Talk:Automatons (Apath)

Last Version With Control Apparatus Rules

A clockwork creation consists of two parts, a body and a control apparatus. The body is a mechanical machine powered by springs. The control apparatus is by far the most complex part and can be mechanical or magical. This article focuses on mechanical clockwork, driven by mundane forces. A mechanical clockwork has a very limited intelligence, able to act only on specific instructions. This work somewhat like Handle Animal.

Clockwork Body

They bodies of clockwork creatures comes in two variations; clockwork creatures and animated objects. Both are made in similar ways, with clockwork creatures being more specialized designs. A clockwork body is built using the Craft (clockwork) skill, using the normal crafting rules.

Note that the raw materials used by a clockwork craftsman are themselves crafted objects; cogs, springs, even the frame and outer casings are made to order by metalworkers. The clockwork craftsman assembles a body out of these parts. If the builder is desperate to save money, he can use craft (metalworking) to make his own part and thus reduce costs by investing more in time and Craft skills.

Clockwork Creature: Using one of several custom designs, clockwork creatures are specialized machines designed for a specific task. Refer to the bestiary index for each creature to see the cost of creating it's body, given as "crafted clockwork pieces". Making the design of a new clockwork creature is a major achievement and outside the scope of these rules; tinkerers who want custom-designed clockwork servants usually work with animate clockwork (see below).

Animate Clockwork: An animated objects powered by clockwork has a cost equal to the challenge rating, squared, times 50 gold pieces. Note that the challenge rating of an animated object can be altered by construction points. Called an animate clockwork, such a creature uses all the rules for animated objects and also gains the advantages and disadvantages of the clockwork subtype. Unlike an object animated by animate objects, an animate clockwork is purpose-built to be a moving creatuire, and generally looks like a miniature creature of some kind. When not moving, an animate clockwork gains a +10 bonus on Disguise checks to appear as an inanimate object.

Control Apparatus

The control apparatus comes in two kinds; mechanical and magical. A mechanical clockwork automaton that must be programmed in detail. More complex is a mechanical differential engine, capable of being programmed, but also of running several ready-made routines called tricks and able to adjust these tricks to its surrounding. Magic is a more expensive option, creating which gives the clockwork creature instincts similar to that of vermin and the ability to understand and obey its master.

Note that neither of these methods gives the clockwork creature an actual intelligence score. Clockwork remain mindless creatures incapable of independent thought or action; they only react as their master instructed them to. A clockwork creature has no survival instinct and must be ordered to defend itself.

The cost of the control apparatus is in addition to the cost of the clockwork body.

Mechanical Controls

Clockwork with a mechanical control apparatus can either be given operations to perform or instructed to activate certain "tricks", sequences of operations that mimic intelligent action.

Tricks: A clockwork automaton can be made capable of running various tricks, similar to the tricks animals can be taught using Animal Handling. All clockwork automatons know the stay trick, and can be made to perform additional tricks by using a more complex clockwork control apparatus. The number of tricks a clockwork automaton can execute is not related to Intelligence as it is with an animal; all differential engines have an Intelligence score of zero. Instead the control apparatus is made more complex, making the clockwork capable of additional tricks.

Ordering a clockwork to perform a trick it is capable of is a move action that can be made up to 30 ft away from the clockwork, and requires a Knowledge (engineer) check, DC 10.

Pushing: A clockwork automaton is inherently only able to follow hands-on instructions from an operator. These instructions are made by operating levers or other control surfaces on the clockwork, usually mounted in back. This method of controlling a clockwork corresponds roughly to pushing an animal using Handle Animal.

Orders to the clockwork creature must be exact; they apply to a certain situation. This means they must usually be applied ad-hoc as the situation comes up, but if the situation is known in advance it is possible to apply an operation beforehand and set a trigger condition that makes the clockwork activate, such as "attack the first creature you see that is not wearing the guild badge". This increases the Knowledge (engineering) DC by 5, but time on the order and winding mechanism only begin counting once the trigger activates.

Pushing a clockwork is a full-round action performed when adjacent to the clockwork, that requires a Knowledge (engineering) check. You can spend extra time on this operation, each round gives a +1 bonus on the check, to a maximum bonus of +10 after one minute. The clockwork automaton will continue to carry out its instructions for one round, plus one round for each point above the DC on the Knowledge (engineering) check.

Cost, Weight, and Crafting: A clockwork automaton control apparatus costs 25 gp times the number of tricks it can run, squared. Remember that all clockwork automatons can run two tricks, down and heel, for a minimum cost of 100 gp. It weights 2 lb. A clockwork automaton control apparatus is made using Craft (clockwork) DC 25.

