User:Ganteka Future/Clockwork Knight

Clockwork Knight Reworked

The clockwork knight is a combatant that serves as the core animating force for a special golem-like suit of armor; fueling it, repairing it, and augmenting it with purpose and power.

The original class is playable, fun and fairly easy to use. This rework was was intended to clean up, simplify and modernize it while minimizing its frustrations and points of confusion. The original (from what I can tell) intended to make you like Tony Stark/Iron Man with an eventual sorta-golem armor cohort when you need it, but doesn't quite follow through on that, since it reads like it went through a design goal change midway through. You'd need to still spend your feat slots on crafting feats (something fighter reworks often get, and earlier, which is frustrating) while also trying to spend those feats on things that make you combat capable or diversify yourself enough for your character concept.

While your character may be smart, the class rewards for that with better armor-related things, rather than making your smarts pay off for yourself, if that makes sense. If you don't invest in Knowledge skills, you'll likely have little to do outside of combat. On with the changes!

To start, this rework reduces your HD from a d10 to a d8, but adds in a temporary HP pool from your armor. When you get Clockwork Skills, it only applies to two skills you even have as class skills. Class skills still need to be reworked as of yet. Crafter still needs a bit more of a rework, potentially making a new Craft Construct feat variant that actually works.

Clockwork knight armor has been totally reworked. You can have more varied armor now, and make and use several different suits, and don't have to worry about waiting a year and a day or saving up enough cash to resurrect your dead armor or whatever you were originally supposed to do if you lost or broke it. Gone are the scaling armor bonuses and enhancement bonuses that kind of required you to pay someone else to enhance your armor so you could get a free +1 worth ability at certain levels. Just pick and craft the kind of armor you want, opening up flexibility and building on top of existing material (like how much HP and material costs and having effectively a light armor power armor so you can't tank it up). It also makes it so that if you want to have high armor because of your low Dexterity, you can, without having to wait until later in your career. Now, if you want to be Iron Man and be tough to hit, you can actually have a (likely) better armor class than the fighter.

The scaling enhancements have been replaced by the prototype enhancements, which grant flexibility and allow you to have multiple sets of decent armor without totally breaking your bank.

Most of the spell-like runes are now supernatural that provoke in melee, instead of trying to figure out equivalent level spells or if they scale with level and mentioning that they're all INT-based instead of CHA-based as they were by default, especially since none of them actually replicated spells.

One rune was removed (Special Armor) since it became redundant with the changes in design (changing your armor type as if warforged armor). Another rune was removed (Spell Rune), since it was just kinda... borked, easily granting things like infinite healing and whatnot on a replenish-able resource (if it burned out the anima for the rest of the day, that might be something, but tracking it then gets a bit weird). The Warp Drive and Warp Shift runes have been overhauled as well, and should fit better with the flavor and function of the class.

Making a Clockwork Knight

Abilities: Intelligence is important for crafting, and powering many of the knight's abilities. Choose between either Strength or Dexterity as your main combat stat. Constitution will help augment your poor Fortitude and average hit dice, especially when out of your armor and fighting along side it. A good Wisdom is useful to keep your Will save good and for sensory skills out of combat, with Charisma being used mostly only for specific builds.

Alignment: Any.

Starting Equipment: 5d4×10 gp (125 gp) plus clockwork knight armor.

Starting Age: As wizard.

