A character construct! [Archive] - Wizards Community

A character construct! [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Aamaxu
02-18-08, 03:21 PM Greetings. I have a problem figuring out the "stats" for the player's character. He is making a sor1/fgt1 who is also a construct, we're playing the Planescape campaign setting.

We've already done the changes, which we could find from the MM. But we're still pondering a few things;

Natural Armor...does a construct receive any? We've looked up the golems in the MM and they seem to receive this. But how do we calculate it for out character?

Level adjustment? What's the level adjustment for this sor1/fgt1 construct?

Thanks,

Aamaxu
Roivas
02-18-08, 03:47 PM Warforged Eberron campaign setting. They are constructs without all the immunities that give out the LA. Also check savage species for other options for constructs and dragon magazine for Modons. Just claiming the character is a construct tells us very little. What specific creature is he?
Sinfire Titan
02-18-08, 03:53 PM Have him play a Warforged, from the Eberron setting.
Lord_Varos
02-18-08, 05:07 PM I think he's just applying the Construct type to the character. OP, that isn't really what that entry is used for. To answer your questions:

1. No, he gets no bonuses to natural armor. He is not a monster, so he has none.
2. The LA will probably end up being about +1, with the changes below.

Things that are important, but that you did not ask about:

3. His hit die does not change. He still rolls for his class.
4. His saves, skill points, base attack, etc. are calculated by class level, regardless of his construct nature.
5. To maintain balance, it's going to be almost a necessity to not give those extra hit points the table says to give. If you simply must give them to him for some reason, limit it to twice his character level (without the LA).
6. Make sure he (the player) understands what made him and what a construct does. The player also needs to know why the robot would adventure at all.

Edit: Also, above posters are right. Probably easier to have him play a Warforged. In fact, definitely easier. But, do whatever floats your boat.
Kouk
02-18-08, 08:02 PM Warforged are not only found in the Eberron Campaign Setting, but also in Monster Manual 3 and I think all you need is also in Races of Eberron (but you don't likely have that book unless you also had the campaign setting book).
Sildatorak
02-18-08, 10:10 PM Warforged are not only found in the Eberron Campaign Setting, but also in Monster Manual 3 and I think all you need is also in Races of Eberron (but you don't likely have that book unless you also had the campaign setting book).
Those are the three books they are in, and any one of them will provide enough information to play a warforged character.
Magrus
02-19-08, 04:32 AM You may be able to detail a way to advance that is an alternative to the XP/Level system, to be honest. That is if you don't want to take a warforged, and even knowing of them, want something different. Page 169 of Savage Species has a class for a Flesh Golem progression. That may be helpful in designing one for your character. I'm too tired to attempt it however, it's a lot of work to balance a new one.
Aamaxu
02-19-08, 11:54 AM Well, first of all, yes, this character would be using the construct template from the very last pages of the MM I.

Second of all, we don't have the eberron CS book nor any others...only the PHB, MM, DMG and SC.

This is what we've gotten so far;

human sor1
*create normally

Then, after some weird whatever magical/arcanical events the sor1 became a construct and gained a level, took it as a fighter (since all players made lvl 2 chars anyways). What happened was the following;

turned both HD as construct ones (making it a 2d10) and made all the changes, which were said in the MM.

Well, if one should guess, would the LA be... +2 - +4? If you should choose between +2 and +4 ...which one would you choose?
Sinfire Titan
02-19-08, 05:53 PM +4. Easily higher too. This is a very potent change, almost equal to Lichdom. If he is retaining his Con score, +8, no less.
Sildatorak
02-19-08, 08:07 PM The construct type is probably too much of an LA to work with in a level 2 party unless you put the living construct subtype (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20050823a) along with it.

I'd say the living construct subtype is probably worth an LA of +1, though if the human gave up the bonus feat and the +1 skill/level, I'd call it even.
yourgm66
02-19-08, 08:45 PM I'd have to agree with the LA being pretty high for a generic construct. As a construct, he's going to be immune to all sorts of things: poison, ability drain, etc. Definitely use the warforged if at all possible. Don't forget the 5% arcane spell chance failure and be draconian about enforcing it.
Kouk
02-20-08, 12:18 AM "Construct" is a Type, it is not a Template. Templates can be slapped on to various kinds of creatures to modify them, but Types are almost always from birth or from some bizarro magic gone wrong (like Reincarnation let wild).

Types would not necessarily have an easy LA, while Templates always come with the changes spelled out. If none of your friends has a book with Warforged in it, you may want to spring for one of them, or just sneak into a bookstore and copy the information you need... But, if you really want to make up a race go ahead, it may turn out to be awesomely fun :D
Makuya
02-20-08, 10:34 AM If you have Complete Arcane, why not go for a Green Star Adept instead?
Lincoln Hills
02-20-08, 02:10 PM There are a couple of disadvantages that regular constructs (not 'living constructs') have which you should be sure to emphasize if the player gets to play one.

1. No Constitution score. For a sorceror, the absence of a Constitution bonus can be bad news. Yes, I know that 3.5 constructs get a "size kicker" to their hp, but those bonus hp will become less and less significant as the party goes up in levels.

