Animate Objects variant: opinions/balance concerns requested [Archive] - Wizards Community

Animate Objects variant: opinions/balance concerns requested [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Eco-Mono
05-02-04, 02:39 AM Here I present a possible way to use spells to make permanently animated objects. I have done this for two reasons.

1) The flavor of a wizard animating some of his posessions which now follow him around has existed for quite some time. However, core D&D rules only carry ONE way to animate objects, and that spell can only be cast by a cleric. This battery of spells remedies that trouble.
2) Many people wish to play as a necromancer for the purposes of having mountains of mindless minions, but find themselves thwarted by the [evil] tag. These spells provide an alternative. In fact, I tried to use the undead-creation spells as a base/balancing tool for these spells, since they're the closest thing in print right now.

Now, I realize that I committed somewhat of a faux pas in using CR instead of HD for measuring monster effectiveness for these spells. I simply could not reconcile the two power levels without doing so, as the HD/CR ratio seem to be quite different between undead and animated objects.

Please read and comment, give advice, flame, etc.

Animate Objects
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Touch
Targets: One or more objects touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell turns mundane objects into animated constructs that follow your spoken commands.
The animated objects can follow you, or they can remain in an area and attack any creature (or just a specific kind of creature) entering the place. They remain animated until they are destroyed. (A destroyed object can't be animated again.)
You can't create more CR of objects than your caster level with a single casting of animate objects.
The animated objects you create remain under your control indefinitely. No matter how many times you use this spell, however, you can control only 2 CR worth of objects per caster level. If you exceed this number, all the newly created creatures are under your control, but any excess objects from previous castings fall to the ground, lifeless. This limit stacks with your limit for controlling undead - and vice-versa - as though each point of CR was 2 HD of undead.
Material Component: You must place a ruby worth at least 100 gp times the CR of the animated object onto the object you intend to animate. The magic of the spell causes the ruby to fuse with the object, making it worthless for re-use.

Animate Advanced Construct
Transmutation [see text]
Level: Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Targets: One object touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

This spell allows the character to create more powerful varieties of animated object by infusing one with a particular kind of energy. This results in the creature having one of the following templates: Shadow, Fire Elemental, Earth Elemental, Water Elemental, Air Elemental, Psudeonatural (lesser), Anarchic, Axiomatic, Fiendish, or Celestial. The following types of constructs can be created by casters of the specified levels:
Caster Level Maximum Size Created
------------ ----------------------
11 or lower Tiny
12-14 Small
15-18 Medium
19-20 Large
If the animated object would have a descriptor tag, this spell has that tag as well. For instance, if you animated a caltrop with the Fire Elemental template, animate advanced construct would be a [Fire] spell.
Material Component: You must place a ruby worth at least 100 gp times the CR of the animated object onto the object you intend to animate. The magic of the spell causes the ruby to fuse with the object, making it worthless for re-use.

Animate Greater Construct
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 8
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 hour
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Targets: One object (or more; see text) touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No
This spell allows the character to animate objects into particularly potent forms. While one can usually tell what the source object looked like, that object is bolstered by magic which makes it functionally identical to a specific kind of powerful construct. The following types of construct can be created by casters of the specified levels:
Caster Level Construct Created
------------ --------------
15 or lower Guttersnipe *
16-17 Shrapnyl *
18-19 Juggernaut
20 Knicknack Swarm **
* Rather than being created from a single object of their size, these constructs are created from a pile of 8 appropriate objects one size category smaller than they are.
** Rather than being created from a single object of its size, these constructs are created from a pile of 10,000 very small objects such as cutlery or coins or so forth.

The construct can follow you, or it can remain in an area under some simple instruction (for instance, "ring a bell every hour" or "attack anyone who comes through this hall"). It remains animated until it is destroyed. (A destroyed object can't be animated again.)
The animated object you creates remain under your control indefinitely. No matter how many times you use this spell, however, you can control only 2 CR worth of animated objects per caster level. If you exceed this number, all the newly created creatures are under your control, but any excess objects from previous castings fall to the ground, lifeless. This limit stacks with your limit for controlling undead as though each point of CR was 2 HD of undead.
The character may create less powerful constructs than the character's level would indicate if the character chooses.

