Clockwork (5e Class)
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This page is of questionable balance. Reason: Crowded with features even though this already is a full caster. The wording on the core feature is a mess, and the spellcasting feature is not described
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Clockwork Mage
A group of goblins come running down the passageway of the maze. The gnome man pulls out a music box and winds it, and then he puts it down and opens it. The music plays and the goblins fall asleep.
A Human woman sits in her inn room. She pulls out a small clockwork bird. She winds the bird up and then whispers something to the bird and it takes off flying out of the window.
The Clockwork Mage places down a small clockwork spider. The Clockwork Mage winds it up. The Spider turns around and fires web all over the place.
Key to Clockwork Mage
Clockwork Mages turn magic from its ancient role as a mysterious power into a modernized tool. Clockwork Mage - A mage who combine spellcasting with the principles of clockwork technology, bringing magic to the common man and creating conveniences that will march the world toward a future where magic and science are one.
Though they have many opponents who want to defend the old ways, the Clockwork Mages have powerful weapons at their disposal, and the fantastic revolution seems inevitable. Most other magic users do not see Clockwork Magic as a real type of magic. This may lead to a Clockwork Mage being forbidden from entering the local magic guild or school, to be mocked by other magic users, and much more. It’s not uncommon for Clockwork Mages to make their own guilds or schools (I’ll make my own guild with blackjack and hookers).
Creating a Clockwork Mage
Now think about what makes up your character, what is their background? How did they end up as a Clockwork Mage? Were they forced into it by a family member who is a Clockwork Mage? Was it something they chose to do as a thrill and a fun way to make money? Do they regret for all the hours they put into studying an art most other magic users see as a false magic? Do they look fondly at that time in their life? Do they speak openly about their craft or are they guarded about it, keeping it to themselves?
Now what made them start adventuring? Did they decide to do this for the next thrill? Was it by pure chance you were in the wrong place at the right moment? Are you looking for something existential or personal? All these questions lead to a better understanding of your character and their motivations.
- Quick Build
You can make a Clockwork Mage quickly by following these suggestions. First, Int should be your highest ability score, followed by Dex, followed by Con. Choose the Guild Artisan background.
Class Features
As a Clockwork Mage you gain the following class features.
- Hit Points
Hit Dice: 1d6 per Clockwork Mage level
Hit Points at 1st Level: 6 + Constitution modifier
Hit Points at Higher Levels: 1d6 (or 4) + Constitution modifier per Clockwork Mage level after 1st
- Proficiencies
Armor: Medium Armor
Weapons: Martial Melee, simple weapons, Light Crossbow
Tools: Artisan's Tools, Jeweler’s Tools
Saving Throws: Intelligence, Dexterity
Skills: Choose 3 from Acrobatics, Arcana, Athletics, History, Insight, Investigation, Perception, Persuasion, and Sleight of Hand.
- Equipment
You start with the following equipment, in addition to the equipment granted by your background:
- (a) Martial Melee Weapons or (b) Light Crossbow
- quartz crystal x5,gears x50, cogs x40
- Medium Armor
- (a) Artisan's Tools or or (b) Jeweler’s Tools
- (a) Dungeoneer's pack or (b) Explorer's pack
- If you are using starting wealth, you have 5d4 x 10 gp in funds.
| Level | Proficiency Bonus |
Features | —Spell Slots per Spell Level— | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | |||
| 1st | +2 | Gears, Cogs, and Gems | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2nd | +2 | Wizard Armor, Tool Expertise, Repair Damage | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 3rd | +2 | Archetypes | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 4th | +2 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 5th | +3 | Clockwork Familiar | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 6th | +3 | Flying Cogs | 4 | 3 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 7th | +3 | Clockwork Mount | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 8th | +3 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 9th | +4 | Spring Boots | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| 10th | +4 | Two Quartz | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| 11th | +4 | Disarm Traps | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 12th | +4 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| 13th | +5 | Clockwork Goblin | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| 14th | +5 | Turn the Key | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — |
| 15th | +5 | Clockwork Winged Mount | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 16th | +5 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — |
| 17th | +6 | Clockwork Minions | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 18th | +6 | Three Quartz | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 19th | +6 | Ability Score Improvement | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 20th | +6 | Clockwork Master | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Gears, Cogs, and Gems
While all Clockwork Mages can make clockwork devices, that's not what makes them magical. Like any finely made watch, clockwork devices are powered by the quartz crystal. For a Clockwork Mage, he/she must find a quartz crystal. This crystal must have a value based on the level of the spell times 100. So, if he/she made a device that fires Magic Missiles, a level 1 Spell, the crystal would need to be worth at least 100 gold. On the other hand, if the mage wanted to make a device that fires a fireball, a level 3 spell, the quartz crystal would cost at least 300 gold. A Clockwork Mage cannot make devices for Cantrips.
