Homebrew Adeptus Astartes Dreadnought Species Details

A Space Marine Dreadnought is a large, walking tank which carries both powerful guns and lethal close combat weaponry, armoured to withstand all but the most powerful of enemy firepower and often relied on by Space Marine forces to tear an opening in enemy defenses. Each Dreadnought contains a living being, permanently interfaced with the machine through a form of Mind Impulse Unit

It is said that old proto-Dreadnoughts of the Unification wars could be piloted by non-Adeptus Astartes warriors, but later only Space Marines could be interred in them.

The pilots within Dreadnoughts are Marines who have suffered mortal wounds in battle, maimed and crippled beyond recovery - instead of being mercifully killed, the greatest heroes are instead given what is considered the honour of continuing to serve the Emperor past their normal life. Once interred within the Dreadnought, the Marine cannot leave the metal womb and is destined for a life of endless battle until destroyed. Some are so ancient their memories may extend back to the founding of their chapter and its earliest history. For this reason they are revered not just as powerful warriors but also as ageless forebears and living embodiments of battles fought long ago. If a dreadnought is destroyed, the Space Marines will fight to retrieve the armoured shell so that the occupant can be returned to the chapter's mausoleum for his long-deserved final rest.

Dreadnought machines themselves are ancient, the oldest dating back tens of thousands of years to the Age of Strife. Because the art of constructing them has been almost lost, Dreadnoughts are revered as rare machines, though the most revered specialists still dare to construct 'new' Dreadnoughts.

Dreadnoughts are armoured with ceramite and adamantium, their muscles are formed of electro-fibre bundles and magna-coils.

Although a Dreadnought can be damaged and disabled, it can survive unless the actual armoured tomb containing the occupant's form is destroyed. When not fighting, the Chapter's Techmarines will allow the fallen heroes to sleep away the centuries, sealed in stasis vaults, until once more they are called to battle. Usually Dreadnoughts waked from their slumber only in time of great need or when their advice is needed for some special missions.

All Dreadnoughts contains speakers and the warrior within can communicate with other Space Marines. The synthesized, crackling voice emanates from within the machine, making a conversation with a Dreadnought in eerie experience. Also traditionally every Dreadnought bear a scroll with the inscribed name of the hero on it. When the new warrior is interred as a pilot, Dreadnought will take a new name.

 

Adeptus Astartes Dreadnought Traits

Ability Score Increase, Darkvision, Fortified, Eternal Servitude, in built weaponry, Magic Resistance, Siege Monster

Ability Score Increase

Your strength and constitution scores and score maximums increase by four. All your other ability scores increase by one.

Magic resistance

You have advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Darkvision

You can see in darkness as if it were dim light and in dim light as if it were bright light for 120 ft.

The distance may vary for some chapters (e.g. Night Lords) where the distance is then 200 ft.

Integrated Protection

You have a +2 bonus to armour class and gain proficiency in heavy armour.

You also gain the Heavy Armour Master feat:
Heavy Armor Master Prerequisite: Proficiency with heavy armour You can use your armour to deflect strikes that would kill others. You gain the following benefits: Increase your Strength score by 1, to a maximum of 20. While you are wearing heavy armour, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage that you take from nonmagical weapons is reduced by 3.

Your armour is incorporated into your body. Changing or repairing it is a lengthy process and must be carried out by one skilled in technology.

You gain the toughness feat:

Your hit point maximum increases by an amount equal to twice your level then by +2 at each level.

 

Eternal Servitude

When you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. You can't use this feature again until you finish a long rest.

in Built Weaponry

You have weapons built into your body instead of hands.

• Heavy Flamer: Cone of 15-feet, 2d6 fire damage, DEX save (8+CON+Proficiency Bonus) for half damage. the damage for this trait increases at 5th Level (3d6) 11th Level (4d6) and 17th Level (5d6)
• Assault Cannon: 120 ft ranged attack. 2d6 bludgeoning damage. the damage for this trait increases at 5th Level (3d6) 11th Level (4d6) and 17th Level (5d6). 

or

• Multi Melta (instead of assault cannon): 100 ft. line,  2d8 fire damage. the damage for this trait increases at 5th Level (3d6) 11th Level (4d6) and 17th Level (5d6). 

Siege Monster

You deal double damage objects and structures.
Your unarmed strike becomes 2d8 plus your strength modifier. (you don't double the damage die because you're large sized, its already doubled. It was 1d8 in the previous version so I fixed it)