[Phantasmagoria] New Class: the Automaton (DCC)

This is a class for my WIP sword and planet/science-fantasy setting for Dungeon Crawl Classics, currently called Phantasmagoria. Theme-wise, I'm thinking Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy meets Edgar Rice Burroughs' Barsoom series, with a wee bit of Warhammer 40k. And of course, any genre that begins with science has to have some robots in it! This class is based on Marvin the Paranoid Android and C-3PO in particular, but androids in general.

Automatons

Automatons are the universal debris of ambitious magitechnicians across the universe, thrown aside once they realize someone else has done it before, and done it better. They are left to find a purpose and something to glean from their existence, without any parental figures to guide them. Some automatons form insular communities, either existing under the radar of larger cities or founding their own cities, while other automatons find a group that can recognize them for their talents, not for their past.

Automatons, despite being wholly mechanical, still have a few needs. They will need additional fuel every couple months in order to keep running and need eight hours of rest each night in order to let their batteries recharge. Additionally, the magic wrapping an automaton’s conscience allows mind-affecting magic to affect an automaton, regardless of their artificial status.

Hit points: An automaton gains 1d10 hit points at each level.

Weapon training: An automaton is proficient with any weapon integrated into their chassis. Automatons begin play with one weapon of their choice integrated into their chassis. Automatons do not wear armor of any kind.

Sociopath: An automaton can never truly identify with organic life forms, or ‘organics’, and for this purpose, it has a maximum Personality score of 15. The actual personality score should be recorded in parentheses after the modified score, like this: 15 (17), but for all game purposes, the automaton’s Personality score is 15.

Modularity: An automaton’s chassis is built to accept various modules and upgrades. At every new level, including level 1, an automaton rolls 1d30 and consults the following table to determine what new module they have gained. Ignore any results you have already rolled and roll again.

d30	Module Implanted
1	The automaton does not gain a module this level
2	Integrated weapon: Attacks move up one step on the dice chain with an integrated weapon
3	Reinforced chassis: +1d4 additional hit points
4	Armored plating: +2 bonus to Armor Class.
5	Targeting system: Attacks with any ranged weapons move up one step on the dice chain
6	Mapping module: The automaton has perfect recall of the layout of any building it has been in before
7	Nightvision: The automaton can see in the dark1
8	Vacuum tubes: The automaton has an eidetic memory
9	Spell repeater: The automaton learns to cast one first level spell with an effective caster level equal to one-half of their level
10	Rocket propulsors: The automaton’s speed doubles
11	Nuclear generator: The automaton does not need to rest for eight hours each night
12	Trash compacter: The automaton can crush ten cubic feet of loosely packed matter into a 1’ x 1’ x 1’ cube.
13	Projector: The automaton can project their thoughts or the contents of a holodisc onto any flat surface
14	Empathy unit: The automaton has synthetic emotions and their Personality score can exceed 14.
15	Medical synthesizer: The automaton can synthesize basic medical compounds. This works as the cleric’s lay on hands class ability, except the base disapproval rate is one through four and they roll on the Automaton Malfunction table.
16	Encyclopedia module: The automaton has approximate knowledge of many things1
17	RNG: The automaton can randomly generate numbers
18	Self-destruct: The automaton’s death causes a fiery explosion that deals 3d8 to all enemies in a 20’ radius
19	Navigations system: The automaton can adequately drive a spaceship1
20	Infrared vision: The automaton can see heat signatures
21	Jack of all trades: The automaton rolls a d12 instead of a d10 on all checks for untrained skills
22	Holographic disguise: The automaton can disguise itself through the use of an appropriate hologram1
23	Universal translator: The automaton can understand, but not speak, all common languages
24	Secondary processor: The automaton increases their Intelligence by three points.
25	Beverage dispensary: The automaton can create a nutritious sludge that vaguely resembles tea
26	Taser fists: The automaton can deal 1d8 points of damage with an unarmed attack
27	Luck siphon: The automaton can drain willing targets of their Luck score, up to three points per day
28	Fireproof: The automaton is immune to fire attacks.
29	Nanobots: The automaton heals 1d6 damage/hour
30	Roll twice and gain both results

1Consider this as a skill that the automaton is trained in.

Automaton malfunctions: Whenever an automaton rolls a natural 1 on any roll of an action die, they roll on the following table, adding their Luck modifier to their die roll.

1d12	Automaton Malfunction
1 or less	The automaton catches fire, taking 1d6 points of damage every round until it’s extinguished
2	One of the automaton’s modules breaks
3	The automaton’s circuits explode, dealing 1d12 damage to the automaton
4	The automaton’s gears catch and it cannot move until they are fixed
5	The memory banks are temporarily wiped
6	The automaton is infected with a virus; all dice they roll for 1d7 days move one step lower on the dice chain
7	The automaton runs into a paradox, stopping it from taking any action besides protecting itself
8	The automaton’s speed is halved
9	The automaton suddenly runs out of fuel
10	The automaton cannot hurt any intelligent or humanoid life for 1d14 hours
11	The automaton’s artificial brain stalls; making it completely immobile for 1d8 rounds.
12 or more	The automaton desperately needs an oil bath

Level	Attack	Crit Die/Table	Action Dice	Ref	Fort	Will
1	+0	1d8/II	1d20	+0	+0	+1
2	+1	1d8/II	1d20	+0	+0	+1
3	+2	1d10/II	1d20	+1	+1	+2
4	+2	1d10/II	1d20	+1	+1	+2
5	+3	1d12/II	1d20	+1	+1	+3
6	+4	1d12/II	1d20+1d14	+2	+2	+4
7	+5	1d14/II	1d20+1d6	+2	+2	+4
8	+5	1d14/II	1d20+1d20	+2	+2	+5
9	+6	1d16/II	1d20+1d20	+3	+3	+5
10	+7	1d16/II	1d20+1d20	+3	+3	+6

[KotR/etc.] Updates and Such

Firstly, I've decided that I will be submitting a 3,000 preview of Knights of the Road to Charlie Mason's The Wizard's Scroll zine! I should be able to knock that out over the weekend, and will be probably putting some additional KotR material in my (recently named) Extinguish the Sun 'zine, coming out at an undetermined date.

Additionally, I've begun to collect a few OSR tidbits and house rules in case I want to make a B/X retroclone incorporating them... There may be more news on that later, or not, based on how far I get with it. I'm also working on a DCC RPG compatible Spelljammer-esque setting that I should get more information on later.