Human Puppet's page

In our game we dont use 3p material. That being said, i have looked at most 3p crafting options that they give, and a lot of it is just ironed out/re-worded for QOL reasons that crafting imposes on people who try to utilize how good crafting really is. So if you allow these classes, more power to you. I havnt looked in-depth, as in number crunching, character builds, and weird class bonuses they give you in too much detail. But note when it comes down to it crafting is very strict and has great guidelines that are laid out to make everything disectable and easier to digest.

Now you said he wanted to use constructs. Is it because of this specific class(Tinker?), or is it because he wants to use constructs and found this class to serve his purpose. Either way, from what ive seen about Tinker, as well as other construct oriented class options out there, they look to good to be true on several levels. Theres certain aspects the creaters, i feel, put into the game to limit the way crafting is supposed to work in an adventuring scenario. Whether it be something simple like money, more janky like crafting time while traveling, and more complicated like CR distribution and severe crafting requirements. These are all put in to balance the fact that if all goes smoothly and according to plan, you have an end product that will be able to go 12 rounds in the ring with a martial PC.

If he wants to use constructs, theres ways to simplify all this crap that i had to learn. First off, just go off the basic bestiary construct list and construction requirements. Dont even touch custom constructs unless you want to achieve something specific, unless you want to do quite a bit of homework(which i wouldnt). These guidelines will give you solid on paper numbers to live by. Dont worry about modifications either. For the most part they're just basic ability, stat, or armor/wep modifications, but can get more complex. Templates are also an un-necessary, yet extremely fun, option. I could go on but i wont for fear of dragging on too long.

If this guy wants to use constructs, and as a GM you're cool with the idea then have fun with it. As a GM, you can do anything you want, so do that. Im sorry i couldnt be more helpful on the class itself, but constructs is something im (needlessly) versed in. Any questions feel free

adding tech/constructs into a game that has none to begin with can be challenging as well as awkward since its add a new dimension that wasnt there to begin with. However it sounds like you're completely on board with the idea(i assume), and you have an idea about how you want it to "look" as well as how to get it. For the past year i've been playing in a campaign as a construct crafter, and have taken a look into the 3p Tinker class.

Theres multiple ways to incorporate it, but thats not really worth addressing yet. Keep in mind balance. I dont know how familiar you are with construct crafting rules, and since this guy seems to be wanting to go that direction, theres some decision to be made as a GM. Theres several levels when it comes to making them that can really impact the balance of using something like that.

That being said, if when you run into the "automatons" in the ruins, and he starts replicating them, then you can get real personal with what your allowing him to have access to(good thing as a GM).

I'm currently in a very similar situation, but im a player. The whole group min-maxes and only wants to do combat, and "win" the game like we're competing or something instead of wanting to play an actual story driven game. I dont have an answer for it, but im trying something tomorrow. I've gotten an opportunity to GM 4-5 sessions based on my back story of my current character. Now im well aware of how my group likes to play, and im going to honor it to a point. Im going to focus on story and interactions. On plot, and decisions having key impact on how everything progresses.

Yeah theres players who play this game as a chess game instead of a story medium. And catering to there desires is a job that the GM feels they need to fill, but dont push it to far. Try and show them a good time in your own way, by accomplishing what your talking about. If they want pins to knock down, then make those pins but tie it in with the grand scheme of things, and evolve the game in response to how they react to social encounters and combat scenarios.

In the end, its going to be hard. But dont diminish your game so that you can make a dungeon crawler. Try and juggle both, and im sure everyone will have a great time while you show them how this game used to be. Best of luck

Throw them into scenarios. Make sure the NPCs around them have actual personalities and are able to react to what the PCs do. I find that it really helps having a response to even the simple things that PCs do on a regular basis, and not a "draw your sword cause you cast detect magic" sort of thing. More like, if your in a peaceful village, level 10 armored up hulking PCs walking through is going to warrant a response, even though not much has happened. Keep things visualized as a scene, keep in mind these badguys and civilian NPCs should be played and positioned with the intent of looking realistic.

Also, what i do, is i err on the side of talking, and making PCs make the first move, unless im specifically making an ambush encounter or something. And make that RP encounter sound and feel like a normal NPC, with some casual hints about what they are looking for. See what they do.

You can lead a gamer to mt dew but you cant make them drink. Sounds like a playstyle difference that could be insurmountable. If a talk doesnt steer things in the right direction prepare yourself to leave the game. If you do, be graceful its nobodies fault entirely why things dont work. Sometimes playstyles are simply incompatible.

I dont want to come across like theres just constant berating and strife between all the players. We all have stuck around for the full year because we really do have fun, and enjoy the sessions we play. I just wanted some advice on how to handle this over-arching situation thats been developing slowly. Im perfectly content switching up my style to suit there "needs" i guess, as i still will be having a blast. But i feel like theres better ways to play a pure hack n slash campaign, and if so wouldnt exactly be fun or varied if its just constant fights all the time.

This started small, and got bigger campaign wise. The game itself is really diverse and has a lot of depth, and moving parts. And i feel its getting dumb ed down to a level that's not fair to what the GM was trying to do in the first place.

