Junker Hulk 5E Tactics (Steamjacks - Part 2)

This is the next in the series of post about steamjacks. One of these 'hulks plays a starring role in the Pendrake Encounter in NQ #17, soon to be adapted for my players in my crossover game...      

A Junker Hulk (MN:5E, page 117)

Like common 'jacks, these automata are brutes with very high STR and CON, actually even higher STR than standard (23!), at the cost of a below average DEX. They share the same construct traits of a 'jack in terms of damage resistances / immunities and condition immunities (they can still become exhausted). They have Immutable Form, but that adds little to their combat behaviour.   

Their mental ability contour is also similar enough, but with a significantly higher but still only below average CHA compared to a woeful 1 of other 'jacks presented to date. Driven by resentment and highly territorial, a 'hulk will fight past up to being seriously wounded (less than 30% (31) hit points remaining, or to the death if enraged by attempts to control it (see below).     

Instead of a Cortex, the creature has Junker Rage, a conditional effect, which is only triggered if a warcaster or 'jack marshal attempts to influence or control, gaining a slightly lesser effect of rage that translates into an advantage on STR checks and saving throws plus a +4 bonus on damage rolls.  Unfortunately, the 'hulk is not cunning enough to provoke a character into this, and individuals with a decent knowledge of 'jacks may well be aware of this effect...

Animated and powered by residual magic and overwhelming resentment, a junker hulk lacks Steam Powered and therefore doesn't have a disadvantage on Stealth checks due to the noise and steam from a 'jack boiler. It is implied however that it can hide due to its False Appearance trait, making its default strategy to ambush any intruders into its territory. Noten that this latter trait doesn't require a roll and is essentially an automatic Hide check that can't be detected even with a natural 20 Perception check, which seems a bit overpowered - it could be modelled with Expertise (double proficiency bonus ie +8) to Hide conditional to being still and in an appropriate setting but the 'hulk's low DEX does make it less effective.

A junker hulk has a varied but set base Multiattack - two melee attacks *and* a ranged throw. Oddly not three melee attacks or a choice of combination, which means that if the hulk is in melee combat it's either at a disadvantage for the third throw, forgoes the throw entirely or throws junk at a completely different opponent. Given their low and instinctive combat approach, I'd favour the former even if less effective, particularly if in combat with a 'jack marshall or warcaster and consumed by rage. It's unclear whether the "junk" thrown is part of its body or from the environment - narratively a combination of both probably works best in terms of imagery, particularly if the creature is encountered in an actual junkyard, industrial setting or cluttered ruin.

Built from Scrap 

It's the particular choice of options for this trait that might make their tactics more interesting.  

• Deadly Arm - this just adds a minimal damage bump to each attack and converts to piercing or slashing from bludgeoning. This doesn't really add much other than flavour as there aren't any creatures with vulnerabilities to slashing and piercing weapons (at least not in the MM5E or the other main books, but I don't recall any obvious ones from the MN5E either). Heavy steamjacks are resistant to not just one type of non-magical physical damage but all three, which is a common scenario so again this changing physical damage type doesn't add a lot compared to changing energy damage. Given they are made out of junk and leftover steamjack parts to begin with I think a random allocation of damage types is more interesting, or if they have the below choice why not one of each?   

• Extra Arm - this allows the Toss Junk obligate choice in their default Multiattack to convert to a third slam attack. To me this is a fix, *not* a feature as this I think this should be a base option - the mix of melee and ranged doesn't really make a lot of sense and if the hulk can throw junk without a third arm while making two slams, why can't it just substitute a third slam instead of a toss? That sounds worse that it is reading that back...

• Magnetic Draw - this is really just an AC bonus, bringing the 'hulk back up to a base 'jack but not quite. It sounds cooler than it is because magic items are unaffected and objects carried or worn are unaffected, so it becomes mostly cosmetic despite being able to pull ferrous metal towards it from 20 ft. away! 

