Mechanoid Space Marine

By Randal, in Black Crusade Game Masters

Hi,

One of my CSM players just selected the Mechanoid Gift of the Gods. The question arose as to whether the Space Marine in this new mechanical form loses the abilities derived from the Space Marine organs (for example the Omophagea). Also, would it be possible for this new "Mechanoid" form to get Mechanicus implants or are we talking about incompatible technologies ?

Also, is there any lore out there as to what exactly a "Mechanoid" is in the 40K universe. I've been unable to find anything on the web.

As reference here are the relevant passages:

MECHANOID

The recipient’s body is fused with the machine, his bone

replaced with metal and his muscles with pistons. His psyche

is absorbed into the new form, until nothing of the biological

remains at all. The resultant machine is the ultimate blasphemy

to the Tech-Priests of Mars, and an object of adoration to the

Dark Mechanicus. Its function obeys no laws of the machine

and its internal workings are anathema to logic and reason.

The character gains the Machine (+1) Trait.

MACHINE (X)

A creature with the Machine trait is fashioned from inorganic

materials and is generally more rigorous then fleshy folks.

Machines do not breathe, are immune to the effects of a

vacuum, extremes of cold, any mind-influencing psychic

effect, and their Armour Points apply toward fire Damage.

Machines have a certain number of Armour Points (indicated

by the number in parentheses). This armour stacks with worn

armour, but not with the Natural Armour Trait.

It does not mention losing any functionality beyond what the machine trait makes unneccessary. I would say any of his organs that are eating, breathing or sleeping are nullified. Some exceptions might apply, like the organ allowing them to eat some flesh and gain info could have a warped mechanical analog, and the one allowing the hybernation could be replaced by the ability to shut your systems down and turn off. Organs that are not nullified by the machine trait would have a mechanical equivalent, so they would retain such things as unnatural strength and acid spit.

Cryhavok said:

It does not mention losing any functionality beyond what the machine trait makes unneccessary. I would say any of his organs that are eating, breathing or sleeping are nullified. Some exceptions might apply, like the organ allowing them to eat some flesh and gain info could have a warped mechanical analog, and the one allowing the hybernation could be replaced by the ability to shut your systems down and turn off. Organs that are not nullified by the machine trait would have a mechanical equivalent, so they would retain such things as unnatural strength and acid spit.

Yep makes perfect sense, I would go with Cryhavok's interpretation.

So, how this charachter can restore wounds? Mediacae(Int) / Tech-Use?
Will Unnatural Healing (Biomancy Power) heal him?

One can assume that any and all organs the character had turn into machine analogs - you still have eyes that function approximately the same way, and so on. In general I've had characters use Tech-Use instead of Medicae to heal characters with this, but to me that's just a common-sense houserule. I've allowed cybernetics, similarly, just fluffing them as 'upgrades' rather than 'implants.'

I'd suggest letting a CSM character keep their organs and whatnot, as one can assume that their new metal parts have approximately the same function as his fleshy bits.

Healing could be auto self repairing like the car Christine - hey its a weirdo chaos demonic gift so anything is possible.

So normal marine regenerative healing maybe helped by tech repair…

Yeah, keep in mind they don't turn into a "real" machine, but a Warp-spawned almost-organic machine made of contradictions and madness. So they probably "heal" normally, as well as other things machines don't quite do.