The adventurers stumbled back as the ancient construct shuddered and lurched to life, sending them scattering back. Gears whirred and clicked as the strange creature rose into a standing position, tall wings with leather stretched between their spokes unfolding and then shuttering back close. Its body seemed to unfold from its hunched position, straightening piece by piece until it towered above the party. Needles extended from its fingertips and something spun within its chest, clinking before they seemed to come to a rest. Ruby red liquid dripped from the needles to splatter upon long-abandoned stone. They ceased their leaking after a second and the creature snapped its vaguely bird-like head towards the intruders as shutters on its eyes spiraled and opened to review a shining crimson gaze.
Art by Vildevitus#2346
I'm back with an original monster! As usual, this is an idea that I've held onto for a while, tossing out ideas for it here and there before finally settling down and getting some art for it. The clockwork ark is obviously named for the biblical Noah's Ark and is intended just like it to save and preserve species. Its primary means of doing so is by taking samples of creatures using the syringes installed in its fingers, but clockwork arks are built for beyond just that. After the classic blood drain ability, they can analyze sample to prepare countermeasures against their target. This is most frequently followed up with weird science in which it injects a creature with other samples for debilitating effects. I chose some basic spells to cover the idea with baleful polymorph being its primary one. Some GMs might choose to grant it different appropriate spells, more specific to the samples it has collected. On the other side of the coin, the ark can use its samples to make experimental augmentations to its allies, making it a handy monster to feature alongside other creatures. Even if you don't, its ability to create new lifeforms with its chimeric creations gives it the chance to experiment on them a little bit. Beyond these features, the clockwork ark is a fairly basic clockwork construct. Its hp and saves might seem a little low, but its DR and general construct immunities help cover for those weaknesses. Additionally, with only one attack, its damage may seem a touch low, but given its ability to inflict Con damage with each attack, it felt balanced out.
Pathfinder 1e:
As for the PF2e clockwork ark, it underwent quite a few revisions following the playtest of the creature. I initially had designed Take Sample as a single action ability before deciding that was too taxing and changed it to a reaction for the play test. But even that somehow managed to feel limiting, leading to the decision to have it be a free action. Having it be a free action allows the clockwork ark to make a few attacks at different targets on its turn before deciding which it sample it wants to analyze to increase the efficacy of its Experimental Stab, which is based off of a simplified magus Spellstrike. One of the playtesters and I talked and decided to include Weird Science transforming its spells into works of alchemy rather than magic, which is nice but can be brutal for people that fail their saves against permanent effects. To account for this, the DC of its spells was lowered slightly, with it needing to set up its Experimental Stabs with Analyze Sample for the greatest effect. One thing that didn't translate over well from 1e was the animal-based buffing spells for its Augmentation, which led to me simply relying on the beast form type spells. These don't have quite the same effect to me as things like bull's strength did, so while it can enhance its summoned companions with haste, there might not be much reason to for the other spells except for on people it fights alongside to begin with.
Pathfinder 2e:
Blue's D&D 5e:
ENCOUNTER HOOKS
Different Priorities: The heroes' exploration of an ancient, long-abandoned city has awoken its ancient master, a brilliant but bestial creature. It is unimpressed with the current sovereigns of the modern era and decides to remake them in its own image or at least the image of its lost people. To this end, it restores its clockwork arks and dispatches them across the land to warp inhabitants into what it considers to be more suitable forms. The heroes must try to contain the chaos, stopping the arks as well as the mutated victims of their attacks while they hunt down the mastermind.
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Have a monstrous Monday!
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