The quartz crystals can only hold a charge for one spell at a time. Once a quartz crystal is exposed to the magical energy of a spell the quartz will only be able to hold the energy of that spell. This means if a Clockwork Mage makes a device that fires Magic Missiles and charges the quartz with that spell, they can not later recharge it with a Fireball Spell. That quartz will only ever be able to hold the Magic Missile spell.
Once the device is used, the quartz has no energy. The character must use their long rest to recharge the quartz.
Besides the quartz, the device needs to be wound up. A Clockwork Mage can wind up the device as a bonus action. If the device is not wound the device will not activate.
To make a new device from scratch it takes two weeks without distractions. This means in that time the Clockwork Mage can not travel or go on adventures.
Wizard Armor
At level 2, Unlike other spell casters, a Clockwork Mage does not need to take silly poses or make graceful dance movements. This allows them to wear armor. A Clockwork Mage can wear light or medium armor.
Tool Expertise
At level 2, The Clockwork Mage proficiency bonus is doubled for any ability check you make that uses any of the tool proficiencies you gain from this class.
Repair Damage
At level 2, The Clockwork Mage may repair any touched construct. The construct regains a number of hit points equal to 1d8 + your intelligence modifier +1/level. This ability has no effect on living or undead creatures. This ability can only be used once per short rest.
Clockwork Familiar
At level 5, A Clockwork Mage can construct a clockwork creature to be their familiar. The familiar mimics the shape of a living creature from the following list: Bat, Cat, Crab, Frog (Toad), Hawk, Lizard, Octopus, Owl, Snake, Fish (Quipper), Rat, Raven, Seahorse, Spider, or Weasel. It takes 3 months of work without distractions. This means in that time the Clockwork Mage can not travel or go on adventures.
The familiar acts independently of you but always obeys your commands. In Combat, it rolls its own initiative and acts on its own turn. A familiar can't attack, but it can take other actions as normal.
When the familiar drops to 0 hit points, it breaks, leaving behind scrap and the quartz that powered it. The Clockwork Mage can remake the familiar as long as the quartz is not damaged. If it is damaged he/she needs to completely start over.
While your familiar is within 100 feet of you, you can communicate with it telepathically. Additionally, as an action, you can see through your familiar's eyes and hear what it hears until the start of your next turn. During this time, you are deaf and blind with regard to your own senses.
As an action, you can temporarily dismiss your familiar. It disappears into a pocket dimension where it awaits your summons. Alternatively, you can dismiss it forever. As an action, while it is temporarily dismissed, you can cause it to reappear in any unoccupied space within 30 feet of you.
You can't have more than one familiar at a time. If you build a new familiar the first familiar stops working.
Finally, when you Cast a Spell with a range of touch, your familiar can deliver the spell as if it had cast the spell. Your familiar must be within 100 feet of you, and it must use its reaction to deliver the spell when you cast it. If the spell requires an Attack roll, you use your Attack modifier for the roll.
When not activated, the familiar is a softball-sized sphere. Activating the familiar in battle uses an action.
Flying Cogs
At 6th level, one thing that all Clockwork Mages have are cogs, why not weaponize them? The Clockwork Mage can throw cogs as a form of an attack. The Cogs do 1d6 bludgeoning damage. When the Clockwork Mage throws a cog, the mage gets a +1 to their attack.