2. Healing magic doesn't work on a construct. Although the sorceror might opt for repair light damage as one of his earliest spells, a construct's player can forget about the cleric being of any use.

3. Constructs don't have natural healing either.

4. And don't forget: 0 hp equals death (well, destruction). No "-1 to -10" zone for this character.

So... immune to a load of stuff? Sure! But it's not as if there were no downside. I think +4 LA might be a bit extreme when you look at the trade-offs.
trapspringer
02-20-08, 05:34 PM Those types in the back... all that information listed applies to HD of construct. Like it's a class.

The HD modification applies only to racial HD, the saves, BaB, everything all applies to "levels" he has in construct, as if it were a class. So here is the entry. Emboldened are those things that apply to the character. In red are those things that do not apply.

Construct Type

A construct is an animated object or artificially constructed creature.
Features

A construct has the following features.

* 10-sided Hit Dice.
* Base attack bonus equal to ľ total Hit Dice (as cleric).
* No good saving throws.
* Skill points equal to (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1) per Hit Die, with quadruple skill points for the first Hit Die, if the construct has an Intelligence score. However, most constructs are mindless and gain no skill points or feats.

Traits

* No Constitution score.
* Low-light vision.
* Darkvision out to 60 feet.
* Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects).
* Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, and necromancy effects.
* Cannot heal damage on their own, but often can be repaired by exposing them to a certain kind of effect (see the creature’s description for details) or through the use of the Craft Construct feat. A construct with the fast healing special quality still benefits from that quality.
* Not subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability damage, ability drain, fatigue, exhaustion, or energy drain.
* Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless).
* Not at risk of death from massive damage. Immediately destroyed when reduced to 0 hit points or less.
* Since it was never alive, a construct cannot be raised or resurrected.
* Because its body is a mass of unliving matter, a construct is hard to destroy. It gains bonus hit points based on size, as shown on the table.
* Proficient with its natural weapons only, unless generally humanoid in form, in which case proficient with any weapon mentioned in its entry.
* Proficient with no armor.
* Constructs do not eat, sleep, or breathe.

Lincoln Hills: Totally. Look at the necroplitan template as a good example. They've got most of the advantages and most of the drawbacks, and are only pseudo level adjusted.

I'd suggest for this guy a +2 level adjustment, though. He gets bonus hit points which negates the whole "dead at HP 0" thing, and he can't be turned.
kuhsibiris
02-20-08, 07:07 PM The warforged route seemd the obvious one to me

The guys at www.planewalker.com have adapted planescape campaign setting for 3.5, in the races section they include the modron outcast, (construct too) it may serve as a guide