My suggestion would be to come up with ways for the whole group to get involved with non combat stuff so everybody can shine. If you're going out solo use a message spell/wand to justify staying in radio contact and let the whole group collaborate in your decision making. Come up with a cool non-combat story arc that ties in to somebody else's backstory and makes them the center of attention.

The radio idea would be alright, but as a whole we stick together. Only time someone splits off, its me to see whats infront. The group is stacked with martials + a blaster. They stay together. And its easier said than done to come up with an arch that everyone gets tied in together, but im trying.

And, this is very important, everyone at the table is responsible for the fun of everyone else. Always. This is not a GM job. Even if you find a segment another character is having a bit boring, you should be supportive and cheering her on. If someone can't grasp this, I honestly believe they're in the wrong hobby.

I completely agree 100%. I've based my whole play around making what they do, and how they have fun, go more smoothly. ie. support/face buffer dude so the martials get big. Or get them to fights quickly and efficiently. Not only that, but i really am doing my best to try and relieve pressure from the GM, and make it to where he's not the focus of all there critics from lack of fighting.

This may be a long read, so let me start this off by saying i really am stumped and could really really use some advice from more experienced players.

tldr:Weekly sessions for a year. Pure hack n slash for said year. Didn't start out as that, just developed as the GM was further influenced by the moaning of specific players to be basically pure combat. GM made sandbox mode as to let us explore our own world, but has turned into, "what do we wanna fight next." I on the other hand have always played the face, or scout, or support character. I've tried adapting to there play style, and it doesn't make a difference. A whole new set of problems rise up when i do that. Im stuck..
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Ive only been playing for almost 2 yrs, but really actively. My group as a whole is less experienced except the GM, whom got into it exactly when i did. And all of us are really into it. The whole group is having fun, its pathfinder man who cant make there own fun in this game? Its great! Mr GM has been playing this campaign out with us for almost a year, and we play quite a bit. Weekly basis, very consistently. On top of that almost all of us have known each other way way before pathfinder.

The world that the GM is building is vast and expansive and alive. There's all these nations and wars, groups of pirates, peaceful nations and friendly people we know. There's supernatural beasts and spirits, and gods as well as outsiders. We've been sticking to one out of the 3 continents on the "globe," and have made quite the name for ourselves at level 9. This has been played since level 1, and he plans on going to 20. It's awesome. However thats not the point of this thread. Theres issues that ive been seeing ever since we started that have, for lack of a better word, festered and grown. Plus bad habits and mindsets that really limit how fun this game actually can be, and how vast it can get.

There's 5 people in the group, and then the GM, for a grand total of 6. I'm not saying all of them feel a certain way, but the loudest person is typically the one that gets heard.

The GM likes hack and slash, but like i said before world building and story lines is something he's really great at, and i feel like he's dug himself into a hole and we cant get ourselves out, and he's doing it to try and please the groups mindset. The campaign is extremely "sand-boxy" but there is an underlying story line and focus of the whole thing that is really being overshadowed greatly due to the mentality that everyone plays with. People want to fight, like always always. If we go literally 15 min without a fight, people start whining or talking, or being loud, or for all purposes not playing even though combat is not all there is to pathfinder. Theres so much more, and yes combat is basically the heart of the game, it ties everything together, but its not the whole damn meal.

Each and every session, within 20min of starting, the group is expecting and wanting a fight. Not only that, if there's ever a "dragging down" period of time, which they so lovingly call it, that lasts more than 15-20m, people start whining. Usually they clock out a lot sooner than that, but at least stay quiet till hopefully the 20m mark. So what is the GM supposed to do when this has happened every session, every week, for almost a whole year? He's doing the only thing he can, and its causing him to forget the campaign entirely. I want to see his story, and go through his world, but we cant.

In an attempt to steer us atleast towards a plot-line that would make sense and not just be a random, "hey lets go kill this rich monster for all that loot," i thought of a story arch that ties into the backstory of my character(a campaign i GMd, more story focused with a lot of fighting thrown in as per request..). So in character i asked them to help me with it, in exchange for all the crafting i do for them(literally months of crafting i've pumped out for each of them). Its ganna actually hold significance, and be character driven. Its gonna be dangerous and different. I've had this as his backstory ever since i brought him in, its not just random. So i feel since we've gotten to a slow point in the campaign story wise, we explore some rich backstory to keep it interesting.

They've taken this to mean, "lets go kill SPECIFIC things we want instead of waiting around for the GM to throw stuff at us." ie. "I think itd be cool to visit snow. Lets kill some ice giants or something.."

I just don't know what to do. I've been trying to adapt to the environment, or steer us back towards the core a bit. I don't know why change, or any semblance of something other than combat, is a bad thing..

Any thoughts?

right? Its a little awkward trying to make BOTH fit in. Im perfectly content to just use one in most scenarios, so i would build around TSS Fighter for simplicity sake. But as i read that archetype, it basically only reduces penalties(which is huge mind you, but only for offensive builds that use a Tower) and gives AC bonuses.

Thing is survivability isn't a weakness of my PC. In fact its quite the opposite, its easily my strongest quality. So trying to use these shields in an efficient manner is proving difficult seeing as really the only thing they accomplish is adding AC, which i dont need.

Im looking for a way to help my team stay alive

I know tower shields are generally not all that great, and if someone wants to do a shield oriented build there's other better ways of doing it. But my GM has given me a pair of intelligent tower shields. I want to make a shield build revolving around these two Tower sheilds, but i'm a little lost. I really wanna make it work, because the GM is really pumped about these shields, and when i go a long time without using them its a downer.

