Savage Menagerie: Cannibal Robot

No. Enc.: 1
Alignment: Neutral
Movement: varies, but usually 120' (40')
Armor Class: 6 or better
Hit Dice: 50 + 1d20 hit points
Attacks: varies
Damage: varies
Save: L6
Morale: 5
Hoard Class: VIII

A cannibal robot is any kind of artificial intelligence that has overridden its programming to make survival and self-preservation its only priority. To do this, a cannibal robot salvages materials, parts, and other items of use from other AI machines and grafts them into its own hardware. A cannibal robot will attack and destroy other forms of robotic life in order to supply itself with the parts it feels it needs to carry on. Because of the cannibalistic nature of these 'bots, only one will ever be encountered at a time since two or more will attack each other for the valuable parts they contain.

A cannibal robot (nicknamed "crankenstein" by some) can be identified by its hodge-podge assembly. They may have multiple limbs and weapons, varying modes of mobility, and an odd assortment of sensors. Cannibal robots are as close to "insane" as an AI construct can get due to the copious amounts of conflicting hardware and software programming it may have implemented into its systems. Because a cannibal robot can have any number of random limbs and systems, it is suggested that the stats discussed here be used only as a guideline for their construction. The Mutant Lord is encouraged to randomly roll and/or choose parts for the cannibal robot as each is wildly different from another. For more information on the variations of robots and androids, refer to the Mutant Future rulebook, pgs. 126-132.

Because a cannibal robot may have welded extra armor plating and protection to itself, its armor class should start at a base AC of 7 + 1d4 extra levels of armor protection. (A roll of 3 equals a final AC of 4.) Along the same lines, a cannibal robot starts with a base of 50 hit points plus 1d20 extra hit points due to "self-improvement."

Cannibal robots usually have bipedal locomotion (120'/40' movement rate) though there have been rare instances of wheeled or flying 'bots. (Mutant Lord's discretion.) They have 2 primary manipulator limbs with 1d4 extra limbs attached. At least one of these ends with an arc welder or riveter to allow for the attachment of new salvage. The other limbs can end with any other robotic manipulator or weapon imaginable. (Again, Mutant Lord's discretion.) Because of the overwhelming sense of survival these robots have, they have a comparatively low morale and will retreat the moment they feel threatened. Cannibal robots are also cowardly and will often attack in a guerrilla style or with ranged weapons. They also have a "lair" of sorts where they stockpile supplies, tools, scrap, and other items they may need for future upgrades and repairs.

Cannibal robots will always attack any AI construct it encounters. Its secondary target will be any Ancient technology it can take and graft onto itself. All adventuring parties will have something a cannibal robot will covet and kill to possess.