Androids are superficially identical to humans in many ways, and to the uninformed it can be difficult to differentiate the two. In the right light, though, androids' alien nature is revealed by the metallic sheen in their eyes and the biological, tattoo-like circuitry that riddles their skin. Their bodies are completely artificial, though made of materials that mimic the flexibility, shape, and density of human flesh and bone. Their organs mirror those of humans so well that only by examining the materials and makeup of these systems—which use sheeny oils and polymer alloys rather than blood and marrow—could one guess that their physiology is alien. Androids are roughly the same size as humans; on average, they are 6 feet tall and weigh 200 pounds.

Shamans speak of great forges where androids are "born" from metal wombs and are cut from electrified umbilical cords. Even androids can't refute or verify such stories, since most who emerge from ruins do so naked and without any memories beyond their initial egress into the wide, unfamiliar world. Their complex design is unlike that of any race known, leading many to suspect that they originated from a distant star system or even another galaxy.

What separates androids from golems and other mindless constructs is that androids are living beings and as such possess souls. Similarly, androids don't live forever, though barring violence or tragedy their bodies never deteriorate. Rather, an android's cybernetic mind eventually shuts down and self-restarts after about a century, leaving its body vacant for several weeks as the old soul departs for its final reward in the Great Beyond and a fresh, new soul finds its way into the shell.

Androids are defined by their class levels–they do not have racial Hit Dice. All androids have the following racial traits.

Racial Traits

• Ability Score Racial Traits: Androids have swift reflexes and are very intelligent, but have difficulty relating to others. As a result, androids gain a +2 bonus to Dexterity and Intelligence, but suffer a –2 penalty to Charisma.
• Size: Androids are Medium creatures, and they have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
• Base Speed: Androids have a base speed of 30 feet.
• Languages: Androids begin play speaking Common. Androids with high Intelligence can choose any languages they want (except secret languages, such as Druidic). See the Linguistics skill page for more information about these languages.

Feat and Skill Racial Traits

• Alert: Androids gain a +2 racial bonus on Perception checks.
• Emotionless: Androids have problems processing emotions properly, and thus take a –4 penalty on Sense Motive checks (-1 RP)

Senses Racial Traits

• Exceptional Senses: Androids have darkvision and so can see perfectly in the dark to a range of 60 feet and in addition, they possess low-light vision.

Other Racial Traits

• Constructed: For the purposes of effects targeting creatures by type (such as a ranger's favored enemy and bane weapons), androids count as both humanoids and constructs. Androids gain a +4 racial bonus on all saving throws against mind-affecting effects, paralysis, poison, and stun effects, are not subject to fatigue or exhaustion, and are immune to disease and sleep effects. Androids can never gain morale bonuses, and are immune to fear effects and all emotion-based effects (2 RP.)
• Emotionless: Androids have problems processing emotions properly, and thus take a –4 penalty on Sense Motive checks (-1 RP) (Note: this trait is called Logical in the Book of Heroic Races: Advanced Androids.)
• Nanite Surge: An android's body is infused with nanites. Once per day as an immediate action, an android can cause her nanites to surge, granting a bonus equal to 3 + the android's character level on any one d20 roll; this ability must be activated before the roll is made. When an android uses this power, her circuitry-tattoos glow with light equivalent to that of a torch in illumination for 1 round (3 RP.)

Alternate Racial Traits

• Repairing Nanites: Some androids cannot prompt their nanites to aid them in any endeavor, but instead find that their nanites stitch their wounds together. The first time each day that such an android has taken an amount of damage greater than or equal to twice her Hit Dice, the nanites automatically activate, without an action. Her circuitry-tattoos glow with light equivalent to that of a torch for 1 round and she heals a number of hit points equal to twice her Hit Dice. This racial trait replaces nanite surge. Source PCS:ISR
• Anomaly: Sometimes, a particularly volatile soul can overwhelm the technology of an android body, making the resulting individual subject to emotions, and greatly so. Anomalous androids suffer a –2 racial penalty on saving throws against all mind-affecting effects, emotion effects, and fear effects but can gain the benefits of morale bonuses and suffer no penalty on Sense Motive checks. Additionally, Bluff and Sense Motive are always class skills for them. This racial trait modifies constructed and replaces logical. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AA]}
• Conduit: Rarely, an android’s circuitry is built to act as a potent conduit for divine power. Androids with this trait treat their Charisma score as 2 points higher for the purpose of the channel energy and lay on hands class features, and also for oracle class features (including both spellcasting and revelations). Furthermore, conduits treat their caster level as 1 higher when casting cure and inflict spells. This racial trait replaces nanite surge. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AA]}
• Factual: While most androids have difficulty processing emotions, others instead have an inability to imagine things outside of physical and factual reality, making it difficult for them to deceive others. Such androids suffer a –4 penalty on Bluff checks. This racial trait replaces logical. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AA]}
• Ironspy: Android bodies built for stealth and infiltration employ camouflage circuitry, foregoing the capacity for a nanite surge, since the resulting display can compromise delicate missions. Androids with this trait reduce the penalty for using Stealth while moving at full speed by 5 and reduce the Stealth check penalty for sniping by 10. This racial trait replaces nanite surge. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AA]}
• Magitech: Some androids possess circuitry infused with magical energies, which allow them to better channel arcane power. Androids with this trait choose a bloodrager or sorcerer bloodline at 1st level and treat their Charisma score as 2 points higher for all bloodrager and sorcerer class abilities (including spellcasting) if they have that bloodline. Androids with both bloodrager and sorcerer class levels gains this benefit for both bloodlines if they have the same bloodline for each class. Additionally, magitech androids gain a +2 racial bonus on Spellcraft checks. This racial trait replaces nanite surge. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AA]}

3rd Party Publisher Favored Class Options

The following favored class options are available to all characters of this race who have the listed favored class, and unless otherwise stated, the bonus applies each time you select the favored class reward.