I'm in a very hard to describe spot right now character wise, but basically i can be anything i want, up to our party level, 9.

So any advice revolving around Towers? 2 of them.

side note: Even though he's a pacifist, hes not really. Its more a basic word i use to describe his attitude in and out of fights. He avoids confrontation, and lets his team do the heavy lifting. He doesnt run from fights, or try and stop them, but he doesnt actually get his hands dirty himself. Thats why defensive builds are my focus atm, and ill branch from there.

So it didn't turn out as pretty as it sounded, but here's the stat block for the monster I suggested. I was bored, so I went ahead and built it.

I built this as though it were an actual monster. I don't know if there are any strange adjustments because of your circumstances, but if there are, they are not included here. Just so you know.

** spoiler omitted **...

i love that so much! And oddly enough the CR is spot on for what i need. Dude, i never even thought about worm that walks as even a possibility, but now that you point it out so elegantly itll fit so perfect.

I'm ganna play around with that

THANKS

So if i understand it correctly NPCs that use class levels are made using -1CR(-2 if NPC class), while bestiary mobs have a flat CR rating that use HD differently. The creature that has class levels use its HD as level, while creatures can have higher HD at the same CR. On top of all that, templates can be added for various things that adjust CR for some added benefits. I'm playing a construct crafter wizard("Puppets"), and my GM gave me the go ahead to use the custom construct rules.

Help me make a body to house my soul!!

Here's the deal. My character has his own selfless goal that i've been working towards the entire time, and have been playing to fit this into his personality and play. At the end of the day, no matter why, he's transferring his soul into a construct using the soul focus(Soulbound Shell) construct special ability.

Help me make a body to house my soul!!

Jack is a pacifist, and as far as play goes i've really abused dimension door quite a bit as a means to save people(party or otherwise). I want to make a body that can help me be incredibly defensive and unkillable. Not only that, but someway to abuse that fact. I like the thought of getting into melee with a singled out humanoid and casting Resilient Sphere, trapping him and me in a 10ft sphere where we can have some alone time, since there's no way a singular enemy would be able to hurt me, let alone kill.

Any fun defensive build ideas? Can be martial based, feats, monster abilities, class abilities, spells, etc..

Help me make a body to house my soul!!

i like shields

basically its the centipede synthesis, but with shields instead

Yeah my character has a lot of options in combat, but this specifically is something i really want to find a way to pull off. Goes like this

Invisibility/stealth/DD into position near target

Get into melee range

use Silent Rod to cast Resilient Sphere trapping me and target in about an 8ft diam sphere

drop animated object grappling trap, that sets itself up, then disables target

At which point is start talking.. Or reading his mind? Maybe looking for specific memories. Suggestion to make him want to talk on his own. Interrogate with a good Sense Motive check to see if he's lying.

greater invisibility could work

thanks for the swift reply

Looks like casting defensively is really my only option i have access to atm. I dont have access to feats/rods right now

I'm trying to find ways of casting Resilient Sphere around myself and a victim, trapping them in an enclosed space with me, whilst us both being protected from the outside forces. If i cast it in melee on me, my CL is high enough that there would be more than enough space for both me and the vic. So i was thinking of ways of getting it off. Simplest would obviously be casting defensively, but what if i stealth up behind him?

Would he be considered ff? Or would he still retain his dex bonus to AC because he's aware of combat but not of me? Would i provoke a regular AoO casting in melee if when i start my turn he is unaware of my presence?

I'd suggest, on a different note, that you beg the dm to text you information where the party would misuse your senses.

something like that would be awesome! really anything we can possibly do to help decrease the severe meta-gaming that's happening in this group would be a blessing.

I've had a couple days to come up with stuff, and i'm still stuck. I have some ideas, but nothing fits well with my PC. I don't have a main combat strategy anymore because to do a lot of the things i wanted, i had to liquidate my construct as well as the few wonder items i had.

That means no flying boots to constantly stay out of harms way, and no poison "stinger" to speak of. I'm meaning to replace them with a strategy that fits more into what i want to do, but can't settle on anything. This is what i got so far as a base for my thoughts:

Time passes differently in the demiplane than the real world. 1 day in the material plane, 10 days in the sanctuary. That gives me a lot of time to do whatever. I'm running with the Pains idea, because it fits my characters purpose. That means the transferring of my soul to a construct, with perfect memory and personality retention.

I can't decide if i want to have that as a backup strategy for if i die, or to do it willingly. The thing is, in the long time that we've played, the GM has killed a grand total of 1 PC in combat, and it was the players own fault. Sure people have been scrapped story line wise if they want to play another character or something, but in the almost year that they've played(i've played about 3-4 months) there's only been 1 legit death.

With a new body i can completely remake my whole combat strategy. It'd be way limited in the fact that it doesnt have any class levels, but id still be casting what a level 8 wizard would be, plus having all the raw base stats a good construct has. Meaning i can cast all these pre-determined spells, and i can do some martial stuff if i wanted. Also id have a bigger total HP pool than anyone in our group by a considerable amount, and all the construct immunity's would come into play(minus the mind effects). No fatigue, or disease. No need to breath, or sleep. Not that this would ever happen, but if it came down to it, with this shell alone, im pretty confident that i could win in a fight against any one of our groups PCs. Which makes me positive nothing the GM throws at us with the intention of a fight would be scary enough to worry about.

