New build, help needed


Advice


I want to play a character focused on building constructs. From what I've seen, the Wizard is pretty much the only class that really works with it.

I will have to play a dwarf, which is not ideal, so I can't get access to bonus feat and skills granted by human race.

1. Given that I have to spend my 3rd level feat for "Craft Wondrous items", my 5th level feat for "Craft Magical Arms and Armors" and my wizard bonus feat at fifth level for "Craft Construct", all I can pick is my first level feat. Any suggestion?

2. I'm thinking about the Arcane Bomber archetype. I'm a bit worried tho for two reasons:
- the familiar can help with crafting, which is great
- I have to pick 4 opposition schools, which sucks since I'll need spells from different schools to craft.
Is it worth it? Also it's unclear to me if the bomb gets stronger with levels or not.

3. There are plenty of great constructs, but not many affordable ones at lower levels (5-7). Which ones do you prefer?

any other tip is appreciated


Alchemist can skip lots of pre reqs with Promethean Disciple discovery.

But definitely not a fan of 4 opposition schools. Base wizard can work. It is not ideal but universalist has this sub-school. Gives you a feat at level 3 for craft wondrous item. It replaces the level 1 power. Great trade off. The downside is no specialization school spells. But with all the crafting feats your party Should have plenty of money for you to craft enough scrolls to get you by.

I recommend the spark of creation trait so you craft for 5% less. It's pretty good in the long run of a campaign with lots of crafting. Match it with a gold effiency item like a blessed book.


Check out the investigator Scavenger archetype. It also works fairly well

Another option is Arcanist if you prefer spontaneous casters. You still get Craft Constructs at lv5

Iron Priest clerics and Forgemaster Warpriests are divine caster classes that work

From an optimization perspective arcane bomber is terrible. The damage is low, you get no school slots or powers, and 4 opposition schools hurts. For some reason there is no actual artificer archetypes

The largest problem artificers face is crafting time. Look for ways to increase craft speed or get that magic +5. Valet archetype familiars are a big help. As is crafting yourself sets of +5, +10, +15 etc tools. Leadership feats can help. Also ask your dm how much he charges for appropriate hirelings

Consider an Ioun weird as your familiar. Also clockwork familiar as an improved familiar

I must say that I prefer clockwork creatures. Your better off investing heavily in 1 big construct than a several smaller ones. If you want some early ones go for Clockwork servants to service your later works. At higher levels you can keep much of your investment going via transmute golem. Also always keep a scroll of memory of function on hand

Check out WilliamOak's guide for some more stuff


1) Spell Focus, Improved Initiative, and Toughness are pretty easy picks.

2) The Arcane Bomber is the worst of the worst. The Wizard has the worst archetype selection of any class in the game, and the Arcane Bomber is one of the worst Wizard archetypes. If you want to blow things up, just be an Evoker.

3) Animated Objects are awesome; cheaper, more cost effectively, and more customizable.

I second checking out Williamoak's construct guide


I did think about Promethean Disciple discovery, but my DM says Alchemist don't have a Caster Level, so I wouldn't be able to craft everything that requires it. Also I'm very limited in the spells I know, and wouldn't have a familiar to help with the crafting.
The Arcane Crafter seems great!
I already have spark of creation. As for blessed book, I have no idea what that is. I'll have to look it up!

Investigator Scavenger sounds fun, but it has the same problem of the alchemist: no caster level.
I'll have to look up the Iron Priest and Forgemaster Warpriest, but I know we already have a divine spell caster in the group, while we lack an arcane one. So I'm more inclined towards the wizard.
I don't think Leadership is allowed, but I'll definitely ask for the hirelings, thanks!
The Clockwork familiar sounds great! I'll get it as soon as I hit lvl 7. As for the Ioun Weird, I like the idea that it's a construct; which Ioun stone would you suggest? (I don't have a huge budget, so most likely cracked ones)

I think toughness could come in handy; my hp and ac is pretty low.
It seems like Arcane Bomber is out of question then.
Is there a list of animated objects to take ideas from or something?

Thanks for the guide. I'll check it out right now!


Psion (shaper) with advanced constructs and boost constructs feats.


Lady Platypus wrote:

I did think about Promethean Disciple discovery, but my DM says Alchemist don't have a Caster Level, so I wouldn't be able to craft everything that requires it. Also I'm very limited in the spells I know, and wouldn't have a familiar to help with the crafting.

The Arcane Crafter seems great!
I already have spark of creation. As for blessed book, I have no idea what that is. I'll have to look it up.

