An independent self replicating race of constructs limited only in their resources and intent, those who bear a long memory are secretive while their newer generations of these lightning powered metal warriors have focused, dedicated goal to protect.
Physical Description: Made of metal, and made of very sharp and jagged angles with next to no opening to reveal their underworkings due to the loving crafting of their form by their parent, the shockborne normally take pride in looking clean if possible, preferring a nice sheen, but this can be worn away if there's a certain level of honour to the scratches or buffs their metal plating possess. They vary heavily from most constructs in that they bear an almost untamable lightning in their body, generated by their core, some shockborne trim and work this, to appear as if they have hair or a beard made of crackling lightning. Their plating is usually of a monotone colour of choice, able to be repainted as they see fit through personal grooming or with help from others though shockborne heavily prefer leaving it up to a facility or those of incredible renown and trust, their lightning however is of a single color all their life, being of a variety colours such as blue, yellow, teal, purple, or even the rare red or black, though such colour has no bearing on their standing with other shockborne. Fairly tall that even the shortest shockborne are above a human's average and some of the tallest dwarfing orcs and valtur, with an immense weight from that size only multiplied by their metal bodies. A notable feature of many shockborne's silhouette, is the animal fur they usually bear around their neck and shoulders, much to the surprise of many, this is not actually part of their being though it is attached, but instead purely a preferred ornament among most shockborne, though in traditional communities, the fur attached to the shockborne is a representation of coming of age from finishing their training, normally being the fur of their first hunt or kill and as such is very sacred to shockborne. While their initial plating can make them stick out agressively, they are capable of altering their plating for the purpose of fitting in more, looking more akin to knights them the constructs they are, and can even have a chassis capable of wearing clothes and fully understand the reasoning and concept, but prefer simply adorning themselves to supplement their natural chassis most of the time unless their job requires otherwise.
| Adulthood |
Intuitive |
Self-Taught |
Trained |
| 0 years |
+1d2 years
(1 – 2 years) |
+1d3 years
(1 – 3 years) |
+1d6 years
(1 – 6 years) |
| Gender |
Base Height |
Height Modifier |
Base Weight |
Weight Modifier |
| Visually Male-Presenting |
6 ft. 1 in. |
+2d12 in.
(6 ft. 3 in. – 8 ft. 1 in.) |
460 lbs. |
+(8d12×7 lbs.)
(516 – 1132 lbs.) |
| Visually Female-Presenting |
6 ft. 1 in. |
+2d12 in.
(6 ft. 3 in. – 8 ft. 1 in.) |
460 lbs. |
+(8d12×7 lbs.)
(516 – 1132 lbs.) |
Society: Shockborne possess a private community within most of their hidden production facilities, the former belongings to their original creators, retrofitted back to functionality for their own accord. Capable of using the alien machinery within the wreckage and rubble of their former masters to spawn more of their own kind, The oldest of them normally leading them, having acquire the most knowledge and quite normally being the firstborn of their facility, their hierarchy and family organization oddly mirrors that of northerners, bearing the first name of their father as their sir name. The facility leader usually bearing the title of Grandcrafter, with nigh autocratic power within the facility, only partly tempered by the informed advice of a counsel who have all earned their place at the grandcrafter's side.
Relations: Due to the tactile and political logical prowess of the shockborne's grandcrafters, shockborne bear good relations with most races who have aligned within the final brigandine pact signed many millennia ago, including even the most cautious tree elves and wary dwarves. A shockborne's promise can be claimed to have it's weight in gold due to their very clear intent on fulfilling their claim and keeping their word to not bring shame to their grandcrafter's name, being well known for reliable, logical, capable, and usually level headed leave them as one of the most trusted allies to the world's oldest defenders, intent on never missing their call to action again. However, as the original inspiration behind the creation known as the artificial soul core, the shockborne show a very quiet disdain for gearborne and magitborne due to what they view as a lesser, or unmerciful creation, but do not let this get in the way if they display themselves as particularly worthwhile individuals.
