Monstrous Compendium Vol. 1: Spelljammer Creatures
Frozen Sick
D&D Beyond Basic Rules
Basic Rules (2014)
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Monstrous Compendium Vol. 1: Spelljammer CreaturesFrozen SickD&D Beyond Basic RulesBasic Rules (2014)Sign in to view your library & saved favorites.
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I know I could flavor a traditional beast as a clockwork beast but I have always wanted something a bit more unique for my Artificer's familiars.
Would you allow / Do you see a problem with allowing a Flying Mechanical Wonder or a Clockwork Observer as a Familiar? Both are CR-0 creatures and the FMW has blindsight, much like a Bat while the CO has flyby, much like an owl. There are a couple of other features to them (e.g., hover, increased carrying capacity, longer range telepathy) but I don't think these aspects are game breaking. What do you all think?
Flying Wonder FRAiF
Tiny Construct, Unaligned
AC 12 / Initiative +2 (12) / HP 2 (1d4) / Speed 5 ft., Fly 30 ft.
Str: 2 / -4 Dex 15 / +2 Con 10 / +0 Int 3 / -4 Wis 10 / +0 Cha 1 / -5
Immunities Poison; Exhaustion, Poisoned
Senses Blindsight 60 ft., Passive Perception 10
Languages Understands Common but can't speak
CR 0 (XP 10; PB +2)
Traits:
- Increased Carrying Capacity. The wonder can carry up to 100 pounds.
- Wind-Up Operation. The wonder has the Unconscious condition until another creature winds it with the wonder's unique key for 1 minute. Once wound, the wonder operates for 24 hours or until a creature touches the wonder with its key as a Utilize action to deactivate it, after which the wonder has the Unconscious condition until it is wound again.
Bonus Actions
- Chime. The wonder chirps a merry, metronomic tune. The wonder chooses one ally that it can see within 60 feet. Until the start of the wonder's next turn, the target has Advantage on the next ability check it makes with a Musical Instrument or Tinker's Tools.
Sprint. The wonder takes the Dash action.
Clockwork Observer KftGV
Tiny Construct, Unaligned
AC 14 (natural armor) / Initiative +3 (13) / HP 7 (2d4 + 2) / Speed 0 ft., Fly 30 ft. (hover)
Str 1 / -5 Dex 16 / +3 Con 13 / +1 Int 3 / -4 Wis 15 / +2 Cha 1 / -5
Skills Perception +6
Immunities Poison; Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned
Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Passive Perception 16
Languages Understands the languages of its creator but can't speak
CR 0 (XP 10; PB +2)
Traits
- Flyby. The observer doesn't provoke opportunity attacks when it flies out of an enemy's reach.
- Telepathic Bond. While the observer is within 1 mile of its creator, it can magically convey what it sees to its creator, and the two can communicate telepathically.
- Unusual Nature. The observer doesn't need air, food, drink, or sleep.
Actions
- Shriek. The observer emits a mechanical shriek until the start of its next turn or until it drops to 0 hit points. This shriek can be heard within a range of 300 feet.
I would be hesitant to indiscriminately allow any CR 0 clockwork creature as a general rule, but these two specific ones seem perfectly fine.
pronouns: he/she/they
I dunno, these two outclass pretty much any other "traditional" CR0 familiar you can get, aside from Giant Fly. They're probably best reserved for an RMI.
These are both quite a bit more capable than an owl familiar.
Especially given that your Artificer can also have a homunculus, I wouldn't allow you to upgrade a familiar with these traits as well.
The flying mechanical wonder can be crafted as a common magical item. Do you think it make it that much more powerful to have it as a familiar instead of as a crafted construct? I guess it is more of a pain to recreate if it dies (although an artificer can make it in a couple of days of downtime w/ help).
Not sure about how it might be possible to craft a Clockwork observer I guess I should go read that sourcebook.
I would say that these two in particular are probably fine. The only feature on here I see that might open up shenanigans you don't want is the Increased Carrying Capacity on the Flying Wonder, as that could lead to exploits with the familiar that normally wouldn't be available from most CR0 familiar options, especially one with a size of Tiny.
100 GP and 5 days vs 10 gp of incense and a one hour ritual? Yes, that's a big difference.
And if it's built using Replicate Magic Item then it's freeeeee!
Well, it's free except that you can't replicate something else with that replicate slot. :) Maybe you're down to Cloaks of Billowing but my Artificers would have to give up armor or shields or weapons or wands or rings for it.