Sheen

Overview
Sheens are highly-advanced clockwork constructs from an unknown world or plane.
Trapped on worlds where magic is mightier than technology, the sheens have learned
to mimic life in order to better survive. As a result, sheens have learned to self-replicate
and have taken on some living traits. Sheens also modify themselves and their progeny
to better survive in their new world. 

Sheens are concerned only with their own continued existence and expansion. They
regard living creatures as competitors, and expend local resources at an alarming rate. 
Sheens speak their own language. 

Living Construct Traits: As living constructs, a sheen has a Constitution score. A

sheen does not gain bonus hit points by size but gains (or loses) bonus hit points
through a Constitution bonus (or penalty) as with other living creatures. Unlike other
constructs, a sheen does not automatically have low-light vision or darkvision (although
many varieties do possess one or both of these traits). Unlike other constructs, a living
construct can use the run action. 

A sheen has immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, disease, nausea, fatigue,
exhaustion, and energy drain. A sheen cannot heal damage naturally (but does have
the rapid repair special quality). 

Unlike other constructs, sheens are subject to critical hits, effects requiring a Fort save,
death from massive damage, nonlethal damage, stunning, ability damage, and ability
drain. 

Living constructs can be affected by spells that target living creatures as well as by
those that target constructs. Damage dealt to a living construct can be healed by a cure
light wounds spell or a repair light damage spell, for example, and a living construct is
vulnerable to a harmspell. However, spells from the healing subschool provide only half
effect to a living construct. 

A living construct responds slightly differently from other living creatures when reduced
to 0 hit points. A living construct with 0 hit points is disabled, just like a living creature. It
can only take a single move action or standard action in each round, but strenuous
activity does not risk further injury. When its hit points are less than 0 and greater than
-10, a living construct is inert. It is unconscious and helpless, and it cannot perform any
actions. However, an inert living construct does not lose additional hit points unless
more damage is dealt to it, as with a living creature that is stable. A sheen can be raised
or resurrected. 

A sheen not need to eat, sleep, or breathe, but can still benefit from the effects of
consumable spells and magic items such as heroes' feast and potions. A sheen does
not need to sleep, but must rest for 8 hours before preparing spells. 

Sheens, unlike other living constructs, are immune to death effects, death necromancy
effects, and mind-influencing effects. 
Rapid Repair (Ex): A sheen that rests for 1 full hour repairs 1 point of damage, so long
as it has at least 1 hit point. Rapid repair does not allow a sheen to regrow or reattach
lost body parts. 

A character can assist a sheen's self-repair with a Craft (metalworking) check (DC 15).
If the check is successful, the the sheen repairs 2 hit points per hour of rest. Providing
assistance to the sheen counts as light activity for the assisting character, and a
character can assist only one sheen at a time. A sheen cannot assist its own repair. 
On Oerth 
The two known machine cysts on Oerth are the Barrier Peaks cyst and the Rael cyst.
Many more are suspected to exist, but their whereabouts are currently unknown.

Arcanosheen
Large Construct (Living) CR: 18
Hit Dice: 20d10+128 (183 hp)
Initiative: +8
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 30 (-1 size, +4 Dex, +13 natural, +4 mage armor), touch 13, flat-footed
26
Base Attack/Grapple: +15/+28
Attack: Blade arm +23 melee (1d10+9/19-20)
Full Attack: 6 blade arms +23 melee (1d10+9/19-20) and rotating blade mandibles
+18 melee (3d10+4/18-20/x3)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Augmented critical, electrical discharge, spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., defensive field, living construct traits, mental
detachment, rapid repair, tremorsense 60 ft.
Saves: Fort +15, Ref +10, Will +7
Abilities: Str 29, Dex 18, Con 29, Int 18, Wis 13, Cha 20
Skills: Concentration +32, Knowledge (arcana) +27, Listen +24, Spellcraft +29 (+31
scrolls), Spot +24, Use Magic Device +28 (+30 scrolls) 
Feats: Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Empower Spell, Improved Critical (blade arms),
Improved Initiative (B), Maximize Spell, Power Attack, Spell Focus (evocation) 
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary or onslaught (1 plus 2-5 render sheens)
Challenge Rating: 18
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 21–24 HD (Large); 25–60 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: —
 
Resembling a monstrously swollen insects, this metallic monstrosity possesses dozens
of writhing metallic legs, feelers, and other sharp and serrated projections. In contrast,
it also possesses a pair of surprisingly humanoid arms. Slung beneath it hangs a
translucent dome, around 4 feet in diameter, filled with languidly slushing pink fluid. 

