Techie
The Techie combines natural genius with expert training to become a master of technology and technological devices. Sometimes the Techie seems to be more comfortable around machines than around people, and they know how to get those machines to perform beyond their specifications.
The Techie might be a computer hardware expert, an engineer capable of miraculous inventions, or a top-notch mechanic who can modify and overhaul engines with the best of them to get that extra ounce of power when it’s needed most.
Select this advanced class if you want your character to be an expert with technological devices, whether as a specialist or a jack of all technological trades.
The Techie
| Level | Features |
|---|---|
| 3rd | Additional Proficiencies, Robotic Minion |
| 7th | Extreme Machine (one use), Jury-Rig |
| 10th | Insightful Substitution, Utility Belt |
| 15th | Extreme Machine (two uses) |
| 18th | Mastercraft, Breaking Point |
Class Features
As a techie, you gain the following class features.
Hit Points
- Hit Dice: 1d8 per techie level
- Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d8 (or 5) + your Constitution modifier per techie level
Additional Proficiencies
You have a knack for knowing how tools work. At 3rd level, you gain proficiency in 3 tools of your choice.
Robotic Minion
At 3rd level, you can build a robotic minion to aid in your tasks. The robot takes 8 hours to build and expends resources worth $150. You can only have one robot active at a time.
By default, the robot has a crude manipulator arm that allows it to interact with objects in the environment, but it is incapable of fine manipulation, such as picking a lock or typing a message. The robot's carrying capacity is halved while it is flying.
The robot's abilities and game statistics are determined in part by your level. It uses your proficiency bonus rather than its own, and it's number of hit dice is equal to your level. A damaged robot can conduct repairs on itself during a short rest, expending hit dice to restore hit points. You can equip a robot with a light one-handed weapon, but doing so prevents it from using its manipulator arm. It is unable to equip a weapon by itself, but it can drop an equipped weapon. In addition to the areas where it normally uses its proficiency bonus, your robot also adds its proficiency bonus to its AC and to its damage rolls. The robot is considered proficient in simple weapons and light and medium armour.
Your robotic minion gains proficiency in two skills of your choice and two saving throws of your choice. If your robot is killed, you can return it to operation by undergoing 4 hours of work and expending resources worth $40. Alternatively, you can create an entirely new robot to replace it.
Robot Minion
Tiny construct, unaligned
- Armor Class 11
- Hit Points 11 (3d4 + 3)
- Speed 20 ft., fly 20 ft. (hover)
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 4 (-3) 12 (+1) 12 (+1) 4 (-3) 10 (+0) 6 (-2)
- Damage Immunities poison
- Condition Immunities poisoned
- Senses passive Perception 8
- Languages understands the languages of its creator but can't speak
- Challenge 0 (10 XP)
Actions
Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: -1 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1 bludgeoning damage
The robot obeys your commands as best it can. It rolls for initiative like any other creature, but you determine its actions, decisions, attitudes, and so on. If you are incapacitated or absent, your robot acts on its own.
You can wirelessly connect to the robot using most computers, allowing you to see what it is seeing and make Investigation and Perception checks through the robot's vision, though at disadvantage due to the technological limitations.
Additionally, you have a number of upgrade points equal to your level. During a long rest you can spend these points to add various improvements to your robot, or reclaim them by removing improvements. Over the course of a long rest, you can spend or reclaim a maximum number of upgrade points equal to your Intelligence modifier (minimum of one). See "Robot Upgrades" at the end of this advanced class for your upgrade options.
Jury-Rig
Beginning at 7th level, you have advantage on ability checks to make temporary or jury-rigged repairs, and you make such repairs in half the normal time.
Additionally, you can spend your downtime scavenging for parts if you are in suitable location, such as a city or junkyard. For each hour you spend scavenging you gain resources worth 2d10 + your Intelligence modifier dollars. These resources can only be used in crafting and cannot be sold.
Extreme Machine
Starting at 7th level, you can modify a weapon or a piece of armor on the fly. You spend 10 minutes to make the necessary modifications to the device with an Intelligence check made with the proper tools. The DC for the Intelligence check is equal to the Value of the modification.
For the next hour, the weapon or armor gains one modification of your choice (see Equipment). At the end of the hour, or when a natural 1 is rolled while using the device, the modification ceases to function.
Once you have used this ability, you cannot use it again until you have finished a short or long rest. You can use this feature twice between long rests starting at 15th level.
Insightful Substitution
Beginning at 10th level, you have a knack for cutting corners without harming the end result. The cost of crafting or repairing a mechanical or electronic device is halved, and when you scrap a gadget you regain resources worth the full value of what was used to create it.
