Clanking Mercenary

Leofrick’s blade cut through his opponents’ armor with ease, while his own plate turned away blow after blow. It was not magic that enhanced these things, but his own skill with the forge. He fought for hours on end, never seeming to tire, another gear in the living war machine that was the Clanking Legion.

Leofrick, Clanking Mercenary

The Clanking Legion is a legendary mercenary company, composed of roughly half gearforged and half beings of flesh and blood. Fighters who emulate the Clanking Mercenary archetype see the flexibility of flesh in steel and the strength of metal in their own bodies and minds.

These fighters see their weapon and armor as extensions of themselves, and as such, they are as skilled with a smithing hammer or set of tinker’s tools as they are with a sword, axe or hammer. Clanking Mercenaries use these tools to enhance the durability or versatility of their armor, as well as the strength of their weapons. They are known for their incredible zeal in battle, and the ability to shrug off blows that would leave others bent or broken.

Roleplaying Tips.
While many members of the Clanking Legion are gearforged, sentient creatures with bodies of iron, steel, brass, and wood, just as many are creatures of flesh and blood. Some are even be a combination of the two, such as a dwarf with a prosthetic blade arm, or a human with curved metallic legs. Regardless of the race you choose to play, a Clanking Mercenary should have an iron will and a stalwart disposition. When playing one of these fighters, ask yourself what drew you to the Clanking Legion. Did your character’s passion for smithing come before their passion for battle? Did you seek out the Legion in search of a prosthesis after suffering a terrible accident? Whatever the reason, you’ll need to then consider why your character has left the Legion to join up with an adventuring party. While a mercenary recruit may be the most logical background choice, you could also be a fugitive, who has deserted the Legion, or a master craftsman who has chosen to focus more on forging than on fighting. In roleplaying encounters, try to be firm in whatever decisions you make, but remember that a blade that cannot bend under pressure, will inevitably snap.

The Clanking Mercenary was created by our partners at Kobold Press, and it is one of the many subclasses available to subscribers, along with others like the Soulspy or the College of Entropy, as well as races such as the Shade or Spindrift Dwarf. Build your own Clanking Mercenary fighter and tell us about it in the comments below or on any of our social channels. Join us on on Discord, Reddit or Facebook to meet other members of the community and take your game to the next level, or follow us on Twitter @shardtabletop for regular updates.