Editing Mechamorphosis

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'''Mechamorphosis''' is an obscure 3rd party campaign setting for [[Dungeons & Dragons 3rd edition]]; created by [[Fantasy Flight Games]] as part of their [[Horizon]] "mini-settings" line, it can be summed up in two words as "[[Transformers]] [[D20]]". And no, you're not playing the annoying human side-kicks, you're playing the actual Cybertronians. This is [[awesome]].

==History==
Because FFG couldn't get the rights from Hasbro, they had to make up their own backstory and names for their Giant Transforming Robots, whom they called "mechamorphs". On a planet known only as "Mech Terra", a race of sapient autonomous cybernetic organisms came to exist. Organizing themselves into a massive array of guilds, whose rulers made up the collective political body of their people, the Cynet, they lived a peaceful existence... until, one day, the Great Generator that produced the nexus energy needed to fuel their people suddenly stopped functioning. Chaos ensued, and a new guild arose, claiming authority over all mechamorphs with the promise of ending the starvation plaguing their people, with the mechamorphs willingly bowing to them when they seemed able to live up to their promises.

Of course, as this new guild called itself "The Tyrants", you can bet your last dollar that it went horribly wrong. It turned out that the Tyrants were playing the mechamorphs for fools, secretly murdering "politically expendable" mechamorphs and leeching nexus energy from their remains to give to the living - ending famine by institutionalizing cannibalism, in other words. Oh, they were also being true to their words to locate other worlds and harvest energy reserves from them, but the bulk of their nexus energy was being taken from their own people.

This secret was ultimately found by Pride, a Cynet representative who led the Animechs, a guild responsible for animating and rebuilding mechamorphs who had undergone total shutdown or destruction. When he confronted Obelisk, the first High Tyrant, he was bluntly informed that he could take his guild and leave Mech Terra, or they would all be "recycled". Unwilling to risk a civil war, and feeling ashamed of his own role in bringing the Tyrants to power in the first place, Pride agreed - but as the Animechs left in the First Great Exodus, High Tyrant Obelisk attacked, seeking to silence them forever. Both parties were presumed lost when they were swallowed by a white hole, and with Obelisk went the nexus-draining technologies he had invented.

Thousands of years passed, with Tyrant rule growing more shaky and brutal as they tried to desperately make up for their energy deficit by ravaging other worlds and strip-mining them of all the energy they could. Finally, a former guild leader named Aegis gathered eight of his fellows, and together they set upon a desperate plan to escape; converting old cargo-haulers into shuttles, they fled their world and sought refuge in whatever part of the galaxy could be reached through the white hole into which the First Great Exodus had vanished all those centuries ago. Only Aegis' ship is known to have successfully made it - and the Second Great Exodus did not go unknown. An ambitious ranking Tyrant named Vorpal has pursued Aegis, in pursuit of the possible remnants of High Tyrant Obelisk's nexus-draining technology. And thus a war between alien machines has fallen upon Earth...

==Playing a Giant Transforming Robot==
Playing a mechamorph adds a whole mess of problems; D&D is aimed at playing human-sized or close to characters, so a 20ft tall giant robot with cybernetic super strength requires a little finangling - and then there's issues of scaling, how vehicle forms work, and so forth. To this, Mechamorphosis adopts some surprisingly simple solutions - for a 3e splatbook, anyway.

===Racial traits===
Mechamorph racial stats are a little complex. Size is affected by character creation, specifically the priority they place on their Alt-Mode - the bigger the alt-mode, the bigger the primary mode. They also have no ability score modifiers. But they do have traits that every mechamorph shares.

'''Morph (Ex):''' Every mechamorph has the ability to assume at least two different forms. These are the primary form and the alt form. Primary form is generally a humanoid shape, and is considered a mechamorph’s “true form.” Some mechamorphs’ primary forms are more akin to animals than humans, but they are no less intelligent. A mechamorph’s alt form can be nearly anything. Most have some element of disguise, usually appearing to be normal Earth vehicles that can travel freely among humans. Other forms are more combat-oriented, being otherworldly combat platforms or ferocious, robotic animal templates.
::With the exception of mechamorphs with animal alt forms, a mechamorph retains all of his abilities, base attack bonus, hit points, skills, and feats while morphed. A mechamorph also retains the use of his sensors, allowing him to see and experience his environment as usual, even if he can no longer interact as easily with a particular environment. Mechamorphs may also activate their special powers while in alt form. When a mechamorph changes form, linked weapons or equipment he is carrying become hidden within his alt form or mounted on it. Unlinked items that he is carrying either become stored in the alt form’s cargo areas (if any) or fall to the ground.
::Morphing is a move action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity. Mechamorphs with a base attack bonus of +5 or higher may morph as a free action as long as it is combined with a regular move. Mechamorphs generally retain the same mass and approximate size when they morph. A mechamorph must make a successful grapple check in order to morph while grappled, and cannot morph if he is pinned.