This of course comes with a monster list of draw backs that i wont go into, except the top 3. Main ones are cemented mind, saving throws, and cost. Cemented minds would take away all the bonuses of playing a wizard, with no benefits. I'd have to choose all my prepared spells at the time of creation, and there's no changing it. On top of that, i should mention, that i wont be leveling as a construct. I'd have to make a better body to keep scaling. But i can deal. Next is saving throws. With a big HP pool, if i get hit its no big deal, plus fort save doesn't really matter because for the most part ill be immune to most effects that use it. Will save is a big hindrance, because i will be becoming really really hard to kill now, and from a GM standpoint you start having to choose very specific answers to it(any mind effect, soul capturing spells, control constructs spells would work, etc). These all use Will save, which as a construct(even one with a soul) will be a crap save. Finally cost. Just the base cost of this thing is a crap ton, which is certainly to be expected. On top of that, the CR is on par with the CL of it, so i don't get to customize any abilities into it unless I'm willing to reduce my casting capabilities. Which I'm not. With the money spent on this thing, i can make a construct that would make my so called "stinger" bot look like a paper weight.

In pathfinder though there's no real way to transport constructs without them really just walking around with you, until much higher levels with call construct or the like. So i want to turn myself into a weapon. A Human Puppet so to speak

My PC is a level 8 Wizard who very rarely gets his hands dirty. He's kind of a pacifist in the sense he doesnt kill, but obviously hanging out with an adventuring group usually leads to quite a bit of violence. Something i like to do is intel gathering/extracting. If we get into a fight with some thugs, and are winning, ill find some way to suppress and isolate an enemy and start picking at his brain while my team deals with everything else.

What are some good ways for a caster like myself to get useful info from 1 on 1 encounters like that? My DCs are really good, and im in a unique position atm to re-distribute feats and such, so i need help deciding on what to focus. Being level 8 i have up to level 4 spells, though level 4 is pretty much filled up.

What are some favorites some of you guys use? And it doesnt have to be spells obviously. I find it useful just talking rationally with them, or even intimidate.

If a creature is grappled by a friendly can i attempt to pin said creature? On the same thought, if a creature is getting pinned by a friendly, can i tie him up? Or do all these maneuvers have to be performed by the creature that initiated the grapple?

Let me start this out by saying i love role-playing and character building. My favorite part of the game is interactions between not only the story characters, but party members as well. Having motivations and depth make this game more fun than it already is. With that said though, the party i've been playing with for a while have a different approach, and drastically different gut responses to situations.

Party consists of 5 players including me. All 4 of the PCs are pure combat, whether that be anvil, tactics oriented, or flat DPR. That's how there characters are built, and that's how they find enjoyment in the game. Every session has multiple, time consuming, combat encounters that make up the majority(if not the entirety) of play. GM himself has been more hack-n-slash oriented anyways, but i feel takes it even higher to try and please the combat junkies in the group. It's gotten to the point that players don't even talk in character ever anymore cause we're not used to it. We meta-game the entire session, because if we only talked in character, nothing would get done. It's not a conscious decision by anyone, but with so many session being this combat packed, it's developed and gotten really really bad.

Combat is fun, but it's not how i choose to play. As a build, my PC could go so many different directions, including pure DPR. I'm playing a crafting Wizard, and in the campaign i have access to a lot of time/money, so i'm able to utilize it to the fullest. But when i made the character i had a very specific image/idea behind it. Even further, to let our GM play a game i took over, and GMd my own one-shot. They didn't know till the end, but this was the back-story for my character, Jack. The game itself was very role-play focused and organic. There was a small scuffle i through in as a response to there actions, and then a final fight. The rest was story/environment.

short version of Jacks back-story from his POV

This was about 4-5 months ago, and even before then have been playing my character matching this personality. We've been taking a break from the main campaign for a while so i had the time to write this stuff out, and i showed both my GM and the player that my character connects with the most, thinking that if he was gonna tell anyone it'd be him.

I have some ideas, but how should i go about playing this character in a group that's so, for lack of a better word, violent? Any creative thoughts? He's a level 8 Wizard, a crafter, a silent pacifist, and is wholeheartedly devoted to a goal.

whats the governing body look like? I did something similar in which i had to set up on paper trade/money-paper-trail that a secret council tended to. This was Katapesh though, and there's more solid information about how it works over there, being a nation built on monetary possession.

'Crown.' Do the ruling royals control the finances in the kingdom? I assume they do. Because of this it might be/should be harder for a regular adventurer to buy something like that, as apposed to a privatized business.

If so, there can be a good diplomacy/trade plot-line in there. If Taldor is in a very real and visible decline, it might make sense for them to "sell" off power in exchange for money and services. Being an adventuring group, any popularity/power they have would be known to people of power, and i'm sure theyd be willing to align themselves with the party to help the empire.

