I'd say no, at least not without breaking the familiar bond.
The reason for that is that familiars are not meant to be unstoppable juggernauts of destruction. That's why you're generally limited to stuff like cats and toads, and even imps and flying helmets require a certain caster level and a feat (and neither imps nor flying helmets are that powerful).
So I fear you have no more a chance to get your super-humungulus familiar than I have a chance to get the Terrasque as my familiar. But a man can hope! :)
The homunculus that will be my familiar has to be created by me (or for me). Can I create with extra or different abilities? Can abilities be added to it with the "craft construct" feat?
A regular homunculus behaves in many ways like a familiar (with shared senses and life forces, etc) but is not one by default. There are rules in various places, 3.5 products etc, for improving their HD, since it is generally static, not increasing when your character's HD increase. Generally it is 2000gp per HD increase in materials and is limited to a maximum of your character's HD.
A homunculus gained as an improved familiar does gain HD like all other familiars, so it doesn't use the same rules. being able to ADD HD on top of what they already get would be a bit wacky, and probably somewhat over powered.
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After looking at it I have come to the conclusion that there is nothing (By RAW) that prevents you from doing this.
Additionally, if you were to do it in one of my own games, I would let you, in fact I may very well ENCOURAGE you to if only because it is pretty neat. Yes it allows you to increase your power but it is at a loss of gold to acquire this. Personally I would only let you increase its HD up to your own total HD but other than that I see nothing wrong with it.
I'd say no, at least not without breaking the familiar bond.
The reason for that is that familiars are not meant to be unstoppable juggernauts of destruction. That's why you're generally limited to stuff like cats and toads, and even imps and flying helmets require a certain caster level and a feat (and neither imps nor flying helmets are that powerful).
So I fear you have no more a chance to get your super-humungulus familiar than I have a chance to get the Terrasque as my familiar. But a man can hope! :)
Flying helmet, you say? That sounds very, very fun. Can you please tell me where the rules are for taking an animated object as a familiar?
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I'd say no, at least not without breaking the familiar bond.
The reason for that is that familiars are not meant to be unstoppable juggernauts of destruction. That's why you're generally limited to stuff like cats and toads, and even imps and flying helmets require a certain caster level and a feat (and neither imps nor flying helmets are that powerful).
So I fear you have no more a chance to get your super-humungulus familiar than I have a chance to get the Terrasque as my familiar. But a man can hope! :)
Flying helmet, you say? That sounds very, very fun. Can you please tell me where the rules are for taking an animated object as a familiar? [/QUOTE
It's from the bestiary 2 I believe, it is a specific creature not actually a construct but its body is in the shape of a helmet with wings.
I'd say no, at least not without breaking the familiar bond.
The reason for that is that familiars are not meant to be unstoppable juggernauts of destruction. That's why you're generally limited to stuff like cats and toads, and even imps and flying helmets require a certain caster level and a feat (and neither imps nor flying helmets are that powerful).
So I fear you have no more a chance to get your super-humungulus familiar than I have a chance to get the Terrasque as my familiar. But a man can hope! :)
Flying helmet, you say? That sounds very, very fun. Can you please tell me where the rules are for taking an animated object as a familiar? [/QUOTE
It's from the bestiary 2 I believe, it is a specific creature not actually a construct but its body is in the shape of a helmet with wings.
Oh hell yes. I was already buying this tonight because I have an enormous infatuation with the Inevitables, and now it's just going to make my sinister wizards that much cooler.
Best Paizo book, I'm sure - aside from the Core Rules. Heading to the store right now! :D
The homunculus that will be my familiar has to be created by me (or for me). Can I create with extra or different abilities? Can abilities be added to it with the "craft construct" feat?
You know, I should have listed "more about familiars" in the thread, "What do you want from Ultimate Magic". I'd love to see a whole category of feats to follow up on Improved Familiar.
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I was actually looking through the Improved Familiar selections, and a few other things. One recommendation I've seen was for Imp and Quasit familiars because they have Invisibility as an at-will ability. How hard would it be to create a Homunculus with the same ability? Would using the Magic Item Creation rules during the construction process allow one to imbue a Homunculus with extra spell-like abilities, such as Invisiblity, Grease or Message at-will?
What about modified Animated Objects or Tiny Iron Cobras or other constructs as familiars? I've been wanting to try to figure out some sort of clockwork familiar, so something made of metal or wood instead of the typical "flesh" homunculus. Anybody know of any, or have ideas?
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You could apply the clockwork construct modifiers from the Inner Sea World Guide, provided you have access to the book :] It's a bit more expensive, but pretty cool stuff.
Or you could just re-flavor the homunculus to be a whirring little clockwork construct, which is what I did. There's not really anything in its stats that make it obviously organic, as I recall.
