McRobots in a Modern Campaign

Robots, whether they are shapechangers or not, and innocuous-appearing animals adapted for spy missions seem to be a recurring theme for my NPCs of late. While watching videos on YouTube today, I was reminded of these little guys and promptly got to work adapting them for my campaign.

Macro Mac...
          Fry Force...
                    Krypto Cup...
                              Fry Bot...
                                        Robo-Cakes...
                                                Gallacta Pounder...
                                                          C2...
                                                                    Turbo Cone...

In 1987, during what many consider to be the height of the "Burger Wars", McDonald's operating revenue and profits grew while its competitors Burger King and Wendy's were laying off employees and posting quarterly losses respectively.


McDonald's success can be attributed in no small part to its "Changeables". These McRobots were designed to perform corporate espionage, collecting valuable intelligence on competitors' business practices and giving McDonald's a leg up against its rivals. A line of "Happy Meal" toys were simultaneously released, saturating the public's consciousness and the market with hundreds of thousands of decoys, enabling the actual robots to operate almost without notice. They move by either rolling along the ground or floating via forced air like a hovercraft. They have "hands" (functionally tiny pincers) but the left can also function as a set of masterwork lockpicks.

While the Changeable Program was discontinued due to high operating costs, rumors abound that some of the original McRobots or a handful of more advanced prototypes remain functional.


McRobot/Changeable: Biomorph Robot
CR: 1     Fine Construct     HD: 1/16d10     Hp: 1
Init: +4     Spd: 5', fly 30' (clumsy)
AC: 33 (+16 size, +3 Plastic Casing, +4 Dex), t: 30, ff: 29
Attacks: (BAB +0; Grap -21); +20 various (see below)
SA: Self-Destruct, Variable Weapon Platform
SQ: Construct traits, Sensor Package
Align: N     Saves: Fort +0, Ref +4, Will +0
Str: 1, Dex: 18, Con: - -, Int: - -, Wis: 10, Cha: 1
Skills: Disable Device +4, Hide +20, Open Lock +10
Feats: - -
Gear: Integrated AV Transmitter, Integrated Class III Sensor System, Integrated Self-Destruct System, 2 Skill Programs

• Class III Sensor System (Ex): This sensor system includes a video camera with infrared capability, a basic audio receiver, and a crude chemical sniffer.
• Construct traits (Ex): Low-Light Vision, Darkvision 60', Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (Charms, Compulsions, Phantasms, Patterns, and Morale effects), poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, and Necromancy effects, not subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability damage/drain, fatigue, exhaustion, or energy drain, immune to any effects that require a Fortitude save unless they are harmless or affect objects, not at risk of death from massive damage.
• AV Transmitter (Ex): A transmitter connected to the Changeable's sensor system is able to broadcast signals to a receiver with a 1,000' range.
• Self-Destruct System (Ex): If a Changeable is damaged (reduced to 0 or fewer hp) it will self-destruct, immolating all of its components until nothing but ash remains.
• Skill Programs (Ex): The Changeables come with two "factory preset" skills - Disable Device and Open Lock, both with 4 ranks. They gain a +16 size bonus to Hide checks. Distinguishing a McRobot from its "toy" counterpart requires a successful Spot check (DC10).
• Variable Weapon Platform (Ex): A McRobot can be outfitted with a single, one-use weapon before each mission. These are modular and can be traded out in 1 minute by a skilled technician (Repair check DC15).
     The first weapon is a pepper spray canister (5' range). A successful ranged touch attack results in the target being Blinded for 1d4 rounds if they fail a Fort save (DC15).
     The second choice of armaments is a compact taser. A pair of pneumatically-launched darts are fired at the target. Thin wires attached to these darts deliver a powerful shock, dealing 1d4 electrical damage. Additionally, the target must make a Fort save (DC15) or be Paralyzed for 1d6 rounds.
     The third type pf weapon carried by a McRobot is a dart that carries a potent knockout drug. The dart is too small to deal any damage but the target must make a Fort save (DC13) or be rendered unconscious. One minute later, a second Fortitude save (also DC13) must be made or sleep will continue for 1d4 hours. If both saves fail, the target suffers 1d3 Int damage, indicating short-term memory loss (usually a span of 5d6 minutes).

