Homebrew Clockwork Species Details

“Pardon me for breathing, which I never do anyway so I don’t know why I bother to say it, oh God, I’m so depressed. Here’s another one of those self-satisfied doors. Life! Don’t talk to me about life.”

–Marvin the Paranoid Android

A figure passes silently, brassy shell glinting in the moonlight. A bartender with six arms entertains patrons in a cozy tavern. A detective scans a crime scene with perfect observation. Clockworks vary greatly, but their inner machinations tie them together.

Born of inventiveness and technology, clockworks represent reason, a love of learning, and the age old question of what it means to have life. Some clockworks embrace their artificing origins, going on to create other scientific marvels. Others pursue logic and order, becoming lawyers and detectives. Some clockworks seek to break free from their inventors and ponder the meaning of existence, becoming musicians, poets, and philosophers. 

Varied Designs

Clockworks come in many shapes and sizes, reflecting their varied origins. Were you invented by a wise wizard? A quirky artificer? Or were you once flesh and blood, becoming fully mechanized after a series of arcane experiments? Perhaps instead you have been touched by the heart of Mechanus itself.

Whatever the case, clockworks are all built from mechanical parts that tick, grind, and whir inside of them. Typically they are made of metal and designed to look like a particular humanoid race. Some are intricately designed works of art while others are built purely for function. The aesthetics of clockworks are as varied as their makers.

Varied Response

Typically clockworks do not have a society of their own and are integrated with the culture in which they live or were created. Exceptions to this exist, such as when a prolific inventor creates many clockworks over time. Some view other clockworks as their family, while others pride themselves in their unique nature. All clockworks share a common trait: fierce individuality.

How other races view clockworks greatly depends on the area and individual. Some places have fully embraced clockworks as equals, while other locations see the clockworks as a lower life form and an intrusion on society. The biggest mistake one can make about clockworks is thinking they are all the same, and most clockworks are quick to correct such an assumption.

Clockwork Names

Clockworks have no set naming convention. Some are given names by their creators while others take on names for themselves. Others are given a number.

Given names: Verne, Lloyd, Freeman, Omie, Elvira, Silvia

Taken names: Blade, Wire, R, Rubber, Pious, Striker, Cherish

Number names: X-801, 0x52 (R In ASCII), X Æ A-12

Clockwork Traits

Your clockwork gains various traits due to their intricate mechanical construction.

Purpose Built

Clockworks are typically designed with a purpose in mind, enhancing a particular ability over others. Bodyguard clockworks may have enhanced strength, while a musician may have increased charisma.
Pick one ability score of your choice to increase by 2.

Replacement Option: Modern Major Modron

Rather than excelling in one particular area, you are a well rounded clockwork.
Increase two ability scores of your choice by one.
Replaces: Purpose Built

Age

Clockworks do not physically mature, but they quickly mentally mature with life experience. Clockworks may be anywhere from a few days to a few hundred years old. The life span of a clockwork is indefinite. However, they may die due to injury, malfunction, lack of maintenance, or core corruption. 

Alignment

Born of Mechanus, clockworks tend towards lawful alignments. Many see issues as binary: good and evil, black and white. However, the nature of their inventor, past life, or corruption may cause clockworks to become more chaotic in nature.

Size

Clockworks stand anywhere between 4 and 7 feet tall. Your weight depends on your construction, but typically clockworks are usually heavier than their humanoid counterparts. Your size is Medium.

Speed

Your base walking speed is 30 feet.

Darkvision

Advanced sensors allow you to see in less than ideal conditions. You can see in dim light within 60 feet of you as if it were bright light, and in darkness as if it were dim light. You can’t discern color in darkness, only shades of gray.

Replacement Option: Highly Skilled

Instead of darkvision, you may choose proficiency in one skill of your choice.
Replaces: Darkvision

Winding of the Gears

Due to your mechanical nature, you have the following benefits:

Inner Machinations:

  • Your creature type is Construct instead of Humanoid.
  • You have advantage on saving throws against being poisoned, and you have resistance to poison damage.
  • You are immune to disease.
  • You don’t need to eat, drink, or breathe. However, you may do so if you wish and your constructed body allows it.
  • You don't need to sleep, and magic can't put you to sleep. Instead, when you take a long rest, you need to spend at least 4 hours in rest mode. In this mode, you appear inert, but it does not render you unconscious, you can see and hear as normal.
Optional:
  • Irritable Gear Syndrome: Due to your construction, you cannot eat or drink normal foods. Consuming anything other than water and oil will cause your gears to malfunction. 

Heart of Mechanus

Your heart is a core of glowing blue arcane fluid where your soul resides. If you were created, this appears as a glass like sphere. If you were once another creature type, your heart remains the same shape as your former creature type. 

Due to your mechanical nature, magical healing is halved when applied to you. Magic that does not effect constructs has no effect on you.

  • Mending: You touch a living construct that has 0 hit points. The construct becomes stable.
  • A creature can use their action to do emergency maintenance on an unconscious construct and attempt to stabilize it, which requires a successful DC 10 check made with tinker's tools or your games tech ability (ex., arcana).
  • The efficacy of Wisdom (Medicine) checks is up to the discretion of your DM.
  • You have learned how to maintain your constructed body, gaining the ability to cast Mind of the Maker once at level 1 with this trait and regain the ability to do so when you finish a long rest.
Mind of the Maker

A construct you touch regains a number of hit points equal to 1d8 + your spellcasting ability modifier. This spell has no effect on undead or humanoids.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the healing increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 1st.

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