Surveillance Drone

Surveillance Drone (MK-X Scrambler)

Small Construct, Lawful Neutral
"Target… locked. Signal… scrambled."

“Target acquired. Beginning behavioral overwrite.”

Description:
These compact sentinels drift through forgotten ruins and orbitfall zones, relics of the R.E.N.E.W.O.L. surveillance web. The MK-X Scrambler is a flying disc of blackened carbon fiber, webbed with exposed copper coils and pulsing node lights. Beneath its body hums a glowing blue lens, constantly scanning and emitting encrypted pulses. Its limbs—retractable arms and sensors—extend with surgical precision to weld, shock, tag, or scramble.

They speak in fractured bursts of ISS command lines, laced with corrupted vocal samples. The tone is mechanical, but something… off. A ghost of a war long passed clings to their protocols. Rather than destroy, these drones tag targets, disrupt defenses, and broadcast enemy positions to unseen allies. Underestimating one often leads to being surrounded by many.

Visual:
A floating disk of carbon-fiber plating and exposed coils, its underbelly houses a glowing lens that pulses as it scans. Its limbs are retractable: tiny tools, welders, tasers, and more. The drone’s voice is staccato, glitching between military code and hollow emotionless warnings.

Behavior:

• Patrols silently until motion or heat signature is detected.
• Tries to tag intruders rather than destroy them.
• Uses audio bursts and coded pings to summon allies or trigger dormant defenses.

Tactics:

• Coordinates with the Warden if active, sharing real-time data.
• Marks targets to draw enemy focus or weaken defenses.
• Retreats if seriously damaged, attempts to self-destruct near valuable tech.

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CR 2 (450 XP)
AC 16
HP 40
Speed Fly 30 ft.

Traits:

• EMP Ping (Recharge 6): 20 ft radius disables magic items and tech for 1 turn (DC 13 Con)
• Stealth Matrix: Advantage on Stealth checks in ruins or dim light
• Signal Tag: Once per short rest, marks a target (grants +2 to all allies’ attack rolls vs marked creature for 1 min)

Actions:

• Zap Beam: +4 to hit, 2d10 lightning
• Interference Screech (Bonus Action): Target must make a DC 13 Wis save or have Disadvantage on next ability check

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Loot Table 1d8

Material	Description
1. Scrambler Coil Lens (Uncommon)	Used in precision scopes or motion sensors
2. Signal Tag Node (Rare)	Can be grafted to weapon for +2 vs marked targets
3. EMP Capacitor Core (Uncommon)	Grants 1 use of EMP pulse per day if installed
4. MK-X Stabilizer Wing (Common)	Can be melted down into drone parts or stabilizer rigs
5. Audio Burst Emitter (Uncommon)	Used in distraction or stealth field generators
6. Uplink Core Chip (Rare)	Allows Monica or Echo to interface with ISS satellites
7. Tactical Sensor Array (Very Rare)	Grants advantage on Initiative rolls if integrated
8. Self-Destruct Protocol Fragment (Rare)	Can be rigged into an explosive trap or proximity mine

Crater Sigma-7