As a GM, you can do many different things. Just think about it as a whole. Whats Taldors stance? Go from there

EDIT: I'd also recommend leaning on the side of arch oriented play. As in, instead of putting a price tag and calling it a day, maybe there can be a known collection of treasures valuable to the Royals that they lost possession of and don't have the man-power/strength/balls to get it back. Or, assuming Taldor hasn't made nice with any and everyone, there can be some international style requests that fit there main goal. Probably the revitalization of a once great empire.

I make a construct. Because the construct is not functioning until i finish it that means theres no build up. It's not a creature that grows, or something that gets HD over time. Two stages, pile of junk, then functioning construct.

Does this mean that when i select feats for a construct that has an intelligence score that lets me get feats based on its HD, that i can select them using its final statistics to qualify?

Meaning i just have a total # of feats to spend, rather than, "heres its stats for lvl 1, what can i get? lvl 3/5/etc?"

thanks Shiroi! I originally started putting ideas down for combat encounters specifically due to how my party operates, and the GM that i've played with forever. Hack n slash is the name of the game, in fact its not uncommon for us to go multiple sessions in a row of pure combat. He likes grand scale. That being said my favorite thing to do is play the story side of things.

I love the RP aspect, and dialogue side of things. I put a lot of effort into doing things low-key, so to speak, rather than using lethal action as a response to everything.

If we are winning combat, which we pretty much always are because of my party, i do some talking trying to figure stuff out if someones not a threat. This usually yields little to no results though because of the GM. Because of how he knows my party as a whole goes about stories, he has a more streamline order of events making it seem like dungeon levels more than sandbox. He needs to do this to move forward though because of our history is entirely shoot first type. Im the minority. If im trying to talk to someone, but 4 people are in a killing mood, im usually ignored as a participant.

Sensory style play is my favorite though. With homunculus im able to keep an eye of many many different things, from many angles, and make decision based on that. My PC isnt designed for pure combat like my comrades. One thing i will say though, is my group meta-games entirely too much. What this means for me though, is any information i get through my many methods which i get based on how i built my PC on purpose, my team will use. Which often times will be something i would'nt do. A lot of times because of this, a common GM posed question after he tells me stuff that my PC see's himself would be, "do you say this to your party?" Im criticized for keeping information to myself in an attempt to steer us in a particular direction. And even if i do, its pretty easy for them to come up with excuses like, "well we were going there anyways" or if i learn some juicy gossip of a assasination target, all of a sudden they wont shoot first, but will start a convo with the info only i know.

If i isolate an enemy and spend my time subduing him and talking instead of slicing his throat, or using stealth/diplomacy focused methods, my team gets all this information, and will use it how they see fit(which is often different than how i would go about things).

Ok, ramble aside. I like stealth/sensory/skill focused constructs a lot.

A homunculus has bond senses with me. I can see/hear/feel anything he can. Since custom constructs are legal in this game i can get real creative with that fact alone quite easily. They also have a flight speed, but i can also give burrow and stealth skill focuses to make them infiltration specialists.

Believe me ive thought about it a lot, but im reluctant to spend too much on constructs that will see no use, or wield no results, due to the environment in which we play.

I have some time before our next session for the main home-brew that our group has been playing for about a year, while we play a side thing for a couple sessions. As far as in-game time goes, we decided on 3 months. Now I'm playing a crafting focused wizard, who builds constructs as his main combat role, so this extra time is a godsend. I play a utility focused role, and try to keep my buddies alive by being a problem solver/strategist, rather then a dpr or anvil/de-buffer. My PC himself really doesn't do a whole lot, and positions himself to react to threats that are directed towards our back-line Shaman PC. I use my construct as my "stinger" so to speak.

Up to this point I've only managed to build 1 construct. Simple soul-bound mannequin, with poisoned claws, flying, and 2 reactionary SLA's(mud-ball + stone-shield). In combat, I'm pretty versatile because 1. I'm a wizard, and 2. i have more rounds in combat than anyone else because of the extra bodies i command. This makes combat more varied, and fun. As such, i decided to do some combat analysis to help me decide how i want to spend these 3 months of free crafting time. My goal behind these constructs is to let my party members do what they do best. Each has there own strengths, and i want to find ways of letting them turn on the gas in combat, while i work in the background subtly making sure everything runs smoothly.

3 parts, run-down of PC choices and observations, combat description/example, then some construct ideas. The group as a whole deals with combat effectively, and dealing damage isn't an issue. Therefore i want to make sure they live during combat, rather than focus on dealing damage/help them deal damage. To note, this doesnt mean im making a specific construct for each party member to help them. I dont know how many im going to make, but im thinking about what they should do, then ill mix and match abilites to make full constructs.

-legal custom construct rules using average CR of level to determine balance-

5 players - dpr Bloodrager - CM Monk - Base Alchemist - Blaster Shaman - Construct Wizard

For fear of being long winded, i tried to keep the descriptions/combat short. The construct thoughts are more of ramblings, but putting them down is helping me think logically about what i can really contribute with this PCs skill-set i gave him. But I'm seeing how actually flawed most of my construct idea's are. I had them in my mind they might be cool, or fun, or downright functional. Nothing these constructs would be contributing would be game-changing. More quality of life sorts. My group plays smart in combat, so i don't need to make constructs specifically for bailing them out. Ill go at it from a different angle. Instead of dissecting my party members, lets pick at my PC a bit.

