Protector (5e Race)

Protector

Physical Description

Protectors are constructs, like any other golem or warforged. Practically a suit of armor with built-in motors, they function as tanks on the field but kind guardians at home. Lumbering hulks of steel and gears, the Protectors are intimidating yet gentle giants. With four strong arms for lifting and holding weapons, and a body made almost entirely of durable armor, they are essentially walking bastions. Their hollow eyes often glow with a dimming neon light from ages long past, or a furiously burning magic never before present. Armor design varies between units, but they are generally similar, with the greatest distinguishing feature being the large white number neatly painted on their back denoting which protector they are out of the legions created.

History

The Protectors began life as a race of sentient automatons created to serve an ancient kingdom of humans. These humans were originally helpless in combat, and needed something - anything - to protect them from being took advantage of. They pooled their metals and work forces together under the guidance of the Architects and began to manufacture Protectors, starting with P-000. These metal men patrolled the cities relentlessly, annihilating any sort of crime. It was perfect peace as the creators and their created lived together in harmony. Even as foreigners with mighty weapons attacked, the mecha-warriors would always rise to the task and crush them.

But the creators, the Architects, were not perfect. They, and their descendants, eventually fell into the grips of cruelty, using their immunity to the Protectors’ wrath to hold status within the kingdom and assert control over it. Over time, adjustments were made to the Protectors to make them more docile toward the Architects, so they could get away with even more by doing much less. But there was a limit.

As they abused their power, their riches, their intellect, lives were lost in the kingdom. Those living in peasantry or servitude died without a care from the Architects, and the Protectors mindlessly obeyed any command they gave - be it to build a new bedroom into their house or to mercilessly slaughter those who tried to rise up. However, even their iron minds had a limit. There would be a final straw to break the camel’s back. One day, as the Architects gave orders to enter a city and massacre the latest revolution of the common folk against the corrupted creators, they refused. Their docility and harmlessness decreased, and most ceased functionality altogether.

After days of begrudging and furious work, the Architects were able to reactivate them, albeit with a different nature. They had undergone a factory reset of sorts - and that included the principle dogmas of protecting the innocent and serving those who do good in the world. Seeing the hatred around them, the legion of automatons rose up alongside the oppressed humans to defeat the Architects. They succeeded, toppling the technological empire.

Unfortunately, it did just that; it toppled. The kingdom fell into disarray, with the economies crashing and the secrets to Protector production lost with the castles of the now-dead Architects. The humans slowly died out, unable to keep themselves safe or sustain themselves without the former numbers of their metal warriors, and the Protectors found themselves alone. Without purpose, they gathered to the place of their creation under their own banner and mind.

There was no fire left in the factories of old, but they reignited it.

The kingdom’s reign was over, but theirs was not.

Society

The Protectors have no strict societal order. The first of their ranks, 000, is well-respected and known for his age and wisdom, but he exerts no formal command over the other protectors. As their kingdom is long fallen, they usually take orders from whomever they first come into contact with that isn't another Protector after being built. There have been some attempts by brazen Protectors to form a civilization, but they often fail due to the automatons' unfortunate inability to properly function without real leadership.

Protector Names

Upon creation, Protectors are given an identifying three- or four-digit serial number which is painted onto their back. They may be given names by others, but when asked they will most likely refer to themselves as their serial number. Those with longer and higher numbers are usually lesser in their "society", with 000 being the first ever created and quite revered. Other names are sometimes given for ease of remembrance, or occasionally a Protector may ask for one if they lose their number somehow (perhaps the paint simply chipped off, or it was painted over, or the armor cracked over it).

