I’ve not updated for ages (life seems to keep getting in the way), but I’ve started a new campaign! More on the details of that later, but it’s an adaptation of the ‘Iron Gods’ Pathfinder adventure path, and so involves a bunch of sci-fi cool stuff.
So here’s a bunch of sci-fi cool stuff! I’ve got an Android race, a new AI Warlock patron, and a few bits of technological gear. Some of this is adapted from Pathfinder, some is entirely my own creation. Let me know what you think.
Android Race
Created by a long-dead, and almost forgotten alien race, Androids are constructs who 
dream of life. Physically similar to humans or elves, they have bodies made of flesh and bone, but still different to any ‘natural’ humanoid. Their bodies do not contain blood, but a white fluid which carries tiny machines – nanites – that carry nutrients, conduct repairs and power the Androids body. In times of stress the Android can call on the power of their nanites to perform almost superhuman feats.
Androids generally appear androgynous and emotionless, and often have some characteristic which marks them as otherworldly, such as strangely coloured hair, or glowing tattoos or eyes. Some try to mask these aspect and pass for one of the other races, others highlight their differences, and enjoy setting themselves apart from the mortal races.
An Android does not die from natural causes, but over time their systems age and degrade, even though their physical appearance is almost unchanged. Once the a certain point is reached the Android’s body shuts down, and a renewal process begins. During this time, the Android’s personality and memories are erased, and once complete and entirely new ‘person’ awakens. Does this mean the Android dies, or that their soul (if they even have one) moves on? No-one knows, not even Androids themselves.
Ability Score Increase Your Constitution score increases by 2, and one other ability score increases by 1.
Age The physical form of an android may last for many hundreds of years; but due to age and failing systems, the Android is ‘reset’ after around 100 years. During this renewal process the personality and memories of the Android are wiped, and the person who awakes is altogether new.
Alignment Androids tend towards order and a systematic way of dealing with the world. They often don’t share other race’s moral views, and so also tend towards neutrality.
Size While some childlike Androids exist, most resemble adult humans in size and stature. Your size is Medium.
Speed Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Darkvision Your nanite-improved eyes allow you to see in the dark. 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 colour in darkness, only shades of gray.
Constructed You need to eat and breathe like other races, but rather than sleeping you enter an inactive state for 4 hours each night. You are not unconscious during this time, and remain aware of your surroundings. In addition, you have advantage on saving throws against poison and disease.
Emotionless You have advantage on saving throws against fear and being charmed. But you have disadvantage on all Wisdom(Insight) checks.
Nanite Surge Once per day you may tap into the power of your body’s nanites to add your proficiency modifier to any attack roll, ability check or saving throw. You may decide to use this ability after rolling the dice.
Languages You can speak, read and write Common and Androffan, the language of your creators.
Warlock Patron: The AI
Your patron is a powerful construct or artificial intelligence, a being that controls strange, alien machinery and has access to vast stores of knowledge. An AI often prefers to act in secret, and learn as much as it can before taking action, and it may use its warlocks as intelligence agents or infiltrators. By the formation of a warlock pact, you allow the AI to extend its influence into the physical world, although its true goals may not be known to you.
AI Expanded Spells
Spell Level Spells
- colour spray, command
- locate object, silence
- clairvoyance, nondetection
- confusion, fabricate
- modify memory, wall of force
Knowledge Download
Starting at 1st level, your patron bestows on you a portion of its vast knowledge. You gain proficiency in Intelligence(History) if you don’t already. In addition, during a long rest you may freely change your known languages, tool and vehicle proficiencies, keeping to the same total number of proficiencies and languages.
Memories of the Future
Starting at 6th level, your knowledge of the world allows you to predict certain events before they happen. At the end of a short rest, you may roll a d20 and record the result. At any time during the next hour you may replace any attack roll, saving throw, or ability check made by you or a creature that you can see with this roll. You must choose to do so before the roll, and the roll can be used only once.
Encrypted Soul
Shamelessly stolen from the ‘Modern Magic’ Unearthed Arcana
Assimilation
Starting at 14th level you may take over a humanoid creature’s body and mind. As an action you may touch a creature, and attempt to enter their body. The target must make a Charisma saving throw against your Warlock spell save DC. On a failed save your body disappears and you gain control of the target for 1 hour, or until you dismiss the effect as an action. You have access to their physical form and memories, but not their abilities (e.g. spellcasting or class features). Your physical abilities (Str, Dex and Con) are replaced with the target’s, but you retain your spellcasting, mental (Wis, Int and Cha) and other abilities, so long as they are consistent with your new form – e.g. darkvision may be gained/lost.
While you control the target’s body, they are conscious and aware, but only able to observe your actions from inside their own body. As you leave the body, you may do so harmlessly, or choose to deal 5d10 force damage to the target. In either case, your normal body reappears in an empty space next to the target.
You must finish a long rest before using this ability again.
Equipment
Plasma Pistol
This small pistol can be easily wielded with one hand, although it never quite feels comfortable, as if it was made for a creature with a different physiology. When the trigger is pulled, a beam of superheated plasma lances out, searing whatever it hits. There is no discernible opening for ammo, and appears to contain its own power source.
Mechanically this functions the same as a hand crossbow (one-handed, 1d6 damage), but deals fire damage, and loses the loading property. If you want to limit the use of it, have it contain a fixed number of charges that refresh each day (or even ammo if you like – I can never be bothered to track it myself). Although I don’t think it’s particularly game-breaking to use it freely.
Stim Pack
A hand-held, pistol-like device, the barrel of which ends in a long hypodermic needle. A holder at the top seems to fit the glass vials found in a pouch next to it. Each of the vials contains liquid, of different colours and consistencies – some even seem to swirl and move with a life of their own. The device is clearly intended to inject the contents of the vials, but into a patient or victim?
Clearly this is just a method for delivering potions/poisons. Due to the design of the device, I’d allow a potion to be pre-loaded, and so delivered as a bonus action during combat. The fun part is giving the players a new vial, and letting them figure out what it does…
ChainSword
Similar sized to a greatsword, this weapon has a flat rounded ‘blade’ covered in many small spikes where the edge of a conventional sword would be. Activating the weapon via a button on the hilt causes a roar of noise and the spikes to move, creating a deadly and intimidating weapon.
This greatsword has 2 modes: activated and deactivated. While deactivated it’s fairly poor greatclub – 1d8 damage, no special effects. But spend a bonus action to activate it and it causes 3d6 damage, and grants advantage on all intimidate checks, although the noise of it makes stealth impossible. Although not immediately obvious, the weapon’s power source is damaged, and it can only remain activated for 2mins (20 rounds) per day – the power slowly recharges by unknown means.
the murder nerds 
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