Apparatus of Dreadful Construction

Gargantuan Construct
Hit Dice: 100d10+60 (610) Initiative: -1 Speed: 60 ft. (12 squares), burrow 40 ft. Armor Class: 60 (4 size, 1 Dex, +55 natural), touch 5, at-footed 60 Base Attack/Grapple: +75/+109 Attack: Bite +93 melee (12d8+22) Full Attack: Bite +93 melee (12d8+22) Space/Reach: 20 ft./20 ft. Special Attacks: Burn, combustion cloud, road of ruin, trample 10d12+33 Special Qualities: Construct traits, damage reduction 25/adamantine and epic, darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 5, immovable, immunity to re, immunity to magic, low-light vision, random plane shift Saves: Fort +33, Ref +32, Will +33 Abilities: Str 54, Dex 9, Con -, Int -, Wis 11, Cha 1 Skills: Feats: -

Environment: Any Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 40 Treasure: None Alignment: Always neutral Advancement: Level Adjustment: -

What appears to be a massive, fully enclosed, horseless chariot made of iron and black metal rolls forth, its three great metal chimneys spewing sparks and ames high into the air. Its two monstrous studded wheels creak with its great weight. Eight metal teeth, each as large as a man, continually chomp as if driven by a great piston, chewing threw everything it encounters. A road of foul-smelling, smoking matter is left in its wake. The Apparatus of Dreadful Construction is a large wheeled mechanism, reputed to be made of adamantite-alloyed iron, that briey appears on certain worlds at random, leaving a trail of chaos in its wake. The purpose and origins of the device are a mystery, though some sages specualte that it was built with the assistance of tinker gnomes (fueled by the fact that some tinker gnomes actively pursue the device to study it.) Another theory is that it is a reactivated relic from an ancient empire. Regardless of its

origins, its rst appearance in dates back only 130 years, leading sages to assume that the device is either of recent construction or lay dormant until accidentally activated by a curious (and no doubt now deceased) discoverer. As it travels across the landscape, the Apparatus destroys everything in its path. It always moves in a perfectly straight line, undaunted by any means to change its course. It is said to be able to survive falls from great heights, continuing on undamaged from the point where it lands. The Apparatus's single-minded movements and actions leads many to believe that it has escaped its original creator's control and now runs entirely of its own volition. The Apparatus stands 15 feet high, 20 feet wide, and 25 feet long and weighs about 30 tons. The Apparatus cannot speak or make any vocal noise, nor does it have any distinguishable odor (other than the smell of smoke and cinders it leaves in its wake). It moves with a ponderous but smooth gait, causing the ground to tremble for a hundred feet in all directions. COMBAT The Apparatus simply rolls over anything in its path. It does not stop to do battle with other creatures, but may harm them in the course of its actions. The Apparatus's natural weapons are treated as epic and adamantine for purposes of overcoming damage reduction. Burn (Ex): The Apparatus's natural attacks deal normal damage plus re damage because of the creature's great heat. Anyone hit by the Apparatus's natural attacks must succeed on a DC 60 Reex save or catch on re. The ame burns for 10 rounds. Unless it is still in contact with the Apparatus, a burning creature can take a move action to put out the ames. The save DC is Constitution-based. Creatures hitting the Apparatus with natural weapons or unarmed attacks take re damage as though hit by the Apparatus's attack, and also catch on re unless they succeed on a DC 60 Reex save. Combustion Cloud (Ex): Three great metal chimneys rear from the Apparatus's stern, spewing sparks and ames up to 30 feet into the air. Any creature or object within 30 feet must succeed on a DC 60 Reex save or take an extra 3d6 points of re damage as clothes ignite or armor becomes searing hot. The damage continues while within the area and for another 10 rounds thereafter. Unattended ammable materials within the area ignite automatically. The save DC is Constitution-based. Immovable (Su): The Apparatus cannot be moved by any means short of epic magic or direct divine intervention. It automatically succeeds on all opposed bull rush, grapple, and trip attempts. Immunity to Magic (Ex): The Apparatus is immune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance. In addition, certain spells and eects function dierently against the creature, as noted below. A magical attack that deals cold damage slows the Apparatus (as the slow spell) for 3 rounds, with no saving throw.

Random Plane Shift (Su): If submerged in water, the apparatus is randomly transported to deep waters on another plane 1d20 rounds later. This functions like the plane shift spell (caster level 20th), except it aects only the apparatus and the destination plane is determined randomly. Road of Ruin (Su): As it moves, the Apparatus converts destroyed material into a black paved road measuring 20 feet wide, with churned earth and ground rock littering either side. The road has hardness 10 and 100 hit points per 5-foot section. The road is extremely hot, dealing 6d6 points of re damage to anything that touches it within the rst hour. For each hour thereafter, it cools, dealing 1d6 less damage until it is completely cool 7 hours later. Additionally, the toxic substances mixed with the raw materials are deadly to plants, automatically killing all plant life within 150 feet. Plant creatures are entitled to a DC 60 Fortitude save; even on a success, the creature still takes 5d6 points of damage. The save DC is Constitution-based. Trample (Ex): Reex half DC 82. The save DC is Strength-based.

1994 Wizards of the Coast, Inc. Originally found in Encyclopedia Magica Vol 1