Material Component: You must place a ruby worth at least 100 gp times the CR of the animated object onto the object you intend to animate. The magic of the spell causes the ruby to fuse with the object, making it worthless for re-use.
And so that the l.20 animated object(s) make sense to you, here's a statblock. Remember that swarms take up a 10-foot cube, no matter what their Size says (that's more of an indication of how big the PIECES are).
KNICKNACK SWARM
Fine Construct (Swarm)
Hit Dice: 10d10 +20 (75 hp)
Initiative: +10
Speed: fly 50ft. (perfect)
Armor Class: 28 (+8 size, +10 Dex), touch 28, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: -
Attack: Swarm (12d4)
Full Attack: Swarm (12d4)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Distraction, sonic barrage
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., DR 45/bludgeoning, swarm traits,
construct traits, self-repair, spell immunity
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +10, Will +3
Abilities: Str 20, Dex 30, Con -, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 4
Skills: -
Feats: -
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 15
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: None
A knicknack swarm is a cloud of thousands of miniscule household items such as kitchen utensils, small tools, and so forth. It can be created by powerful arcane magic.
Combat
A knicknack swarm unquestioningly follows orders from its creator. If instructed to attack, it deals 12d4 points of damage to any creature whose space it occupies at the end of its move - provided that it uses neither of its spell-like abilities, which use up its attack for the round.
Distraction (Ex): Any living creature that begins its turn with a knicknack swarm in its space must succeed on a DC 12 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Sonic Barrage (Sp): Once per round, as a standard action (that is, instead of attacking), a knicknack swarm can release a huge blast of sound. This deals 12d6 sonic and 12d6 subdual damage to every creature within 5 feet of the knicknack swarm. Those affected may attempt a Reflex save (DC 23) for half damage. Treat this ability as a spell cast by a 17th-level sorcerer for the purposes of bypassing SR.
Self-Repair (Sp): Once per round, as a standard action (that is, instead of attacking), a knicknack swarm can repair 4d10 points of damage it has incurred.
Spell Immunity (Ex): Knicknack swarms are immune to all spells and spell-like abilities that allow SR.
Construct Traits: A knicknack swarm is immune to mind-affecting effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, necromantic effects, and any effect that requires a Fortitude save unless it also works on objects. It is not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, ability drain, or death from massive damage. It does not heal naturally but can be healed through repair. It is utterly destroyed at 0 hp and cannot be raised or resurrected.
Seeker95
05-02-04, 09:27 AM The flaw in the spell lies in the underlying assumption that there is no means of creating a permanent animated object. There is. It is called a construct.
glenw77
05-03-04, 12:27 AM Savage Species has a Wizards spell for creating permanent animated objects, they are even intelligent. I think it is called Minor Servitor. Its 5th level