Table: The Clockwork Knight

Hit Die: d8

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Saving Throws			Special	Anima Points	Str/Dex Enhancement
		Fort	Ref	Will
1st	+1	+2	+0	+2	Anima Regeneration, Clockwork Knight, Crafter, Power Rune	3	+0
2nd	+2	+3	+0	+3	Combat Style 1	6	+0
3rd	+3	+3	+1	+3	Armor Training, Power Rune	11	+0
4th	+4	+4	+1	+4	Clockwork Skills, Prototype Enhancement +1	16	+0
5th	+5	+4	+1	+4	Power Rune, Quick Don	23	+2
6th	+6	+5	+2	+5	Imbue Item, Share Rune	30	+2
7th	+7	+5	+2	+5	Power Rune	39	+2
8th	+8	+6	+2	+6	Combat Style 2, Prototype Enhancement +2	48	+2
9th	+9	+6	+3	+6	Power Rune	59	+4
10th	+10	+7	+3	+7	Automation, Shield Other	70	+4
11th	+11	+7	+3	+7	Power Rune	83	+4
12th	+12	+8	+4	+8	Closed System, Prototype Enhancement +3	96	+4
13th	+13	+8	+4	+8	Power Rune	111	+6
14th	+14	+9	+4	+9	Combat Style 3	126	+6
15th	+15	+9	+5	+9	Power Rune	143	+6
16th	+16	+10	+5	+10	Prototype Enhancement +4, Shared Lifeforce	160	+6
17th	+17	+10	+5	+10	Power Rune	179	+8
18th	+18	+11	+6	+11	Mind Blank	198	+8
19th	+19	+11	+6	+11	Power Rune	219	+8
20th	+20	+12	+6	+12	Clockwork Lord, Combat Style 4, Prototype Enhancement +5	240	+8
Class Skills (6 + Int modifier per level, ×4 at 1st level) Appraise (Int), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Decipher Script (Int), Disable Device (Int), Knowledge (all skills selected separately) (Int), Open Lock (Dex), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Search (Int), Spellcraft (Int), Use Magic Device (Cha).

Class Features

All of the following are class features of the Clockwork Knight.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A clockwork knight is proficient with all simple weapons, plus one martial weapon of their choice. Clockwork knights are proficient with light, medium and heavy armor and with shields (except tower shields).

Anima Points: The clockwork knight armor's power is drawn from the pilot's life force, known as anima. Your available anima points are equal to the class's granted bonus (listed on the table above) plus your Intelligence modifier. Various functions of the power runes consume anima points, listed in each power rune description. Some power runes allow you to spend various degrees of anima points, but no matter what, you can never spend more anima points per round than your clockwork knight level.

Anima Regeneration: As a standard action, you may recover a number of anima points equal to your Intelligence modifier (maximum equal to your class level).

Clockwork Knight Armor (Ex) and (Su): A clockwork knight's signature feature is his mechanical, magically-augmented armor. At 1st level, you craft together your first suit of armor (choosing between either leather, breastplate, or half-plate armor) for free as masterwork armor as the base armor. This armor becomes a suit of clockwork armor. When worn, the suit is animated to your will and carries no weight for encumbrance, but still slows you down as normal. The clockwork knight armor later provides enhancement bonuses to Strength and Dexterity, and eventually it can become a construct when needed. The clockwork knight can craft additional suits of clockwork knight armor at double the base masterwork armor's crafting cost plus the cost of any special materials used. Non-clockwork knights do not benefit from the special properties of the clockwork knight armor and are considered non-proficient with it.

When worn, your clockwork knight armor provides you 4 temporary hit points per clockwork knight level, which automatically refresh at a rate of 1 per round. She can actively repair 2 points per clockwork knight level by spending a standard action to do so.

Crafter (Ex): One does not become a clockwork knight without the ability to create one. You gain half your class level as a enhancement bonus to Craft checks (minimum 1). You also may qualify for item creation feats as if you had a caster level equal to your class level. You must still obtain spells from other sources (at least until you obtain Imbue Item). You gain the Craft Construct feat, even if you don't meet the prerequisites.

At 3rd level, you gain Craft Magic Arms and Armor as a bonus feat. You do not need to meet the prerequisites for the feat and your caster level for crafting is equal to your clockwork knight level plus any caster level you do possess.

Power Rune: The inside and outside of your clockwork knight armor is covered in mystic runes, both to animate it when worn and to give it special powers. By channeling anima points into these runes, you activate them and generate various effects. Runes come in three types: Tool abilities have an effect with a limited or instantaneous duration, subtracting a number of anima points. Augment abilities have a permanent effect as long as they are active and you are wearing the clockwork knight armor, they lock up a number of anima points inside them which cannot be regenerated so long as they are locked away. Finally there are modification abilities, which do not consume anima points and are permanent. If not specified, activating a power rune is a standard action. Scribing or removing a known rune from a set of clockwork knight armor takes 30 minutes.

A list of available power runes are given below. Some power runes have prerequisites, typically level prerequisites. You gain additional power runes at 3rd and every odd level beyond.

