Crafting a Golem

[The Guy With A Face]

Golems, as you might know, are very expensive and overall a complete pain to craft. I'm trying to make an ice golem for a level 5 campaign and I want to make sure I understand the rules. I don't care if its sub optimal.

Quote:

Requirements Craft Construct, chill touch, cone of cold, geas/quest, ice storm, resist energy (cold), creator must be caster level 12th; Skill Craft (sculptures) DC 17; Cost 9,500 gp

Chill touch and resist energy are easy enough to get. However, cone of cold, geas/quest, and the absurd CL 12 requirement are a different story.

I understand there is a crafting rule where you can increase the DC by +5 for each prerequisite you fail.

Quote:

The DC to create a magic item increases by 5 for each prerequisite the caster does not meet. The only exception to this is the requisite item creation feat, which is mandatory. In addition, you cannot create potions, spell-trigger, or spell-completion magic items without meeting its prerequisites.

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic-items#TOC-Magic-Item-Creation

So, can I increase the DC by 15 in order to ignore the cone of cold, geas/quest, and CL requirements? Or do those rules only apply to specifically "magic items" and not constructs? Or are you unable to ignore the CL when crafting golems/items in general?

Also, can you use the guidance spell on craft checks? If this works, I'll have to pass a DC 37 craft check which is nothing to sneeze at.

[Dr Styx]

Quote:

I'll have to pass a DC 37 craft check

DC of 17 + 15(5+5+5)= DC 32

If cost is not an issue, you can use Scrolls of Cone of Cold, Geas/Quest

DC of 17 + 5(CL)= DC 22

[Splendor]

First make a custom item that gives you +5 to spellcraft checks. (2500gp)

Hire a headmaster for 3 gp/day (ultimate campaign pg 89) and have him assist you in crafting; aid another for a +2 to spellcraft checks.

Buy/rent a magical repository (Ultimate campaign pg 99) for a +3 to spellcraft checks.

5 ranks
3 class skill
4 INT modifier
5 Magical Item
2 Aid another
3 Magical Repository
-----
22
10 take 10
-----
32 - You can make your golem

[VRMH]

Alas, the Caster Level requirement of Construct crafting cannot be skipped. And while there are ways to crank up the creator's CL, they are cumbersome and expensive.

[Splendor]

Quote:

Note that all items have prerequisites in their descriptions. These prerequisites must be met for the item to be created. Most of the time, they take the form of spells that must be known by the item's creator (although access through another magic item or spellcaster is allowed). The DC to create a magic item increases by 5 for each prerequisite the caster does not meet. The only exception to this is the requisite item creation feat, which is mandatory. In addition, you cannot create potions, spell-trigger, or spell-completion magic items without meeting its prerequisites.

Quote:

Though the listed Caster Level for a pearl of power is 17th, that caster level is not part of the Requirements listing for that item. Therefore, the only caster level requirement for a pearl of power is the character has to be able to cast spells of the desired level.

LINK

Caster level is not a requirement to make an item. It only lets you know what the items saves are if it is targeted.

[VRMH]

Splendor wrote:

Caster level is not a requirement to make an item.

True, but there's an exception for making Constructs:

Building and Modifying Constructs wrote:

Each missing requirement increases the Craft DC by 5. Regardless, the creator must meet all item creation feats and minimum caster level requirements.

[The Guy With A Face]

Thanks for your help everyone. Its too bad about the CL, but oh well.

@Dr. Styx

You're right. I added an extra +5 onto the DC check, not realizing the standard +5 for crafting magic items had already been applied for me.

@Splendor

Cool, I won't have to spend all my traits on crafting stuff now!