'''Damage Reduction:''' All mechamorphs have at least damage reduction 10/nexus energy in both primary form and alt-form.

'''Energy Resistance:''' All mechamorphs have energy resistance 10 against all energy types in both primary form and alt form. Because they are finely tuned machines rather than simple objects, however, they take full damage from energy that bypasses this resistance (rather than half or quarter, as normal for objects).

'''Living Machine:''' Because of its machine body, a mechamorph is immune to gases and poisons, and does not need to breathe or eat. Additionally, mechamorphs are immune to most effects geared toward organic creatures that cause death, nausea, paralysis, petrification, stunning, and unconsciousness. However, there are technological equivalents of the above: Mechamorphs can suffer any of the above conditions as a result of an attack especially geared toward living machines, and can suffer the effects of exhaustion and fatigue if they do not get enough fuel or spend enough time in stasis; they must spend at least 4 hours in stasis (functionally: sleep) every day, or suffer from the same penalties as a fatigued human, unless he expends nexus energy points equal to its his character level, rounded up. Mechamorphs also have electronic minds that function much like intelligent, organic beings’, and are therefore vulnerable to mind-affecting effects like compulsions, enchantments, and phantasms. Mechamorphs are also subject to critical hits, although the effects are different than those applied to normal characters - see below. As living machines, mechamorphs can also survive when reduced below 0 hit points, though they become staggered at 0 hit points, unconscious at –1 hit point, and are destroyed at –10 hit points, following the same rules as other living creatures.

'''Imbued Attacks:''' Mechamorphs can deal damage with unarmed attacks when in primary form; the damage varies based on the mechamorph’s size. Because the mechamorph has damage reduction 10/nexus energy, its natural attacks, as well as 4 attacks with any weapons it wields, are treated as being imbued with nexus energy for the purposes of bypassing other mechamorphs’ damage reduction. However, unless the mechamorph has the Improved Unarmed Strike feat or natural weapons, any damage dealt by its unarmed attacks to other mechamorphs is considered nonlethal. Additionally, such attacks provoke attacks of opportunity from armed mechamorphs.

'''Rapid Healing:''' All mechamorphs regain hit points and ability damage at a rate of one per hour. In stasis, this increases to healing a number of hit points equal to their character level for each hour spent in stasis.

'''Nexus Energy Reserves:''' All mechamorphs have nexus energy reserves that they can expend to improve their actions. Tapping a nexus energy reserve can be done once per round as a free action for one of the following bonuses: a mechamorph can choose to spend nexus energy beyond that contained in their reserve, at a 1-to-1 ratio of Constitution points for nexus points. Constitution drained in this way only returns by taking 4 hours of stasis per point of Constitution burned off - which must be done ''in addition'' to the requisite 4 hours of daily stasis.
* Add a luck bonus to one attack equal to the number of nexus energy points spent. The point expenditure must be declared and spent before the roll is made.
* Add a luck bonus to one saving throw equal to the number of nexus energy points spent. The point expenditure must be declared and spent before the roll is made.
* Add a luck bonus to AC for one round equal to the number of energy points spent.
* Absorb damage equal to the number of nexus energy points spent. The point expenditure may be declared after damage is rolled.
* Avoid the effects of failing to undergo stasis by expending a number of nexus energy points equal to one-half character level (rounded up).

'''[[Level Adjustment]]:''' +6.

====Mechamorph Critical Hits====
When a mechamorph takes a critical hit, because of their quasi-[[construct]] nature, they suffer more specific effects than the usual increased damage. A critical hit causes normal weapon damage, and a roll on the following table. Weapons with critical hit multipliers cause multiple rolls on the critical hit table - a critical x2 causes two rolls, a critical x3 causes three rolls, and so forth.

1 - Sensors: The mechamorph loses the use of a sensor system like infrared or radar, or one of his senses, such as sight or hearing. The damaged system is determined randomly. The system remains inoperable until it is repaired. If all sensors are destroyed, the mechamorph instead suffers double damage.

2-3 - Gyroscope: The mechamorph’s gyroscope is damaged, throwing him off balance. The mechamorph suffers 1d4 points of Dexterity damage, and must make a Reflex save with a DC equal to 10 + damage dealt, or immediately fall prone. The result is cumulative each time this component is damaged.