Combat Style (Ex): At 2nd level a clockwork knight adjusts his clockwork knight armor to be optimized in certain situations. He may select one of the four following combat styles, once chosen the selection cannot be changed. You gain benefits at 2nd level, 8th level, 14th level, and 20th level from your chosen combat style. You gain these benefits even when not wearing your clockwork knight armor unless specified.

Combatant Unit: You gain martial weapon proficiency and one exotic weapon proficiency of your choice. You also gain one exotic armor proficiency of your choice and may use tower shields. You count as a fighter of your class level –2 for the purpose of selecting fighter-specific feats.

At 8th level, light and one-handed weapons deal 1 and a half times Strength and two-handed weapons deal 2 times Strength for damage.

At 14th level, you gain an extra attack at your full attack bonus as if using haste. This benefit does not stack with haste.

At 20th level, you may choose to either improve your critical hit range by 2 points (a 19-20/×2 critical becomes a 17-20/×2), or increase the critical multiplier by one (such as a scythe's 20/×4 into 20/×5). The critical hit range improvement is added after the effects of Keen or Improved Critical.

Information Unit: You gain low-light vision and darkvision out to 60 feet while wearing the armor (or you improve your existing darkvision by +30 feet). You also may use detect magic at will.

At 8th level, you are under a constant see invisibility effect and gain the uncanny dodge ability of the barbarian.

At 14th level, you are under a constant true seeing effect, and gain improved uncanny dodge as a barbarian of your level.

At 20th level, you are never surprised or flatfooted and cannot be flanked, becoming completely aware of your surroundings at all times. You gain your Intelligence modifier as a bonus to initiative checks, Listen, Search, and Spot checks.

Mobility Unit: Your land speed increases by +10 feet.

At 8th level, select one of the following movement modes: burrow up to half your land speed, swim up to twice your land speed, climb up to your land speed, or fly (average) up to your land speed. If you select swimming or climbing you gain a +8 skill bonus on Swim and Climb checks respectively. You only have access to these additional forms of movement while wearing clockwork knight armor.

At 14th level, you may either select another movement mode from the original list or you may improve a pre-existing movement. If you chose a burrow speed, you now burrow up to your speed and gain tremorsense out to 30 feet. If you chose a swim speed, you gain a 20% miss chance while in water, do not take damage from high pressure, and gains blindsense 30 feet, but only in water. If you chose a climb speed you can now climb twice your land speed and take no falling damage. If you chose a fly speed, your speed is now twice your land speed and maneuverability improves by one step (to good). You only have access to these additional forms of movement while wearing the clockwork knight armor.

At 20th level, you may either select another movement mode, improve a pre-existing movement as the 14th level benefit, or further improve an already improved movement mode. If you chose an improved burrow speed, you now gain the Earth Glide of an earth elemental and only take nonlethal damage from earth based sources such as giant rocks or falling on solid ground. You can see through stone if you wish as if it were air. If you chose a swim speed, you move up to three times your land speed and gains blindsight 30 feet and blindsense out to 500 feet, but only in water. If you chose a climb speed you can grip onto any surface without using your limbs, even perfectly smooth surfaces such as a wall of force. No force can move your position while you are climbing. If you chose a fly speed, your maneuverability improves by one step (to perfect) and you take no damage from low or no pressure. You can choose to fly even in vacuums. You only have access to these additional forms of movement while wearing the clockwork knight armor.

Ranged Unit: You gain a fighter bonus feat which applies to ranged weapons, for which you qualify. You gain proficiency in all martial ranged weapons, and one exotic ranged weapon of your choice.

At 8th level, you gain another fighter bonus feat which applies to ranged weapons, and you may add your Dexterity to damage with ranged attacks.

At 14th level, you gain another fighter bonus feat which applies to ranged weapons, and may take Power Shots with your attacks. Power Shooting functions like Power Attack for ranged weapons. You count as possessing the Power Attack feat.

At 20th level, you gain another fighter bonus feat which applies to ranged weapons, and all your projectiles are transformed into shafts of pure energy, dealing typeless damage and bypassing all forms of damage reduction and energy resistance.

