General Rules: Monsters - Ratman, Forge Crawler Mechanician

Ratman, Forge Crawler Mechanician (adapted from Vigil Watch: Warrens of the Ratmen)
Medium Monstrous Humanoid (Slytheen)

Hit Dice: 2d8+4 (13 hit points)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 30 feet, climb 15 feet, burrow 10 feet
Armor Class: 16 (+1 Dexterity, +1 natural, +4 chain shirt)
BAB/Grapple: +2/+3

Attack: Bite +3 melee (1d3+1, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing, 20 x2) or heavy crossbow +3 ranged (1d10, piercing, 19-20 x2, 120 feet x10)

Full Attack: Bite +3 melee (1d3+1, bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing, 20 x2) and 2 claws -2 melee (1d4, slashing, 20 x2) or heavy crossbow +3 ranged (1d10, piercing, 19-20 x2, 120 feet x10)

Space/Reach: 5 feet by 5 feet/5 feet
Special Attacks: None
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 feet, craft adept, discern weakness, magnum opus, speak with rats
Saves: Fortitude +2, Reflex +4, Will +3
Abilities: Str 12, Int 16, Wis 11, Dex 12, Con 14, Cha 11

Skills: Appraise +5, Craft: Any One +7, Craft: Any One +7, Craft: Any One +7, Listen +3, Spot +2, Use Magic Device +5

Feats: Skill Focus (one Craft skill)
Environment: Any

Organization: Worskshop (10 - 30 mechanicians with one 4^th - 7^th level constructs for every 15 ratmen), nest (70 - 1,000 ratmen with guards as above plus one 8^th - 10^th level priest for every 100 ratmen)

Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: Double standard
Alignment: Usually neutral evil
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +2

Since early in their existence, this fractious line has threatened to blow itself and everyone near them to oblivion. In their mad desire to indulge their "creator passion", they have undertaken increasingly complex and dangerous projects of construction, rarely with any regard for short or even long term safety. To make matters worse, pothecaries are equally skilled at the creation and use of poisons and other dangerous substances. Calling their work "messy and dangerous" is an understatement of titanic proportions.

Though many rarely venture from their workshops, these crafters of artifacts and devices never let the outside world pass them by. Most have small cohorts of lackeys who keep them, in touch with prospective suppliers and buyers. A few even make it a point to go traveling to conduct a bit of industrial espionage. Not quite as open with their innovations as the pothecaries, the mechanicians nonetheless cooperate with each other a fair amount to undertake projects too grand for any one of them to complete alone.

Possessed of great intelligence and cunning, mechanicians build or modify golems, a feat that is normally possible only by especially advanced craftsmen. The sight of a mechanician mounted on the back of his favorite construct - known as his "magnum opus" - chittering madly and urging the monstrosity forward, is a fearsome one indeed.

Combat
Mchanicians are as eclectic in their styles of combat as they are in everything else. Some like to wade into the fray (usually "safely" ensconced within their mechanical monstrosities), while others snipe from a distance. Some swarm their enemies with hordes of constructs, while others design minions that act as lone suicide bombers or trump-card juggernauts. If it is possible, they'll try it, make it, and use it.

In general, mechanicians disdain combat, seeing it as a monumental waste of carefully crafted items. They do, however, have a great fondness for "trial runs" where they can test their latest creation against a "realistic and cunning obstacle". This often translates to laying traps and ambushes for unwary foes, but running away when attacked.

Craft Adept (Ex): Each mechanician receives a +2 racial bonus to all checks relating to one area of craftsmanship, either repair, design, constriction, or modification.

Magnum Opus Type
Die Roll	Golem Type	Source
1 - 4	Flesh	MM
5 - 7	Clay	MM
8 - 10	Stone	MM
11	Iron	MM
12 - 13	Bone	CC
14 - 15	Copper	CC
16 - 17	Lead	CC
18 - 19	Silver	CC
20	Tar	CC2

Discern Weakness (Su): if a mechanician has three full rounds to study a mechanical device (including all constructs), he may receive an attack roll bonus against it equal to three times his Intelligence modifier. He may confer this advantage to others who can communicate with him, though its benefit is reduced - it may not exceed either the ratman's or the second party's Intelligence modifier, whichever is lower. Similarly, the slytheen may reduce a weapon's hardness or reduce the DC for breaking an item by its Intelligence modifier. These reductions apply only to the mechanician's attempts to damage or break the item.

