Maug
Everyone knows about the warforged from 3.5e Dungeons and Dragons, and how their main draw is that they let you play as a goddamn robot in a steampunk fantasy setting. The catch is, they're only half-robot, unless you take the Juggernaut prestige class. Would you be surprised to learn that Third Edition not only offered a way to play as something that was 100% robot, but did so before the Warforged?
We're talking about the Maug, who appeared in the 3.0e Fiend Folio, featuring darkvision, +7 natural armor, immunity to mind-affecting shenanigans, automatic self-repair capability, +10 strength, a double-ended sword like Darth Motherfucking Maul, and a bunch of other shit that Warforged players wished they had. Also, just like warforged, their favored class was Fighter because they were created by some other race to fight in that race's wars. Unfortunately, they ended up getting overlooked because they didn't get literally an entire campaign setting that existed for no other purpose than to promote them.
They're technically an NPC race, but with a level adjustment, meaning that using them as a playable race will require a teeny bit of math and houseruling. However, they speak Common, walk on land, and have arms for holding weapons, so they're still infinitely more playable than the goddamn ixitxachitl.
The Fiend Folio also includes rules for grafts that can be applied to maugs, though only a maug spellcaster can create them.
Stat block[edit]
- Large Construct (Extraplanar)
- Hit Dice: 2d10+30 (41 hp)
- Initiative: +2
- Speed: 40 ft. (can’t run)
- AC: 25 (–1 size, +1 Dex, +8 masterwork full plate armor, +7 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 24
- Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+10
- Attack: Masterwork two-bladed sword +5 melee, or slam +6 melee
- Full Attack: Masterwork two-bladed sword +5 melee and +5 melee, or slam +6 melee
- Damage:Masterwork two-bladed sword 2d6+5/19–20 and 2d6+2/19–20, slam 1d8+7
- Face/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
- Special Attacks: Pulverize
- Special Qualities: Construct traits, grafts, rapid repair, SR 14
- Saves: Fort +0, Ref +2, Will +0
- Abilities: Str 20, Dex 15, Con —, Int 13, Wis 11, Cha 12
- Skills: Craft (blacksmithing) +6, Craft (stonemasonry) +10*, Intimidate +6, Knowledge (architecture and engineering) +10*, Listen +7, Profession (siege engineer) +5, Profession (soldier) +5, Spot +7, Survival +5 [Maugs have a +4 racial bonus on Craft (stonemasonry) and Knowledge (architecture and engineering) checks, so they have only 6 actual ranks in those skills]
- Feats: Alertness (B), Two-Weapon Fighting
- Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground (Acheron)
- Organization: Solitary, squad (4–7), warband (2–4 maugs plus 4–9 hobgoblins), or company (10–40 maugs plus 1 sergeant of 1st or 2nd level per 5 maugs, 2–4 lieutenants of 3rd–6th level, 1 leader of 7th–10th level, and 20–50 hobgoblins)
- Challenge Rating: 3
- Treasure: Half standard
- Alignment: Usually lawful neutral
- Advancement: By character class
- Level Adjustment: +3
Maugs speak Common, Draconic, and Giant.