Armor Training (Ex): At 3rd level, whenever a clockwork knight is wearing armor, he reduces the armor check penalty by 1 (to a minimum of 0) and increases the maximum Dexterity bonus allowed by his armor by 1. Every four levels thereafter (7th, 11th, and 15th), these bonuses increase by +1 each time, to a maximum –4 reduction of the armor check penalty and a +4 increase of the maximum Dexterity bonus allowed.

In addition, a clockwork knight can also move at his normal speed while wearing medium armor. At 7th level, a clockwork knight can move at his normal speed while wearing heavy armor.

Clockwork Skills (Ex): At 4th level, your clockwork knight armor allows you to perform above and beyond your normal abilities. By employing your vast knowledge of mechanics and physics, you can use your Intelligence to substitute for any Strength- or Dexterity-based ability or skill check. You gain this benefit only when wearing your clockwork armor.

Prototype Enhancement (Su): At 4th level, you gain access to prototype enhancements; special armor enhancements you can apply to or change on a suit of your clockwork armor in a one hour ritual of crafting and tinkering. This prototype enhancement is a +1 market cost equivalent value special enhancement, and only provides a benefit for you. At 8th, 12th, 16th and 20th levels, you gain additional prototype enhancements and their total value that can be applied per armor increases by +1. For example, at 12th level, you could have a +2 value and a +1 value on a suit of your clockwork knight fullplate and three different +1 value enhancements on a clockwork chainshirt. The clockwork knight armor does not need to have a base +1 enhancement to have prototype enhancements applied to it.

Quick Don (Ex): At 5th level, your clockwork armor self-animates as you put it on, moving around your form in an instant. Donning or removing your clockwork knight armor is reduced to a move action and you never need assistance donning your clockwork knight armor.

Imbue Item (Su): A clockwork knight of 6th level or higher can use his supernatural power to create magic items, even if he does not know the spells required to make an items or constructs (although he must know the appropriate item creation feat). He can substitute a Knowledge (Engineering) check (DC 15 + spell level for arcane spells or 20 + spell level for divine spells) in place of a required spell he doesn't know or can't cast.

If the check succeeds, the clockwork knight can create the item or construct as if he had cast the required spell. If it fails, he cannot complete the item. He does not expend the XP or gp costs for making the item; his progress is simply arrested. He cannot retry this Knowledge (Engineering) check for that spell until he gains a new level.

Share Rune (Su): At 6th level, you can remove runes from your clockwork armor and apply them to your own body, gaining the benefits. Removing and reapplying one or more runes takes 30 minutes of work and focus. Once moved, it remains with you until you move it back. The rune goes inert if you enter your clockwork knight armor while it is still on your body, but resumes function once you leave.

Automation (Ex): At 10th level, your connection to your clockwork knight armor allows you to imbue it with purpose and movement. Within 30 feet, you may will an un-worn set to become an animated object with HD equal to your class level. It can use its power runes if you are within 30 feet, and it may act on its own. It has the enhancement bonuses to Strength and Dexterity as well as its armor bonuses and other enhancements. For every size smaller than Medium, apply –2 Str (minimum 1) and +2 Dex, and for every size larger than Medium, apply +2 Str and –2 Dex (minimum 1). If killed, the armor becomes inert and gains the broken condition, wherein it can't be re-animated for 1 week. The animation can be dismissed as a free action at any distance or even upon completing a task and cannot be animated while worn.

Shield Other (Su): At 10th level whenever you are within close range (25 feet + 5 feet/2 levels) of your clockwork knight armor, you may use shield other between you and your armor as a swift action. You may use this ability 1/day, at a caster level equal to your character level. If you exceed distance farther than close range, the effect ends.

Closed System (Ex): At 12th level the clockwork knight armor seals up, protecting you inside. You benefit from a constant endure elements effect, and are supplied with constant fresh air within the armor. You do not suffer from gaseous attacks (such as cloudkill, inhaled poisons or sickening or nauseating vapors). This functions as long as you are inside your clockwork knight armor.

Shared Lifeforce (Su): At 16th level, so long as one of your suits of clockwork knight armor exists, it costs no experience and you suffer no level loss or experience loss for being raised or resurrected. Your armors count as your body for the purposes of resurrections.

Additionally, your armor becomes hardier on its own. When animated, it counts as a golem for the purposes of immunity to magic (except from effects generated by you).

