Overview

Modrons should be the Borg as seen through the lense of Jim Henson.

The Modron March is an invasion of a group of beings in perfect harmony determined to mix your distinctiveness and data to their own.

When they arrive, they change the very land into another section of the land of order as it gets generated into a minecraft like design (or early cgi like the tv show Reboot) so that it can be integrated.

They can be talked to and reasoned with, but as far as they are concerned, it is only a matter of time before the whole universe is transformed into the ultimate form of order.

and the really scary part is many people across the planes are okay with joining this army and losing their individuality because it provides an end to their neverending suffering as the ultimate loophole.

Stop evil by taking away that pesky individuality, take away petty arguements by universal consensus. afterall, it's inevitable (which I also believe is a monster in dungeons and dragons).

That's the thing that Asmodeus really hates.

Primus is a loophole for devils to get out of hell.

A devil that wants their endless suffering to end can be transformed into a Modron.

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Adaptability

Modrons aren't easy to kill.

Every time you fight a modron, the entire collective observes you and learns from it.

I could very easily use this to justify a resistance the next time you fight the Modrons, as well as tactics, strategies that literally go for your weak points.

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Recruitment

Modron drop off puzzleboxes to recruit.

The Puzzle boxes could be essentially portable dungeons that you are shrunk down and dumped into and your little group needs to deal with the creatures /traps/ encounters to get out of.

They don't just recruit plebs. They also want high-level spellcasters and a great way to see if they are worthy is to test them.

As a result, they start at a higher rank within the hierarchy. :)

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Abilities and Tactics.

Modrons should have a brain box that can be hooked up to other people to get them to perform tasks on behalf of the collective.

Kinda like in the old cartoon Dinoriders where they had brain boxes slapped on dinosaurs so they would follow orders.

The Modrons should have engines that put those in descent to avernus to shame.

You put enough Modrons together and they are like lego. You can get something that looks like those killing machines from Labrynth.

The limit of their interchangable parts should only be limited by their collective imagination.

Modrons are also the most likely outerplanar creatures to use energy weapons.

They use beams of pure order (I remember some 2e module where a beam of order was doing catastrophic damage to the planes), which means they are radiant, but with a twist that a failed save means they have been "sorted" and broken down into base components.

plus when they merge to make vehicles, they will remind me of a certain 80's toy.

https://www.pinterest.ca/shaun_musings/robotix/

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Modrons are so lawful their attacks don't do variable damage. As a rule, attacks should always do average damage instead of variable damage.

I think Modron as a group (if you get enough of them) should get lair actions as they slowly but surely sort everything around them.

I also like the idea that the next group of modrons get advantage on their attack/saves for the first roll as they know how your group will attack.

I had this idea known as pecking order, where your modrons of different types roll initiative and the more powerful modrons type get the highest ranking, the next gets the next level of initiative as they sort themselves.

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Modron Adventure Ideas

So how do you begin, especially at low levels?

You start with a village that has been replaced with cubes and no apparent life signs. you wander this geometric structure.

Overall, the entire area should feel like this early cgi film:

In the middle of this former village should be a monolith with a face projecting a face that relays the word of Primus but on a relay to let the world know they are here:

There is ambient music that sounds not unlike dubstep: repetitive, but catchy.

The area is loaded with traps and obstacles that act as trials to see how well the party can be guardians of order.

Their prize, in the center is a fragment of pure order that is growing unless our party of adventurers finds a means to destroy it.

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The warforged as experiments of the modron as they attempt to make somebody a being of order, but it doesn't quite work sounds like a great plot hook to me.

Perhaps it is because the soul hasn't been integrated into the machine yet?

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Every so often Modrons does reenactments of famous battles to best analyze them.

PCs are almost always drafted to represent a side.

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Inspirations

The Black Hole: Vincient is practically tailored and maximillion rotating blades would look badass on a modron.

Fallout: Particularly the Robots. They can be goofy (heck one got programed as a cow) and they often having amazing personalities, but most are armed and willing to go on the warpath and never forget the only reason they have a personality is somebody programmed it and it really means nothing.

Mario Brothers: There really should be a Thwomp Modron

Phantasm: Those circular weapons with spikes feel Modron like.

Breadth of Popsanity

Index

Links of Note

Tuesday, April 12, 2022

Facerip - Pro Bono Heros - Part 2 - Rat Riot

Monday, April 4, 2022

Modron's should be Scary - Some Thoughts

Overview

Adaptability

Recruitment

Abilities and Tactics.

Modron Adventure Ideas

Inspirations

Facerip - Character Creation - Part 1 - The Job Interview