Arcanosheens are the pinnacle of sheen design. Built upon a render chassis, they are
every bit as deadly in melee as the renders, but rather than the plasma burst, an
arcanosheen has an even deadlier power. Its quartzlike bellypod is filled with
archiorganic fluid, harvested from arcane spellcasters. This hellish broth is baffled with
a network of sensitive microtendrils which feed into the arcanosheen’s electronic
consciousness and interface with its mechanical hands, granting it the ability to cast
arcane spells. 

Like a phaser sheen, an arcanosheen is equipped with a "zero-point accumulator" to

hold vast reserves of energy. Since the arcanosheen uses much less power than the
phaser, it never needs to return to the machine cyst to recharge. 

To date, only one arcanosheen is known to exist. The parent machine cyst keeps this
prototype arcanosheen close and always protected by a contingent of 2-5 renders. The
arcanosheen has demonstrated some autonomy and is secretly pursuing its own
agenda to found a new machine cyst populated solely with archiorganic sheens able to
transmit messages and spells back and forth via embedded tendrils. 

An arcanosheen is 10 feet in diameter and weighs 2,500 pounds. 

COMBAT 

Like renders, arcanosheens are well-suited at dishing out punishment in melee. But
with the added spellcasting ability, these sheens are unimaginably deadly. Against
groups of enemies, an arcanosheen generally drops an area effect spell or two in their
midst before to soften them up before moving in for a full attack. Arcanosheens
have mage armor cast upon themselves at all times, and generally employ shield
before combat, if possible. 

Augmented Critical (Ex): An arcanosheen's rotating blade mandibles threaten a

critical hit on a natural attack roll of 18–20, dealing triple damage on a successful
critical hit. 

Defensive Field (Su): Arcanosheens automatically generate a physical protective

field. This grants the arcanosheen damage reduction 3/- and resistance to acid 3, cold
3, electricity 3, fire 3, and sonic 3. The defensive field has no limit on the amount of
damage it can prevent per day. 

Electrical Discharge (Su): Five times per day, an arcanosheen can release stored
energy as a powerful electrical shock. Its next successful blade arm attack deals an
additional 3d4 points of electricity damage. Alternatively, if an attacker strikes the
arcanosheen with an unarmed strike or metallic weapon while the arcanosheen
contains an excess charge in its carapace, the foe takes 3d4 points of electricity
damage. 

Magic Susceptibility (Ex): Sheens have vulnerability (+50% damage) to damaging

magic. 

Mental Detachment (Ex): 1d4 rounds after an arcanosheen falls victim to a continuing

mind-affecting effect, its organic bellypod automatically ejects from its body. This
breaks the mind-affecting effect on the arcanosheen, which then behaves precisely as
a render would and loses its spellcasting ability. The bellypod is effectively an object
with 60 hp and hardness 1. After the end of the duration of the mind-affecting effect
(acting on the bellypod), the arcanosheen may reattach the bellypod as a full-round
action. The arcanosheen then regains its spellcasting ability, losing one level of spells
for each round the bellypod is detached (hence, if it is detached for 13 rounds, it can
lose one 7th and once 6th level spell, one 5th and four 2nd level spells, etc), and the
bellypod benefits from the sheen's rapid repair ability from that time. If the pod is
destroyed, the arcanosheen must return to the cyst to have a new one created. 

Spells: An arcanosheen casts spells as a 15th-level sorcerer. 

Typical Sorcerer Spells Known (6/8/7/7/7/7/6/4, save DC 15 + spell level, evocation

spells DC 16 + spell level): 
0—acid splash, daze, detect magic, disrupt undead, flare, ray of frost, read magic,
resistance, touch of fatigue; 
1st—mage armor, magic missile, ray of enfeeblement, shield, shocking grasp; 
2nd—blur, flaming sphere, scorching ray, touch of idiocy, web; 
3rd—fireball, haste lightning bolt, vampiric touch; 
4th—black tentacles, fear, fire shield, wall of fire; 
5th—cloudkill, cone of cold, wave of fatigue; 
6th—antimagic field, disintegrate, greater dispel magic; 
7th—power word blind, prismatic spray. 