How i've been playing this PC ever since i started, way before i had even the smallest little homunculus, was a hands off, calmer role. Honestly, i just played that way because when combat is happening, i like to think of it as a scene, because it is. If the door gets kicked in while your eating dinner at an inn or something, would your first reaction be to throw a fireball the second it happens at the perp? I don't know, i wouldn't personally. I like to show restraint in combat, as in if we are clearly not in any danger, my first instinct would be to subdue one of the enemies because he's clearly not scary enough to warrant lethal action outright.

This mentality has lead me a little off-course i think in comparison to my comrades. I'm passive in combat. In almost all of combat scenarios i play basically at 5%, in a fight that warrants maybe 15%. I only turn on the gas if we need it, or someones in danger. But since my party members lowest speed is 30%+ in even a basic bar brawl, my passivity is becoming more blatant or noticeable. So let's get stylistic with him. Instead of making constructs as a separate and direct response to something we've noticed in an ally party member that we want to fix, let's give this PC more variation in combat.

What are constructs strengths and weaknesses generally?

Obviously the list can get more in-depth than that, but these are basic easy rules to live by when building constructs. Now this PC has all the crafting feats needed for constructs(wonder/arms-armor + gunsmithing), as well as 5 crafting skills capped out(sculpt/alchemy/armor/traps/leather). He's also a Wizard, and has access to more money than a PC at this level should really have. SO let's have fun with it.

I bought 2 scrolls of create demiplane, greater, so that i can have my own private area to work, as well as warping the passage of time so i can craft more with what i have, and i'll make a portal between both planes. Permanent. Now, this is very expensive obviously, but i have quite a bit of money, and i think it'll be worth it, for my PC specifically, in the long run.

Now onto the constructs. I have a lot of crafting time, which means many possibilities, as well as numerable constructs. So, i've been thinking of ways to make certain aspects viable.

I have other plans, but i've been slowly writing this for days as a way for me to try and sort out what to do with the time/money i have access to before next session. Said session is in 3 days, so i'd like some opinions/advice on what i've said. Any cool ideas? Thanks for reading

so tell me if this would work

i'm dying and i have a homunculus make a soul gem out of my soul with the intent of placing the gem into a soulbound shell construct. What that is, is just a construct, but it retains my personality and memories perfectly.

Human Puppet wrote:

if thats not possible, is there a way that i can control it from great distances? As in, i project myself into it and control it personally?

Occult Adventures has this spell:

OBJECT POSSESSION, GREATER
School necromancy; Level occultist 5, psychic 6, sorcerer/ wizard 7, spiritualist 6, witch 7
Range medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Target unattended Gargantuan or smaller object (minimum Tiny) or construct
Duration 10 minutes/level (D)
This spell functions as object possession, except as noted above. The possessed animated object has a number of Construction Points appropriate for its size (up to 5 CP for
Gargantuan objects). Your silver cord extends to medium range (100 ft. + 10 ft./level).
You can attempt to possess a construct instead of an unattended object as your first possession with this spell. If you do, this spell acts as control constructUM, except as noted above.

I'm not going to put all the reference spells in here, but basically your consciousness goes into your construct, but you're limited by the range or the spell breaks. Design a protective pod for your body on the construct?

I dig this one a lot. I like the idea of being in complete control of a construct while im in a metal pod on its back or something. Only problem i see is the duration. I'm looking for permanent stuff

if thats not possible, is there a way that i can control it from great distances? As in, i project myself into it and control it personally?

I'm playing a crafting PC who builds constructs. Is there a way for me to take out my soul and put it into a construct? Only thing i can find is "Soul Transfer", level 7 spell, but I'm a little confused on the wording of it.

Since it uses "trap the soul" within this spell, it means my soul gets transferred into a gem. So then said gem to transfer my soul to... to what? It say mainly, but doesn't say what my options are.

This spell functions like the spell completion option of trap the soul, except it only works on bodiless souls (such as incorporeal undead or a soul trapped in a gem) or creatures whose substance is a physical incarnation of a soul (such as a petitioner), but not on creatures formed from souls and planar material (such as most outsiders). It is mainly used to transfer souls from one receptacle to another, but may also be used to capture vulnerable souls that aren’t bound to mortal flesh (such as incorporeal creatures and petitioners).

Halp

alright thanks for clearing that up.

i dont know if its worth it then, we'll see

Whenever you are the target of a melee or ranged attack and are adjacent to an ally who also has this feat, you can initiate this feat to skillfully pull the abettor into harm's way or dodge behind the abettor as an immediate action.

You gain cover against that attack (and only that attack). If the attack misses you but would have hit you if not for the cover bonus to your armor class, the abettor becomes the target of the attack and the attacker must make a new attack roll (with all the same modifiers) against the abettor's armor class.

What kind of cover do i get from using this? Total cover? Just basic cover? Also it only states what happens if the attack would miss my due to the +4AC we get from using cover. What if that +4 is still not enough to avoid the attack? Would the attack weave its way around my meatshield and hit me?

small/tiny constructs are great don't get me wrong. i use multiple homunculus, but i'm talking big, clunky, awkward in normal situations looking constructs. My PC doesnt do a whole lot in combat, and relies on constructs to be relevant(which is how i built the PC, its on purpose).

side not, i've been looking at bag of holding rules. Theres quite a few stories of people putting people in the bags, or big objects and such. Since its worded as a bag that leads to a non-dimensional space, cant i just put a construct that will fit in said space and not break the weight scale? If so, this solves everything

ok, maybe a different angle then.

how about bags or chests? Bag of holding has alot of space and is really cheap. I would be able to carry it around, and empty it if needed

I've been scouring trying to find something to fit this description. My PC uses constructs. It isn't plausible to have huge constructs, or even multiple regular constructs walking around with me all the time. I'm looking for a way to get them into combat if i need them, without them being out in the open at all times.

