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aarondirebear
2007-07-07, 06:49 PM
New type of monster, the deceptive construct, Below is the first of many. I need help assigning a CR and a creation cost.

The evil wizard whom you have been trailing for the last seven days is finally spotted. you see his carriage up ahead, his driver whipping vigorously at the horse. You continue to gain on him, and eventually the carriage suddenly stops. The wizard steps out and begins to laugh, and he taunts you, stating that although you have caught up to him it matters not. With that, the wizard vanishes, but strangely enough, so do the horse and the driver. There is a sound of wood creaking against wood, and the carriage begins to move. Parts of its frame fold out and the carriage stands upright upon the ground, with wooden arms suddenly sprouting from hidden compartments, and a roughly humanoid head crafted of pure oak emerges. Before you stands a fifteen foot tall construct of wood and metal siding. The carriage's wheels are now side guards for his knees and shoulders, it takes a fighting stance and attacks

On the surface a mere carriage, there is more to this vehicle than meets the eye. Wizards who wish to combine mobility with protection build these, fooling enemies with their appearance as ordinary carriages, wagons, or even boats. The larger the vehicle, the stronger the end resulting construct is. They are also intelligent, capable of thinking outside of the box, taking complex orders, and using complex tactics (They are essentially a combination of a construct and an intelligent magic item). A deceptive construct speaks common and any one language known by its creator.


Deceptive Construct (carriage)
Huge Construct
Hit Dice: 14d10+40
Initiative: +2
Speed: 32 feet or 120 in carriage form
Armor Class: 30 (-2 Size, +2 Dex, +16 Natural, +4 Permanent Shield Spell)
Base Attack/Grapple: +10/
Full Attack: 2 Slams +19 Melee (2d6+10, x2) or 2 Bolt Launchers +10/+5 Ranged (3d6, 19-20/x2)
Space/Reach: 15ft/15ft
Special Attacks: Carriage Form, Spell-Like Abilities (carriage form only), breath weapon
Special Qualities: Construct Traits, Hardness 10, Force Field
Saves: Fort 3, Ref 5, Will 4
Abilities: Str 30 Dex 15 Con: - Int 16 Wis 13 Cha 14
Skills:
Feats: Combat Experties, Combat Reflexes, Weapon Focus (Slam), Improved Critical (Slam), Improved Natural Attack (slam).
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary or Guard (2-4)
Challenge Rating: Still Figuring That Out
Treasure: None
Alignment: Same as creator
Advancement: Special

Combat

A Carriage Type Deceptive Construct fights first and foremost to protect his creator, whom he often affectionately refers to as "the maker". The first thing he does is attempt to mow his foes down at range with crossbow bolts fired from a launcher on each of his forearms. When his opponents come within melee range, he favors his slam attacks. if either himself or his master is severely injured, he will use his breath weapon to lower visibility, change into carriage form, and steal his master to safety.

Breath Weapon: A Carriage Type Deceptive Construct's breath weapon is a 30 radius spread which acts like a fog cloud spell.

Illusory Horse (carriage only): A deceptive construct may at will create the illusion of a horse and a driver as it moves along on its own. It may also choose to talk "through" the illusion. This ability functions as Programmed Image, except that control over how the image functions is dynamic, and tied directly to the Deceptive Construct's thought processes. 10% of all Deceptive Constructs created may also create an illusory footman.

Carriage Form: As a full round action, a Deceptive Construct may assume the form of a carriage (see Player's Handbook under vehicles and transport section). He may move on his own without any help, or allow himself to be pulled in order to keep his identity under wraps. He may change back into his humanoid form as a full round action. The transformation is not like polymorphing or an illusion, it happens as the body of the Deceptive Construct physically reconfigures itself by bending, folding, and some limited wood shape magic, therefore True Seeing does not reveal its true nature, though it will show magical auras.

Force Field: A Deceptive Construct has a permanent shield spell effect on it. It may be supressed with a successful greater dispel magic.

Intelligent Item Abilities: A creator may add intelligent item abilities, but no other abilities, to a Deceptive Construct.

Ironwood affects a Deceptive Construct as normal. Warp Wood slows it for 1d4 rounds.

Construction
A carriage-type Deceptive Construct must first be built of pure oak. It begins its life in humanoid form, albeit a more generic version of it. It only takes on its final form when the creator uses special magic to cause the proto-construct to assimilate the carriage's form, destroying the carriage in the process. The look of a Deceptive Construct varies with the type of carriage used as the base. Then the magic that gives it sentience is cast upon it, and finally it is given the ability to move and to assume its carriage form.

The following Information applies to all Deceptive Constructs, including the carriage type.

Cost to Create: Still working on that.
Caster Level: I'm with Monte Cooke on this one, giving items a caster level requirement was a stupid idea. Feat and spell requirements already create an artificial level requirement, so giving a caster level is redundant.
Feats: Craft Construct, Craft Wondrous Item
Skills Used: Craft (woodwork), Craft (Wheel/Wainwright), Craft (Cartwright)
Spells Required: Programmed Image, Shield, Anmate Object, Fabricate, Fog Cloud, geas/quest, whatever it takes to create intelligent items

notice: Certain intelligent item abilities may increase the CR for any given Deceptive Construct. The creator is considered the "owner" until the creator dies for the purpose of anything used "on the owner".

Up Next: Pipe Organ type, large sized Deceptive Construct capable of producing powerful sonic blasts.
Further Along: Ballista, Catapult, Ship, Airship, Ornithopter, and any other fantasy based vehicles I can find from all the splatbooks.

BisectedBrioche
2007-07-07, 06:56 PM
Constructs in disguise? Clearly there's more than that which meets the eye.

Pronounceable
2007-07-07, 07:00 PM
It's a magical transformer then? I like it.