The mechanikal items of the Iron Kingdoms are complex and novel devices, it is rare for any two to be exactly the same. They employ a complex melding of magic and technology that takes an intelligent eye to see and understand.
While there are magical items in the Iron Kingdoms creating them is particularly taxing to the creator, far greater than in other settings.
To counteract this, many produce mechanikal items, similar to magical items but powered through more mundane means, such as alchemy or arcane accumulators that serve as batteries. While not as reliable as magical items, mechanika is much safer and easier to produce.
MECHANIKA (INTELLIGENCE)
You have gained knowledge about mechanikal devices, their uses, construction and the maintenance of mechanika. This knowledge extends to information about mechanikal constructs and creatures.
If you have selected this skill as a trained skill your knowledge represents academic or practical study, either formally or as a hobby. Also those trained in the skill have a chance to know something about Cyrisstech.
MECHANIKAL KNOWLEDGE
Make a Mechanika check to recall a useful bit of mechanika-related knowledge or recognize a mechanika-related clue. See “Knowledge Checks,” page 180 in the PHB.
You must be trained in Mechanika to remember information about Cyrisstech, which requires master knowledge (DC 25) at least.
MONSTER KNOWLEDGE
Mechanikal
Make a Mechanika check to identify a creature that has the mechanikal origin or has significant mechanical modifications or parts. See “Monster Knowledge Checks,” page 180 in the PHB.
ARCANE ACCUMULATORS
The key component of almost all mechanika is the
arcane accumulator, a mechanikal device used to store arcane energy and acts as a power source for the device it is installed in. However accumulators are not always predictable.
When using a mechanikal item’s at-will power (e.g. frost weapon) or critical hit power (e.g. flaming burst weapon) you must roll an
accumulator roll or the arcane accumulator runs out of power and renders the item inert and powerless until you install a new arcane accumulator. When an item is powerless it loses all powers and enhancement bonuses and is treated as a non-magical item of the appropriate type.
Accumulator rolls are based on the size of the arcane accumulator used. Certain items and powers give enhancements or penalties to these rolls.
| Accumulator Size | Accumulator Roll (1d6) |
| Small | 3+ |
| Medium | 2+ |
| Large | 1+ |
Mechanikal devices are bulky pieces of equipment and take up more space than a normal magical item of the same type. This is reflected in the type of accumulator used for the device. Small accumulators use no additional equipment spaces on a character, medium accumulators take up a single additional slot, large accumulators take up two additional slots. It is up to the creator of the mechanika to decide the locations used for these additional slots at the time of the device‘s creation.
| Accumulator Size | Additional Slots |
| Small | None |
| Medium | 1 |
| Large | 2 |
EXAMPLE
Garrett has made and is using a
mechanikal lightning greatsword +1 with a medium accumulator. He’s chosen his extra accumulator slot to take up the wrists slot for magical items, this represents all the extra bulk, cables, and conduits the greatsword needs.
When Garrett hits an opponent and uses the at-will power of the lightning weapon, turning all his damage into lightning damage, he rolls an accumulator roll, needing a 2+ or the greatsword runs out of power and becomes a mundane, non-magical greatsword.
Let’s say Garrett’s failed his accumulator roll, he can replace the accumulator in the greatsword as a standard action, provided he has a fully charged spare available. This restores power and turns his greatsword back into a
mechanikal lightning greatsword +1.
MECHANIKA RITUALS
Mechanikal items are cheaper and easier to create in the Iron Kingdoms than their magic item counterparts. To do this the mechanik must know the Create Mechanikal Item ritual detailed below.
MECHANIKA SUBSTITUTION
Due to the similarities between magical formula and the schematics and diagrams used in mechanika, rituals using Arcana as the key skill may substitute Mechanika as the key skill instead. When substituting the Arcana skill in this way, the components must be spare parts rather than alchemical reagents.
COMPONENT COST
- Spare Parts (Mechanika): Mechanika rituals rely on a great number of parts, many of which have to be crafted to exacting specifications or require exotic materials such as rare metals or gases. Typically these can be bought from specialist stores or even crafted by the mechanik themselves from the raw materials.
CRAFT MECHANIKA ITEM
Following your careful schematics and diagrams you create a device that makes use of both magic and technology.
Level: 4
Category: Creation
Time: 1 Hour
Duration: Permanent
Component Cost: Special
Market Price: 175 gp
Key Skill: Mechanika (no check)
You touch a normal item and turn it into a mechanical item of your level or lower. At the beginning of this ritual you must decide which size accumulator the item will use and which addition slots, if any, the item will occupy. The ritual’s component cost is equal to 75% the price of the equivalent magic item.
You can also use this ritual to resize mechanikal armor (for example, shrink an ogrun’s mechanikal armor to fit a gobber). There is no component cost for this use.
