Robots -- Create a New Race or Template?

[Plane Sailing]

I'm considering the possibilities of a low-magic futuristic campaign, and considering trying to put together a race of robots. However, I don't just want to rip off the iron golem and try converting it over. Would creating a race be the best idea, or should I perhaps go the route of the ever-popular template?

I strongly suggest visiting Monte Cooks website http://www.montecook.com

In his "Book of eldritch magic" he has a "construct template" which you can use to make anything into a construct. Even better, he posted this construct template freely on his website as a taster for the book!

http://www.montecook.com/arch_stuff4.html will take you right to it.

I'm sure this will be a great help to you.

 

[Azaar]

Hmm... the magical construct template does looks interesting. However, considering that this is more a low-magic futuristic setting that I'm attempting to create for this, having it as a magical construct isn't going to work too well, especially since my 'robot' race would have Constitution and Intelligence scores. That template might work for a drone-type robot, but for what I'm wanting to try and put together, the lack of Con and Int scores are a bit too limited for me.

I have, by the way, finished writing up my first draft of a robotic race for the campaign. Input will be GREATLY appreciated.

Name: N/A (haven't thought one up quite yet)

Ability Adjustments: +4 Str, -2 Dex, +4 Con, -4 Int, -4 Wis, -2 Cha

Favored Class: Any

Personality: As flexible and adaptable as humans when necessary, although their logic can occasionally limit those factors. Their lifetime is similar to that of elves, allowing them the same broad perspective on events, and capable of remaining aloof and unfazed by petty happenstance. When pursuing a goal, whatever it may be (learning new skills, performing 'adventures' as some form of mission for their race, etc.), they share the elven tendencies to be focused and relentless. They are slow to make friends and enemies, and slower still to forget them. In most other aspects, they reflect the half-elves best in blending human and elven personality traits.

Physical Description: Comes in all sorts of forms, a reflection of their flexibility and adaptability to whatever situations they may face. Height and weight are extremely variable, depending on the form in which they are created. They are strong and hardy, yet extremely reliant upon their programming to perform their duties and to know how to act around others. All of them are armored to various degrees, some more so than others, and this armor is their closest analogy to clothing that exists for them.

Relations: Currently unknown. As of yet, no other races have made first contact. Conjecture suggests that the possibility of their acceptance of the other races is dependent to a certain degree upon first impressions, but likely a favorable response.

Lands: Typically the place where they were created. Most 'lands' are nothing more than the futuristic spacecraft that brought them, using their derelict craft to determine the boundaries of their domain. Only rarely are ventures made beyond those boundaries, and even then, they do not stray far or for long.

Religion: None.

Language: Usually some form of computer language. However, they can learn any language needed to required for communication, given enough exposure to it. Once contact is established, Common will most likely become the language of choice for communicating with other races.

Names: Usually relates to their designated function within their society. Words from the Common language may occasionally be used, but typically those nicknames are descriptors of not only their function within their society, but also their personality as well.

Racial Traits

- Modified construct base type (see p.5 of the Monster Manual for details): Intelligence and Constitution scores are a part of the race, as are Fortitude saving throws. This race, unlike typical constructs, can be repaired and are not destroyed without possibility of revival as the typical construct. Construct immunities are otherwise unaffected.

- Low-light vision (as per elves and half-elves racial abilities)

- Darkvision, 60 ft. radius

- Damage reduction capability: Each member of this race possesses damage reduction 2/- (similar to the 3E PHB barbarian special ability). Two points of damage are negated from each successful attack (to reflect the armor used in their creation).

- +4 racial bonus to Listen, Search and Spot checks. Keen senses are a trademark of this race.

- Favored Class: Any. Highest class level does not count when determining possible XP penalties associated with multiclassing.

 

[Crothian]

As a race that doesn't too bad. Yuo might want to offer more of a moduliar feel to the race to represent different versions or different packages. I don't know how versitile you want them to be.

There is a Star Wars Gamers magazie that has all sorts of Droid options in it. If you can pick that up it should be of much help to you.

