Author Topic: craft homunculus question (Read 6339 times)

Cagemarrow · « **on:** October 22, 2011, 05:36:11 AM »

Does using craft construct allow you to make a homunculus with more than your artificer's hit dice -2?

Cagemarrow · « **Reply #1 on:** October 22, 2011, 10:20:08 AM »

Another Question, does an artificer have to meet the prerequisites for taking their bonus feats at 4th and every 4 levels after? I do not see an entry like in other classes with bonus feats that say "she must meet all the prerequisites for the feat" like in the scout and fighter bonus feats section. Was this Errata'd in? If not I may take the warforged 4th level substitution and take craft construct as the 4th level bonus feat instead of craft homunculus.

X-Codes · « **Reply #2 on:** October 22, 2011, 02:16:55 PM »

1) Don't make homunculi with more HD than default. It's not worth it. Build golems and effigy creatures.

2) The default is that you must meet the pre-requisites for a feat to take it. Unless it's explicitly allowed that you gain a particular feat even if you don't meet the normal pre-requisites, you have to meet the pre-requisites of any feat to take it.

3) There's an entire thread dedicated to questions like this stickied at the top of the forum. Use that, don't clutter up the forum.

Cagemarrow · « **Reply #3 on:** October 23, 2011, 10:52:18 AM »

Well I had hoped for more discussion than the simple questions thread provides for.

Has anyone actually played an artificer in E6? How have you dealt with the requirements for crafting the various homunculi? I'm finding that they all have spell requirements that go higher than E6 allows for, Arcane Eye and Fabricate most notably. Mostly 4th and 5th level spells. Craft Construct isn't any better with most requiring Animate Object which I can only find as a 5th level spell.

What would be a reasonable trade for losing the Craft Homunculus class ability? A different Item Creation Feat? Skill Mastery UMD? Something else?

Lo77o · « **Reply #4 on:** October 23, 2011, 11:53:27 AM »

Quote from: Cagemarrow on October 23, 2011, 10:52:18 AM

Well I had hoped for more discussion than the simple questions thread provides for.

Has anyone actually played an artificer in E6? How have you dealt with the requirements for crafting the various homunculi? I'm finding that they all have spell requirements that go higher than E6 allows for, Arcane Eye and Fabricate most notably. Mostly 4th and 5th level spells. Craft Construct isn't any better with most requiring Animate Object which I can only find as a 5th level spell.

What would be a reasonable trade for losing the Craft Homunculus class ability? A different Item Creation Feat? Skill Mastery UMD? Something else?

5th level spells and below should be available to you as an artificer if build for crafting.

Say you play as a dragonwrought kobold artificer.

Pick Flame of the Forge Sovereign Archetype from DoE, that will add +2 caster levels for effective crafting. Add in the +2 you get from artificer and your 6th level artificer counts as 10th level for crafting.

Cagemarrow · « **Reply #5 on:** October 23, 2011, 01:26:56 PM »

I'll have to keep that in mind for future characters though the DM is currently running with the rule that only spells available to a 6th level character are available to use for crafting. Cuts back on the spells available from prestige class casting lists that I have available, otherwise I'd just use Arcane Eye and Fabricate from the Trapsmith's spell list as those are both 3rd or lower.

The current one I'm playing is a 4th level Warforged Artificer currently being called Tool by the party. He was found tore into pieces, -9 HP, in a box containing various tools from previous owner's who were unable to repair him and didn't really know what he was. The party received him as payment for investigating why a shipment of supplies never reached its destination. After managing to repair him to 0 HP he was able to begin self repair processes but has gaps in his memory that he can't explain. Basically he has full access to his skills but no personal memories including his name or history.

X-Codes · « **Reply #6 on:** October 23, 2011, 03:47:40 PM »

Go with Effigy creatures for combat constructs, then. At 6th level, you can put together an Effigy Dire Lion. Other things you can do right now are stuff like Effigy Ogres and Effigy Trolls.

Cagemarrow · « **Reply #7 on:** October 23, 2011, 05:34:05 PM »

Effigies definitely look like the best bet, I'll need to take craft construct for them once I qualify to take it.

Considering they lose their special qualities when constructed what creatures make the best low level effigies. Funds and Crafting costs aren't going to be a problem with the Magical Artisan reductions we figured out in my last thread. Are there any templates that can be added post construction to grant them healing so I won't have to spend so many resources repairing them since I'll be able to make them with only up to 6 HD? Which templates would you recommend?

sirpercival · « **Reply #8 on:** October 23, 2011, 05:41:31 PM »

Quote

Repairing a Construct

If you have the Craft Construct feat, you can repair damage that a construct has taken. With one day of work and an expenditure of 50 gp per hit point repaired, you can repair up to 20 points of damage to a single construct.