Utility Belt
Starting at 10th level, you always have the right tool for the job. As a bonus action, you can retrieve an object from your utility belt. The object can be a tool or piece of equipment with a cost of $150 or less, but must reasonably fit within a belt pouch. If you still possess the the object when you next take a long rest, you stow it in your utility belt and no longer have access to it until you use this ability again.
The GM may rule that you don't have access to your utility belt in certain situations, such as if you have been arrested.
You can use this feature a number of times equal to your Intelligence modifier and you regain any expended uses when you finish a long rest.
Mastercraft
At 18th level, when you create a mechanical or electronic device from scratch, you do so in only one quarter of the time normally required.
Additionally, when crafting or repairing a mechanical or electronic device, you can treat the roll as a natural 20. Once you have used this ability, you cannot use it again until you have finished a long rest.
Breaking Point
Beginning at 18th level, your expert structural and material knowledge allows you to seek out the weak points in objects. Your robot's attacks deal double damage to objects.
Additionally, when you make a weapon attack against a creature, you can instead target a piece of equipment the target is using. On a success, the object is rendered unusable until it is fixed. Fixing the object requires a successful ability check using tools appropriate for the object, against a DC equal to 8 + your Intelligence modifier + your proficiency bonus. If you target armor in this way, rather than making it unusable you reduce the AC of the target by 1, to a minimum of 10.
Robot Upgrades
If an upgrade has prerequisites, you (or your robot where necessary) must meet them to utilise it. The following improvements can be applied to your robotic minion.
Ability Score Improvement
Cost: 1 point. You can increase one of the minion's ability scores of your choice by 2, or you can increase two of the minion's ability scores of your choice by 1. You can't increase an ability score above 20 with this feature.
Adamantium Coating
Prerequisite: 15th level Cost: 4 points. Any critical hit against the robot becomes a normal hit. The robot gains resistance to nonmagical bludgeoning, piercing and slashing damage. This upgrade can only be applied once.
Advanced Manipulators
Cost: 2 points. Any manipulators the minion has are replaced with much more advanced models that mimic human hands. Your minion can do anything with your manipulators that a humanoid can do with their hands. This upgrade can only be applied once.
Bigger Bot
Cost: 4 points. Your robotic minion increases a size category to a maximum size of large. Other statistics are impacted as shown in the following table. A robot of small size or larger has two manipulators rather than one, and weapons it uses do not have to be light one handed weapons.
| Size | Strength Score | Base Speed | Hit Die | Slam Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small | 8 | 25 ft. | d6 | 1d4 + Str |
| Medium | 12 | 30 ft. | d8 | 1d6 + Str |
| Large | 16 | 35 ft. | d10 | 1d10 + Str |
Specialised Equipment
Robots of tiny and large size cannot make use of conventional equipment designed for a typical humanoid. Specialised equipment must be purchased or created. The cost of such equipment is double the normal cost.
Chatbot
Prerequisite: Robot has at least 6 Intelligence. Cost: 1 point. Your robot can speak any languages that it understands. This upgrade can only be applied once.
Cloaking Field
Prerequisite: 7th level Cost: 4 points. Your robot has an integrated cloaking field. Operating this cloaking field is functionally identically to casting invisibility on itself, but it is not a magical effect and they ignore components for the spell. Once they use this ability, they cannot use it again until they finish a long rest. This upgrade can be applied up to 3 times, granting an additional use before a long rest is required each time it is applied.
Cockpit
Prerequisite: Robot is medium or larger. Cost: 2 points. Your robot has an internal space for a pilot. Your robot will only accept a pilot that you have given it permission to do so. While a creature is piloting the robot, their game statistics are replaced by the statistics of the robot, though they retain their alignment and Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. They also retain all of their skill and saving throw proficiencies, in addition to gaining those of the creature.
When a creature piloting the robot exits it, they return to the number of hit points they had before entering the robot. If the robot is reduced to 0 hit points while a creature is piloting it, that creature is ejected to a space adjacent to the robot. If there is no empty space adjacent to the robot, the creature is trapped inside it, and is only able to exit once there is an empty space adjacent to the robot.
A creature piloting the robot retains the benefit of any features from their class, race, or other source and can use them, provided that the robot is physically capable of doing so. They can’t use any special senses they have (for example, darkvision) unless the robot also has that sense. They can speak through a speaker on the outside of the robot. This upgrade can only be applied once.
Combat Module
Cost: 1 points. Your robot gains proficiency in martial melee weapons, martial ranged weapons, or heavy armour. This upgrade can be applied up to 3 times, granting a different proficiency each time it is applied.
