| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Quale |
Posted - 28 Oct 2011 : 08:23:21
Do you know any good 3P D&D book about clockworks, golems, machines and similar? I have a few, but I'm looking for more, for my pc, especially if it has interesting spells to research. |
| 19 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Quale |
Posted - 02 Nov 2011 : 12:32:52
For my pc not that useful (mechanics), comparing to Clock & Steam or the Technologist sourcebook, for people that run a Victorian setting it probably is.
MT, I played Arcanum a very long time ago, I remember Tesla coils, had a great travelling system and equipment (and bugs). Surprisingly, looks like there isn't a d20 version  . Never played WoW (cool picture) or Dungeon Siege. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 02 Nov 2011 : 00:42:24
quote:
Originally posted by Quale
Hawkins, I viewed the book on scribd, showed up as the 3rd result when googling OGL Steampunk. It's not worth because half of it are 3.5 rules copied, the rest is too high tech (crafting automatas). It has an interesting magical system, particularly psychic powers (one coalesces etheric matter into denser forms) and rituals and laws of magic (too few of them tough), but it is not compatible with 3.5/Pathfinder, only in a low magic setting.
OGL Steampunk is an extraordinarily useful tome that compiles a lot of old stuff and adds some new material to the mix.
It does feature "high-tech" steampunk, but it also offers a great deal of "lower tier" tech that can easily be adapted for low-tech steampunk settings.
It's an essential part of my Steampunk-gaming library.
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| Markustay |
Posted - 01 Nov 2011 : 17:40:28
I had Steampunk and thought it was a good read, but to be honest, I never used any of it.
If I move out-of-state eventually, the group I know in Kentucky loves Steampunk (the Genre), so I will probably wish I still had that tome.
Hey! Maybe I'll get to revive my Old West-meets-FR Anchorme' campaign! That would be sweet... so long as it gets better received then the last time... 
Deadlands/Weird West is another good light-tech source, although probably too advanced for what you are looking for. They had some interesting zombie/automata hybrids (very icky, which is why they are cool - similar to The Created, but more steampunk). I tried something like that - I had a Deathlok clone in my old GH campaign. That was the first Marvel comic I regularly bought. I just replaced the pistol with a hand-crossbow.
EDIT: Almost forgot - Arcanum, a CRPG, was an excellent blend of tech and magic, and the system therein was very intuitive (you could not pursue both paths indefinitely - they interfered with each other). I wish I still had the game, because I loved the character backgrounds (and wanted to steal some ideas). If you are not familiar with it, you start-out thinking its a typical fantasy setting with light tech, like Warcraft, but turns out to be a Victorian-era kind of game. It wasn't until I was able to use the train that I realized this, because it has all the usual fantasy elements (so it was done so subtly it was perfect, IMHO). Reminded me of Gothic Earth a bit, come to think of it (another under-appreciated sub-setting; I am a fan of 'alternate history' stories). The half-Ogres as slaves was bloody brilliant. I mention it because there are a number of 'clockwork horrors' in the game.
And since I mentioned it, Warcraft had some automata, as did the Diablo-clone Dungeonsiege, IIRC. |
| Hawkins |
Posted - 01 Nov 2011 : 17:24:06
Thanks for the review. I have been hedging over whether or not it would be worth it for over a year now, so it is nice to have an answer. |
| Quale |
Posted - 01 Nov 2011 : 16:00:55
Hawkins, I viewed the book on scribd, showed up as the 3rd result when googling OGL Steampunk. It's not worth because half of it are 3.5 rules copied, the rest is too high tech (crafting automatas). It has an interesting magical system, particularly psychic powers (one coalesces etheric matter into denser forms) and rituals and laws of magic (too few of them tough), but it is not compatible with 3.5/Pathfinder, only in a low magic setting. |
| Quale |
Posted - 01 Nov 2011 : 15:13:22
I don't know if the Imaskari will have a role in the campaign, probably not. They are/were geographically close to Numeria (cause when we changed our homebrew world they moved north and became a version/analogy of of the Proto-Indo-Europeans). Also my pc is against enslaving and binding spirits and other intelligent creatures. Possibly later, with an Awaken Machine spell. He could make an effigy without the leather component, otherwise it's too icky for him, only wood, metal, or crystal materials. My favorite from 2e were metagolems, copper automatons or nimblewrights, clockwork swordsmen if they don't look like swashbucklers.
