[Creature] Steamknight

[Fax Celestis]

Steamknight
TN Medium Construct (Steam-powered)
Class None
Init: +3; Senses: Darkvision 60', low-light vision; Listen +9, Spot +9
Languages: Common; see below
[hr]
AC 26; touch 13; flat-footed 23
(+3 Dex,, +6 armor, +7 natural)
HP 64 (8 HD); DR 10/adamantine
Immune construct immunities
Resist Fire 5, Cold 5
SR None
Fort +2 Ref +5 Will +4
Weakness Steam-powered weaknesses
[hr]
Speed 40 ft. (8 squares)
Melee bastard sword +6 (1d10+10, 19-20/x2)andshield bash +6 (1d3+5, 20/x2)
Ranged none
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
BAB +6; Grp +16
Attack Options Breathe fire, create water
Special Actions none
Combat Gear none
[hr]
Abilities Str 30, Dex 16, Con -, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 12
SQ cannot be healed, must be repaired
Feats Improved Shield Bash¹, Two-Weapon Fighting³, Alertness⁶
Skills Listen +5, Search +8, Spot +5
Advancement as construct or by class; Favored Class fighter
Possessions Masterwork bastard sword, masterwork light steel shield, masterwork splint mail
CR 6

Breathe Fire (Sp)
A steamknight can, once every 1d4 rounds, breathe a cone of fire. Treat this as a burning hands spell, caster level 5th.

Create Water (Sp)
A steamknight can, once every 1d4 rounds, emit up to 10 gallons of fresh water from its mouth. Treat this as a create water spell, caster level 5th.

Steam-powered Weaknesses
Like all steam-powered creatures (due to their dependencies on both fire and water), steamknights react strangely to specific spells.

Any spell with the (Fire) descriptor causes a steamknight to enter a rage for 1d4 rounds. Any spell with the (Cold) descriptor affects it as a slow spell for 1d4 rounds. Any spell that dispels, supresses, or breaks magical enchantments causes the steamknight to shut down for the duration of the spell (or 1d4+1 rounds, if the duration is instantaneous). Mordenkainen's disjunction causes a steamknight to become nonfunctional.

Steamknights are constructs shaped like men that run off of a tiny steam-powered engine inside their stomachs. This steam engine (or "steng" as the Heliosundians call it) works through a combination of magic and technology. They weigh roughly 500 pounds.

Inside each steamknight is a ring of continual create water, as well as a small permanent gate to the Elemental Plane of Fire. The ring creates water, and the gate heats it, turning it into steam. The steam powers an engine inside the steamknight, and it gains basic motor functions. Usually, the ring is placed in the back of the neck and is removable, effectively "turning off" the steamknight when it is removed.

A steamknight, unlike a cheval, has basic intelligence and can reason and communicate. It does not need to be instructed to enter combat, but it does ask for directions from its owner periodically.

These are largely used as front-line fighters in combat or as part of the city watch in Heliosunde.

[DMgrinder]

I see you used the new format >:(.
[grumble] upitty revolutionist [/grumble]

As soon as I sorted everything out into proper format, I liked it. I do some steampunking myself. One thing that I noticed is that this is not really technology, but magic.

One thing that I had problems with is the steam weaknesses. I didn't read them all because it really just said "if X happens, steamknight shuts down for Y ammount of time" over and over. They do not rank as CR6 in my book if every burning hands and cone of cold, shuts it down. Basicly, the wizard casts firball of any other spell you mentioned, the steamknight shuts down, the wizard and fighter beat on it while it can't act.

I would remove them altogether.

[Fax Celestis]

I see you used the new format >:(.
[grumble] upitty revolutionist [/grumble]

As soon as I sorted everything out into proper format, I liked it. I do some steampunking myself. One thing that I noticed is that this is not really technology, but magic.

One thing that I had problems with is the steam weaknesses. I didn't read them all because it really just said "if X happens, steamknight shuts down for Y ammount of time" over and over. They do not rank as CR6 in my book if every burning hands and cone of cold, shuts it down. Basicly, the wizard casts firball of any other spell you mentioned, the steamknight shuts down, the wizard and fighter beat on it while it can't act.

I would remove them altogether.

But flavor!

Perhaps I'll tone them down.

EDIT: The main thing is that the "steng" is relatively new technology in Marranarch. The Heliosundians invented it some fifty years ago, and it really has only seen limited battlefield use. Making it perfect wouldn't represent that well.

[Fax Celestis]

Toned down and simplified. Better?

[DMgrinder]

Steam-powered Weaknesses
Like all steam-powered creatures (due to their dependencies on both fire and water), steamknights react strangely to specific spells.

Any spell with the (Fire) descriptor causes a steamknight to enter a rage for 1d4 rounds. Any spell with the (Cold) descriptor affects it as a slow spell for 1d4 rounds. Any spell that dispels, supresses, or breaks magical enchantments causes the steamknight to shut down for the duration of the spell (or 1d4+1 rounds, if the duration is instantaneous). Mordenkainen's disjunction causes a steamknight to become nonfunctional.

Steamknights are constructs shaped like men that run off of a tiny steam-powered engine inside their stomachs. This steam engine (or "steng" as the Heliosundians call it) works through a combination of magic and technology. They weigh roughly 500 pounds.

Inside each steamknight is a ring of continual create water, as well as a small permanent gate to the Elemental Plane of Fire. The ring creates water, and the gate heats it, turning it into steam. The steam powers an engine inside the steamknight, and it gains basic motor functions. Usually, the ring is placed in the back of the neck and is removable, effectively "turning off" the steamknight when it is removed.

A steamknight, unlike a cheval, has basic intelligence and can reason and communicate. It does not need to be instructed to enter combat, but it does ask for directions from its owner periodically.

These are largely used as front-line fighters in combat or as part of the city watch in Heliosunde.

Perfect! :D

[Beelzebub1111]

check out Dragonmech for good steam engine rules.

[Lord Iames Osari]

Must I repeat myself? *Sigh* I suppose I must. I wish you'd stop doing this. It strains the throat. Ahem:

NEW FORMAT! NEW FORMAT! NEW FORMAT! NEW FORMAT! NEW FORMAT! ;D

Change it to the old version, and you'll get a nice shiny "yes" vote.

C'mon, Fax. I changed my Zhamachs to the old format... You wouldn't be trying to back out of your own rules, would you?

[Jacob_Gallagher]

Meh. It's just a skinny warjack (Iron Kingdoms, steampunk/fantasy)

[Athanatos]

I'll probably vote "yes" once you turn it into the old format. Right now, I have a very difficult time reading it (just as much my failing as the new format's, but still).

[Leperflesh]

My deepest apologies, but:

I hate "D&D robots". There's way, way too many of them already, and now here's one more.

You did a good job technically in putting one together, but I just don't see the appeal of yet-another-steam-robot thing in a D&D setting. Sorry. I won't vote against it, but, I can't vote for it.

-Lep