Traits (steel)

Affinity (Ex) A pokemon who has access to a sorcerer bloodline gains access traits it's bloodline as two levels higher for all sorcerer spells and class abilities. Pokemon who have access to a cleric domain can use their domain powers and spells at +1 caster level. At a GM's approval, this evolution can apply to other class-based traits that are selected by the player at level 1 and cannot be changed, like witch patrons or shaman spirits.

Bypass DR (Damage Reduction): The monster’s attacks count as being magic, of a particular alignment, or of a particular material for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. Each time the monster gains this option, choose two from the following: adamantine, chaotic, cold iron, evil, good, lawful, magic, or silver.

Cold Iron Weakness (Su) A cold iron weapon is considered to be magical when used against a bhuta. A magic cold iron weapon always functions as a ghost touch weapon when used against a bhuta.

Energized Fists (Ex) An iron wight incorporates parts from the robots it destroys, granting the wight integrated weapon systems that add 2d6 energy damage to its slam attacks. Choose one of the following energy types: acid, cold, electricity, fire, plasma (half electricity, half fire), or sonic.

Energy Bite or Energy Claw (Su) Choose a damage type. The pokemon’s natural attack damage deals 1d6 extra points of damage.

Energy Explosion: Choose a damage type. Once per day as a standard action, the monster can create a 20-foot-radius burst within 60 feet. This deals an amount of damage equal to 1d6 + the monster’s HD of the chosen type to all creatures in the burst. A successful Reflex save halves the damage.

Energy Infusion: Choose a damage type. Each time the monster uses a spell, spell-like ability, or supernatural ability that deals energy damage, it can choose to change the energy damage type dealt by that ability to the chosen type instead.

Intractable Density (Ex) The weight and sturdiness of its form grants this creature a +8 racial bonus on CMD versus bull rush and reposition combat maneuvers.

Ironrot Plague (Ex) Spore cloud-contact; save Fort DC 19; onset 1 day; effect 1d4 Con damage to living creatures, 1/4 of maximum hp to metal objects; a creature that dies or an object destroyed as a result sprouts a new patch of ironrot lichen in 1 hour; cure 2 consecutive saves. Only metal creatures and magic objects receive a Fortitude save against this disease, other metal objects automatically fail. If an infected metal object touches another metal object, it has a 25% chance of transferring the disease. The save DC is Constitution-based.

• Breath Weapon (Su) Choose a damage type. This pokemon breathes a stream of energy which does 1d6 damage for every 2 levels (minimum 1). This breath weapon has a range of either 60 ft or a 10ft cone, and requires a reflex save to halve the damage. The pokemon can use this ability twice per day (although it must wait 1d4 rounds between uses). Breath weapon does not replace lesser breath weapon.

Rebuild (Su) An iron wight can reform its body from destroyed robots. As a standard action, an iron wight touching the remains of a destroyed robot heals 5d6 points of damage. An iron wight can only use this ability once on the same robot. When using this ability, the iron wight can change the type of energy damage inflicted by its energized fists as it incorporates new parts.

Rust (Ex) The touch of this creature's caustic tendril corrodes metal, causing a metal object as large as a 5-foot square and one inch thick to take half of its maximum hp in damage and gain the broken condition (Reflex negates for an attended or magical object). A second failed save destroys the item. Against creatures made of metal, the tendril deals double damage (Reflex half); this damage ignores damage reduction and hardness. The save DCs are Constitution-based.

Smeltable (Ex) When an aurosrath takes 5 or more points of fire damage in a round, a significant amount of its constituent coins melts into molten gold. The aurosrath gains the following abilities for 1d4 rounds plus 1 additional round for every 5 additional points of fire damage it took that round.

• Speed is reduced to 20 feet.
• DR changes to DR/—.
• Slam attacks deal an additional 1d6 points of fire damage.
• Creatures grappled by the aurosrath reduce the number of rounds they can hold their breath by 3 instead of 1 at the end of each round.
  

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp) Upon taking this trait, the creature gains access to a number of spell-like abilities according to it's hit die bracket. It gains access to one spell from the following list according to its hit die bracket, which become usable once per day. If the creature has more than 4 hit die and knows at least one spell from the HD bracket one step lower, those spells will be usable three times per day. If it is higher than 9 hit die, the spells that it knows from the the HD bracket two steps below its own become usable at will. This ability can be taken multiple times to learn new spell abilities from any hit die bracket it has access to.

Stony Missile (Su) As a swift action, the creature can fire an incredibly dense stone as a projectile. This attack has a range of 200 feet, with no range increment, and deals 3d6 points of bludgeoning damage. Upon striking the target, the stone immediately makes an Awesome Blow attempt against the target using the creature’s CMB.

Suffocating Wealth (Ex) A creature affected by an aurosrath’s strangle ability cannot breathe. A strangled creature must hold its breath as it is suffocated by the flood of coins that spill from the undead’s open mouth and onto the victim’s face.

Vicious Claws (Ex) The claws of this creature are composed of material stronger than even adamantine. Thus, the creature’s claws can bypass damage reduction adamantine, cold iron, magic, silver and the damage reduction granted by adamantine armor.