• Electrified Body - cosmetically cool but also tactically this is the best, inflicting lightning damage *without* a save to reduce, this reinforces and buffs the 'hulks default behaviour of charging into melee and tanking, but with a vengeance if hit. It is relatively weak for its challenge rating but is a passive attack that can be used against an unlimited number of opponents. Presumably applies to grappling or grappled creatures, although there's no real indication a 'hulk will grapple rather than slam.

It's implied most 'hulks encountered have the chance of having at least one of these, possibly more. 

They still act pretty much as brutes that close quickly with an enemy and pound away.

Vs. Steamjacks?

Given junker hulks both hate warcasters and 'jack marshals and can gain additional choices from the selection in this trait, it would make sense they are effective against steamjacks but this doesn't really play out in their stat block or tactics. 

As noted above, heavy 'jacks have triple physical damage resistance but have Heavy Metal that overcomes this, as do light warjacks. A junker hulk has the former but *not* the latter, so in a fight with anything but a light laborjack, a 'hulk is going to be at a distinct disadvantage, which is not what I read the flavour text implying - otherwise how else do they get the extra choices from their Built from Scrap trait? 

Suggestions for Variant & Advanced 'Hulks 

The original junker hulk (from the 3.5E Monsternomicon, pages 100-101), not only gained one of the Build from Scrap features, but also an extra 4 Hit Dice (at least 42 hit points), as well as +2 to STR and +1 to INT. This makes for some pretty impressive 'hulks if factored in with some of the options here and the resultant increase in CR and proficiency bonus. They also could heal themselves at the rate of 5 hit points per hour from junk collected in their lair, up to half its total hit points (so 52 hit points based on the 5E example stat block).

The most simple boost is to just give the 'hulk both Deadly Arm *and* Extra Arm as default, adding in the common heavy warjack trait Heavy Metal to put it on equal footing with its 'jack cousins.

If you add a Grapple option (which automatically inflicts the restrained condition) and Athletics proficiency, then Electrified Body actually makes a lot of sense as an option, even with the low damage as the creature can still wail on the pinned opponent with its slam attacks, now with advantage.

To make Magnetic Draw more fun and effective, I'd suggest it actually *does* affect items carried or worn - characters holding metal or mechanical weapons need to make a STR save (DC 17) or have them ripped from their hands (unless conventional magical) and creatures made of metal or wearing metal armor need to similarly save or be pulled 10 ft. in a straight line towards the 'hulk (like the Grasp of Hadar warlock invocation).

Lastly, adding some actual steamjack weapons and tools as an extension of Built from Scrap also makes a lot of sense - after all, these creatures can incorporate parts of steamjacks so why not the tools? (see IK:R5E, pages xx-xx). I'll deal with this in a later specific post.

The following have appeared in other steamjack stat blocks and make for interesting flaws to counterbalance any additional useful traits added from the suggestions above:

• Clapped Out - this is detailed in the warcaster section of the IK:R5E, page 105. The 'hulk can't Dash or Disengage, and if it rolls a 1 on an attack roll or skill check is stunned until the end of its next turn. 

• Shoddy Maintenance - is featured in the stat block for "Rustbucket" in 5E Legend of the Witchfire, page 105. Roll a d6 at the start of each of the 'hulk's turns. On a 1, it is stunned for one round. On a 2 to 4, it has disadvantage on all rolls and its speed is halved for one round. On a 5, it acts normally. On a 6, it has advantage on all rolls for one round but treats a roll of 6 as a roll of 1 when it rolls
  for this ability next round. 

Finally, for the thematic effect I think in true Terminator style, a variant of a standard zombie's Undead Fortitude trait based on the creature's rage could work well, perhaps renamed Last Sputter:  If damage reduces the junker hulk to 0 Hit Points, it must make a CON saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken unless the damage is from a critical hit. On a success, the 'hulk drops to 1 hit point instead.

So for a more challenging 'hulk, how about the King of the Yard...

Its tactics are not dissimilar, but some of the extra traits such as Last Sputter and Repair with Junk with higher Hit Dice raise its survivability. Heavy Metal allows it to take on 'jacks on an equal footing and potentially incorporate more Built from Scrap options. Adding in some of the additional suggestions above may alter this somewhat as above.