"Tawnos the Toymaker" by Dopaprime (resized) is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 3.0
A construct can be made with a core of one material, but an outer layer of another. While this will not be apparent under normal circumstances, if the construct is significantly damaged the inner layer will show through. Layering is done thusly:
A construct can be made using two different materials in equal proportions.
Add the weight modifiers of both materials and divide by half (rounding up), then apply this number to find the correct weight range.
Divide the weight of the construct in half. Half of the price will cost the rate of the first material, and the other half of the price will cost the rate for the second material.
Hardness ratings are also added together and divided by half (this time rounding down) to determine the total hardness.
For example: A Small construct made of marble and silver has a total weight modifier of 4+2=6, divided by 2=3. Thus, a minimum of 24 pounds will be needed to make a Small construct with these materials. 12 pounds will be marble and will cost 240 gold pieces. 12 pounds will be silver and will cost 60 gold pieces; the materials will cost 300 gold pieces total.
A construct can also be made so that most of it is made of one material, while only one layer is made of another substance. This is often done so that the construct is pleasing to the eyes, with a brilliant surface layer over a cheaper, coarser core of material.
Choose which material is going to make up the bulk of the construct. The weight modifier for the bulk material is multiplied by 3/4. The weight modifier for the fine layer of material is multiplied by 1/4. Both results should be rounded up and then added together for the total weight modifier.
Apply the adjusted weight modifier to determine how much material must be purchased to make a construct of the desired size. The bulk material will make up 3/4 of the weight, rounded up, and the price should be decided accordingly. The fine layer material will make up 1/4 of the weight, also rounded up. Add the two prices together for the total price.
The hardness rating of the bulk material is multiplied by 3/4, rounded down. The hardness of the fine layer material is multiplied by 1/4, also rounded down. Add the results together for the total hardness rating.
For example: A Small construct with a bulk layer of mud and a fine layer of marble has a total weight modifier of 0+1=1 (mud has no weight modifier, and marble's x4 is multiplied by 1/4). The marble layer is not thick enough to make the construct noticeably heavier. For an 8 pound construct layered in this way, 6 pounds will be mud and 2 pounds will be marble, costing 6 gold pieces and 40 gold pieces, respectively. The total price is 46 gold pieces. Mud has no hardness rating, and the marble layer is too thin to warrant its full hardness rating of 8. This is multiplied by 1/4, for a total hardness rating of 2.
Any sort of construct can be created with a hollow section, regardless of size or layering. A hollow space is necessary in order to purchase the swallow whole ability found in Step 10. Only a "stomach” area in the torso of a construct can be hollowed out; limbs are not left hollow because of concerns about effectiveness and stability. A hollow tube can be created so that the construct can swallow targets into the belly area, or a "door” leading into the hollowed space can be created, but it will need to have a lock affixed to the outside to keep it shut. It is important to note that there is no naturally occurring acid in a construct's "belly.” Acid can be placed inside a construct but it will eat through the construct's materials unless the material of the "stomach” is strong enough to resist the effects. The material of the "stomach” must have a hardness rating that is greater than the acid's direct damage.
A hollow stomach reduces the total material cost and weight by 10%. It also reduces the construct's overall hardness rating by 10% (round up, minimum of 1).
Each hollow construct can hold a number of creatures in its "belly,” depending on the construct's size. See Table 6 below.
Table 5 – Number of Creatures that Will Fit Inside a Hollow Construct |
|
---|---|
Construct Size |
Maximum # of Creatures That Will Fit Inside |
Diminutive |
5 fine |
Tiny |
3 diminutive, or 8 fine |
Small |
6 diminutive, or 10 fine |
Medium |
4 tiny, 8 diminutive, or 20 fine |
Large |
4 small, 8 tiny, 16 diminutive, or 32 fine |
Constructs are not created with any hit dice, so every hit die must be purchased. The rate for purchasing hit dice is the number of hit dice squared x 50 gp. Please see the Table 7 below for hit die requirements as related to size; smaller constructs cannot have as many hit dice, while larger constructs must have more to start with. Constructs use d10s for hit dice.
Table 6 – Minimum & Maximum HD, Bonus HP |
|||
---|---|---|---|
Size Category |
Min HD |
Max HD |
Bonus HP |
Diminutive |
-- |
4 |
-- |
Tiny |
-- |
6 |
-- |
Small |
1/2 |
-- |
10 |
Medium |
1 |
-- |
20 |
Large |
2 |
-- |
30 |
The base attack bonus of a construct is always 0.75 of its total hit dice rounded down (advancing like the cleric class progression). The saving throw of a construct is also based on their hit dice. They get no good saving throw and advance like the cleric class. Thus, when you purchase hit dice you are actually purchasing other benefits as well.
