Clockwork Necromancer (3.5e Prestige Class)

This is a necromancer that controls robots, that he either builds himself or finds.

clockwork necromancer

I got the idea for this while listening to the podcast nerd poker. Essentially you are a necromancer that controls robots. You learn how to build different types, that have different strengths and weaknesses, making you able to fill different rolls as needed. However while you are controlling the robots you are completely defenseless, until some leveling that is.

See Mage for Int. spell bonuses.

Requirements

Requirement 1: 5 craft mechanical

Requirement 2: 5 demolitions

Requirement 3: 5 repair

Class Information

Hit Die: 1d6

Action Points: 5 + one-half character level, rounded down, every time the clockwork necromancer attains a new level in this class.

Class Skills

The clockwork necromancer is trainable in all skills, because of how a few of his clockwork robots work. This is also the reason he gets so many bonus feats later on.

Skill Points at Each Level: 12 + Int modifier.

Class Table

Table: The

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Special	Rep	Def	Spells per Day
								0th	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th
1st	+0	+0	+0	+2	Construct clockwork squirrel, Arcane spells, Arcane skills	+1	+1	3	1	—	—	—	—
2nd	+1	+0	+0	+3	Bonus Feat Arcane spells, Scribe tattoo, Construct clockwork Charismatic Hero, Construct clockwork Smart hero, Clockwork DR	+1	+1	4	2	—	—	—	—
3rd	+1	+1	+1	+3	Bonus Feat Arcane spells, Construct clockwork Dedicated hero, Construct clockwork Fast hero Divine spells, Divine skills, Squirrel tinkering	+1	+2	4	2	1	—	—	—
4th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Arcane spells, Construct clockwork Strong hero, Construt clockwork Tough hero	+2	+2	4	3	2	—	—	—
5th	+2	+1	+1	+4	Arcane spells, spell mastery, Construct advanced class, Clockwork DR, Control machine, Squirrel tinkering	+2	+3	4	3	2	1	—	—
6th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Bonus Feat Arcane spells	+2	+3	4	3	3	2	—	—
7th	+3	+2	+2	+5	Bonus Feat Arcane spells, Squirrel tinkering	+3	+4	4	4	3	2	1	—
8th	+4	+2	+2	+6	Arcane spells, Clockwork DR, Clockwork control	+3	+4	4	4	3	3	2	—
9th	+4	+3	+3	+6	Bonus Feat Arcane spells, Gifted incantations	+3	+5	4	4	4	3	2	1
10th	+5	+3	+3	+7	Bonus Feat Spell works, Construct prestige class, Clockwork DR	+4	+5	4	4	4	3	3	2

Class Features

The following features pertain to the clockwork necromancer advanced class.

Arcane Spells/Skills

You gain the ability to cast arcane spells as the Advance class Mage, as well as the Arcane skills feature of the Mage.

Divine Spells/Skills

You gain the ability to cast divine spells as the Advance class Acolyte, as well as the Divine skills feature of the Acolyte.

Construct clockwork squirrel

The clockwork squirrel is an explosive robot, used kind of like a grenade. Instead of throwing the squirrel they have a movement of 40ft. When using the squirrel on a fleeing enemy you can move then activate it as an attack action, then the squirrel moves. At the end of your turn the squirrel will detonate dealing the damage of a frag grenade (4d6 crit range 20-20) vs the flatfoot defense (would you really expect a squirrel to explode?) of anything in range. Reflex DC 15+ half caster level, for half damage. The squirrels take 1 hour to make and have a craft mechanical and demolitions DC of 10, DC of 15 at level 3 for , 20 at level 5.

Squirrel tinkering

At 3rd level you can chose between the regular frag grenade or,

    tear gas (fort save dc15 or be nauseated),
    smoke (50% miss chance),
    or White Phosphorus (2d6, plus 1d6 the following round, plus chance of catching fire (reflex DC 15, 1d6 of damage per round until reflex save is made).

At 5th level your regular squirrel does the damage of a thermite grenade (6d6). At 7th level the squirrel can move 60ft and crit range is 19-20.

