The Gerudo people are renowned for their imposing stature and strength, yet they are seldom spotted wearing heavy armor due to the scorching climate and challenging terrain of the Gerudo Desert. However, during the Imprisoning War, those few Gerudo warriors who did don the weighty armor were known as "Iron Knuckles" and held a reputation as some of the most formidable fighters. Due to the constraints of this bulky armor, it was exclusively used as a guardian, as it was challenging to maneuver on an open battlefield. To address this challenge, Gerudo Artificers devised a solution by imbuing the armor with basic commands, allowing it to protect and fight alongside its operator until it was time to be worn in battle. While the Iron Knuckle is a formidable combatant on its own, its true potential shines when worn by its operator, transforming them into an unstoppable "Juggernaut."
Tool Proficiency
When you adopt this specialization at 3rd level, you gain proficiency with Smith's Tools
Juggernaut Spells
Starting at 3rd level, you always have certain spells prepared after you reach particular levels in this class, as shown in the Juggernaut Spells table. These spells count as artificer spells for you, but they don’t count against the number of artificer spells you prepare.
| Level | Spells |
|---|
| 3rd |
Compelled Duel, Wrathful Smite |
| 5th |
Heat Metal, Vortex Warp |
| 9th |
Crusader's Mantle, Erupting Earth |
| 13th |
Staggering Smite, Wall of Fire |
| 17th |
Passwall, Steel Wind Strike |
Iron Knuckle
When you reach 3rd level, you learn to build an Iron Knuckle. The Iron Knuckle is a large sized construct that might be formed from steel and gears, from rock and stone, from earth and vines, or some other construction that you choose. It's friendly to you and your companions, and it obeys your commands. See its game statistics in the Iron Knuckle stat block, which uses your proficiency bonus (PB) in several places.
In combat, the Iron Knuckle shares your initiative count, but it takes its turn immediately after yours. It can move and use its reaction on its own, but the only action it takes on its turn is the Dodge action, unless you take a bonus action on your turn to command it to take another action. That action can be one in its stat block or some other action. If you are incapacitated, the Iron Knuckle can take any action of its choice, not just Dodge.
If it has died within the last hour, you can use your smith's tools as an action to revive it, provided you are within 5 feet of it and you expend a spell slot of 1st level or higher. The Iron Knuckle returns to life after 1 minute with all its hit points restored. During a Short Rest, you can use your Smith's Tools to restore all missing hit points for the Iron Knuckle.
At the end of a long rest, you can create a new Iron Knuckle if you have smith's tools with you. If you already have a Iron Knuckle from this feature, the first one immediately perishes. The Iron Knuckle also perishes if you die.
| Iron Knuckle |
|---|
| Large construct |
| Armor Class: 15 (natural armor) |
| Hit Points: Your Intelligence Modifier + 5 times your Artificer level (the Iron Knuckle has a number of Hit Dice [d8s] equal to your Artificer level) |
| Speed: 30 ft |
| STR | DEX | CON | INT | WIS | CHA |
|---|
| 16 (+3) |
10 (+1) |
14 (+2) |
4 (−3) |
10 (+0) |
6 (-2) |
|
| Saving Throws: Dex + 0 plus PB, Con +2 plus PB |
| Damage Immunities: Poison |
| Condition Immunities: Charmed, Exhaustion, Poisoned |
| Senses: darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 10 |
| Languages: understands the languages you speak |
| Challenge: — |
| Proficiency Bonus (PB): equals your bonus |
| Weapon Master: The Iron Knuckle is proficient in any weapon lacking the Ranged property. It uses your spell attack modifier to hit and for damage. |
| Integrated Armor: The Iron Knuckle can integrate heavy armor as part of its design. This process takes ten minutes and cannot be removed except by your command or if the Iron Knuckle is dead. If the armor requires attunement, the Iron Knuckle also becomes attuned as part of this process. Once integrated, the Iron Knuckle's AC is replaced by the Heavy Armor's AC and it gains any benefits provided by the armor. |
| Actions |
|---|
| Iron Knuckles. Melee Weapon Attack: your spell attack modifier to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 1d8 + PB force damage. |
Empowered Armor
At 3rd level, you can use Iron Knuckle as a kind of living armor instead. As an Action, you merge into the armor and gain these benefits:
- You and the Iron Knuckle are treated as a single large humanoid creature.
- Half of any damage you take (rounded up) is transferred to the Iron Knuckle.
- When you take the Attack action, you can attack using a weapon that is held by the Iron Knuckle.
- You gain the benefits of the Iron Knuckle's Weapon Master feature, granting you proficiency with all melee weapons.
- You gain a +1 bonus to your AC and you can use the Iron Knuckle's AC instead of your own. If you are wearing a shield, you can apply the shield's bonus as normal.
- You can add your Intelligence Modifier to any Strength Checks or Strength Saving Throws you make.
Extra Attack
Starting at 5th level, you can attack twice, rather than once, whenever you take the Attack action on your turn.
Giant's Strength
Starting at 9th level, your Iron Knuckle gains the ability to use oversized weapons. You can use your Smith's Tools to craft such weapons or you can cause a weapon to be considered oversized when you use an Infusion on it. An oversized weapon adds an additional damage dice to the damage it normally causes. Such weapons can only be wielded by the Iron Knuckle or by you when you are using your Empowered Armor feature.
Spell Storing
Starting at 15th level, your Iron Knuckle can be used to store a spell of 3rd level or lower with a casting time of an Action. To do so, the spell must be cast on the Iron Knuckle's core. The spell has no effect, but is stored in the armor until the end of your next long rest. When commanded, the Iron Knuckle can cast the spell stored inside it, requiring no components and using your spellcasting modifier. If the spell requires concentration, the Iron Knuckle can concentrate on the spell for the duration and makes Concentration checks with advantage, even if you are using it as Empowered Armor. Once you use this feature, you cannot use it again until you complete a long rest.
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