Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Construct Handbook

3.70/5 (based on 6 ratings)
Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Construct Handbook
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We Have the Technology!

Mortals have been obsessed with replicating life through metal and magic, and from their great labors have come all manner of constructs. The secrets to creating these marvels are usually reserved for the powerful and skilled, but now they are finally revealed! Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Construct Handbook opens the book on the powerful knowledge to create constructs and reveals never-before-seen clockworks, golems, and robots. Within these pages, you'll find:

  • Information on how to build a construct, as well as new modifications for your constructs.
  • Archetypes for characters who assemble or fight constructs, such as the construct caller, who builds constructs from planar energies.
  • New magic items that assist with both the creation of constructs and their destruction.
  • More than a dozen new constructs of all types, including clockwork goblins, gladiator robots, sand golems, and the powerful and enigmatic automatons.

Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Construct Handbook is intended for use with the Pathfinder campaign setting, but it can be easily adapted to any fantasy world.

ISBN-13: 978-1-60125-989-9

Other Resources: This product is also available on the following platforms:

Hero Lab Online
Fantasy Grounds Virtual Tabletop
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Note: This product is part of the Pathfinder Lost Omens Subscription.

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3.70/5 (based on 6 ratings)

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So this book is great bestiary and construct gm tool :D

5/5

I really love Automatons. Hopefully they won't disappear after this book, I want to see those in 2e! Not just flavor wise, they are also mechanically pretty tough. I also really like all the customization options and templates for constructs. I'm not good with words, but I've gotten great use out of this book


Kill your PCs -- with SCIENCE!

5/5

...or horrible robots with chainsaws, which is a decent proxy for science.

So, this is a GM-focused book, but with a bit of PC material. The first three chapters are fairly quick, covering general construct construction, archetypes, and magic items. By and large, this section is decent but not exceptional. A few good archetypes (I particularly like the Construct Caller Summoner and the Voice of Brigh Bard), some interesting items (an Automaton Core is a minor artifact with actual methods for PCs or NPCs to get, if they're not very nice), and a bunch of golem manuals.

The meat of the book is the fourth and final chapter, which occupies 2/3rds of the page count. And this has some beauties.

First up are the Automatons, which are my new favorite thing in Pathfinder. Short version, in ancient days the Jistka Imperium was waning, and so as a way to preserve it some of the elders of the Imperium started uploading their citizens minds into thaumaturgical robots. Thus you have the living constructs known as Automatons, ranging from the adorable and familiar-grabbable Familiar Automaton to the mountain-shredding CR 20 Master Automaton. These guys have everything. Imposing stat-lines, gorgeous art, fascinating backstories, oodles of plot-hooks... you want it, you got it.

There are a bunch of new robots, golems, and clockworks. The stand-out here is the CR 17 Gladiator Robot, which is what happens when you give a hyper-effective killing machine a chainsaw and a directive to please the crowd. This thing is basically a slasher movie villain, and thus awesome. At the other side of the spectrum is the Clockwork Goblin, which is small and silly and kind of adorable.

Finally, there are templates, a half-dozen of them. Golems wreathed in caustic mist, constructs haunted by ghosts, constructs with artificial psychic minds, constructs with someone else's brain stuffed into them, commando constructs (as scary as they sound), hilarious malfunctioning recycled constructs, and the most awesome, steam-powered mechanical dragons.

Allow me to repeat: steam-powered mechanical dragons.

Conclusion: This is a GM book primarily, though a few of the archetypes are nice for a PC. It is a very good GM book, useful if you want any kind of constructs in your game.


Automantions, Clockworks, Golems, and Robots...Oh My!

4/5

Not what I was expected but interesting non the less. I really like the automations, too bad they came around so late in 1e's life time. The book is more a min-bestiary + players companion then a campaign setting book but I could always use more monsters so that is okay with me.


A year late and not really worth the wait

1/5

I was incredibly excited when this was announced last year, as I love constructs and playing characters who make them, however this was mostly a letdown.

Most of the archetypes are just terrible, some like the Paladin one are unbelievably bad, trading away class abilities do something the altered/ruined smite already does. The Wizard one trades away all bonus feats among other things, in return for...a bonus feat. And +50% cost/time to every construct they ever make. Truly amazing.

The bard archetype however I will say was very interesting, though it's weird they gave bards the new way to reanimate constructs.

