Homebrew Cyborg Species Details
Bernadetta roused, servos whirring softly as she raised her left arm in front of her with a mechanical grace that seemed almost human. She turned her wrist, examining the tiny cables and motors as she stretched out her impossibly delicate metallic fingers. in the blink of an eye she was on her feet, attention turned to the crude looking but well built bundle of steel plating, hydraulic cylinders, hoses and cables in place of her leg. She crouched and removed an armoured plate from her thigh, revealing a small display with an array of tiny backlit buttons beside it. She frowned as she scrolled through menu screens, she would need maintenance soon. Finally satisfied with the condition of her augmentics, she re-secured the cover panel and rose to her feet once more. She was ready for whatever the day might bring.
Whether in the fighting pits, manufactories or out adventuring, humans often sustain hideous, crippling injuries. Occassionally, if they are a particularly skilled combatant or they are in possession of unique skills, rather than being left crippled, they may be augmented by a technomancer, allowing them full mobility, often rendering them stronger, faster, and more resilient. Occasionally warriors choose to replace limbs or eyes to enhance themselves, though the significant expense of quality augmetics limits this to the extremely wealthy or most skilled fighters. Some cyborgs rise to positions of great power within society, their enhancements giving them an edge over unaugmented competitors. Some venture into the world to seek fame and fortune amongst the many civilized races. Many of these become adventurers and mercenaries, achieving greatness for their mighty deeds and notoriety for their inhuman strength and speed.
Scarred and Strong
Cyborgs pale pigmentation, juxtaposed against sometimes crude mechatronic limbs, whirring servos and motors, cold calculating eyes, and scarred flesh make their augmented nature plain for all to see. Cyborgs stand between 5 and 7 feet tall and usually weigh between 200 and 300 pounds.
Cyborgs regard augmentics and mechatronic limbs as improvements, and view a strong, efficient, and functional cybernetic enhancement a thing of pride and beauty. Other augmetics, though, mark a cyborg as a former servitor, slave-gladiator or pleasure worker. Regardless of whether augmetics are limbs, sensory devices or a combination of the two, all cyborgs appear visually different from those around them, and there are those that are still fearful of technology that may not trust cyborgs, or in extreme cases openly revile them and as such some cyborgs attempt to hide their augmetics to avoid drawing attention.
The Mark of Maars
The machine god Maars is believed to have created the first warmachines, and it is by his blessing that the knowledge and understanding of all things mechanical and technological is permitted. Even those technomancers who turn away from his worship can’t fully escape his influence. The same is true of cyborgs, though their human blood moderates the impact of their mechanical heritage. Many cyborgs hear the whispers of Maars in their dreams, calling them to unleash the rage that simmers within them. Others feel exultation of Maars when they join in melee combat—and either exult along with him or shiver with fear and loathing. Cyborgs are not evil by nature, but evil does lurk within them, whether they embrace it or rebel against it.
Beyond the rage of Maars, cyborgs barely feel emotion at all. Rage doesn’t just quicken their pulse, it makes their servos whine and hum. They do not take offence easily and often appear cold hearted by their lack of emotions. They rarely laugh or cry out in pain, striving to act efficiently and purposefully. They tend to be hasty to act and rarely like to negotiate or utilise stealth or trickery preferring direct resolutions to conflicts. The most accomplished cyborgs are those that allow themselves to connect with humanity and act with less haste.
Gladiators and Merceneries
Cyborgs most often live among humans. Of the other races, humans are most likely to accept cyborgs as they are, simply put, augmented humans. Cyborgs almost always live in human lands when not travelling the wilds. Whether proving themselves in the fighting pits or serving a wealthy master as hired muscle, cyborgs get by using their enhanced speed and strength, their endurance, and the sheer determination they inherit from their human ancestry.
Cyborg Names
Cyborgs usually have names appropriate to the culture in which they were raised. Some cyborg's adopt new names after augmentation because they think it makes them more intimidating.
Male Cyborg Names: Anakin, Arnold, Bucky, Cybear, Decker, Isaac, Marvin, Roy, Shiro, Tetsuo
Female Cyborg Names: Alita, Andromeda, Barbarella, Cameron, Eva, Curie, Lenore, Lucy, Velma, Robecca, T-X
Each cyborg finds a way to gain acceptance from society and those who hate technology. Some are reserved, trying to cover their augmetics so as not to draw attention to themselves. A few demonstrate piety and good-heartedness as publicly as they can (whether or not such demonstrations are genuine). And some simply try to be so tough that others just avoid them.
Cyborg Traits
Your cyborg character has certain traits deriving from your mechatronic enhancements.Ability Score Increase
Your Strength score increases by 2, and your Constitution score increases by 1.
Age
Cyborgs are not born, rather made from mature humans. They age noticeably slower and often live longer than 100 years.
Alignment
Cyborgs develop a tendency toward neutrality as they age and are not strongly inclined toward either good or evil.
Size
Cyborgs are generally humanlike in appearance, although some are slightly larger and bulkier than humans, and they range from 5 to well over 6 feet tall. Your size is Medium.
Speed
Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Augmented vision
Thanks to your augmetics, you have superior vision in dark and dim conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
Menacing
Due to your inhuman appearance, you gain proficiency in the Intimidation skill.
Relentless Endurance
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.
Savage Attacks
When you score a critical hit with a melee weapon attack, you can roll one of the weapon’s damage dice one additional time and add it to the extra damage of the critical hit.
Languages
You can speak, read, and write Common and Tech. Tech is the language of machines and technomancy, and is spoken as a series of acronyms, abbreviations and beeps. Tech is written in binary.
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