Pengunoid (3.5e Monster)

''It appears to be a small robotic penguin made of composite materials. Its blank eyes give it a rather derpy expression.''

The wizard Bianca was always a quirky individual, so when she needed a cheap servant construct the aesthetic choice was clear. Penguins. Thousands of them.

Pengunoids are simple constructs designed like the waterfowl, and while slow they are intelligent with their own dim free will. They have small gripping claws on their flippers allowing them to manipulate objects, and their bodies are cheaply made intended for mass production. They run on a combustion engine which constantly gives a low rumbling purr and cause the construct to be dependent on air and fuel, and has the risk of explosion when jolted. Fortunately, the pengunoid is designed to come apart and be put back together easily (Bianca insists this is a feature and not a bug and that they are not "cheap knockoffs") so as long as its engine and black box containing its motive force is intact, the pengunoid can be easily fixed.

Pengunoids understand and speak Common, though they don't appear to be very bright and often get stuck on inane thoughts.

Combat
Pengunoids are not designed for combat and they know it, and as a result many are "cowards". Those that fight either attack with light weapons or its beak. They are proficient in all simple weapons, but generally prefer daggers.

Because pengunoids explode easily they usually give each other a wide breach in battle as they can easily cause a chain reaction among themselves if they aren't careful.

Container : Pengunoids are mostly hollow and can use their interior as a storage space. They hold as much capacity as an average backpack sized for them, and they can enhance this space as a bag of holding or handy haversack.

Easy to Fix : The pengunoid's simple and mass produce design help with repairs. With a DC 15 Craft Metal or Knowledge Engineering check, a creature can heal 1 point of damage for every 5 gp in raw materials spent, (or 1 hp per 2 gp if they have the Craft Construct feat). They are not destroyed once they hit 0 hp or less, but instead become inert. They do not actually die until they reach their maximum hp in negative hp. The above example pengunoid would not be destroyed until it hit -15 or less.

Explosive Engine : Whenever a pengunoid takes more than 10 points of damage in a single attack it must make a Fortitude save (DC equals the damage -10) or explode as its engine briefly vents, dealing 1d4+1 fire damage per HD to all creatures in a 5 ft radius burst (including itself). Creatures get a Reflex save for half, DC 13. It has no save against the damage. The save is Constitution based and has a +2 racial bonus.

Heat Engine : Pengunoids run on combustion engines. As a result they need to "eat" fuel and "breathe" air, and become inert if they fail to do either (they function again if either is restored). Their engine is able to accept most liquid combustibles from simple alcohol to actual rocket fuel. Treat their effective Con for the purposes of suffocation as 10, and they have about the same needs for eating as a humanoid of their size.

Because of the heat engine pengunoids work well in cold environments and generate plenty of internal warmth. They are always under the effects of endure elements (cold only).

Slide : Their penguin-shaped bodies have vents on their belly which help them slide over any smooth surface like a puck in an air hockey rink. As part of a move a pengunoid can flop prone and slide, doubling their movement speed provided they move in a straight line before hopping back up on their feet at the end of movement. It does not function in difficult terrain, but is ideal for moving over smooth yet slick surfaces such as ice or grease as they are already prone and thus need not worry about falling down.

Skills: Penguins have a +4 racial bonus on Craft checks, and a -4 racial penalty on Move Silently checks due to the constant dim rumble of their engines.

Construction
A pengunoid’s body is created from over various cheap metals, wood, and stone with most of the work going into the combustion engine, tubing, and a black stone box which acts as its brain. The entire material cost is 150 gp. Assembling the body requires a DC 20 Craft (metalwork) check or a DC 20 Knowledge Engineering check.

CL 5th; Craft Construct, flaming sphere, magic mouth, caster must be at least 5th level; Price 1000 gp; Cost 525 gp + 30 XP.