Incarnate Construct Warforged: The best and worst uses

[Xuldarinar]

I've seen the combination discussed previously, but not a thread devoted to them in general, just specific instances. When you apply the Incarnate Construct template (Savage Species) to the Warforged, you get the following result:


Medium Humanoid
+2 Constitution, -2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma
Base land speed is 30 feet
Automatic Languages: Common. Bonus Languages: None.
Favored Class: Fighter
Level Adjustment: (-2)


Given this, and I'm sure many agree, it is very good for applying templates. What I want to know is the best ways to make use of this.

[Karnith]

One of the big problems with trying to abuse Incarnate Construct is that you would really only use it for stat boosts (because you lose almost everything else), but most of the best stat-boosting templates can't be applied to Warforged, because they are Constructs. That means no Feral, no Half-Minotaur/Half-Ogre, no Mineral Warrior (at least not until after the Incarnate Construct part), and so on.
To anyone who saw the post I deleted, it's tooooo early here for me to be posting.
You can do things like Half-Dragon, that can be applied to "any living creature," but those tend to be the less useful templates (also, applying Half-Dragon would make it ineligible for Incarnate Construct).

So, maybe something like the Draconic template (Draconomicon; +1 NA, +2 Str, +2 Con, +2 Cha, some minor skill bonuses, +1 LA) to start? Or Phrenic (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/monsters/phrenicCreature.htm) (Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +4, LA +2; net +2 Con, +2 Int, +2 Cha, LA +0)?

[ShurikVch]

Lolth-Touched is one good choice, if your DM allow it. +6 to Str & Con, +4 on Hide & Move Silently checks, LA +1


One of the big problems with trying to abuse Incarnate Construct is that you would really only use it for stat boosts (because you lose almost everything else), but most of the best stat-boosting templates can't be applied to Warforged, because they are Constructs. That means no Feral, no Half-Minotaur/Half-Ogre, no Mineral Warrior (at least not until after the Incarnate Construct part), and so on.

Not so much of a problem. Spell Greater Humanoid Essence temporally gives a construct the humanoid type. And humanoids fit for the huge number of templates. Persist GHE, then Wish for template, or use major ritual from the Savage Species.

Casting Incarnate Construct immediately force target to levelup by 2, because it lose LA, but not XP

After transformation character should keep:
Abilities bonus
3 natural AC
Extra movement modes, such as fly from Dragonborn (wing aspect), or borrow from Mineral Warrior
Skill bonus, such as +8 to hide and +6 to move silently from the Dark template
Bonus feats, such as:
Gheden (LA +1) - Endurance, Diehard, & Toughness
Half-Minotaur (LA +1) - Track
Half-Vampire (LA +2) - Improved Initiative
Lycanthrope, afflicted (LA +2) - Iron Will
Half-Machine (technically LA +0) - any 4 from list: Alertness, Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes, Endurance, Flyby Attack, Great Fortitude, Lightning Reflexes, Multiattack, Multidexterity, Multiweapon Fighting, Run, Toughness (can be taken mulitiple times), Track.

[Karnith]

Not so much of a problem. Spell Greater Humanoid Essence temporally gives a construct the humanoid type. And humanoids fit for the huge number of templates. Persist GHE, then Wish for template, or use major ritual from the Savage Species.
If you can cheese Greater Humanoid Essence into being Persistable (or have it cast on you constantly, I guess), if the rituals are part of the campaign, and if you can afford Wish/the rituals and Incarnate Construct, then sure, it's possible. That's going to cost quite a bit of gold, though, making it minimally useful at low-to-mid levels. And then there's the snafu about possibly losing feats and class features.

[ShurikVch]

If you can cheese Greater Humanoid Essence into being Persistable, have it cast on you constantly, and/or if you can afford Wish/the rituals and Incarnate Construct, sure. That's going to cost quite a bit of gold, though, making it minimally useful at low-to-mid levels. And then there's the snafu about losing feats and possibly losing class features.

Incarnate Construct is 9th lvl spell, so if he can use it, 7th lvl GHE definitely shouldn't be a problem. It's on cleric's spell list, so DMM completely possible.

Also, GHE can be cast on timeless plane, in which case it will last until dispelled.

Also, even if losing feats/CFs indeed occur, it can be repaired with Psychic Chirurgery

[Karnith]

Another issue with Incarnate Construct is that by the time it becomes viable/possible (Incarnate Construct being a 9th-level spell that costs 5,000 XP), buying off the LA from your templates and just ignoring Incarnate Construct would generally be better. Barring extreme cheese, I guess.

Incarnate Construct is 9th lvl spell, so if he can use it, 7th lvl GHE definitely shouldn't be a problem. It's on cleric's spell list, so DMM completely possible.
The problem is that GHE is touch-range, and therefore not normally eligible to be Persisted (though Ocular Spell and similar effects could get around that restriction).

[ShurikVch]

Another issue with Incarnate Construct is that by the time it becomes viable/possible (Incarnate Construct being a 9th-level spell that costs 5,000 XP), buying off the LA from your templates and just ignoring Incarnate Construct would generally be better. Barring extreme cheese, I guess. General assumption is transformation happened off-screen, and extra gp source explained in character's backstory.


The problem is that GHE is touch-range, and therefore not normally eligible to be Persisted (though Ocular Spell and similar effects could get around that restriction). Only in FRCS. Any other version of this feat are free from such restriction.

[Story]

My favorite usage of Incarnate Construct Warforged is to become eligibile for the Symbiote template (must be humanoid) will still qualifying for Warforged Juggernaut (you're still considered Warforged).

It's not even cheesy in the normal way (LA shenaigans), just cheesy in a completely different way.

[Chambers]

My favorite usage of Incarnate Construct Warforged is to become eligibile for the Symbiote template (must be humanoid) will still qualifying for Warforged Juggernaut (you're still considered Warforged).

It's not even cheesy in the normal way (LA shenaigans), just cheesy in a completely different way.

KRANG!

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20100314150935/tmnt/de/images/4/44/Krang_android.jpg

[Sgt. Cookie]

My favorite usage of Incarnate Construct Warforged is to become eligibile for the Symbiote template (must be humanoid) will still qualifying for Warforged Juggernaut (you're still considered Warforged).

It's not even cheesy in the normal way (LA shenaigans), just cheesy in a completely different way.

Not to mention Symbiote itself brings with it an arse tonne of its own cheese. Such as flat out immunity to lethal damage.

[CIDE]

I've seen the combination discussed previously, but not a thread devoted to them in general, just specific instances. When you apply the Incarnate Construct template (Savage Species) to the Warforged, you get the following result:


Medium Humanoid
+2 Constitution, -2 Wisdom, -2 Charisma
Base land speed is 30 feet
Automatic Languages: Common. Bonus Languages: None.
Favored Class: Fighter
Level Adjustment: (-2)


Given this, and I'm sure many agree, it is very good for applying templates. What I want to know is the best ways to make use of this.

You forgot the benefits of the Living Construct sub-type which will still remain. Really, all the Warforced loses is composite plating and the fortification.


My favorite usage of Incarnate Construct Warforged is to become eligibile for the Symbiote template (must be humanoid) will still qualifying for Warforged Juggernaut (you're still considered Warforged).

It's not even cheesy in the normal way (LA shenaigans), just cheesy in a completely different way.


I love this. I absolutely love this. And I never heard of it or thought of it before.

[Vortenger]

Phrenic Incarnate Construct Warforged.

What the Psiforged should have been. :smallbiggrin:

I think therefore I am...more mortal?