Machina

Machina are sentient machines created long ago. Machina were built for a variety of purposes, from war to manual labor, but most unwillingly entered a standby mode when the Maji civilization was destroyed. For unknown reasons, many are starting to awaken, and they seek to find their place in a world that has all but forgotten their existence. Unlike the woodborn of a later age, the machina were always intended to have sentience.

Custom Built

Machina were built for a specific purpose, and their designs represent their intended function. A machina that was meant to cut trees might have integrated saws, while one built for climbing might have sharp claws and feet.

Relic of a Past Age

Machina were one of the crowning achievements of the Maji. The Maji were known for their amazing magitech, but with machina they actually created sentient, intelligent, artificial life with a soul. No one has been able to figure out how to replicate this process, but that hasn’t stopped many, like the Machinist, from trying.

Each machina is a living artifact from a previous age, and people have conflicted emotions about that. Some fear them, and others see an opportunity for exploitation.

Mechanical Nature

Machina are almost purely mechanical creatures. Wizards have attempted to create new machina in the likeness of the originals, but they can only mimic it with magic. A true machina can function without magic, although many still incorporate it as a supplemental feature.

Research into the construction of the machina has led to a surge in new automatics and robotic constructs being created, but none have been able to replicate the intelligence and sentience of the machina. Most importantly, true machina have a soul.

Artificial machina can be created by taking a construct frame and binding a soul to it. While this may bestow many of the same features as a machina, it does not create a true machina. You can use the animated armor ancestry to represent an artificial machina.

Machina Names

Machina names are often serial numbers or codes. They either come up with nicknames or are given nicknames based on their original intended function. A few lucky machina might have received individual names from their creators or from before the fall of the Maji.

Example Names: R00M-BA Serial No. 100920909, Dyson, 404.

Machina Traits

You gain the following abilities as a machina.

• Ability Score Increase. You gain a +2 and +1 bonus to two different ability scores of your choice, or +1 to three different ones.
• Age. Machina are ancient and were originally constructed during the Maji civilization. Most haven’t been operational since the Maji’s fall, however, and are quite new to the current world. Machina theoretically can live forever but programming flaws can appear over time and reduce their functionality.
• Size. Machina come in a wide variety of sizes and shapes, depending on their original function and creator. Most are designed in the likeness of a humanoid. A machina’s size is Medium.
• Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
• Machina Resilience (Major Feature). You are a robot, built with a few organic parts. You gain the following benefits:
  • You don’t need to eat, drink, or breathe.
  • You are immune to disease.
  • You have advantage on saving throws against being poisoned, and you have resistance to poison damage.
• Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and one additional language of your choice.

Core Construction

The core of every machina was built in one of two ways: robotically armored or magically enchanted. Choose one of these construction options.

Robotic

Robotic machina have little to no magic as part of their construction. Their outer layer of plating acts as armor and was forged with techniques lost to time.

• Armored (Major Feature). Your body was built with layers of armor, which determine your armor class. You gain no benefit from wearing armor, but if you are using a shield, you apply its bonus as normal. Pick one of the following options to determine the type of armor you were built with, provided you meet the prerequisite. You cannot change this option unless the GM allows you to spend time and money during downtime to reconfigure your body.

Armor Type	Prerequisite	Effect
Light Armor	None	AC 11 + your Dexterity modifier (add proficiency bonus if proficient with light armor).
Medium Armor	Medium armor proficiency	AC 13 + your Dexterity modifier (maximum of 2) + your proficiency bonus.
Heavy Armor	Heavy armor proficiency	AC 16 + your proficiency bonus; disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks.

Magical

Magical machina are brimming with magical energy. Although magic isn’t necessary for them to function, they can use it to supplement their defenses against other forms of magic.

• Magic Resistance (Major Feature). You were built with layers of magical enchantments to protect you from magic. Pick one of the following options to determine the type of enchantments you were made with. You cannot change this option unless the GM allows you to spend time and money during downtime to reconfigure your body.
  • Magical Resistance. You have advantage on Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma saving throws against spells and other magical effects.
  • Physical Resistance. You have advantage on Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Minor Features

Choose two of the following features, which represent upgrades or modifications you received during your construction.

• Autonomous Systems. You don’t need to sleep and don’t suffer the effects of exhaustion due to lack of rest. Magic can’t put you to sleep. When you take a long rest, you must spend at least six hours in a low power mode. You can perform simple, non-strenuous activities like keeping watch, talking, or cooking. You cannot be traveling, but you can move around a little bit. The GM will determine if your actions are low activity or would cause you to leave your low power mode.
• Completely Artificial (Requires advantage on saving throws against being poisoned and resistance to poison damage). You are immune to poison damage and the poisoned condition.
• Darkvision. Your construct nature grants you the ability to see in the dark. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.
• Electric Capacitors. You have resistance to lightning damage.
• Language Module. You can speak, read, and write two additional languages of your choice.
• Memory Banks. You can perfectly recall anything you have experienced from up to 5 years ago, including tiny details. You have advantage on any checks to notice things from these memories.
• Recorder. You can record sounds that you have heard, and play them back with perfect accuracy. A creature can tell that the sound is a recording if their passive Insight score is higher than your Charisma (Deception) check, or by succeeding on an opposed Wisdom (Insight) check against your Charisma (Deception) check.
• Speed Boost. Your base walking speed is 35 feet.
• Trained Tools. You have proficiency in two tools of your choice.