New Advanced Race - Automatons

[continuumg]

Basically, I want an artificial race. So here goes. The idea behind the automaton is that it's playstyle changes throughout the game. It starts with exceptional strength, but abysmal Int and Dex. It's dexterity remains poor through the game, but it becomes more intelligent rapidly as it gains experience. Automatons are fueled by magic, and require it to be effective.

Automatons make good Fighters, Gladiators, Artificers, Conjurers, and Warpers.

Original Post:

Spoiler: show

Though automatons may follow gods, they are inept at invoking their abilities.

Automaton (Au)
14 Str, 2 Int, 2 Dex
Autos gain 1 Int every two levels
Exp 0
HP +2
MP +4
MR +4
Automatons have no hunger clock.
Automatons can't eat or quaff potions
Automatons lose magic slowly over time.
Automatons are slowed while MP is 0.
If an Auto would mutate, it becomes corroded instead
Automatons are immune to poison
Automatons are immune to negative energy and torment
Automatons have clarity
Automatons don't heal while monsters are near
Automatons gain Repulsion Field 1 at XL 6, 2 at XL 12, and 3 at XL 18
Automatons can recycle items for some MP, destroying those items in the process, giving autos a use for otherwise useless items.

Version 2, (Main design ideas bolded):

Spoiler: show

14 Str, 2 Int, 2 Dex
Autos gain 1 Int every two levels
Exp 0
HP +1
MP +1
MR +4
Automatons have a different hunger clock than normal, and don't lose satiation while resting.
Clock represents level of fuel (Depleted, Near Depletion, Low, etc)
Automatons can't eat
When an automaton quaffs a potion, it provides 1,500 nutrition (Fueled by potions)
Automatons gain a bonus to AC equal to their current HP, but always take at least 1 damage from any attack that hits.
If an Automaton would mutate, it becomes corroded instead
Every level, the player has a choice to upgrade Defenses (HP+2), Offenses (Slay+1), or Magic (MP+2)
(?Automatons don't gain HP, MP, or attack damage from skills?)
Every 5th time the player makes a given choice, the upgrade provides an additional bonus (Perhaps not, just spitballing)
- Defenses provide Repulsion Field 1, 2, and 3
- Offenses grant all attacks made (Except with crossbows?) the Vorpal quality, followed by the Electric quality, then the Speed Quality (Find some less powerful effect?)
- Magic grants a wizardry bonus each time.
Automatons are immune to poison
Automatons are immune to negative energy and torment
Automatons have clarity
Armor fits poorly on automatons (1/2 Armor AC)

Version 3, (Main design ideas bolded):

Spoiler: show

14 Str, 2 Int, 2 Dex
Autos gain 1 Int every two levels
Exp 0
HP +1
MP +1
MR +4
Automatons have a different hunger clock than normal, and don't lose satiation while resting.
Automatons satiation can't go above starting value (Like ghouls)
Clock represents level of fuel (Depleted, Near Depletion, Low, etc)
Automatons can't eat
When an automaton quaffs a potion, it provides 1,500 nutrition (Fueled by potions)
Automatons gain a bonus to AC equal to their current HP, but always take at least 1 damage from any attack that hits.
If an Automaton would mutate, it becomes corroded instead
Every level, the player has a choice to upgrade Defenses (HP+2), Offenses (Slay+1), or Magic (MP+2)
Automatons don't gain HP, MP, or attack damage from skills
Automatons are immune to poison
Automatons are immune to negative energy and torment
Automatons have clarity
Armor fits poorly on automatons (1/2 Armor AC)
Automatons get Repulsion Field 1 at XL 6, Repulsion Field 2 at XL 12, and Repulsion Field 3 at XL 18

The AC bonus equal to current HP represents how the automaton is basically just made of armor. A nice little piece of UI that might help this feel natural is simply to colour the HP bar of an automaton light grey. This creates an new level of tension, as players begin to take more damage the lower their HP drops.

The numbers for the level upgrades are rough guesses at what would make for good play.

