Animus Magica (3.5e Race)

Author: Zhenra-Khal (talk) Date Created: 5/10/2017 Status: Complete; Open to clarification and suggestions. Editing: Clarity edits only please

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Animus Magica

A living Animate Objects spell, Animus Magica make for very interesting and challenging enemies - And allies. In Eberron, most Living Spells are found in the Mournlands, a place blasted by magic in the Last War. These spell effects twisted back on themselves and refused to dissipate, taking on sentience and ravaging the spell-torn land further. However, with the great number of Warforged that died on that battlefield, sometimes a spell used to call inanimate objects to life would absorb the latent sentience in the destroyed constructs, taking on a mind and soul of its own, derived from the shards of personality it had been born from.

These Living Animate Objects spells who developed sentience tended to then animate and piece together bodies for themselves out of the wreckage of the deceased Warforged, wandering the wastelands and eventually leaving them, some seeking to destroy, other seeking purpose as the orders once barked at their former incarnations are now silent. Many of these creatures appear just like Warforged, but less coherent and a bit more distant.

In other worlds, they form from animating magic gone afoul. The Spellplague in the Forgotten Realms is one example where these creatures could be created; Animation twisted by wild magic into an entity all its own.

Personality

Much like Warforged, these creatures possess very limited experience in life, and many are disturbed by the landscape they were "born" in. They tend to seem fairly distant at times, and can be very difficult to "read", as their faces, being Warforged, were not designed to express emotions. They are also very inquisitive about things they don't understand, most especially machinery.

Physical Description

Animus Magica are typically fairly invisible, being visible only as a blob-like disturbance very similar to the distortion in the air caused by heat rising off a very hot object. Most form bodies to possess that resemble Warforged. However, these creatures can be found possessing all manner of inanimate object, from a coin to a sword to a jewel. (Which makes for rather interesting mid-campaign character introduction.) Physically immortal, these creatures suffer no penalties for aging (But continue to accrue bonuses with age, as normal).

Relations

Generally they get along very well with Warforged, but not very well with anyone else. Interestingly, they also have an instinctive understanding of other Living Spells and can communicate with them.

Alignment

Most are neutral or lawful neutral, though they can be of any alignment. They retain much of their blank moral concepts from their Warforged memories, though the drive to follow procedure and order tends to remain as well in some.

Lands

Most come from the Mournlands, and the majority stay there, ending up caught halfway in the conflict between the Lord of Blades and the living spell known as Stohpo-Ahk, as they are neither living spell nor Warforged, but rather both.

Religion

Most do not follow a religion, though those that do are unwavering in their faith, as their beliefs give them purpose they crave. Typically they follow gods of crafting, creation, magic and mystery, as well as the occasional deity of war.

Language

Generally these creatures speak Common, and can learn languages just as easily as their Warforged counterparts.

Names

As Warforged, though many derive names from other races.