Just reading Steam Warriors (Dragonmech), except for the construct suits it's got very cool equipment.
Thanks, looking into OGL Steampunk |
| Hawkins |
Posted - 01 Nov 2011 : 14:37:07
There is also OGL Steampunk by Mongoose. I do not know how good it is. Even discounted to $23.97, that is a lot for me to pay for a PDF. Portions of it are available as open game content on The Grand OGL Wiki. |
| Markustay |
Posted - 01 Nov 2011 : 01:51:22
There was a sprinkling of mechanika in the various 2e MM's, including the clockwork swordsman and the carrionette (2 of my favorites, so I remember them). Although technically, both were considered golems, but I think clockworks/Mechanika are just a more methodical (scientific) approach to Golemancy. In some 3e splat* we also had effigies (which were just realistic-looking constructs).
In my very sparse outline of my 'Hordelands history', I had placed an "Academy of Advanced Golemic Sciences" in Inupras (Imaskar's capital), which dealt with clockworks ranging from insect-size reconnaissance-types to colossal Juggernaughts designed to overrun entire armies. I also hinted that Hilather (Halaster) was a major player at the school, and later spent some time in Netheril (posing as an undetermined archmage) and was the first to create the Thaluds (Tomb-Tappers). He also founded the Sargauth Enclave in this guise.
It was a little more involved then that - I linked a bunch of disparate lore to Hilather during his 'lost years', including the Helmed Horrors. I tried to use him as a common thread for most of FR's automatons (Undermountain is loaded with them).
Don't know if you can use any of that - I would assume over the course of thousands of years, dozens - perhaps hundreds - of differing designs and power-sources were tried, which would account for the myriad variations in clockworks. The 'machine' he was eventually trying to duplicate was self-aware and immensely powerful (and one many people know, but unaware of it's true nature). 
As for the Imaskari academy - it was joint-effort between the Raurin Durpari and their summoning magic (a branch of their portal-magic), and the Shou arrivals and their own potent Alchemical sciences (which embraced much elemental magic). The first golems were actually an attempt to make a more permanent elemental servant.
Just about all HB, of course.
*Complete Arcane |
| Quale |
Posted - 31 Oct 2011 : 19:31:05
Thanks. Numeria is close to the country where the campaign is. And there's people who smuggle their devices.
I have Kobold 16 and Zobeck Gazeteer, that's exactly what I want (spells like Tireless and Animate Construct). In addition to them anything like these sourcebooks
Mechamancy: The Clockwork Magic (EN Publishing)
The Fantastic Science: The Technologist (EN Publishing)
Steam and Steel (EN Publishing)
Clock and Steam (Blackmoor book)
Steamworks (by 12 to Midnight)
Constructs (Mongoose)
Dragonmech, not if it's about dragons and mechas, Steam Warriors looks interesting from the description.
Also found and considering these
Codex Mechanica - On the Creation of the Fabricant
Bastion Press' Doom Striders
Legends and Lairs - Sorcery & Steam |
| Ayunken-vanzan |
Posted - 29 Oct 2011 : 09:29:09
Kobold Quarterly #16 has articles titled: Ecology of the Gearforged*, The Clockword Adept†, and Clockwork Monsters**.
--
* A creature originating in the free town of Zobeck. It is a PC race, rules are given for PF and 4e.
† A prestige class for PF.