Here is what Promethean Disciple actually says about the CL issue.

Promethean Disciple wrote:


Benefit: An alchemist with this discovery learns how to craft constructs by way of alchemical research rather than arcane magic. The alchemist gains Craft Construct as a bonus feat without needing to meet its requirements. The alchemist substitutes his number of ranks in Craft (alchemy) for his total caster level and must use Craft (alchemy) to create the construct. The DC to create the construct still increases for any necessary spells that the alchemist does not have access to. However, the alchemist can use extracts in place of spells as spell prerequisites.

Paizo actually wants you to be able to craft constructs as an alchemist. Your DM is splitting hairs as the paizo team has FAQed how they intend to fix the issue so the class can do what they intend for it to do. They want it to work like when Alchemist creates a potion. Your DM deffinatly needs to research the matter better.

Here is the blessed book. What I like to do is buy cheap premade spellbooks and then make the blessed book my master copy with all my spells. I tend to like clone so when I make my clone, I leave a scroll with secret chest with it and summon my Blessed book from the chest when I wake and recover the master copy when needed.


From my understanding, the Psion (shaper) with those feats focuses only on astral constructs.

I'll think about the Promethean Disciple, and see what my DM says.
The Blessed book sounds great!
I don't think I understood how you use the clone spell.


You can also ask for 3pp materials. the Artificer class can also get Craft Construct at 5th level as well as having lots of fun crafting stuff.
The Artisan can also gain Craft Construct at lvl 5 as well as gaining bonus pseudo-gold for creations, a very valuable asset as that will be one of your biggest limiters.

Gold is another thing that I think should be brought up. You only get an expected 4,500gp leveling up from 4 to 5 (plus whatever you saved before that), and often a good portion of this will come in the form of items that you pick up, not raw gold.
According to the Building and Modifying Constructs table as a quick reference you could build a medium animated object for about 2,250gp or a Mithral Cobra for 5k. Add in any modifications and them things are expensive!
This also means all your wealth is sitting next to you instead of on top of you, protecting you.

Also, Animate objects is a great Lesser-mans-Craft-Construct but its not on the wizards spell list (Why not!! Anyone seen Iconic Micky Mouse?). Maybe ask if the GM would be willing to add it to your list?
Check out Object Posession for a lower tier version.

Lastly, a few links, just to make sure you know of them all :)
Craft Construct Feat
Construct Type
Animate Object spell
Animated Objects
Building and Modifying Constructs
Shield Guardian
Construct listings
Cannon Golem, my favorite :)


Originally I was going to play the Artificer. But after my DM reworked it (because he thought it was too strong), I lost interest in it. According to him, it doesn't have a CL, so I can't take Craft Constructs. He did add it as a "bonus feat" of sort, but at level 14, which is way too down the road for me.
The Artisan is not allowed, unfortunately.

Beginning at 5th level, I actually start with the standard wealth, minus what I'll spend on equipment. I think I'll be left with something around 6k gp to spend on constructs at the beginning of the game.

If I'm not mistaken, I can ignore the "animate object" spell requirement with a +5 on the crafting DC. Or did I dream that?

Thank you for all the link, it's very helpful!!!

EDIT: Also, I'm thinking about the "Elemental Arcane school - Metal" for a wizard. It sounds fitting, and would give me mending as a cantrip, allowing me to spam it to repair my constructs whenever out of combat. What do you think? I would have Fire as an opposition school, which doesn't seem like something that comes up very often in crafting, does it?


Adventure Path Charter Subscriber; Pathfinder Rulebook, Starfinder Adventure Path, Starfinder Roleplaying Game, Starfinder Society Subscriber

The occultist isn't quite as good as wizard, lacking the bonus feat and the ability to learn any spell, but can still make a decent construct builder. And there are plenty of other things the character can do, as well.


The spell fabricate is amazing. I don't think it works on magic items, but definitely the mundane base. It allows you to craft something instantaneously. You still have to make a craft check.


Tinker(inner sea intrigue) alchemist archetype

As an investigator you could take master craftsman or whatever that muggle feat from core rulebook is called

Yeah that artificer is pretty crazy. Check about the 3.5 (eberon?) artificer with a few tweaks to the effects that use 3.5 exclusive mechanics(xp in item crafting). I let one of my players use it and it went pretty well


1. why do you have to be a dwarf?
2. master crafts man can net you craft wonderous and craft arms and armor with out needing caster levels you could ask your dm if it could also apply to constructs as well

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