Abstract Engine The clockwork controlled by an abstract engine can exchange its tricks by being inserted with punch cards or other mechanical information record. It does not come with any punch cards. A punch card is made using Knowledge (engineering) and cost gp equal to the DC of teaching an animal the trick it contains. Changing the instructions of the abstract engine takes 1 minute and a Knowledge (engineering) check with a DC equal to the DC of teaching an animal the trick it contains. A difference engine doubles the cost of of mechanical controls.

Pilot A subtype of mechanical control apparatus, a clockwork can incorporate a piloting compartment for a creature at least three size categories smaller than the clockwork creature itself. A pilot with hands (or equivalent manipulative limbs) can pilot a clockwork of any shape; a creature lacking hands, such as most familiars, can only pilot a clockwork that mimics its basic shape. A piloted clockwork functions just as if it was an intelligent creature. The pilot spends a full-round action each turn to pilot the clockwork. When a piloted clockwork takes damage, the pilot takes half that damage the clockwork took (this does not reduce the damage to the clockwork), a Fortitude save (DC 15) negates. The pilot gains a +4 bonus on any Will saving throws originating from outside the clockwork, but Mind-affecting effects targeting the clockwork may affect the pilot. THe pilot cannot otherwise be targeted from outside and is not considered to be in any areas the clockwork is in. A pilot console costs 500 gp.

A Tiny clockwork creature can accept a fine pilot; A Medium clockwork can accept a diminutive pilot; a Large clockwork a Tiny pilot, a Huge clockwork a Small pilot, a Gargantuan clockwork can accept a Medium pilot, and a Colossal clockwork can accept a Large pilot.

Mount A clockwork that knows the heel trick can carry a rider of size category smaller than itself. This works like an animal carrying a rider.

Magical Motivation

This is the "standard" solution when creating constructs and creates the most versatile servant, capable of following even quite complex orders, but it is also horrendously expensive. Use the standard cost and abilities for animated objects and clockwork creatures. This involves having the Craft Construct feat and paying either the cost to create given for a clockwork creature. The cost to enchant an animate clockwork varies by Hit Dice and construction points—to determine the amount, add the animated object’s Hit Dice to its Construction Points, and multiple the total by 1,000.

Familiar Control: A subtype of magical control, a character with the familiar class feature can take a clockwork as a familiar, summoning a spirit to act as a control mechanism. Only a Tiny clockwork can be a familiar. A Tiny animated object counts as a normal familiar (without an animal familiar's bonus to its master), while a clockwork familiar requires the Improved Familiar feat and caster level 7. The cost of familiar control is the same as that of summoning a regular familiar, normally 200 gold pieces per level of the caster. The cost given to enchant a clockwork familiar assumes magical motivation; binding the creature as a familiar circumvents this cost and the need for the Craft Constructs feat.

Damage and Repair

A clockwork body can be repaired using Craft (clockwork) at DC 15 or with abilities that repair constructs. A full repair costs 10% of the cost of the body, partial repairs proportionally less. Clockwork are disabled at zero hit points and destroyed (irreparable) at negative hit points equal to three times its Hit Dice. Damage that does not destroy the clockwork does not harm the control apparatus. When a clockwork is destroyed, make a Fortitude saving throw DC 10 + its number of known tricks or DC 20 for magical controls; on a success the mechanical control apparatus survives and can be re-used.

Clockwork Tricks

Clockwork generally use the same tricks as the Handle Animal skill, but certain tricks are new or modified.

Attack A clockwork need only learn this trick once to attack any kind of foe.

Detect, Get Help, Hunt, Seek, Serve: Clockwork cannot perform these tricks.

New Construction Abilities

These new construct abilities and flaws are available to clockwork animated objects. The benefits of construction abilities do not stack.

Ability Increase(Ex, 1 CP): Increase one attribute by 4 points. This cannot be applied to Int or Con.

Specialist (Ex, 1 Cp) The clockwork gains a +6 bonus and counts as trained with one specific skill. The clockwork has integral tools that allows it to perform the skill and gains neither bonuses or penalties from tools.

Construction Flaws

Poor Senses (Ex, +1 Cp) The clockwork has poor senses, lacking both low-light and darkvision. It can only be ordered to perform tricks by creatures adjacent to it.

Spring Mechanism (Ex, +2 Cp) The clockwork is powered by a primitive spring mechanism. It remains wound for only one minute per Hit Dice it has. Any wrench can be used to wind the clockwork; it has no special key. Winding a spring mechanism is physically demanding and requires as much effort as carrying the clockwork.

Vulnerable Mechanism (Ex, +1 Cp) Whenever the clockwork takes damage, it must make a DC 15 Fortitude save to avoid being staggered for 1 round.

Weak Winding Mechanism (Ex, +1 Cp) The clockwork has a weak power source. It remains wound for only one hour per Hit Dice it has.

External Links

• Animated Objects @ pfsrd.com
• Clockwork @ pfsrd.com

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