Golem-Knight of Mechanus (3.5e Prestige Class)

Golem-Knight of Mechanus
===Golem-Knight of Mechanus===

"GIGA-KNIGHT! GIGA-KNIGHT"

Golem-Knights are to be feared. Their armor is massive, and they know secrets about iron and metal and chemicals and what they can really do. Also, keep in mind that sufficiently advanced technology kicks as much ass as magic.

Becoming a Golem-Knight
Golem-Knights can come from Knights, obviously. However, a lot of craft-oriented Fighters feel the pull of using the teachings of Mechanus.

Proficiencies: the Golem-Knight is proficient with any weapon that they craft.

 (Ex):the Golem-Knight can, given about a day and enough scrap materials, construct a suit of Mechanus Armour. This is extra heavy Adamantine Full Plate that has an Enhancement bonus equal to one quarter of the Knight's character level. However, it only gains this effect when worn by the Knight who crafted it.

Additionally, the wearer gains all Construct traits (but ability scores remain unchanged), along with the ability to add the armour's Enhancement bonus to all Break attempts and damage rolls.

 (Ex): the Golem-Knight has a booming voice that can carry on for miles. Additionally, they may cast Command at will as an Extraordinary ability.

 (Ex): the Golem-Knight may, given enough scrap material and about a day, craft a mighty steed that looks like a warhorse with too many layers of plate barding. This counts as a Cauchemar Nightmare of the Construct type (ability scores are unchanged) and no actual alignment. It loses its Spell-like abilities (but retains the smoke, breath weapon and fire damage) and Subtypes, and has hit dice equal to the Knight's character level.

It possesses a Natural Armour bonus of +0 but an Armour bonus equal to its hit dice and an Enhancement bonus to Strength and Armour equal to the class level of the Golem-Knight. It is completely loyal to the Golem-Knight, but when not being ridden, it stands motionless, unable to act.

It can be crafted to any size that the Golem-Knight could ride, and the Knight can see through its Smoke.

 (Ex): the Golem-Knight may, with an hour of work, modify a lance to be fired as though from a cannon. It can be used as a ranged weapon with range increments of 15' and counts as charging when fired. It still adds the Strength modifier of the Knight to damage, but does not multiply the Strength by one and a half.

 (Ex): with a day of hard work, the Golem-Knight can craft special weapons. They are treated as though magical (with a Greater Magic Weapon effect), though may trade the bonuses out for special abilities, however they are in no way magical and thus function normally in an AMF and cannot be disjoined. They still bypass DR/magic and can strike incorporeal targets.

 (Ex): special fuel pipes can be built into the Mechanus Armour with a whole hour of work. This allows the Golem-Knight to drink any potion they have as a Swift Action.

 (Ex): with an hour and some random materials, the Golem-Knight may craft 1d4+1 special grenades. Sadly, they are unstable and will be unusable after 24 hours. Until then, they may be thrown as grenade weapons (duh), exploding in a 30' radius. The save DC is 10 + half the Knight's HD + their Int modifier. The Golem-Knight may choose the effects upon creation:


 * Incendiary: all in the area take 1d6 Fire damage per character level of the Golem-Knight. A successful Ref save halves this damage, but those who fail the save catch fire.


 * Frost Cloud: all in the area take 1d6 Cold damage per character level of the Golem-Knight and are Slowed for 1 round. A successful Fort save halves the damage and negates the Slow effect.


 * Flash Bang: all in the area are Blinded and Deafened for 1d4 rounds on a failed Ref save.


 * Concussion: all in the area are knocked prone automatically, and Dazed for 1 round on a failed Fort save.


 * Electro Pulse: all in the area take 1d6 Electricity damage per character level of the Golem-Knight. A successful Ref save halves this, but those who fail the save count as Entangled for 1 round as their limbs spasm.


 * Sleep Gas: all in the area become drowsy for 2 rounds on a failed Fort save. Drowsy characters count as Fatigued and take a -6 penalty on saves against Sleep effects.


 * Corrosive Gas: all in the area take 1d6 Acid damage per character level of the Golem-Knight. A Ref save halves this. Those who fail the save take damage equal to the Golem-Knight's character level on the following round.


 * Disruption Pulse: all Constructs and Undead in the area take 1d8 untyped damage per character level of the Golem-Knight. A Fort save halves this, and they are not immune to this effect.

Grenades are not magical.

 (Ex): with half a day of work, the Golem-Knight can craft a double-barrelled shotgun of sorts. Firing this two-handed weapon is an Attack action and it takes a Partial Action to reload (Swift with Rapid Reload or Sleight of Hand 10 ranks, Free with both of the above), but can fire twice before needing to be reloaded. 1d6+1 rounds can be crafted with an hour of work.


