrogant scientists create automatons to flaunt their intellectual prowess. These automatons are the kind that are the most life-like, created for the spectacle, rather than anything of much worth. automatons with the purpose of dazzling and amazing crowds are often seen as just that, a clever trick of an even cleverer man. And thus, is the life of an automaton, either loved or hated without cause, without care. Seen as either a spectacle or an atrocity. A wonderful creation of art and science, or an unsettling attempt at something not quite real. At times when an automatons creator dies, they must find a new purpose. A lone automaton will wander the streets until it finds someone who will take them in, or work that they can do. Some automatons are gifted with the ability to understand and perform acts of arcane magic, some are given new skills and abilities to explore. Others are captured as slaves, forced to work, or fight. Learning nothing new, living life as empty as before. These are in fact, the best-case scenarios, since more often than not, an automaton left to roam, alone without a master, will succumb to the violence of fear and ignorance. Destroyed before they can become more than what they were made for.

Automaton Names

An automaton is given a name that its creator sees fit. Whether is the name of a relative or an important person in history or mythology. E.G, Raynard, Eleanor, Adam. Or alternatively, an automaton could not be given a name at all, but a serial number. Distinguishing them from the others by number and type. E.G, A-001, FN-2187, #823.

Automaton Traits

Conscious and aware machines, made not by magic or divine power, but by science.

Ability Score Increase

+1 Constitution

+1 Intelligence

Automatonic Charisma

Your voice is monotone and emotionless and your movements are stiff and unrealistic. You gain proficiency in the Intimidation skill.

Mindless

You do not have a brain; therefore, you have advantage on saving throws against being charmed and frightened. You are resistant to psychic damage, as well as this, because of your mechanical nature, if an organic being was to attempt to read your mind or communicate with you telepathically, they would not understand the mechanical language that works within your mind.

Metallic Skin

As you are covered by plates of metal, you do not see the need for armor. When unarmored, your Armor Class is equal to 12 + your Dexterity modifier.

Mechanical Body

Because your body is made of inorganic material, you are not required to eat or drink, you do not need to sleep and you do not breathe. You have advantage on saving throws against being poisoned and are immune to poison damage and disease. However, your body is too heavy to swim and you do not possess a swimming speed. As well as this, when you are in very cold temperatures and environments your movement speed decreases to 20ft. The same is true when in conditions of extreme heat, E.G: At the entrance to a volcano.

Gears and Cogs

Instead of taking a long rest, you must spend four hours magically recharging. If you have been in a swamp, dessert, in salt-water, or any other environment that would cause dirt, grime or other particles to enter your body, you require 1 vial of grease/oil/lubricant and an additional 2 hours oiling your joints and gears. When you finish this maintenance, you gain the benefits of a long rest. If you do not do this once every 24 hours, you gain one level of exhaustion.