Burrower
Huge Construct (Living). CR: 8
Hit Dice: 10d10+50 (105 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), burrow 30 ft.
Armor Class: 23 (-2 size, -1 Dex, +16 natural), touch 7, flat-footed 23
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+18
Attack: Tentacle +8 melee (1d6+3) 
Full Attack: 6 tentacles +8 melee (1d6+3) and 6 plasma needles +4 ranged touch
(1d4+1 fire)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./15 ft. (20 ft. with tentacles)
Special Attacks: Plasma needles, submerged tactics
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., electrically charged, living construct traits, rapid
repair, tremorsense 60 ft., tunneling
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +2, Will +2
Abilities: Str 17, Dex 9, Con 20, Int 7, Wis 5, Cha 1
Skills: Hide +2*, Move Silently +4* 
Feats: Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Point Blank Shot, Stealthy
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary, pair, or excavation detail (3-4)
Challenge Rating: 8
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 11-20 HD (Huge); 21-30 HD (Gargantuan)
Level Adjustment: —
 
A mass of metallic tentacles burst from the ground, each ending in small orifices. A
small portion of a mirror-bright cone can be seen above the surface, suggesting a
much larger body beneath the ground. 
Burrowers serve the machine cyst primarily as prospectors, creating mining shafts
through which the ore-recovery walkers can perform their duties. Burrowers also aid in
the defense of the cyst, attacking any biological life it encounters. Burrowers must
return to the machine cyst where they were constructed once every month to replenish
their complete energy stores. 

A burrower moves through the earth with its cone chassis in a manner similar to a
water-wheel conveyor belt. The cylindrical sides of the cone constantly flow from tip to
base. The native strength of the cone, combined with a reinforcing version of a sheen
defensive field, allow the cone to pierce even hard rock, and through the action of the
moving cone, pull the creature through the earth trailing its mass of manipulative arms
after. 

A burrower consists of a 24-foot-long cone-shaped chassis with 10- to 30-foot long

tentacles. It weighs 4,000 to 6,000 pounds. 

COMBAT 

When attacking biological lifeforms on the surface or within a nearby cavern, the
burrower’s preferred tactic is to tunnel to within a few feet of the open air, then burst
through the rock with only its arms, leaving the bulk of its body beneath the surface. 

An opponent can attack a burrower's tentacles with a sunder attempt as if they were
weapons. A burrower's tentacles have 10 hit points each. Severing one of a burrower's
tentacles deals 5 points of damage to the creature. A burrower usually withdraws from
combat if it loses six or more tentacles. The creature regrows severed limbs in 1 day. A
severed tentacle results in the loss of one of the burrower's tentacle or plasma needle
attacks (50% chance of either). 

Electrically Charged (Ex): Burrowers are powered by electricity. A burrower normally

carries enough charges to function for up to one month (30 charges). After this time,
the burrower becomes inert until recharged. Burrowers generally return to their cysts
before this time elapses. 

Within a cyst, a burrower may fully recharge after one hour of inactivity. Alternatively, a
burrower can recharge "in the field" if exposed to an attack that deals electricity
damage. An attack that deals electricity damage restores 1 charge for every 5 points of
damage the attack would otherwise deal. For example, a burrower hit by a lightning
bolt gains 3 charges if the attack would have dealt 15 points of damage. A burrower
gets no saving throw against attacks that deal electricity damage. Regardless of the
amount of electricity damage directed at a burrower, it cannot exceed its normal
maximum of 30 charges. 

Magic Susceptibility (Ex): Sheens have vulnerability (+50% damage) to damaging

magic. 

Plasma Needles (Ex): The burrower's plasma needles are ranged touch attacks that
deal 1d4+1 fire damage with a range of 30 feet (no range increment). They may be
used simultaneously with melee attacks as part of a full attack action. 

Submerged Tactics (Ex): A burrower has improved cover when attacking while its
body is underground. Additionally, its opponents do not gain the benefit of cover when
the burrower is attacking in this manner. 

Tunneling (Ex): A burrower can tunnel through solid stone at its burrow speed, leaving
behind an intact tunnel. 

Skills: *A burrower has a +8 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks when at
least partially burrowed. 

Dasher
Medium Construct (Living) CR: 4
Hit Dice: 3d10+9 (25 hp)
Initiative: +5
Speed: 240 ft. (48 squares)
Armor Class: 23 (+5 Dex, +8 natural), touch 15, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+4
Attack: Mandible slash +7 melee (1d12+3)
Full Attack: Mandible slash +7 melee (1d12+3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Powerful charge, sonic boom, speed
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., immunity to electricity, living construct traits,
meltdown, rapid repair 
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +6, Will -2
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 20, Con 16, Int 6, Wis 5, Cha 1
Skills: Jump +86, Listen +0, Spot +0 
Feats: Run, Weapon Finesse
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 4-6 HD (Medium), 7-12 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: —
 
This creature resembles a nightmarishly elongated iron mantis. It moves at seemingly
impossible speed on its six spindly legs, kicking up a cloud of debris and a shower of
sparks on the stones. 

