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Clockwork PC's
Small to Medium-Sized Construct
Speed:
30ft for medium-sized constructs & 20ft for small-sized constructs
Face/Reach:
5ft x 5ft/ 5ft
Abilities:
+2 to Str, -2 to Wis & -2 to one other ability (usually Cha but the DM & the player should make the final decision).
Racial Traits:
- Dark Vision: (60ft)
- Natural Armor: (+8 to AC).
- Construct: Clockwork PCs are constructs, therefore, they are immune to mind-influencing effects (though telepathy and ESP works on them), poisons,
sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, and necromantic magics. They are never subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, ability drain,
or energy drain. They are immune to anything that requires a Fort save (unless it also affects objects). Clockwork PCs are not at risk of massive damage, but
when reduced to 0 hit points or less they are instantly destroyed. Since they were never alive, they cannot be raised or resurrected. Also traditional healing magics (potions, spells etc.) do not work on them.
- Fear of Water and Rusting Effects: Clockwork PCs avoid water whenever possible and are terrified of Rust Monsters, always finding a way to kill them
without getting near. If exposed to moisture, they must pass a Fort save (DC depending on the amount of moisture) or suffer 6d6 damage 1d4 days after
exposure. They always try to carry a can of oil to help stave off those effects.
- Limited Power: For every point of damage they inflict, a clockwork PC loses 1 hour of activity, so they try to incapacitate instead of actually hurting their foes.
They have an activity duration of 10 times its hit points before they need to be rewound. When encountered, use a percentage die roll to determine how many
hours of activity it has left (to a minimum of 10%). A clockwork that runs out of activity time goes dormant until its creator rewinds it. Rewinding takes one
round for every hour of activity restored. There is a 10% chance to break the inner workings of the swordsman when attempting to rewind it fully (reduce this
by 1% for every rank the winder possesses in the Clockwork Mechanics skill, although it can never be less than 1%). Breaking the delicate gear effectively
kills it. It can be repaired, but only by the creator or possibly some other wizardly type with knowledge of Clockwork Constructs.
- Clockwork PCs, unlike most other Clockwork Constructs, house a heroic spirit that can rewind itself. The PC is assumed to have obtained the key from its creator.
- Clockworks emit a ticking sound and make a fair amount of noise in general, because they are made out of metal. Therefore, they suffer a -6 to all hide and move silently skill checks.
- Clockworks can't wear armor (they can however use a shield if proficient). If a Clockwork is a member of a class that has proficiency in light, medium and/or
heavy armor as part of their Class Features, then the PC can substitute those proficiencies with different feats. These feats should reflect the purpose for
which the Clockwork was initially created. For example: The first playtest Clockwork PC that I ran was designed as a body guard with a secondary
function as a wizard's lab assistant. The Clockwork was a fighter so it had 3 armor proficiency feats that needed to be replaced with different feats. They
were replaced with Skill Focus Feats for Knowledge (Arcana), Alchemy, & Clockwork Mechanics (this is a new proficiency that is essentially the Clockwork equivalent of Heal).
Classes:
If the DM allows Clockwork PCs, then I recommend restricting them to the fighter or rogue classes (at least when they first start play).
Additional notes:
This race would not really be suitable for a starting party of first-level adventurers. If
you are using the monster PC rules in the DMG make the Clockwork PC the equivalent of a second or maybe even third level creature.
New Feats for Clockwork PC's:
- Thirst for Life: This feat basically allows a construct to go to negative 10 hps. This feat is the result of an
increased sense of individuality and will to live that comes about after prolonged interaction with sentient living creatures. The feat isn't available until 3rd level.
- Natural Healing: This feat has the Thirst for Life feat as a prerequisite and it is an extension of that feat. Natural Healing allows the construct to heal as if it
were a living creature. This ability is made possible by the construct's subconscious manipulation of a portion of the magic leftover from its initial
creation. This feat isn't available until 6th level.
The Clockwork PC was developed by Doc Wu and Righteous Rude with Special Acknowledgments to The Boneyard's Clockwork Swordsman conversion
this was a major source for this race. Some of the text is a direct quote from that creature conversion.
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