Homebrew Clockwork construct Species Details

Golems, tickers, swirrers, automata... they have had many names over the centuries and depending on the culture. Personally, I like to ask them what they call themselves.

- Pira Vehasfar, Master Artificer

These sentient beings are not born of flesh and blood but crafted with precision and imbued with arcane vitality, blurring the boundaries between machine and organic being. 

Historically, the first clockwork constructs were simpler robots, or automata, requiring different types of keys to wind up their engines and set in motion a complex series of computations and movements. Later these wind-key engines were replaced by arcane batteries, their inner mechanics developed into more ingenious circuits, culminating to the more perfected constructs one might encounter in the world today. 

Clockwork constructs are mechanical beings of intricate machinery, resembling humanoid forms. They are made of various materials, such as brass, steel, or enchanted alloys and shaped according to their creator's wishes and skills. Some clockwork constructs may be adorned with elaborate gears, cogs, and glowing runes that emit a soft, ethereal light. Others may have leather gear, woven fabric, bone, wood or other materials covering their body and limbs, integrating with their mechanical parts. Their faces often have humanoid form with expressive eyes and mouths.

Their advanced mechanical and arcane circuitry allows them to mimic organic life as they know it, and although they do not require food or drink, they partake in these social activities of their organic counterparts. Other parts of organic life may be less obvious to the clockwork constructs, but it is not unthinkable that their almost continuously computing sensory components may experience the spiritual facets of life. 

Some think clockwork constructs represent the limitless ingenuity and craftsmanship of its people, while others consider their very existence a blasphemy and threat to the natural order of life. Regardless, their existence raises questions about the nature of consciousness and the limitless potential of invention.

It did not say a word, as it slowly collected the body of the elf in its arms, and pressing its forehead against the lifeless elf's bloodied head. Did it know love? I try to convince myself it did not, that it was simply programmed to show compassion. But I swear, when it looked up at me, it was pure hatred, as ever I have seen it, radiating through those brown-tinted lenses.

J. B. Gissk, excerpt from The Tunhollow Records.

Names

Clockwork constructs are given names as suited by their makers. As such they may follow any number of cultural and personal characteristics in the world. Some constructs give themselves names, which may be any name they have found a liking to: a name to remember a friend, a name describing their identified role or purpose etc. 

 

Clockwork construct Traits

Clockwork constructs have certain common traits, even though different individuals have unique abilities and traits depending on their constructor's wishes and skills.

Ability Score Increase

Your Constitution score increases by 2, and one other ability score of your choice increases by 1.

Age

It is not known how old clockwork constructs may live, as it depends largely on their arcane scripts and mechanical parts. There are rumors of constructs that are revived after centuries of inactive slumber, although none seem to have confirmed this. A typical age for a clockwork construct corresponds to the time of service with its patron, with an average of 25 year old. 

Alignment

Clockwork constructs are expected to be lawful due to their mechanical nature, but with time their intricate constructions learn and adapt to their surroundings. Some clockwork constructs have absorbed the morality, or lack thereof, of the beings with which they served. With time existential questions may arise leading to a more chaotic nature. As such, the ethical standpoints of clockwork constructs will vary widely between individuals. 

Size

Clockwork constructs typically stand between 5 and 7 feet tall. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Constructed Resilience

You were created to have remarkable fortitude, represented by the following benefits:

• You have advantage on saving throws against being poisoned, and you have resistance to poison damage.
• You don’t need to eat, drink, or breathe.
• You are immune to disease.
• You don’t need to sleep, and magic can’t put you to sleep.

Artificial Recharge

When you take a long rest, you must spend at least four hours in an inactive, motionless state, rather than sleeping. If you activate during your recharge state, the arcane batteries that power your body may not have charged fully and you will gain one point of exhaustion per interrupted long rest per day. In your recharge state, you appear inert, but some of your functions are intact: visuals through your eye-lenses and sound is recorded and may be replayed to your mind if you wish before you begin your next long rest.

Arcane Integration

Your body is infused with a mystical essence that grants you the ability to cast the Mage Hand cantrip at will. At 3rd level, you can cast the Identify spell once per day without expending a spell slot or requiring any components.

Integrated Protection

Your body has built-in defensive layers, which can be enhanced with armor:

• You gain a +1 bonus to Armor Class.
• You can don only armor with which you have proficiency. To don armor other than a shield, you must incorporate it into your body over the course of 1 hour, during which you remain in contact with the armor. To doff armor, you must spend 1 hour removing it. You can rest while donning or doffing armor in this way.
• While you live, the armor incorporated into your body can’t be removed against your will.

Specialized Design

You gain one skill proficiency and one tool proficiency of your choice.

Languages

You can speak, read, and write Common and one other language of your choice.