 * Solid Shot: 40' range increments, 3d6 Bludgeoning damage, critical 20/x4.


 * Scatter Shot: 40' cone, 3d6 Bludgeoning damage, Ref half (same DC as grenades). Those who fail are knocked Prone.


 * Incendiary: 40' cone, 2d6 Fire damage, Ref half. Those who fail catch fire.


 * Flash-Bang Powder: 40' cone, all in the area are Blinded and Deafened for 1 round, Ref negates.


 * Explosive Shells: 20' range increments, 1d10 bludgeoning damage and 3d6 Fire damage, sets the target on fire. Crit 20/x3 (only multiplies the Bludgeoning damage).


 * Meltdown Shells: 20' range increments, 1d10 bludgeoning damage and 3d6 Acid damage, with 2d6 Acid damage the following round. Crit 20/x3 (only multiplies the Bludgeoning damage).


 * Executioner Seeker Rounds: creates a non-magical Magic Missile (try not to think too hard about it) effect with a CL equal to the class level of the Golem-Knight.

This weapon is not magical.

 (Ex): with a week of work and enough materials, the Golem-Knight may construct their very own actual golem body. This can be a giant chunk of baked clay that looks like a few rocks stacked together, or it could be an intricate suit of many plates of armour. Whatever. It takes a whole hour to don this "body", or to escape it, but when worn, the following benefits are gained, in addition to those that would be gained if the Knight was wearing their Mechanus Armour (they can't wear armour while wearing this):


 * Size: 1 category larger (you may wish to construct a bigger horse)


 * Ability Scores: +8 Strength, -4 Dexterity, +4 Constitution


 * Speed: remains the same


 * Reach: extends by 5'


 * Armour: as the Mechanus Armour +5


 * Attacks: may wield weapons, or gains 2 slams (2d6+Str for a Large creature). May also use a Bite attack (3d6+1/2 Str for a Large creature).


 * Special:


 * Trample (4d6 for a Large creature)
 * Improved Grab
 * Spell Resistance equal to 10 + hit dice
 * Furnace Blast : 50' breath weapon deals 2d6 Fire damage per hit die, Ref half (Con-based). Can be used once per minute, and those who fail the save catch fire. May instead be focused on a character hit by a Bite attack, as a Swift action. This hits automatically as though they had failed the save, but no-one else is affected.

This "armor" is not magical.

 (Ex): the Golem-Knight may, with a day's work, craft an additional arm to connect to a mount, Mechanus Armour, or the Golem Body. This arm reaches out to 10' further than the subject normally could, and can manipulate objects like a Telekinesis spell (CL = HD), or may be used to attack foes like a Bigby's Crushing Fist spell (CL = HD). It also has a form of blow-torch and saw added, which helps it assist the Knight in creating items (halving the time), but also is very unfortunate for those grappled by the arm. They take an additional 2d6 Adamantine Slashing damage and 5d6 Fire damage per round.

The Servo Arm is also not magical.

Playing a Golem-Knight
Combat: You are the bruiser of bruisers, and the tank against tanks. Your offense isn't bad, either, especially once you get your grenades and boomstick, allowing you to inflict status effects as well as do damage. The Boomstick makes it worthwhile to pick up feats like Point Blank Shot and Sniper.

Advancement: Fighter works well after this.

Golem-Knight in the World
"Sure, I can make it. I'll need...fifty pounds of adamantine, a hundred of steel, fifty of mythril, and bring me a few logs of mature red oak, too. What, did you think I'd make it for you free? Hardly. But in this case, I'm short on materials right now and I wanted to do a trial of something to see if it'd work. Bring me all that and I knock out that sword and shield you wanted."

Golem-Knights are rare. They're naturally high level, and there's not many high level people in the world. They're also interested in technology, which makes them positively unique in the worlds of Dungeons and Dragons. They are, however, master craftsmen and that makes them worth seeking out. Many of them request unusual payment: Materials to continue their own work.

NPC Reactions: a Golem-knight in full regalia is impressive. And scary. The Amplifiers even moreso. But...Their crafting skills are universally admired.

Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge (Engineering) can research Golem-Knights to learn more about them. When a character makes a skill check, read or paraphrase the following, including information from lower DCs.

Golem-Knights in the Game
Golem-Knights make great warrior-types in a party, and they can also craft up weapons and gear. Outside of the party, they great make persnickety craftsmen to get to make the party's stuff.