Soulbound (5e Race)
Soulbound[edit]
"You know . . . Being a living armor has its obvious and wonderful benefits, but . . . also its certain drawbacks . . . Oh dear, the drawbacks . . . For example, I have so much time. I'm at a point in my existence where I . . . I don't know what else I could do with myself . . . I suppose I'm, well, bored. Everything is kind of the same for me by now. Do you understand? So much has become meaningless around me. Just like you. Ahm, I mean, I like you and I value the time we spend together, but in a few . . . sorry, I mean maybe 90 years or so from now, I will eventually meet someone new to spend my time with. Do you understand? The people around me have become replaceable . . . In some way . . . And then I continue my diary. And a copy of it. And the copy of the copy. Just in case I lose one." -J Solomon, Full Plate Soulbound, Warrior Poet.
A Mortal Mind In An Immortal Body[edit]
A Soulbound is the result of a mortal soul that has, through some misfortune, ritual, or other circumstance, come to be removed from its original organic body, and bound to an artificial replacement by potent magic. A Soulbound appears, then, as a very faint shadow or magical darkness that fills the bound armor. The only points of note in this darkness are two piercing motes of light located in the head region of the Soulbound, through which it perceives the world around it. While the various armor pieces of a Soulbound can be removed, this will also remove the spectral limb inhabiting it. The process of creating a Soulbound varies: sometimes it is a boon to worthy heroes from their gods, to allow them to fight past the end of their lives. Other times, dark powers who lack the knowledge or ability of Lichdom may instead bind themselves to their armor, becoming a darker force in death. Other times still, a repentant paladin may bind the souls of their fallen party members, to allow them to surpass their frail mortal shells. By any means, Soulbounds are still rather rare, and are therefore often mistaken by commoners for monsters such as Animated Armors, Golems, or Helmed Horrors.
A Soulbound can be created from almost any set of armor, though in exceedingly rare cases it can also be created from the body of a Golem or Shield Guardian that has not yet been animated - in most cases, it is simply better to finish the procedure for animating the construct, rather than binding a soul to it. Most Soulbound tend to equip "missing" pieces retroactively, especially in the case of helmets or headwear, in order to avoid being mistaken for something sinister. The armor pieces respond to external pressure and physical contact as if they are already filled, though the space inside can be filled or occupied. Soulbounds mostly describe the feeling of being worn by someone as a bit strange and warm, like a second heartbeat, even though they lack a heart. Despite this, it is often a welcome change to their otherwise numb existence. Over time a Soulbound and their wearer can develop a magical bond that allows them to share emotions with each other, and eventually even their thoughts.
A Soulbound's original armor pieces are magically tethered to each other and actively seek to rejoin the breastplate, hauberk, haubergeon, jerkin, or other chest pieces in a 5ft radius if separated from it. A Soulbound can always feel in what direction a piece of their armor is located, until such a time as that piece is replaced. A separation causes no more than minor discomfort to the Soulbound, but an unwilling Soulbound is incredibly difficult to separate while conscious. The breastplate, hauberk, haubergeon, jerkin, or other chest piece is the heart piece of a Soulbound, to which the soul is permanently fused. Destroying the breastplate, hauberk, haubergeon, jerkin, or other chest piece will therefore release the soul, killing the Soulbound. The armor pieces making up a Soulbound are capable of very slow but perfect regeneration, making their bodies last under normal conditions for an undefined time. This makes Soulbounds functionally immortal, though the mortal mind is not designed for such a lifespan. After living for a few centuries, they often struggle with keeping their memories in order and recalling specific events that are older than a few decades, as time becomes progressively more meaningless to them. The very oldest sane Soulbound are near the age of 1000, though none have ever been recorded passing that age with their minds intact. While a Soulbound is capable of learning and growing wiser after the binding, they are limited to the emotional or mental maturity of their pre-bound state.
A heavy side effect of being bound to a set of armor is that many Soulbound experience a longing for the comforts of the flesh. Soulbound are mostly incapable of experiencing any sensory comforts, such as the taste of food or drinks, feeling the wind's gentle blowing, the warmth of sunlight, the touch of their loved ones, their lungs filling with air, dreams, etc. Anything a Soulbound attempts to consume will simply fall inside their inner cavity if their armor has one. Those who can't handle the lack of sensation, are likely to fall into insanity or take their own lives sooner or later. Most Soulbounds who are tired of their existence wait until they are alone, with no one left who could miss them before they take their lives. Others may seek a more heroic end, but an end nonetheless.
Soulbound Traits[edit]
Soulbound can vary drastically due to differing armor types and initial completeness, but all share these common traits.
Ability Score Increase. Your Constitution score increases by 2.
Age. Soulbound do not age physically, but even the hardiest of minds falters in the face of endless time. Most Soulbound go mad before their thousandth year, if they survive that long.
Alignment. Soulbound of all alignments have been known to exist, from heroic Soulbound who venture to slay evils their mortal body could not withstand, to great evils who seek to extend their influence past their age, or even cowards who pretend to be ghosts.