Darkvision
Cost: 1 point. Your robot has superior vision in dark and dim conditions. They can see in dim light within 60 feet of them as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. They can't discern colour in darkness, only shades of gray. This upgrade can only be applied once.
Enhanced Servos
Cost: 2 points. The robot's walking speed is increased by 10 feet. This upgrade can be applied twice.
Exoskeleton Form
Prerequisite: Robot is Small or smaller. Cost: 3 points. Your robot can change its form drastically, wrapping around a creature to form an exoskeleton. As an action, your robot can attach to a willing creature.
When your robot is attached to a creature, that creature's AC cannot be lower than your robot's AC. Additionally, they have advantage on saving throws and ability checks using Strength or Dexterity, and their walking speed is increased by 10 feet. If they take any damage, it is split evenly between them and the robot.
This upgrade can only be applied once.
Equipment Slot
Cost: 1 point. Your robot has an integrated system for using a piece of equipment. To apply this upgrade, you must have a piece of equipment to equip to the robot. On applying this upgrade, the equipment is seamlessly integrated with the robot's body. The form this takes is up to you, for example the robot could have a forehead flashlight, a compartment storing medical supplies, or a pepper spray dispenser in their palm. Regardless, the equipment is integrated into the robot and can be used at any time, hands free. This upgrade can be applied up to 3 times.
Motor lock
Prerequisite: Robot is Small or larger. Cost: 2 points. You have fitted your robot with special mechanisms that allow it to lock its joints in place very securely. Your robot has advantage on Strength (Athletics) checks made to grapple, and creatures your robot is grappling have disadvantage on saving throws and ability checks using Strength or Dexterity.
This upgrade can only be applied once.
Extra Attack
Cost: 3 points. Your robot can attack twice, instead of once, whenever they take the Attack action on their turn. This upgrade can only be applied once.
HD Camera
Cost: 1 point. When making Perception checks through the robot's vision, you no longer suffer disadvantage.
Languages Module
Cost: 1 point. Your robot learns one language of your choice. This upgrade can be applied up to 3 times.
Mimicry
Cost: 2 points. Your robot passively records and analyses sounds that it hears and is able to replicate them. creature that hears the copied sounds your robot makes can tell they are imitations with a successful Wisdom (Insight) check opposed by your robot's Charisma (Deception) check. This upgrade can only be applied once.
Pop-Up Screen
Cost: 2 points. Your minion is fitted with a screen which can display contents of your choice. While you are using this screen to display yourself, you can make Charisma checks through the robot. This upgrade can only be applied once.
Powerful Thrusters
Cost: 2 points. The robot's flying speed is increased by 10 feet. This upgrade can be applied twice.
Self Destruct
Cost: 2 points. The robot has an internal space packed with explosives. Your robot can activate these explosives at it's location as an action, destroying itself in the process. You can set conditions to activate these explosives, such as when the robot drops to 0 hit points or is hit by a melee attack.
By default, the explosive contained is a single unit of plastic explosive, but you can replace this with a different explosive in your possession when you apply this improvement (see "Equipment" for types of explosive). The saving throw DC for the explosive 8 + your Intelligence modifier + your proficiency bonus. This upgrade can only be applied once.
Skills Module
Cost: 2 points. Your robot gains proficiency in one skill of your choice. This upgrade can be applied up to 3 times.
Sonar
Prerequisite: 10th level. Cost: 2 points. Your robot is able to form a 3D image of their surroundings by using sonar technology. They have blindsight up to 30 feet away. If your robot cannot hear, they cannot make use of this blindsight. This upgrade can only be applied once.
Tough
Cost: 2 points. The robot gains a +1 bonus to AC, and their Constitution modifier is treated as being 1 higher when calculating the robot's hit points. This upgrade can only be applied once.
Waterborne
Cost: 2 points. Your robot gains a swim speed equal to its walking speed or flying speed (whichever is lower). This upgrade can only be applied once.
Weapon Slot
Cost: 2 points. Your robot has an integrated system for using a particular weapon. To apply this upgrade, you must have a weapon to equip to the robot. On applying this upgrade, that weapon is seamlessly integrated with the robot's body. The form this takes is up to you, for example the robot could have a shoulder-mounted missile launcher, a blade that slides out of their wrist, or a machine gun that extends from their chest. Regardless, the weapon is integrated into the robot and can be used at any time, hands free. This upgrade can be applied up to 3 times.
Credits
Document and contents by Dylan Richards (Reddit: u/Altavus , Tumblr: decision-paralysis, Blogger: Decision Paralysis)
Source Material
"d20 Modern" role-playing game by Wizards of the Coast.
Built heavily upon "d20 Modern 5e Conversion" by Edward Wilson.