I was thinking either shrink item, or call construct.

RAW on shrink item, is it cant be used on "magical items." Well, as far as i can tell, constructs are created with magic, but they themselves are not magical. On top of that, i don't even know if they would be considered objects at that point, even though my main construct template i play with is the "Animated Object" construct variation. To avoid bugging my GM before i have some answers I'm trying to find a solution.

Second option is call construct. Which has a 10 minute casting time. It does what i want, but not how i want. 10 minutes isn't acceptable.

Thoughts?

This modification can be performed on a Small or Tiny construct, such as an iron cobra or a homunculus. The creator modifies the construct such that she can slip it over her arm and control its actions as part of her own. The construct limb retains any melee attacks that the construct has, and the creator can use special attacks as if she were the construct (using the construct's attack statistics and effects), but treat the creator as the creature making attacks for the purpose of determining attacks of opportunity and other actions that could be triggered by an attack made by the creator.

Does that mean if i wanted to use its melee attack, i would have to use my standard action? As in, since i put this construct on my arm, its now dead to the world and im using it as a club. Or does it just mean im in control of its actions and decide what it does(AoO and all), but i still have my own?

whats up people. I'm playing a level 7 Wizard Construct Crafter. I just had the best session i've ever played, and it all revolved around a Custom Construct that got finished in time to use during a climax fight of the story arch we are in. Keep in mind this is the only construct i have when it comes to combat, so it was a blast to finally have my PC reach this point.

Now it looks really basic, and honestly it is. But in game, it played out flawlessly. Here's the short version of what happened.

We needed to kill this dragon that was hiding out in a big ass cave that was filled to the brim with poisonous/toxic gas. I suggested it wouldnt be smart due to our comp to fight in the cave, and since i have flying, air bubble, and a robot that doesnt breath and can fly with me i should go in and draw it out. They agreed and parked on the shore of the lake that leads into the cave, about 300 ft away from the mouth.

I go in, and about 500ft into the cave(big ass place) theres the dragon sleeping. I successfully get into position right above this thing with my construct. It uses a full round attack on the beast, starting the poison and doing respectable damage on its own, and i use dimension door to port about 100ft away from it. My reasoning was i wanted it to see me, and chase me out, but i didnt want to start the chase in melee range with a fricken dragon. It wakes up, and we proceed to have a ridiculously cinematic and awesome chase through the cave.

I was using my construct as a shield/AoO soak, while always using as much as i could to try to keep my distance. Being a dragon, it was pretty good at keeping up, and pretty much every turn i found either myself or the construct in melee with the dragon. But using my kit, aswell as the construct i was able to avoid provoking AoO from it, and keep flying out the cave. The construct was absolutely amazing. It kept landing hits, using its mudball to blind it for half a turn, used AoO to try and slow it down as it chased me(all the while the poison was ticking/having to get re-applied but was doing work). We were careening through this cave, and about 4-5 turns later i found myself blasting through the mouth of the cave with a dragon in hot pursuit.

It one last ditch to catch me, the dragon was able to land an attack(just a claw, no full round) on me ripping me to half health. I used the constructs move action to catch up, then used mudball to blind it once more. Then flew the Wizard over to construct and cast dimension door on both of us to blink over to my crew.

Thats the short version! ha ha, it was sick as hell, so fun and cinematic-ally awesome. It wasn't like, i move, i attack, rinse repeat. I havnt had a fight that varied and strategic while on the run ever, mainly due to the fact that our party is jam packed with martials so i never get a chance to utilize my slipperiness as a character.

tl:dr - Got in a foot race with a dragon using my flight and my new shiny construct i unvailed that session with amazing results.

Now onto the reason for the post. I wanted to share my experience, but also ask some advice. I built that construct with a vision of how i wanted my PC to be played during combat, and it filled its role better than i coulda dreamed. I have some ideas for other "bots" i want to make, and i wanna see what cool stuff you guys can come up with!

Think of this as a theory crafting/thought experiment. My GM has ruled that the rules around making custom constructs are fair game for me to use to make my own versatile dudes. Building Custom Constructs has the formulae of making customizable constructs. Basically, needs a base construct, adding monster abilities increase CR, and everything should stick fairly close to the CR of my level (7-8).

THANKS FOR READING

if anyone has seen Shippuden, the first arc of the show has a Puppet Master named Sasori, and he uses one called The Third Kazekage. I'm trying to model his mechanics into pathfinder, and honestly everything is really simple to do, with the exception of that ranged magnetic sand he does. So im trying to find something hyper longrange like that.

I'm playing a crafter that has just now hit his stride. I have the feats, the skills, the money, and the time, to make something really cool before next sessions big fight. So i need to bring something good.

