Animating the big stuff

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Ok, I'm looking at the Animate Object spell. You can animate one small object per caster level. A gargantuan creature is 16 creatures worth. A colossal object, a measly CR 10, requires 32 creatures worth. That's a CL 32. How do you ever get colossal animated objects before super-epic levels, and once to that level why would you bother? :smallconfused:

[Kansaschaser]

Forget Animate Object.

For a similar effect, use Animate Weapon! It's a 3rd level Sorcerer/Wizard spell from the Complete Mage.

You treat a light weapon as two size categories smaller than the weilder. You treat a one-handed weapon as an object one size category smaller than the weilder. And, you treat a two handed weapon as an object as the same size category as the weilder.

The only thing in the description of the spell that limits the size of object effected is that it cannot affect diminutive or smaller objects.

So, technically this can affect the Colossal sized two-handed sword from that giant that you fought. Or, you could walk into a forest and find a downed tree and declare that it's a club or a quarterstaff.

In fact, you can make a weapon of any size. You could make a Quarterstaff that is 5 size categories larger than Colossal(36D6 damage I believe), for free! Use Shrink Item to help you haul it around and when combat starts, throw your 20lb piece of cloth to the ground to return it to it's normal size and weight, then cast Animate Weapon.

Animate weapon lasts as long as you concentrate on the spell, plus one additional round.

What's that? You don't want to concentrate on the spell? There are lots of options to let you do other things while something/someone else keeps the spell going. Sonorous Hum is another good 3rd level spell that lets you keep the concentration going for free.

[Urpriest]

Colossal animated objects have stats mostly because there are other spells that create creatures that function as animated objects. Awaken applied to a colossal tree, for example.

[SurlySeraph]

It's doable with a not-completely-ridiculous amount of optimizing. Bead of Karma for +4, Ankh of Ascension for +4, Orange Ioun Stone for +1, and a couple other things of choice (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19872350/Raising_Caster_Level) to get up to CL 32. It can be done much more easily and cheesily by stacking Greater Consumptive Field.

Though yeah, there's really no reason to bother with Animate Objects if you have CL 32.