Modron

* 5e
* 4e
* 2e

* 5e
* 4e
* 3e
* 2e
* 1e

### Subraces

Monodrones, duodrones, tridrones, quadrones, pentadrones, decatons, nonatons, octons, septons, hextons, quintons, quartons, tertians, and secundi

### Favored terrain

Any land

**Modrons** (pronounced: /ˈmoʊdrɑːnz/ *MO-dranz*) were a race of immortals known for their zealous adherence to the principles of law and order above all else. Just as fiends were considered the embodiment of evil and celestials the embodiment of good, so were modrons the embodiment of the universal principle of order.

“
We are the ultimate law. All other law is tainted when compared to us.
 We are order. All other order disappears when held to our light.
 We are structure. All other structure crumbles when brought against us.
 We are perfect law.

”
— A spokesmodron

## Description

A modron's appearance was varied and depended on their position in modron society. The most common appearance of a modron was as a geometric shape, such as a sphere or cube. The amount of sides as well as structure determined a modron's position in their society. The more sides a modron had, or the more complex their structure was, the higher they were ranked. The highest ranked modrons were humanoid in appearance.

## Combat

Modron armies battled the forces of chaos and entropy across the multiverse. They used logic in developing their tactics and followed proven battle strategies. They were relentless in battle, fighting without compassion or remorse, and were willing to sacrifice themselves to achieve their objective.

## Abilities

All modrons were immune to mind-affecting, emotion-affecting, and magic that drew upon the Positive Energy or the Negative Energy plane. They were resistant to cold, fire, and acid. Hierarch modrons had the innate ability to duplicate the effects of *clairaudience*, *clairvoyance*, *command*, *dimension door*, *teleport without error*, and *wall of force* spells at will.

## Society

Modron culture was simple. Each modron obeyed all commands given to it by any modron one rank higher. These commands were obeyed without question. Modrons were only aware of modrons one rank higher than they were, for example, a quadrone could issue orders to tridrones, duodrones, and monodrones, but would only obey orders from pentadrones. If a modron higher in rank than a pentadrone issued an order to a quadrone, it would view it as some exceptionally powerful pentadrone. All modrons were aware of the existence of Primus, however. Modrons were unwavering in their devotion to order, departing Mechanus to complete strange tasks in the name of law. The modrons served Primus, godlike ruler of Mechanus.

There were fourteen castes of modrons, divided in two major categories:

### Relationships

The lillendi, guardians of the Infinite Staircase, held a grudge against the modrons for reasons unknown. Slaadi detested modrons and had waged epic battles against the forces of Mechanus for millennia.

### Religion

Hierarch modrons were known to occasionally sponsor neutral-aligned witch doctors as divine patrons.

## Physiology

Despite appearing as mechanical constructs, modrons were not entirely mechanical. Every modron had a mix of biological and mechanical parts, the degree of which was determined by their place in modron society. Lower ranked modrons had more mechanical components integrated within them than higher ranking modrons.

Most modrons had no sense of smell, and no modron had a sense of taste. Modrons used auditory and tactile sensors. Since modrons communicated telepathically while in Mechanus, their sense of hearing was primarily used to detect sounds and to facilitate communication with non-telepathic visitors to Mechanus. Modrons felt pain and physical contact via their tactile sensors and were able to inhibit this as required. All modrons had eyes, with hierarchs having two or more eyes, allowing them to have a full field of vision.

Unlike most other creatures, modrons had no need to breathe or consume food and liquid to survive. Modrons required regular intake of a unique form of psychomorphic energy. It had the consistency of thick jelly and emitted a faint inner light. It was harvested by monodrones and stored in a large pool in Regulus. Modrons had to intake this substance every few weeks or else begin to degrade.

## History

The giant deity Annam All-Father acquired the secret of rune magic for his people from a high-ranking modron by winning a game of lots about a thousand years after the giants' Thousand Year War against the dragons.

Mechanus and the modrons were discovered by Netherese explorer and archmage Lady Polaris around −346 DR, who also magically bound and employed them as guards.

Around that same time, a group of properly operating (albeit degraded) modrons had been left stranded in the Labyrinth in the Underdark after being separated from the previous Great Modron March.

Modrons were sometimes summoned by Calishite mages, and could be encountered in the city of Waterdeep.

## Appendix

### Notes

1. ↑ Although tridrones and higher ranks could speak common in earlier editions, the 5th edition of Dungeons & Dragons removes the ability of any modron to speak in a tongue other than their native one.