Racial Traits

• +2 Constitution, +2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma: Just like the Warforged they drew life from, Animus Magica are awkward socially, but their chosen body is tough as nails. They lose the +2 bonus to Constitution when not possessing their Warforged body.
• Ooze: Much like other Living Spells, Animus Magica are considered Oozes. However, they are considered Constructs when possessing any object, and gain the Living Construct subtype while possessing their chosen Warforged body. 
• Medium: As a Medium creature, an animus magica has no special bonuses or penalties due to its size.
• Animus Magica base land speed is 40 feet. Animate Objects has a Medium range, thus giving the Animus Magica a base speed of 40 when not possessing an object. Otherwise, their land speed is 30. 
• Ooze Characteristics (Ex): The Animus Magica's natural form is an amorphous ooze-like distortion. In this form, they are not subject to critical hits, sneak attacks or flanking, and are immune to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, polymorph, and stunning. In this form they are also immune to all attack forms that rely on sight, such as gaze attacks and visual illusions. However, they are not immune to mind-affecting effects, and they possess Blindsight with a range of 60ft in both forms. When not possessing their bodies, they do not gain their racial +2 bonus to Constitution. In their natural form, they have Damage Reduction X/Magic, where X is equal to their Constitution modifier (But no higher than 10). While not possessing their body or another object, they suffer a -2 penalty on Will saves from the feelings of vulnerability and paranoia associated with being without a vessel. 
• Warforged Body (Ex): While possessing their Warforged body, their type changes to Construct (Augmented Ooze, Living Construct). They lose their immunity to precision damage, which becomes instead a 25% chance to ignore the precision damage from each attack. In their Warforged form, they also gain their racial +2 bonus to Constitution, which is tied to the possessed body rather than to the creature itself. They also possess the Warforged immunities to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, disease, nausea, fatigue, exhaustion, effects that cause the sickened condition, and energy drain. Their bodies do not heal naturally and only receive half healing from [Healing] spells, but can be repaired as constructs by the Repair line of spells and similar effects. They possess the Warforged's natural slam attack that deals 1d4 damage. Lastly, the Animus Magica count as Warforged for the purposes of qualifying for feats and so forth (And can thus take the Adamantine or Mithral Body feat at first level if they desire, as well as being able to use Warforged components). 
• Living Magic (Su): Much like any spell, the Animus Magica is suppressed entirely while in an Antimagic field, their body falling to the ground as if dead. They are Helpless while in this state, but only their bodies can be destroyed; The living spell itself is reinstated in the square where their body fell lifeless at the end of the spell. Animus Magica are likewise vulnerable to targeted dispelling, though they can only be temporarily disabled for 1d4 rounds, like a magic item. The effective caster level of an Animus Magica is its total HD, +1. Unlike other Living Spells, Animus Magica possess no innate spell resistance. 
• Animate Objects (Su): As a standard action, the Animus Magica can try to possess a single Medium or smaller object by touch; This can be a suit of armor, a golem, and so forth. The size of the object the Animus Magica can possess increases to Large at 4 HD, a Huge object at 8 HD and a Gargantuan object at 16 HD, reaching their maximum at 32 HD, when they can attempt to possess a Colossal object. Attended objects, magic items and golems all receive a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 HD + Con modifier) to resist the effect; Unattended, nonmagical items are allowed no save. The Animus Magica then uses the object's physical statistics (Strength, Dexterity and Constitution), as well as the possessed object's or construct's traits, like hardness, resistances and so forth (But not spells or spell-like abilities); However, they retain their mental ability scores (Intelligence, Wisdom and Charisma) and abilities such as spellcasting, spell-like abilities and so forth (Including the ability to possess objects). To possess an object, they must leave their Warforged bodies, leaving them vulnerable, but the destruction of the body doesn't harm the Animus Magica. 
• Magic Empathy (Su): Animus Magica can communicate with other Living Spells and similar creatures. While these creatures are mindless and attack creatures for pleasure, they typically do not cannibalize each other, and thus can be "convinced" not to attack a party by another sort of living spell. this functions exactly like the Wild Empathy class feature of the Druid, except the bonus uses the Animus Magica's HD instead of class level and only functions against Living Spells and similar creatures. Most Living Spells start as Hostile, and spells of the Chaotic or Evil alignment have the DC increased by an additional 5 (For a total of +10 for a Chaotic Evil spell).
• Automatic Languages: Common.
• Bonus Languages: Any, except secret.
• Favored Class: Fighter, Sorcerer, Battlemage
• Level Adjustment: +1
• Effective Character Level: 2

Vital Statistics

Table: Animus Magica Random Starting Ages

Adulthood	Simple	Moderate	Complex
5 years	+1d4	+1d8	+1d12

Table:Animus Magica Random Height and Weight (Warforged Body)

Gender	Base Height	Height Modifier	Base Weight	Weight Modifier
Male	6'	+/- 1d6"	270 lb.	+/- 3d10 lbs.
Female	6'	+/- 1d6"	270 lb.	+/- 3d10 lbs.

