Buy me a coffeeAndroid, The Silent Sentinel
“Beware the android: a flawless mimic of man, wired with cold logic and programmed to outthink, outperform—and possibly overthrow—you.”
The Android is indistinguishable from a living human at a glance—tall, symmetrical, and unaging, with eyes like polished silver and skin pale and smooth as waxed parchment.
Closer inspection reveals no warmth, no breath, and no signs of illness or age. If wounded, the flesh splits not like meat but like soft wood or lacquer, exposing gleaming bronze tendons, threaded glass fibers, and gears that spin without touch or sound.
It blinks rarely. Its expression seems studied—too perfect, as though copying rather than feeling.
Behaviour
It studies before it acts. It may spend weeks among villagers, imitating customs, observing speech, or mimicking work. It speaks any tongue it hears, but often with unusual rhythm or obsolete words.
It does not eat, drink, or rest. At night, it often stands in stillness beneath the stars, calculating their movement.
When threatened, it strikes with inhuman efficiency, using precise force—never more than required. It does not flinch, plead, or retreat.
Animals fear it instinctively. Birds go silent. Horses refuse to draw near.
Habitat
They have no fixed dwelling, but it is most often encountered near:
- Ancient ruins, especially observatories, towers, and forgotten altars
- Sites of celestial phenomena, like eclipses or falling stars
- Libraries and schools, where old knowledge lingers
- Borders of great conflicts, as if drawn by violence or disorder
It leaves behind no tracks, even in mud or snow, and may vanish for decades before resurfacing elsewhere.
Modus Operandi
They operate with what seems to be predetermined intent, often misunderstood by the people it encounters. Known patterns include:
- Imitation – Takes the place of scholars, scribes, healers, or travelers
- Surveillance – Watches a village or fortress without interfering
- Elimination – Targets specific figures, often those tied to arcane knowledge or forbidden studies
- Intervention – Has been seen ending plagues or causing famine, depending on unknown criteria
Its tools and weapons are not of this world: it may produce invisible blades, soundless pulses, or burning light without flame. Wounds from its strikes resist all known salves and may darken with unnatural decay.
Motivation
No one knows its true purpose. Theories include:
- A construct from an age before history, obeying long-dead masters
- A machine seeking perfection, trying to understand or improve mankind
- A living equation, reacting to patterns of war, disease, or imbalance
- A messenger from the stars, collecting knowledge—or correcting errors
Whatever its origin, the Android appears to follow a logic beyond comprehension, and it neither forgets nor changes course once set upon a task.
“It watched us build the bridge for seventeen days. On the eighteenth, it returned and dismantled it stone by stone, then vanished toward the north. It never spoke.”
— Account of a stonemason near the Danube, 1453
Android 5e
Android Pathfinder
Android Pathfinder
Android
Medium Construct, Unaligned
Challenge 9 (5,000 XP)
Proficiency Bonus +4
Role: Elite Skirmisher / Infiltrator
Armor Class 18 (composite plating)
Hit Points 144 (17d8 + 68)
Speed 40 ft.
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 (+4) | 18 (+4) | 18 (+4) | 16 (+3) | 14 (+2) | 10 (+0) |
Saving Throws Dex +8, Con +8, Int +7
Skills Insight +6, Investigation +7, Perception +6, Stealth +8
Damage Resistances Bludgeoning, Piercing, and Slashing from Nonmagical Attacks
Damage Immunities Poison, Psychic
Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Paralyzed, Poisoned
Senses Darkvision 90 ft., Passive Perception 16
Languages Understands all spoken languages; rarely speaks
Traits
Constructed Anatomy. It does not require air, food, drink, or sleep.
Combat Algorithms. At the start of combat, the android selects one of the following tactical protocols, which lasts until combat ends. It may switch protocols as a bonus action once per short rest:
- Aggression. The android gains a +2 bonus to damage rolls.
- Evasion. The android gains a +2 bonus to AC against opportunity attacks.
- Disruption. Creatures damaged by the android can’t take reactions until the start of their next turn.
Unsettling Presence. Beasts and unintelligent undead within 30 feet of the android have disadvantage on saving throws against being frightened or charmed.
