Steelbred (Reconceptualized Race Combined of Mannikin & Warforged)

[Angel Tarragon]

I'd like to add a race to my homebrew neo-industrial Victorian era steampunkish world.

I'd like to steal from a couple sources: Mannikins and Warforged. The difference from Warforged is that the race will be Medium instead of Large size.

They will be called Stellbred and have the same physical look of the Mannikins, though instead of being made from wood, they will be made from a magical alloy combined of iron and steel.

A magical process will allow them to be able to manipulate their skin tone, eye color and hair color at will (akin to my Manipulate Appearance spell but will be an Extraordinary racial feature). This will also give them the ability to physically display their emotions.

The steelbred won't be able to replicate themselves as Mannikin can, and aside from being an awakened race, they are still produced but Steelbred that are fresh of the manufacturing line can be used as temporary replacement body for people waiting for a clone to reach full maturity. With this in mind what would be an appropriate LA for PCs/NPCs housed in a steelbred body?


Mannikin:

 

[Terraism]

Looks interesting so far - but then, I'm not one of those who minds sentient golems in my games. I definitely like their ability to alter their coloration at-will - adds a neat effect, and explains a lot of the "well, what about their x" questions. I might suggest making it be automatic at first, though - perhaps they change coloration with their moods, whether they want to or not, but then allow a feat/racial paragon ability that lets them control it.

Other than that, not really sure what you're looking for. LA, you said, but what are the mechanics you're using? Straight mannikin? Warforged? You said they'd be different from Warforged inasmuch as they're Medium, but so are Warforged, so I'm not really following there.

 

[skelso]

The difference from Warforged is that the race will be Medium instead of Large size.

Both the Mannikins and the Warforged are Medium sized. Are you meaning to say that Steelbred will be Large instead of Medium? That will almost certainly give them a Level Adjustment.

They will be called Stellbred and have the same physical look of the Mannikins, though instead of being made from wood, they will be made from a magical alloy combined of iron and steel.

Steel is actually made entirely from iron. Alloy implies a mixture of two different metals. This probably sounds like a nitpicky point to make, but you should probably say they are an alloy of mithral and steel, or something like that so it's actually two different metals.

A magical process will allow them to be able to manipulate their skin tone, eye color and hair color at will...

How far does this ability go? Is it like the Changelings in Eberron that can use their ability to look like someone else such as an actual living person, or is it purely cosmetic?

With this in mind what would be an appropriate LA for PCs/NPCs housed in a steelbred body?

I think we'd need some more information.

If you plan on making them exactly like Mannikins with different flavor text, I'd say stick with the current +4 Level Adjustment on top of 2 racial hitdice.

 

[CleverNickName]

I think the "Level Equivalent" includes the racial hit dice...a total level adjustment of +2, with two levels of Construct on top of them.

Here's my attempt at a 3.5E conversion. I made a few changes, mostly due to this particular creature being made of iron instead of wood:

() +2 Strength, +2 Constitution, -4 Dexterity.
() Medium size
() Base speed 30'
() Low-light vision
() Darkvision 60'
() +4 natural armor bonus
() -10 penalty to swim checks due to their extremely high density.
() DR 5/-
() Impared Senses (Ex): no sense of smell or taste
() Living Construct (Ex): immune to disease, poison, and petrification. Not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, or death from massive damage. Does not eat, drink, or breathe. Immune to extremes in temperature due to weather.
() Spell Immunity: immune to charms, compulsions, and similar spells that require a humanoid target. Subject to spells such as repel metal, heat metal, rusting grasp, and other spells that affect metal.
() Alter appearance (Ex): as the spell, except it is an extraordinary ability.
() Monstrous race: A steelbred starts the game with two levels of construct. This gives the steelbred 2d10 Hit Dice, a Base Attack Bonus of +1, base save throws of +0 Fort, +0 Ref, and +0 Will
() Racial Skills: a steelbred's construct levels give it skill points equal to (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1) x 5. The class skills for a steelbred are Climb and Jump.
() Racial Feats: steelbred gain the Improved Unarmed Strike feat as a bonus feat.
() Natural Weapons: a steelbred deals 1d6 points of lethal damage with an unarmed strike, instead of the normal 1d3 points of subdual damage.
() Automatic Languages: Common and Steelbred. Bonus Languages: Abyssal, Dwarf, Giant, Gnome, Goblin and Orc.
() Favored Class: Fighter
() Level Adjustment: +2

I gave this a level adjustment of +2. This race has +2 bonuses to two very important ability scores (Str and Con), and the -4 penalty to Dex is more than offset by the high natural armor bonus and the innate damage reduction. Even if the creature had no racial ability adjustments, the immunity to critical hits (and sneak attacks), subdual damage, and massive damage, as well as the ability to go without food, water, or sleep is worth at least a +1.

Two racial hit dice, then a +2 LA, would make this a 4th level monster even before it gained any levels of PC/NPC classes. Pretty steep for sure, but I think it is fair. You could argue that iron is harder than wood (and therefore merits DR 10/- and a +8 natural armor bonus), but if you do that, you should increase the LA by at least 1.