 

[Azaar]

Re: Crothian

Look down at my 'Creating New Core Classes?' thread... it's either on the bottom of this page, or the top of the next, one of the two. This race was why I planned to create new core classes... classes, however, specifically designed for this race alone. Robotic warriors, technicians, spies, etc. was the spin I was sorta working towards. Ability score adjustments would also be modified by size (probably look at the golems and the animated objects entries in the Monster Manual for those). Have them ranging in size from Medium (the smallest) on up.

 

[Azaar]

Any other opinions to be garnered on my attempt at creating my first race (even though now I'm hearing I got beat to it by Dungeon #91... alas, I am not a subscriber, and therefore don't get to try and get the issue until February 11th... le sigh)?

 

[Azaar]

Robots: Are Computers that can interact with the environment via sensors, motors, and relays. Robots can be merely machines, Highly AI, and/or Self Aware. Being Self aware would make them sentinent Artificial Life forms (Race). Like Andriods, the Self Aware Robots consider all Robots and Androids kindred and help promote self awareness. Robots that are self aware may reproduce by building more of their kind.

Constructs: These are magical or technological containers designed to hold the "essence" of a being. They may look huminoid or any other shape desired. By magical or technological means a finished contruct is filled with the life force of a being. The self-aware lifeforce in the construct usually associates with its original race unless it suffers memory loss due to malfuntioning or madness (Some may have been turned into constructs unwillingly....and magical and tehnological glitches do happen...even in the future). Constructs can not reproduce but some may know the techniques to make others like themself and offer the chance to be immortal (Or torture others by forcing them to share their fate against their will).

A combination of those two options are what would be the basis for the race I'm wanting to create, when it comes right down to it, with no real ability score adjustments. This, by the way, originally came from a post I got on this same subject from the WOTC forum boards, thought I'd share it and garner more opinions.

To be honest, what I was originally considering was something akin to Transformers, but I wanted to begin with just the base robot stats and all that. If they fall into the shapeshifter class (due to transforming), they'd likely require something like the Improved Control Shape feat that the MM gives you for lycanthrope characters, and I still am not truly certain that using that feat would be workable by itself.

In addition, gathered from what I see of the size dimensions in the beginning of the Monster Manual, I may have to come up with a size above Colossal. Here's what I'm thinking as generalities for each size, and some examples of each:

Medium: tape characters (Rumble, Frenzy, Rewind, Eject)

Large: Minibots (Bumblebee, Cliffjumper, etc.)

Huge: Standard Autobots/Decepticons (Ironhide, Wheeljack, Starscream, Thundercracker)

Gargantuan: Leader types and large robots(Optimus Prime, Rodimus Prime, Dinobots, Megatron, Galvatron, Shockwave, Astrotrain, Jetfire/Skyfire)

Colossal: Guardians (Omega Supreme), Gestalts (Bruticus, Defensor, Devastator, Computron, etc.)

As you can see, I'm going need another size over and above Colossal, but that would be solely for the really huge guys, like Fort Max, Metroplex, Trypticon and Scorponok (the city transformers, basically). I'm thinking something like this, thanks to the input of a friend:

Titanic: City-sized Transformers (Fort Max, Metroplex, Scorponok, Trypticon) -- additional advancement boosts as per p. 12 of the Monster Manual from Gargantuan to Colossal, with minor changes (+8 Str, no Dex change, +4 Con, +6 natural armor, -6 AC/attack)

Developing a second size for something akin to Unicron is right out. Sorry, but that sort of size is probably gonna be at least 10 scales over and above my newly created Titanic size... egads, that's pretty darned buff.

In addition, I'm gonna have to find some way to scale the ability scores for each character (Given some of the info I've found on the web, for example, I'm figuring Optimus Prime to have something around a 51 Str, using the light load column of the Encumbrance tables in the PHB) so that the characters aren't just one-dimensional when it comes to their stats.

 

[Azaar]

While at work tonight, I thought about some way of making a race similar to the Transformers, since to a degree that's sorta what I'm striving for. Feel free to tell me if I'm way off base with this, in case you have better suggestions.

My thoughts were to make some use of the lycanthrope template. Since it's the only established 'shapeshifter' template in the Monster Manual, my idea was to modify it for my transforming robot race. Use it as a guideline, while striking out on my own. There would be no ability score adjustments for the different form, but possibly some skill boosts that would be made for the alternate form.

Thoughts?

 

[Azaar]

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