Alignment and Religion: As a late entry into the final brigandine pact, the shockborne accept and practice worship of the conglomerate church pantheon, however, due to their nature, they primarily, and unashamedly focus worship on gods of law and lightning, being seen as gods of tradition and life in the eyes of the shockborne. Due to this and their very practical and reliable nature, shockborne primarily lean towards the good and lawful alignments but can be of any alignment, though those of the evil alignment have a well earned rarity due to the danger they can represent.
Adventurers: As reliable warriors, and logical thinkers, shockborne make natural fighters and leaders within adventuring groups but can be see as too cold and uncaring in the face of achievement, but see the death of those they lead as a failure of their own. Making good mages and skirmishers lead them to be a versatile, if somewhat rare part of any adventuring group.
Standard Racial Traits
- Ability Score Racial Traits: Shockborne are naturally strong due to their metal frame and possess great intellect due to their ancient programming, however, they lack the ability to make notable leaps in logic frequently and prefer relying pure on measurable knowledge. They gain +2 Strength, +2 Intelligence, and -2 Wisdom.
- Type: Shockborne are constructs with the craftborne subtype.
- Size: Shockborne are Medium creatures and thus have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
- Base Speed: Shockborne have a base speed of 30 feet.
- Languages: Shockborne begin play speaking Common. Shockborne with high Intelligence scores can choose any languages they want (except secret languages, such as Druidic). See the Linguistics skill page for more information about these languages.
Feat and Skill Racial Traits
- Intimidating: Shockborne are naturally intimidating due to their electrical output affecting their outwards appearance, giving them a +2 racial bonus on intimidate checks.
Offense Racial Traits
- Natural Attack: Shockborne gain two slam attacks as primary natural attacks that deal 1d3 points of damage.
- Electric Surge (Ex): Shockborne have powerful electrical cores, which can be harnessed to harm those it deems hostile by electrically overclocking their core, causing a managed aura of lightning to come from their body. As a move action, the shockborne may electrically empower themselves and any held metal items. While electrically empowered, any natural attacks or unarmed strikes with their body (or attacks with metal weapons held in those hands) deal an additional +1d6 points of electricity damage per 2 character levels (minimum 1d6) and any melee attacks from metal weapons, natural attacks, or unarmed strikes against the shockborne cause the attacker to be harmed for 1d6 electricity damage per two character levels (minimum 1d6). Shockborne may keep this surge up for one round per level a day, and can be dismissed as a free action, these rounds do not need to be consecutive.
Defense Racial Traits
- Energy Resistance: Shockborne have electricity resistance 5.
- Metal Plating: Shockborne have hardened metal bodies, granting them a +2 natural armor bonus.
- Powerful Build: Shockborne count as one size larger when determining size modifier or special size modifier for Combat Maneuver Bonus or Combat Maneuver Defense.
Senses Racial Traits
- Low-light Vision: Shockborne can see twice as far as humans in conditions of dim light.
- Darkvision: Shockborne have darkvision and so can see perfectly in the dark up to 60 feet.
Other Racial Traits
- Artificial Soul: Bearing the inspirational advancement of an artificially crafted soul, shockborne differ from normal constructs in a few ways. They have a Constitution score and an Intelligence score and can be targeted by spells and effects that target living creatures or constructs, as well as all mind-affecting effects and spells, powers and effects that affect objects made from metal. They cannot be physically healed by positive energy, and cannot be physically harmed by negative energy. They are not immune to ability damage and ability drain to mental scores, and energy drain. They are not permanently destroyed when reduced to 0 hit points, and instead are shut offline due to too much external damage and are considered unconscious and helpless, and can be repaired to return to functionality. They are destroyed beyond repair when reduced to a negative number of hit points equal to their Constitution score. They can be raised or resurrected when destroyed if a new body is available for them to inhabit.
- Constructed Requirements: Shockborne physiological needs are different than those of creatures of flesh. They do not need to eat, drink, or sleep, but they still need a daily period of rest. During this period of rest, they must enter a recuperating standby state for 2 hours, which is similar to sleeping except they are aware of their surroundings and don't take penalties for being unconscious. All applications of the Heal skill while used on a shockborne are replaced with the Knowledge (Engineering) skill.
Weakness Racial Traits
- Vulnerable to Electricity: Shockborne are electrically powered and are react negatively to outward sources of electricity. Shockborne take 150% as much damage as normal from electricity attacks.
