Constructed Servants

Golem

A golem is a bipedal, humanoid-like construct form.

Improved Golem

When the mechanist gains access to the Improved Construct feature, their golem gains the following benefits:  

• Its size is increases by one step, up to a maximum of Huge.
• The base damage on its force strike is increased to 1d10.
• The natural armor of the golem improves from 12 + Dex + PB, to 14 + Dex + PB.
• The golem gains proficiency with shields and both simple and martial weapons. It’s force strike is considered to be a Versatile (1d12) weapon, allowing it to be wielded one-handed or two-handed; if wielded in one-hand, it is considered to possess the Fine weapon property, allowing it to be used in Two-Weapon Fighting.

Greater Golem

When the mechanist gains access to the Greater Construct feature, their golem gains the following benefits:

• The base damage on its force strike is increased to 1d12 or Versatile (2d8).
• Extra Attack: The golem can attack twice, rather than once, whenever it takes the Attack action on its turn.
• The golem gains your choice of the Berserk Lashing, Heated Body, or Stone Lethargy feature, given below.

• Berserk Lashing: When the golem takes damage, it can use its Reaction to make a force strike attack against a random creature within reach of it. If no creature is within reach, the golem moves up to half its speed toward an enemy it can see, without provoking opportunity attacks.
• Heated Body: A creature that touches the golem or hits it with a melee attack while within 5 feet of the golem triggers this ability; allowing the golem to use its Reaction to force the triggering creature to suffer 1d10 points of Fire damage.
• Stony Lethargy: When a creature the golem can see starts its turn within 10 feet of the golem, the golem can use its Reaction to force it to make a Wisdom saving throw against your artificer spell save DC. On a failed save, the target can’t use reactions and its speed is halved until the start of its next turn.

Steel Defender

A steel defender is a non-bipedal bestial-form that is generally quadrupedal and shaped like that of a hound, though other steel defenders exist.

Improved Steel Defender

When the mechanist gains access to the Improved Construct feature, their steel defender gains the following benefits:  

• Its size is increases by one step up to a maximum of Huge.
• The base damage on its force rend is increased to 1d12.
• The natural armor of the steel defender improves from 13 + Dex + PB, to 15 + Dex + PB.
• The steel defender gains the Defender Protocol upgrade for free.

Greater Steel Defender

When the mechanist gains access to the Greater Construct feature, their steel defender gains the following benefits:  

• The base damage on its force rend is increased to 2d8.
• Extra Attack: The steel defender can attack twice, rather than once, whenever it takes the Attack action on its turn.
• The steel defender gains the Defender’s Hum and Reflexive feature, given below.

• Defender’s Hum: When the steel defender utilizes its Deflect Attack feature, the attacker takes Force damage equal to 2d8 + PB.
• Reflexive: The steel defender receives a second Reaction that it can use each round.

Constructed Servant Upgrades

Unrestricted Upgrade

Arcane Barrage Armament.

You install a mounted armament to your construct, taking whatever form is most appropriate, charged with arcane power. As an action, the servant can cast magic missile without expending a spell slot. When cast this way, it has no Verbal or Somatic components.
An artificer’s construct servant can use this feature a number of times equal to half of your Proficiency bonus. Once all uses are expended, this armament cannot be used again until the artificer completes a long rest.
When the mechanist reaches 5th level, the level of the magic missile spell cast increases to 2nd level. It increases again at 11th level (to 3rd) and 17th level (to 4th).

Arcane Resonance

You craft a magical essence connector and install it into your golem's core, allowing you and it to share certain magical effects. You can make any spell you cast that has a target of personal also target your servant, so long as they are within 5 feet of you when you cast the spell.

Cloaking Device

You install an Arcane Cloaking device on your servant. Your servant can use this device to cast invisibility on itself without expending a spell slot.
An artificer’s construct servant can use this feature a number of times equal to your Proficiency bonus. Once all uses are expended, this armament cannot be used again until the artificer completes a short or long rest.

Defender Protocol

You build in a protocol response into your servant to defend its master. Whenever the servant uses its Deflect Attack feature, the targeted ally of this feature receives a +2 Deflection bonus to Armor Class until the start of your servant’s next turn.

Expanded Frame

You enlarge your servant, increasing its size category by one step, if possible, up to a maximum size of Huge. Your servant’s gains 2 additional Hit Points per Hit Dice it possesses.
If your servant is Huge after taking this upgrade, it gains a reach of 10 feet with its melee attacks, and gains advantage on Strength checks and Strength saving throws.
If your servant holds the Steel Defender chassis, you can determine if your servant will have the appropriate physiology to serve as a mount.
You can take this upgrade multiple times, but cannot make a constructed servant larger than Huge.

Flamethrower Armament

You install an armament to your servant, taking whatever form is most appropriate, capable of reproducing powerful flames. As an action, the servant can cast burning hands. The spell save DC is equal to your spell save DC. When cast this way, it has no Verbal or Somatic components.
An artificer’s construct servant can use this feature a number of times equal to half of your Proficiency bonus. Once all uses are expended, this armament cannot be used again until the artificer completes a long rest.
When the mechanist reaches 5th level, the level of the burning hands spell cast increases to 2nd level. It increases again at 11th level (to 3rd) and 17th level (to 4th).

Fine Tuned Dexterity

• Prerequisite: Golem chassis.

