Tuesday, March 23, 2021

Cyborg Generator

Here is an Appendix D-style generator for cyborgs. Enjoy. 


AC: Ascending: 14–17 (13+1d4) / Descending:  5–2 (6-1d4) 
HD: 4–9 (3+1d6) 
Attacks: 3 per round. Determine attack types below.
Movement: 120' (40')
Saves: As fighter of equivalent HD
Morale: 7, or whatever best matches the cyborg's temperament.
Alignment: Any, though often Neutral.
No. Appearing: 1 or 2d4, whatever circumstances dictate. 

Thermal Vision. All cyborgs have thermal vision.

Durable Build. A cyborg's mechanical elements make them more resilient than a typical human. Cyborgs can fall up to 50' without taking any damage, can hold their breath for up to 10 minutes, and gain a +2 bonus to saving throws against poison. Cyborgs usually weigh twice as much as a typical human.

Robot Strength. A Cyborg's melee attacks deal +1 point of damage due to their physical augmentations. 

Lightning absorption. Lightning bolts and similar electrical shocks temporarily increases a cyborg's HD and melee attack bonus by 1d6. This effect lasts for 10 minutes. Any damage the cyborg suffers during this time is first reduced from the pool of additional hit points granted.

Water vulnerability. Cyborgs sink in water and completely deactivate when they are submerged. 

Appearance and Attributes Table:

HEAD FEATURES

1.  Exposed brain tank.

2. Human face stretched over robotic skull.

3. Underlying machinery visible through damaged dermal layer.

4. Subtle tech components on an otherwise mundane face.

5. One half of the head is dominated by bulky machine apparatus.

6. Chunky helmet with insectile or horn-like antennae. 

7-10. No special features.

MOUTH

1. Metal jaws. Strong enough to bite through steel. 

2. Crackling speaker. Has 4-in-6 chance of successfully mimicking other voices and sounds.

3. Cathode ray oscilloscope that displays the cyborg's vocal waveforms. The oscilloscope can be modified on the fly to measure other sorts of waves.

4. Rubbery gas mask attached to the head with wires and tubes. Immune to poison gases and other inhalants. 

5. Looks normal but can open and expand to reveal a small cannon. 1d8 damage, range 120', can only hold one shot at a time. 

6. Cords and wires run up the trachea and into the lower jaw right behind the chin. The cyborg's voice has a tinny echo like it's coming from a loudspeaker, and can be amplified up to three times as loud as normal. 

7-10. Ordinary human mouth.

SPECIAL EYES 

Special eyes have the same visual ability as a normal, along with an additional benefit and a unique appearance. 

Roll d6. 1-3: One special eye. 4-5: Two of the same eye. 6: Two different special eyes.

1. A dark patch with two small lights at the center. Roll 1d6: the eye grants 1-2: Radar sense (to "see" sound waves). 3-4: Full-color night vision. 5-6: Ultravision.

2. Telescope eye. Sees up to three times as far.

3. A bright orange lens. Fires a laser beam, 1d6 damage and +1 (in addition to other bonuses) to hit.

4. A single-cut opalescent gemstone. Grants True Sight twice a day. True Sight can see through invisibility, detect objects and entities in the astral plane, and detect a creature's alignment and intentions. Shapeshifted creatures appear as their true form superimposed over their present appearance.

5. A big lens with a crosshair reticle across the surface. +3 bonus to ranged attack rolls. 

6. A flat white lens with thin concentric circles on the surface. Grants x-ray vision.

7. Subtle visual prosthesis that looks like a normal eye but with technical components replacing the iris. Can record up to 10 minutes of video. Includes a minuscule projector 

8. A dark red lens embedded deep into the eye socket. Grants "tracker vision," allowing the cyborg to perceive footprints, fingerprints, and other subtle bits of evidence that indicate where people were and where they went. Can also recognize individuals based on unique biological identifiers regardless of whether or not they're appearance is disguised or obscured.

9. A screen of colored glass hooked up to a small scanner device. Once activated, it tells the cyborg the target's HD, attack types/weapons, and any general strengths and weaknesses. Possibly grants other information as situationally appropriate.  

10. Techno-Visor. Possesses three random robot eye abilities. Replaces all other special eyes. 

HAIRSTYLE (if applicable)

1. Wild mane of hair standing on-end due to static electricity.

2. Huge neon-colored mohawk. 

3. Long, straight hair cut to perfect uniformity.

4. Color is a synthetic bluish white, otherwise styled normally.

5. Thick braided cords.

6. Untamed mess of knots and scorched patches.

7.  An undercut, lined up to a razor's edge.

8. Totally bald.

 

BIONIC ARMS

It is assumed that cyborgs have robotic components in all of their limbs. However, some limbs are almost completely mechanical and come with special features. 

