Mecha-Creatures (3.5e Template)

Mecha-Creature

This page needs an image. If you are an artist, or know of any image that would fit this page, please upload a picture and add it. More information...

Mecha-creatures are clockwork, robotic copies of their origin of design.

Creating a Mecha-creature

"Mecha" is an inherited template that can be added to any non-construct, non-undead creature, hereafter refered to as the base creature.

Size and Type

The creatures type changes to Construct. If the creature possesses a poor attack bonus for it's racial hit dice or class levels, increase to an average base attack bonus (as a cleric.) If it already possesses an average or good base attack bonus, do not recalculate. Recalculate the creatures fortitude saves for a construct typical of it's hit dice (Poor advancement and ignoring class levels.) Do not recalculate Reflex saves or Will saves unless the base creatures values for each are worse than a typical constructs. Do not recalculate skill points, present or future.

Hit Dice

Raise all racial hit dice to d10s, or leave unchanged if d12s. Do not recalculate class level hit dice.

Speed

This creature retains it's original speed. If equipped with armor that hinders speed, (such as it's assumed default banded mail) reduce the speed penalty by 50%.

Armor Class

Natural Armor increases by 2. It is also equipped with built in Banded mail (+6 armor bonus, but has no armor check penalty, Max Dex, and does not carry arcane spell failure.)

Attack

A Mecha creature retains all weapon proficiencies. It gains a natural weapon in the form of a built-in retractable blade. This weapon deals damage as a +2 Bastard sword, and can be crafted into a magical weapon. It also gains a built-in firearm, but this is unusable with a full attack in conjunction with other weapons.

Full Attack

A Mecha creature making a full attack with manufactured weapons gains one blade attack at it's full base attack bonus. A Mecha creature making a full attack with natural weapons makes it's normal attack routine and follows with one blade attack at it's full base attack bonus.

Special Attacks

The base creature retains all spells, spell-like abilities, supernatural attacks, and extraordinary attacks not dependent on biology and gains the following attacks.

Repair - a Mecha-creature can use a full round action to restore 2d8 points of damage to itself or another construct on a successful craft (construct) check (DC equals the DC for the check to create the creature.) It can also restore a destroyed construct (assuming the remains are intact) to working order, but this requires 10 full round actions (though only one craft check) and restores the construct to 1 hit point.

First Aid - a Mecha creature can restore 2d4 hit points to a living creature on a successful heal check. This is in addition to any other effects the heal check was made for. A Mecha-creature is assumed to use up alchemical supplies made with a craft (alchemical item) check (DC 15, once per day) to generate this effect. A successful craft check creates enough supplies to restore hit points in this fashion 3 times per check.

SPECIAL: creatures with breath weapons retain them, but the DC for saves are Dexterity based. Breath weapons used by Mecha creatures are limited to 5 uses a day.

SPECIAL: creatures utilizing natural weapons that poison must create the poison with a successful craft (alchemical item) check (the craft DC equals the poison's save DC.) One craft check yields 10 doses of poison.

Firearms

The Mecha-creature gains one firearm from the following list.

Assault Rifle - in place of a standard attack, a Mecha-creature can unleash a 3 shot burst of rifle fire at a target (Range increment 80 ft.) These bullets deal 1d4 damage each, deal double damage on a critical hit, and are fired at the creature's full base attack bonus. (Roll separately for each bullet.) If using a full-attack, it instead unleashes a 9 round burst at it's full base attack bonus -5 due to recoil. The assault rifle can hold 45 bullets, and must be reloaded either as a standard action (if jammed) or as a free action requiring a concentration check against DC 15 +2 for every previous clip replaced during combat. if this concentration check fails, the auto-reload jams. The auto reload can be repaired after combat with a successful craft (construct) check against DC 15.

Pistol - in place of a standard attack, a Mecha-creature can fire a pistol-shot at a single target. These bullets deal 1d8 points of damage (Range increment 50ft.) deal triple damage on a critical hit, and are fired a the creature's full base attack bonus with a +5 bonus on attack rolls (but not damage rolls) due to it's laser sight. If using a full-attack, it instead fires 3 bullets at it's full base attack bonus with no additional bonus due to recoil. The pistol can hold up to 15 rounds and is subject to the same reloading rules as the assault rifle.(DC 15 Concentration to reload or DC 15 craft to clear a jam.) -->

Shotgun - in place of a full attack, a Mecha-creature can steady itself and fire it's shotgun. This attack strikes all targets in a 60 ft cone, deal 4d8 points of damage (subtract 1 die for every 15 feet out from the origin,) Reflex half (10 + 1/2 hit dice + Dex modifier.) The shotgun can hold up to 7 rounds, and is subject to the same reloading rules as the assault rifle (DC 20 Concentration to reload or DC 20 craft to clear a jam.) -->

Special Qualities

The creature retains all of it's special qualities not dependent on biology, and gains the following traits.

Construct traits, Low-light vision, damage reduction equal to the hardness of the material used in its construction.

Copper, Brass DR 5/adamantine, Iron or steel 10/adamantine, Mithral 15/adamantine, Adamantine 20/epic

Mecha creatures are treated as objects for energy attacks.

Abilities

Strength +6, Dexterity +4, Intelligence +2 (if the base creature has an intelligence score,) Wisdom +4, Charisma +2. As constructs, Mecha-creatures have no Constitution score.

If the base creature has no intelligence score, neither does the Mecha-creature (which causes the loss of certain abilities granted by this template.)

Skills

Mecha-creatures gain a +2 racial bonus to all skill checks relating to constructs, and a +2 bonus to all craft checks. Craft (Any) is considered a class skill (all skills taken individually.).

If the creature has no intelligence score, these bonuses do not apply if the skill being used cannot be used untrained. Any action requiring a craft check cannot be used, and if the creature's firearm jams, it can only be repaired by an intelligent creature offering assistance (a full-round action.) An unintelligent Mecha-creature with a jammed firearm that is not assisted cannot reload manually as an intelligent one can, and is effectively without a firearm.

Feats

The base creature retains all feats except those reliant on biology (which are all replaced by toughness) and gains inproved initiative. if it already possesses improved initiative, it gains Great Fortitude. If it already possesses this, it gains toughness once more.

Environment

Any (usually secured buildings or areas under guard.)

Organization

Solitary or Patrol (2 Mecha-creatures of the same CR) or guard team (5-7 Mecha-creatures of the same CR)

Challenge Rating

Increase the base challenge rating based on construction.

Copper, Brass +4

Iron or steel +5

Mithral or Adamantine +6

Treasure

Standard (Equipment only, plus any alchemical supplies/poison vials in the Mecha-creatures possesion.)

Alignment

Determined by creator (if unintelligent) or initially has creator's alignment (if intelligent.)

Advancement

By character class or Hit dice.

SPECIAL: a Mecha-creature improving through Hit Dice must make or be the willing subject of a successful craft check with a DC equal to it's new ECL. This check takes one week and uses up supplies equal in value to 1,000 gp*ECL +1. If this check fails, it can be attempted repeatedly until successful. A Mecha-creature improving through hit dice does not increase in size class.

Level Adjustment

Level adjustment is the same as CR -1.

---

Back to Main Page → 3.5e Homebrew → Creatures → Templates