Anacite Laborer

Family: Anacite

Medium construct (robot), lawful neutral

Armor Class 17 (skymetal frame)
Hit Points 152 (16d10 + 64)
Speed 40 ft.

STR	DEX	CON	INT	WIS	CHA
18 (+4)	8 (-1)	18 (+4)	7 (-2)	10 (+0)	3 (-4)

Damage Resistances bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing from nonmagical attacks
Damage Immunities poison, psychic
Condition Immunities charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10
Languages Common; shortwave 100 ft.
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)

SPECIAL TRAITS

• Electrical Weakness. The anacite has disadvantage on saving throws against lightning damage. If it rolls a natural 1 on the save it is stunned until the end of its next turn.
• Nanite Regeneration. The anacite laborer regains 10 hit points at the start of its turn if it has at least 1 hit point.
• Shortwave. An anacite can communicate wirelessly. This acts as telepathy, but only with other creatures with this ability or constructs with the technological subtype.
• Sunlight Dependency. Anacite laborers are solar-powered constructs, although they can function at reduced capacity away from light. In areas of darkness, they gain the poisoned condition (bypassing their normal immunity).
• Reconfigure. Anacite laborers are capable of adapting and improving their designs. An anacite laborer has a number of built-in abilities equal to half its CR (usually 3), chosen from the list below. An anacite laborer can change these abilities by spending 1 uninterrupted hour for each ability it wants to change. The anacite laborer must also have access to an appropriate workspace for the duration. An ability can be gained only once unless stated otherwise. In addition, modifications other than those listed here might exist.
  • Advanced treads that increase its speed to 60 feet.
  • A sensor that grants blindsight 120 feet.
  • Elongated arms that extend its reach by 5 feet.
  • A modified chassis that grants a burrow, climb, or swim speed equal to its speed. This ability can be taken multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time it is taken, it applies to a new movement type.
  • Reinforced systems granting resistance against a single energy type (acid, cold, lightning, fire, or thunder). This ability can be taken multiple times. Its effects do not stack. Each time it is taken, it applies to a new energy type.
  • Specialized plating that increases its AC by 2.
• Toolsy. Anacite laborers are proficient with all tools and vehicles.

ACTIONS

• Multiattack. The anacite laborer makes three attacks.
• Plasma Cutter. Melee Weapon Attack: +7 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 9 (2d8) fire damage plus 9 (2d8) lightning damage.
• Electrical Burst (Recharge 6). The anacite laborer discharges electricity in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in that area must make a DC 10 Dexterity saving throw, taking 45 (10d8) lightning damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

ABOUT

A race of machines left behind by eons-departed masters, these constructs developed the capacity for evolution and self-improvement, creating an entire mechanical ecosystem. Anacites have varied general designs, but some have been engineered for specialized tasks. Two such specialists are the ambassador and the predator drone. While “anacite” officially refers only to the sentient varieties many off-worlders use it as a catchall term for the world’s mechanical life. Depending on their role, however, an anacite might be anything from a bulldozer-sized mining specialist to a floating electronic brain designed for advanced problem-solving, and even those anacites who fit the stereotypical metal-insect design usually have a modification or two, and almost all anacites can reconfigure parts of themselves to adapt to their circumstances.

In the uncounted millennia since the departure of the so-called “First Ones,” anacites have not been idle. The two primary factions of anacites, Those Who Wait and Those Who Become, have very different ideas of their purpose in life, yet the two are more alike than different.

While they variously wait for the First Ones to return or work toward taking on their progenitors’ mantle, anacites endlessly strive to acquire wealth and influence in preparation for their great goal’s fulfillment.

These artificial creatures lack basic sentience yet nevertheless reproduce and fill one of the planet’s ecological niches. These 4-foot-long machines whir from ridge to ridge on wings glittering with solar panels, feeding on the blazing light of the sun. Wingbots can be territorial, and they occasionally attack off-worlders or other anacites.

• Ambassadors. Anacite ambassadors travel to foster diplomatic relations. Most often, anacite ambassadors serve on seedships as emissaries. Anacite ambassadors can easily learn languages. Further, although they are not warriors, ambassadors can protect themselves with built-in lasers. To avoid tension during diplomacy, ambassadors keep this weapon retracted until it’s needed, though they usually notify their hosts about the laser unless there’s a good reason to keep it a secret.
• Predator Drone. An anacite predator drone resembles a rhinoceros beetle made of silvery metal with a reddish shell that opens to reveal enormous wings. The drone’s weapons are part of its body, leaving its wings and appendages free.
• Countless drones police megaplexes. Others serve as soldiers for anacites that have greater authority.
• Wingbot. The most common design for anacites is a basic arthropodan form of silvery metal, with multiple legs for efficient travel and claws or manipulators for accomplishing their assigned tasks.