4-5 - Motion Regulator: The mechamorph’s internal motion regulator is damaged, reducing his base movement in all forms by one-half. If this component is already damaged, the mechamorph becomes unable to move except with a 10-ft. crawl as a full-round action.

6-9 - Data Processor: The mechamorph’s internal data pathways are damaged. He suffers 1d4 points of Intelligence damage, and must make a Will save with a DC equal to 10 + damage dealt, or immediately lose all ranks in one randomly determined skill for 24 hours.

10-12 - Articulation Servos: The articulation servo in one of the mechamorph’s arms is damaged. He suffers a –4 penalty to all attacks and skill checks involving the use of the arm. This result is cumulative each time this component is damaged.

13-15 - Nexus Energy Leak: The mechamorph’s nexus energy container is breached. He suffers 1d4 points of Constitution damage and must make a Fortitude save with a DC equal to 10 + damage dealt, or be stunned for one round.

16-17 - Weapon System: One mounted weapon is hit and damaged, along with one round of ammo. Explosive ammo goes off, doing one-half normal damage to the mechamorph. If a mechamorph does not have any mounted weapons, the mechamorph instead suffers double damage.

18 - Cracked Chassis: The mechamorph’s damage reduction/nexus energy is reduced to 5. If this component is already damaged, the mechamorph instead suffers double damage.

19 - Morph Actuator: The mechamorph suffers damage to his morph actuators, which impairs his ability to morph. A character with a single damaged morph actuator must make a Concentration check as a full-round action with a DC of 10 + damage dealt in order to morph. A character with two damaged morph actuators cannot morph until his actuators are repaired.

20 - Nexus Generator: The mechamorph’s nexus generator housing is damaged. The mechamorph is slowed until the housing is repaired. If this component is hit again, the generator explodes, dealing nexus energy damage to the mechamorph and nearby characters. The explosion deals 1d10 points of damage per Hit Die of the mechamorph to all creatures in a radius of 10 ft. per Hit Die of the mechamorph. The mechamorph itself automatically takes the damage; other creatures in the radius may make a Reflex saves (DC 10 + 1/2 Hit Dice of the exploding mechamorph) for half damage.

===Strength and Scale===
Rather than go for the rather ludicrous decision of letting mechamorph PCs have +30 or +40 [[Strength]] modifiers, Mechamorphosis goes for a simple approach: their weight limits are increased by a factor of x10, and object hardness and break DCs are based on relative size - hardness is calculated by substituting feet of thickness rather than the standard inches. "Standard" PHB chain stats work fine against mechamorphs, but represent something like the anchor chain for a battleship!

To compare other, non-mechamorph creatures, items or whatever to mechamorphs, reduce [[Strength]] by 10 to calculate attack & damage bonuses, and divide object HP, hardness and break DCs by 10 (round up). You can also apply the "divide by 10" rule to hit points, at least for human-sized creatures.

Scaling is similarly handled by more or less an "upsizing"; a "square" of terrain at mechamorph scale represents 10 feet, rather than the 5 feet it would at human scale. This means Medium & smaller creatures have no squares of reach, whilst Large & Huge ones have 1 square reach, increasing to Reach 2 at Gargantuan, Reach 3 at Colossal, and Reach 5 at Immense. All other modifiers basically use the same rules for size as in the 3e DMG.

==Alt-Forms==
Mechamorphs can have alt-forms in one of three categories; Animal, Vehicle, or Building. Though there are mechamorphs with animal or vehicle primary forms, all PC mechamorphs are bipedal humanoids, because there's a limit to how far the system can be pushed.

==Classes==
There are four classes amongst mechamorphs:

'''Controller:''' A mechamorph who carries one or more smaller, symbiotic drones/lesser mechamorphs, whom it commands as spies and minions for battle. Think Soundwave or Blaster.

'''Scientist:''' The [[Skill Monkey]] and healer class.

'''Scout:''' Any mechamorph who relies on speed, mobility and cunning to prevail over mere brute force. The [[Rogue]] equivalent.

'''Soldier:''' The warriors of the mechamorphs, the [[Fighter]] equivalent.

==Special Powers==
All mechamorphs have at least one kind of special power, which are divided into three basic categories; 

Gizmos are, functionally, spell-like abilities, given a reskin as specialized equipment unique to that particular mechamorph - Hound's hologram projector, for example, works as a Minor Image spell-like ability. 

Links are the mechamorph equivalent of [[familiar]]s; small subserviant drones that work to assist the mechamorph whilst it's transformed, sort of like a Targetmaster or a Headmaster.

Mechamerges are the mechamorph equivalent of Combiner-Formers - they're mechamorphs who can physically interlink with other mechamorphs who share this ability to transform into a single bigger robot.

[[Category: Dungeons & Dragons]]