Clockwork Mount
At 7th level, You build a device that assumes the form of an unusually intelligent, strong, and loyal steed; creating a long-lasting bond with it. The mount can fold out from a case that can be carried by the Clockwork Mage (weighs 75 pounds). The device takes on a form that of the Clockwork Mage's choosing, such as a warhorse, a pony, a camel, an elk, or a Mastiff. (Your DM might allow Other Animals to be made as steeds.) The steed has the statistics of the chosen form. Additionally, its Intelligence becomes 6, and it has the ability to understand one Language of the Clockwork Mage's choosing, provided they speak it.
Your steed serves you as a mount, both in combat and out, and you have an instinctive bond with it that allows you to fight as a seamless unit. While mounted on your steed, you can make any spell you cast which targets only you also target your steed.
When the steed drops to 0 hit points, it returns to case form and is broken until fixed. The mount can be fixed during a Long Rest. You can also dismiss your steed at any time as an action, causing it to turn back to the case.
While your steed is within 1 mile of you, you can communicate with it telepathically.
You can't have more than one steed bonded to the Clockwork Mage. As an action, you can release the steed from its bond at any time, causing it to go back to the case form.
Constructing a steed requires two months of uninterrupted work. In these two months, the Clockwork Mage can not go on adventures. Like everything else, there is a quartz crystal filled with magical energy as long as this quartz is not damaged, the quartz can be removed and put into another mount body to power it.
To activate the Mount in battle uses an action.
Spring Boots
At 9th level, The Clockwork Mage adds powerful springs to the bottom of their footwear. The springs grant the Clockwork Mage +10 to their movement speed. The springs also grant the Clockwork Mage triple jump distance.
Two Quartz
At 10th level, The Clockwork Mage is able to place two quartz crystals into one device. This means the device can be used twice before out of charges. The same spell must be used for both quartz in the device. Meaning if you have a device that shoots fireballs both quartz must be used for the fireball spell.
Disarm Traps
At 11th level, a Clockwork Mage is able to disarm traps with the help of their tools. This feature goes off the same rules as a rogue with thieves tools. They get advantage with the rolls.
Clockwork Goblin
At 13th level, You can activate a Clockwork Goblin. These Goblins are the size and shape of a normal Goblin. The Clockwork Goblin has all the stats of a common goblin but is immune to poison and psychic damage, as well as the charmed, exhaustion, frightened, paralyzed, and petrified status effects.
The Clockwork Goblins can follow simple commands like follow, push, pull, lift, attack, walk, run, and so on (DM should judge if the Clockwork Goblin can or can’t do something).
In combat, the Clockwork Goblins get their own action and initiative roll. The goblins can use any simple melee or ranged weapon they are given or can punch. The punch does 1d4+1 damage. The Goblins get a +4 to hit. To activate the Clockwork Goblin in battle takes an action.
When not activated, the Clockwork Goblin takes the form of a one-foot by one-foot cube that weighs 25 pounds. Like everything else, there is a quartz crystal filled with magical energy as long as this quartz crystal is not damaged the quartz crystal can be removed and put in another Clockwork Goblin body to power it.
Constructing a Clockwork Goblin requires 1 month of uninterrupted work. In this month the Clockwork Mage can not go on adventures. Activating the goblin in combat uses an action.
Turn the Key
At 14th level, Activating the Clockwork Mount, Clockwork Goblin, and Clockwork Winged Mount can be done as a bonus action.
Clockwork Winged Mount
At 15th level, You build a device that assumes the form of an unusually intelligent, strong, and loyal winged steed; creating a long-lasting bond with it. The mount can fold out from a case that can be carried by the Clockwork Mage (weighs 75 pounds). The device takes on a form of the Clockwork Mage's choosing, such as a Griffin, Pegasus, Giant Bird, Giant Bat, or Hippogriff. (Your DM might allow Other Animals to be made as steeds.) The steed has the statistics of the chosen form. Additionally, its Intelligence becomes 6, and it has the ability to understand one Language of the Clockwork Mage's choosing, provided that they speak the language.
Your steed serves you as a mount, both in combat and out, and you have an instinctive bond with it that allows you to fight as a seamless unit. While mounted on your steed, you can make any spell you cast which target only you also target your steed.