Alchemist can now kill themselves as an immediate action, so that's great. 1 con drain to heal a homunculus 1d6HP per drain. Phenomenal.

Additionally, in combat healing of constructs is still at the same awful level it's always been at. Fast healing 5,and 10 minutes of greater mending. Have fun.

Hurray.

The one good thing to come of this book are some of the new Templates for constructs, but most of the interesting ones are priced high enough as to mostly be DM territory. Steam was great though, as was the repaired one.

Somewhere between 1-2 of 5 stars, but we round down in Pathfinder.


Flavorful if not Accessible to Players

3/5

This book is...ok.
More of a GM's book than a PC's

While it presents a number of construct related character options, it doesn't really make coructs any more accessible for PCs; you still need to be quite high level and exorbitantly rich to really get into them.
Those who thought they would finally be able to march their golem army like the necromancer's shambling horde or the conjurist's heavenly legion are going to be disappointed.

A good chunk of the book focuses on Shory constructs.
An interesting bit of lore, but one ultimately tied to artifacts, making following in the Shory's footsteps a thing that serves best as a campaign focus rather than a PC option in any existing Adventure Paths.
That said, they are pretty cool.

The character options for construct flavored characters are...well, lukewarm.
There are better options in a number of preexisting books.

All in all, good for a GM or if you REALLY want to make a golemmancer.
If you have a casual taste in constructs, I can't really recommend.


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Scarab Sages Webstore Coordinator

1 person marked this as a favorite.

Announced for November! Description and image are not final and subject to change.


Unexpected, but far from unwelcome. This may have role in my plans somewhere.


2 people marked this as a favorite.

I cannot tell you how long I've been waiting for a book like this to come out.

Here's hoping it plays nice with alchemists that took that one discovery to let them make constructs.

Silver Crusade

Hmm...


Sounds interesting.


This could be awesome as constructs are often under used by PCs


I want to create robots out of living creatures... =/


The Gold Sovereign wrote:
I want to create robots out of living creatures... =/

Like Dr. Frankenstein?


John Kretzer wrote:
The Gold Sovereign wrote:
I want to create robots out of living creatures... =/
Like Dr. Frankenstein?

No! No... Not like him... Well... Yes... But you know, in a lawful good way. =)

What I really meant was that we already have rules to create robots out of other constructs, but not out of other corporeal creatures.

Dark Archive

5 people marked this as a favorite.

This seems more like something for the Players Companion line imo...

Verdant Wheel

Suspicious ...


2 people marked this as a favorite.

It's easy to see why it fits the Campaign Setting line better. It isn't centered or limited to PC options and we are probably getting lots of GM content to create constructs unique to our settings. Maybe there's also a lot of flavor texts, just like a revisited book.


Interesting.


Weird but interesting!


I love it!


John Kretzer wrote:
The Gold Sovereign wrote:
I want to create robots out of living creatures... =/
Like Dr. Frankenstein?

Frankenstein's Monster had no tech in it, if it did it'd be a cyborg unless totally tech - it'd be maybe an intelligent zombie-type (ghoul?)

Dark Archive

1 person marked this as a favorite.
The Gold Sovereign wrote:
It's easy to see why it fits the Campaign Setting line better. It isn't centered or limited to PC options and we are probably getting lots of GM content to create constructs unique to our settings. Maybe there's also a lot of flavor texts, just like a revisited book.

You're probably right.

This is just a little unexpected, i was expecting another regional book like maybe Varisia or Taldor... ;-)


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Marco Massoudi wrote:
The Gold Sovereign wrote:
It's easy to see why it fits the Campaign Setting line better. It isn't centered or limited to PC options and we are probably getting lots of GM content to create constructs unique to our settings. Maybe there's also a lot of flavor texts, just like a revisited book.

You're probably right.

This is just a little unexpected, i was expecting another regional book like maybe Varisia or Taldor... ;-)

Indeed!

For November, I was expecting something that would lead us into the next Adventure Path. A regional book, the next unleashed/revisited book or even another book for one of the realms.

As I really like constructs and do think that player have a small number of options on how to use them - at least less than I would like - I'm really happy with this book.

Maybe its too early for the next Pathfinder campaign setting book, and by that I mean a book about something strongly related to the setting.