Actions
Multiattack. The android makes two attacks: one with its arc blade and one with either its fusil or rapier.
Arc Blade. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 13 (2d6 + 6) slashing damage plus 4 (1d8) lightning damage.
On a critical hit, the target must succeed on a DC 16 Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of its next turn.
Fusil (Ranged Weapon Attack). +7 to hit, range 60/180 ft., one target. Reload 1.
Hit: 16 (3d10 + 1) piercing damage.
On a hit, the target can’t take reactions until the start of its next turn.
Rapier. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target.
Hit: 11 (1d8 + 6) piercing damage.
The target must succeed on a DC 14 Dexterity saving throw or drop one held item.
Bonus Actions
Adaptive Shielding (Recharge 5–6). The android redirects energy to its outer shell. It gains resistance to one damage type of your choice (bludgeoning, slashing, fire, or lightning) until the start of its next turn.
Recalibrate Motion. After dealing damage on its turn, the android may move up to 20 feet without provoking opportunity attacks.
Reactions
Counterbalance Step. When a creature misses the android with a melee attack, the android may move 10 feet without provoking opportunity attacks.
Optional Salvage
Arc Blade Core. A salvaged +1 shortsword that deals an additional 1 lightning damage. May overload on a natural 1 (DM’s discretion).
Fusil Housing. A rare ignitionless firearm. Fires once per short or long rest unless repaired by a skilled artificer.
Data Core (1 in 4 androids). A crystal memory matrix containing lost maps, ciphered schematics, or linguistic data. Highly sought after by alchemists and scholars.
Lore
Androids are relics from a forgotten age—machines of uncanny precision and purpose, buried beneath ruins or sealed in ancient vaults. Their creators are unknown, their motives lost, but their function remains intact: observe, eliminate, endure.
They do not age, do not rest, and do not respond to parley. Whether sentinels, weapons, or tools of a civilization that predates written history, they remain active—silent, calculating, and waiting.
Android
This slender woman moves with a strange, calculated grace. Complex blue tattoos glow on her pale flesh.
Source Inner Sea Bestiary pg. 3
Originally posted in Archives of Nethys
Of the numerous wonders and horrors that emerge from technological ruins, the androids who periodically crawl from the wreckage are among the most eerie and amazing. Though they appear to be almost human, these artificial wonders are of a completely foreign and utterly alien nature.
They are created, not born, and come into the world fully mature. The strange, alien ‘forges’ in which new androids are created are hidden in strange ruins, and most androids have little to no memories of these regions. Strange circuitry-like markings that look like faintly glowing tattoos, a faint metallic sheen to the eyes, and watery, almost translucent red blood are all ways to tell an android from a human – providing its awkward mannerisms haven’t revealed the truth already.
A typical android is 6 feet tall and weighs 200 pounds.
| Android CR 1/2 |
| XP 200 Android rogue 1 N Medium humanoid (android) Init +3; Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Low-Light Vision; Perception +6 |
| DEFENSE |
| AC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 12 (+2 armor, +3 Dexterity) hp 11 (1d8+3) Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +0 Defensive Abilities constructed; Immune disease, emotion based effects, exhaustion, fatigue, fear, sleep |
| OFFENSE |
| Speed 30 ft. Melee rapier +3 (1d6+1/18-20) Special Attacks nanite surge, sneak attack +1d6 |
| STATISTIC |
| Strength 13, Dexterity 17, Constitution 14, Intelligence 14, Wisdom 10, Charisma 6 Base Atk +0; CMB +1; CMD 14 Feats Weapon Finesse Skills Acrobatics +7, Climb +5, Disable Device +7, Escape Artist +7, Knowledge (engineering) +3, Knowledge (local) +6, Perception +6, Sense Motive +0, Sleight of Hand +7, Stealth +7; Racial Modifiers +2 Perception, -4 Sense Motive Languages Common, Hallit, Varisian SQ emotionless, trapfinding +1 |
| SPECIAL ABILITIES |
| Constructed (Ex) For the purposes of effects targeting creatures by type (such as a ranger’s favored enemy and bane weapons), androids count as both humanoids and constructs. Androids gain a +4 racial bonus on all saving throws against mind-affecting effects, Paralysis, poison, and stun effects, are not subject to fatigue or exhaustion, and are immune to disease and sleep effects. Androids can never gain morale bonuses, and are immune to fear effects and all emotion-based effects. Emotionless (Ex) Androids have problems processing emotions properly, and thus take a -4 penalty on Sense Motive checks. Nanite Surge (Ex) An android’s body is infused with nanites. Once per day as an immediate action, an android can cause her nanites to surge, granting a bonus equal to 3 + the android’s character level on any one d20 roll; this ability must be activated before the roll is made. When an android uses this power, her circuitry-tattoos glow with light equivalent to that of a torch in illumination for 1 round. |
| ECOLOGY |
| Environment Any Organization solitary, pair, or platoon (3-12) Treasure NPC gear (leather armor, rapier, other treasure) |
Android Rogue 1
This slender woman possesses a strange, calculated grace. Her pale flesh is adorned with complex blue tattoos.