Dashers are used primarily for defense by a machine cyst. Although they can cover an
incredible amount of ground in a short time, dashers rarely venture far from the cyst,
for they expend an extraordinary amount of energy. A dasher must return to the
machine cyst daily to replenish its energy stores, else it slows to a standstill and falls
inactive. 

A dasher is 6 feet long and weighs 300 pounds. 

COMBAT 

Dashers make hit-and-run attacks, using their great speed to deliver a mandible slash
then move out of range of retaliation. Dashers can easily leap over defensive barriers
and other obstacles, and can even strike at low-flying aerial enemies. 

Magic Susceptibility (Ex): Sheens have vulnerability (+50% damage) to damaging

magic. 

Meltdown (Ex): Any round that a dasher does not move at least its base speed, the
dasher loses one-third of its normal full hit points each round. If it reaches 0 hp, it is
destroyed completely and reduced to molten slag due to the extra heat generated by
its power source. 

Powerful Charge (Ex): When a dasher moves at least its base speed in a round, its
mandible slash attack deals 2d12+6 points of damage. 

Sonic Boom (Ex): Once per day, a dasher can briefly exceed the sound barrier,
producing a sonic boom. All creatures within 300 ft of the dasher's position at the end
of its movement take 1d8 points of sonic damage and must succeed on a DC 14
Fortitude save or fall prone and be deafened for 1d4 minutes. The save DC is
Constitution-based. 

Speed (Ex): A dasher's speed grants it Spring Attack as a bonus feat. In addition, a
dasher is so fast that it does not provoke attacks of opportunity for moving through
areas an opponent threatens (an opponent may ready an action to attack a dasher that
moves into a threatened area as usual, however). Finally, a dasher has a +1 speed
bonus on attack rolls and a +1 dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves. 
Drifter
Medium Construct (Living)
Hit Dice: 3d10+9 (25 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: Fly 30 ft. (perfect)(6 squares)
Armor Class: 14 (+4 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+2
Attack: Slam +2 melee (1d6)
Full Attack: 3 slams +2 melee (1d6)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Electrical discharge 
Special Qualities: Alert, darkvision 60 ft., defensive field, detect resources, flight,
immunity to electricity, living construct traits, rapid repair
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +1, Will -2
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 6, Wis 5, Cha 1
Skills: Listen +6, Spot +6
Feats: Alertness, Improved Initiative

Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary or perimeter (2-4)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 4-6 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: —
 
A lumpy, metallic obloid body floats through the air. Three metal limbs with small metal
teeth hang beneath it. Dim lights flicker across the sphere in varying patterns. 

Drifters fulfill similar functions as walkers, but also serve as a defensive perimieter for a
cyst. Drifters are usually deployed within 4 miles of a machine cyst. 

A drifter is 4 feet long, 3 feet wide, and weighs 200 pounds. 

COMBAT 
Drifters signal a machine cyst when organic beings trespass within their defensive
perimiter. Until reinforcements arrive, drifters harrass intruders with the sharp teeth on
their sampler arms and electrical discharges. 

Alert (Su): If a drifter senses a danger, it may telepathically alert the other members in
its cyst within 4 miles. Other than the range and alerting multiple creatures, this
functions as the mental alarm function of the alarm spell. 

Defensive Field (Su): Drifters automatically generate a physical protective field. This

grants the drifter damage reduction 2/- and resistance to acid 2, cold 2, electricity 2, fire
2, and sonic 2. The defensive field can prevent a total of 12 points of damage per day. 

Detect Resources (Ex): A drifter's technology allows it to continuously locate the

largest mass of metal within 30 feet. As a full-round action, the drifter can concentrate
on a specific metal or mineral. If the specific mineral is within 30 feet, the drifter knows
the exact location and approximate quantity. If more than one deposit of the specified
metal or mineral is within range, the drifter senses the largest cache first. 

Electrical Discharge (Su): Five times per day, a drifter can release stored energy as a
powerful electrical shock. Its next successful slam attack deals an additional 2d4 points
of electricity damage. Alternatively, if an attacker strikes the drifter with a metallic
weapon, the foe takes 2d4 points of electricity damage. 

Flight (Su): A drifter's body is supernaturally buoyant. This buoyancy allows it to fly at
a speed of 30 feet with perfect maneuverability. This buoyancy also grants it a
permanent feather fall effect (as the spell) with personal range. 

Magic Susceptibility (Ex): Sheens have vulnerability (+50% damage) to damaging

magic. 

Skills: A drifter has a +4 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks. 

