Clockwork Swordsman
Medium-sized Construct
Hit Dice: 5d10 (27 hp’s)
Initiative: +1 (Dex)
Speed: 35ft
Armor Class: 19 (+8 natural, +1 Dex)
Attacks: By weapon (2) +9 (melee) or +6 (ranged)
Damage: By weapon +3
Face/Reach: 5ft x 5ft/ 5ft
Special Attacks: Additional Action
Special Qualities: Construct, Dark Vision (60ft), Fear of water and rusting effects, Fighter Attack Bonuses, Limited Power
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +2, Will -1
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 12, Con -, Int 11, Wis 7, Chr 13
Skills: Diplomacy +5, Perform +5, Tumble +5 (Skills are including in the creature’s programming)
Feats: None
Climate/Terrain: Any
Organization: Solitary, but can be found in groups of four or six around very powerful wizards
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: Standard items (include an oilcan) and triple coins and gems
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Advancement Range: 5-10 HD (or by Fighter class if preferred)

See either the Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume 4 or the Red Steel Online MC Appendix for more information.

Combat:
Clockwork swordsmen are as intelligent as a human, but they are not very wise and hardly ever learn from their mistakes.  In combat, they prefer they use of sabers, rapiers, main-gauches, and stillettos and wield them rather effectively.  If allowed in the campaign, they may also carry a Wheel lock Pistol.

Additional Action: Each round, the clockwork swordsman gets an additional action.  Roll on the table to see what action is attempted:
1d100	Action Attempted	
01-25	Fancy Move	
26-45	Amusing Quip	
46-60	Salute	
61-75	Charming Compliment	
76-90	Embarrassing Maneuver	
91-00	Bold Fencing Attack	

Fancy Move: The swordsman daringly moves across the room with this flashy maneuver.  The swordsman moves his full movement and gains a +6 AC bonus again any AoO.
Amusing Quip: The clockwork swordsman calls out an amusing joke at the foe’s expense, such as “I’ve spoken with pigs more polite than you.”  The foe acts as though the swordsman has cast a emotion spell on him.with the effect of Rage.
Salute: the swordsman calls out a poetic and amusing salute for friends and foes alike.  This salute bolsters the swordsman’s allies, gving them a +1 bonus to hit for a duration equal to the swordman’s HD.
Charming Compliment: This is always directed at a member of the opposite sex.  The target must pass a Will save (DC 13) or behave as though under the effect of a charm person spell.
Embarrassing Maneuver: The swordsman attempts a daring and flashy maneuver aimed at embarrassing the target, such as cutting a belt or suspenders, spanking a foe’s posterior with the flat of its blade, etc.  If the maneuver is successful (treat as a normal attack that does no damage), it is followed by a relevant amusing quip.
Bold Fencing Attack: The swordsman rushes his foe, gaining a +2 to hit on all attacks that round and causing the foe to retreat 1d10 steps (possbily pushing the foe into another’s AoO area).  If the swordsman has fewer than 50 hours of activity remaining, ignore this result.

Construct: Clockwork swordsmen are constucts, therefore, they are immune to mind-influencing effects (though telepathy and ESP works on them), poisons, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, and necromantic magics.  They are never subject to critical hits, subdual damage, abilty damage, ability drain, or energy drain.  They are immune to anything that requires a Fort save (unless it also affects objects).  Clockwork Swordsmen are not at risk of massive damage, but when reduced to 0 hit points or less they are instantly destroyed.  Since they were never alive, they cannot be raised or resurrected.

Fear of Water and Rusting Effects: Clockwork swordsmen avoid water whenever possible and are terrified of Rust Monsters, always finding a way to kill them without getting near.  If exposed to moisture, they must pass a Fort save (DC depending on the amount of moisture) or suffer 6d6 damage 1d4 days after exposure.  They always carry a can of oil to help stave off those effects, however.

Limited Power: For every point of damage they inflict, a clockwork swordsman loses 1 hour of activity, so they try to incapacitate instead of actually hurting their foes.  They have an activity duration of 10 times its hit points before they need to be rewound.  When encountered, use a percentage die roll to determine how many hours of activity it has left (to a minimum of 10%).  A swordsman that run out of activity time goes dormant until its creator rewinds it.  Rewinding takes one round for every hour of activity restored.  There is a 10% chance to break the inner workings of the swordsman when attempting to rewind it fully.  Breaking the delicate gear effectively kills it.  It can be repaired, but only by the creator.  Swordsmen cannot rewind themselves.  
	Sometimes clockwork swordsmen house a heroic spirit that can rewind itself, if it obtains the key from its creator.  This makes the swordsman independent from its creator, and the spirit will stay with the swordsman until its inner working rust.  

Fighter Attack Bonuses: Clockwork swordsmen attack as a fighter of the same level, but swordsmen of level 5 still get 2 attacks.  Extra attacks always use the highest attack bonus due to the exacting mechanical nature of the swordsman.

Society:
See either the Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume 4 or the Red Steel Online MC Appendix for more information.

Characters:
If the DM allows, swordsmen could gain levels in a character class. Classes are nearly always that of a fighter and they usually strive to become Deulists (see Dragon #275).  It is possible to find clockwork swordsman rogues, but they are rare.

Rogue Automatons
These are clockwork swordsmen that have become ruthless, cold-blooded killers.  Like swordsmen that house a heroic spirit, rogue swordsmen has no need of a key and is independent of its creator.  They may have skills not normally found in clockwork swordsmen.  They retain all their normal abilities, but fight with a Strength score of 20.  They are focused on killing their creator at all costs, and will usually draw out the stalking by killing friends and family before finally slaying their creator.