Size. Given the wide varieties of armor made, a Soulbound's weight and height can vary dramatically. A typical Soulbound's size is Medium, though it could be a size larger or smaller, with DM permission.
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Living Construct. Though you are still driven by a living soul, your body is artificial, a suit of armor made of a variety of durable materials.
Your creature type is Construct.
You are immune to nonmagical diseases, the Poisoned condition, and Suffocation. You also do not need to eat or drink.
You do not benefit from any conventional magical HP restoration.
The central piece of the armor is analogous to your heart, and as such your soul will be lost if your breastplate, hauberk, haubergeon, jerkin, or other chest piece is destroyed. However, as long as your HP remains above 0, your armor receives only minor nicks and dents. Should you reach 0 HP, you become stabilized automatically and your armor falls motionless to the ground and may receive more significant damage or be stolen.
As long as the breastplate, hauberk, haubergeon, jerkin, or other chest piece is intact, destroyed armor pieces may recover from what remains of them slowly over time. This process takes 2 days for each limb destroyed, or half as much if only half is destroyed. Stolen pieces may not recover in this way, as they have no material to be recovered from. Destroyed or Stolen pieces may also be replaced using pieces from other sets of armor, in which case each limb takes one hour to attune to your body. Do note that most blacksmiths want to sell complete sets of armor.
Until destroyed pieces had a full recovery, your HP is reduced by the percentage, represented by the destroyed armor pieces (if uneven, round up).
Alternatively, the spell mending can be cast to cure a Soulbound's wounds. The caster may expand any number of spell slots (minimum 1), causing the Soulbound to recover a number of hit points equal to 1d8 + their spellcasting ability modifier.
When using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the healing increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 1st.
Ensouled Armor. You can control your limbs at a distance, as long as they are not more than 20 feet away from your breastplate, hauberk, haubergeon, jerkin, or other chest piece. Past that distance, they fall to the ground motionless, as though you had hit 0 HP
Artificial Senses. Because you do not have physical eyes or ears, your senses are magical in nature.
You have an advantage on saving throws against any effect that can cause the blinded or deafened conditions.
You also feel no discomfort from normal extremes of temperature and are immune to Exhaustion caused by exceptionally hot or cold natural environments.
You can always feel in what direction a separated piece of your armor is located, so long as you have not replaced that piece.
Insomnia. You cannot be put to sleep by magical means.
Antimagic Susceptibility. You are incapacitated while in the area of an antimagic field. If targeted by dispel magic, you must succeed on a Constitution saving throw against the caster's spell save DC or fall unconscious for 1d10 minutes.
Empty, But Not. Any spell or ability that treats an armored creature differently considers you to be an armored creature, despite your lack of a living body.
Living Armor. As a Soulbound, you can allow a creature that is proficient in your kind of armor and is the same size as you to wear you, which presents a number of benefits.
By doing so, you and your wearer gain the following effects:
• You and your wearer take the lower initiative result of your both rolls.
• You and your wearer share a turn.
• Either you or your wearer must pass on their action, but may use their bonus action.
After a week of being worn by the same person, you and your wearer start to feel each other's emotions, granting the following benefit:
• You can innately sense your wearer's emotions, and vice versa.
• You and your wearer take the higher initiative result of your both rolls.
After another two weeks of being worn by the same person, you and your wearer can hear the other's thoughts, granting the following benefit:
• You and your wearer may communicate telepathically while you are being worn by them.
• You and your wearer get an advantage on attack rolls (and an additional damage die), as the two of you work in perfect synchronization.
• If either you or your wearer is a caster who has passed on their action, the caster may cast or prepare a spell of level 5 or lower that doesn't require hand signs, using their bonus action.
If at any point you become unwilling to be worn, these effects end.
If at any point you are worn by a creature you do not wish to be worn by, they must succeed a contested Strength saving throw or be unable to take any actions during their turn.
Languages. You can speak, read and write common and up to one extra language of your choice. This is often a language the soul knew in life, but can also be a language the Soulbound's creators wanted it to know.
The Difference[edit]
As a Soulbound, you have slightly different properties depending on the kind of armor to which you are bound. Choose one of the following subraces.
Light Armor Soulbound[edit]
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity score increases by 1.
Lightweight. Your base speed is 40ft.
Armor Class. Your AC is equal to 8 plus your Dexterity modifier, plus your proficiency bonus.
Medium Armor Soulbound[edit]
Ability Score Increase. Your Dexterity or Strength score increases by 1.
Flexible. You may take the Dodge action as a bonus action a number of times equal to your Dexterity modifier (minimum 1). You regain all expended uses of this trait whenever you complete a long rest.
Armor Class. Your AC is equal to 11 plus your Dexterity modifier (Max 2), plus your proficiency bonus.
Heavy Armor Soulbound[edit]
Ability Score Increase. Your Strength score increases by 1.
Heavy Plating. At the end of a short or long rest, you gain temporary hit points equal to your level.
Armor Class. Your AC is equal to 15 plus your proficiency bonus.
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