When the steed drops to 0 hit points, it returns to case form and is broken until fixed. The mount can be fixed during a Long Rest. You can also dismiss your steed at any time as an action, causing it to turn back to the case.
While your steed is within 1 mile of you, you can communicate with it telepathically.
You can't have more than one steed bonded to the Clockwork Mage. As an action, you can release the steed from its bond at any time, causing it to go back to the case form.
Constructing a clockwork steed requires two months of uninterrupted work. In these two months, the Clockwork Mage can not go on adventures. Like everything else, there is a quartz crystal filled with magical energy as long as this quartz is not damaged the quartz can be removed and put in another mount body to power it. Activating the Clockwork Mount uses an action.
Clockwork Minions
At 17th level, the Clockwork Mage can construct various clockworks. These include any clockwork with a challenge rating of 10 or lower. Each construct takes 30 days to construct and you can have up to 3 active minions. the un-activated minions will remain in cubic forms and will wait until activation. you also gain the ability to activate and deactivate one clockwork machine as a bonus action.
Three Quartz
At 18th level, The Clockwork Mage is able to place three quartz into one device. This means the device can be used three times before out of charges. The same spell must be used for all quartz in the device. Meaning if you have a device that shoots fireballs all three quartz must be for the fireball spell.
Clockwork Master
At 20th level, clockwork mages have mastered their skills in engineering and can put their newfound expertise to use in the construction of the fearsome clockwork dragon. It takes 120 days to make a single dragon and a large quartz crystal to serve as a power source. The time it takes to construct previous clockwork machines is reduced by 50%, and the number of active clockwork minions (including clockwork Goblins) increases to 15 (cr10 or lower.) You can also control up to 3 mounts and 1 Clockwork with a challenge rating of 11-19. Familiars may also use the spell dragons breath once per day. Clockwork Mages may also sacrifice all of their current constructs to build 1 Clockwork with a challenge rating of 20 or higher. If this is done then no other clockworks may be activated until the titan is deactivated or destroyed. price and time to make each clockwork are up to DM discretion.
Gear Thrower
One thing that all Clockwork Mages have are cogs, why not weaponize them? Well this archetype decided to take this to an art.
Throwing
At 3rd level, The Gear Thrower gains 30 feet to the range of thrown weapons.
Return to Sender
At 6th level, the Gear Thrower's thrown gears will return to the Gear Thrower. The Gear Thrower can use his/her reaction to catch the gear.
Two Gears
At 11th level, The Gear Thrower can throw an extra cog as a bonus action.
Trick Shot
At 16th level, The Gear Thrower can make a Sleight of Hand (DM Choose DC) to throw the Cogs and bounce off solid objects.
Augment Mage
An Augment Mage is a mage who uses their knowledge to mimic the magical effects that other mages can do.
Smoke Screen
At 3rd level, The Augment Mage has a device that can create smoke. The device is of their design (let your imagination fly as long as the DM approves it). The device creates a 20-foot-radius sphere of smoke around the mage until a wind of at least 10 miles per hour blows it away, or until the spell ends. The smoke spreads around corners and heavily obscures the area it fills, blinding creatures in the area. The device weighs a pound.
Grappling Hook Launcher
At 6th level, The Augment Mage has created a device to fire Grappling Hooks higher than someone can throw. The launcher can fire a grappling hook up to 300 feet. The Launcher weighs 10 pounds.
Parachute
At 11th level, The Augment Mage gains a device that works like a primitive parachute. This device allows the Mage to descend slowly (30 feet per round). The mage takes no falling damage and can land on their feet, ending the spell. The Parachute can only be used once between short or long rest. The parachute and all the gear with it weighs 18 pounds.
Goggles of Seeing
At 16th level, The augment Mage gains a device that is a pair of goggles which allow the wearer to have dark sight and true sight. The goggles weigh 1 pound.
Multiclassing
Prerequisites. To qualify for multiclassing into the Alucard class, you must meet these prerequisites: 13 Intelligence and 10 Dexterity.
Proficiencies. When you multiclass into the Clockwork Mage class, you gain the following proficiencies: one escort skill of your choice.
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