Homebrew Warforged, Variant (5e Race) Species Details

Warforged
Physical Description

Warforged are bulky humanoids covered in plates of metal and stone. A skeleton of these materials supports woody fiber bundles that comprise a warforged's muscular system. Warforged bodies have an internal network of tubes filled with a bloodlike fluid that nourishes and lubricates their systems. Their hands have only two thick fingers and a thumb whilst their feet only have two broad toes. The warforged face loosely resembles their creator's, though they have a toothless jaw, heavy brow line and are lacking noses. Each warforged has a "ghulra" engraved upon their foreheads. Each of these runes are unique to each warforged, giving them a sense of individuality.

The warforged are completely sexless and genderless, though their bodies may have been designed with masculine or feminine features, these are considered by the warforged to be little more than aesthetic aspects. The warforged are able to be repaired and modified by those with the know-how, which can give an endless array of possibilities to their appearances.

A warforged on average is roughly 6'0" and weigh 300 lbs. These numbers will vary among the warforged "subraces" as warforged scouts are smaller and warforged juggernauts are larger. Refer to the size chart for more details.
Personality

Warforged can have unique personality traits, though, as they are constructs, those are restricted in some ways. They experience anger, pain, fear, and hatred like their creator's. All warforged naturally seem reserved, stoic, and pensive, hiding an array of emotions behind their inexpressive metallic faces. Their faces were not designed to display facial expressions, so it can seem like they are distant to the conversation. Despite their lack of physical facial expressions, they're not completely without them, as their eyes tend to brighten when experiencing strong or specific emotions. Some warforged have their faces modified to be more expressive for their companion's comfort, but these expressions are learned rather than natural and often appear stilted and awkward.

Some warforged can be incredibly naive and lack a sense of introspection. However, many others are the opposite and question their existence, they wonder if, as constructs, they have souls, and ask what becomes of them in the afterlife. The more intelligent warforged create complex philosophies about what they perceive and learn. Though warforged can show loyalty to religions and organizations, typically they become loyal to a small group of comrades. War and military thinking are the foundation of Warforged personalities. They understand duty, the chain of command, and conflict.
History

The technology used to create warforged began with the methods used to create mindless constructs. Although true sentience was a goal, there was little thought given to what the effects of sentience would be or how to best prepare those minds for their new existence.

At the moment of a warforged's first awakening, it has no knowledge of the world, no understanding of falsehood, and no feelings about good or evil. They were made as the ideal soldiers to serve on the battlefield. Warforged often have little life experience as they have spent most of their time working towards one specific duty, usually soldiering.

If there is one interest all warforged share it is their love of working and the satisfaction of a job well done. Many create endless lists of goals and chores to feed that feeling. They take pride in their work and can work incredibly hard, both traits that make them dislike idleness and failure.

For warforged, the purpose of life was to fight in conflicts & wars, and in times of peace, many warforged continue to exist as warriors. Whether as constables, bodyguards, pirates, bounty hunters, gladiators, soldiers, or adventurers, etc. Other warforged have chosen or been forced to take up other lives and new purposes. Regardless, all warforged have opinions about war, but their reasoning about it tends to mystify members of other races.
Names

Warforged usually either adopt their names from whatever race currently built them or they adopt a name for their purpose, rank, or job along with the surname of their creator. Some Warforged adopt names from the culture they were created in, though most of their names were assigned at construction. Many Warforged simply accept the nicknames given to them by their comrades while others seek more meaningful names that best describe them.

Some warforged adopt a "personal name," these are decided by the warforged themselves and are usually determined after long periods of soul-searching. This is usually a special designation a warforged has for its friends and carries a special meaning to them emotionally.

Warforged dislike being called "it" and usually accept the gendered pronoun that they most closely resemble.

Warforged, Variant (5e Race) Traits

Sentient constructs created for the purpose of battle and decimation, or for whatever their creator wishes.

Ability Score Increase.

Increase all ability score by 1.

Age.

