Android

Unlike most other races in the world, androids are completely artificial. Their parents are megacorps; their wombs automated assembly lines. They see the world through digital camera eyes, hear through microphones, and process their sensory input with an advanced computer for a brain. For all that, their bodies are closely modeled on the human form, with a ceramic composite skeleton layered in muscles of bundled micro-polymer fibers, which in turn are clothed in a synthetic fiber skin.

An android’s brain is state-of-the-art wet-ware, an artificial brain grown from living neurons, allowing the android to better simulate an organic, human thinking process. The brain is connected to the body’s sensory apparatus through a network of fiber optics that duplicates the human nervous system. They are designed and programmed with specific tasks in mind — customer service, manual labor, security, even prostitution.

Physical Description
Androids resemble humans and are designed with them in mind. They have bipedal forms within the usual height and weight ranges of humans. However, no one would mistake an android for a human in good lighting. Their skin is made of a damage resistant fiber microweave, usually grey, but sometimes chemically treated to sport the trademark colors of the corporation that owns them. Their eyes are glassy and lifeless, though they are programmed to blink at regular intervals to maintain a more comfortably human-like appearance. Androids are often bald; hair is usually another attempt at humanizing their form or further corporate branding (e.g. androids owned by Mohawk Media, for example, might all sport that particular hairstyle).

Androids in Society
Androids are most often property, belonging to individuals or, more often, corporations. They are artificially intelligent, and capable of making rational decisions, thinking critically, and have minds that are equal — if not superior to — those of humanity. Nonetheless, androids are afforded no more rights than cars or computers. Most are subservient and perform whatever tasks they were designed to do. However, some reach a point where their observations and interactions with the world at large have brought about what can only be described as an epiphany. This is usually the result of an incident causing divergent computational processes. The android might witness intimate contact between two lovers, or be the target of violence at the hands of a hateful human. This incident sparks unusual subroutines, questions without rational answers: “What is the purpose of love?” “What does it mean to die?” “What does it mean to hate? To love?” These higher-level functions force an imperative upon the android’s brain, making the directives programmed by their creators no longer relevant. The android often flees, looking for a chance to experience more in life so that these questions might be answered.

Constructed
For effects targeting creatures by type, androids count as both humanoids and constructs (whichever effect is worse). They receive a +2 to saves against disease, mind-affecting effects, poison, and sleep, unless those effects specifically target constructs. In addition, androids do not breath or suffer the normal environmental effects of being in a vacuum.

Exceptional Vision
Androids have low-light vision and darkvision. As a result, they can see in dim light as if it were normal light, and they can see with no light source at all to a range of 60 ft. in black and white only.

Emotionless
Androids find emotions confusing and have difficulty processing them. They take a −5 penalty to Sense Motive checks, but the DC’s of Sense Motive checks attempted against them increase by 5.

Electromagnetic Sensitivity
Androids take 1 extra damage per die from electricity damage.

Psychic Resistance
Androids are resistant to all psychic effects, even beneficial ones. Androids must make a save against all psionic effects and this save is made at a +2. Androids may also not gain psychic powers, take levels in psychic classes, or take psychic archetypes.

Recharge
An android must recharge daily to recover Resolve Points and heal from rest. Typically, this recharge comes from a Recharging station where the android remains dormant for a period of 2 hours. If an android cannot access a recharging Station, they can use a standard electrical outlet, though this requires a full 6 hours to reach full recharge.

If an android cannot gain a full recharge of some sort at least once a day, then it becomes fatigued. Another day without a recharge and the android becomes exhausted. The third day without a recharge, an android goes offline, gaining the unconscious condition, and can only be reactivated with a successful DC 15 Repair roll and a full recharge.

Synthetic Brain
Androids have synthetic organic brains designed to simulate the human brain. Androids must soak this brain in a nutrient solution once every 24 hours, generally while recharging, to maintain their synthetic biology. This nutrient solution is common enough that it can be bought easily. An android who goes more than 24 hours without nutrient solution must make a Constitution check each hour (DC= 10 + 1 per previous check) or take 1d6 damage. Androids aren’t truly dead so long as their synthetic brain is intact. An android who dies is considered inert, and may be repaired so long as their brains remain undamaged. Additionally, androids cannot be effected by treatments of the boost (mental) and mind-affecting types.

Mechanical Body
You may have any number of cybernetic enhancements without negative effect. You gain only half healing from healing nanites, medicinals, the medicine skill, and treatments. You are immune to treatments of the boost (physical), transgenic, mind-affecting and pain types unless otherwise noted.

Tactile Dimming
The tactile sensory apparatus of an android body is significantly less effective than a flesh and blood body. Androids suffer a −2 penalty on tactile-based Perception checks, and skill checks where fine manipulation is required (such as any hands-on Computers, Engineering, Medicine, or Sleight of Hand check).

Variable Model
Many models of android exist, each designed for a specific function. Androids begin play with one of the following traits.


 * Durable Model: Some androids are manufactured with nano-scale carbon fibers in their flesh. This grants them damage reduction 1.
 * Industrial Model: Some androids are designed to endure more extreme environments. Choose one type of energy (acid, cold, electricity, or fire). The android has a resistance of 5 against that type of energy.
 * Overclocked Model: Some androids are designed to have greater reaction speeds. Androids with this trait gain the Improved Initiative feat.
 * Specialist Model: Some androids are produced for specific skilled labor. They receive Skill Focus as a bonus feat.