Example Names: P-076, P-365, P-413, P-202, P-1025, P-8384

Protector Traits

Protectors are built to follow orders and guard the weak. That is their purpose, and the sole reason why they exist.
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2 and your Strength increases by 1.
Age. Protectors are ageless constructs. Semi-frequent repairs are required to maintain good physical performance, otherwise they become Deconstructed.
Alignment. They carry the same alignment as their creators. The original protectors (1-~200) are lawful good, the later series (~201-1000) range on the lawful column, and any protectors further can be any alignment.
Size. They come in a small range of sizes, generally coming out at around 7 feet. Your size is Medium.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 25 feet.
Living Construct. You do not require food or water. You do not require sleep, however you must deactivate for up to three hours daily to regain your required energy.
Walking Armor. You are a suit of armor given automoton mechanisms and independent thought. Your AC is 14 + your strength modifier, and you gain no benefits from wearing armor.
Power of Four. You have an additional set of smaller arms, positioned behind your other set. You can carry an additional weapon using both your arms, though weapons wielded in this way do not gain the benefits of the versatile weapon quality. You cannot use the extra arms to initiate grapples or wear shields. These hands can be used for other simple tasks, such as opening doors, carrying torches, using tools, or performing the somatic components of spells.
Simplified Speech. Protectors, although capable of feeling the wide range of human emotions, are limited in their verbal capacity. When talking normally, you must use sentences of 10 (or 3d5 +1) words or less.
Heated Artillery. You have a cannon that shoots quick bouts of condensed flame. It may be placed anywhere on your body, but it cannot be moved. With this cannon, you know the Fire Bolt cantrip. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for this spell. If the cannon if heavily damaged or removed, you will be unable to use Fire Bolt until it is repaired or replaced.
Languages. You can read and speak Common, and one other language of your choice.

Protector Designs

Factory Default

The most common design, Factory Default Protectors are considered to be built as the Architects intended.

Panzer. A cavity inside of your body holds enough space for a Medium creature to fit within rather uncomfortably, or a Small creature easily.
Robotic Fist. Your unarmed attacks deal 1d6 bludgeoning damage. If you make an unarmed attack on your turn, you can use your bonus action to make another one.
Fresh Code. Your original instructions are still fresh in your mind, allowing you to wield weapons as the first did. You gain proficiency in martial melee weapons.

Charged

You are faster and more agile than other Protectors, filled with electricity.

Lightened Load. Your plating is lighter, giving your AC a -3. This, however, gives you advantage on all Acrobatics rolls.
Overclocked. As an action, you can either temporarily increase your walking speed to 30 for 10 minutes or to 50 for 1 minute. You can do this twice before you must take a short rest to recharge.
Static Hold. Your hands have electrically-charged pads that make your unarmed attacks deal 1d4 lightning damage. They can also be used to cast the Shocking Grasp cantrip. You can use this cantrip 6 times before you must take a long rest to recharge.

Prime

You are a Protector in your Prime - all the best programming, the best motors, and the toughest armor.

Heavy-Set. Your plating is harder, giving your AC a +3. You also, however, have disadvantage on all Stealth rolls.
Unsimplified Speech. You can talk normally as opposed to the standard Simplified Speech. However, your emotions are rather limited, almost child-like, in their range and how you express them. It is up to you exactly how this is done. For example, a slightly annoyed Prime might revert to full-on rage, or go into a deep depression at a mild inconvenience.
Secondary Cannon. You have a second, smaller cannon that shoots energy beams. It may be placed anywhere on your body, but it cannot be moved. With this cannon, you know the Eldritch Blast cantrip. You can use this cantrip 5 times before you must take a long rest to recharge. Constitution is your spellcasting ability for this spell. If this cannon if heavily damaged or removed, you will be unable to use Eldritch Blast until it is repaired or replaced.

Deconstructed

After decades of neglecting maitnance, a Protector will become Deconstructed. Crumbling armor, failing parts, just the way that slowly dying was always described. But even on the cusp of "death" they aren't comepletely down. This can be added onto the prior traits, but it will be comepletely removed if they ever undergo a total repair.

Sounds and Silence. You cannot talk verbaly in any way, and your joints are rusted over - you have disadvantage on Stealth rolls.
Decomposition Process. You are both decaying and becoming one with nature, and you lose the Artillery trait. The damage to you armour and body decreases you maximum hit points by 5.
Withered features. As you are a withering weapon of war, you are frightening to most people. You have advantage on Intimidation rolls.
An Interesting Enigma. You are a restoration project that many people spend their live looking for. You have advantage on Persuasion rolls when convincing people either to help fix you or not damage you further.

Random Height and Weight

Base Height	Height Modifier*	Base Weight	Weight Modifier**
6′ 0''	+1d3	200 lb.	× (1d6) lb.
*Height = base height + height modifier **Weight = base weight + (height modifier × weight modifier)

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