Upon taking this trait, the creature gains access to a number of spell-like abilities according to it's hit die bracket. It gains access to one spell from the following list according to its hit die bracket, which become usable once per day. If the creature has more than 4 hit die and knows at least one spell from the HD bracket one step lower, those spells will be usable three times per day. If it is higher than 9 hit die, the spells that it knows from the the HD bracket two steps below its own become usable at will. This ability can be taken multiple times to learn new spell abilities from any hit die bracket it has access to.

“Aggregate” is an acquired template that can be added to any robot (referred to hereafter as the base robot), that gains some of the characteristics of an artificial intelligence (AI) installed in it (referred to hereafter as the base AI). The base robot must have the storage capacity to house the base AI (subject to the GM’s discretion). An aggregate retains all the base robot’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here. The base AI is not damaged by the destruction of the aggregate, unless the AI is wholly contained within the aggregate’s processors (in which case the destruction of the aggregate also destroys the base AI).

• CR: Same as the base robot + 1. When a base AI is housed entirely in an aggregate, defeating the robot is considered the same as defeating the AI—at the GM’s discretion this may replace the normal XP award for an AI on its own.
• Alignment: The aggregate’s alignment changes to match the base AI’s alignment.
• Initiative: The aggregate modifies initiative with the base AI Intelligence modifier instead of the base robot’s Dexterity. This stacks with any other modifiers the base robot possesses.
• Senses: An aggregate retains all of the base robot’s senses. An aggregate gains all-around vision when it is located in an area fitted with cameras or other sensors that are under the control of the base AI.
• Saves: An aggregate uses the base robot’s saves, though adjust its Will save to account for its new Wisdom score.
• Defensive Abilities: An aggregate retains all of the base robot’s defensive abilities and gains those possessed by the base AI.
• Attacks: An aggregate uses the base robot’s BAB and retains all of the base robot’s natural attacks.
• Special Attacks: An aggregate retains all of its special attacks and gains those possessed by the base AI.
• Abilities: An aggregate uses the base AI’s Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores.
• Skills: An aggregate retains all the base robot’s skills (recalculated as appropriate for its new Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores), and gains all of the base AI’s skill ranks as bonus skill ranks. These bonus skill ranks do not stack with skill ranks the base robot already has; use the higher of the two for each skill.
• Feats: An aggregate retains its feats, and gains all of the base AI’s feats as bonus feats.
• Languages: An aggregate retains all of the base robot’s languages, and gains any additional languages known by the base AI as bonus languages.

Among the most marvelous of technological wonders are artificial intelligences. Each artificial intelligence (or AI) has its own personality and interests, but its actual ability to interact with the world requires a being installed into a robot or structure (known as a host).

When an AI is installed in a technological structure with an integrated computer network, it can manipulate anything that is connected to that structure, such as traps, doors, or weapons. To destroy an AI in a host structure, either the physical device that contains the AI’s programming must be destroyed (the magnitude of this task can vary widely—the host may be merely a single computer with hardness 10 and 20 hit points or an entire building that must be destroyed over multiple encounters or adventures) or all three of its ability scores must be reduced to 0 via ability drain effects directed at the AI’s core processor (typically a large computer in the most well-defended part of a complex, but sometimes a processor housed in a robot). Ability damage dealt to an AI at best merely inconveniences it, and at worst renders it comatose for a limited time.

An AI that is installed in a robot enhances that robot with the aggregate template.

Creating An AI

An artificial intelligence’s stat block is similar to that of an intelligent magic item. Note that these statistics reflect only the intelligence itself, not the host. Building an AI stat block requires the following statistics.

CR: An artificial intelligence’s CR sets its ability scores, saves, and skill checks. It also sets its XP value for defeating it—this award is typically granted as a story award once the AI has been overcome, but in some cases (such as when an AI is installed in a single robot), this XP award is replaced by the standard XP for defeating that robot.

Alignment and Type: An AI can be any alignment. Its type is “artificial intelligence,” and it counts as a construct for all effects that target creature type.

Initiative: The installed AI modifies its initiative check with its Intelligence modifier, not its Dexterity modifier.

Senses: An AI needs access to a robot, cameras, microphones, or other mechanical sensory tools in order to be able to notice things in the outside world. These senses should be listed in the appropriate encounter areas, not in the AI’s stats, since it’s likely that an AI will have access to a variety of sensory devices over a large area.

Defenses: An AI doesn’t have an AC, hit points, or other statistics related to a physical form; it relies on its host robot or structure for those scores. An AI uses its own saving throws only against attacks that target its mind—in most cases, this means it primarily uses its Will save. An AI uses its CR as its effective Hit Dice for determining its base saves—it has good Will saves and poor Fortitude and Reflex saves.

Ability Scores: An AI’s base ability scores are 14, 12, and 10. Arrange them in any order desired. For every 2 points of CR it possesses, it gains a +2 bonus to an ability score (assigned by the GM).

Skills: An AI has skill points equal to 6 + its Intelligence modifier per point of CR. An AI has a number of class skills equal to its Charisma modifier. These may be any skill, though the most common class skills for AIs are: Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, Knowledge (all), Linguistics, Perception, and Sense Motive.

Feats: An AI has a number of feats equal to half its CR (minimum 1). An AI must meet all prerequisites of its feats. AIs also gain Technologist as a bonus feat.

Languages: AIs speak Binary. An AI knows a number of additional languages equal to its Intelligence modifier.

