This item first appears to be a Large sealed iron barrel weighing 500 pounds. The barrel has a hidden catch, which can be found with a successful DC 20 Intelligence (Investigation) check. Releasing the catch unlocks a hatch at one end of the barrel, allowing two Medium or smaller creatures to crawl inside. Ten levers are set in a row at the far end, each in a neutral position, able to move either up or down. When certain levers are used, the apparatus transforms to resemble a giant lobster. The apparatus of the Crab is a Large object with the following statistics:
Armor Class: 20
Hit Points: 200
Speed: 30 ft., swim 30 ft. (or 0 ft. for both if the legs and tail aren't extended)
Damage Immunities: poison, psychic
To be used as a vehicle, the apparatus requires one pilot. While the apparatus's hatch is closed, the compartment is airtight and watertight. The compartment holds enough air for 10 hours of breathing, divided by the number of breathing creatures inside.
The apparatus floats on water. It can also go underwater to a depth of 900 feet. Below that, the vehicle takes 2d6 bludgeoning damage per minute from pressure.
A creature in the compartment can use an action to move as many as two of the apparatus's levers up or down. After each use, a lever goes back to its neutral position. Each lever, from left to right, functions as shown in the Apparatus of the Crab Levers table.
Apparatus of the Crab Levers
Lever | Up | Down |
1 | Legs and tail extend, allowing the apparatus to walk and swim. | Legs and tail retract, reducing the apparatus's speed to 0 and making it unable to benefit from bonuses to speed. |
2 | Forward window shutter opens. | Forward window shutter closes. |
3 | Side window shutters open (two per side). | Side window shutters close (two per side). |
4 | Two claws extend from the front sides of the apparatus. | The claws retract. |
5 | Each extended claw makes the following melee weapon attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 7 (2d6) bludgeoning damage. | Each extended claw makes the following melee weapon attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: The target is grappled (escape DC 15). |
6 | The apparatus walks or swims forward. | The apparatus walks or swims backward. |
7 | The apparatus turns 90 degrees left. | The apparatus turns 90 degrees right. |
8 | Eyelike fixtures emit bright light in a 30-foot radius and dim light for an additional 30 feet. | The light turns off. |
9 | The apparatus sinks as much as 20 feet in liquid. | The apparatus rises up to 20 feet in liquid. |
10 | The rear hatch unseals and opens. | The rear hatch closes and seals. |
Notes: Utility, Exploration, Combat
ha!
T i m e f o r c r a b
Note To Self Make sure to stay away from Rust monsters whilst inside.
I really wish there was more steampunk vehicles in d&d
What is the source for this one.
I see apparatus of the Kwalish in DMG 151 just not the crab variant. Thanks in adavnce
Apparatus of the Crab is the old name for the Apparatus of Kwalish. AotC is in the basic rules and hasn't been changed to AoK, which (I assume) is why this page still exists and hasn't been integrated into the AoK page.
Resembles a giant lobster? Why's it called Apparatus of the Crab? The picture looks like a crab to me.
I’m sure it’s made out of magical metal so it should be safe lol
Lol
Wish we could have a challenge rating.
For 5th lever downwards, how would the pilot willing release the grappled individual? there is no way my party members wouldn't accidentally attack the others with this thing, and i feel like retracting the claws (Down, 4th lever) would pull the grappled creature into the mechanism?
Also, if a lever pull is needed to turn 90 degrees, couldn't an enemy just run behind it on the start of each turn and be safe from attacks? Or do the claws reach anything within 5 ft of it, regardless of which direction it faces?
Pretty sure they keep around setting-agnostic version of items. Spells with proper names in their titles have different versions too.
This is handy. I just ran Lost Laboratory of Kwalish and am preparing another campaign with the same player group. There might be this item in it, but I don't want Kwalish in both game settings. Saves me the hassle of editing the AoK to make a homebrew setting-agnostic version.
Its just appartus of kwalish
Robot
that was hard
Crab people
Hey remember that episode of spongebob where Spongebob and Squidward became convinced that Mr.Crabs was a robot?
And the episode where Plankton makes a robot Crabs to trick Spongebob into giving him the crabby patty formula?
I really like this thing.
C R A B T I M E N A U G H T Y C H I L D R E N
You're acting like you would want to fight it.