You don't need to make a check to repair a golem, but your DM might want to require one. Use the same Craft skill and DC required to make the construct's body. For example, repairing an iron golem requires a DC 20 Armorsmithing or Weaponsmithing check.

It's also reasonable to assume that construct repair also requires a set of artisan's tools.

From here.

Cagemarrow · « **Reply #9 on:** October 23, 2011, 06:06:56 PM »

Good to know though I was hoping for something that would allow it to heal between encounters. Its too bad the clockwork mender's ability is once per day.

X-Codes · « **Reply #10 on:** October 23, 2011, 07:18:29 PM »

Quote from: Cagemarrow on October 23, 2011, 06:06:56 PM

Good to know though I was hoping for something that would allow it to heal between encounters. Its too bad the clockwork mender's ability is once per day.

Wand of Repair Light Damage works.

Cagemarrow · « **Reply #11 on:** October 23, 2011, 08:56:48 PM »

Might have to do.

So what's the scariest 6 hd creature that can be made into an Effigy? I'll need a body guard, a mount, and possibly defender's for the Cog (single mast sailing ship) we just rebuilt from a half dozen wrecked ships at our last adventure. I'm thinking maybe some sharks or whales to lash to the boat to pull it along instead of relying on oars. Something that could climb out of the water and park on the ship if the wind is good.

X-Codes · « **Reply #12 on:** October 24, 2011, 03:20:30 PM »

You can make effigies up to 8 HD, because you're an artificier. In that case, a Hippogriff advanced to 8HD is probably the best flier in the MM. Huge size, so lots of Strength and HP. Solid 100' fly speed and also a fast ground speed. Only downside is the AC, although you can put a level-up point into Dexterity to counter-balance that a little. If your DM doesn't like the idea of 8 HD effigies, then a 6 HD Hippogriff is still probably the best option, although a 6 HD Giant Eagle or Pegasus becomes noteworthy.

For guards and/or soldiers, Orcs and Ogres from the MM are pretty good. Effigy Orcs are solid, cheap, disposable soldiers worth way more than their 1 HD suggests, and Effigy Ogres are basically the standard upgrade.

Cagemarrow · « **Reply #13 on:** October 24, 2011, 03:58:54 PM »

Hmm, I like the idea of the hippogriffs. What's their carrying capacity for flight? Anyone know of templates that can increase that dramatically?

It'd be cool if I could make a couple of them that could have enough capacity to carry the party's sailing ship.

Cagemarrow · « **Reply #14 on:** October 24, 2011, 04:00:07 PM »

It's too bad the Soar Whale is so many HD.

Cagemarrow · « **Reply #15 on:** October 24, 2011, 10:28:05 PM »

What options are available in E6 to boost caster level for item creation? Hopefully either craft-able items or feats that can be used for Artificer?

Cagemarrow · « **Reply #16 on:** October 26, 2011, 08:00:23 AM »

Okay, back to crafting homunculi. When making the one from the Monster Manual can you choose it's feats and skills upon creation? I'm thinking Ability Focus: Poison would be better than Lightning Reflexes. Then I could use it to milk for sleep poison at least.

kremti · « **Reply #17 on:** October 26, 2011, 01:08:25 PM »

Cagemarrow · « **Reply #18 on:** October 27, 2011, 01:40:47 PM »

Okay, now I've got a hilarious image about a fat little cherub who licks his arrows before firing them at targets in combat to put them to sleep.

Too bad they don't gain any weapon or armor proficiency. I'll need to boost their defenses before using them as such though since it's a huge risk having them participate in combat in any means. 2d10 max damage would leave my Warforged with 1 hp left, assuming he hasn't taken any other damage during the fight.

kremti · « **Reply #19 on:** October 27, 2011, 07:23:59 PM »

Remember that penalty of not having Armor Efficiency, and wearing said armor and shield is that they take "Armor Check Penalty" into their attack rolls (and str checks and dex checks...). So there's no problem having them wear things that has 0 Armor Check Penalty. Masterwork Studded Leather and Masterwork Light Wooden shield will give them +4 AC at 0 Armor Check Penalty for 314gps pre-craft price (And it's not that hard to craft'em). Add some Armor Vestiment, and you can give'em +6 AC if you are really worried about it.

-K

News:

Author Topic: craft homunculus question (Read 6339 times)