Special Abilities: Use this section to cover any unusual abilities the AI possesses.

Magical constructs are used as guardians, soldiers, and laborers—be they sentinels in ancient treasure vaults, or the strangely self-aware flesh golems. Generally created by infusing a specially prepared body with an elemental spirit or (in some darker practices) a captured soul, there exists another, more obscure category of construct—the clockwork construct.

The technology for creating clockwork constructs was developed long ago but the technique has been rediscovered as surviving clockworks are recovered and reverse-engineered or ancient accounts of the process are uncovered by explorers in ruins. The process of creating a clockwork construct is much more involved and time-consuming than the more traditional methods of magic, and so clockworks have remained at best curiosities or experiments of the idle and rich. One of the greatest repositories of rediscovered clockwork technology lies in the vaulted clockwork cathedral. Here, clever artisans seek to further unlock the mysteries of the mechanical application of magic, striving to vastly reduce the amount of magical energy necessary to power their creations.

The key difference between a traditionally created construct and a clockwork construct lies in the fact that no bound spirit or captured soul provides the power of animation. A clockwork construct uses a series of springs, gears, and mechanical trickery to power itself. It typically needs to be “wound,” usually with a specially crafted key, in order to provide it with the energy it needs to function. Unfortunately, while this delicate machinery allows the inventor to bypass the dangerous and often distasteful practice of binding animating magic into a body, it makes clockwork constructs more susceptible to damage. A clockwork construct that’s allowed to run down simply ceases functioning and is treated as an object, but most can lie in wait for centuries or longer in this state, springing to life immediately upon being wound back to animation.

Clockwork Traits: While you can create a clockwork construct from scratch, you can also turn any existing construct into a clockwork construct by simply applying clockwork traits to the construct. Adding these traits to a construct does not affect its CR.

The construct gains the “clockwork” subtype.

Winding: The construct must be wound with a special key in order to function. As a general rule, a fully wound clockwork can remain active for 1 day per HD, but shorter or longer durations are possible.

Vulnerable to Electricity: Clockwork constructs take 150% as much damage as is normal from electricity attacks.

Swift Reactions: Clockwork constructs generally react much more swiftly than other constructs. They gain Improved Initiative and Lightning Reflexes as bonus feats, and gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC.

Difficult to Create: Increase the time and gp cost required to create a clockwork by 50% over normal.

Commando constructs are elite fighting machines that often operate alone or in small squads. Although they are skilled combatants, these constructs can handle a variety of clandestine activities, including assassination, infiltration, kidnapping, and sabotage. They are most often found wandering or under the service of a local warlord.

The sample commando construct presented here is built using a terraformer robot, as the base creature. See that entry for full descriptions of its base abilities.

Creating a Commando Construct

“Commando construct” is an acquired template that can be added to any construct, referred to hereafter as the base creature.

Challenge Rating: If the base creature has 9 or fewer HD, base creature’s CR + 1; if base creature has 10 or more HD, base creature’s CR + 2.

Type: A commando construct gains the augmented subtype. It uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Armor Class: A commando construct’s natural armor bonus increases by 4.

Hit Dice: Change the commando construct’s Hit Dice to d12s. Additionally, a commando construct gains 1-1/2 times the normal bonus hit points for a construct of its size.

Special Attacks: A commando construct gains special attacks chosen from the list below. A commando construct with 8 HD or fewer selects one option, a commando construct with 9–12 HD selects two options, and a commando construct with 13 HD or more selects three options. Each option can be selected only once.

• Brutal Attacks (Ex) When a commando construct makes two successful melee attacks against the same target in 1 round, its attacks either rend flesh or crush bones. This deals an additional amount of damage equal to the damage dealt by its highest-damage successful melee attack plus twice the commando construct’s Strength modifier.
  
• Energy Attacks (Su) Pick one energy type: acid, cold, electricity, or fire. Each of the commando construct’s melee attacks deals 1d6 points of energy damage of the chosen type on a hit.
  
• Extra Attack (Ex) When using the full-attack action, a commando construct can make one extra attack per round at its highest base attack bonus.
  
• Knockdown Strike (Ex) When a commando construct makes a successful melee attack, it can forgo dealing its normal damage to its target and instead attempt a free combat maneuver check. If the construct is successful, the target takes damage equal to the commando construct’s Strength modifier and is knocked prone. This is treated as a trip attack for the purpose of creatures that can’t be tripped or that have bonuses or weaknesses against trip combat maneuvers. On a failed combat maneuver check, the commando construct is not tripped in return. This ability works only on creatures of a size equal to or smaller than the commando construct.
  
• Knockout Strike (Ex) As a full-attack action, a commando construct can unleash a devastating strike with one of its melee attacks that can instantly knock a target unconscious. If a commando construct hits and the target takes damage from the attack, the target must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC = 10 + half the commando construct’s HD + the commando construct’s Strength modifier) or fall unconscious for 1d6 rounds. Each round on its turn, the unconscious target can attempt a new saving throw to regain consciousness. Creatures immune to critical hits or nonlethal damage are immune to this ability.
  Precision (Ex) A commando construct rolls twice to confirm critical hits, taking the more favorable result.
  
• Reach (Ex) The reach of all of a commando construct’s melee attacks increases by 5 feet.
  
