Homebrew Sentient Tank Species Details
"The first thing that we noticed was the mechanical clanking. Then the ground shook with incredible fury. Finally, we saw the horror cresting the hill: a monster with a carapace of indestructible steel, moving on tracked wheels and wielding a weapon that shot balls of fire larger than a man's skull. If there was any emotion behind the cold metal, it wasn't shown, as our entire platoon was cut down with impunity. If you don't believe me, go see my boys in the medical tent. Their wounds tell the story better than any words can." - Captain Mozaf Windhammer, in a post-action report after encountering a tank
The armored creatures referred to as "tanks" are an anomaly in the world. Their origins and intents are unknown, but one thing is for certain: they are here to stay, and they are not to be trifled with.
Weapons of War. No other race is as naturally suited for war as tanks are. They are completely covered in thick steel plates, making them impervious to most attacks. They retaliate with fire from their cannon, which can destroy an entire building or cut down swathes of enemies with a single shot. Their tracks enable them roll over uneven battlefields with ease, crushing bone and armor along the way. Weighing in at over 50,000 pounds, even the strongest creatures find difficulty in pushing around a tank.
Mysterious Machines. Tanks truly are a thing of mystery. Whoever made them is unknown, but the steel beasts no longer bow to the whims of their creator, leaving them to live in a world that neither understands nor is made for them. While this has led most tanks to prefer solidarity, far away from other beings, some tanks see the opportunity to make change in the world, using their powerful abilities for better or for worse.
Outliers. In a world made for humanoids, tanks have more than a little difficulty fitting in. Their massive size makes it difficult for them to access cities, and the noise they create by merely existing is deafening. This leads to them being forced to live on the outskirts of towns, if they are allowed to remain nearby at all.
Gnoll Killers. Tanks are particularly antagonistic towards roaming hordes of gnolls, whose destructive lifestyle interferes with the solidarity tanks prefer. Battles between the two races are particularly fierce and can turn swathes of land into uninhabitable graveyards.
Sentient Tank Traits
As a tank, you have the following racial traits:Tank
Ability Scores. Your Strength score increases by 5, and your Dexterity score decreases by 5.
Alignment. Tanks place high value on individualism and gravitate towards chaotic alignments.
Size. Tanks are truly massive beings, being several feet taller than humans and weighing over 50,000 pounds. Your size is Huge.
Senses. You see via a periscope (AC 18, 40 HP) on top of your turret and have blindsight out to 5 feet. If your periscope is destroyed, you are blinded until you complete a short rest. You can hear, though how you are able to is unclear. You cannot smell, taste or touch, and automatically fail checks that require the use of these senses.
Names. Names of tanks are genderless and tend to reflect their violent and destructive nature. Some tanks, however, are given ironic or humorous names. Your name is inscribed on the barrel of your cannon.
- Destructive Names: Apocalypse, Armageddon, Battlewagon, Behemoth, Hammerhead, Inferno, Rubble, Typhoon, Widow Maker
- Humorous Names: Angst, Beats Walking, Corky, Diplomatic Solution, Home Run, Sammy, Tiny Tim
Darkvision. You have night-vision sensors attached to your periscope, granting you Darkvision out to 500 feet.
Languages. You can understand and read Common, but cannot speak or write in any language. You can be conversed with telepathically, however.
Mount. You can act as a mount for other creatures. Up to three Small or Medium creatures, or one Large creature and one Small or Medium creature can sit on top of you. For every additional creature above these limits, your movement speed is reduced by 5 feet. Any creatures using you as a mount gain half cover, except from attacks originating from above you.
Huge Creature. A creature of your size and build struggles to exist in this world. You cannot interact with anything that requires the use of hands. You cannot wield humanoid weapons, use humanoid tools or wear armor or shields. In addition, you are extremely difficult to conceal. While moving, you automatically fail Dexterity (Stealth) checks, and while stationary, have a -15 modifier to Dexterity (Stealth) checks. Finally, your relatively slow speed for your size makes it difficult to escape combat situations: you cannot gain the benefits of Disengaging.
Armored
You are completely covered in thick steel armor. Your AC is 25, and it cannot be increased by any means.
Tracks
You rely on your tracks to move you around. You can only move in the direction you are facing, or in the opposite direction. It takes 10 feet of movement to turn 90 degrees. You ignore nonmagical difficult terrain, unless you start your turn within it.
Cannon
Your cannon is your main offensive weapon. As an action, you can make a ranged attack (1000/3000), +8 to hit, dealing 8d12 piercing damage on a hit. This attack is considered magical. You have disadvantage on attacks against targets within 30 feet of you.
In addition, you have 10 Shell Points, which allow you to fire special types of ammunition. You can optionally spend one Shell Point per cannon attack to add one of the special effect to the shell you fire, which are listed below. All expended shell points are regained after completing a long rest. If the effect forces a Saving Throw, targets within 30 feet of you have advantage.
Armor-Piercing: Your cannon attack has a +12 to hit, instead of a +8. However, the attack only deals 6d12 piercing damage.
Cannister: Your shell explodes into small pellets upon exiting the barrel, dealing an additional 2d12 piercing damage. However, it only has a +4 to hit, and has a far more limited range (50/100).
Stabilized Shot: You shell flies farther, faster. You roll with advantage against targets within 1000 feet of you, and normally against targets within 3000 feet of you. Anything past 3000 feet cannot be directly targeted. You continue to have disadvantage against targets within 30 feet of you.
High-Explosive: Upon impact, this shell explodes. All creatures within a 20-foot sphere centered around the point of impact must make a Dexterity saving throw (DC 15), taking 8d6 fire damage on a failed save or half as much on a success.
Poison Gas: Upon impact, this shell releases a cloud of poisonous gas in a 20-foot sphere, which dissipates after 2 rounds. A moderate gust of wind can dissipate the gas cloud early. Creatures starting their turn within the gas cloud must make a Constitution saving throw (DC 18), taking 6d6 poison damage on a successful save or half as much on a success.
Machine Gun
You possess a coaxial machine gun to defend yourself from close range threats. As a bonus action, you can spray a 50-foot cone with bullets. All creatures in the cone must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking 6d8 piercing damage on a failed save or half as much on a success.
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Posted Dec 19, 2021This was intended as a joke, but I ended up taking it far too seriously. I'd love feedback if you have nay.
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Posted Mar 30, 2022*Inhales Deeply* This is one of the best homebrews I have ever seen. I'm 16, so take that with a grain of salt. One might argue that for higher level games, this is actually BALANCED. The reason I say that is because, for example, Lich homebrews give the player greater innate bonuses but decrease overall potential for growth. With that in mind, some feedback I might give is to disable classes for the player and lock the high damage and shell points behind a level wall. Like, for example, you only gain 1 shell point every 2 levels, or cannon damage being 4d12 to start and machine gun damage being 3d6 to start, and doubling at level 10. Also, I feel like you should add +5 Constitution instead of Strength, or perhaps +3 to Strength and Constitution. That's if you intend to keep this one race. You could probably split this into 2 or 3 subraces to make it even MORE balanced. As a DM, I wouldn't allow this at level 1, but at levels 6 or 7 and up? This would be so much fun and hilarious. Good job dude!