Mind Blank (Su): At 18th level, your mind is shielded deep within the construct's own. You gain the effects of mind blank while wearing the clockwork knight armor.

Clockwork Lord: At 20th level, you have become master of the clockwork knight armor. You may merge your armor into your body when not in use (gaining no benefit from it) or release it at will. You can don or remove the clockwork knight armor as a free action on your turn only. In addition even when outside of the suit, you gain armor-like durability. You gain DR 10/adamantine and may use weapons and items as if you were a construct or warforged.

Power Rune List

Astral Drive (Tool) (Su): You enter a state where you charge up astral energy over the course of 1 minute, at the end of charging, you replicate the effects of teleport (for you and your armor). While charging, you cannot take standard actions and upon activation, you expend 11 anima points. If you lack the anima, the ability fails. You must possess the Astral Shift rune to take this ability.

Astral Shift (Tool) (Su): As a move action you can spend 1 anima point to teleport 5 feet. For every additional anima point you spend, you can teleport another 5 feet away. Teleporting like this does not provoke attacks of opportunity. If you teleport somewhere illegal (such as inside a solid object) you take 1d6 points of damage and are shunted away 1d6×10 feet away into the nearest empty space, repeating the damage and shunting effect if no space is found in range.

Bomb (Tool) (Su): You release a missile of concentrated energy out to long range (400 feet + 100 feet/level). You deal 1d6 points of energy damage in a 20-foot radius burst (selecting either Acid, Cold, Electric, or Fire, and once chosen it cannot be changed), with a Reflex save for half damage. The DC is 10 + 1/2 HD + your Intelligence modifier. For each additional anima point spent, the damage increases by 1d6 points. Using this ability in melee provokes an attack of opportunity.

Damage Reduction (Augmentation) (Ex): By locking away 1 anima point, you gain DR 1/magic. For each additional point, you gain another point of damage reduction. Alternatively for every 2 points invested, you gain gain DR 1/adamantine and magic instead. Damage reduction has unlimited duration as long as you keep anima points locked in this ability. When you release the anima points, you lose your damage reduction.

Deflector (Modification) (Ex): You gain a +2 deflection bonus to AC, to a maximum of half your class level. This rune may be selected multiple times, each time increasing the bonus by +2.

EMP (Tool) (Su): You release a destructive pulse of electromagnetic and magical energy which damages constructs. For every point of anima you spend you deal 1d6 damage in a 20-foot radius burst centered on you (you are immune to its effects). Non-constructs made of or wearing significant amounts of metal (medium or heavy armor) take half damage. Constructs made of metal, such as iron golems take 50% more damage. A successful Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 HD + your Intelligence modifier) halves the damage.

Energy Resistance (Augmentation) (Ex): By locking away 1 anima point, you gain energy resistance 2 (select either Acid, Cold, Electric, Fire, or Sonic, and once chosen it cannot be changed). For each additional anima point locked away, the energy resistance rises by 2 points. When you reach energy resistance 32 and above, it becomes energy immunity (meaning the most points you need to invest is 16). Energy resistance has unlimited duration as long as you keep anima points locked in this ability. When you release the anima points, you lose your energy resistance. You may select this ability multiple times, each time selecting a new type of energy.

Energy Strike (Augmentation) (Su): By locking away 1 anima point, you gain the ability to add 1 point of energy damage to your ranged or melee attacks with weapons. For each additional point invested, the damage increases by 1. Select Acid, Cold, Electric, or Fire (once chosen it cannot be changed). All attacks you make possess this additional damage. Energy strike has unlimited duration as long as you keep anima points locked in this ability. When you release the anima points, you lose your energy strike damage.

Force Scatter (Tool) (Su): By spending 1 anima point you release force shrapnel in a 30 foot cone, dealing 1d4 Force damage, no save. For each additional point you spend, the damage increases by 1d4 points. Using this ability in melee provokes an attack of opportunity.