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Eco-Mono 05-02-04, 02:39 AM	Here I present a possible way to use spells to make permanently animated objects. I have done this for two reasons. 1) The flavor of a wizard animating some of his posessions which now follow him around has existed for quite some time. However, core D&D rules only carry ONE way to animate objects, and that spell can only be cast by a cleric. This battery of spells remedies that trouble. 2) Many people wish to play as a necromancer for the purposes of having mountains of mindless minions, but find themselves thwarted by the [evil] tag. These spells provide an alternative. In fact, I tried to use the undead-creation spells as a base/balancing tool for these spells, since they're the closest thing in print right now. Now, I realize that I committed somewhat of a faux pas in using CR instead of HD for measuring monster effectiveness for these spells. I simply could not reconcile the two power levels without doing so, as the HD/CR ratio seem to be quite different between undead and animated objects. Please read and comment, give advice, flame, etc. Animate Objects Transmutation Level: Sor/Wiz 4 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Touch Targets: One or more objects touched Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No This spell turns mundane objects into animated constructs that follow your spoken commands. The animated objects can follow you, or they can remain in an area and attack any creature (or just a specific kind of creature) entering the place. They remain animated until they are destroyed. (A destroyed object can't be animated again.) You can't create more CR of objects than your caster level with a single casting of animate objects. The animated objects you create remain under your control indefinitely. No matter how many times you use this spell, however, you can control only 2 CR worth of objects per caster level. If you exceed this number, all the newly created creatures are under your control, but any excess objects from previous castings fall to the ground, lifeless. This limit stacks with your limit for controlling undead - and vice-versa - as though each point of CR was 2 HD of undead. Material Component: You must place a ruby worth at least 100 gp times the CR of the animated object onto the object you intend to animate. The magic of the spell causes the ruby to fuse with the object, making it worthless for re-use. Animate Advanced Construct Transmutation [see text] Level: Sor/Wiz 6 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 hour Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Targets: One object touched Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No This spell allows the character to create more powerful varieties of animated object by infusing one with a particular kind of energy. This results in the creature having one of the following templates: Shadow, Fire Elemental, Earth Elemental, Water Elemental, Air Elemental, Psudeonatural (lesser), Anarchic, Axiomatic, Fiendish, or Celestial. The following types of constructs can be created by casters of the specified levels: Caster Level Maximum Size Created ------------ ---------------------- 11 or lower Tiny 12-14 Small 15-18 Medium 19-20 Large If the animated object would have a descriptor tag, this spell has that tag as well. For instance, if you animated a caltrop with the Fire Elemental template, animate advanced construct would be a [Fire] spell. Material Component: You must place a ruby worth at least 100 gp times the CR of the animated object onto the object you intend to animate. The magic of the spell causes the ruby to fuse with the object, making it worthless for re-use. Animate Greater Construct Transmutation Level: Sor/Wiz 8 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 hour Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels) Targets: One object (or more; see text) touched Duration: Instantaneous Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No This spell allows the character to animate objects into particularly potent forms. While one can usually tell what the source object looked like, that object is bolstered by magic which makes it functionally identical to a specific kind of powerful construct. The following types of construct can be created by casters of the specified levels: Caster Level Construct Created ------------ -------------- 15 or lower Guttersnipe * 16-17 Shrapnyl * 18-19 Juggernaut 20 Knicknack Swarm ** * Rather than being created from a single object of their size, these constructs are created from a pile of 8 appropriate objects one size category smaller than they are. ** Rather than being created from a single object of its size, these constructs are created from a pile of 10,000 very small objects such as cutlery or coins or so forth. The construct can follow you, or it can remain in an area under some simple instruction (for instance, "ring a bell every hour" or "attack anyone who comes through this hall"). It remains animated until it is destroyed. (A destroyed object can't be animated again.) The animated object you creates remain under your control indefinitely. No matter how many times you use this spell, however, you can control only 2 CR worth of animated objects per caster level. If you exceed this number, all the newly created creatures are under your control, but any excess objects from previous castings fall to the ground, lifeless. This limit stacks with your limit for controlling undead as though each point of CR was 2 HD of undead. The character may create less powerful constructs than the character's level would indicate if the character chooses. Material Component: You must place a ruby worth at least 100 gp times the CR of the animated object onto the object you intend to animate. The magic of the spell causes the ruby to fuse with the object, making it worthless for re-use. And so that the l.20 animated object(s) make sense to you, here's a statblock. Remember that swarms take up a 10-foot cube, no matter what their Size says (that's more of an indication of how big the PIECES are). KNICKNACK SWARM Fine Construct (Swarm) Hit Dice: 10d10 +20 (75 hp) Initiative: +10 Speed: fly 50ft. (perfect) Armor Class: 28 (+8 size, +10 Dex), touch 28, flat-footed 18 Base Attack/Grapple: - Attack: Swarm (12d4) Full Attack: Swarm (12d4) Space/Reach: 10 ft./0 ft. Special Attacks: Distraction, sonic barrage Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., DR 45/bludgeoning, swarm traits, construct traits, self-repair, spell immunity Saves: Fort +3, Ref +10, Will +3 Abilities: Str 20, Dex 30, Con -, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 4 Skills: - Feats: - Environment: Any Organization: Solitary Challenge Rating: 15 Treasure: None Alignment: Always neutral Advancement: None A knicknack swarm is a cloud of thousands of miniscule household items such as kitchen utensils, small tools, and so forth. It can be created by powerful arcane magic. Combat A knicknack swarm unquestioningly follows orders from its creator. If instructed to attack, it deals 12d4 points of damage to any creature whose space it occupies at the end of its move - provided that it uses neither of its spell-like abilities, which use up its attack for the round. Distraction (Ex): Any living creature that begins its turn with a knicknack swarm in its space must succeed on a DC 12 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based. Sonic Barrage (Sp): Once per round, as a standard action (that is, instead of attacking), a knicknack swarm can release a huge blast of sound. This deals 12d6 sonic and 12d6 subdual damage to every creature within 5 feet of the knicknack swarm. Those affected may attempt a Reflex save (DC 23) for half damage. Treat this ability as a spell cast by a 17th-level sorcerer for the purposes of bypassing SR. Self-Repair (Sp): Once per round, as a standard action (that is, instead of attacking), a knicknack swarm can repair 4d10 points of damage it has incurred. Spell Immunity (Ex): Knicknack swarms are immune to all spells and spell-like abilities that allow SR. Construct Traits: A knicknack swarm is immune to mind-affecting effects, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, necromantic effects, and any effect that requires a Fortitude save unless it also works on objects. It is not subject to critical hits, subdual damage, ability damage, ability drain, or death from massive damage. It does not heal naturally but can be healed through repair. It is utterly destroyed at 0 hp and cannot be raised or resurrected.
Seeker95 05-02-04, 09:27 AM	The flaw in the spell lies in the underlying assumption that there is no means of creating a permanent animated object. There is. It is called a construct.
glenw77 05-03-04, 12:27 AM	Savage Species has a Wizards spell for creating permanent animated objects, they are even intelligent. I think it is called Minor Servitor. Its 5th level