A warforged is complete and fully developed at construction and are built to last. The maximum age for a warforged has not been determined to this date. In the Eberron campaign setting, the agreements between the previously warring factions prevents the creation of new warforged causing the minimum age to be available to be 3 years.

Alignment.

Warforged are generally Neutral, though they are capable of independent thought and moral speculation allowing them to be of any alignment.

Size.

Size. An average warforged stands between 5 and 6 feet, and weighs between 275 and 410 lbs. Your size is Medium.

Speed.

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Blindsight.

You can perceive your surroundings without relying on sight within a specific radius. You have a blindsight range of 60 feet, but are blind beyond this radius.

Living Construct.

Your creature type is construct. While you were constructed, you are a living creature. You are immune to diseases and the poisoned condition. You are considered a humanoid for the purpose of magic that would recover your hit points. You do not need to eat or breathe in order to survive by normal means, but you must consume food and/or drink to convert the matter into energy internally. Instead of sleeping, you enter an inactive "sleeping" state. The time required for you to receive the benefits of a short rest is 2 hours, while a long rest is 4 hours. You do not dream in this state; you are fully aware of your surroundings and notice approaching enemies and other events as normal. This state is also used to recharge your internal energy reserves, negating the need to consume food or drink for the purpose of receiving the benefits of a long rest.

Walking Armor.

You are a suit of armor given automaton mechanisms and independent thought. Your AC is 15 + your strength modifier, and you gain no benefits from wearing armor.

Composite Plating.

Your construction incorporates metal, stone and wood, granting you a +1 bonus to Armor Class.

Powerful Build.

You count as one size larger when determining your carrying capacity and the weight you can push, drag, or lift.

Maintenance.

Whenever you are reduced to 0 hit points you deactivate and fall unconscious, you are stable in this state but must receive maintenance to regain consciousness. Healing magic can be used to jump start your system and cause you to regain consciousness, however, you take a level of exhaustion until repaired which can be done over a short or long rest. Alternatively, a creature may make a DC Tools check to repair you over the course of a short or long rest, if successful you gain 1 hit point and regain consciousness. Warforged's and the race you originated from have advantage on this check.

Massive Punches.

Your entire body is a natural weapon, which you can use to make unarmed strikes. If you hit with them, you deal bludgeoning damage equal to 1d10 + your Strength modifier, instead of the damage normal for an unarmed strike.

Incredible Resolve

At the start of your turn, if you are incapacitated, paralyzed or stunned, you can end that effect. You must complete a short rest before you can use this ability again.

Inquisitive Mind.

You have the capacity to store more information. You are proficient in both the Insight and Perception skills.

Made of metal.

You have vulnerability to Lightning and Acid damage.

Leadfoot Stability.

Leadfoot Stability. A Warforged has the advantage on checks and saves to resist effects that would physically move it or knock it prone but it uses twice the amount of movement required to stand from prone.

Comprehensive Files.

When making a skill check for a skill you are not proficient in, you may choose to count as if you were proficient. You can do this once, regaining the use on a long rest.

Fresh Code.

Your original instructions are still fresh in your mind, allowing you to wield weapons as the first did. You gain proficiency in martial melee weapons.

Magic Armament.

You were most likely built as a type of sentient mechanical guard or as an adventuring companion and you have been armed for this task. You gain either the Fire Bolt, Shocking Grasp or Ray of Frost cantrip and Intelligence is your spellcasting ability for it.

Instilled Bravery.

You have gained your masters bravery and unbreakable spirit. You have advantage on saves against being frightened.

Arcane Core.

Arcane Core. You have an arcane power source of unusual strength. Unless removed you are considered to have an arcane focus in hand which you can use to cast spells from.

Rally Cry.

As an Action, you shout an inspiring cry to rally all allies within 30ft of you, boosting their AC by +2, this effect lasting for one minute. You may only use this feature once, regaining use after a long rest.

Singular Purpose.

Warforged are designed upon creation to fulfill a certain task with utmost efficiency. You gain proficiency in one skill of your choice.

Languages.

You can speak, read, and write Common and one additional language (usually reflecting the language of its creators or a common enemy).