Are there any constructs that could pass for humanoids/monsters? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Are there any constructs that could pass for humanoids/monsters? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
celestialkin
12-10-07, 06:36 AM I was just thinking back on the great Sci-Fi hit Andromeda, and I started to wonder if there are any official D&D constructs that could easily pass for a human/elf/dwarf/whoever made them. Like the kind you regularly see in science fiction, and (I hate to say it) anime. Some good examples of this that come to mind are Rommie (Andromeda), Armitage (Armitage III), the Doctor (Voyager), those things from Battlestar, and Chii (Chobits). I guess Data from Next Generation might count, but he obviously looks different from your average human.

Basically, I want to make a character that needs to deal with the whole "Am I real?" "Can I feel?" "Am I one of them?" cliché, while everyone around it can't even tell that he/she is "different". A warforge just seems too mechanic and basic for this. Something that alien looking will quickly be branded a place in society, people would have preconceived biases toward it and would immediately threat them differently. Also, I am guessing warfored instantly know that they are "different" and do not easily fit into societies. However, this might be different for a creature that looks, sounds, and feels exactly like the people around them.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4b/Rommie_-3-.jpg
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e189/Celestialdragon100/ArmitageIII.png
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e1/TheDoctor.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e3/Chi_%28Chobits%29.jpg
Orchomenos
12-10-07, 08:09 AM I once thought about making a plating for warforged that is "Fleshmade", making them organic. Though they wouldn't be 100% similar to a human or an elf, I guess they would still look a bit awkward.

Note that the Doctor in Voyager is not an androïde. He is an informatic program with an holographic projection. This could be easily duplicated in D&D with an Intelligent item with Permanent Image & Telekinesis or Mage Hand.
celestialkin
12-10-07, 08:41 AM Note that the Doctor in Voyager is not an androïde. He is an informatic program with an holographic projection.

I know. I was just seeing if anyone else would be geeky enough to point it out. :)

This could be easily duplicated in D&D with an Intelligent item with Permanent Image & Telekinesis or Mage Hand.

That is a VERY interesting idea.

Got a clue what kind of LA this would have? What kind of stats it would have? What kind of equipment (if any) it could use? What kind of magic item such a PC would be based on?

I am still interested in other ideas and opinions, though. Especially considering that I would need a very lenient DM for such a PC.
Rulebook
12-10-07, 08:42 AM easy... flesh golems!

hard... any construct + illusion magic!
DreamerInsane
12-10-07, 08:46 AM Dragonborn Warforged. They're insanely tough to boot :P
celestialkin
12-10-07, 09:13 AM Dragonborn Warforged. They're insanely tough to boot :P

easy... flesh golems!

hard... any construct + illusion magic!

Thanks, but I am kinda looking for something which was originally made to look human (or elf, or whatever). I am not going for a character who is trying to disguise itself as something.

edit:
Oh, and a dragonborn is already kinda unique and strange. So a dragonborn warforged would be twice so, and that is kinda the opposite of what I intended.
HernetheHunter
12-10-07, 11:08 AM Depending how you play it and if your DM allows you could use the Nimblewright from MM2. And have you ever read Azure Bonds and the other books in the Finders Stone trilogy?

Making your own construct would be easiest and a modified flesh golem easiest of all. Back Story and description would be all you need with the reason for intelligence being another of those kookie alchemists trying to create life again.
Saiyamantis
12-11-07, 01:53 PM Aleax from Book of Exalted Deeds are organic-looking constructs, but they're not likely to spend much time questioning their purpose, being singleminded tools of deific vengeance and all. If you're willing to fudge things a bit, an aleax whose god died before it finished its mission might be an interesting character.
Johnathan_Vagabond
12-11-07, 03:11 PM It'd be pretty easy to invent one. Just take the stats of any of the golems, rewrite their fluff so that they have different reasons for their stats, and voila, you've got a construct that looks and thinks just like an elf.
Silversheen197
12-11-07, 04:51 PM Nimblewrights from MMII are pretty good at masquerading for humanoid, but that's only if you fail your Spot check against their Disguise. Otherwise, though, they're pretty nasty (12-20 threat range :eek: :eek: ).
Rulebook
12-11-07, 05:44 PM AH-HA! i knew i was forgetting something!

an Effegy! Complete Arcane. can be humaniod and all that... takes a dc20 spot check to notice its a construct!

booyah
ScorpiusRisk
12-11-07, 06:57 PM In my campaign I have a race called Domestic Units. They come in human or halfling appearances and use the basic construct traits:

* No Constitution score.
* Low-light vision.
* Darkvision out to 60 feet.
* Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects).
* Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, and necromancy effects.
* Cannot heal damage on their own, but often can be repaired by exposing them to a certain kind of effect (see the creature’s description for details) or through the use of the Craft Construct feat. A construct with the fast healing special quality still benefits from that quality.
* Not subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability damage, ability drain, fatigue, exhaustion, or energy drain.
* Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless).
* Not at risk of death from massive damage. Immediately destroyed when reduced to 0 hit points or less.
* Since it was never alive, a construct cannot be raised or resurrected.
* Because its body is a mass of unliving matter, a construct is hard to destroy. It gains bonus hit points based on size, as shown on the table.
* Proficient with its natural weapons only, unless generally humanoid in form, in which case proficient with any weapon mentioned in its entry.
* Proficient with no armor.
* Constructs do not eat, sleep, or breathe.
* Bonus hit points at 1st level. 10 if small and 20 if medium.

