Clockwork Soldiers

"Before you stands an invention that will endure beyond my time. The Jindosh Clockwork Soldier. [...] My greatest creation."

—Jindosh introducing his creation

Jindosh Clockwork Soldiers, commonly known as Clockwork Soldiers, are a type of robotic enemy in Dishonored 2, created by Kirin Jindosh, the Grand Inventor of the Duke of Serkonos.

They can be seen guarding Jindosh's Clockwork Mansion, as well as the Grand Palace, with the Grand Guard, and Dunwall Tower. They are also sold to aristocrats and friends of the Duke to protect their holdings.^[1] As there are a limited number of Clockwork Soldiers, the price for even one of them is extremely high.

Although it is not witnessed by the player, Delilah uses several Clockwork Soldiers to cut down the Overseers who are trying to dispose of her. This results in the deaths of almost all Overseers in Dunwall.

Appearance

The appearance of the Clockwork Soldiers are that of towering, humanoid automatons with aviary shaped heads. The frame of the body consists of multiple moving metal parts. They are equipped with four bladed appendages for arms and along with the head, are encased in a wooden parts that act as armor.^[1] Underneath the wooden face contains a camera that allows them frontal and hind vision. Numbered plates are contained within the chassis of the soldiers.^[2] Small panels are also found on the body of the soldiers that can be rewired,^[3] though a rewired Clockwork Soldier will malfunction and explode after a short time.

There is a total of 19 active Clockwork Soldiers throughout Dishonored 2, each with a numbered plaque ranging from 1 to 19. A broken down Clockwork Soldier can be found recovered by Hatters during the last mission, Death to the Empress, but it is missing its plaque.

Skills and Abilities

Being mechanical allows the soldiers to act more efficiently than a normal human guard. It can remain active without food or rest so long as their power source, whale oil, remains. In conjunction to powerful strikes with their bladed appendages, the Clockwork Soldiers are capable of performing great feats of agility, dexterity, and speed. They also have the ability to discharge a burst of electricity, damaging and temporarily stunning their enemies.

By having a camera for visual detection, the Clockwork Soldiers can see both in front and behind itself. It can remain functional even if the head is damaged by sound detection to pursue targets.^[4] Being equipped with audio playback devices allows the Clockwork Soldiers limited speech.^[5]

Due to the complex nature of their internal machinery, Clockwork Soldiers sometimes overheat and have to shut down for a few seconds. This is accompanied by the glow of near-melting systems coming from their center.

Combat Tips

Without any prior equipment upgrades, two consecutive drop assassinations will destroy them; the first merely removes the head and ocular systems, while the second fully destroys them.
In direct combat, the best way to destroy a Clockwork Soldier with only a sword is to repeatedly target their upper arms; the first hit will dislodge the paneling protecting the limb components, while a second hit destroys the limb itself (a single sword strike can target both limbs on each side). Once all limbs are destroyed, the entire Soldier will malfunction and explode.
Removing a Clockwork Soldier's head removes its ability to distinguish friend from foe (except when rewired), and it will attack any audible entity that approaches.
With the Monkey Wrench Masterwork upgrade for the sword, it is possible not only to deal direct sword damage to Clockwork Soldier in combat, but also to one-hit assassinate them in a similar manner to biological enemies.
Two consecutive shocks from stun mines are enough to fully destroy them, accomplished either through two stun mines or a single stun mine with at least one extra charge upgrade.
Two shots from Corvo's Pistol with the Crimson Painter Masterwork upgrade is enough to fully destroy a Clockwork Soldier in quick succession, as the first shot simultaneously removes all limb panels while the second simultaneously destroys them all. Using it in conjunction with the Magnetized Bullet upgrade ensures Clockwork Soldiers are stunned and immobile for the second shot.
A single grenade, even a sticky grenade attached directly to their torso, is only enough to remove their head and somewhat damage their chassis.
A well-aimed explosive bullet is enough to kill a Clockwork Soldier in one hit.

Quotes

Idle

"When this plays, check central rotor."
"Make a note. Remove this playback after the final field test."
"The machine has completed another full instruction set."
"Idling. Commence lens refocus."
"Still idling. Take this opportunity to backcharge second coil."
"Extra diagnostic playback loop."
"One thousand rotations. [Hmm.] Re-introducing graphite."
"Increasing oil tank temperature."
"Hmm, if this plays, the machine is recharging the magnetic coil."
"The machine is switching to alternative override." (when rewired)
"The machine is running at low speed.""

