Introduction
Flexible, adaptable, thematically interesting, and mechanically robust, the Android is one of those Ancestries that Paizo puts into one book and never revisits. Usually those Ancestries have few good options, but the Android is an apparent exception.
With great Ability Boosts and feats which cater to a variety of needs without a specific mechanical concept (melee unarmed fighting, innate spellcasting, surviving falling to 0 hp, etc.), the Android is a great basis for a variety of builds where you don’t need something from a specific Ancestry.
Table of Contents
Disclaimer
RPGBOT uses the color coding scheme which has become common among Pathfinder build handbooks.
- : Bad, useless options, or options which are extremely situational. Nearly never useful.
- : OK options, or useful options that only apply in rare circumstances. Useful sometimes.
- : Good options. Useful often.
- : Fantastic options, often essential to the function of your character. Useful very frequently.
Android Ancestry Traits
- : 8 is standard.
- : Medium. Medium and small size have few functional differences in Pathfinder 2e.
- : 25 feet is standard.
- : Easy ability scores for a huge number of builds.
- : Ancestry language plus Common is standard, but Androffan is literally the language of an alien planet. You’re unlikely to meet other speakers in a typical game.
- : Low-light vision.
Android Heritages
- Artisan AndroidAG: Great for any build that’s going to rely on crafting. An easy choice for alchemists.
- Impersonator AndroidAG: Only situationally useful. Consider using Illusory Disguise instead.
- Laborer AndroidAG: Fine, but Hefty Hauler can be replaced by a Lifting Belt at early levels.
- Polyglot AndroidAG: Language barriers are rare, and are usually handled with magic.
- Warrior AndroidAG: Interesting, but your proficiency doesn’t advance past Trained, so whatever weapons you intend to use will gradually become less effective as you gain levels.
Android Ancestry Feats
Level 1
- Android LoreAG: Two good skills that line up with the Android’s Ability Boosts.
- Cleansing SubroutineAG: Poisons are common through the full level range. A good choice for front-line characters.
- EmotionlessAG: Fear effects are Emotion effects, so it’s weird that they’re called out specifically. Emotion effects are common (mostly because Fear effects are Emotion effects), so this will be consistently useful through the full level range.
- Internal CompartmentAG: Very cool, but rarely impactful.
- Nanite SurgeAG: An easy +2 Status bonus to one skill check per hour, and you activate this as a Reaction.
- Nightvision AdaptationAG: Darkvision is really good.
- Proximity AlertAG: Good, but it won’t stack with Incredible Initiative. Still, this is good if you need more General Feats in your build than Ancestry Feats.
- Radiant CircuitryAG: Find a way to cast Light, such as with a Wayfinder.
Level 5
- Advanced Targeting SystemAG: A wand of True Strike costs 60gp. This would be a fine spell to cast as an Innate Spell, but it’s almost certainly not worth a feat.
- Inoculation SubroutineAG: Diseases usually take a long time to advance, and at this level divine/primal spellcasters can cast Remove Disease.
- Nanite ShroudAG: A decent defensive option, especially once you gain a few more levels. Remember that it prevents using your nanites for other things, including Ancestry Feats like Nanite Surge and Nightvision Adaptation.
- Protective SubroutineAG: Once per hour, +2 to any save as a Reaction.
Level 9
- Internal RespiratorAG: The spell Water Breathing will cover the vast majority of times that you would want this.
- Offensive SubroutineAG: +1 status bonus to one attack roll once per hour. Every +1 matters in PF2, but one +1 once per hour is rarely going to have an impact.
- Repair ModuleAG: A good option for front-line characters who often take a lot of damage. On top of just healing yourself, Fast Healing will end Bleed effects.
Level 13
- Consistent SurgeAG: The Nanige Surge feat tree is among the Android’s best options. Getting to use it once every 10 minutes makes it dramatically more effective.
- Revivification ProtocolAG: Get yourself back into a fight once per day. Always excellent, and frequently life-saving for both your and your party. Consider taking Die Hard so that you’re less likely to die when your 1 remaining hit point drops to 0 again.