Necron, Variant (5e Race)
Necron[edit]
“ | There is a terrible darkness descending upon the galaxy, and we shall not see it ended in our lifetimes. | ” |
——Inquisitor Bronislaw Czevak, at the Conclave of Har |
Physical Description[edit]
Necrons are large robotic humanoids made of living metal. They are between just under 7 feet and just over 8 feet tall and entirely skeletal in appearance.
History[edit]
The Necrons are an enigmatic species of robotic humanoid warriors. They are the soulless creations and former servants of the ancient, C'tan, the terrible Star God of Aeldari myth. They are ancient beyond reckoning, predating even the birth of the Aeldari themselves. Out of a desire for vengeance, and the trickery of the godlike intelligence known as the C'tan, the Necrons shed their original organic forms and lost all forms of compassion and empathy. They became ruthless, undying killing machines determined to exert their mastery over the galaxy once more.
It is no small task, for the Necrons are awakening from their Tomb Worlds to find the galaxy of the 41st Millennium much different than they remember. Many of their Tomb Worlds are no more- destroyed by either cosmic disaster or invasion. Others are damaged; their entombed legions afflicted by slow madness or worn to dust by entropy's irresistible onset.
Degenerate alien species squat amongst the ruins of those Necron Tomb Worlds that remain, little aware of the greatness they defile with their upstart presence. Yet there is no salvation to be found in such ignorance. The undying have come to reclaim their lands, and the living shall be swept aside.
Yet if billions of Necrons have been destroyed by the passage of eternity, countless billions more remain to see their dominion reborn. Only one hope can now preserve the other intelligent species of the galaxy from the Necrons' advance, from the endless legions of silent and deathless warriors rising from long-forgotten tombs. If the Necrons can be prevented from waking to their full glory, if the scattered Tomb Worlds can be prevented from unifying, then there is a chance of survival.
If not, then the great powers of the galaxy will surely fall, and the Necrons shall rule supreme for all eternity -- undying, cruel and utterly implacable.
Biology[edit]
Necrons are not creatures of flesh and blood. They are android warriors forged from living metal. As such, they are almost impervious to destruction, and their mechanical bodies are swift to heal even the gravest wounds. Given time, severed limbs reattach, armor plating reknits and shattered mechanical organs are rebuilt. The only way to assure a Necron's destruction is to overwhelm its ability to self-repair.
Should irreparable damage occur, a Necron will often simply "phase out" -- an automated viridian teleportation beam returning it to the safety of the stasis-crypts, where it remains in storage until such time as repairs can be carried out.
Attitudes and Beliefs[edit]
All Necrons, from the lowest of warriors to the most regal of lords, are driven by one ultimate goal- to restore their ancient ruling dynasty to its former glory. They wish to bring the galaxy under their rule as it was in ancient times. This rule is the origin of the verdict encoded into the Necrons' minds, and is a command so fundamental to their being that it cannot be denied.
Necrons believe themselves the most intelligent species in the galaxy, and as such view all other species as lesser. They do not share their secrets with lesser species and have set contingencies to prevent their supreme technologies from falling into the wrong hands. Should a fallen Necron warrior fail to phase out, it self-destructs. Victory over the Necrons is therefore always a tenuous thing, and a hard-won battle grants little surety of ultimate victory.
For the Necrons, defeats are minor inconveniences -- the preludes to future triumphs, and nothing more. Immortality has brought patience; the perils that the Necrons survived in ancient times carry the lesson their people can overcome any opposition, if they have but the will to try. And if the Necrons possess only a single trait, it is a will as unbending as adamantium.
Necron Names[edit]
Necrons have little use for names, and as such should be referred to by number or rank.
Necron Traits[edit]
Necrons are tall, grey-green automatons made of self-repairing, living metal.
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2.
Age. You do not age, but your body can degrade with time.
Alignment. Necrons are typically Lawful Evil, due to their desire to wipe out all life, although circumstances can lead them to be more neutral or chaotic.
Size. Necrons vary slightly in height and build, from barely 7 feet to well over 8 feet tall. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet.
Necrodermis Regeneration. As a bonus action, you may spend one of your hit dice to heal. You regain hit points equal to half of your roll, rounded down (minimum 1). You regain use of this feature after a short rest.
Resurrection Protocols. Your mechanical body keeps you from dying. When you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. You can't use this feature again until you finish a long rest.
Of Electric Sheep. When you sleep, you enter a state of low power, but are still conscious enough to sense your surroundings.
External shell. In order to wear armor, you need to shape your Necrodermis. You must use armor of which has no magical properties and needs no attunement. During a long rest, you implant the armor's material into your shell, gaining its armor class bonus and Stealth disadvantage (if applicable). Doing this consumes the armor.
Living Metal. You do not need to eat or breathe, but airborne toxins can affect you, as they erode your outer shell.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and 2 other languages of your choice.
Subrace. You can choose from among the Cryptek, Destroyer, and Flayed Ones as your subrace.
Cryptek[edit]
The Cryptek are the engineers, scientists, and lab workers of the Necrons, inventing new weapons, and improving apon their bodies. Using this new weaponry, you can do amazing feats, which might be interpreted as magic by other, less devolved races
Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 1.
Technologies. You learn one cantrip, from any class. At 3rd level, you can cast a 1st level spell. At 5th level, you can cast a 2nd-level spell, from any class. You regain the spell after a long rest. Intelligence is your casting modifier.
Destroyer[edit]
Their only goal is the destruction of all life and will try anything to achieve it.
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 1.
Heavy weaponry. You gain proficiency with any weapon with the two-handed or heavy properties, and you gain proficiency with heavy armor.
Flayed Ones[edit]
Cursed by the C'Tan, the hunger for blood, and flesh. You can extend your hands into claws, and flesh adorns your armor
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Claws. You unarmed strikes deal; 1d4 slashing damage. If you attack with your claws, you can spend a bonus action to attack with claws again. You can also use Dexterity in place for damage and attack rolls.
Dessicate corpse. You hunger for flesh, yet as a machine, you cannot satisfy it. If you see a dead body of a creature, you can take the dash action, run up to it, And start violently tearing at its flesh, and trying to shove its meat down your nonexistent mouth. Any creature that can see, this act, are frightened for one minute, making a save every turn. Creatures of you choosing are exempt from this effect.
Random Height and Weight[edit]
Base Height |
Height Modifier* |
Base Weight |
Weight Modifier** |
---|---|---|---|
′ '' | + | lb. | × () lb. |
*Height = base height + height modifier |
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