• Retaliatory Strike (Ex) Whenever an enemy makes a successful melee attack against a commando construct or an adjacent ally, the enemy provokes an attack of opportunity from the commando construct.
  
• Sneak Attack (Ex) As per the rogue class feature. The number of additional sneak attack dice is based on the commando creature’s Hit Dice.
  Sundering Blows (Ex) Whenever a commando construct confirms a critical hit with a melee attack, it deals an amount of damage to the target’s armor or shield equal to the melee damage as if it had also succeeded at a sunder combat maneuver.
  

Ability Scores: Str +4, Dex +4.

Feats: A commando construct gains one bonus combat feat, plus an additional combat feat for every 4 HD (to a maximum of 10 feats from this ability).

• Energized Alacrity (Su) Once per minute as a swift action, a commando construct can draw power from special energizing transmitters attached to its body. When doing so, the commando construct gains a +30-foot bonus to all of its speeds for 1 round. Additionally, when making a full attack during this round, the commando construct can move up to its speed either before or after it attacks. This movement provokes attacks of opportunity as normal.
  
• Tactical Awareness (Ex) A commando construct gains a +2 bonus on initiative checks. This bonus increases by 1 for every 5 HD the commando construct has (to a maximum of +6 at 20 HD). Additionally, a commando construct is never considered an unaware combatant and is always able to act in the surprise round. A commando construct is still flat-footed in the surprise round until it acts.
  

Construction

A commando construct’s materials cost an additional 10,000 gp above the base creature’s cost. The Craft check required to make the body has a DC 4 higher than normal for the base construct’s kind. The construct is animated using a special laboratory or workroom that costs 1,000 gp to establish. If the creator is personally constructing the creature’s body, the crafting and the ritual can be performed simultaneously. The creator must have a minimum caster level 1 higher than the base creature’s minimum required caster level. In addition, the following spells must be cast during the ritual: bull’s strength, greater heroism, and limited wish.

Infused with powerful psychic energy, enlightened constructs have access to strange and deadly mental powers. Highly intelligent and secretive, these constructs typically serve as henchmen to powerful psychics or sorcerous cabals.

The sample enlightened construct above uses a clockwork soldier as the base creature.

Creating An Enlightened Construct

“Enlightened construct” is an acquired template that can be added to any construct, referred to hereafter as the base creature. An enlightened construct retains all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Challenge Rating: If the base creature had 4 or fewer HD, base creature’s CR + 1; HD 5–10, base creature’s CR + 2; HD 11 or more, base creature’s CR + 3.

Alignment: An enlightened construct’s alignment is no more than one step away from that of its creator.

Type: An enlightened construct gains the augmented subtype.

Senses: An enlightened construct gains lifesense out to 60 feet.

Weaknesses: An enlightened construct gains the following weakness.

• Susceptible to Mind-Affecting Effects (Ex) An enlightened construct is susceptible to mind-affecting effects, even though it is a construct. Although they can be magically charmed or compelled, enlightened constructs are particularly resistant to enchantments and receive a +4 bonus on Will saves to resist these effects.

Special Attacks: An enlightened construct gains the following special abilities.

• Mind Thrust (Sp) An enlightened construct can use mind thrust as a spell-like ability a number of times per day equal to 2 + the enlightened construct’s Intelligence modifier. The version of mind thrust available to an enlightened construct is determined by its Hit Dice:
  

HD     Spell
1–2     Mind thrust I
3–4     Mind thrust II
5–7     Mind thrust III
8–10     Mind thrust IV
11–15     Mind thrust V
16–20     Mind thrust VI

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp) An enlightened construct gains a number of spell-like abilities set by its Hit Dice. It gains the spell-like abilities listed in the entry for its Hit Dice on the table below, as well as all listed spell-like abilities for prior entries. Unless otherwise noted, each ability is usable 1/day. The caster level for these abilities is equal to the enlightened construct’s Hit Dice (or the caster level of the base construct’s spell-like abilities, whichever is higher). The DC for a saving throw against the enlightened construct’s spell-like ability is equal to 10 + the spell’s level + the enlightened construct’s Intelligence modifier.

HD     Spell-Like Abilities
1–2     Mindlink 3/day
3–4     Mental block
5–6     Mind probe 3/day
7–8     Telekinesis 3/day
9–10     Dimensional lock 3/day
11–12     Dimension door 3/day
13–14     Mass synesthesia
15–16     Antimagic field
17–18     Telekinetic storm
19–20     Power word kill

Ability Scores: If the base creature had an Intelligence score of 9 or less, roll 2d6+4 to determine the enlightened construct’s new Intelligence score. If the base creature had an Intelligence score of 10 or greater, increase its Intelligence score by 6. Additionally, increase the enlightened construct’s Charisma score by 2d6.

Feats: Since it has an Intelligence score, an enlightened construct gains feats as normal for a creature of its Hit Dice.

Skills: An enlightened construct gains skill points according to its new Intelligence score, which are assigned appropriately for its function, as determined by the GM.

Languages: An enlightened construct speaks one language that its creator spoke, plus a number of additional languages that its creator knew equal to the enlightened construct’s Intelligence bonus (if any). The enlightened construct can also communicate by telepathy up to a range of 100 feet.

Special Qualities: An enlightened construct gains the following special qualities.