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Aamaxu 02-18-08, 03:21 PM	Greetings. I have a problem figuring out the "stats" for the player's character. He is making a sor1/fgt1 who is also a construct, we're playing the Planescape campaign setting. We've already done the changes, which we could find from the MM. But we're still pondering a few things; Natural Armor...does a construct receive any? We've looked up the golems in the MM and they seem to receive this. But how do we calculate it for out character? Level adjustment? What's the level adjustment for this sor1/fgt1 construct? Thanks, Aamaxu
Roivas 02-18-08, 03:47 PM	Warforged Eberron campaign setting. They are constructs without all the immunities that give out the LA. Also check savage species for other options for constructs and dragon magazine for Modons. Just claiming the character is a construct tells us very little. What specific creature is he?
Sinfire Titan 02-18-08, 03:53 PM	Have him play a Warforged, from the Eberron setting.
Lord_Varos 02-18-08, 05:07 PM	I think he's just applying the Construct type to the character. OP, that isn't really what that entry is used for. To answer your questions: 1. No, he gets no bonuses to natural armor. He is not a monster, so he has none. 2. The LA will probably end up being about +1, with the changes below. Things that are important, but that you did not ask about: 3. His hit die does not change. He still rolls for his class. 4. His saves, skill points, base attack, etc. are calculated by class level, regardless of his construct nature. 5. To maintain balance, it's going to be almost a necessity to not give those extra hit points the table says to give. If you simply must give them to him for some reason, limit it to twice his character level (without the LA). 6. Make sure he (the player) understands what made him and what a construct does. The player also needs to know why the robot would adventure at all. Edit: Also, above posters are right. Probably easier to have him play a Warforged. In fact, definitely easier. But, do whatever floats your boat.
Kouk 02-18-08, 08:02 PM	Warforged are not only found in the Eberron Campaign Setting, but also in Monster Manual 3 and I think all you need is also in Races of Eberron (but you don't likely have that book unless you also had the campaign setting book).
Sildatorak 02-18-08, 10:10 PM	Warforged are not only found in the Eberron Campaign Setting, but also in Monster Manual 3 and I think all you need is also in Races of Eberron (but you don't likely have that book unless you also had the campaign setting book). Those are the three books they are in, and any one of them will provide enough information to play a warforged character.
Magrus 02-19-08, 04:32 AM	You may be able to detail a way to advance that is an alternative to the XP/Level system, to be honest. That is if you don't want to take a warforged, and even knowing of them, want something different. Page 169 of Savage Species has a class for a Flesh Golem progression. That may be helpful in designing one for your character. I'm too tired to attempt it however, it's a lot of work to balance a new one.
Aamaxu 02-19-08, 11:54 AM	Well, first of all, yes, this character would be using the construct template from the very last pages of the MM I. Second of all, we don't have the eberron CS book nor any others...only the PHB, MM, DMG and SC. This is what we've gotten so far; human sor1 *create normally Then, after some weird whatever magical/arcanical events the sor1 became a construct and gained a level, took it as a fighter (since all players made lvl 2 chars anyways). What happened was the following; turned both HD as construct ones (making it a 2d10) and made all the changes, which were said in the MM. Well, if one should guess, would the LA be... +2 - +4? If you should choose between +2 and +4 ...which one would you choose?
Sinfire Titan 02-19-08, 05:53 PM	+4. Easily higher too. This is a very potent change, almost equal to Lichdom. If he is retaining his Con score, +8, no less.
Sildatorak 02-19-08, 08:07 PM	The construct type is probably too much of an LA to work with in a level 2 party unless you put the living construct subtype (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20050823a) along with it. I'd say the living construct subtype is probably worth an LA of +1, though if the human gave up the bonus feat and the +1 skill/level, I'd call it even.
yourgm66 02-19-08, 08:45 PM	I'd have to agree with the LA being pretty high for a generic construct. As a construct, he's going to be immune to all sorts of things: poison, ability drain, etc. Definitely use the warforged if at all possible. Don't forget the 5% arcane spell chance failure and be draconian about enforcing it.
Kouk 02-20-08, 12:18 AM	"Construct" is a Type, it is not a Template. Templates can be slapped on to various kinds of creatures to modify them, but Types are almost always from birth or from some bizarro magic gone wrong (like Reincarnation let wild). Types would not necessarily have an easy LA, while Templates always come with the changes spelled out. If none of your friends has a book with Warforged in it, you may want to spring for one of them, or just sneak into a bookstore and copy the information you need... But, if you really want to make up a race go ahead, it may turn out to be awesomely fun :D
Makuya 02-20-08, 10:34 AM	If you have Complete Arcane, why not go for a Green Star Adept instead?
Lincoln Hills 02-20-08, 02:10 PM	There are a couple of disadvantages that regular constructs (not 'living constructs') have which you should be sure to emphasize if the player gets to play one. 1. No Constitution score. For a sorceror, the absence of a Constitution bonus can be bad news. Yes, I know that 3.5 constructs get a "size kicker" to their hp, but those bonus hp will become less and less significant as the party goes up in levels. 2. Healing magic doesn't work on a construct. Although the sorceror might opt for repair light damage as one of his earliest spells, a construct's player can forget about the cleric being of any use. 3. Constructs don't have natural healing either. 4. And don't forget: 0 hp equals death (well, destruction). No "-1 to -10" zone for this character. So... immune to a load of stuff? Sure! But it's not as if there were no downside. I think +4 LA might be a bit extreme when you look at the trade-offs.
trapspringer 02-20-08, 05:34 PM	Those types in the back... all that information listed applies to HD of construct. Like it's a class. The HD modification applies only to racial HD, the saves, BaB, everything all applies to "levels" he has in construct, as if it were a class. So here is the entry. Emboldened are those things that apply to the character. In red are those things that do not apply. Construct Type A construct is an animated object or artificially constructed creature. Features A construct has the following features. * 10-sided Hit Dice. * Base attack bonus equal to ľ total Hit Dice (as cleric). * No good saving throws. * Skill points equal to (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1) per Hit Die, with quadruple skill points for the first Hit Die, if the construct has an Intelligence score. However, most constructs are mindless and gain no skill points or feats. Traits * No Constitution score. * Low-light vision. * Darkvision out to 60 feet. * Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects). * Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, and necromancy effects. * Cannot heal damage on their own, but often can be repaired by exposing them to a certain kind of effect (see the creature’s description for details) or through the use of the Craft Construct feat. A construct with the fast healing special quality still benefits from that quality. * Not subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability damage, ability drain, fatigue, exhaustion, or energy drain. * Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless). * Not at risk of death from massive damage. Immediately destroyed when reduced to 0 hit points or less. * Since it was never alive, a construct cannot be raised or resurrected. * Because its body is a mass of unliving matter, a construct is hard to destroy. It gains bonus hit points based on size, as shown on the table. * Proficient with its natural weapons only, unless generally humanoid in form, in which case proficient with any weapon mentioned in its entry. * Proficient with no armor. * Constructs do not eat, sleep, or breathe. Lincoln Hills: Totally. Look at the necroplitan template as a good example. They've got most of the advantages and most of the drawbacks, and are only pseudo level adjusted. I'd suggest for this guy a +2 level adjustment, though. He gets bonus hit points which negates the whole "dead at HP 0" thing, and he can't be turned.
kuhsibiris 02-20-08, 07:07 PM	The warforged route seemd the obvious one to me The guys at www.planewalker.com have adapted planescape campaign setting for 3.5, in the races section they include the modron outcast, (construct too) it may serve as a guide