You craft improved gears and joints for your servant. Your servant’s Dexterity ability score increases by 2, increasing its ability at tasks requiring fine motor skills. If, after taking this upgrade, the servant’s Dexterity is 16 or greater, it gains proficiency with one Dexterity-based skill or tool of your choice. If, after taking this skill, the golem's Dexterity is 18, it gains proficiency with another Dexterity-based skill or tool of your choice.
You can take this upgrade twice.

Grappling Appendages

You install an additional pair of grappling appendages taking a form of your choice. For the purposes of grappling, these serve as two additional free hands for your servant. Additionally, your servant gains a climbing speed equal to its walking speed so long as it is not using these appendages to grapple.

Heavy Armor Plating

• Prerequisite: Golem chassis.

You can incorporate a suit of Heavy Armor into your servant allowing it to equip that suit of armor. Your servant’s Armor Class becomes the Armor Class granted by the equipped armor + half of your Proficiency bonus. While incorporated with your servant in this way, the servant has Proficiency with that armor. You can change or remove the incorporated armor at any time once you have taken this upgrade, but it takes twice as long as normally equipping or unequipping the chosen armor type.
While equipped with Heavy Armor, your servant has disadvantage on Dexterity (Stealth) checks. Additionally, the incorporated armor can be enchanted or imbued with Essence, as any other mundane armor can.

Iron Fortress

• Prerequisite: Medium or larger size. Constitution score of 18 or higher.

You extend your servants shielding and stationary stability. Your servant now counts as three quarters cover for creatures within 5 feet of it (as long as it is between them and the attacker) or riding it. Additionally, it cannot be moved against its will while in contact with the ground.

Magical Essence

You infuse a fragment of magical essence into your golem, allowing it to attune to one magical item. This follows all normal attunement rules.

Powered Charge

• Prerequisite: Steel Defender chassis.

You improve your golem's charging speed, increasing its walking speed by 5 feet the first time this upgrade is taken. If your golem's speed is 50 feet or more after taking this upgrade, it gains the ability to use a Forceful Slam after moving 20 feet or more in a straight line toward it before attacking; if the attack hits, the target must make a Strength saving throw with a DC of 8 + your Proficiency bonus + the servant’s strength modifier; a failed save results in the target being knocked prone.
You can select this upgrade twice; the second time it is taken, you gain an additional 10 feet of walking speed.

Rake

• Prerequisite: Steel Defender chassis.

Whenever the servant successfully grapples a creature, it can use its reaction to make a free martial attack against the grappled creature.

Structural Constitution

You have reinforced your servant with layers of protection and redundant systems. Its Constitution ability score increases by 2, increasing its stability and durability. If, after taking this feature, the servant’s Constitution is 18 or higher, it increases their Stamina by 2 points.
You can take this upgrade twice.

Shielding Bond

After studying the arcane fundamentals of your constructed servant, you have gained insight on how they shield their controllers, and can implement it in your own servant. Your golem gains the ability to cast warding bond without expending a spell slot. When cast in this method, it does not require material components.
An artificer’s construct servant can use this feature a number of times equal to your Proficiency bonus. Once all uses are expended, this armament cannot be used again until the artificer completes a long rest.

Systematic Strength.

You build an improved frame and power source for your servant. Your servant’s Strength ability score increases by 2, and increases its ability at tasks requiring raw strength. If, after taking this skill, the golem's Strength is 18 or higher, it gains proficiency with the Athletics skill, and increases their carrying capacity by 50 percent. If they are already proficient in this skill, they gain Expertise in it instead, or can choose a different skill to gain proficiency in.
You can take this upgrade twice.

Thundering Stomp.

• Prerequisite: Large or larger size.

Your servant can leverage its increased size and magical nature to unleash a crushing stomp of magical energy when it brings down its foot. Your servant can replace any attack with the thunderclap spell using your Artificer level and spell save DC for determining the effects of this spell.

Warfare Routines

• Prerequisite: Golem chassis.

You advance the control routines for your servant, allowing it to fight more effectively. Your servant gains one Fighting Style of your choice from Archery, Dueling, Great Weapon Fighting, Lunge, Two-Weapon Fighting, or Versatility. Whenever you attain a level wherein you gain additional Upgrade points, you can swap out one of these fighting styles for another of your choice from this list.

9th Level Upgrades

Airborne Propulsion

You add new method of propulsion to your servant, allowing it to fly, such as intricate mechanical wings or propellers. It gains a flying speed of 30 feet.

Brutal Armaments

You increase the effectiveness of your servant’s natural weapons, allowing it to strike with lethal strikes. When your servant makes an attack, you can subtract its proficiency from the attack roll. When you do so, if the attack hits, you can add double its proficiency bonus to the damage roll of the attack, this is in addition to the base Proficiency bonus to damage already applied.

Overdrive

You build in a special mode allowing your servant to go beyond its limitations. As your action, you can overcharge your servant with energy, granting it the effects of haste for a number of rounds equal to your Intelligence modifier.
Once used, you cannot use this again until you complete a long rest.

Transforming Golem

You install clever multi-functional components allowing your servant to reduce its size. Your servant can collapse its size back down to one size category smaller, but while in the collapsed mode any movement speed it has is reduced by 10 feet. The process takes 1 minute to invoke or revert.
You can select this upgrade twice.