• Artificial Soul (Su) Though not the true soul of a living creature, the enlightened construct’s artificial soul provides it with a unique personality and a spark of sentience. Unlike most constructs, the enlightened construct is not immune to necromantic effects. Enlightened constructs are still immune to death effects and they cannot be raised or resurrected. Enlightened construct golems are still immune to magic as described in their entries.
• Phrenic Stone (Su) An enlightened construct has a stone infused with supernatural mental energy embedded into its head or chest that is the source of its awakened intellect. If an enlightened construct is destroyed but this phrenic stone remains intact, it can be used to create another enlightened construct, using the same cost as augmenting a new enlightened construct (see Construction below). When a phrenic stone is used to create a new enlightened construct, the personality and memories of the previous enlightened construct are lost. A phrenic stone has hardness 10, 20 hit points, and a break DC of 30.

Construction

An enlightened construct’s phrenic stone and materials cost an additional 60,000 gp above the base creature’s cost. The construct’s master can assemble the body or hire someone else to do the job. The DC of the Craft check required to create the body is 10 higher than normal for the base creature. After the body is created, the enlightened construct is animated through a magical ritual that requires a specially prepared laboratory or workroom that costs 1,000 gp to establish. The ritual takes 8 hours to complete. If the creator is personally constructing the construct’s body, the construction and the ritual can be performed simultaneously. The creator must have a minimum caster level 4 higher than the base construct’s minimum required caster level. In addition, the following spells must be cast during the ritual: awaken construct, eagle’s splendor, greater possession, and wish.

A skilled artificer can revitalize a ruined construct by jury-rigging the pieces left intact. The patchwork nature of a recycled construct renders it fragile and leaves key circuitry exposed. The sample recycled construct above uses a gearsman as the base creature. The sample recycled gearsman is treated as if it received one glitch during construction (see Recycling Robots), reducing its bonus hit points by 5.

Creating a Recycled Construct

“Recycled construct” is an acquired template that can be added to a construct with 3 or more Hit Dice made predominantly of solid material. A recycled construct uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Challenge Rating: Base creature’s CR – 1.

Recycled Construct Malfunctions

d10 Malfunction

1. 1 No additional effect.
2. 2 Sparks fly from the construct, dazzling each adjacent creature that can see it (Fort negates).
3. 3 The construct flails wildly, making one melee attack against each adjacent creature. If the construct is wielding only a ranged weapon, it uses that weapon as an improvised bludgeoning weapon.
4. 4 The construct leaks lubricant, affecting itself and all adjacent squares as if with a grease spell for 1d4+1 rounds.
5. 5 The attack causes the construct to seize violently, functioning as a free disarm combat maneuver check against the weapon that triggered the malfunction. On a success, the weapon is thrown 1d4×10 feet in a random direction. A natural weapon instead provokes a free grapple combat maneuver attempt against the attacking creature for 1 round. This malfunction has no effect on ammunition.
6. 6 Acrid smoke, steam, or mist pours from the construct, as if from a pyrotechnics smoke cloud.
7. 7 Shrapnel explodes from the construct in all directions, dealing 1d6 points of slashing damage per Hit Die of the construct to each creature within 20 feet (Reflex half).
8. 8 The construct emits an earsplitting screech, deafening all creatures within 20 feet (Fort negates).
9. 9 Disruptive energy pulses from the construct, functioning as dispel magic targeting every creature within 20 feet.
10. 10 The construct goes berserk.

Recycled Construct Glitches

d6 Glitch

1. 1 Reduce any bonus hp the base construct received by 5 (minimum 0).
2. 2 Reduce all movement speeds by 5 feet. If the recycled construct’s burrow, fly, or swim speed is reduced to 0, it loses that movement option. Land speed can be reduced to a minimum of 5 feet.
3. 3 Reduce base attack bonus by 1 (minimum +0).
4. 4 Reduce any natural armor bonus by 1 (minimum +0).
5. 5 The recycled robot takes a –1 penalty on all skill checks.
6. 6 The recycled robot has a 5% chance each round of acting erratically, as if confused.

Defensive Abilities: Reduce any damage reduction or hardness by 5. Replace any immunity to magic with spell resistance equal to the base creature’s CR + 11. Any exceptions to the base creature’s immunity to magic automatically bypass the recycled construct’s spell resistance and function as described for the base creature.

Weaknesses: A recycled construct gains the following weakness.

• Malfunction (Ex) A recycled construct that takes precision damage or extra damage from a critical hit becomes staggered for 1 round and immediately triggers a malfunction. To determine the nature of this malfunction, roll 1d10 and consult the table on page 52 (CL = the base creature’s HD; save DC = 10 + the base creature’s HD). A creature can use a move action to attempt a special Disable Device check before dealing precision damage to a recycled construct (DC = 20 + the base creature’s HD). On a success, the attacking creature can roll twice and choose the malfunction result.

Attacks: If the base creature has more than one natural attack, remove one natural attack. The creator can replace the lost attack with a light, one-handed, or ranged weapon of at least masterwork quality and a size appropriate for the base creature.

Construction

A recycled construct is built from the remains of the base creature. When destroyed, the base creature must not have taken damage exceeding its total hit points plus 20; otherwise the remnants were too badly damaged to be useful.

Additionally, recycling the construct requires replacement parts worth half the value of the base creature’s body. Construction requirements are identical to the base creature, except the DC of any relevant skill checks is reduced by 5 and the cost is reduced by half.