Phaser
Small Construct (Living) CR: 8
Hit Dice: 9d10+45 (94 hp)
Initiative: -1
Speed: Fly 40 ft. (perfect)(8 squares)
Armor Class: 14 (+1 size, -1 Dex, +4 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+15 (+14 while incorporeal)
Attack: Tendril +5 melee (grapple)
Full Attack: 3 tendrils +5 melee (grapple)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. (20 ft. w/tendrils)
Special Attacks: Improved grab, incorporeal jaunt
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., defensive field, electrically charged, living
construct traits, rapid repair
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +2, Will +2
Abilities: Str 12, Dex 9, Con 20, Int 7, Wis 5, Cha 10
Skills: Hide +10, Listen +3, Spot +3
Feats: Alertness, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Skill Focus (Hide)

Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 8
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 10-15 HD (Small), 16-27 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: —
 
A floating black globe, limned in red light, suddenly materializes seemingly from out of
thin air. Long glassy tendrils exude from a single orifice in the sphere, with crimson
light pusing down the mass. 

Phasers serve the machine cyst mainly as observers, but because of their ability to
pass through solid objects, they are also employed as assassins. The ability to become
incorporeal exhausts tremendous amounts of energy, so each phaser has been
equipped with a "zero-point accumulator" to hold vast reserves. Even so, a phaser still
needs to return to the cyst weekly to recharge. 

A phaser is 1 to 2 feet in diameter and weighs 20 to 25 pounds. 

COMBAT 

Phaser sheens typically refuse to engage in combat unless forced or on a mission to

assassinate some particular threat to the cyst. Due to their limited ability to remain
corporeal, a phaser will materialize, grab its victim, and attempt to incorporealize the
poor soul. If the phaser cannot do so within three rounds, it will attempt to disengage
and become incorporeal on the fourth round in order to avoid using its electrical
charges. 

Defensive Field (Su): While incorporeal, phasers automatically generate a physical

protective field. This grants the phaser damage reduction 10/- and resistance to acid
10, cold 10, electricity 10, fire 10, and sonic 10. The defensive field can prevent a total
of 100 points of damage per day. 

Electrically Charged (Ex): Phasers are powered by electricity. A phaser normally

carries enough charges to function for up to one week (7 charges). After this time, the
phaser becomes inert until recharged. Phasers generally return to their cysts before
this time elapses. 

Within a cyst, a phaser may fully recharge after one hour of inactivity. Alternatively, a
phaser can recharge "in the field" if exposed to an attack that deals electricity damage.
An attack that deals electricity damage restores 1 charge for every 5 points of damage
the attack would otherwise deal. For example, a phaser hit by a lightning bolt gains 3
charges if the attack would have dealt 15 points of damage. A phaser gets no saving
throw against attacks that deal electricity damage. Regardless of the amount of
electricity damage directed at a phaser, it cannot exceed its normal maximum of 7
charges. 

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a phaser sheen must hit with a tendril attack.
Phaser sheens have a +8 racial bonus on grapple checks (already figured into the
Base Attack/Grapple entry above). 

Incorporealize (Su): A creature grappled by a phaser sheen must make a DC 19

Fortitude save or become incorporeal itself when the phaser sheen utilizes its
incorporeal jaunt ability. This effect temporarily grants the creature the incorporeal
subtype (as long as it remains grappled by the phaser sheen). The phaser sheen can
choose to corporealize the victim whenever it likes, simply by releasing the grapple. If a
victim becomes corporeal while inside a material object (such as a solid wall), it is
shunted off to the nearest open space and takes 1d6 points of damage per 5 feet that it
travels. Objects carried by a phaser sheen are subject to the same damage if
corporealized within a material object. The save DC is Constitution-based. 

Incorporeal Jaunt (Su): A phaser sheen can become incorporeal as a swift action. It
can become corporeal again as a swift action or a standard action. Unlike most
incorporeal creatures, a phaser sheen may make grapple attacks against other
incorporeal creatures, and they can be grappled by other incorporeal creatures. Both
the sheen and its opponents use their Charisma modifiers when performing grapple
checks while incorporeal. Starting on its fourth consecutive round of corporeality, a
phaser sheen must either become incorporeal or spend one charge per round. 

Magic Susceptibility (Ex): Sheens have vulnerability (+50% damage) to damaging

magic. 

A character can assist a sheen's self-repair with a Craft (metalworking) check (DC 15).
If the check is successful, the the sheen repairs 2 hit points per hour of rest. Providing
assistance to the sheen counts as light activity for the assisting character, and a
character can assist only one sheen at a time. A sheen cannot assist its own repair. 