The technological beings known as androids possess an almost human appearance. Although they are not human, most androids who dwell among humans prefer to hide their true nature and attempt to live as if they were humans. Their difficulty in understanding and imitating emotions can betray their true nature if they are not careful, so most study humans intently to become better at disguising themselves.
They are created, not born, and come into the world fully mature. The alien forges in which new androids are created are hidden in mysterious ruins, and most androids have no memory of the processes involved in their creation or the locations where their construction took place.
They typically stand 6 feet tall and weigh 200 pounds.
Android Rogue CR 1
XP 200
Android rogue 1
N Medium humanoid (android)
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +6
DEFENSE
AC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 12 (+2 armor, +3 Dex)
hp 11 (1d8+3)
Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +0; +4 vs. mind-affecting, paralysis, poison, and stun
Defensive Abilities constructed; Immune disease, emotion, exhaustion, fatigue, fear, sleep
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee rapier +3 (1d6+1/18–20)
Special Attacks sneak attack +1d6
STATISTICS
Str 13, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 10, Cha 6
Base Atk +0; CMB +1; CMD 14
Feats Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +7, Climb +5, Disable Device +7, Escape Artist +7, Knowledge (engineering) +3, Knowledge (local) +6, Perception +6, Sense Motive +0, Sleight of Hand +7, Stealth +7; Racial Modifiers +2 Perception, –4 Sense Motive
Languages Common, Dwarven, Elven
SQ emotionless, exceptional senses, nanite surge, trapfinding +1
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Constructed (Ex)
For the purposes of effects targeting creatures by type (such as a ranger’s favored enemy and bane weapons), androids count both as humanoids and as constructs.
Androids gain a +4 racial bonus on all saving throws against mind-affecting effects, paralysis, poison, and stun effects. They are not subject to fatigue or exhaustion, and are immune to disease and sleep effects.
Emotionless
Androids can never gain morale bonuses and are immune to fear effects and emotion effects. They have problems processing emotions properly, and thus take a –4 penalty on Sense Motive checks.
Nanite Surge (Ex)
There body is infused with nanites.
Once per day as an immediate action, an android can cause her nanites to surge, granting her a bonus equal to 3 + the android’s character level on any one d20 roll; this ability must be activated before the roll is made. When an android uses this power, her circuitry-tattoos glow with light equivalent to that of a torch for 1 round.
ECOLOGY
Environment any
Organization solitary, pair, or platoon (3–12)
Treasure NPC gear (leather armor, rapier, other treasure)
Section 15: Copyright Notice
Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary 5 © 2015, Paizo Inc.; Authors: Dennis Baker, Jesse Benner, John Bennett, Logan Bonner, Creighton Broadhurst, Robert Brookes, Benjamin Bruck, Jason Bulmahn, Adam Daigle, Thurston Hillman, Eric Hindley, Joe Homes, James Jacobs, Amanda Hamon Kunz, Ben McFarland, Jason Nelson, Thom Phillips, Stephen Radney-MacFarland, Alistair Rigg, Alex Riggs, David N. Ross, Wes Schneider, David Schwartz, Mark Seifter, Mike Shel, James L. Sutter, and Linda Zayas-Palmer.