Roll d6: 1-4: One bionic arm. 5-6: Two bionic arms. 

Roll d6 for each arm: 1-3: One feature. 2-5: Two features. 6: Three features. 

Results 1-6 have functioning hands, whereas results 7-10 do not. If a bionic arm has multiple features between the two different types, assume it can switch "modes" once per round.  

1. Armor plated. +1 AC bonus.

2. Retractible forearm blade. 1d6 damage. 

3. Rocket fist. 1d6+1 damage, range 240'. Attaches to the base of the forearm with a tough cord, making it so the fist can return to the arm and be used as a grappling hook.

4. Multitool hand. Functions as thieves tools, or whatever simple tool is necessary at the moment. 

5. Electric discharge. 1d6 damage touch attack. Deals an additional 1d6 damage to targets wearing metal armor. 

6. Energy beam. Mounted on the palm or extends out of the forearm. 1d8 damage, range 300'. Can't be fired for more than three consecutive rounds or else it overheats. 

7. Melee weapon. Roll d6: 1: Pincer. 2: Buzzsaw/chainsaw. 3: Drill. 4: Jackhammer. 5: Hook. 6: Other. 1d8 damage. 

8. Gatling gun. 1d10 damage, range 1000'. Ignores 3 points of armor. Holds enough ammo to fire for 10 rounds. 

9. Energy cannon. Roll d6: 1-2: Fires a pulse that detonates in a 20' explosion on contact. 3-4: Fires a beam in a straight line. Targets can save vs. breath weapon for half damage. 5-6: Fires in a cone. Range is reduced to 500'. Targets can save vs. breath weapon for half damage. 3d8 damage, range 1000'. Recharges on a 1 on a d6, rolled at the beginning of every round. 

10. Power arm. Intimidatingly oversized appendage with a vice-like attachment in place of a hand. Strong enough to punch through walls and crush rocks into dust. Attacks from the arm deal 2d8 damage, and it can throw boulders like a giant (3d6 damage) up to 200'. If this result is rolled, the bionic arm can have no other features.

BIONIC LEGS

Roll d6. 1: No bionic legs. 2-3: One bionic leg. Only roll d4-1 on the table below. 4-6: Two robot legs of the same type. 

0-1. Storage compartment. Bonus inventory slot/carrying capacity/etc.  

2. Concealed blades in the toe and heel. 1d4 damage. 

3. Concealed cannon. 1d8 damage, range 120', can only hold one shot at a time. 

4. Extendo-stilts. Extend up to 20'. Can move twice as far per round when the stilts are fully extended. 

5. Spring loaded. Maximum jump distance is 30'. 

6. Super fast. Intuitive design grants double movement speed. Can sprint for triple movement speed once per round as long as no other actions are taken. 

7. Jet boosters. Provide 10 seconds of flight. Only usable once every 10 minutes. 

8. Eight mechanical spider legs. Can climb up walls and ignore difficult terrain.


ADDITIONAL FEATURES

Roll d6. 1: No additional features. 2-3: One additional feature. 4-5: Two additional feature. 6: Three additional features. 

Roll d6 or choose where the features are located, if not specified (or if it's not obvious): 1-2: Mounted on the shoulder. 3-4: Wielded like a gun or shield, with retractable tubes and wires that plug into the forearm. 5: Mounted on the chest. 6: Mounted somewhere else, like the back, stomach, or forehead. 

Note: Unless otherwise noted, assume that each feature can be used once, after which it must "recharge" on a 1-2 on a 1d6, rolled at the beginning of every round. Alternatively, assume each feature has 1d6 "charges" remaining when the cyborg is encountered.  

1. Flamethrower. 2d6 damage, range 60'. Targets hit by the flamethrower must spend their next round to stop, drop, and roll or else they take another 2d6 damage. 

2. Ice beam. 1d10 damage, range 120'. Targets must save vs. paralysis of be frozen in place for 1d4 rounds. 

3. Sonic cannon. Emits a sound blast concentrated in a 60' cone. Everyone in range must save vs. breath weapon or take 2d6 damage and spend a round in a daze. A successful save means the target only takes half damage and is not dazed. 

4. Rail gun. 1d20 damage, range 1,200'. The amount of energy required to fire the means that the cyborg must remain inactive for 1d4 rounds after firing. 

5. Net launcher/hardening foam. Target is immobilized until a successful save vs. paralysis is made. A saving throw can be attempted at the end of each round. Range 30'.