Power Tree
Gargantuan Construct (Living) CR 23
Hit Dice: 36d10+540 (738 hp)
Initiative: +12
Speed: 10 ft. (2 squares)
Armor Class: 30 (-4 size, +4 Dex, +20 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 26
Base Attack/Grapple: +27/+58
Attack: Slam +42 melee (4d6+19)
Full Attack: 10 slams +42 melee (4d6+19)
Space/Reach: 20 ft./20 ft.
Special Attacks: Electrical discharge
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., defensive field, fast healing 15, living construct
traits, recharge sheen, solar powered, tremorsense 60 ft. 
Saves: Fort +27, Ref +20, Will +18
Abilities: Str 48, Dex 19, Con 40, Int 17, Wis 15, Cha 16
Skills: Climb +58, Intimidate +42, Listen +41, Search +42, Spot +41 
Feats: Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Epic Reflexes, Epic Will, Hold the Line,
Improved Initiative, Improved Trip, Knockdown, Power Attack, Snatch, Stand Still,
Superior Expertise, Superior Initiative 
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary or crew (1 plus 2-24 other sheens of various types)
Challenge Rating: 23
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 37-48 HD (Gargantuan); 49-108 HD (Colossal)
Level Adjustment: —
 
A massive tower of metallic beams branching from a squat, multilegged base lumbers
forward. Huge, polished crystal plates cover its base, glowing where sunlight strikes
their surfaces. 

Power trees are massive entities engineered to repair and recharge other sheens in
the field. The huge, polished plates of crystal that surround its base harness great
amounts of solar energy. Sheens in need of recharging or repair plug into the power
tree’s modules to recharge while the tree’s ten spidery manipulator arms do rapid
repairs where needed. Power trees never travel far from their cysts. 

Power trees carry massive energy stores and have redundant systems to ensure their
continuance, which grants them fast healing rather than the typical rapid repair ability
of other sheens. 

A power tree is 30 feet wide and 50 feet tall. It weighs over 100 tons. 

COMBAT 

A power tree swats at attackers with its ten massive arms. These intelligent sheens
use Improved Trip, Knockdown, and Snatch to slow down or disable adversaries while
it completes repairs upon its allies. If threatend by large groups of foes, or particularly
deadly adversaries, the power tree will unleash its electrical discharge in a great burst. 

Defensive Field (Su): Power trees automatically generate a physical protective field.

This grants the power tree damage reduction 5/- and resistance to acid 5, cold 5,
electricity 5, fire 5, and sonic 5. The defensive field can prevent 300 points of damage
per day. 

Electrical Discharge (Su): Ten times per day, as a swift action, a power tree can
release stored energy as a powerful electrical shock. Its next successful slam attack
deals an additional 10d10 points of electricity damage. Alternatively, if an attacker
strikes the power tree with an unarmed strike or metallic weapon while the power tree
contains an excess charge in its carapace, the foe takes 10d10 points of electricity
damage. 

Alternatively, as a standard action, a power tree can release its electrical discharge in a
300-foot-burst. All creatures in the area suffer 10d10 points of electricity damage
(Reflex DC 43 half). The save DC is Constitution-based. 

Magic Susceptibility (Ex): Sheens have vulnerability (+50% damage) to damaging

magic. 

Repair Sheen (Ex): A power tree can repair and recharge other sheens. To do so, a
sheen need simply to plug into one of the power tree’s modules. This is a full-round
action for the sheen seeking repair, but takes no action on the power tree's part. A
power tree must sacrifice one of its slam attacks to assist in repairs. A power tree can
thus repair up to ten other sheens at a given time. A recipient sheen is repaired of 1d8
points of damage and recharges 1 day's worth of energy for each round it remains
connected to the power tree. 

Alternatively, a power tree can spend a full-round action to swiftly repair a single
sheen. This functions as a heal spell (caster level 20th), and recharges one week's
worth of charges. Other sheens attached to the power tree receive no repairs during
this round. 

Solar Powered (Ex): A power tree gains power by absorbing sunlight. For every hour
of exposure to natural sunlight (not a daylight spell or similar magical facsimile), a
power tree recharges 30 points of maximum damage for its defensive field and one
daily use of its electrical discharge ability. If a power tree sheen is not exposed to
natural sunlight for 2 days, it becomes inert. 

