[5e] New Race: The Ironsects

[BerzerkerUnit]

Ironsects (stats below)
At some point in the past 150 years a race called the Ironsect appeared. Scholars believe it is related to a falling star that created the massive crater known as the Northern Hollow. They became a nuisance to smaller towns in the North for a short while but eventually made peace.

Most Ironsects serve metallic dragons regardless of temperament, living largely on their cast off scales and skins. They also produce dragonmake goods but in far smaller quantity than Dragoborn and treat such items as hereditary treasures.

They must consume a minimum of 10gp worth of metal goods each month. However, the metal must have been processed and put to some purpose, raw ore provides no nutritional value and the quantities found in most creatures are insufficient. While they can consume other foods for pleasure, it is unnecessary.

Ironsect mandibles are not suited to biting creatures nor destroying objects or structures anymore than a human or elf mouth would be. Objects they choose to consume must generally be broken into bite size pieces which they will usually swallow whole after scouring for some time with tough bristles that line the inner contours of their mandibles and mouth.

Their internal processes will render the metals into a remarkably pure base form, decomposing alloys until they eliminate waste. Scholarly study has concluded the same volume of material comes out as goes in. Arcane theory proposes that the Ironsect do not eat metal, but rather the effort that goes into producing metal works.

Spoiler: Ironsects

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Playable Subtypes: Drone, Warrior, Worker
Age: Ironsects are hatched from eggs in a larval state universally recognized as grotesque. Even by their own standards they view larva as an unfortunate necessity. The larva are vicious and voracious. After a week of constant feeding they enter a pupal stage which lasts 3-6 weeks depending on their subtype. They emerge from the cocoon as an adult with an innate capacity for speech.
Size: your size is medium
Ability Bonus: +2 Wisdom
Intelligible Burbling: Ironsects do not have a proper language but instead make burbling utterances that any other creature with a language can readily interpret.
Speed: 30
Claws: Your unarmed attacks can deal slashing or bludgeoning damage.
Natural Armor: Ironsects May add their Proficiency bonus to their AC when wearing no armor. If the armor they are wearing would provide a lower Armor Class than this total, they use this total instead. They can retain this benefit while using a shield.
Secondary Limbs: you have a pair of additional arms attached to your thorax that are suitable for interacting with objects, using tools, readying spell components or ammunition, but lack the strength and reach to make attacks. These arms do not grant you additional actions, just a measure of flexibility in how to arrange your equipment.

Spoiler: Drone

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As a drone you’re primary function is propagating the colony. This goes beyond attending to the Queen’s physical needs. Drones are diplomats par excellence as well.
Ability Bonus: +1 Charisma
Innate Spells: you know the Friends Cantrip. You can cast Animal Friendship or Charm Person with this feature, Charisma is you spellcasting ability for these spells. You must complete a long rest before using this feature again.
Wings: At 5th level your body undergoes the final phase of maturation for your subtype. Your carapace splits to reveal glistening translucent wings, the veins are tinged with the color of your preferred metallic food. You gain a fly speed of 30 feet, you cannot fly while wearing heavy armor or carrying a heavy load. Armor will typically cost twice its normal price to be modified to accommodate your wings.

Spoiler: Worker

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You’re designed to do grunt work.
Ability Bonus: +1 Constitution
You gain the Powerful Build trait.
You gain Darkvision to a range of 60 feet.
Limited Tremorsense: you have a Tremorsense of 10 feet while underground. The range of your Tremorsense increases by 5 feet when you reach levels 5,11, and 17.
Burrow speed: You can burrow through 5 feet of loosely packed earth, sand, and gravel each round. This speed increases by 5 feet when you reach levels 5,11, and 17.

Spoiler: Warrior

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Born to fight
Ability Bonus: +1 Strength
Improved Defenses: You may calculate your unarmored AC as 10+Proficiency Bonus+Dexterity bonus. You can use a shield and retain this benefit.
Improved Natural Weapons: Born to battle, your claws deal 1d4 slashing or bludgeoning damage. As you continue to mature, your claws become exceptionally resilient and adapted to battle, absorbing the strength of your preferred metal goods. This also allows them to bear certain enchantment, such as the Magic Weapon spell. Your claw damage increases to d6 at 5th, d8 at 11th, and d10, at 17th.

[Maat Mons]

What relation do these ferrovores have to rust monsters?

[BerzerkerUnit]

That would be up to the DM to decide. For my world they loathe rust monsters as the monstrosities destroy the raw materials preventing them from being reworked and then used and consumed again.

Similarly they might hunt rust monsters like the Indigenous peoples of the American plains hunted buffalo, consuming the creatures’ organs for “their power” or believing them to be a necessary supplement to facilitate their own digestion.

There’s always the ever popular “Wizard did it” mutant theory or feral vs sentient branches of the same species’ evolution.

I’ve given it a lot of thought, but for my own setting, the bigger will be created from the smaller to create a side quest and reignite a conflict between racists in the boonies and the Ironsects.

[JNAProductions]

I'm pretty iffy on giving Warriors the equivalent of +5 Studded Leather. The rest looks fine.

[BerzerkerUnit]

I'm pretty iffy on giving Warriors the equivalent of +5 Studded Leather. The rest looks fine.

Then think of it as +3 Halfplate with part of the medium armor master feat. I've put a lot of thought into it and the only way to really capitalize on it is to throw away one class feature or another to benefit from it. So it adds some versatility without being a purely numerically superior option.

[JNAProductions]

Then think of it as +3 Halfplate with part of the medium armor master feat. I've put a lot of thought into it and the only way to really capitalize on it is to throw away one class feature or another to benefit from it. So it adds some versatility without being a purely numerically superior option.

11 (Base)+6 (Proficiency)+5 (Dexterity)+2 (Shield)=AC 24, before any magic shields.

The only thing you really lose out on is +1 Strength, but that's well worth it.

[BerzerkerUnit]

Ah, I thought your numbers looked off. The intention was “replace the 11+ Dex with 10+Proficiency+Dex.” I’ll try to edit the above post.

That said, I’m looking at CR 17+ creatures (when you’re likely to have all the listed bonuses).

Adult Red Dragon, +14 to hit and it’s safe to assume it will have kobold minions assisting for advantage. AC does nothing vs breath (high Dex vs breath I consider neutral since everyone benefits from it the same).

Solar Angel, +15 to hit.

Tarrasque, +19 to hit.

And by not wearing armor you’re forgoing the benefits Magic armors provide (adamantine, energy resist, no hvy armor master) so there is a cost for the increase. Negative comparisons to Fighter or Paladin are only going to be felt at the highest levels while a Monk will keep pace through mid levels and any fighter or Paladin that comes across a set of plate will race to near their top end after donning it.