Clockwork Creature (CR +1; 3PP)

Clockworks are constructs crafted when a spellcaster binds an elemental spirit into a container and transfers it to a finely constructed body or shell composed of iron, steel, bronze, or some other metal.

Clockworks have no mind of their own and follow any commands and orders given by their creator. If their creator dies or is slain, the clockwork continues to carry out its last given command to the best of its ability. If it cannot carry out its last order, it either becomes free–willed or simply ceases to function (50% chance of either).

Creating a Clockwork Creature

“Clockwork” is an inherited template that can be added to living, corporeal creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature). A clockwork retains all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

CR: HD 10 or less, as base creature +1; HD 11 or more, as base creature +2.

Alignment: A clockwork is always neutral.

Size and Type: The creature’s size remains unchanged. Its type changes to construct. It does not gain the augmented subtype and it loses any other subtypes it has. Recalculate the creature’s base attack bonus and saves based on its new type.

Senses: A clockwork gains low-light vision and darkvision to a range of 60 feet. If the original creature had darkvision, it uses this range regardless of the base creature’s range.

Defensive Abilities: A clockwork loses all the defensive abilities of the base creature, but gains construct immunities and the following:

Damage Reduction: The clockwork gains DR based on the base creature’s Hit Dice: HD 10 or less, 5/adamantine; HD 11 to 20, 10/adamantine; HD 21 or more, 15/adamantine.

Spell Resistance: The clockwork gain spell resistance equal to the clockwork’s CR + 5 (maximum 25).

AC: Increase the base creature’s natural armor bonus by +2.

Hit Dice: All current and future HD become d10s. Additionally, drop all HD gained from class levels. Since the base creature loses its Con score, it loses all bonus hit points from its Con score, but gains bonus hit points based on its size (as all constructs do).

Construct Size Bonus Hit Points
Fine
Diminutive
Tiny
Small 10
Medium 20
Large 30
Huge 40
Gargantuan 60
Colossal 80

Attacks: A clockwork retains all the natural attacks of the base creature. If the base creature did not possess natural attacks, it gains two slam attacks Damage is based on the following table. If the base creature already had a slam attack it uses the value in the table or its own, whichever is better.

Size Damage Size Damage
Fine 1 Large 1d8
Diminutive 1d2 Huge 2d6
Tiny 1d3 Gargantuan 2d8
Small 1d4 Colossal 4d6
Medium 1d6

Special Attacks: A clockwork retains any extraordinary attacks the base creature possesses, but loses all spell–like abilities, spells, and supernatural attacks. Special attacks with save DCs based on the base creature’s Constitution modifier must be recalculated since the clockwork has no Constitution score. Recalculate as though the clockwork had a Constitution score of 10 (no bonus or penalty).

Abilities: Str +4, Dex –2. A construct has no Constitution or Intelligence score. Its Wisdom changes to 11 and its Charisma changes to 1.

Feats: The base creature loses all feats, but retains any bonus feat.

Skills: The base creature loses all skill points, but retains any racial bonuses to skills it has.

Languages: A clockwork does not speak any languages, but understands Common for the purposes of accepting orders from its creator.

Environment: Any.

Organization: Solitary.

Treasure: None.

Construction

A clockwork’s body is sculpted, formed, or constructed from whatever material the creator desires. Creating the body requires the Craft Construct feat and a DC 20 (armorsmithing, weaponsmithing, or stonemasonry) check.

The cost of materials needed to create a clockwork’s body is based on its size.

Size Body Cost Size Body Cost
Fine 100 gp Large 10,000 gp
Diminutive 250 gp Huge 20,000 gp
Tiny 500 gp Gargantuan 30,000 gp
Small 1,000 gp Colossal 40,000 gp
Medium 2,000 gp

The cost to create a clockwork is equal to its body cost plus 2,000 gp per HD. The market price of the clockwork is equal to 4,000 gp per HD.

To create a clockwork creature, the caster must have a caster level equal to at least 10 + 1/2 the clockwork’s HD (maximum caster level 20).

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Clockwork Creature Template from the Tome of Horrors Complete, Copyright 2011, Necromancer Games, Inc., published and distributed by Frog God Games; Author Scott Greene.

scroll to top