Adding templates to contructs?

[Vorandril]

How does adding templates affect the cost of making a construct?

Longer version:
My new character for a game is going to be 5th level and I plan on going Human Artificer.
What I need to know is does adding templates affect the cost of making a construct? Because unfortunately this setting has a particular twist involved. All civilization exists on floating islands above the clouds. The cloud layer is miles thick and no one that goes very far down ever comes back sort of deal. Subsequently having the ability to add the Winged Template or some other effective modification to my golems and effigies is something that would be only a logical idea to have.

So, how does adding templates affect the cost of making a construct?

And what templates would you suggest in addition to Winged?

Remember that at least for Effigies they only keep the Extraordinary powers of the base creature. =)

[Silva Stormrage]

For most constructs you can't just add templates to them.

Winged creature for example can't be added to constructs only Humanoid, Giant, Monstourous Humanoid, animals, magical beasts or vermin.

If you are using Effigies to craft all of your constructs (Which it seems like you are) it doesn't influence the price.

http://community.wizards.com/forum/previous-editions-character-optimization/threads/1028606

Talk to your DM to prevent this from becoming game breaking and don't stack templates to absurdity.

[Vorandril]

Yeah, I fumbled across that post before. It made me groan.

Mostly I'm just trying to find a way to build things with effigies so that I can try and build the constructs to a theme, but have the mechanics be a sound representation of it.

For an example of one construct I want to make; if it was a creature the template would start with an anthropomorphic constrictor snake. Add Winged and Insectoid creature templates. Make into an effigy.

The problem comes from the fact that these templates don't add to the HD and that's the only thing that affects the costs. That is the loophole that allows that Gorgonzola you linked, and I don't hate my DM so I'm hoping to find a way around that to make things fun for us both. =(

[ace rooster]

If you are building effigies then why not just build dragons anyway?

I would rule that anything that exists in universe is fair game for an effigy (or simulacrum), generally requiring you to have studied a sample. If you want flying insect snakes, then be prepared to fight them (And talk to the DM about getting a sample, which the DM gets to build. Killing creatures to get a sample is an evil act). If the DM doesn't want you to have half dragon insectoid hippo effigy then you will never meet one.

[Silva Stormrage]

Yeah, I fumbled across that post before. It made me groan.

Mostly I'm just trying to find a way to build things with effigies so that I can try and build the constructs to a theme, but have the mechanics be a sound representation of it.

For an example of one construct I want to make; if it was a creature the template would start with an anthropomorphic constrictor snake. Add Winged and Insectoid creature templates. Make into an effigy.

The problem comes from the fact that these templates don't add to the HD and that's the only thing that affects the costs. That is the loophole that allows that Gorgonzola you linked, and I don't hate my DM so I'm hoping to find a way around that to make things fun for us both. =(

Maybe add the CR + to the HD for purpose of crafting the effigy. Or simply ask your DM to work with you to work out some costs appropriate for the campaign.

Or maybe you need a sample as Ace Rooster said. That would also work

[Biffoniacus_Furiou]

Limit yourself to only one template per creature, and follow the RAW on their cost. Or just limit yourself to creatures your character has actually observed for what you make effigies of.