Few warriors give much thought to fighting goblins, believing them to be weak, unorganized, and generally more of a nuisance than a threat. Those who have the misfortune to encounter a goblin mechanic rarely hold to this opinion for long. Also known as “shredder jockeys,” mechanics are typically the goblin’s trump card when faced with the often larger and better-trained races of the Underdark.Goblin mechanics are skilled engineers and craftsmen who focus on creating mechanized vehicles of destruction and carnage, which they have given the rather appropriate name of Shredders. Resembling a bipedal humanoid crafted from iron and steel, shredders sport a heavy claw and a very dangerous buzzsaw on their arms. When piloted by a skilled mechanic, a lone shredder is capable of scattering and punching through even the most well-prepared defenses. Even worse, mechanics are not terribly uncommon, and most large goblin settlements have at least one mechanic ready to climb aboard his creation and defend his people.
Hit Dice: d6
Requirements
In order to qualify to become a Goblin Mechanic, a character must meet the following criteria.
Race: Goblin
Skills: Craft (blacksmithing or metalworking) 4 ranks, Craft (machine) 8 ranks, Knowledge (architecture and engineering) 8 ranks
Feats: Skill Focus (Craft (machine)).
Class Skills
The Goblin Mechanic’s class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Climb (Str), Craft (Int), Disable Device (Int), Escape Artist (Dex), Knowledge (architecture and engineering) (Int), Listen (Wis), Pilot (Dex), Profession (Wis), Spot (Wis), Search (Int), and Use Rope (Dex). See Chapter 4 of the Player’s Handbook for skill descriptions.
Skill Points at Each Level: 6 + Int modifier.
Class Level Base Attack Bonus Fort Save Ref Save Will Save Special 1 +0 +0 +2 +2 Build Shredder, Repair 2 +1 +0 +3 +3 Operate Shredder 3 +2 +1 +3 +3 Modify Shredder 4 +3 +1 +4 +4 Ambidextrous Shredder 5 +3 +1 +4 +4 Ejection Device 6 +4 +2 +5 +5 Modify Shredder 7 +5 +2 +5 +5 Weapons Upgrade 8 +6 +2 +6 +6 Shoulder Cannon 9 +6 +3 +6 +6 Modify Shredder 10 +7 +3 +7 +7 Self Destruct
Class Features:
All of the following are class features of the Goblin Mechanic prestige class.
Weapon and Armor Proficiency: Goblin Mechanics gain no new weapon or armor proficiency.
Build Shredder (Ex): Goblin mechanics are able to construct powerful armored vehicles known as shredders. A shredder resembles a 10-foot tall humanoid, with a recessed control seat where its head would be. The shredder’s arms end in a vice-like claw and a wicked-looking buzzsaw, and the entirety of its body is constructed from iron and steel. A Small creature is able to pilot a shredder from its control seat, though doing so without the operate shredder ability is difficult, and incurs a nonproficiency penalty on each attack the creature makes with the shredder.A shredder is treated as a Large construct with Hit Dice equal to the 4 + the goblin mechanic’s class level (in addition, it gains 30 bonus hit points for being a Large construct). It has an Armor Class of 20 (+12 natural, -1 size, -1 Dex), 10-foot reach, and deals 1d8 damage with its claw and 3d4 damage with its buzzsaw (which criticals for double damage on a natural 18-20). Its base attack bonus is equal to three-fourths its Hit Dice (as a cleric). A shredder may move with a base land speed of 40. A shredder’s base ability scores are: Str 18, Dex 8, Con –, Int –, Wis 10, Cha 1. The shredder has poor saves, and possesses no sentience (thus, while not piloted, a shredder merely stands motionless).
Climbing into or out of a shredder’s control seat requires 1 minute, and provokes attacks of opportunity. While seated in the control seat, a creature is considered to have cover from all attacks. Any creature attempting to pilot a shredder while wearing armor subtracts the armor check penalty of his armor from all rolls he makes while piloting a shredder. If he is nonproficient in his chosen armor, he subtracts twice the armor check penalty. Each round, a creature piloting a shredder must make a Pilot (shredder) check (DC 25) in order to operate the shredder as he wishes; on a failure, the shredder malfunctions in some way, and does nothing that round.
A shredder may attack with either its claw or buzzsaw a number of times each round as determined by its base attack bonus. It may attack with its other weapon as well, but such a weapon is treated as a secondary attack, and is made at a -5 penalty. A shredder may attack with its secondary weapon only once each round.
