Clockwork armor is an experimental type of magical mechanical armor that enhances strength, speed, and defense, albeit with some drawbacks.[1]
Description[]
A suit of clockwork armor comprises plates of adamantine and mithral, with steel servos at the ankle and elbow joints and hydraulic pistons of steel and brass at the shoulders and knees. The whole suit is 250 lb (110 kg) in weight, but as it supports some of its own weight, the wearer only feels a weight of 70 lb (32 kg). The suit includes a helmet, which automatically drops a set of protective flaps when the wear nods in a specific way. The chestplate has inside it three small, unlabeled levers.[1]
It takes at least ten minutes to put on or take off a suit of clockwork armor, because parts of it are bolted together or tied with wire cables, while the gears and servo connections in some of the joints need to be properly fitted together. They are sized for human-sized wearers.[1]
Creation[]
Fashioning a suit of clockwork armor requires a great deal of expertise in crafting both magical armors and constructs.[1]
Powers[]
Not only does a suit of clockwork armor provide protection equivalent to a full suit of plate armor, it aids the wearer's movements in order to enhance their physical strength, precision, and speed, making them effectively stronger, more agile, and somewhat faster in walking or running. The three levers inside the breastplate adjust the degree of strength and force enhancement. They must be carefully set to allow a wearer proficient in heavy armors to use the suit effectively; if not, the wearer is much clumsier.[1]
However, there are some serious design flaws in the experimental armor. First, it is noisy, with clanking metal and grinding gears.[1]
Second, the metals and other materials are insufficient for the hydraulics and servos, and when exposed to intense cold, such as from cold-based magic, the whole suit can freeze up. There are two, risky solutions: slowly spend time removing the armor and thawing it out, or quickly being exposed to equivalent amount of intense heat, such as from fire-based magic.[1]
Third, the exposed gears and controls can be damaged by direct attacks: blunt weapons may warp or misalign components, slashing weapons may sever wires, and thrusting weapons may jam mechanisms. Hence, an opponent may target the armor itself. While it is resilient, eventually the wearer must try to evade blows to protect the armor itself or else it will break down. Faults can include immobilization of an arm or leg; repetitive motion of an arm, hampering defense; and repetitive motion of a leg, forcing the wearer to move constantly. Repairs are highly delicate and must be done by someone not trapped within the suit of clockwork armor.[1]
History[]
Clockwork armor was likely developed by Cyre during the Last War, but the above "engineering issues" mean that it has not been adopted and only a few of the most dedicated, or desperate, users of machinery make use of them.[1]
A gnome bandit operating in Karrnath acquired a suit of clockwork armor, which is worn by one of the gnome's cronies, and together the bandits wage a small war on Karrn trade routes. The Captain of Corpses of Fort Zombie wants him alive for interrogation, so the reward is thrice that for killing him.[1]
Regdar once tried out a suit of clockwork armor, declaring that it made him stronger, though Mialee observed it did not make him smarter.[1]
Reputation[]
All extant suits of the experimental clockwork armor are still claimed as the property of Cyre alone. Anyone found to have information on the whereabouts of a suit of clockwork armor, or even has one in their possession, will be contacted by Prince Oargev ir'Wynarn, who would offer 200 gp for information leading to recovery of a suit or 2000 gp as a 'finder's fee' though it is valued at 27,250 gp. Refusing to give the suit up will inevitably drawn the attention of a Cyran avenger.[1]
Appendix[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 Wolfgang Baur (2007-02-12). Clockwork Wonders: "The Clockwork Armor". Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on 2009-06-02.