In order to create a recycled robot or similar construct, a crafter must have the Craft Construct feat and the Technologist feat. Creating a recycled robot requires the remains of other complex constructs, such as robots or clockworks, collectively worth 50,000 gp or more. Crafting a Medium or smaller recycled robot requires the remains of two Medium complex constructs; a Large robot requires the remains of four Medium constructs, and so on. Crafting a recycled robot requires 1 week per set of Medium complex construct remains required for construction.

While creating a recycled robot, the crafter must attempt one Knowledge (engineering) check per Medium construct remains used in construction (DC = 20 + the base creature’s CR). For each failed check, the recycled robot gains a glitch. To determine the nature of this glitch, roll 1d6 and consult the table on page 52. Multiple glitches of the same type stack. If the crafter fails more than half of the required Knowledge (engineering) checks, he fails to recycle the construct and ruins the materials.

A soulbound construct is a once-living creature that has had its soul bound to a construct host that serves as its new body.

Creating a Soulbound Construct

“Soulbound construct” is an acquired template that can be applied to a construct (referred to hereafter as the host construct); this construct draws several of its statistics from a living corporeal creature with an Intelligence score of 4 or more (referred to hereafter as the base creature) whose soul is contained within a soul focus. A soulbound construct uses all the host construct’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Challenge Rating: If the base creature has 10 or fewer Hit Dice, host construct’s CR + 1; if the base creature has 11 or more Hit Dice, host construct’s CR + 2.

Alignment: As per base creature.

Type: A soulbound construct gains any alignment subtypes that the base creature had.

Armor Class: A host construct gains a deflection bonus to AC equal to the base creature’s Charisma modifier.

Weakness: A soulbound construct retains all the weaknesses of the host construct and gains the following additional weakness.

• Susceptible to Mind-Affecting Effects (Ex) A soulbound construct is not immune to mind-affecting effects.

Special Attacks: A soulbound construct gains the following special attack.

• Spell-Like Abilities (Ex) A soulbound construct has one or more alignment-based spell-like abilities, based upon the base creature’s HD. If the base creature has 1–4 HD, the soulbound construct can cast the first spell-like ability listed in the table below for its alignment once per day. If the base creature has 5–10 HD, it can cast the first listed spell-like ability three times per day and the second ability once per day. If the base creature has 11–16 HD, it can cast the first listed spell-like ability at will, the second ability three times per day, and the third ability once per day. If the base creature has 17–20 HD, it can cast the first and second listed spell-like abilities at will and the third ability three times per day. The caster level for these abilities is equal to the base creature’s Hit Dice. The save DC for these abilities is based on the base creature’s Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma, whichever is highest.

Ability Scores: The host construct replaces its Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores with those of the base creature.

Skills: A soulbound construct gains the Intelligence-, Wisdom-, and Charisma-based skills of the soul held in the soul focus. If the host construct already has any of these skills, select the higher total bonus between that of the base creature and that of the host construct.

Feats: A soulbound construct gains the base creature’s feats as bonus feats. Feats that can’t be used by the host construct are not added in this way.

Special Qualities: A soulbound construct gains the following special qualities.

• Bind Soul (Su) The process to bind the soul focus to the construct body takes 1d10 days of continual concentration, and the target construct can attempt a Will save (DC = 10 + half the base creature’s Hit Dice + the base creature’s Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma modifier, whichever is highest) to negate the effect. Mindless constructs receive no save against this effect.
• Soul Focus (Su) The base creature’s soul lives within a gem called a soul focus. As long as the soul focus remains intact, a soulbound construct gains the abilities granted by this template, and it retains the base creature’s personality, memories, and thoughts, as well as its alignment, mental ability scores, feats, and skills that are based on mental ability scores. It does not retain racial modifiers to those skills (if any).
  A soul focus has hardness 8, 12 hit points, and a break DC of 20. A soulbound construct’s soul focus is made from a gem worth 1,000 gp per Hit Die of the base creature. Creating the soul-bound construct requires first binding the base creature’s soul to the gem in a 10-hour ritual using rare spell components worth 10,000 gp. The base creature dies at some point during the process of creating the soul focus (this prevents the body from later being revived, so long as the soul focus still remains intact). An unwilling soul can resist the procedure with a successful DC 20 Will save.
  CL 7th; Price 10,000 gp + 1,000 gp per Hit Die of the base creature

CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS

Feats Craft Construct, Craft Wondrous Item; Spells geas/quest, magic jar, soul of a living creature who dies or is slain during the creation process; Skill Check(s) Craft (gemcutting); Cost 5,000 gp + 1,000 gp per Hit Die of the base creature

• Alignment First Ability Second Ability Third Ability
• Lawful good Hold person Dimensional anchor Repulsion
• Neutral good Heroism Greater invisibility Heal
• Chaotic good Blink Shout Prismatic spray
• Lawful neutral Suggestion Lesser globe of invulnerability Blade barrier
• Neutral Deep slumber Hold monster Greater dispel magic
• Chaotic neutral Rage Confusion Disintegrate
• Lawful evil Minor image Crushing despair Antilife shell
• Neutral evil Inflict moderate wounds Enervation Harm
• Chaotic evil Stinking cloud Contagion Eyebite

Though some scholars may argue about who exactly created the first steam-powered clockwork, the secret of their manufacture is now out. Savvy engineers have started to create faster and more powerful clockwork contraptions in the form of marvels blending arcane heat sources with large boilers to create pressured steam that powers the complex constructs.

