Clockwork Wizard School

The origins of clockwork magic are nebulous at best.

Those of a religious bent say that it’s derived from the divine, that a follower of some god of smiths or of machines or even of time had an epiphany. Others, usually those of a less religious bent, claim that clockwork magic was the discovery of an ancient artificer who, while experimenting with gears and steam, built the first device animated by enchantments. Whatever its origin, clockwork magic involves time manipulation, constructs, and mechanical devices of all kinds.

The school of clockwork magic is a blending of technology and magic not often seen. While some would argue that all spells of this so-called school are simply applications of the more traditionally acknowledged branches of arcane magic, clockwork mages understand that there is qualitative difference in thought between casting, say, an evocation (clockwork) spell and an ordinary evocation. The school thrives alongside industry, using a small number of spells, compared to the older schools, to create a wide range of styles. Fool is he who fails to notice arcane glyphs and wands and mistakes a clockwork mage for a common gear grinder or tinkerer.

The following class abilities are available to wizards of the clockwork school.

Clockwork Savant

Beginning when you choose this school at 2nd level, the gold and time it takes to copy a clockwork spell into your spellbook is halved. You also gain proficiency with clockworker’s tools (25 gp, 2 lb.).

Clockworker’s Charm

Beginning at 2nd level, whenever you cast an animate construct spell, increase the duration by a number of minutes equal to your proficiency bonus. At 20th level, you can make the spell permanent until dispelled but cannot have more than one made permanent at a time.

Metal Shape

When you reach 6th level, you gain the ability to reshape metal with a touch. When you grasp a Small or smaller piece of metal, you can alter its form into any shape that suits your purpose. The item must be in your hands and under your control. You can’t, for example, reshape a piece of armor or a weapon that’s being worn or wielded by someone else. To create a specific object, such as a key or mechanical component, you must be completely familiar with it. Thus you could replicate a key that you had in your possession for an extended period of time, but you could not create a working key based on seeing the lock alone. Objects you create can have up to two hinges and a latch, but finer mechanical details are not possible. This effect can be used to repair metal, as the spell (see below).

When you do so, you can’t do so again until you finish a short or long rest.

Golem Form

Beginning at 10th level, you can transform yourself as an action into a living construct for up to 1 minute per level. You retain your Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma and the ability to speak and cast spells. You can transform into a golem or a clockwork creature whose CR is less than or equal to your current level in this class. Otherwise, this ability functions as the druid’s Wild Shape ability.

Clockwork Mastery

Starting at 14th level, you can use magic to bring constructs under your control. As an action, you can compel one construct you can see within 60 feet of you to make an Intelligence saving throw against your wizard spell save DC. This is a magical effect. If the saving throw fails, the construct becomes friendly to you and obeys your commands for 1 hour, until you use this ability again, or until it takes damage from you or one of your allies. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the duration is extended to 6 hours or until one of the other conditions is fulfilled. When the effect ends, the construct is aware it was controlled by you.

Section 15: Copyright Notice

Zobeck: Clockwork City © 2022 Open Design Llc; Author: Wolfgang Baur, Mike Franke, James J. Haeck, Ben Mcfarland, Richard Pett, Christina Stiles, Matthew Stinson.

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