6. Stun gun. Target must save vs. paralysis or be paralyzed for 1d6 turns. Range 60'.

7. Magnet beam. Deals no damage. Can pick up and move metal objects the size of a car or smaller. Range 100'.

8. Additional robot appendages that protrude from the shoulder blades. Look like big excavator arms or mechanical tendrils. Grant two additional melee attacks per round, each dealing 1d8 damage. The arms can grapple one creature each. 

9. Katana. Can be used to deflect incoming projectiles—the cyborg makes an attack roll, and if it is equal to or greater than the attacker's ranged attack roll the projectile is successfully deflected. 

10. Active camouflage. Functions like invisibility for up to one turn. Deactivates once the cyborg takes damage. Can be used twice per day.

11. Self-repair. The cyborg can deploy a cloud of nanobots to repair 1d6 HP per round for 6 rounds. Can only be used once per day, afterward the cyborg's body must produce more. 

12. Force field emitter. Absorbs 5d20 hit points of damage before deactivating. Can only be activated once a day. Force fields are completely impervious to laser beams and similar energy weapons. 

13. Spy drone. Transmits what it sees to the cyborg as long as it is within 10 miles. 

14. Smoke bombs. When activated, they produce a dense curtain of smoke in a 20' sphere.

15. Escape plan. Once activated, the cyborg's still-functioning head rockets off into the sky as the body self-destructs in a big explosion (like a fireball spell). 

16. Mutator pump. A big hose hooked up to a tank of neon green goo. When sprayed on a target, they must save vs. magic device or mutate. Range 30'.

17. Fear/tear/insanity/hallucinogenic gas. Targets must save vs. magic device or suffer the effects of the gas. Sprays in a 60' cone. 

18. Mecha wings. Retractable 10' cybernetic wings that let the cyborg fly as long as there is space for them to fully expand. 

19. Grenade launcher. 3d6 damage. The launcher has a range 250', and grenades explode in a 20' sphere. 

20. Tracking sensor. Fired like a normal projectile, range 120'. Alerts the cyborg of its position, as long as they are within (roll d3) 10/100/10,000 miles of each other. 

APPEARANCE OF ROBOT PARTS

1. Bulky, overbuilt industrial-grade machinery. Pure function over form. 

2. Smooth, fluid design. Sleek and aerodynamically optimized. 

3. Grotesque Cronenbergian biopunk. Machinery messily protrudes from flesh. 

4. Motley configuration of salvaged parts. Could be the result of long years of add-ons and replacements, or just parts strewn together from a trash heap. 

5. Inscrutably baroque mechanisms that all work in perfect harmony. Like something a clockmaker would hallucinate.

6. Weird components that emit strange lights and noises. Meant to mimic some alien physiology, close but not exactly analogous to our own.

7. Clean, bright metal parts that move with relentless efficiency. Coldly utilitarian. 

8. Esoteric apparatus arranged in according to a peculiar geometric scheme. Parts move and shift in patterns seemingly incongruous to the function of the machinery.

TEMPERAMENT

Though it might go without saying, these are suggestions and you are encouraged to come up with your own cyborg's temperament should the feeling move you. 

1. Flat, inexpressive, and completely detached. Only cares about accomplishing the matter at hand.

2. Mad and sadistic. Believes humans to be utterly inferior beings and takes great pleasure in making them suffer. 

3. Existentially conflicted. Doesn't know who they are or why they were created. Forever in search of answers as to the nature of their existence. 

4. Self-hating and melancholic. Considers themself to be a monstrous abomination. The hatred within themselves often manifests as hatred of the world at large, punctuated by long bouts of dramatic self-pity. 

5. Erratic and confused. Faulty coding and resurgent memories make the cyborg believe they are still tasked to carry out some nebulous original mission.

6. Ambitious and power-hungry. Always seeking new ways to improve their faculties and acquire more power.

QUIRKS

1. The cyborg must follow the commands of anyone that speaks a special activation phrase. 

2. The cyborg's visual sensors have trouble detecting striped patterns and certain bright color combinations. 

3. The cyborg's delicate internal systems are prone to overheating. The cyborg will shut down if the cooling vents on its back are obstructed.

4. A hard-wired morality index prevents the cyborg from killing an unarmed individual. It will self-destruct if it violates this protocol.  

5. Metal poisoning is causing the cyborg's human organs to fail. The cyborg will die if it does not spend at least four hours a day in its regeneration tank. 

6. Healing spells cause the cyborg's body to reject their machine parts, causing the cyborg to lose control of its limbs. 


Many weapon damage numbers were lifted from Carcosa, so thank you Geoffrey McKinney.