PF - Crafting Variant Robots w/Class Levels - Can We?

[unseenmage]

In the Iron Gods AP there are several examples of variant robots which have class levels. These variants have their own names and stat blocks. I asked here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20229894&postcount=781) but to no avail.

My question is; Can these robot variants be crafted as is with class levels intact? How about if using the 'craft by CR' rules (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/ultimateMagic/magic/buildingAndModifyingConstructs.html)?
Robot creation would still require a robotics laboratory either way of course.

[noob]

It is unbalanced to give class levels because some classes are better than everything else.
In fact class levels are in a general way unbalanced.
I think a level in a caster class should have the same value as multiple levels in a non caster class(like 2 or three) because that construct is going to produce you money with its spells and blood money and so on and it might end up cascading making the game fall in a loop of creating more wizard constructs for having more money for constructing more wizard constructs.
Thus it might even be a good idea to forbid casting for a construct.

[Florian]

In the Iron Gods AP there are several examples of variant robots which have class levels. These variants have their own names and stat blocks. I asked here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=20229894&postcount=781) but to no avail.

My question is; Can these robot variants be crafted as is with class levels intact? How about if using the 'craft by CR' rules (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/ultimateMagic/magic/buildingAndModifyingConstructs.html)?
Robot creation would still require a robotics laboratory either way of course.

Take a look at the Master Robot List in Divinity Drive, p. 73.
You´ll find Gearsman, Augmented Gearsman (Ftr4) and Gearsman Battleguard (Ftr 6) as examples of robots with class levels.
Going by that list, you´ve got to check CR on robots with class levels. Going by the example list, the full class levels count towards CR and it ignores NPC equipment CR-reduction. The full class level seems to be added to the base robots CR.

[unseenmage]

Take a look at the Master Robot List in Divinity Drive, p. 73.
You´ll find Gearsman, Augmented Gearsman (Ftr4) and Gearsman Battleguard (Ftr 6) as examples of robots with class levels.
Going by that list, you´ve got to check CR on robots with class levels. Going by the example list, the full class levels count towards CR and it ignores NPC equipment CR-reduction. The full class level seems to be added to the base robots CR.

How does PF normally handle adding class levels to a creature insofar as CR is concerned?

[Florian]

How does PF normally handle adding class levels to a creature insofar as CR is concerned?

It´s a bit complicated. You differentiate between class levels being "key" or "non key" for a given monster, meaning does it enhance the primary role or not? A class counts as being "key" if you can work with the monster straight from the bestiary w/o needing to change anything or modify its stat array, simply slapping class levels to it.

One level in a "key" class will raise the CR by one.
Two levels in a "non-key" class will raise the CR by one. (Until it has more "non key" class levels than original HD)

Creatures with racial HD use a better stat array then non-HD creatures, so the usual -1 CR for NSC WBL is skipped here.

As an example, let´s look at the basic Gearsman: CR4, 4 HD Construct (Robot).
Class levels in Fighter, (Un)Rogue, Slayer, Ranger and Monk would be "key" levels, each raising CR by 1, all other classes would count as "non key", with all occult classes as well as Barbarian and Bloodrager being straight impossible.

Edit:

The best known example for all of this should be Mocmorion the Stone Giant.
A Stone Giant is CR8 and has 12 HD. Its role is Bruiser.
Now slap on some levels of Transmuter. Until you reach Transmuter 13, only half the levels count towards its CR, as they don´t change the primary role of the Stone Giant.
So Stone Giant Transmuter 12 is HD 24 (half of them Wizard) and CR 14.

Edit 2:
Because of Shenanigans, the Craft rules suggest only using "key" classes for craftable Monsters.

[unseenmage]

...

Edit 2:
Because of Shenanigans, the Craft rules suggest only using "key" classes for craftable Monsters.

Oo! Now that sounds useful. anyone know where this is found?