Comments

Post a Comment

Recent Posts

Smoke Powder Golem

Image
Smoke Powder Golem                                     CR13 (Original drawing of Smoke Powder Golem)   A Smoke Powder Golem is a blending of technology and the divine magic of Gond created to serve as temple guardians.   On average, the golem stands 12’ tall and weighs 8,000 pounds.   The smoke powder golem resembles the more common Iron Golem except its right arm has been replaced with the thick barrel of a bombard.   A large “backpack” has been built onto the golem and contains the ammunition for the golem’s cannon (internal magazine of six shells).   Firing the cannon causes the next shell to automatically, move into the firing chamber.   The golem smells of oil and sulfur.   N Large Construct Init: -1; Senses: Listen +0, Spot +0 Languages: Understands the langua...
Read more

Beldam (Other Mother from Coraline)

Image
I watched the movie “ Coraline ” for the first time this weekend.   Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen snippets of the film here and there over the years and I recognized the character when the movie started but I have never sat down and Watched the movie (or read the book).   By the time the show was over, I have to admit that I was fascinated by the entire thing.   The animation and pacing were incredibly well done and the main antagonist was delightfully wicked.   This is who I want to focus on today – Beldam, a.k.a. the Other Mother.   Some viewers may think that she was some sort of demon, offering children their heart’s desire in exchange for their souls, much like a crossroads demon but I feel like she more closely resembles a faerie, a member of the Unseelie Court who is allowed a great deal of independence in her operations.   I also think that since the protagonist, Coraline, was just a child that Beldam wouldn’t necessarily have been overly power...
Read more

The Magic of Mario-World Power-Ups for D&D

Image
Not so very long ago, one of my kids suggested that I write a blog post about using the Power-Ups from the Mario Brothers franchise.   Now, to be honest, the last Mario game I played was Super Mario 3 back whenever it came out but I thought, “Sure, why not?”   Well, it turns out that the number of Power-Ups has expanded exponentially in my almost 30 year absence.   Seriously, at the time of this writing, there’s like SEVENTY-NINE different ones available and that doesn’t even touch on the banana peels from Mario Kart. That said, instead of trying to stat out all of them, I’m just going to focus on the ones from the Super Mario Brothers game and call it good.   These include the Super Mushroom, the Fire Flower, the Invincibility Star, and the 1-Up Mushroom.   That’s it.   If you want the Penguin Suit, the Raccoon Suit, or a Yoshi, look somewhere else because I’m not going to cover those here. The Super Mushroom is pretty straightforward. ...
Read more

The EM-50 Urban Assault Vehicle

Image
1976 GMC Motorhome Palm Beach model 26' Crew: 4     Passengers: 19 Cargo: 425 lbs.* Init: -4 Top Speed: 60 (6) - approximately 35 - 40 mph Defense: 6 (-4 size) Hardness: 10 SZ: G (8' wide x 26' long x 10' high) Purchase: 45     Restriction: Mil (+3) * each unused passenger slot allows the vehicle to carry an additional 100 lbs. of cargo. • 6 wheels with reinforced tires • Communications: High-Range Radio, Compass, GPS, Night Vision (via driver's periscope) • Back of vehicle opens for assault ramp Armaments: • 7.62mm Machine Guns (x2, forward arc) • Flamethrowers (4/side, fire-linked, over rear wheels) • Light Tank Gun (rear arc) • Rocket Rack (roof-mounted, retractable, 6 rockets) Despite performing well on its one and only (unauthorized) mission , the prototype EM-50 was decommissioned and flown back to the United States and placed in storage at the Sierra Army D...
Read more

A Horse By Any Other Name (Part 6)

Image
One Month after the Summer Solstice (Seventh Moon, 1000 ALB) Ra'ziir follows along beside Foil Hat, "What makes you think this 'Abacus' knows anything about planar travel?" The conspiracy theorist replies, "Oh, he's a wizard, knows all kinds of things about conjurations and summonings. If he doesn't have your answers, he'll probably know who to ask." "My little ponies!" Grotto winnies, "The confection shop is this way! How can we expect to confront this unknown on the word of the paranoid pony? We should surely go to this confectionery and get some information from another source. Are we to trust this one only because it was the first we encountered? More information is needed! We should fill our bellies, get reliable corroborating information there! Are we to blindly trust this one to lead us to a trap in the vulnerable state we are in?!" Grotto insists. "Plus that is where these phillies are!" Grotto thinks to ...
Read more

🎶 🎶 He's a Were-House 🎶 🎶 (to the tune of "Brick House")

Image
One of my players recently tagged me in this picture, more or less daring me to see what I could come up with. There are already other versions of this concept out there (I really like this one ). I know that larger versions of Mimics exist and I could convert them to whatever edition of the game we are playing but that would be cheating and doesn't fit the "spirit" of the post. This is what I came up with... Faizard Skitterbrook the Were-House CR: 3     Medium Humanoid (Human/Shapechanger) HD: 3d4    Hp: 8 Init: +1     Spd: 30' AC: 11 (+1 Dex), t: 11, ff: 10 or 15 (+1 Dex, +4 Mage Armor spell) Attacks: (BAB+1/Grap +1) ; +1 Staff: 1d6 (20/x2) or +2 Light Crossbow: 1d8 (19-20/×2, 80') SA: Arcane Spells (CL3; DC12 + spell level; 4/3/2); Improvised Weapons SQ: Transformation Align: CN    Saves: Fort +1, Ref +2, Will +4 Str: 11, Dex: 13, Con: 11, Int: 15, Wi...
Read more