Graft Weapon (Modification) (Ex): You can attach a weapon to the arm of your clockwork knight. This causes you to lose function of one of your arms while a weapon is connected, resulting in a –2 penalty on skill checks which involve hands. Some tasks may become impossible. While a weapon is grafted, you may treat it as both a manufactured and a natural weapon, whichever is most beneficial. You cannot be disarmed of the weapon. You may graft a two-handed weapon to one hand, but you must still use two hands while operating the weapon. You may also graft a weapon to each hand (making hand using tasks impossible) and use two-weapon fighting. While grafted, the weapon is affected as if by greater magic weapon at a caster level equal to your character level, and unlimited duration (until you remove the graft). The weapon also bypasses alignment as per your alignment. Grafting or releasing a weapon is equal to drawing a weapon, typically a move action.

Gravity Suit (Augmentation) (Ex): Your suit is granted protective barriers which prevent friction, granting you freedom of movement. While active, this suit drains 2 anima each round. Even when not active, possessing this rune grants you a +4 bonus against grapple checks. You must be 7th level to select this ability.

Jetpack (Modification) (Ex): You gain boosters which aid your Jump checks, adding a +10 bonus to Jump checks and reducing fall damage by half. When you reach 8 HD, the boosters allow you to fly at 60 feet with average maneuverability, but consumes 1 anima point each round to maintain. If you already possess a flight speed (perhaps by virtue of the mobility combat style) your flight speed is instead increased by +10 speed whenever you are expending anima points to maintain.

Laser (Tool) (Su): As a ranged touch attack you can fire a beam which deals Acid, Cold, Electric, or Fire damage (once chosen it cannot be changed) out to 60 feet. It deals 1d6+1 damage for every 1 anima point spent. Using this ability in melee provokes an attack of opportunity.

Option (Augmentation) (Su): You conjure a floating ball of force at your side which casts magic missile at a caster level equal to your class level as a free action once every round as directed by you. While active, the option drains 2 points of anima per round. Activating or dismissing an option is a swift action. Using this ability in melee provokes an attack of opportunity.

Size Huge (Modification) (Ex): You increase the size of your clockwork knight armor, despite your size on the inside. Your suit becomes Huge, gaining a +4 size bonus to Strength and a –2 size penalty to Dexterity. Your base armor bonus rises by +2, and you gain all the appropriate penalties and benefits of being a Huge creature (except for ability score and natural armor changes). You must be 14th level to select this ability and be a Large-sized suit.

Size Large (Modification) (Ex): You increase the size of your clockwork knight armor, despite your size on the inside. Your suit becomes Large size (going from Small to Large if previously Small), gaining a +4 size bonus to Strength and a –2 size penalty to Dexterity. Your base armor bonus rises by +2, and you gain all the appropriate penalties and benefits of being a Large creature (except for ability score and natural armor changes). You must be 7th level to select this ability.

Skill Improvement (Augmentation) (Ex): By locking away 1 anima point, you gain a +1 competence bonus on a skill check of your choice. For each additional point, you gain another +1 bonus. When you release the anima points, you lose the bonus to your skill checks. You may select this ability multiple times, allowing you to assign bonuses to more than a single skill at a time.

Smoke Grenade (Tool) (Su): You release a burst of smoke which duplicates the effects of fog cloud by spending 3 anima points. If you spend 7 anima points, the effect becomes like stinking cloud. Spend 11 anima points and you can duplicate the effects of solid fog. Finally if you spend 15 anima points the effect becomes as cloudkill. The saving throws are DC 10 + 1/2 HD + your Intelligence modifier where applicable.

Spell Resistance (Augmentation) (Ex): By locking away 1 anima point, you gain spell resistance 11. For each additional point, you gain another point of spell resistance. You may raise and lower your spell resistance as an immediate action, in order to allow ally spells through. Spell resistance has unlimited duration as long as you keep anima points locked in this ability. When you release the anima points, you lose your spell resistance.

X-Blaster (Tool) (Su): As a ranged touch attack you can fire a beam which deals 1d6 untyped energy damage out to 60 feet, plus an additional 1d6 points of damage for every anima point you spend. However if you spend a full-round action to attack the damage die increases to 1d8. If you spend 2 full-round actions, the damage die becomes 2d6 per point spent, and you make a ranged touch attack against all target in a 60-ft line. Using this ability in melee provokes an attack of opportunity.

Alternate Class Features

Chemical Engineer Knight

Replaces: Heavy Armor Proficiency, 1st level Power Rune, Combat Style, Automation, Shield Other

Benefit: Gain the Elixirs class feature as a chemist of your clockwork knight level.

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