• Aegis: Add +1/4 to the aegis’s customization points. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Alchemist: Add one extract formula from the alchemist’s list to his formula book. This formula must be at least one level lower than the highest-level formula the alchemist can create. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Antipaladin: Add +1/2 hit point to the antipaladin’s corrupting touch ability (whether using it to heal or harm). ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Arcanist: Add one spell from the arcanist spell list to the arcanist’s spellbook. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level the arcanist can cast. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Barbarian: Add +1/4 bonus to the barbarian’s nanite surge when raging. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Bard: Add a +1/3 bonus to all untrained Knowledge checks. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Bloodrager: Add +1/4 bonus to the bloodrager’s nanite surge when in a bloodrage. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Brawler: Add +1/3 to the brawler’s initiative when able to act in the surprise round (maximum bonus of +5). This bonus does not stack with Improved Initiative. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Cavalier: Add +1/4 to the cavalier’s initiative when adjacent to an ally (maximum bonus of +4). This bonus does not stack with Improved Initiative. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Cleric: Add a +1/2 bonus on Knowledge (engineering) checks relating to constructs. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Cryptic: Add +1/2 to the damage of the cryptic’s disrupt pattern ability. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Dread: Add +1/3 damage to the dread’s devastating touch. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Druid: Gain electricity resistance 1. Each time the druid selects this reward, increase her resistance to electricity by 1 (maximum 10). ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Fighter: Add +1/3 to the fighter’s initiative when the fighter has a weapon readied (maximum bonus of +5). This bonus does not stack with Improved Initiative. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Gunslinger: Reduce the misfire chance for one type of firearm by 1/4. You cannot reduce the misfire chance of a firearm below 1. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Hunter: Add one spell known from the hunter spell list. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level the hunter can cast. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Inquisitor: Add a +1/2 bonus on Perception checks and Knowledge checks to identify creatures. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Investigator: Add a +1/2 bonus when using inspiration on any Knowledge or Linguistics check. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Magus: Add one spell from the magus spell list to the magus’s spellbook. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level the magus can cast. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Marksman: The marksman gains 1 psionic talent. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Monk: Add +1/3 to the monk’s initiative when the monk is not holding anything in his hands (maximum bonus of +5). This bonus does not stack with Improved Initiative. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Ninja: Add +1/3 to the ninja’s initiative when able to act in the surprise round (maximum bonus of +5). This bonus does not stack with Improved Initiative. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Oracle: Add one spell known from the oracle spell list. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level the oracle can cast. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Paladin: Add +1/2 hit point to the paladin’s lay on hands ability (whether using it to heal or harm). ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Psion: Add +1/2 to the psion’s saving throws versus mindaffecting effects. If the psion chooses this option 10 times, the psion becomes immune to mind-affecting effects. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Psychic Warrior: Add +1/2 to the psychic warrior’s manifester level when manifesting a path power. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Ranger: Add +1/4 bonus to the ranger’s nanite surge against the ranger’s favored enemy. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Rogue: Add +1/3 to the rogue’s initiative when able to act in the surprise round (maximum bonus of +5). This bonus does not stack with Improved Initiative. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Samurai: Add +1/4 to the samurai’s initiative when adjacent to an ally (maximum bonus of +4). This bonus does not stack with Improved Initiative. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Shaman: Add one spell from the witch spell list to the shaman’s spirit animal. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level she can cast. If the shaman ever replaces her spirit animal, the new spirit animal knows these bonus spells. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Skald: The skald can use spell keening +1/6 additional times per day. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Slayer: Add +1/4 bonus to the slayer’s nanite surge against the slayer’s studied target. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Sorcerer: Add a +1/2 bonus to all Spellcraft checks and all check made with the sorcerer’s bloodline class skill. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Soulknife: The soulknife gains +1/6 of a new blade skill. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Summoner: Add +1/3 to the summoner’s initiative when his eidolon is within 5 feet (maximum bonus of +5). This bonus does not stack with Improved Initiative. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Swashbuckler: Add +1/6 to the swashbuckler’s nimble bonus. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Tactician: Add +1/2 to the tactician’s saving throws versus mind-affecting effects. If the tactician chooses this option 10 times, the tactician becomes immune to mindaffecting effects. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Time Thief: When the time thief spends a mote reduces the duration of a negative condition or effect she is suffering, the duration is reduced by an additional 1/3 rounds. This option must be selected three times for it to reduce the duration by a single round. The duration of any condition or effect cannot be reduced below 0 rounds. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Vitalist: Treat the vitalist’s level as +1/2 higher when using the transfer wounds ability. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Warpriest: Add +1/3 to the warpriest’s initiative when the warpriest has his sacred weapon readied (maximum bonus of +5). This bonus does not stack with Improved Initiative. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Wilder: Add +1/6 to the surging euphoria’s morale bonus. The wilder must be 4th level before choosing this option. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Witch: Add one spell from the witch spell list to the witch’s familiar. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level she can cast. If the witch ever replaces her familiar, the new familiar knows these bonus spells. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}
• Wizard: Add one spell from the wizard spell list to the wizard’s spellbook. This spell must be at least one level below the highest spell level the wizard can cast. ^{[JBE:BoHR:AFCO]}