Machine Lifeform (5e Race)
Machine Lifeform
Physical Description
Machine Lifeforms all start life appearing as a genderless human with prominent musculature and long white hair. They can cosmetically alter themselves via tattoos, differing hairstyles and the like, but in the end, all Machine Lifeforms share the same basic design.
History
The Machines are the progeny of the Aliens, connected by the Network and created to destroy humanity. After millennia of war, the Machines realized they were trapped in a stalemate. In an attempt to finally defeat their rivals and the protectors of the humans, YoRHa, they decided to evolve. They copied the cultures and lives of various human civilizations, eventually learning to feel emotions. However, this was not enough. The android soldiers of YoRHa continued to hold the line. And so the Machines were forced to evolve further, resulting the creation of Adam and Eve, Machines that resembled humans both physically and emotionally. This new and incredibly rare version of Machine is known as a Machine Lifeform.
Society
With so few in existence, Machine Lifeforms have no real community. However, as Machines, they're apart of the Network, which connects all but a handful of Machines. Through the Network, Machines can communicate from anywhere on the same plane, sharing experiences, ideas and sending out distress signals when in danger. Thanks to this vast web of communication Machines have what is almost a hive-mind, allowing them to respond to threats appropriately and promptly. Not only that, but as long as the core of a Machine remains intact, any machine who dies has their consciousness saved to the Network, to be rebuilt at a later date. On the other side of the equation, Machines rarely have any measure of individuality while connected to the Network. Machines that do form definite personalities often disconnect from the network and form smaller communities of their own. As of yet, there has been only one Machine Lifeform to disconnect from the Network, Adam, who died soon thereafter
Machine Lifeform Names
Machines Lifeforms don't have biological genders, as Machines don't reproduce sexually, but Machines of all types have been known to choose genders and names for themselves. Due to lack of accurate information about humans, these names aren't necessarily with a specific gender (Ex. Eve, the second ever Machine Lifeform, had a typically female name, but identified as male).
Names
Any name used by humans
Machine Lifeform Traits
A rare subtype of Machine that attempts to mimic humans
Ability Score Increase. Your Intelligence score increases by 2 and your Constitution score increases by 1.
Age. Machine Lifeforms mature within minutes of creation and live indefinitely unless killed.
Alignment. While capable of acts that most would consider vile, Machine Lifeforms aren't inherently evil. They actually tend towards lawful neutral alignments
Size. Machine Lifeforms all have the same physical specifications, standing exactly 6ft tall. Your size is Medium
Speed. Your base walking speed is 30 feet.
Artificial Life. As a construct you do not need to eat or breathe, but you can ingest food and drink if you wish. Instead of sleeping, you enter an inactive state for 4 hours each day. You do not dream in this state; you are fully aware of your surroundings and notice approaching enemies and other events as normal. Additionally, you're resistant to poison damage and immune to both the poisoned condition and non-magical biological diseases (Ex. you can't get the flu (unless it's magical), but you can be infected with a computer virus). As a completely artificial creature, you have no soul and cannot be resurrected by anything but direct intervention of the Network
Aberrant Machine. As a Machine that would normally never exist, your type is both Aberration and Construct
False Humanity. Your very existence is a product of imitating humans. Your outer shell is indistinguishable from an ordinary human. Any creature observing you must make a DC 16 Wisdom (Insight) check to determine that you're a construct.
Self-Repairing. Machine Lifeforms are notoriously hard to kill, and you are no exception. When you take a short rest you regain additional hit points equal to your proficiency modifier
Network Bound. As a Machine, the Network prevents you from permanently dying. When you are reduced to 0 hit points but not killed outright, you can drop to 1 hit point instead. You can use this feature once per long rest. If you choose to disconnect from the network you lose this Trait, but your Individuality Trait becomes active
Individuality. As a Machine who's disconnected from the Network, you finally become a free thinking being. Until the condition stated in the Network Bound Trait is fulfilled, this Trait does nothing. When this Trait is active, you become a free Machine, having closed your mind and are now resistant to psychic damage.
Languages. You can speak, read, and write Common and Machine. Machine is a language spoken only by constructs connected to the Network. Its written language is binary code.
Height and Weight
As artificial creations, Machine lifeforms are built to very certain specifications. All Machine Lifeforms are exactly 6ft (188cm) tall and 504lbs (228.6kg).
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