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As a familiar has half the Hp of his master of its own, whatever is larger and the HD of his master or its own, whatever is larger, for spell effects, I would say that adding HD to a homunculus familiar will have a small effect, mostly adding a few skill points.
It is possible to add other abilities to the homunculus but it is very hard to make it even a "unstoppable juggernauts of destruction" going that way. Giving it appropriate magic items generally would be more efficient.
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Where does it state that you can only improve a construct's HD x1.5?
I created a 7HD Homunculus last year for my wizard as his familiar. Took all the crafting feats and skills, and drew up different body parts and everything. It was his (and my!) obsession. Although that campaign is no longer around, it would be a shame if it never should have happened to begin with.
Nefreet:
If you build a construct from scratch you can build it with whatever HD you want (and can afford). But in Ultimate Magic the rules on upgrading existing constructs limit HD increases to adding an extra number of HD equal to 1/2 of the original HD of the construct.
Of course, this has caused no small amount of confusion and debate.
- Gauss
*grinds teeth*
Forgot about that. It's +2k each to make a homunculus with more HD.
Well then! I'm never constructing a homunculus with less than 4 HD, just in case the rules for modifying constructs come into effect once the little bastard is up and running.
Sorry for dredging this topic back up but can you actually modify a homunculus once it's been created? I believe by RAW you can only modify an inert golem; leads to wonder if you can turn a homunculus off?
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/building-and-modifying-constructs
In particular -
"Construct Modifications
Standard constructs can be modified to enhance their base abilities, alter their appearance or function, or perform a variety of tasks beyond the intentions of their basic designs. Performing a modification provides a construct’s creator with a simple way to create a unique construct. A modification can only be performed while the construct is inanimate or nonfunctioning."
Rumtum, yes you can modify a construct once it has been created. However the construct can only have up to +50% hitdice added. This is in the rules on constructs in Ultimate Magic.
The debate is not if you can modify it but how much can you modify it by. The rules in the bestiary indicate you can keep adding hitdice but the rules in Ultimate Magic indicate you can only add +50%. I think many of us are figuring it is the difference between 'during creation = unlimited' and 'after creation = limited number of extra HD'.
- Gauss
Rumtum:
At any time, a construct’s creator can deactivate a construct under his control with a touch and a standard action.
- Gauss
Rumtum:
At any time, a construct’s creator can deactivate a construct under his control with a touch and a standard action.- Gauss
Ahhhh! Exactly what I was looking for. Many thanks Gauss ;)
And yea I can see how the contradictions are confusing.
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Now, during it's initial construction, you can add as much extra HD as you can afford. This includes doing to the point that it increases in size.
If you try to add additional HD later, through Construct Modifications, you can only add x1.5 HD.
That's something people get confused about when adding HD to a Construct.
A homunculus is more grown than built so i would say that HD addition is only during inital creation and may not be modified later.
Think of it as a half baked mini clone.
A homunculus is more grown than built so i would say that HD addition is only during inital creation and may not be modified later.
Think of it as a half baked mini clone.
Things that are grown tend to keep growing with the proper resources/nutrition/whatever. Not saying what you said is a bad thing though.
Still, a familiar capable of grappling Colossal creatures... (:<
While that is true, you still have to beat the target's CMD. Size bonuses to Strength and CMB checks helps with that a lot.
What I am curious about is what happens when you try applying Leadership to a familiar. How much would it be strengthened? Could you use both Improved Familiar and Leadership on your familiar?
The reason I ask is that I have noticed familiars tend to be super fragile especially in the upper levels.
Where are the rules/debates about being able to increase construct hit dice by more than 1.5?
I want to know more.
So say you wanted to create a homunculus spy (that remains tiny) - how would you guy's go about it.
My info might be off here as I'm kinda rushing this but a 6HD hom... let's call him Vito, would have an extra 8 skill points to distribute as well as two feats.
Alertness and Skill Focus: Perception?
Bumps Perception from 3 to 8. Add another 5 from leveling taking it to 13.
Tac the rest of the skill points (3) on to Stealth taking it from 12 to 15.
Or Fleet perhaps to improve it's base movement?
I popped into this thread for ideas on how to "enhance their base abilities", not necessarily their HD. Is there a database of powers you can snap onto a homonculus once its created? I'm looking at this from a GM perspective to explain fun new monsters, not necessarily as a player w/a familiar.
The general rule is: max 1.5 * Original HD
The specific rule is: Homunculus costs 2000 gp per extra HD, no limit
Specific trumps General, so you can add HD up to your wealth. Just remember, wealth spent on the critter is not wealth spent on your character.
A Homunculus familiar is a standard improved familiar. The base Homunculus can be improved, and the familiar template applied.
The flying helmet is an Cassisian Angel
/cevah