Elysium Engineering Transhuman Shells
Aphrodite
These humanoid Shells are designed with an array of pheromones and body harmonics designed to trigger instinctive responses in human-cognitive viewers. Despite the exotic appearance of many of them, these shells are almost invariably seen as remarkably beautiful. The body harmonics required to produce this effect are grown on a genetic level from a known and adaptable genetic base, but gracefulness and beauty are at the core of this shells construction.
Attributes:
Strength 12, Dexterity 14, Constitution 10
Basic Abilities:
Aphrodite Shells improve the soul’s Charisma modifier by +2, up to a maximum of +4. In addition, any social skill checks toward human minds gain a +1 bonus, or a +2 bonus if the interaction involves intimate physical contact. The shell is designed to enable prolonged physical activity granting them a bonus of 6 skill points to the Exert skill while inhabiting this shell. Due to subroutines in the hardware these shells are have a difficult time performing any kind of violence and have a -2 to any attack they make.
Affinity Abilities:
Practiced Phenomenon users can refine the shape’s natural grace into superlative speed and precision, improving their Dexterity score to 17. By accepting 2 System Strain, forcing pheromone production and enacting nuanced imprinting gestures and motion patterns they can issue subtle commands to a specific organic human in their presence. The target must make a Mental saving throw with a penalty of the users Charisma modifier or comply with any request that isn’t particularly distasteful to them and won’t take them more than a scene. This compulsion is almost impossible for most subjects to distinguish from simple personal persuasiveness on the Phenomenon’s part.
Ares
While an organic form lacks the durability and martial efficiency of a warbot, the Scourge is popular among martial polities that have an aversion to synthetic existence. These shells are built to allow for brief bursts of tremendous combat performance, though extended operation exhausts them more quickly than their mechanical peers. Most Scourges are human-like or humanoid in appearance, though some models favor a “war beast” appearance with manipulatory appendages. Also, these shells are designed to never change in their youthful appearance but only takes a year of neglect to start begin breaking down.
Attributes:
Strength 18, Dexterity 12, Constitution 18
Basic Abilities:
A Gladius has natural weapons equivalent to a large advanced melee weapon and makes all attack rolls at a +2 bonus. It has a natural Armor Class of 15 and 20 extra hit points. By spending 2 System Strain points, it can go into a combat frenzy for the rest of the scene, improving Strength and Constitution modifier to +3 (Including hit points gained), gaining a Move rate of 15 meters per action, and gaining an additional +2 bonus to hit rolls. Scourge shells auto-stabilize at zero hit points. Any hit points lost beyond their normal level from their boosted Constitution cause immediate and dramatic death.
Affinity Abilities:
The expert Gladius user can improve the efficiency of its combat frenzy. While active, whenever they spend a Main Action to attack, they can make two attack rolls. These rolls may either be aimed at the same target or at two different targets in range. Each attack is resolved normally, inflicting damage or Shock separately.
Heracles
Both a boundary and an endpoint for a certain type of human development, the Heracles shell includes sophisticated integral nanofacs and hybridized tissue components to create the “ultimate” human form. They are notoriously difficult to create, with multiple failure points in their construction, and provide a level of performance that is more theoretically impressive than practically useful for most purposes.
Attributes:
Strength 18, Dexterity 16, Constitution 18
Basic Abilities:
A Heracles is immune to conventional diseases and toxins, has a base Armor Class of 16, and grants 20 extra hit points to the soul operating it. A Heracles can tolerate any temperature found on Earth and can survive hard vacuum or airless conditions without difficulty for ten minutes. Cognitive improvements grant a +1 to either their Charisma, Intelligence, or Wisdom modifiers, the attribute chosen being alterable with five minutes of concentration. This bonus cannot increase the modifier above +2. Heracles shells auto-stabilize at zero hit points.
Affinity Abilities:
Expert operators gain a +1 bonus on all skill rolls and +2 on hit rolls. By accepting 2 System Strain as an Instant action, the user can gain a bonus turn of action in a round, taken at the end of the round after everyone else has acted. Only one bonus turn can be taken each round
Oracle
This shell was created as conventional education was abandoned and the people's interest began turning to the interpretation of the alien ruins that had been found in the system. The ruins described magic and how it was used. Applying the knowledge of the "Black Sun Project" known to the Psychic that had been exiled to the system prior to the scream this shell was developed. It offers any potential caster some added benefits including the compendium of skills about magic and casting that have been learned. The shell's skill base is routinely updated with neural firmware updates that are released wirelessly in the system.
Attributes:
Strength 10, Dexterity 14, Constitution 14
Basic Abilities:
An Oracle shell has built in SANIS interface that is practically a guide to casting. This grants 3 Skill Points in the Magic (Know) skill and 6 points in the Magic (Cast) Skill. By spending 2 System Strain points, this allows the shell to surge and recover a spell slot of a level equal or less than the characters Intelligence modifier immediately after the spell was cast.
Affinity Abilities:
The expert Oracle user can improve the efficiency of its spell slot recovery. They gain two benefits. The first is the maximum spell slot that can be recovered increases by 1. The second is they can spend the system strain up to 1 round after the spell was cast.