Building a second shredder or rebuilding a destroyed shredder is a time-consuming prospect, requiring one full day of work for every Hit Dice the shredder possesses (the mechanic can make a shredder with less Hit Dice than his current maximum, if desired). This process uses up raw materials totaling 2,000 gp per Hit Dice of the shredder. The new shredder contains no modifications, which must be added separately.
Repair (Ex): A mechanic is an expert at repairing constructs. With a standard action and at least 10 gp in materials, a mechanic is able heal a creature of the “Construct” type for 1d4 hit points.
Operate Shredder (Ex): A goblin mechanic of at least 2nd level is a skilled shredder pilot. Whenever he pilots a shredder, that shredder gains a +1 competence bonus to Armor Class, attack and damage rolls, and saving throws for every two class levels the mechanic possesses. In addition, a goblin mechanic may ‘take 10' whenever he makes a Pilot check to pilot a shredder.
Modify Shredder (Ex): At 3rd level, the goblin mechanic is able to modify his shredder, granting it enhanced abilities. The mechanic selects one fighter feet for which the shredder qualifies; the shredder gains that feat as a bonus feat. Alternatively, the mechanic may grant his shredder a +10 foot increase in its base speed, or 5 ranks in any Strength- or Dexterity-based skill. Modifying a shredder takes one full day of work and raw materials totaling 1,000 gp.
Ambidextrous Shredder (Ex): A 4th level mechanic is able to more effectively control a shredder while in combat. Whenever a shredder he pilots makes a full attack action, that shredder may use both its claw and its buzzsaw as if they were both primary weapons, essentially making a full attack with each weapon.
Ejection Device (Ex): A goblin mechanic of 5th level or higher is able to outfit his shredder with an advanced ejection device. When activated, the ejection device launches the mechanic and his control seat 1d6 x 20 feet straight up. A parachute deploys from the control seat at the height of its trajectory, effectively grating the seat (and the mechanic) the effects of a featherfall spell (this effect is nonmagical in nature). Should the ejection device strike an overhead object during its flight, the mechanic suffers damage as if he had fallen a distance equal to the remaining flight distance on the device. Activating the ejection device is an immediate action. Constructing an ejection device requires one full day of work and raw materials totaling 2,000 gp.
Weapons Upgrade (Ex): A 7th level mechanic is able to replace his shredder’s weapons with larger and more damaging weapons. After doing so (a process requiring one full day’s work and 2,000 gp worth of materials), the shredder’s claw damage increases to 2d6, and its buzzsaw damage increases to 4d6.
Shoulder Cannon (Ex): Upon reaching 8th level, the mechanic becomes capable of adding a large shoulder cannon to his shredder. Constructing and mounting the shredder’s his back (which weighs 30 pounds) loads the shredder’s shoulder cannon at the beginning of each of the mechanic’s rounds. This storage rack hold up to sixteen of the 15-pound cannon balls which the shoulder cannon uses as ammunition. When fired (a standard action), the shoulder cannon propels these cannon balls forward at great speeds, causing them to bounce and skip along the ground in a 200-foot straight line. Every creature within the cannon ball’s path takes 15d8 bludgeoning damage, but may attempt a Reflex save (DC 20 + the mechanic’s Intelligence modifier) for half damage. Creatures failing this save must succeed on a second Fortitude save against the same DC to avoid being knocked prone by the powerful projectile.A mechanic is able to construct cannon balls for his shredder’s shoulder cannon with the Craft (blacksmithing or metalworking) skills, as if they had a cost of 10 gold each.
Self Destruct (Ex): Goblin mechanics who have reached 10th level are capable of arming their shredders with powerful explosives, allowing them to detonate their creations at a moment’s notice. Adding a self destruct device to a shredder requires raw materials totaling 2,000 gp, and one full day of work. The mechanic may activate a shredder’s detonation device as an immediate action. Once activated, the shredder smokes and shudders for a few moments, then explodes into a storm of fire and shrapnel. Creatures within a 30-foot radius burst of the shredder suffer 20d8 damage (half fire, half piercing), and may attempt a Reflex save (DC 20 + the mechanic’s Intelligence modifier) for half damage. The shredder is completely destroyed. Should the mechanic activate his shredder’s ejection device immediately after activating the self destruct device, he is rendered immune to the effects of this explosion.
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