Clockwork
Clockwork%20Goliath%2001.png
CLOCKWORK lvl
Spy CR1/2
Familiar CR 2
Servant CR 2
Soldier CR 6
Steed CR 6
Mage CR 9
Leviathan CR 12
Dragon CR 16
Icon%20-%20Creature%20Type%20Construct.png
Icon%20%28subtype%29%20-%20Clockwork%2001.png
Nature: Creature Subtype
Type of: Construct

Clockwork constructs are a very recent invention that house Cannith is still in the process of developing properly, since the technology fell by the wayside and was ignored for a long time when the leadership decided to focus instead on more financially promising wartime production of the warforged.

The clockworks are the technological cousins of golems, constructed with a combination of both magic and precise technologies, dependant upon the internal churning and turning of thousands of intricate springs, screws, and gears.

There are those who would scoff at the work of clockwork engineers, whose constructs seem at best merely imitations of the creations brought to life by practitioners of the purely arcane arts. However, those canny enough to realize the potential of clockwork engines know their true power to be both exotic and potent.

Clockwork creatures function by combining magical energies and clockwork mechanisms. The myriad metal parts that go into the construction of a clockwork creation require absolute precision in order to function properly, so they must be built by only the steadiest of hands.

Amateurish attempts at clockwork construction typically result in nonfunctional units or misfires, and more than one engineering lab has been burned to the ground by those are experimenting with this new and exciting avenue of invention, seeking to develop beyond the basics of clockworks and the elements that power them.

Clockwork%20Steed%2001.png

cylon horsie!!!


Clockwork creations, as their names suggests, must be wound up before they animate. The creator of a clockwork crafts a unique key for each creation. This key is typically inserted into the clockwork’s back and turned clockwise to wind it. Turning the key counterclockwise has the effect of winding the machine down, though only a willing (or completely helpless) machine will allow itself to be unwound in this way, meaning either its creator or someone its creator has specifically designated can normally do so. Larger clockworks tend to have larger keys, and particularly huge keys require more than one set of hands to turn.

Since each key is totally unique, construction of a new key (or bypassing a key entirely) requires a successful Disable Device check (DC = 20 + clockwork’s CR).

Much like golems and animated objects, clockwork creatures can be given any number of commands; a perpetually turning script in their core records those orders and programs the rest of the machine. Only one who possesses a key to the clockwork can program it, but any commands given to the construct last until the clockwork is reprogrammed or destroyed.

An individual clockwork’s potential is only limited by its creator’s innovation and aptitude. Unlike many golems, which are trapped in bodies resembling lumbering and fallible cages, clockwork constructs can be repeatedly reworked and re-engineered — gears can be oiled, springs can be replaced, and pistons can be fine-tuned. The ever-adjustable framework of these mechanical beasts allows for extreme variation from creation to creation.

Since clockwork creations are mostly mechanical and are at the mercy of their creator’s adeptness with the technology, they are prone to the follies of human error. Loose bolts, improper programming, or lack of maintenance are all cause for malfunctions, errors that can range from minute energy leaks to deadly explosions.

Clockwork%20Soldier%2001.png

Indeed, it is this fact that has kept clockwork constructs obscure and little-used: that it requires a highly skilled and masterfully trained creator to build them, someone who actually knows how to make the technological components. As such, only the most gifted and intelligent, only the most well-trained engineers, have any chance of successfully creating clockwork constructs.

And thus they remain rare, a niche product known only to a select few craftsmen, historians, and private enthusiasts.

In the previous days of clockwork technology, many practical hindrances prevented rapid maturation of the devices. Clockwork machines were powered by inefficient, costly resources. Early attempts to combine clockwork with steam power or other nonmagical forms of energy tended to overcomplicate the already delicate machinery, and have long since been abandoned as a result.

However, recent innovations in the field of arcane enchantment (developed with the ample military funding during the war) has not only allowed for greater precision in the crafting of gears and other key components, but has also opened up a wide new range of possibilities for defensive systems and offensive weaponry.
.

Clockwork Traits

Winding (Ex): Clockwork constructs must be wound with special keys in order to function. As a general rule, a fully wound clockwork can remain active for 1 day per HD, but shorter or longer durations are possible.

Swift Reactions (Ex): Generally react much more swiftly than other constructs They gain "Improved Initiative" & "Lightning Reflexes" as bonus feats, and also get a +2 dodge bonus to AC.

Vulnerable to Electricity: Take 50% more damage than normal from Electricity attacks.

Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License