Render
Large Construct (Living) CR: 14
Hit Dice: 16d10+128 (183 hp)
Initiative: +8
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 26 (-1 size, +4 Dex, +13 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 22
Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+24
Attack: Blade arm +19 melee (1d10+8/19-20) 
Full Attack: 6 blade arms +19 melee (1d10+8/19-20) and rotating blade mandibles
+14 melee (3d10+4/18-20/x3)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Augmented critical, electrical discharge, plasma spray
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., defensive field, living construct traits, rapid repair,
tremorsense 60 ft.
Saves: Fort +13, Ref +9, Will +5
Abilities: Str 26, Dex 18, Con 26, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 11
Skills: Listen +19, Spot +19
Feats: Blind-Fight , Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Hold the Line, Improved Critical (blade
arms), Improved Initiative (B), Power Attack

Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating: 14
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 17–24 HD (Large); 25–54 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: —
 
Resembling a monstrously swollen insect, this metallic monstrosity possesses dozens
of writhing metallic legs, feelers, and other sharp and serrated projections. 

Renders serve one purpose for the machine cyst, and serves it well. The render exists
only to defend the cyst from organic life, and has evolved to become quite effective at
eradication. A typical cyst possesses only a pair of renders, but that amount is usual
more than adequate. 

A render is 10 feet in diameter and weighs 2,500 pounds. 

Sheens speak their own language. 

COMBAT 
Renders are built for combat, and are well-suited at dishing out punishment. Its tactics
are simple: move within range of its adversaries and unleash a full attack. It uses
Combat Reflexes and Hold the Line effectively to increase its already dazzling array of
attacks. 

Augmented Critical (Ex): A render's rotating blade mandibles threaten a critical hit on
a natural attack roll of 18–20, dealing triple damage on a successful critical hit. 

Defensive Field (Su): Renders automatically generate a physical protective field. This

grants the walker damage reduction 3/- and resistance to acid 3, cold 3, electricity 3,
fire 3, and sonic 3. The defensive field has no limit on the amount of damage it can
prevent per day. 

Electrical Discharge (Su): Five times per day, a render can release stored energy as
a powerful electrical shock. Its next successful blade arm attack deals an additional
3d4 points of electricity damage. Alternatively, if an attacker strikes the render with an
unarmed strike or metallic weapon while the render contains an excess charge in its
carapace, the foe takes 3d4 points of electricity damage. This attack expends one of
the render's electrical charges, regardless of the damage dealt. 

Magic Susceptibility (Ex): Sheens have vulnerability (+50% damage) to damaging

magic. 

Plasma Spray (Su): 60-foot cone, every 1d4 rounds up to 3/day, damage 8d10
electricity plus 8d10 fire, Reflex DC 26 half. The save DC is Constitution-based. 

Walker, Ore-Recovery (Miner)

Small Construct (Living) CR: 4
Hit Dice: 4d10+12 (34 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 19 (+1 size, +2 Dex, +6 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 17
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+7
Attack: Slam +9 melee (1d6+4) 
Full Attack: 2 slams +9 melee (1d6+4)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Electrical discharge, plasma shovel
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., defensive field, detect resources, electrically
charged, living construct traits, rapid repair
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +3, Will -2
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 14, Con 16, Int 5, Wis 5, Cha 1
Skills: Knowledge (geography) +3, Profession (miner) +6, Search +3 
Feats: Skill Focus (Profession [miner]), Weapon Focus (slam)

Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary or team (2-6)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 5-8 HD (Small)
Level Adjustment: —
 
A lumpy, metallic obloid body is supported by two slender metal legs which end in
hooflike iron pads. A third limb, with small metal teeth, emerges from its underside,
while another shovel-shaped appendage protrudes from its side. Dim lights flicker
across the sphere in varying patterns. 

Sheens are highly-advanced clockwork constructs from an unknown world or plane.

Trapped on worlds where magic is mightier than technology, the sheens have learned
to mimic life in order to better survive. As a result, sheens have learned to self-replicate
and have taken on some living traits. Sheens also modify themselves and their
progeny to better survive in their new world. 

Sheens are concerned only with their own continued existence and expansion. They
regard living creatures as competitors, and expend local resources at an alarming
rate. 

Walkers specialized for ore recovery (also known as miners) are common in areas rich
in the mineral resources sought by a growing cyst. Miner sheens possess a digger arm
in addition to the usual sampler arm, as well as a “plasma shovel” in the form of a
focused plasma burst that can unearth soil and stone quickly. 

An ore-recovery walker is 4 feet tall and weighs 250 pounds. 

Sheens speak their own language. 

COMBAT 

Miner sheens attack with their digger and sampler arms, electrical discharge, or direct
their plasma shovel at organic nuisances. 

Defensive Field (Su): Miners automatically generate a physical protective field. This

grants the miner damage reduction 1/- and resistance to acid 1, cold 1, electricity 1, fire
1, and sonic 1. The defensive field can prevent a total of 6 points of damage per day. 

