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Illiterate Scribe
2007-02-07, 06:31 AM
Is there any way of giving something with an intelligence of '-' a real number intelligence, and thus allow it to accumulate class levels. It's just that, to be annoying and different, (and mostly to fend off the CN Illithid Savant that's eyeing up the Abominations in our epic campaign), I've been thinking about playing a living spell. Any ideas/incredibly obscure templates?

Maxymiuk
2007-02-07, 06:41 AM
GM Fiat.

Just make something up and homerule it in.

Zincorium
2007-02-07, 06:46 AM
Variant of the awaken series of spells. You already have the basic template, just need to create a version that works on the targets you have in mind. Research of new spells is essentially DM fiat anyway, especially if they were cast by an NPC to create your character, but it at least suggests a mechanism whereby it could happen.

Yuki Akuma
2007-02-07, 06:55 AM
There's an awaken construct spell somewhere. It's a sorcerer/wizard 9 spell of the Transmutation school, I think. Its material component is a humanoid brain.

There's also a template in Magic of Incarnum. Soultouched Construct or something?

NullAshton
2007-02-07, 07:58 AM
Applying the celestial template will work for certain types. The intelligence for any celestial creature has to be at least 3, thus by applying it, they would no longer have a - ability score.

hewhosaysfish
2007-02-07, 08:02 AM
There's an awaken construct spell somewhere. It's a sorcerer/wizard 9 spell of the Transmutation school, I think. Its material component is a humanoid brain.


Not sure where it came from originally but I think it got put in the Spell Compendium.

Rigeld2
2007-02-07, 08:02 AM
As far as I know, there arent any creatures that can receive the Celestial type that have an Intelligence of -.

NullAshton
2007-02-07, 08:08 AM
A shrieker and violet fungus... though it hwas an intelligence of 0, not -. Hmmm.

Rigeld2
2007-02-07, 08:10 AM
Yeah. 0 != -. A Nonability is totally different from a 0 in an ability - a 0 in an ability you could just buff them.

Darrin
2007-02-07, 08:30 AM
Not sure where it came from originally but I think it got put in the Spell Compendium.

From that great repository of Twinkness, Savage Species p. 63.

Only works on humanoid constructs, and won't work on temporary constructs (such as those created by Animate Object). So, assuming you could apply the construct template or type, then that would work. Easily done with Polymorph Any Object, but then... if you can Polymorph Any Object, you don't necessarily need Awaken Construct.

Having never actually used Polymorph, however, I'm confused about the duration... imbuing an inanimate object with intelligence would mean the duration is less than permanent (the SRD is stupendously vague), which would make the transformation temporary, which would mean Awaken Construct wouldn't work.

Rigeld2
2007-02-07, 08:33 AM
Having never actually used Polymorph, however, I'm confused about the duration... imbuing an inanimate object with intelligence would mean the duration is less than permanent (the SRD is stupendously vague), which would make the transformation temporary, which would mean Awaken Construct wouldn't work.

Wrong. If all youre doing is adding intelligence, you get
Same kingdom (animal, vegetable, mineral) +5
Same class (mammals, fungi, metals, etc.) +2
Same size +2
Related (twig is to tree, wolf fur is to wolf, etc.) +2
for a total duration mod of 11. 9+ is permanent.

Closet_Skeleton
2007-02-07, 08:56 AM
Savage Species and Liber Mortis both share awakened undead.

About the "humanoid" limit on awaken construct. I assume it means if you hve a mindless spiderlike automaton it wouldn't work. Since the spell also requires a humanoid brain, perhaps using a brain from a monstrous spider would work... Not sure what you'd do for a starfish shaped construct though...:smallconfused:

Illiterate Scribe
2007-02-07, 09:59 AM
I think that living spells are normally oozes, not constructs (they have ooze HD), but I like the ideas.
Thanks!

Fizban
2007-02-07, 10:32 AM
Spell Compendium has an Awaken Construct spell, lv9, inexpensive material component: a fresh human brain.

Savage Species has a different spell that changes the construct's type to giant or humanoid.

I was dinking around on realmshelps last night, and found a feat that lets you add intellegence to a construct when you make it for 8,000gp. Gives int up to 1/2 your caster level.

Darrin
2007-02-07, 11:00 AM
Wrong. If all youre doing is adding intelligence, you get
Same kingdom (animal, vegetable, mineral) +5
Same class (mammals, fungi, metals, etc.) +2
Same size +2
Related (twig is to tree, wolf fur is to wolf, etc.) +2
for a total duration mod of 11. 9+ is permanent.

Ah, I didn't understand how the duration works.

So, pretty much you can just ditch Awaken Construct and just Polymorph it into a Construct with an INT score.

Holy catgirls, Polymorph is beyond broken.

Closet_Skeleton
2007-02-07, 11:10 AM
Spell Compendium has an Awaken Construct spell, lv9, inexpensive material component: a fresh human brain.

Savage Species has a different spell that changes the construct's type to giant or humanoid.

Savage Species has BOTH Awaken Construct and Incarnate Construct. Spell Compendium has no original spells. Awaken Construct costs 5000 XP, at least in the Savage Species version.

AtomicKitKat
2007-02-07, 11:14 AM
I might be wrong, but I thought I recalled an "Awaken Ooze" spell or similar in Fiendish Codex 1. Yay, a use for that $60 POS at last!

Mewtarthio
2007-02-07, 11:32 AM
I've heard of the Awaken Ooze spell. I know nothing about it, though, beyond the fact that it gives Oozes an Intelligence score.

Also, Fiendish/Celestial both set your Intelligence to 3 if it's any lower than that (including "--"). I saw one of those Wizards articles featuring templated monsters use this trick to make a Fiendish Geletanious Cube Monk.

Rigeld2
2007-02-07, 01:27 PM
I saw one of those Wizards articles featuring templated monsters use this trick to make a Fiendish Geletanious Cube Monk.
Fiendish works on Oozes, Celestial doesnt.

Mewtarthio
2007-02-07, 01:37 PM
Well, then, play a Fiendish Living Spell. If it's not an evil game, you could always be a Chaotic Good Fiendish Living Spell yearning to throw off the reputation of its evil kin.

Roderick_BR
2007-02-07, 01:40 PM
Use a variant for the Awaken spell, or for a non-living creature, a variant of Warforged.

endersdouble
2007-02-07, 01:49 PM
Well, then, play a Fiendish Living Spell. If it's not an evil game, you could always be a Chaotic Good Fiendish Living Spell yearning to throw off the reputation of its evil kin.
You, sir, win. How about a living Blade Barrier made of Scimitars?

Fax Celestis
2007-02-07, 05:10 PM
How about a Living Cloud of Knives? That'd be fun. I dunno if it's a valid target, though.

A Living Fireball'd be fun, albeit straightforward.

Tokiko Mima
2007-02-07, 05:25 PM
A living Magic Missile with rogue/shadowdancer levels, who's signature move was to fire itself at the darkness?

Miles Invictus
2007-02-07, 06:10 PM
Only if the Darkness is a living spell, too.