I add:
* +10 to disguise checks to appear to be the race they are based on.

Obviously the Human based ones are medium and the Halfling based ones are small. I put this at LA +0. The inability to be resurrected, healed with cure spells and no bonus hit points at each level more than makes up for their abilities.
FrostWolf
12-12-07, 02:56 AM AH-HA! i knew i was forgetting something!

an Effegy! Complete Arcane. can be humaniod and all that... takes a dc20 spot check to notice its a construct!

booyah

ya beat me to it.
ceiling90
12-12-07, 05:00 AM In D20 modern, I know it's a DnD board, but in that system, Biodroids do this, and there's an entire feat system for them to look more human, and basically get more human while enjoying all the benefits of being a construct. In fact, there's a robot specific feat that actually makes then indiscernible from the base race, except for of course an actual look at their cells and magic I would assume.
blade265
12-12-07, 06:50 AM What about a Reforged Warforged.
Fafnir
12-13-07, 04:22 PM You could reflavor Elans from the XPH, making them organic "constructs". They're already pretty close.
Tema69
12-14-07, 05:47 PM As other people above have pointed out, the Effigy from Complete Arcane takes a Spot DC 20 to reveal its true nature. An awakened Effigy could be a nice character (to the question whether you could play one such character).
ragoftag
12-15-07, 09:58 AM Tema69 wrote: An Awakened EffigyArgh! In a game I played in, the Wizard's butler was one of these! And we never suspected! Its SO obvious now! And it would be perfect for RP.
Xiuhcoatl
12-15-07, 05:09 PM Fleshforged
As a result of a fluke in the Creation Forge, you look like a member of one of the Medium-sized common races, but remain a Warforged internally.
Prerequisites: Warforged; 1st level
Benefit: You can pass without close inspection as a member of one specific common race (such as Elf, Human, Half-Orc), chosen at the time of taking this feat. Additionally, you gain a +2 bonus on disguise checks to pass as that race. You retain your armored bonus. Your skin is an artificial creation, and thus does not bleed or heal naturally.
Special: You may take this feat at 3rd level (instead of normally at 1st level) if you have the Unarmored Body feat. The fluke in the Creation Forge can potentially grow more slowly than in other Warforged.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
celestialkin 12-10-07, 06:36 AM	I was just thinking back on the great Sci-Fi hit Andromeda, and I started to wonder if there are any official D&D constructs that could easily pass for a human/elf/dwarf/whoever made them. Like the kind you regularly see in science fiction, and (I hate to say it) anime. Some good examples of this that come to mind are Rommie (Andromeda), Armitage (Armitage III), the Doctor (Voyager), those things from Battlestar, and Chii (Chobits). I guess Data from Next Generation might count, but he obviously looks different from your average human. Basically, I want to make a character that needs to deal with the whole "Am I real?" "Can I feel?" "Am I one of them?" cliché, while everyone around it can't even tell that he/she is "different". A warforge just seems too mechanic and basic for this. Something that alien looking will quickly be branded a place in society, people would have preconceived biases toward it and would immediately threat them differently. Also, I am guessing warfored instantly know that they are "different" and do not easily fit into societies. However, this might be different for a creature that looks, sounds, and feels exactly like the people around them. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4b/Rommie_-3-.jpg http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e189/Celestialdragon100/ArmitageIII.png http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e1/TheDoctor.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e3/Chi_%28Chobits%29.jpg
Orchomenos 12-10-07, 08:09 AM	I once thought about making a plating for warforged that is "Fleshmade", making them organic. Though they wouldn't be 100% similar to a human or an elf, I guess they would still look a bit awkward. Note that the Doctor in Voyager is not an androïde. He is an informatic program with an holographic projection. This could be easily duplicated in D&D with an Intelligent item with Permanent Image & Telekinesis or Mage Hand.
celestialkin 12-10-07, 08:41 AM	Note that the Doctor in Voyager is not an androïde. He is an informatic program with an holographic projection. I know. I was just seeing if anyone else would be geeky enough to point it out. :) This could be easily duplicated in D&D with an Intelligent item with Permanent Image & Telekinesis or Mage Hand. That is a VERY interesting idea. Got a clue what kind of LA this would have? What kind of stats it would have? What kind of equipment (if any) it could use? What kind of magic item such a PC would be based on? I am still interested in other ideas and opinions, though. Especially considering that I would need a very lenient DM for such a PC.
Rulebook 12-10-07, 08:42 AM	easy... flesh golems! hard... any construct + illusion magic!
DreamerInsane 12-10-07, 08:46 AM	Dragonborn Warforged. They're insanely tough to boot :P
celestialkin 12-10-07, 09:13 AM	Dragonborn Warforged. They're insanely tough to boot :P easy... flesh golems! hard... any construct + illusion magic! Thanks, but I am kinda looking for something which was originally made to look human (or elf, or whatever). I am not going for a character who is trying to disguise itself as something. edit: Oh, and a dragonborn is already kinda unique and strange. So a dragonborn warforged would be twice so, and that is kinda the opposite of what I intended.