The potion-fueling creates an interesting dynamic where a player might not want to use a potion too while full, but also might not want to use one while nearing empty in case they'll need its effect later.

Aptitudes

Spoiler: show

Fighting 0
S Blades -2
L Blades -2
M&F 0
Axes 0
Polearms -2
Staves -2
Unarmed +2

Throw +1
Slings -2
Bows -2
CrBows 0

Armour 0
Dodge -2
Stealth -4
Shields 0

Invoc -5
Evoc +3

Spellcasting -1
Conjur +1
Hexes -5
Charm -2
Summon -2
Necro -5
Transloc +1
Transmu -5
Fire +1
Ice 0
Air 0
Earth +1
Pois -1

[chequers]

Anything which encourages picking up every item in the dungeon is bad design.

I'm not very clear how the mp stuff works beyond that. Can you elaborate?

Some of the apts seem pointless. If automatons can't transmute they should have at least average tmut apt, and so on.

[continuumg]

That last ability was perhaps a rash decision. The entire list of abilities is completely different than the list I pasted into the textbox from my text editor; I just kept tinkering with it before I hit 'Submit'. I had a variant that absorbed damage from elec and turned it into mp. I had that same thing, but starting with a wand of lightning. I had a version that gained mp with a scroll of recharging. I also had a version that used the hunger clock instead and had no magic and was incapable of casting spells. I had a version that could leech magic from enemies, but I thought that might end o=up too similarly to Vinestalkers.

Basically, the idea was that instead of hunger, the automaton requires magic to function. The problem is that every logical step I took in design led it to being extremely difficult to survive as an auto. This was the cleanest execution I could come up with today. Suggestions are welcome.

[chequers]

Another point: your implementation of "automaton" is extremely similar to existing undead mechanic, although better since they get Clarity. You should try to differentiate automaton further. Or reflavour this species as undead.

[watertreatmentRL]

Hello again. Without the item eating thing, you've got another apt/mut proposal, with major similarities to existing species. You need something crunchier than that.

Here's a similar notion that's been getting some discussion around here and that would be great to somehow get into dcss, even if only for one species: Exploration-based regeneration. Generally, the idea is to have no normal regeneration of mp and/or hp, but to regain them from exploring. It's a lot like eating items, but without the item interaction. To make it work, you need something to prevent banking unexplored territory. A reservoir with turn-based decay for unused regeneration should be enough to do that, along with a limit on the percentage of exploration per level that counts toward regeneration. There have been variations of this idea proposed for deep dwarves by a few people, including myself. Lots of details to work out, but I suspect you could get somewhere with a proposal like that.

[Implojin]

Here's a similar notion that's been getting some discussion around here and that would be great to somehow get into dcss, even if only for one species: Exploration-based regeneration. Generally, the idea is to have no normal regeneration of mp and/or hp, but to regain them from exploring. It's a lot like eating items, but without the item interaction. To make it work, you need something to prevent banking unexplored territory. A reservoir with turn-based decay for unused regeneration should be enough to do that, along with a limit on the percentage of exploration per level that counts toward regeneration.

I've already talked with gammafunk about possibly adapting explore-to-regen into a Stone Soup species.

If someone can present a better implementation than whatever falls out of the hellcrawl exploration of this space, I'm all for it!

[continuumg]

I overhauled the design. Any comments? Suggestions?

[chequers]

I think this species sounds incredibly strong as a fighter now. But there are some interesting unique mechanics. Perhaps too many even.

Unique replacement for third level stat up is a cool idea.
Low int plus wizardry sounds like starting with placid magic and eventually losing it.

Code up a prototype!

[Vanguardan]

Agreed, definitely code up a prototype. This sounds like a super interesting concept. I'd play it.

[continuumg]

Will do!
I'd appreciate it if someone would be willing to compile it for me; I've been unsuccessful with that thus far.

EDIT: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BwFAb ... 1lnNWtMblU
You should be able to extract this right into the source folder of a 0.20.1 download and build from there.
If anyone compiles this, would you be willing to send me a copy?
Hope it works