** Monster attack powers for 4e. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 29 Oct 2011 : 02:49:17
quote:
Originally posted by Wooly Rupert
quote:
Originally posted by Quale
You mean ''Constructs - It's Alive''? That one is great for construct creation.
Yup, that's the one. 
quote:
Originally posted by Quale
I've already plundered Iron Kingdoms, most is too ''high tech'', I tried to convince the DM to replace steam in a few items with plasma (rare Numerian devices).
Wait, the Iron Kingdoms' steam and mechanika is too high-tech, but you're cool with plasma and Numerian devices? That's like saying a '57 Chevy is too high-tech and then flying off in the Millenium Falcon...
The majority of IK stuff can be easily converted, though. Strip off the smokestacks and say it's clockwork, not steam, and you've got a host of ready-made clockworks.
Which is pretty much the system presented for clockworks and steam-powered mecha in the 3rd party 3e Bastion Press Doom Striders tome.
I'll also add the Dragonmech setting, published by Goodman Games in the 3e-era. It offers low-to-medium level technology for the concepts of constructs and mecha in a campaign setting. There are also some "high tech" options as well, but they're clearly categorised as rare and/or lost technology, and usually not part of the mainstream progress of technological development on the world.
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| The Sage |
Posted - 29 Oct 2011 : 02:48:32
quote:
Originally posted by entreri3478
Van Richten's Guide to the Created, great stuff!
Van Richten's Guide to the Created handles, more, the concept and creation of varied organic and inorganic golem-types. There's little mechanika and/or construct-y goodness referenced inside. |
| Hawkins |
Posted - 28 Oct 2011 : 22:44:52
Also, the new Bestiary 3 for the PFRPG is going to have clockwork creatures in it. I think that these will be building upon what has already been established with the Clockwork Golem from the Bestiary 2 and the Clockwork Construct Template from the Inner Sea World Guide. |
| Artemas Entreri |
Posted - 28 Oct 2011 : 19:25:48
Van Richten's Guide to the Created, great stuff! |
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 28 Oct 2011 : 19:17:18
quote:
Originally posted by Quale
You mean ''Constructs - It's Alive''? That one is great for construct creation.
Yup, that's the one.
quote:
Originally posted by Quale
I've already plundered Iron Kingdoms, most is too ''high tech'', I tried to convince the DM to replace steam in a few items with plasma (rare Numerian devices).
Wait, the Iron Kingdoms' steam and mechanika is too high-tech, but you're cool with plasma and Numerian devices? That's like saying a '57 Chevy is too high-tech and then flying off in the Millenium Falcon...
The majority of IK stuff can be easily converted, though. Strip off the smokestacks and say it's clockwork, not steam, and you've got a host of ready-made clockworks.
quote:
Originally posted by Quale
Looking forward to you list Sage, I'll post what I have so far.
You may be waiting for his list for a while...  |
| Ayrik |
Posted - 28 Oct 2011 : 18:37:49
<ahem> Iron Kingdoms ... |
| Quale |
Posted - 28 Oct 2011 : 12:22:49
You mean ''Constructs - It's Alive''? That one is great for construct creation.
I've already plundered Iron Kingdoms, most is too ''high tech'', I tried to convince the DM to replace steam in a few items with plasma (rare Numerian devices).
Looking forward to you list Sage, I'll post what I have so far.
|
| Wooly Rupert |
Posted - 28 Oct 2011 : 10:51:44
There's a D20 book called Constructs that I rather liked.
The Iron Kingdoms has a lot of nifty stuff, if you're into a mix of steampunk and fantasy. Plus, I think the Monsternomicon books for that setting are some of the best monster books of the 3E era. |
| The Sage |
Posted - 28 Oct 2011 : 10:34:23
I have to be so far away from my notebooks when you ask a question like this, don't I?
My own compulsive love of clockwork creatures and construct-types has prompted me to compile what is probably one of the most comprehensive source/reference listings for these curious critters.
The only good news I can offer at this point is, I'll be back home next week, so I'll send you a copy then.
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