COSMIC SEAS: AUTOMATON RACE

AUTOMATON

Otto Carnage (Automaton Hexblade of Detriax)

“If we didn't want anything, we would never get anything, good or bad. I think our longings are natural, and if we act as nature prompts us we can't go far wrong.” -Tik-Tok of Oz

Automatons are intelligent, artificial lifeforms created by ancient peoples (Empyrean Titans, elves, gnomes, ophidians), Wizards, Celestial Clerics and Machine Cultists. They are as sentient as any living creature, and can “procreate” by building children and endowing them with a portion of their own souls. Automatons are humanoid creatures composed of tin, wood, bronze, porcelain, ivory, steel or other such materials. The actual form of an Automaton is highly variable. Automaton warriors often have suits of armor attached to their bodies, while scouts may streamline their bodies to make fitting into small places easier. 

Automatons can be found across the Dragon Empire, often found working on ships or on hostile colony worlds, where lack of oxygen, exposure to extreme temperatures of other issues are less of a problem for Automatons. 

The Celestial Church has a significant force of Automaton soldiers, both indentured and free after having earned their freedom. These are typically in service to The Architect, god of invention and The Gatekeeper, god of like and death, but many serve the church as a whole. This is not to say that most Automatons are very religious, it is merely that the church creates many types of constructs, including Automatons. The Cult of Detriax, machine goddess of space junk, also creates and employs large numbers of Automatons.
These beings are more comfortable around other Automatons and around constructs of other sorts such as golems, though most Automatons deeply resent being confused with mindless constructs. Automatons are almost always created as servant creatures, and are treated as valuable slaves. Free Automatons are usually those who have earned their freedom after years of service, escaped service or who who have outlived their owners. 

Automaton Traits

The following traits are common among Automatons. 

Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2.

Age. An Automaton is built complete and considered fully developed after construction. The maximum age for an Automaton is believed to be about 150 years; it would clearly depend mostly on the Automaton’s lifestyle and exposure to risk. 

Alignment. Automatons are generally neutral. They were built to fight, not to wonder whether fighting is right. Though they are perfectly capable of independent thought and moral speculation, most choose not to wrestle with ethical ideals.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Size. An average Automaton stands between 5′-7′ tall and weigh between 225-400 lbs. Your size is medium.

Living Construct. Even though you were constructed, you are a humanoid. You are immune to disease. You do not need to breathe, eat or drink, but you can ingest food or drink if you wish.

Unsleeping Sentinel. Automatons don’t need to sleep. Instead, they settle into a resting state, remaining semi-conscious for 4 hours each day. While in this rest state, you are fully aware of your surroundings. You gain the benefits of a long rest after this period of being inert.

Clockwork Resilience. You have advantage on saving throws against poison, and you have resistance against poison damage.

Composite Plating. Your construction incorporates wood and metal, granting you a +1 bonus to Armor Class. During a short rest, you can bond a suit of armor you are wearing to your body. When you finish that short rest, the armor you are wearing is bonded to you, and it cannot subsequently be removed from your body until you finish another short rest during which time you remove the bonded armor. You must be proficient with the armor in order to bond it to yourself.

Self-Stabilizing. You may add your proficiency bonus to your death saving throws.

Languages. You can speak, read and write Common.

Automaton Sub-Races. Five main types of automatons have been created, with automaton soldiers being the most common.

Companion Automaton

Built to accompany politicians and officers, these Automaton’s are designed to be pleasant company, often acting as assistants, translators and bodyguards (and assassins).

Ability Score Increase. Your Charisma score increases by 1.

Center Stage. You can choose to gain proficiency in one of the following skills: Deception, Performance, or Persuasion.

Bilingual. You gain an additional language of your choice.

Medical Automaton

Made to help people who are injured they are well known for their medical application. They know how to fix many injuries but not any that are too severe.

Ability Score Increase. Your Wisdom score increases by 1.

Rest Easy. You gain proficiency in Wisdom (Medicine) checks

Mystical Automaton

Using the magic inside them to their full potential, they are built to assist and contain great magical powers and work with highly adept teachers.

Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 1.

Pushing the Limits. You can choose to gain proficiency in one of the following skills: Arcana, History, Perception, or Persuasion.

Scout Automaton

An Automaton Scout is a nimbler iteration of the Automaton. You were built for speed and mobility over raw power. An Automaton of this model possess the following traits.

Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 1.

Speed. Your base walking speed is 35 feet

Size. Small. You will be on the lighter size of automaton weights and heights.

Darkvision. Built for scouting missions you have been created with darkvision. 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.

Soldier Automaton

An Automaton Soldier is what many first envision when imagining Automaton in general. They possess the following traits

Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 1.

Natural Weapon. You can never be disarmed because you are a weapon. You are proficient with your unarmed strikes, which deal 1d4 bludgeoning damage using your Strength modifier.

Random Height and Weight

Table: Automaton Random Height and Weight
Base Height	Height Modifier	Base Weight	Weight Modifier
5′10″	+2d6	270 lb.	+ (2d6 x 4) lb.