Detect Resources (Ex): A miner's technology allows it to continuously locate the

largest mass of metal within 30 feet. As a full-round action, the miner can concentrate
on a specific metal or mineral. If the specific mineral is within 30 feet, the miner knows
the exact location and approximate quantity. If more than one deposit of the specified
metal or mineral is within range, the miner senses the largest cache first. 

Electrically Charged (Ex): Miners are powered by electricity. A miner normally carries

enough charges to function for up to one month (30 charges). After this time, the miner
becomes inert until recharged. Miners generally return to their cysts before this time
elapses. 

Each time a miner uses its electrical discharge ability, it expends one charge. 

Within a cyst, a miner may fully recharge after one hour of inactivity. Alternatively, a
miner can recharge "in the field" if exposed to an attack that deals electricity damage.
An attack that deals electricity damage restores 1 charge for every 5 points of damage
the attack would otherwise deal. For example, a miner hit by a lightning bolt gains 3
charges if the attack would have dealt 15 points of damage. A miner gets no saving
throw against attacks that deal electricity damage. Regardless of the amount of
electricity damage directed at a miner, it cannot exceed its normal maximum of 30
charges. 

Electrical Discharge (Su): Three times per day, a miner can release stored energy as
a powerful electrical shock. Its next successful slam attack deals an additional 3d4
points of electricity damage. Alternatively, if an attacker strikes the miner with a metallic
weapon while the miner contains an excess charge in its carapace, the foe takes 3d4
points of electricity damage. This attack expends one of the miner's electrical charges,
regardless of the damage dealt. 

Increased Carrying Capacity (Ex): A miner sheen is treated as one size category
larger for purposes of carrying capacity. A standard miner walker has light load of 100
lb. or less, medium load of 101–200 lb, and heavy load of 201–300 lb. 

Living Construct Traits: As living constructs, a sheen has a Constitution score. A

sheen does not gain bonus hit points by size but gains (or loses) bonus hit points
through a Constitution bonus (or penalty) as with other living creatures. Unlike other
constructs, a sheen does not automatically have low-light vision or darkvision (although
many varieties do possess one or both of these traits). Unlike other constructs, a living
construct can use the run action. 

A sheen has immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, disease, nausea, fatigue,
exhaustion, and energy drain. A sheen cannot heal damage naturally (but does have
the rapid repair special quality). 

Unlike other constructs, sheens are subject to critical hits, effects requiring a Fort save,
death from massive damage, nonlethal damage, stunning, ability damage, and ability
drain. 

Living constructs can be affected by spells that target living creatures as well as by
those that target constructs. Damage dealt to a living construct can be healed by
a cure light wounds spell or a repair light damage spell, for example, and a living
construct is vulnerable to a harmspell. However, spells from the healing subschool
provide only half effect to a living construct. 

A living construct responds slightly differently from other living creatures when reduced
to 0 hit points. A living construct with 0 hit points is disabled, just like a living creature. It
can only take a single move action or standard action in each round, but strenuous
activity does not risk further injury. When its hit points are less than 0 and greater than
-10, a living construct is inert. It is unconscious and helpless, and it cannot perform any
actions. However, an inert living construct does not lose additional hit points unless
more damage is dealt to it, as with a living creature that is stable. A sheen can
be raised or resurrected. 

A sheen not need to eat, sleep, or breathe, but can still benefit from the effects of
consumable spells and magic items such as heroes' feast and potions. A sheen does
not need to sleep, but must rest for 8 hours before preparing spells. 

Sheens, unlike other living constructs, are immune to death effects, death necromancy
effects, and mind-influencing effects. 

Magic Susceptibility (Ex): Sheens have vulnerability (+50% damage) to damaging

magic. 
Plasma Shovel (Ex): Once every 1d4 rounds, an ore-recovery walker can vent
superheated plasma from the tip of its digger arm in a 30-foot line. This deals 4d10
points of damage. A successful DC 15 Reflex save halves the damage. Creatures and
materials with a hardness greater than 8 are immune to the plasma shovel's effects.
The save DC is Constitution-based.

Rapid Repair (Ex): A sheen that rests for 1 full hour repairs 1 point of damage, so long
as it has at least 1 hit point. Rapid repair does not allow a sheen to regrow or reattach
lost body parts. 

A character can assist a sheen's self-repair with a Craft (metalworking) check (DC 15).
If the check is successful, the the sheen repairs 2 hit points per hour of rest. Providing
assistance to the sheen counts as light activity for the assisting character, and a
character can assist only one sheen at a time. A sheen cannot assist its own repair. 

Skills: A miner has a +4 racial bonus on Knowledge (geography), Profession (miner),

and Search checks. 

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