Example Animus Magica

Arget Mythweaver

CR 13

	Animus Magica Wizard 4, Fighter 2, Mage Knight 5, Spellcarved Soldier 1
	LN Medium Construct
Init/Senses	+3/Blindsight 60; Listen +1, Spot +1
Languages	Common, Draconic, Giant
AC	19, touch 13, flat-footed 16 (+3 dex, +6 armor)
hp	50 (4d4 plus 3d10 plus 5d8 HD); DR 2/Magic in Ooze form
Immune	Immune to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, disease, nausea, fatigue, exhaustion, polymorph, stunning, effects that cause the sickened condition, and energy drain.
Fort/Ref/Will	+13/+5/+11
Speed	30ft
Melee	+16/+16/+11, +4 Adamantine Longsword of Speed (1d8+7 19-20/x2 slashing)
Ranged	+16 ranged touch, Runeshard (Tier III +2 Implement Impulse Rune Arm; Deals 1d8 Force damage per charge, stable charge tier of 3, range 80')
Space/Reach	5 ft./5 ft.
Base Atk/Grp	+10/+13
Atk Options	Power Attack
Special Actions	Animate Object, Magic Empathy +11, Rune of Extension, Spellblade
Combat Gear	+3 Adamantine Longsword of Speed, Runeshard
Wizard Spells Prepared	(CL 10th): 4th—Ice Storm x2, Phastasmal Killer x2 (DC 18) 3rd—Fireball x2 (DC 17), Displacement, Fly 2nd—Acid Arrow ×3, Blur 1st—Magic Missile x3, Shield x2
Abilities	Str 17, Dex 16, Con 17, Int 18, Wis 12, Cha 9
SQ	Ooze Traits, Warforged Body, Living Magic, Arcane Armor Training (Heavy), Enhanced Arms, Martial Caster
Feats	Mithral Body, Scribe Scroll, Craft Wondrous Item, Power Attack*, Cleave*, Rune Arm Legacy, Silver Tracery, Mithral Fluidity, Great Cleave, Craft Magic Arms and Armor
Skills	Climb +11, Concentration +15, Craft (Metalworking) +19, Intimidate +2, Jump +10, Knowledge (Arcana) +11, Ride +4, Spellcraft +17, Swim +9, Use Magic Device +0
Possessions	combat gear plus Wand of Repair Moderate Damage (15 charges), spellbook.
Ooze Traits (Ex)	In his natural form, Arget's type is Ooze, and he has immunity to precision damage, as well as immunity to all effectss that rely on sight. His movement speed increases to 40, and he gains DR 2/Magic. However, his Constitution drops by 2 points and he suffers a -2 penalty on Will saves. He is also immune to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, polymorph, and stunning.
Warforged Body (Ex)	Arget possesses a Warforged body. When he's possessing it, he loses his immunity to sight-dependent effects and gains a +2 racial bonus to Constitution. His immunity to precision damage is replaced by 25% fortification, and he gains immunity to disease, nausea, fatigue, exhaustion, effects that cause the sickened condition, and energy drain. However, his speed is reduced to 30ft.
Living Magic (Su)	Arget vanishes in an Antimagic field, his body falling limp, and he is disabled in the same way for 1d4 rounds when subject to a successful targeted dispel. He can be dispelled as a spell of CL 13.
Animate Objects (Su)	Arget can attempt to possess and animate a single object or golem of Huge size or smaller by touch as a standard action. Attended and magical items, as well as constructs, are allowed a Will save (DC 19) to resist.
Magic Empathy (Su)	Arget can attempt to improve the attitude of Living Spells and similar creatures by attempting a Magic Empathy check in place of a Diplomacy check.
Rune of Extension (Su)	Arget can Extend one beneficial non-instantaneous spell placed on himself. This single spell is also harder to dispel, adding +5 to the dispel DC.
Enhanced Arms (Su)	All armor, weapons and shields Arget equips gain an additional +1 to their enhancement bonus while he's using them, including his Warforged plating.
Spellblade	Arget can infuse a targeted spell of up to 3rd level into any weapon he's wielding; The next successful attack he makes with the weapon discharges the spell.

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