Clockwork Magic Items
Clockwork magic originated in the Free City of Zobeck, amongst the human, dwarf, and especially kobold followers of Rava, the Goddess of Gears and Fate. It has rapidly spread across the breadth of Midgard in the last century, and clockwork spells and magic items can now be found almost anywhere in Midgard, from the Constructor Temples of Ptah in the Southlands to the Boiling Tower of Steam of Auvindri Against-the-Wind in the Northlands.
Below are a few examples of clockwork magic items created in Zobeck and beyond.
Brass Clockwork Staff
Wondrous item, rare, requires attunement
This curved staff seems to be made of coiled brass and glass wire. Once per day, the staff can be cast onto the ground and transformed into one of three wireframe creatures of the wielder’s choice: a unicorn, a hound, or a swarm of brass beetles. If any of the wireframe creatures is reduced to zero hit points, they revert to staff form, and the staff is inert and unusable until the third sunrise following being damaged. If partially damaged but not reduced to zero, the construct creature begins with full hit points the next day.
The unicorn can be ridden as a normal mount for up to 1 hour before reverting to staff form (use the statistics for the rhinoceros, including the charge and gore abilities). The hound can be directed to track or attack any creature initially within line of sight of the staff wielder and returns to staff shape after 5 minutes (use the statistics for the cave bear, including darkvision and keen smell abilities, but not the multiattack or claws actions). The beetle swarm can be directed to attack any creature initially within line of sight of the staff wielder or destroy any mundane object not made of stone or metal and weighing less than 10 pounds (1 pound/round) and returns to staff shape after 1 minute regardless (use the statistics for the swarm of quippers, but replace the 40 swim speed with a 40 fly speed).
Note: If you have access to the Tome of Beasts from Kobold Press, you can use the statistics for the clockwork hound and clockwork beetle swarm from that book.
Brass Snake Ball
Wondrous item, rare, requires attunement
Most commonly used by Zobeck and Morgau assassins to strangle sleeping victims, this heavy, brass ball is 6 inches across and weighs approximately 15 pounds. It has the image of coiled snake embossed around the orb. Once per day, the orb can be commanded to uncoil into a brass snake approximately 6 feet long and 3 inches thick. It can be directed by telepathic command to attack any creature within line of sight of the wielder of the orb. Use the statistics for the constrictor snake, but use armor class 14 and increase the challenge rating to 1/2 (100 XP). The snake can stay animate for up to 5 minutes or until reduced to 0 hit points. Being reduced to 0 hit points causes the snake to revert to orb form and become inert for 1 week. If damaged but not reduced to 0 hit points, the snake has full hit points when summoned after the next sunset.
Clockwork Gauntlet
Wondrous item, uncommon, requires attunement
This metal gauntlet has a steam-powered ram built into the greaves, and three times per day, the wearer can use a slam attack: Melee Weapon Attack +5 to hit, reach 5 feet, one target; Hit: 11 (2d8+2) bludgeoning damage and the target must succeed on Constitution saving throw or be stunned until the end of your next turn (treat as monk’s stunning strike ability).
Clockwork Rogue Ring
Ring, uncommon, requires attunement
Made by kobold clockwork mages for the thieves’ guild of the Zobeck ghetto, this brass clockwork ring is formed to look like a coiled dragon. Once per day, when the draconic command word etched on the inside is spoken or whispered aloud, the brass dragon uncoils and attempts to pick any lock within 10 feet the wearer indicates. The ring attempts to pick the lock with the wearer’s proficiency bonus but with advantage. The ring uses the wearers stealth proficiency bonus for purposes of being spotted but with advantage due to its extremely small size.
Clockwork Spider Cloak
Wondrous item, rare, requires attunement
This hooded cloak is made from black spider silk and has thin brass ribbing stitched on the inside. The cloak grants a +2 proficiency bonus to all stealth checks while being worn. When found, it typically has three charges and regains 1d3 charges each day at sunset, to a maximum of three. Each use of a charge causes the brass ribs to animate and become articulated brass spider legs 1 inch thick and 6 feet long for 1 minute. The wearer can use the charges in series. The spider legs allow the wearer to climb at their normal walking speed with a double proficiency bonus and gain advantage on any Strength (Athletics) checks for slippery or difficult surfaces
Fellforged Armor
Armor [plate], very rare, requires attunement
While wearing this steam-powered magic armor, you gain a +1 bonus to AC and a +1 bonus to your Strength modifier, and you gain the ability to cast speak with dead as an action once per day. You also gain the grave speech ability, which makes your voice deep, echoing, and sepulchral. You gain advantage on all Intimidation checks but disadvantage on all Persuasion checks.
Curse: Once you put on this armor, you can’t remove it unless you are the subject of a remove curse spell or similar magic. While wearing the armor, you gain an unnatural aura, which causes all animals to panic if you are within 30 feet of them. You also gain disadvantage on attack rolls against incorporeal undead and on saving throws made against their spells and special abilities.