A construct's base statistics are determined through their size. A construct does not have a Constitution score and cannot gain one. A construct does not start out with an Intelligence score, either; every Intelligence point must be bought. The base statistics granted by each size category are given in Table 3 below:
Table 3 Revisited - Base Statistics |
||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Size Category |
Str |
Dex |
Con |
Int |
Wis |
Cha |
Diminutive |
1 |
18 |
-- |
-- |
10 |
6 |
Tiny |
3 |
16 |
-- |
-- |
10 |
6 |
Small |
7 |
14 |
-- |
-- |
10 |
6 |
Medium |
11 |
12 |
-- |
-- |
10 |
6 |
Large |
21 |
10 |
-- |
-- |
10 |
6 |
A construct's base statistics can be raised so that it possesses intelligence or has higher scores. A construct cannot exceed the limits of its size during creation, however. These limits can be found in Table 8 below:
Table 7 - Maximum Statistic Increases |
||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Size Category |
Str |
Dex |
Con |
Int |
Wis |
Cha |
Diminutive |
4 |
24 |
-- |
18 |
18 |
18 |
Tiny |
6 |
22 |
-- |
18 |
18 |
18 |
Small |
14 |
20 |
-- |
18 |
18 |
18 |
Medium |
20 |
18 |
-- |
18 |
18 |
18 |
Large |
28 |
16 |
-- |
18 |
18 |
18 |
To raise a construct’s statistics from a score of 1 through a score of 15, apply the following formula: (base rating – desired rating) squared x 100 gp. For example: to raise a base stat from a 5 to a 10, the formula would be: (5-10)2=25x100 gp=2500 gp total.
To raise a construct’s statistics above a rating of 15, apply this formula: (current rating – desired rating) squared x 200 gp.
A construct with no Intelligence score cannot have skill points or buy ranks in a skill. If the construct does have an Intelligence score, one can purchase skill points for it at the rate of 50 gold pieces per point. In order to buy ranks in a skill, the construct must have a minimum score of 2 in the skill’s related ability (for instance: in order to buy ranks in Climb, the construct must at least have a Strength score of 2).
Magical items that grant skill bonuses can be specially made and embedded into any construct, even if they have no Intelligence score or skill points. The formula to create a skill enhancing item is: bonus squared x 20 gp.
The saving throws of constructs can be enhanced by the addition of magical items that boost saving throws. The formula to create an item that grants saving throw bonuses is: bonus squared x 1000 gp (as per a Cloak of Resistance). As another option, a magical item can be added that grants a bonus versus one type of saving throw, like a Periapt of Poison. The formula to create an item that grants a bonus versus one type of save is: bonus squared x 250 gp. These are not typical magical items made for character use; they are simply enchanted stones meant to be placed inside a construct. If the construct is destroyed and a magical stone is left intact, it can be set into jewelry or other items and worn, granting its bonuses to the wearer.
Constructs generally come with five limbs and a main body. Humanoid-shaped constructs typically have a head, two arms, two legs, and a main body. Quadrupeds have four legs, a head, and a main body. One additional limb can be added per hit die, and each additional limb must be purchased as per the prices in Table 9 below. Each limb of a construct can be imbued to attack in a specific way.
Table 8 – Cost for Additional Limbs |
||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Modification |
Diminutive |
Tiny |
Small |
Medium |
Large |
|
Additional Limb* |
5 gp |
5 gp |
20 gp |
30 gp |
50 gp |
* Additional limbs do not come with functional attacks; extra attacks must be purchased separately.
All constructs gain a slam attack for free, which does damage according to Table 11. All other attack forms must be purchased for the rates in Table 10. For each attack form purchased, the construct is considered to be proficient with that attack and with the limb required. If a construct is created with a man-made weapon, it is considered proficient with that particular weapon only, but not with all weapons of the same type. However, if the construct has an Intelligence score of 5 or greater, then it is considered proficient with all weapons of that kind (all long swords, for example, not just the one it was made with).
Table 9 – Cost for Additional Attack Types |
|||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Attack Type |
Diminutive |
Tiny |
Small |
Medium |
Large |
Tentacle |
5 gp |
5 gp |
20 gp |
30 gp |
50 gp |
Bite |
10 gp |
20 gp |
30 gp |
50 gp |
70 gp |
Claw or Sting |
5 gp |
10 gp |
20 gp |
30 gp |
50 gp |
Gore or Tail |
5 gp |
10 gp |
30 gp |
50 gp |
70 gp |
Man-Made Weapon* |
5 gp |
5 gp |
20 gp |
30 gp |
50 gp |
* Damage done as per the weapon.
Table 10 – Attack Types & Damage |
||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Size Category |
Slam or Tentacle |
Bite |
Claw or Sting |
Gore or Tail |
Diminutive |
1 |
1d2 |
1 |
1 |
Tiny |
1 |
1d3 |
1d2 |
1d2 |
Small |
1d3 |
1d4 |
1d3 |
1d4 |
Medium |
1d4 |
1d6 |
1d4 |
1d6 |
Large |
1d6 |
1d8 |
1d6 |
1d8 |
So, for example: A Large construct is created with five hit dice; it can have five extra limbs on top of the five it originally comes with. The construct is bipedal – it comes with two legs, two arms, a head, and a main body. Two extra limbs are added for 50 gp each. These extra limbs could be left as they are, but they would be mainly decorative and would not function in combat. Instead, they are each made for different attacks. One limb is made into a tail and given the tail attack, which does 1d8 damage and costs 70 gp. The other limb is made into a tentacle that does 1d6 damage and costs 50 gp. All together, the extra limbs and attacks cost 220 gp.
Also as an example: A Large construct is created with five hit dice, and two extra limbs are added (again, at 50 gp each) – but they are each given short swords. The ability to wield these swords is purchased for each limb (50 gp each), for a grand total of 200 gp.
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