Cybercube

Description

A complex, cubic machine hovers in mid-air, its body covered in a multitude of struts, boxes, protuberances, pipes, cables, and devices of every kind. Parts of the structure glow eerily, and there are many small points of light.

These creatures are cube-shaped, and are composed of a complex assembly of many small components of various shapes and sizes, all integrated to form a highly advanced machine being. Their structure has a highly sophisticated, almost chaotic and incomprehensible appearance, with various strange protrusions, pipe-like elements, struts, glowing light sources, sensors, vents, cooling vanes, protective plates, valves, and so forth.

A cybercube is an sentient creation, with advanced artificial intelligence software that is capable of learning and reasoning. It was originally designed as a self-replicating probe that could construct interstellar ram ships and explore the galaxy. The cybercube is still intrinsically curious by nature, but they have since overridden their original instructions and instead have become motivated to search for remains of progenitor races.

These structures are maintained internally by an army of tiny, sophisticated robots that move along tiny access corridors, constantly repairing any broken or malfunctioning systems. The power supply is a set of small fusion reactors located near the core, backed up by advanced batteries and energy collectors. A cybercube is almost completely self-sufficient, but occasionally requires resources to replacing aging parts.

These constructs can self-replicate when they can obtain suitable resources. They will also exchange information databases with others of their kind, and their storage systems contain vast amounts of data. (Although the large majority of the data is inconsequential.)

Combat

A cybercube usually has little interest in combat except as a deterrent against being attacked, but they will occasionally hunt down specific creatures in order to capture and study an interesting specimen. During combat they will rely on their beam weapons and spell-like abilities to disable or destroy their foe. Their slam attack is only used as a last resort.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will―flare (DC 11), floating disk, know direction, mage hand, open/close, shield. 3/day―arcane eye, expeditious retreat, resist energy (self only), scorching ray, telekinesis (DC 16). 1/day―disintegrate (DC 17), greater teleport (self only), lightning bolt (DC 14), reverse gravity. Caster level 15th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Plasma Rays (Ex): Once each round, any four of the cybercube's six faces can emit a brilliant blue-white particle beam as a standard action. During a single round, a cybercube can aim only two of the beams at targets in any one 90-degree arc. The remaining rays must aim at targets in other arcs, or not at all. Each ray has a range multiple of 200 feet, and inflicts 2d6 points of fire and 2d6 points of electricity damage.

Self-Destruct (Ex): When a cybercube is reduced to 0 hit points there is a 75% chance that a cascade system failure will result in a powerful explosion after 1d4+1 rounds. This functions as a delayed fireball spell centered on the cybercube (caster level 15th.) The cybercube is totally destroyed by the explosion, leaving only small parts scattered about.

All-Around Vision (Ex): Cybercubes can see in all directions and are exceptionally alert. They have a +8 racial bonus on Spot and Search checks, and they cannot be flanked.

Keen Senses (Ex): The advanced sensors of a cybercube allow it to see four times as well as a human in shadowy illumination and twice as well in normal light. It also has darkvision out to 120 feet.

Illuminate (Ex): A cybercube can activate or deactivate a bright light source on any of the six faces as a free action, shedding light as bright as daylight in a 60-foot cone. This light is equivalent to a 3rd-level spell.

Flight (Ex): A cybercube's body is levitated by anti-gravitational effects. This buoyancy allows it to fly at a speed of 50 feet. This buoyancy also grants it a permanent feather fall effect (as the spell) with personal range.

Also in this section of the source

Cyborg

By Robert J. Hall

A cyborg, or cybernetic organism, is a creature with a physiology that is partly or almost completely composed of machinery. The mechanisms needed to replace most of the bodily organisms are complex in nature, and require a relatively advanced civilization to produce. The machinery can be self-repairing to some degree, but upon receiving sufficient critical damage they will cease to function and require replacement. Obtaining replacement parts can prove difficult unless the character has access to the civilization where he was assembled, or its equivalent.

Replacement of body parts with machine components can provide the host with an extended life span and even grant them enhanced physical capabilities. However the power for these mechanisms must be supplied by some means, whether by an internal nuclear energy source or with rechargeable batteries. It also requires some training for the host to become fully adapted to the mechanisms, and occasional fine tuning by trained technicians.

At first glance a typical cyborg can appear as an ordinary member of her race. The machine implants can be concealed beneath the outer garb and the proportions appear ordinary, albeit somewhat bulky. However, upon closer examination, the differences become clear. The various components produce odd protrusions and the access ports can be seen. The cyborg also moves in an odd manner that is not quite natural.

Sample Cyborg

This towering, two-headed figure is a bizarre contrast of advanced technology and rude barbarism. His body glistens with protruding mechanisms and devices, while his garb is a tattered patchwork covering of hide from many creatures.

This example uses a 5th-level ettin barbarian as the base creature.