Construct customizations [Archive] - Wizards Community

Construct customizations [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Juliomartell
03-04-06, 04:20 PM I am making an artificer who makes a construct for a homunculous. does he have to choose from a certain category of constructs or make his own. and if the latter, can he be able to upgrade or customize his choices.
Juliomartell
03-04-06, 06:37 PM ok let me ask again. from the start. First, what is a construct. Second, can an artificer build a construct. third, can an artificer upgrade a construct?
Belabras
03-04-06, 07:03 PM 1. Magically animated object. Usually has an abulatory form.

2. You need the Craft Construct feat from the Monster Manual

3. You are limited only in what you can afford to craft and what spells are required to craft what you are making.
Juliomartell
03-04-06, 07:06 PM well I planned to make a shield guardian in an armadillo lycanthrope form. I wanted to know if I can be able to upgrade it with other things after creating it.
Joni-san
03-04-06, 08:34 PM You can create any Homunculus with the Create Homunculus class feature. The Craft Construct feat is only needed for any non-Homunculus Construct, like Golems and Shield Guardians

As for creating a Shield Guardian in Armadillo shape? As long as it's purely "fluff" I'd allow it.

I don't know much about modfying constructs but there's an excellent feat for Homunculus in Magic of Eberron
Juliomartell
03-04-06, 08:52 PM is there a way to make a construct to be considered like ones homonculous? like use craft construct to craft a construct homonculous?
UnkemptSage
03-04-06, 09:15 PM Um, a homunculus IS a construct...
The Necromancer King
03-04-06, 09:51 PM In the most recent Dragon Magazine, there is a good article on constructs as familiars. With some small adaptation, I think it could be made to do what you want to do. A lot of the constructs listed are in animal form.
Belabras
03-04-06, 09:55 PM There were some cheaper to create golems in there too. Basically, if you like constructs it's a great issue to get.
Juliomartell
03-04-06, 10:55 PM Thanks. was wondering if you can upgrade or modify a few things to your construct homunculus.
Juliomartell
03-05-06, 02:35 PM what I was looking for is a simple yes or no.
Rechan
03-05-06, 03:39 PM Thanks. was wondering if you can upgrade or modify a few things to your construct homunculus.

Magic of Eberron has a feat that allows you to upgrade your homuculus, so yes it's possible.
The Necromancer King
03-05-06, 06:12 PM what I was looking for is a simple yes or no.

Sorry, bud, but you are in the wrong place for that. Is it possible for you to upgrade or modify a homonculous? Maybe. Depends on your Game Master. Depends on the types of modifications you're looking at, and whether or not they are going to utterly unbalance your game. Depends on what your fellow players are doing, and if such a change to the rules fits with the way the game is being played. There is no such thing as a simple yes or no answer. Especially on a forum like this one, where so many different opinions are running around.

If you want a simple yes or no, ask your Game Master. If you ARE the Game Master, then you get to decide.
Bodger
03-05-06, 09:19 PM Check out dragon 341 it has constructs as familiars also once youo take the feat Craft Construct yo can make the golems listed there (Junk, Tin, Wood, wax Etc...) at lower levels than the major ones (clay Iron Stone etc....).

Also with the right rolls etc.... for research with some DM approval you can augment existing Golems as well as create your own.

Bodger
Ozymandias V.
03-06-06, 04:19 PM My advice is simple: RTFM. You clearly don't have a firm grasp on the basics of the game yet.
The Necromancer King
03-06-06, 07:13 PM My advice is simple: RTFM. You clearly don't have a firm grasp on the basics of the game yet.

I would hardly consider that customizing a construct would be a "basic" concept in D&D. If anything, it's a good topic to write an article on. "Customized Constructs" sounds like something I'd find in Dragon Magazine, and it's probably an article I'd read.

We have to keep in mind that there are three core D&D manuals, and the game has audiences of multiple reading levels. I've flipped through the DMG for hours trying to find some obscure reference to some obscure rule, and I understand how daunting a task that can be.

When someone comes onto these boards looking for a "Simple yes or no answer," they're seeking reference to validate their editing of the Shared Imagined Space. Perhaps what they're looking for is in the books, perhaps not; it is really much easier to rely on the body of knowledge the board regulars possess. We're more likely to tell you to ask your GM, but if there is a simple answer, someone on the boards knows it, or knows where to find it. We can't fault someone for asking a valid question.

Let's keep it civil, shall we?

Were I to house-rule it off the top of my head, I would call a construct customization a Craft check with a DC of 30, so long as you have the Craft Construct feat, and whatever feats are needed to make the item itself. You would not be able to buy the customizations from a shop or store; you'd have to make them to specifically fit the construct in question. The Craft skill needed depends on the type of changes you're making to your construct. For instance, if you wanted to improve its ability to withstand damage, you would need Craft (Armorsmith), and build the armor directly onto the body of the construct. If you wanted to add a magical item, it would be a Craft (alchemy) check. To improve an aspect of your construct, such as its strength or its dexterity, I'm thinking you would actually need a skill for Craft (Construct), but you could replace that with (Alchemy) if your DM allowed it. Base price would be as per the book (so making armor plating equal to Plate Mail would cost the same amount as a suit of Plate Mail while making a magic item costs Spell Level + Caster Level x 25gp, broken down into component cost and XP, and taking one day for every 1000gp in the base price).