1 person marked this as a favorite.
Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
The Gold Sovereign wrote:
John Kretzer wrote:
The Gold Sovereign wrote:
I want to create robots out of living creatures... =/
Like Dr. Frankenstein?

No! No... Not like him... Well... Yes... But you know, in a lawful good way. =)

What I really meant was that we already have rules to create robots out of other constructs, but not out of other corporeal creatures.

Corpses are objects, so can be made into animated objects, and the robot subtype can be applied to any construct...

Grand Lodge

6 people marked this as a favorite.

I'd love to play a character that was similar to a summoner with eidolon but was more of a Alchemist or wizard with construct. Sort of a character that was constantly fiddling with creation. His construct would evolve with upgrades.


1 person marked this as a favorite.

Ah, nice. My favorite golem is the Alchemical! Love the weird look and random bombs.


Now this is something unexpected. I highly approve.


I have to second all the 'this is unexpected' reactions. Still, construct fans will surely be delighted. It will be interesting to learn just what nations/regions on Golarion are more construct-heavy than others.


It is interesting that this is a campaign setting book.


Dragon78 wrote:
It is interesting that this is a campaign setting book.

It'll need lots of construct stats, so it's probably still the best line for it. Constructs are a weird player/GM intersection.

Grand Lodge

How many pages will this book have?

Paizo Employee Pathfinder Society Lead Developer

2 people marked this as a favorite.
Herald wrote:

How many pages will this book have?

Except in rare circumstances (a few hardcover books the 96-page Inner Sea Faiths), our Pathfinder Campaign Setting line has involved 64-page books.

Grand Lodge

I'd like to see rules about creating intelligent constructs, perhaps something on par with intelligent items.

Contributor

Adding to my wishlist


Will this book have stats for new and/or variant constructs?

Grand Lodge

Will we see anything about the clockwork cathedral in this book?


1 person marked this as a favorite.

Yes, I've been waiting for this. We've been sorely lacking in additional / variant rules for construct building as well as additional options to use in their construction.

I wonder if this manual will settle the question on whether it's morally okay for good-aligned spellcasters to make use of elemental spirits to empower golems though?


Going to have to take a think about whether it's worth the hassle to cancel my subscription for one month in November. Not the kind of book I'm interested in when I buy things in the Campaign Setting line.

Dark Archive

ah a player of mine is going to flip seeing this, his construct focused character just retired


I'm not at all surprised to see a Construct-focused CS book. The Ruins of Azlant AP will be on the publishing schedule then, and Azlant appears to have used a lot of clockwork Constructs. (Thassilon certainly did in the beginning - see the Shattered Star AP.)


i hope they include salvage rules for destroyed constructs, recycle /waste not want not.

Also rules to incorporate special materials into constructs and of course the most important thing , wizard battlegolem armor for paper tigers...

different construct building legacys types such as clockwork, dwarven, druidic/fey , demonic/hellish/cheliaxian ,gnomish ,aztalani and undead constructs.

Hopefully maybe a conversion to pathfinder of the 3.5 ebberon artificer class.

Silver Crusade

1 person marked this as a favorite.

Would like to see a wizard archetype that trades in Arcane Bond for a construct minion that scales as if an Animal Companion.

Perhaps Knowledge Arcana should be used to push in the same way that Animal Handling is?


Well if they gave a wizard a construct minion that scales as an animal companion, they would have give up more then just arcane bond...a lot more.

Dark Archive

2 people marked this as a favorite.

I love crafting. Not like H.P. but more like H.P. In a world where magic can solve literally every problem, it seems like a magic creator would do exceptional business. It seems like Golarion treats these folks as finger-waggling nerds or pious conduits or bestial drunkards who dabble in making baubles or trinkets.

I would love to play a character that makes widgets. Let's take a toaster for example. I don't want to spend my time studying whats-its or praying to whose-its or guzzling brews-its to build a toaster. I want a character that applies trial and error to toaster building, adds in a bit of world-magic or god-magic or booze-magic and boom! Toaster complete!

Let's get more practical: In the real world potable water is a big problem. There is a divine spell that purifies food and drink. Cool. What if I made my own reverse-osmosis water purification unit? What if I took high pressure water, a double-baffle filtration system, and the impurities made their way out of my drinking water. That gadget would be amazing!

The technomancer takes over the machines of somewhere else. Cool! How can that become an innate part of Golarion, with characters making the machines (or tools, or magical effects, or transportation, or you name it) as a fundamental aspect of the class.