Awakening

"End of sleep phase."
"This playback indicates that the machine is waking up."
"Activation."
"Well, err, the machine should enter active state now."

Alerted

"Playback for detection: registered."
"Okay, the machine has detected - something..."
"This playback indicates some detection without certainty."
"Something tripped the detection rig unduly."
"The machine is experiencing uncertainty."
"The machine concludes here, that nothing is further amiss." (when returning to idle state)
"General detection state."

Searching

"When this plays, search is underway."
"Playback for dead body detection." (when finding a dead body)
"The machine has identified a lifeless body." (when finding a dead body)
"This is quite amusing to record. This playback should trigger in case the machine detects my own lifeless body." (When finding the corpse of Kirin Jindosh)
"Okay, trigger exploration grid."
"Running search protocol."
"Amplifying audio." (when head has been removed)
"This indicates the search protocol is underway."
"Running search protocol."
"Search playback."
"The machine is still searching."
"Increasing audio collection." (when head has been removed)
"Increasing power to audio perception." (when head has been removed)
"At this point, the clockwork is scouting."
"Extending exploration of the area."
"Continue search."
"Let's see. Transition state... here. End search." (when returning to idle)

Attacking

"Playback indicates a young woman, armed." (when playing as Emily)
"Playback for combat protocols."
"Playback for unambiguous enemy."
"Combat protocol six!"
"Combat protocol eight!"
"Hmm. Military profile but hostile."
"Hmm. Aristocratic profile, but hostile..."
"Okay, enemy encountered."
"Switching to alternative tactical mode." (when charging electric burst)
"Clear the room if this playback is called." (when charging electric burst)
"Triggering electrostatic discharge, stand clear." (when charging electric burst)
"Playback indicates criminal profile."
"The machine is overheating. Needs a moment to cool down." (when overheating)
"Cooling down." (when overheating)
"The machine is now relying on audio stimulus." (when head has been removed)
"The machine has entered combat."
"Entering combat state."
"Playback indicates an older male, armed." (when playing as Corvo)
"Okay, shut it down." (when overheating)
"Overheating. Stop all actions." (when overheating)
"The machine is overheating. Needs to shut down a moment." (when overheating)
"Unauthorized presence."
"Rear enemy if this plays." (when enemy is behind)

Killed Enemy

"Combatant executed."
"Playback for execution of foe."
"This plays if the machine is successful at putting down a combatant."
"Well, if this plays, someone's been beaten by one of my machines."
"Machine performing well. Enemy executed."

Ceasing Attack

"Enemy evasion successful."
"Quarry lost."
"Playback indicates lost enemy."
"This plays if someone eludes the machine."
"The machine has lost its quarry."

Damaged

"Limb magnetism detached. Magnetic or mechanical."
"Damage playback. Limb detached."
"Catastrophic damage to limb."
"Wooden housing breached and limb detached."

Head Removed

"Increasing power to audio detection."
"Head mechanism detached. Rare playback, no doubt."
"If the head is detached, identifying the enemy is impossible... Whatever, it'll kill them all."
"Hmm, wooding housing breached. Head detached."
"Damage playback. Head detached."
"Catastrophic damage to head."
"Carbon button microphone, on."
"Head detached. Amplifying audio."

Trivia

The Clockwork Soldiers depicted in the reveal trailer for Dishonored 2 were an older version, made of ceramic.^[1] They were humanoid, possessing a single camera eye and a smiling mouth.
- In a book, Jindosh reveals that these soldiers were an earlier design that he scrapped because criminals were not frightened enough by their human-like heads.
Clockwork Soldiers are referred to by many as "Clockworks", and are detrimentally called "Clankers".
Clockwork Soldiers are unaffected by the Doppelgänger upgrade Baffling Shade and the Far Reach upgrade Pull Enemies.
Even when beheaded, rewired Clockwork Soldiers will not attack the protagonist.
In the Dishonored 2 reveal trailer, a stun mine destroys a Clockwork Soldier in a single blast.^[6]
If attacked by a headless Clockwork Soldier, guards will defend themselves, and their swords are capable of destroying it.
The explosion created by a defeated Clockwork Soldier can knock out NPCs.