Alright. I've got an idea inspired by the Puppet Master movie series. A sort of construct-focused caster with abilities that focus on their creation and improvement.
I'm thinking that they should have the ability to maintain X number of hit dice per level in their personal retinue. (They could make more but using the ordinary rules for crafting constructs) This retinue I'm thinking will be slightly cheaper and each member will have an intelligence score.
Other than that, I'm thinking the PrC should have abilities that reflect an individual that treats the things he has made like his own children, and should have abilities to match. Thoughts?
Anyone?
Sounds like the Effigy Master from one of the Complete books in 3.5.
Or, honestly, just a straight up wizard. They're already quite good at crafting constructs thanks to Arcane Builder
I can see a puppet master as either a wizard, bard, or alchemist for several reasons. The creation of the puppets in which they were bound with the souls were a force of pain and sorrow, but in one version they were animated by a alchemical formulae. A wizard would make a crafter of some sort. My opinion and advice would make it a archetype, its would represent a characters growth as a true 'puppet master'. I'd make it a arhcetype for bard for its roots, unless you're including the versions where they relied on a formulae fed into a socket in their necks that gave them life.
To me it seems you just described a summoner archetype. Based on broodmaster for multiple eidolons, the eidolons are considered constructs instead os outsiders and fluff it so instead of being summoned/dismissed they are turned on/off. I usually in favor of more prestige classes but in this case an archetype would make more sense.
To me it seems you just described a summoner archetype. Based on broodmaster for multiple eidolons, the eidolons are considered constructs instead os outsiders and fluff it so instead of being summoned/dismissed they are turned on/off. I usually in favor of more prestige classes but in this case an archetype would make more sense.
Hmm.. that would simplify things, but I also wanted to have the class's mechanics reflect a maker of constructs of all types, not just those linked to him by level progression and a table, and certainly not just a collection of small, quasi-functional toys.
Perhaps if I based it off of how a necromancer can control only "so" many HD worth of undead...
Don't get me wrong, I get where you're coming from, and I agree that their is no need to reinvent the wheel.
That being said, I think I will take all of your advise and take it into account. I am considering doing it up as an archetype.