Can we get a class or prestige class dedicated to crafting? Is that possible?

I know the Artificer from Eberron is not close to OGL, but the concept is pretty straightforward. A widget-maker.

Why do I have to study all these other things, or pray to some deity, or be possessed by infernal blood to make a widget?

The investigator takes a very direct approach to science, study, and practical application. Is there room in the game for a Creator class?

This is probably a terrible place to channel my enthusiasm, but I really would like it to work. I know it's incompatible with PFS on a variety of levels, but the modern world celebrates inventors. Thomas Edison has had global impact, and the Wizard of Menlo Park (purportedly) didn't have any magic! What could be done in Golarion?

Dark Archive

I hope this book has prices & construction requirements for "upgrades" for existing constructs like:
-armor plating (there is for instance an "armored clay golem" in book 5 of Rise of the Runelords),
-shielding - lesser & greater (so that you won't recognize a construct as one with detect magic or arcane sight),
-insulation (protection from/immunity to one energy type)
and so on, to make more variants possible.


At the very least this book should include an updated and holistic list of all of the qualities an Animated Object can purchase with their Construction Points. A few more Construct Modifications wouldn't hurt either.

Really though I just want rules for constructing and piloting a 50-foot tall Eveng-I mean "Animated Object"... I.E. we need a Cockpit Modification that subjects the construct to an effect similar to Possession.


When the description mentions "variations and modifications", does that mean we get some stat blocks?


I would like to see less feats. Or at the very least less +1 feats. We have too many of those imo. For all that's holy please don't include something like this

http://www.realmshelps.net/charbuild/classes/prestige/realms/techsmith.shtm l

What I mean is don't make constructs available to players so nerfed. I played the above prestige class and I think I had to be 10th or was it 12 th level or higher to get that class. The gondsman class feature was so badly nerfed. The upgrades for it so pitiful it was not worth taking imo. My Dm allowed me to change classes when the Gondsman was destroyed by a pit trip. I'm not saying offer broken options. Just make sure the crunch matches the fluff.


I wonder why this a campaign setting book.


Dragon78 wrote:
I wonder why this a campaign setting book.

Because it is probably more for creating interesting opponents for players than necessarily allowing players lots of construct options. The construct builder feat was in the bestiary after all.

Paizo Employee Creative Director

6 people marked this as a favorite.
Dragon78 wrote:
I wonder why this a campaign setting book.

Because constructs are generally intended to be creatures you fight or tools used by GMs for adventures; that's why "Craft Construct" appears in the Bestiary, not the Core Rules. Player characters CAN build them, but this is generally a "Get permission from the GM first" rather than a core assumption that's always available.

Plus, with the Campaign Setting line, we get twice as much room to conver the subject, and can put in a LOT more flavor and world lore.


Well since it is a campaign setting book doesn't that mean it will cover specific places in Golarion that dealing with constructs?


will there be any android specific stuff in here? they're kinda constucts

Liberty's Edge

i don't know. being an android that is constructed and a construct are not exactly the same thing. but if their are, i am sure that there will be at least one that has you trade out your limb or hand for some form of weapon. Kind of like in blood will tell, a game based on a manga where one of the main characters is a ronin that has had all of his body parts replaced with substitutes after they were stolen by demons to fulfill the dark cost of a bargain made by his father.

Maybe I just like the idea of asking the gm after my character loses an arm, "so how much money do i need to get a robot arm that has a culverin or smaller firearm built in to it. if not, when might i have the chance to have my arms replaced with a blade built into them."


Pathfinder Starfinder Roleplaying Game Subscriber
ErisAcolyte-Chaos jester wrote:

i don't know. being an android that is constructed and a construct are not exactly the same thing. but if their are, i am sure that there will be at least one that has you trade out your limb or hand for some form of weapon. Kind of like in blood will tell, a game based on a manga where one of the main characters is a ronin that has had all of his body parts replaced with substitutes after they were stolen by demons to fulfill the dark cost of a bargain made by his father.

Maybe I just like the idea of asking the gm after my character loses an arm, "so how much money do i need to get a robot arm that has a culverin or smaller firearm built in to it. if not, when might i have the chance to have my arms replaced with a blade built into them."

Technology Guide has you covered. Though I would appreciate a version for clockwork prostheses as well...

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