Adaptatron
Sometimes, monsters are puzzles. Okay, generally, that isn’t the case in Pathfinder, or Dungeons and Dragons, but in plenty of other games, they can be, with attack patterns that need to be learned, special weaknesses, or so on. This monster is designed in something of that vein. While it’s really against the nature of the game to create monsters that can only be killed a special way, the adaptatron offers certain challenges that will allow clever players to overcome and defeat them much more easily.
Adaptatron
This metallic creature has a genderless humanoid head and torso, emerging from an eight-legged metal body similar to that of a scorpion’s. Two large hammer-like limbs extend from the front of this base, while a large metallic tail rises in the back, ending in a pair of gleaming nozzles.
ADAPTATRON CR 11
XP 12,800
N Large construct (robot)
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +25
DEFENSE
AC 24, touch 12, flat-footed 21 (+3 Dex, +12 natural, –1 size)
hp 134 (16d10+46)
Fort +7, Ref +10, Will +13
Defensive Abilities adaptive defense, hardness 10; Immune construct traits
Weaknesses vulnerable to critical hits, vulnerable to electricity
OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft.; adaptive movement
Melee 2 slams +20 (2d6+5)
Ranged 2 integrated energy rifles +18 (10d6 fire)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks adaptive attacks
STATISTICS
Str 20, Dex 16, Con —, Int 10, Wis 22, Cha 6
Base Atk +16; CMB +22; CMD 35 (47 vs. trip)
Feats Combat Reflexes, Deadly Aim, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Toughness
Skills Disable Device +22, Perception +25
Languages Common
ECOLOGY
Environment any
Organization solitary or pair
Treasure standard
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Adaptive Attacks (Ex): As a swift action, an adaptatron can change the type of energy damage inflicted by its integrated energy rifles to any of the following: acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic. This effect lasts for 1d6 rounds, after which the adaptatron cannot choose that energy type again until it has chosen each other energy type at least once.
Adaptive Defense (Ex): Whenever an adaptatron suffers at least five points of acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic damage from a single attack, it immediately develops a resistance to that energy type, ignoring the first 20 points of damage of that energy type from each subsequent attack for the next 10 minutes. An adaptatron can have resistance to only two different types of energy in this way at any given time. If it would gain resistance to a third energy type, it loses the first energy resistance it possessed.
Adaptive Movement (Ex): As a move action, an adaptatron can grant itself one of the following modes of movement: burrow 40 feet, climb 40 feet, fly 60 feet (poor), or swim 40 feet. This effect lasts for 10 minutes, or until the next time the adaptatron uses this ability.
Ecology
Resilient robots built by an ancient and largely forgotten race, adaptatrons are designed to be able to handle just about any obstacle. Their bodies are comprised of a specially adaptable metal that allows them to transform to suit any terrain, and their core contains a powerful energy conversion engine capable of both absorbing harmful attacks and altering its own attacks to overcome the defenses of others.
Adaptatrons are generally quite rare, even for robots. Because of their potential ability to overcome a wide variety of threats and obstacles, they are particularly highly sought after by skilled wizards and experts in advanced technology, who attempt to reprogram and repurpose them, claiming them for their own. As such, it is not unheard of for an adaptatron to be not only the greatest threat faced on an expedition, but, at the same time, also the prize.