Magnum Opus (Ex): A mechanician takes great pride in creating deadly constructs, and if encountered may be accompanied by a unique golem known as a magnum opus. Forge crawler golems are instantly recognizable for, despite their high-quality function, they leave everything to be desired in the realm of aesthetics. Tarnished materials interlock with polished components, with no pretense at symmetry or geometric harmony. Slytheen golems tend to be monstrous aberrations, further from the humanoid ideal than even their own twisted masters.

A mechanician slytheen may be accompanied by his magnum opus. If this is the case, roll d20 on the Magnum Opus Type chart to the right to determine what type of golem it is.

Once the golem type has been determined, roll 1d20 on each column of the Magnum Opus Improvement table to determine its enhancements and special abilities. If you roll a 20, roll twice on the table, ignoring any more rolls of 20. These enhancements may increase the golem's Challenge Rating.

Magnum Opus Improvement
Die Roll	Bonus HD	Natural Armor	Strength Adj.	Special Quality
1 - 3	-	-	-	-
4 - 6	1	4	1	-
7 - 9	2	6	1	-
10 - 11	2	6	2	-
12 - 13	3	8	2	Remote Command
14 - 15	3	8	3	Damage Reduction
16 - 17	4	10	4	Spell Turning
18 - 19	5	12	5	Self Repair
20	Roll Twice	Roll Twice	Roll Twice	Roll Twice

• Bonus Hit Dice: These are additional ten-sided (d10) Hit Dice for the magnum opus. Hit Dice also improve the magnum opus' base attack bonus (+¾ per Hit Die) and base save bonuses.


• Natural Armor: Appearances notwithstanding, the magnum opus' construction becomes increasingly sturdy as the mechanician incorporates better and often magical materials into its body and perfects its design, resulting in an increasing natural armor bonus.


• Strength Adjustment: Add this number to the magnum opus' Strength score to improve its Strength modifier.


• Special Qualities: These abilities further enhance the golem's abilities. A magnum opus can never have more than two. If the golem has two special qualities, increase its Challenge Rating by 1.
  
  • Remote Command: Normally the mechanician commands his magnum opus by voice commands. If the golem cannot hear its creator, then it cannot take instructions. With this enhancement, the mechanician can mentally command his creation as a free action but must make a DC 13 Concentration check if he performs anything more than a partial action that round. This supernatural ability has a range of 60 feet + 5 feet per Hit Die of the magnum opus.
  
  
  • Damage Reduction: The magnum opus ignores the first 5 points of damage received from nonmagical sources. Magical weapons and spells ignore this damage reduction. This stacks with any existing damage reduction.
  
  
  • Spell Turning: Spells cast against this golem have a 25% chance of being reflected back on the caster as if the golem had spell turning cast upon it..
  
  
  • Self Repair: By resting, the construct can knit itself back to perfect working order. The magnum opus can heal 1 point of damage each round that it remains motionless and takes no actions. It will repair itself even if attacked during this time.
• Verbal Command: Ordinarily, the magnum opus obeys the verbal commands of its creator without question, but if it cannot hear its master, it cannot receive instruction. If given general commands, it will continue carrying them out until ordered otherwise. The remote command special quality replaces this, allowing the mechanician to communicate non-verbally.


• Challenge Rating: These enhancements increase the golem's Challenge Rating. For every 4 additional Hit Dice, or 4 points of natural armor or Strength, increase the golem's Challenge rating by 1. Every 2 special qualities also increase the golem's Challenge Rating by 1. These increases are cumulative.

Speak with Rats (Su): Mechanician ratmen have the ability to speak with rats and dire rats as if they were using the spell speak with animals.

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