Construct clockwork heroes

After creating your first clockwork hero automatically at level 2 your physical body becomes weaker from the soul transfer to the clockwork hero. Your physical body takes a -5 to all rolls. (This is to keep the clockwork necromancer from being op if he chooses to not use the robots). According to your caster level is what heroes you have to choose from. Apart from being metal the clockwork heroes look human. Each one takes a week to create. Craft mechanical DC of 15, DC of 20 at 5th level for an advance class, and DC of 25 at 10th level for prestige class. When you reach the caster level that you learn how to make them you automatically have 1 readily available.

Each hero requires a character sheet for them. Str, Int, Cha, and so on, do not follow the stats that you have. However, the skill bonuses (demolitions, sneak, etc) follow the bonuses that you have and can only be used if the hero type is trainable in that skill. The clockwork heroes have the stats of a human, level as you level, have your feats(the reason there are so many bonus feats), and have a +2 AC for being metal. Each hero can be outfitted with armor and weapons that affect their stats just like it would on a human, as well as having spiked (lethal damage) brass knuckles built in.

Only one hero can be controlled at a time. While controlling a clockwork hero your body is left utterly useless and is left flatfooted like being asleep. However the upside is you dont have to be anywhere near them for them to function. Hide yourself miles away in a bunker and go at it. Your spirit leaves your body to power these constructs. If the clockwork hero takes damage your body takes half of the damage the clockwork received. If the clockwork hero dies your body takes damage equal to twice that of the killing blow to the clockwork hero.

---To construct an advance class or prestige class you must meet the requirements of that class.--- This is why you are trainable in all skills.

-Each of the different heroes has different abilities according to their class.

   -Only the Dedicated/appropriate advanced or prestige class clockwork hero can cast divine spells and gain +2 Wis.
   -Only the Smart/appropriate advanced or prestige class clockwork hero can cast arcane spells and gain +2 Int.
   -The Strong hero and appropriate advanced or prestige classes get +2 Str. and 1d4 extra damage on all attacks.
   -The Tough hero and appropriate advanced or prestige classes get +2 Con. and 2 DR.
   -The Charismatic hero and appropriate advanced or prestige classes get +2 Cha. and +3 on any rolls having to do with speech.
   -The Fast hero and appropriate advanced or prestige classes get +2 Dex. and 1d6 extra sneak attack.

Spell mastery

At 5th level the Clockwork necromancer gains the spell mastery ability. The Clockwork necromancer chooses a number of spells that he already knows equal to his Intelligence modifier. From that point on, the Mage can prepare these spells without referring to a spellbook. The Mage is so intimately familiar with these spells that he doesn’t need a spellbook to prepare them anymore.

Gifted Incantations

At 9th level, the Clockwork necromancer can spend an action point to cast a spell instead of using the spells per day.

Spell works

At 10th level, the Clockwork necromancer is able to cast level 0 and 1 spells without expending spells per day. In addition, they can sacrifice lower level spells for a higher rank spell. The level of sacrificed spells must equal the level of the higher ranking spell. Also the heroes that are not able to cast spells gain the ability to cast level 0 and 1 spells.

   Ex. Sacrifice a level 3 and a level 1 to cast a level 4.
       Sacrifice two level two spells to cast a level 4.

Clockwork DR

At 2nd level your clockwork heroes gain DR 2, at 5th DR 4, at 8th DR 6, and at 10th DR 8. Versus all damage except electric/shock or corrosive.

Control machine

At 5th level you can leave your clockwork hero and enter into the target machine and have the ability to operate it successfully. The clockwork hero is vulnerable and flatfooted as well as your body at this time.

Clockwork control

At 8th level your body is no longer defenseless against attacks and can move/attack normally with a -2 to all rolls and AC for you and the clockwork hero while piloting a clockwork hero.

Bonus Feat

At 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 7th, 9th, and 10th level, the Clockwork necromancer gets a bonus feat.

Any feat is available as long as you have the prerequisites. Since your clockwork heroes will benefit from them you will need to chose carefully to maximize either one hero type or spread them around to make them more balanced.

---

Back to Main Page → D20 Modern → Classes → Advanced Classes </nowiki>