-Rules- building-and-modifying-constructs - This link shows the guidelines for making a custom construct, as well as modifications and other stuff i can do to it to customize/improve it. My GM has stated that this guideline is fair-game for me to use to make my own.

Now right now I'm just going to start with one bot. My plan is to have multiple, doing different things(spell-caster/tank-shield/melee-slasher). So for right now, i have 55k MARKET PRICE construction time before the fight. It'll cost me half that, but that's how much time stored up i have.

Any advice on monster abilities, particular spells i should lean towards, or spell-like mechanics i can add would be awesome! Keep in mind we are level 7, so try to keep the average CR of those abilities in that general area(meaning no mythic, or CR 20 construct awesome blaster abilities).

Hi guys, i have tonight to make a level 12 PC for a 4-5 session long campaign that we are going to start tomorrow! I'd love some help in some creative ideas, or logical character build path for what i have in mind. I have two ideas so far, or i guess styles i wanna try out.

-Synthesis Summoner/ fast and strong
I'm a huge Naruto universe fan, particularly the sand ninja in it. So i was thinking, since i've made and been playing a Konkuro inspired character in my current game, i can try to make a Gaara(Shukaku form, when he's half morphed out and scary as all hell). For this i was thinking Synthesis Summoner is the obvious choice for a build like this. I dont like how i would essentially have to walk around in that form or else im gimped if combat starts out of the blue. or something else

-Super Smash bros/ quick, fast, speedy melee
I play pikachu, and was thinking of making a pikachu style combat character. Like, fast and agile while being able to avoid attacks. Able to dish out a ton of melee damage, maybe shock style for flavor. Maybe a bolt or two. Magus is a pretty simple choice, or maybe a fist of forest druid/monk trip build.

Keep in mind this is starting at lvl 12, which is higher then we usually start a campaign. So theres alot of room to avoid all the nasty build up to a build like one of these, we can reach a cool combo easier. Any input would help a ton, im up all night. THANKS

Time for a GM ruling
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Sup Ian - Whatcha think?

Are those sections (Building new constructs/Pricing new constructs) available for me to use to make custom Constructs? In the first paragraph it directs me towards the monster creation guidelines, so id be using that as a basis of what i should aim for in terms of stats and such. Then the second one is for the price of him. Keep in mind, this is kinda seperate from the "Animated Objects" route ive been thinking of using, but uses all of the same rules. I always kinda skipped this section assuming it was for GM's, but by the looks of it.. its not. I think its for all.

Lemme know whatcha think

ps: figured this would be easier to read then on FB or text or somethin
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Building-and-Modifying-Constructs

Im currently playing a lvl 7 Wizard, crafter type. He has all the crafting feats, and crafting skills necessary to really get down to business. As far as whats fair game, as long as its not 3rd party everything is legal(nothings shadowbanned).

On that page, there's a section titled Pricing a New Construct

Is this for players, or a GM whose interested in making a custom bot? Am i allowed to use this as a basis for making a custom Construct?

example: large metal construct/ subtype robot, with rapid healing.

I know how to calculate the price of something like that all out, but im wondering if im allowed to use the given formula they give on that section as a player to make custom bots.

title

Im playing a crafter. Wizard. All crafting feats. Im mainly planning on using this for Constructs. Specifically golems, which have a notoriously high CL requirement + shield guardian adding another 2 ontop. Reason being i wanna get a jumpstart on my real plans with this PC, but by the looks of things ill have to wait another couple levels..

I've never even looked at 3rd party before, but i've been playing for a while now. I'd call myself fairly experienced, certainly the most experienced in my group. The GM recently ruled 3rd party fair game on a case by case basis. But for the most part he's said that really anything goes(he's a very chill GM).

Now since i started playing, i've never even looked at 3rd party stuff, classes, prestige classes, archetypes, nothing. So i don't even know where to start. What are some 3rd party stuff that you have played or seen that could be interesting? I've played, or at the very least made, a PC for every class, and stylistically speaking i usually prefer spellcasters (anvil/arm types. never really liked blasters. Never liked martial classes).

There was recently a very similar thread (similar title, even, coincidentally) if you want to browse it first. It's kinda short, but can give you a starting point." Here.

this thread is fantastic

thanks! i dont get on the forums all that often

Im in charge of a one-shot. I dont usually GM, although i have before, and im an experienced player. Basically when not all the members of our usual campaign can make a scheduled session, we take it as a chance for the usual GM to be a player, and i take over for a "one-shot" game for the remaining people that come. We usually have 5 players+GM each session, so this will be 4 players + me.

My idea for this session is werewolves. Its overdone, i know, but its not the badguys that interest me. I like to explore elements of game-play when i GM, since i dont get to do it all that often. This time, my goal is to give as little info as possible, ie keep things a mystery, while giving off an unsettling vibe from everyone the PC's talk too. Its also going to be very isolated, maybe the mountains, so theres little chance of them going off-track, while giving them one sessions worth of exploring available so they choose to use it.

So far my thought process has been largely influenced by the movie "The Village" and Little Red Riding Hood(Once upon a time version). The first one is the feeling i want to give, the second the general story arch setup.

Any advice about past experience in this area, or any ideas you fine people have in terms of actual game-play related stuff i can add. One thing i pride myself on is story telling, so im confident in that, but i want actual mechanics i can add. Thanks in advance