[INFO POST][Version 2] Clockwork Knight Transformation

"The sound of gears whir as you ready for battle"

The Clockwork Knight is a transformation for those who have traded the frailty of flesh for the cold, rhythmic perfection of gears and pistons. Whether a volunteer for the Steam Brigade’s experiment or a casualty rebuilt by necessity, you are now a living engine of war.

Clockwork Knight I: Copper Tubes

 When you undergo the Clockwork Knight Transformation, you gain Mechanical Body and one other Stage 1 Boon of your choice. You also gain the Stage 1 Flaw.

Stage 1 Boon: Mechanical Body

Your creature type is now Construct in addition to your other types. Instead of sleeping, you may enter a stationary state of maintenance for 6 hours to gain the benefits of a long rest. 

Stage 1 Boon: Integrated Plating

Your skin is reinforced with brass and steel plates. Your Armor Class cannot be less than 13. Additionally, you gain a +1 bonus to AC. 

Stage 1 Boon: Pressure-Driven Strikes

Your limbs are reinforced with hydraulic pistons and high-pressure steam valves. Your melee attacks carry the crushing force of a steam hammer.

• Hydraulic Force: If you are already using a melee weapon, you can use a bonus action to release a burst of steam upon targeting a creature within melee range, dealing an additional 1d4 fire damage.

• You have advantage on Strength (Athletics) checks made to grapple or shove creatures. Your metallic grip is unrelenting once the gears lock into place.

Stage 1 Boon: Chronometer Precision

Your eyes have been replaced with brass-housed lenses, and your brain is linked to a series of micro-gears that track movement with perfect timing.

• You gain proficiency in Investigation. If you are already proficient, you double your proficiency bonus for any check made to understand how a mechanical device works or to find a structural weakness in an object or building.

•  You can add your Intelligence modifier to your Initiative rolls (minimum of +1).

Stage 1 Flaw: Mechanical Mass

Your body is now composed of dense brass, heavy iron, and churning internal gears, making you significantly heavier and louder than a creature of flesh and bone.

• Auditary Signature: You have disadvantage on all dexterity checks. The hiss of steam and the rhythmic ticking of your core are impossible to fully dampen. Your body is slow and mechanical unable to dodge.

• Enormous Weight: Your weight triples. You have disadvantage on Strength (Athletics) checks made to swim, as your metallic frame naturally sinks.

• Structural Strain: You cannot be supported by mounts unless they are specifically bred for heavy barding or are mechanical themselves. Additionally, traversing unstable surfaces (like thin ice, rotting floorboards, or deep mud) counts as difficult terrain for you, regardless of other abilities.

Clockwork Knight II: Gemnode Conductor

 When you reach stage two of the Clockwork Knight Transformation, you gain a Stage 2 Boon of your choice. You also gain the Stage 2 Flaw.

Stage 2 Boon: Overclock

As a bonus action, you can push your internal gears beyond their safety limits. For 1 minute, you gain the following benefits:

• Your walking speed increases by 10 feet.

• You can take the Disengage or Dash action as a bonus action.

• When you take the Attack action, you can make one additional melee weapon attack.

• Price of Friction: When the effect ends, you take 4$d10$ lightning or fire damage (your choice) and cannot use this feature again until you finish a short or long rest.

Stage 2 Boon: Internal Forge

Your core generates immense heat, allowing you to weaponize the steam and fire within.

• Searing Strikes: Once per turn your melee weapon attacks deal an extra $1d6$ fire or force damage (your choice).

• Thermal Venting: As a reaction when you are hit by a melee attack, you can release a blast of heat. The attacker takes fire damage equal to your proficiency bonus. 

Stage 2 Boon: Integrated Utility

The Steam Brigade has outfitted you with modular tools built directly into your forearms.

• Modular Limb: You can integrate one set of artisan’s tools or a shield into your arm. It can be deployed or retracted as a bonus action. While retracted, your hand is free.

• Grapple Piston: Your arm contains a spring-loaded winch. As an action, you can fire a grappling hook at a surface or creature within 30 feet. If the target is a Large or smaller creature, it must succeed on a Strength saving throw or be pulled 10 feet toward you. If it's a surface, you can pull yourself to it.

• Whirling Grapple:  Additionally, when you pull a creature to you, you can make single attack against them if they are within melee range.

Stage 2 Flaw: Kinetic Recoil

• Unstable Footing: The constant vibration of your core makes it difficult to maintain your balance against external forces. You have disadvantage on Dexterity (Acrobatics) checks and saving throws made to avoid being knocked prone. Getting up from prone costs your entire movement instead of half.

• Metal Fatigue: Your structural components are under constant stress. You cannot benefit from a Short Rest unless someone spends at least 10 minutes performing "Minor Maintenance" on you (tightening bolts, oiling joints). If no maintenance is performed, you do not regain hit dice or class features that reset on a short rest. 25gp worth of oil must be spent oiling up the Clockwork knight during this time.

Clockwork Knight III: Squire

 When you reach stage three of the Clockwork Knight Transformation, you gain a Stage 3 Boon of your choice. You also gain the Stage 3 Flaw.

Stage 4 Boon: Siege Engine Configuration

You can reroute all internal power to your primary weapon systems, turning yourself into a living artillery piece.

• Massive Impact: Your melee weapon attacks deal an additional $1d8$ force damage.

• Final Protocol: When you are reduced to 0 hit points, you can choose to trigger a catastrophic core meltdown. Every creature within 30 feet must make a Dexterity saving throw, taking $10d10$ force damage on a failure, or half as much on a success. This destroys your body completely, leaving only your Machine Core behind.

Stage 4 Flaw: Core Instability 

Thermal Redline: You can no longer be healed by spells or potions. Your body is too metallic and hot for traditional magic to knit your "flesh" back together. Only Transmutation magic (such as mend) or specialized repairs work.

Massive Weight: Your weight increases by 2,000 lbs not multiplied by stage 1 flaw. You automatically fail Stealth checks, and any non-magical floor that is not reinforced by something underneath it you stand on must succeed on a DC 15 "Structural Integrity" check (DM's discretion) or collapse beneath you.

Emotional Deadzone: You lose the ability to feel empathy. You have a -10 penalty to all Charisma checks excluding intimidation involving living creatures.