HernetheHunter 12-10-07, 11:08 AM	Depending how you play it and if your DM allows you could use the Nimblewright from MM2. And have you ever read Azure Bonds and the other books in the Finders Stone trilogy? Making your own construct would be easiest and a modified flesh golem easiest of all. Back Story and description would be all you need with the reason for intelligence being another of those kookie alchemists trying to create life again.
Saiyamantis 12-11-07, 01:53 PM	Aleax from Book of Exalted Deeds are organic-looking constructs, but they're not likely to spend much time questioning their purpose, being singleminded tools of deific vengeance and all. If you're willing to fudge things a bit, an aleax whose god died before it finished its mission might be an interesting character.
Johnathan_Vagabond 12-11-07, 03:11 PM	It'd be pretty easy to invent one. Just take the stats of any of the golems, rewrite their fluff so that they have different reasons for their stats, and voila, you've got a construct that looks and thinks just like an elf.
Silversheen197 12-11-07, 04:51 PM	Nimblewrights from MMII are pretty good at masquerading for humanoid, but that's only if you fail your Spot check against their Disguise. Otherwise, though, they're pretty nasty (12-20 threat range :eek: :eek: ).
Rulebook 12-11-07, 05:44 PM	AH-HA! i knew i was forgetting something! an Effegy! Complete Arcane. can be humaniod and all that... takes a dc20 spot check to notice its a construct! booyah
ScorpiusRisk 12-11-07, 06:57 PM	In my campaign I have a race called Domestic Units. They come in human or halfling appearances and use the basic construct traits: * No Constitution score. * Low-light vision. * Darkvision out to 60 feet. * Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects). * Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, and necromancy effects. * Cannot heal damage on their own, but often can be repaired by exposing them to a certain kind of effect (see the creature’s description for details) or through the use of the Craft Construct feat. A construct with the fast healing special quality still benefits from that quality. * Not subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability damage, ability drain, fatigue, exhaustion, or energy drain. * Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless). * Not at risk of death from massive damage. Immediately destroyed when reduced to 0 hit points or less. * Since it was never alive, a construct cannot be raised or resurrected. * Because its body is a mass of unliving matter, a construct is hard to destroy. It gains bonus hit points based on size, as shown on the table. * Proficient with its natural weapons only, unless generally humanoid in form, in which case proficient with any weapon mentioned in its entry. * Proficient with no armor. * Constructs do not eat, sleep, or breathe. * Bonus hit points at 1st level. 10 if small and 20 if medium. I add: * +10 to disguise checks to appear to be the race they are based on. Obviously the Human based ones are medium and the Halfling based ones are small. I put this at LA +0. The inability to be resurrected, healed with cure spells and no bonus hit points at each level more than makes up for their abilities.
FrostWolf 12-12-07, 02:56 AM	AH-HA! i knew i was forgetting something! an Effegy! Complete Arcane. can be humaniod and all that... takes a dc20 spot check to notice its a construct! booyah ya beat me to it.
ceiling90 12-12-07, 05:00 AM	In D20 modern, I know it's a DnD board, but in that system, Biodroids do this, and there's an entire feat system for them to look more human, and basically get more human while enjoying all the benefits of being a construct. In fact, there's a robot specific feat that actually makes then indiscernible from the base race, except for of course an actual look at their cells and magic I would assume.
blade265 12-12-07, 06:50 AM	What about a Reforged Warforged.
Fafnir 12-13-07, 04:22 PM	You could reflavor Elans from the XPH, making them organic "constructs". They're already pretty close.
Tema69 12-14-07, 05:47 PM	As other people above have pointed out, the Effigy from Complete Arcane takes a Spot DC 20 to reveal its true nature. An awakened Effigy could be a nice character (to the question whether you could play one such character).
ragoftag 12-15-07, 09:58 AM	Tema69 wrote: An Awakened EffigyArgh! In a game I played in, the Wizard's butler was one of these! And we never suspected! Its SO obvious now! And it would be perfect for RP.
Xiuhcoatl 12-15-07, 05:09 PM	Fleshforged As a result of a fluke in the Creation Forge, you look like a member of one of the Medium-sized common races, but remain a Warforged internally. Prerequisites: Warforged; 1st level Benefit: You can pass without close inspection as a member of one specific common race (such as Elf, Human, Half-Orc), chosen at the time of taking this feat. Additionally, you gain a +2 bonus on disguise checks to pass as that race. You retain your armored bonus. Your skin is an artificial creation, and thus does not bleed or heal naturally. Special: You may take this feat at 3rd level (instead of normally at 1st level) if you have the Unarmored Body feat. The fluke in the Creation Forge can potentially grow more slowly than in other Warforged.