### Further Reading

* Ken Marable (April 2007). “Return of the Modrons”. In Erik Mona ed. *Dragon* #354 (Paizo Publishing, LLC), pp. 35–49.
* Greg Bilsland and Bruce Cordell (January 2011). “Creature Incarnations: Modrons”. In Steve Winter ed. *Dungeon* #186 (Wizards of the Coast) (186)., pp. 33–36.
* Brian James (August 2012). “The Ecology of the Modron”. In Steve Winter ed. *Dragon* #414 (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 7–15.

### References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Mike Mearls, Jeremy Crawford, Christopher Perkins (2014-09-30). *Monster Manual 5th edition*. Edited by Scott Fitzgerald Gray. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 224–226. ISBN 978-0786965614.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Greg Bilsland and Bruce Cordell (January 2011). “Creature Incarnations: Modrons”. In Steve Winter ed. *Dungeon* #186 (Wizards of the Coast) (186)., pp. 33–36.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Mark Jindra (2001-09-21). The Modrons (Zipped PDF). Web Enhancement for *Manual of the Planes 3rd edition*. Wizards of the Coast. pp. {{#regex:6–18|%(,)(\S)%|$1 $2}}. Archived from the original on 2016-11-01. Retrieved on 2018-09-09.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 David "Zeb" Cook (1994). *Planescape Campaign Setting, Monstrous Supplement*. Edited by David Wise. (TSR, Inc), pp. 16–22. ISBN 978-1560768340.
5. ↑ Gary Gygax (August 1983). *Monster Manual II 1st edition*. (TSR, Inc). ISBN 0-88038-031-4.
6. ↑ Frank Mentzer (January 1985). “Ay pronunseeAYshun gyd”. In Kim Mohan ed. *Dragon* #93 (TSR, Inc.), p. 28.
7. ↑ Monte Cook, Colin McComb (1997-10-28). *The Great Modron March*. Edited by Michele Carter. (TSR, Inc.), p. 26. ISBN 0-7869-0648-0.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Brian James (August 2012). “The Ecology of the Modron”. In Steve Winter ed. *Dragon* #414 (Wizards of the Coast), p. 11.
9. ↑ Monte Cook, Colin McComb (1997-10-28). *The Great Modron March*. Edited by Michele Carter. (TSR, Inc.), p. 126. ISBN 0-7869-0648-0.
10. ↑ Mark Jindra (2001-09-21). The Modrons (Zipped PDF). Web Enhancement for *Manual of the Planes 3rd edition*. Wizards of the Coast. p. 2. Archived from the original on 2016-11-01. Retrieved on 2018-09-09.
11. ↑ Dale Donovan (May 1998). *For Duty & Deity*. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 17. ISBN 0-7869-1234-0.
12. ↑ Roger E. Moore ed. (January 1989). “Orcs Throw Spells, Too!”. *Dragon* #141 (TSR, Inc.), p. 33.
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Brian James (August 2012). “The Ecology of the Modron”. In Steve Winter ed. *Dragon* #414 (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 9–10.
14. ↑ Mark Jindra (2001-09-21). The Modrons (Zipped PDF). Web Enhancement for *Manual of the Planes 3rd edition*. Wizards of the Coast. p. 3. Archived from the original on 2016-11-01. Retrieved on 2018-09-09.
15. ↑ Ray Winninger (September 1995). *Giantcraft*. Edited by Karen S. Boomgarden. (TSR, Inc.), p. 58. ISBN 0-7869-0163-2.
16. ↑ slade (1996). *How the Mighty Are Fallen*. (TSR, Inc), pp. 3, 31. ISBN 0-7869-0537-9.
17. ↑ Christopher Perkins, Adam Lee, Richard Whitters (September 1, 2015). *Out of the Abyss*. Edited by Jeremy Crawford. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 179–180, 183–184. ISBN 978-0-7869-6581-6.
18. ↑ Scott Haring (1988). *Empires of the Sands*. (TSR, Inc), p. 50. ISBN 0-8803-8539-1.
19. ↑ Ed Greenwood and Jeff Grubb (September 1988). *City System*. Edited by Karen Boomgarden. (TSR, Inc.), p. 25. ISBN 0-8803-8600-2.

### Connections

**Modrons**
Logical Beings of Law and Order
**Base Modrons:** Monodrone • Duodrone • Tridrone • Quadrone • Pentadrone
**Hierarch Modrons:** Decaton • Nonaton • Octon • Septon • Hexton • Quinton • Quarton • Tertian • Secundus

**The One and the Prime:** Primus