Creating a Steam-Powered Clockwork

“Steam-powered clockwork” is an inherited template that can be added to any construct (referred to hereafter as the base creature). A steam-powered clockwork retains all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here. Creating a steam-powered clockwork increases the skill check DC to craft the construct by 5.

Challenge Rating: Base creature’s CR + 2.

Type: The base creature gains the augmented and clockwork subtypes. If the base creature did not have the clockwork subtype, add the vulnerable to electricity, swift reactions, and difficult to create special qualities from that subtype.

Hit Points: Double the bonus hit points based on size granted by the construct creature type (if any).

Defensive Abilities: Engineers design steam-powered clockworks’ mechanisms to withstand the heat and pressure of the steam that powers it. As such, steam-powered clockworks gain fortification and fire resistance based on their Hit Dice.

• Hit Dice Fortification Fire Resistance
• 1–4 25% 5
• 5–8 25% 10
• 9–12 50% 10
• 13–16 50% 20
• 17–20 75% 20
• 20+ 75% 30

Attacks: A steam-powered construct diverts excess heat to its melee weapon systems, dealing 1d6 points of additional fire damage with natural attacks and with any metal weapons it wields.

Special Attacks: Engineers utilize a steam-powered clockwork’s pressurized steam to further enhance its capabilities. A steam-powered clockwork gains steam blast plus one additional special attack from the list below. The save DC against a steam-powered construct’s special attack is equal to 10 + half the steam-powered construct’s Hit Dice.

• Self-Destruction (Ex) When a steam-powered clockwork’s hit points are reduced to 10% of its total or fewer but are still above 0, the creature self-destructs on its next turn. It bursts into an explosion of metal scraps and steam that deals 1d6 points of fire and slashing damage per Hit Die the steam-powered clockwork has to creatures within the steam-powered clockwork’s natural reach (minimum 5 feet). A target can attempt a Reflex save for half damage.
• Steam Blast (Ex) As a standard action, the steam-powered construct can release a jet of steam at a target within 30 feet. If the construct succeeds at a ranged touch attack, the jet deals 1d6 points of fire damage for every 2 Hit Dice the steam-powered construct has (minimum 1d6).
• Steam Horn (Ex) As a standard action, the steam-powered construct can unleash a loud blast of sound and a cone of steam that deafens targets and deals 1d6 points of fire damage for every 2 Hit Dice the steam-powered construct has (minimum 1d6). A target can attempt a Fortitude save to take half damage and negate the deafened condition. Medium and smaller constructs release a 15-foot cone, Large and Huge constructs release a 30-foot cone, and Gargantuan and Colossal constructs release a 60-foot cone. This ability is usable once every 1d4 rounds.
  

Special Qualities: A steam-powered clockwork loses the winding and efficient winding special qualities and gains a steam engine with a boiler instead of a clockwork winding mechanism that requires a special key. To power and move the construct, valves collect and release pressurized steam from the boiling water.

• Heat Management (Ex) When a steam-powered clockwork ignores any amount of fire damage due to its fire resistance, the steam-powered clockwork gains the benefits of haste, increases the additional fire damage applied to melee attacks to 2d6, and loses its fortification ability for 1 round. Whenever a steam-powered clockwork takes cold damage, it gains the effects of slow and loses the extra fire damage applied to melee attacks for 1 round. A steam-powered construct can negate either effect with a successful Fortitude save (DC = 10 + the amount of energy damage taken). Steam-powered clockwork golems are affected by magical fire and cold spells, which bypass their immunity to magic special ability.
  
• Increased Locomotion (Ex) Steam-powered clockworks increase all movement speeds by 10 feet and gain Run as a bonus feat.
  
• Steam Engine (Ex) An alchemically treated boiler contains the superheated water that supplies power to a steam engine. A steam-powered clockwork can remain active for 1 week per Hit Die with a full boiler. Anytime the steam-powered clockwork uses a special attack granted by this template, reduce the remaining duration of activity by 1 day (to a minimum of 1 day).
  

Ability Scores: Str +4, Dex +4.

The practice of making sculptures from wax dates back to the earliest humanoid civilizations. Only the medium of wax can so closely duplicate the transparency of skin. Often, creators use powerful magic to house an animating spirit within the wax model. A created waxwork creature obeys the commands of its creator. Rarely, a wax sculpture animates of it own accord—the result of nearby magic suffusing the wax or a lost spirit in search of a corporeal form. Such waxwork creatures are uncontrolled.

A waxwork creature is the same size as the creature it duplicates, but weighs only half as much.

Creating a Waxwork

“Waxwork” is an inherited template that can be added to any Tiny or larger corporeal creature (other than a construct or ooze), referred to hereafter as the base creature.

Challenge Rating: Depends on Hit Dice, as follows.

• Waxwork HD CR
• 1 2
• 2–3 3
• 4–5 4
• 6–7 5
• 8–10 6
• 11–13 7
• 14–16 8
• 17–19 9
• 20 10

If the creature is larger or smaller than Medium, adjust the CR according to the table below.