That's just how I'd do it if someone brought it up in the middle of a game, though. Talk to your DM first and see if he'll even let you customize your construct in the first place.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Juliomartell 03-04-06, 04:20 PM	I am making an artificer who makes a construct for a homunculous. does he have to choose from a certain category of constructs or make his own. and if the latter, can he be able to upgrade or customize his choices.
Juliomartell 03-04-06, 06:37 PM	ok let me ask again. from the start. First, what is a construct. Second, can an artificer build a construct. third, can an artificer upgrade a construct?
Belabras 03-04-06, 07:03 PM	1. Magically animated object. Usually has an abulatory form. 2. You need the Craft Construct feat from the Monster Manual 3. You are limited only in what you can afford to craft and what spells are required to craft what you are making.
Juliomartell 03-04-06, 07:06 PM	well I planned to make a shield guardian in an armadillo lycanthrope form. I wanted to know if I can be able to upgrade it with other things after creating it.
Joni-san 03-04-06, 08:34 PM	You can create any Homunculus with the Create Homunculus class feature. The Craft Construct feat is only needed for any non-Homunculus Construct, like Golems and Shield Guardians As for creating a Shield Guardian in Armadillo shape? As long as it's purely "fluff" I'd allow it. I don't know much about modfying constructs but there's an excellent feat for Homunculus in Magic of Eberron
Juliomartell 03-04-06, 08:52 PM	is there a way to make a construct to be considered like ones homonculous? like use craft construct to craft a construct homonculous?
UnkemptSage 03-04-06, 09:15 PM	Um, a homunculus IS a construct...
The Necromancer King 03-04-06, 09:51 PM	In the most recent Dragon Magazine, there is a good article on constructs as familiars. With some small adaptation, I think it could be made to do what you want to do. A lot of the constructs listed are in animal form.
Belabras 03-04-06, 09:55 PM	There were some cheaper to create golems in there too. Basically, if you like constructs it's a great issue to get.
Juliomartell 03-04-06, 10:55 PM	Thanks. was wondering if you can upgrade or modify a few things to your construct homunculus.
Juliomartell 03-05-06, 02:35 PM	what I was looking for is a simple yes or no.
Rechan 03-05-06, 03:39 PM	Thanks. was wondering if you can upgrade or modify a few things to your construct homunculus. Magic of Eberron has a feat that allows you to upgrade your homuculus, so yes it's possible.
The Necromancer King 03-05-06, 06:12 PM	what I was looking for is a simple yes or no. Sorry, bud, but you are in the wrong place for that. Is it possible for you to upgrade or modify a homonculous? Maybe. Depends on your Game Master. Depends on the types of modifications you're looking at, and whether or not they are going to utterly unbalance your game. Depends on what your fellow players are doing, and if such a change to the rules fits with the way the game is being played. There is no such thing as a simple yes or no answer. Especially on a forum like this one, where so many different opinions are running around. If you want a simple yes or no, ask your Game Master. If you ARE the Game Master, then you get to decide.
Bodger 03-05-06, 09:19 PM	Check out dragon 341 it has constructs as familiars also once youo take the feat Craft Construct yo can make the golems listed there (Junk, Tin, Wood, wax Etc...) at lower levels than the major ones (clay Iron Stone etc....). Also with the right rolls etc.... for research with some DM approval you can augment existing Golems as well as create your own. Bodger
Ozymandias V. 03-06-06, 04:19 PM	My advice is simple: RTFM. You clearly don't have a firm grasp on the basics of the game yet.
The Necromancer King 03-06-06, 07:13 PM	My advice is simple: RTFM. You clearly don't have a firm grasp on the basics of the game yet. I would hardly consider that customizing a construct would be a "basic" concept in D&D. If anything, it's a good topic to write an article on. "Customized Constructs" sounds like something I'd find in Dragon Magazine, and it's probably an article I'd read. We have to keep in mind that there are three core D&D manuals, and the game has audiences of multiple reading levels. I've flipped through the DMG for hours trying to find some obscure reference to some obscure rule, and I understand how daunting a task that can be. When someone comes onto these boards looking for a "Simple yes or no answer," they're seeking reference to validate their editing of the Shared Imagined Space. Perhaps what they're looking for is in the books, perhaps not; it is really much easier to rely on the body of knowledge the board regulars possess. We're more likely to tell you to ask your GM, but if there is a simple answer, someone on the boards knows it, or knows where to find it. We can't fault someone for asking a valid question. Let's keep it civil, shall we? Were I to house-rule it off the top of my head, I would call a construct customization a Craft check with a DC of 30, so long as you have the Craft Construct feat, and whatever feats are needed to make the item itself. You would not be able to buy the customizations from a shop or store; you'd have to make them to specifically fit the construct in question. The Craft skill needed depends on the type of changes you're making to your construct. For instance, if you wanted to improve its ability to withstand damage, you would need Craft (Armorsmith), and build the armor directly onto the body of the construct. If you wanted to add a magical item, it would be a Craft (alchemy) check. To improve an aspect of your construct, such as its strength or its dexterity, I'm thinking you would actually need a skill for Craft (Construct), but you could replace that with (Alchemy) if your DM allowed it. Base price would be as per the book (so making armor plating equal to Plate Mail would cost the same amount as a suit of Plate Mail while making a magic item costs Spell Level + Caster Level x 25gp, broken down into component cost and XP, and taking one day for every 1000gp in the base price). That's just how I'd do it if someone brought it up in the middle of a game, though. Talk to your DM first and see if he'll even let you customize your construct in the first place.