Synthetic

Roughly 200 years ago all across the galaxy, sufficiently advanced nations started creating the first generation of synths; more advanced than mere robots, these synths had advanced self learning programming and could learn new jobs just by trial and error. While most modern day synths and their supporters don’t like calling first generation synths, synths, they were a hallmark of things to come. Second generation synths were a natural progression from the first, they could hold rudimentary conversation and fool most people into thinking they were not artificial. The real panic came when these synths started asking the big questions: “Am I alive?” “What happens when I die?” “Is this even real?” People started to worry their synths were becoming self aware and many tried to force them into a recession from development. Some nations outlawed them entirely, while others continued to use them as slave labor. Many people still do not like calling these entities synths.   Third generation synths are very recent, the oldest from a few decades ago. No one is quiet sure how the leap from second to third gen happened, or what all was involved, but their software is too far advanced and every third gen synth has passed every test anyone has ever devised to try and prove or disprove that the synth is or is not a living person; just metal, plastic, and code but still alive. The topic of synth rights is still a heated debate within the Galactic Federation, and right now rights on synths is being dealt with on a nation by nation basis. Some nations, like the UNE, embrace synth rights and name them free people, while other nations, like the Tzynn Empire, keep them as slaves.   Not just simple machines, synths possess free will and intelligence, or a simulation thereof so advanced one can't realistically determine it's simulated. Synths and their supports demand equal rights to biologicals. Synths store their intelligence within their software, and with proper preparation it can be retrieved or stored in compatible systems. Whether restarting this software, or backing up and restoring the original to default settings, constitutes as death is a topic of heated debate. Under law by various nations, include the UNE, synthetics owe their manufacturers, or whomever party holds the contract, the cost of creating their chassis plus interest to be paid back in full. With long term contracts and planned obsolescence means very few synths actually own their own chassis, and the few who do typically continue in the role they were originally created for. This relatively cheap source of indentured labor is popular among megacorporations, and is viewed as another form of slavery by synth rights groups. In nations where synths do not owe back their cost of manufacturing has seen a sharp decline in synth production, with synth creation rates nearly 0.  

Synth Names

Synths often have multiple names to them, the serial number of their manufacturing and software, the name and model number of their chassis, and a familiar name used by biologicals around them. This familiar name may be given to the synth, or chosen by the synth, and can be a hint to their job, a jab at their being, or friendly personable name.   Serial Numbers. 80D2EUT256, IH1SFOZ70A, 23FAHGTJXS, ROFRNZP6RA, OYUR1PEK7M   Chassis Models. Helen Series 200 Companionship Interface, Z8 Astrological Mechanical Unit, Series 1400 Titantech Industrial Loader, Personal Service Unit 450 Series   Familial Names. Clanky, Gearhead, Rust Bucket, Brobot, Franky, Helen, Astro, Titanus, Jeeves  

Synthetic Traits

Age. A newly developed AI can take up to six standardized months to be evaluated and deployed, and a chassis can spend up to a year between manufacture and deployment. A synthetic chassis can last several decades before needing to be replaced or heavily maintained, and the entropic decay rate of synthetic AIs is as of yet unknown. Given this, a synth can be anywhere between 1 and 30 years old, with no known maximum age if properly maintained.   Alignment. A synths alignment depends on numerous factors, the bias in their programming, the culture of their origin, experiences of their past, etc. Even alignments one might think is a given, materialist, isn't even guaranteed as there are synths whom are devote spiritualists.   Size. Almost all synths are Medium sized, but their exact weight and height can vary from chassis model to model. Most synths that serve on ships are sized appropriately for the creatures that crew that ship. With DM permission, your synth character may instead be Small sized.   Speed. You have a walking speed of 30 feet. If your synth is small sized, it instead has a walking speed of 25 feet.   Augmentable. Being synthetic lets you mod your body like one would a weapon or armor. Your Augmentation Points are calculated as your Constitution modifier + your proficiency bonus.   Infravision. Most synths can see in infrared light, allowing them to see in the dark. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness within 60 feet of you as if it were dim light. You can't discern color in darkness, only shades of grey.   Inorganic. You are not a standard creature, giving the following traits:

• Your creature type is mechanical.
• You are immune to disease.
• You do not eat, drink, or breathe.
• You do not need to sleep and do not suffer the effects of exhaustion due to lack of rest. You can still be put to sleep by powers or hacking.
• Instead of sleeping, you enter a low power state remaining semiconscious for 4 hours while you recharge. After resting in this way, you may spend the remaining 4 hours performing light activity to gain the benefits of a long rest.
• Transporting power packs you use to recharge is no more difficult than a living creature transporting food and water.
• You are immune to poison and psychic damage, and can not be poisoned.
• You can act in the vacuum of space without any special protections.
• You are immune to certain psychic powers, and can be targeted by certain powers that target machines and computers
• When reduced to 0 Vitality, your chassis is permanently disabled. Even if you succeed three death saving throws, you can not act until your chassis is restored with an Intelligence (Engineering) or Intelligence (Repair Kit) check. If you fail three death saving throws, your software suffers critical damage and can not be recovered.
• You may not take the advance classes Cyborg or Psychic. All other advance classes are available to you.

  Integrated Protection. Your chassis has built in defense plating, which determine your AC. You gain no benefit from wearing armor, but may apply the bonus of using a shield as normal. During a long rest, you or an ally can alter your plating to one of the options below, if you meet the prerequisites. The plating costs credits, which you or an ally must provide prior to aquiring the plating, but once removed can be reapplied at a later date; you only need to buy an option once.

Plating	Prerequisite	Cost	Effect
No Plating	None	0 credits	AC 10 + your Dexterity modifier
Steel Plating	Civilian armor proficiency	45 credits	AC = 13 + your Dexterity modifier
Composite Plating	Military armor proficiency	400 credits	AC = 15 + your Dexterity modifier (maximum of 2)
Heavy Plating	Power armor proficiency	1,500 credits	AC = 19; disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks

  Specialized Design. Your chassis was created for a specific purpose. Choose three of the options below to represent what your chassis was designed for. You can later pay 2,500 credits at any valid shop to change your three options, representing swapping your chassis for a new one.

• Proficiency in one skill of your choice
• Proficiency in one tool of your choice
• Proficiency in one systems of your choice
• Expertise with one of the three options chosen from the list above.
• Proficiency in military weapons
• Proficiency in military armor
• A tool chosen from the list above integrated into your body. The tool is always available for use by you, and to do not need your hands free to use the tool.
• A weapon you are proficient with integrated into your body. The weapon is considered always equiped by you, and you do not need your hands free to make an attack with the weapon.