• Waxwork Size CR
• Tiny or smaller -2
• Small -1
• Large +1
• Huge +2
• Gargantuan +3
• Colossal +4

Alignment: Always neutral.

Type: The creature’s type changes to construct. It doesn’t retain any subtypes, nor does it gain the augmented subtype. It uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Armor Class: The waxwork creature’s natural armor bonus is based on its size.

• Waxwork Size Natural Armor Bonus
• Tiny or smaller +0
• Small +1
• Medium +2
• Large +3
• Huge +4
• Gargantuan +7
• Colossal +11

Hit Dice: Remove HD gained from class levels and change racial HD to d10s. Creatures without racial HD are treated as if they have 1 racial HD. As constructs, waxwork creatures gain additional hit points as noted in the following table.

• Waxwork Size Bonus Hit Points
• Tiny or smaller —
• Small +10
• Medium +20
• Large +30
• Huge +40
• Gargantuan +60
• Colossal +80

Saves: The creature’s base save bonuses are Fortitude +1/3 HD, Reflex +1/3 HD, and Will +1/3 HD.

Defensive Abilities: A waxwork creature loses the base creature’s defensive abilities. It gains waxen regeneration 5 (fire) and immunity to cold. If it has 11 or more HD, the waxen regeneration increases to 10 (fire). It also gains all of the standard immunities and traits possessed by constructs.

• Waxen Regeneration (Su) This ability functions like regeneration, except the waxwork creature has it without a Constitution score. A waxwork creature reduced to 0 hit points is staggered instead of destroyed while its waxen regeneration is active; it ignores all damage dealt to it that would reduce its hit points below 0. Fire damage causes the waxwork creature’s regeneration to stop functioning on the round following the attack.

Weaknesses: A waxwork creature is vulnerable to fire.

Speed: A waxwork creature retains movement types, except as follows: It loses burrow and magical flight speeds. Winged waxwork creatures can fly, but maneuverability drops to clumsy. A waxwork creature floats and must succeed at a DC 20 Swim check each round to stay underwater.

Attacks: A waxwork creature retains all the natural weapons and weapon proficiencies of the base creature. It also gains a slam attack that deals damage based on the waxwork creature’s size, but as if it were one size category larger than its actual size.

Special Attacks: A waxwork creature retains none of the base creature’s special attacks.

Abilities: A waxwork creature has no Constitution or Intelligence score, and its Wisdom and Charisma scores change to 10.

BAB: A waxwork creature’s base attack bonus is equal to its Hit Dice.

Skills: A waxwork creature loses all of the base creature’s skills and gains none of its own.

Feats: A waxwork creature loses all of the base creature’s feats and gains Improved Initiative as a bonus feat.

Special Qualities: A waxwork creature loses most special qualities of the base creature. It retains any extraordinary special qualities that improve its melee or ranged attacks.

• A waxwork creature gains the freeze universal monster ability to appear as a wax sculpture.

Sentient Waxwork (CR +0)

Rarely, waxworks shaped like intelligent creatures develop minds of their own and can gain levels in character classes.

Creating a Sentient Waxwork

Challenge Rating: Same as a normal waxwork creature’s CR.

Abilities: A sentient waxwork’s Intelligence score is determined by rolling 3d6.

Skills: A sentient waxwork creature gains skill points based on its Hit Dice and Intelligence. Disguise and Stealth are class skills for it, but it has no other class skills. If it was crafted to resemble a specific individual, it also gains a +10 racial bonus on Disguise checks to impersonate that individual.

Feats: A sentient waxwork gains retroactive feats based on its Hit Dice.

Languages: A sentient waxwork creature speaks Common (or the language of the sculptor or animating spirit).

Waxwork Creature Construction

• Add produce flame as a spell requirement. Add 1,000 gp to the price (and 500 gp to the cost).
• CL varies (equal to the waxwork creature’s HD); Price 1,000 gp per HD plus cost of wax

CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS

Feats Craft Construct, animate objects, make whole; Skills Craft (sculpture); Cost 500 gp per HD plus cost of wax

Waxwork Candle (CR +1)

One or more small flames burn on wicks emerging from the waxwork creature’s body, often its head or hands. Though real, these flames don’t consume the waxwork creature’s body.

Creating a Waxwork Candle

Challenge Rating: Normal waxwork creature’s CR + 1.

Melee: The waxwork creature’s slam attack, or one natural attack it has, gains the burn universal monster ability. The additional fire damage is equal to the waxwork creature’s slam damage die. The waxwork creature gains a +2 racial bonus to the save DC.

Special Qualities: A waxwork candle creature gains illumination.

• Illumination (Su) A waxwork candle creature’s flames create normal light within the creature’s reach and increases the light level by one step within twice that distance (minimum 5 feet). A waxwork candle creature is immune to its own fire, but not other flames (including those ignited by its own fire). The waxwork candle creature’s flames can be extinguished as normal flames. It loses the burn ability when the wicks are unlit, but can magically reignite the flames as a move action.

Waxwork Creature Construction

• Add produce flame as a spell requirement. Add 1,000 gp to the price (and 500 gp to the cost).
• CL varies (equal to the waxwork creature’s HD); Price 1,000 gp per HD plus cost of wax

CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS

Feats Craft Construct, animate objects, make whole; Skills Craft (sculpture); Cost 500 gp per HD plus cost of wax