Can you craft constructs that don't list a market price?

[Equinox90]

Title:

But more specifically, I'm wondering if I can craft something like a Raggamoffin using Craft Construct. It doesn't list a cost but I saw that generally there is a Cost for the body (1k for Medium) and 2k per HD (1k + 80 XP if self made). Is this right or are these types of guys unable to be built?


Also, second question: Whats with the weird caster level requirements for some constructs? I found a 5HD construct that uses a sword and shield, no feats, no great skills, no good stats, but requires CL 15 to make it? That feels weird to me.

[Rizban]

Title:Not by RAW. If there's no construction cost, you can't build them.


But more specifically, I'm wondering if I can craft something like a Raggamoffin using Craft Construct. It doesn't list a cost but I saw that generally there is a Cost for the body (1k for Medium) and 2k per HD (1k + 80 XP if self made). Is this right or are these types of guys unable to be built?Technically fluff text rather than rules text, but MM2 says, "Unlike other constructs, a raggamoffyn is not the result of any deliberate act of creation. Rather, it is formed when leftover magical energy interacts with inanimate objects. The exact process is not well understood"



Also, second question: Whats with the weird caster level requirements for some constructs? I found a 5HD construct that uses a sword and shield, no feats, no great skills, no good stats, but requires CL 15 to make it? That feels weird to me.There were no standards for crafting constructs, and the costs and requirements vary wildly. I'm fully convinced that construct creation costs follow a perfectly rational and linear equation derived from math originating in the Far Realm.

[Coidzor]

But more specifically, I'm wondering if I can craft something like a Raggamoffin using Craft Construct. It doesn't list a cost but I saw that generally there is a Cost for the body (1k for Medium) and 2k per HD (1k + 80 XP if self made). Is this right or are these types of guys unable to be built?

Not in vanilla 3.5 without homebrew, houserules, or the like.

If you're playing 3.P, then there's a formula based upon the CR that you'd be able to draw upon and run by your GM for approval to make one.


Also, second question: Whats with the weird caster level requirements for some constructs? I found a 5HD construct that uses a sword and shield, no feats, no great skills, no good stats, but requires CL 15 to make it? That feels weird to me.

The people who made the game made each book and construct with vastly different expectations and thoughts, though they generally got better over time as the system matured.

So if you want to make constructs, you basically need to either find a bit of homebrew that has rationalized things, find and buy some third party material that standardizes things, or have a DM who is willing to work with you.

Most of the CL requirements are either to keep it firmly above the level of play of adventurers in a particular module or to make it so that most constructs are deliberately not useful to adventuring mages when it comes to things they'll actually be fighting, but would look really fancy and high-status guarding their camp or stronghold.

[Equinox90]

Thanks for all the info!

I have 1 last question to add:

How much does it cost to advance the HD on a construct? I don't see it listed anywhere I've looked and my google Fu appears to be lacking in this regard.

[Coidzor]

How much does it cost to advance the HD on a construct? I don't see it listed anywhere I've looked and my google Fu appears to be lacking in this regard.

It specifically depends upon the construct in 3rd Edition. Many constructs are significantly less useful due to the fact that they omitted a cost for advancing their HD.

Pathfinder gives a general formula of Construction Cost divided by base HD to get the cost per additional HD for those constructs that don't already have a price per additional HD.

[Equinox90]

It specifically depends upon the construct in 3rd Edition. Many constructs are significantly less useful due to the fact that they omitted a cost for advancing their HD.

I'm looking to make the Dread Guard from Monster Manual 2. It was written for 3.0 and updated to 3.5. Listing it as 5HD creature with a 5k Market Value. So, assuming I use the pathfinder advancement, it should cost about 1k per HD? Which seems fine because that particular construct is very underwhelming with only 17 Strength and 12 dex.

[Coidzor]

I'm looking to make the Dread Guard from Monster Manual 2. It was written for 3.0 and updated to 3.5. Listing it as 5HD creature with a 5k Market Value. So, assuming I use the pathfinder advancement, it should cost about 1k per HD? Which seems fine because that particular construct is very underwhelming with only 17 Strength and 12 dex.

It's the crafting cost (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/building-and-modifying-constructs/), not the market value that is divided, but otherwise if you're drawing on the right numbers, that would be how they're plugged in.


Hit Dice Modification (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/building-and-modifying-constructs/#TOC-Basic_Modifications): Hit Dice represent the overall strength and power of a construct. They affect a number of subsequent abilities, including hit points, saving throws, and base attacks. Determine the effects of a Hit Dice modification using the rules for adding creature Hit Dice on pages 290–291 of the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Bestiary. Because a construct’s size is limited, a Hit Dice modification cannot increase its size. Therefore Hit Dice modification can never increase the base construct’s Hit Dice beyond 50% of its total HD. Some constructs have a defined cost for increasing Hit Dice. To calculate the cost per Hit Die of other constructs, divide the construct’s construction cost by its existing Hit Dice.

How it interacts with advancing something's HD will vary heavily based upon how a particular table blends 3.5 and PF content, since Pathfinder threw out individual advancement for creatures and instead they now just increase size for each time they reach 150% of their base HD or the HD they had when they last increased size category.

As for ability scores, well, it costs 5K to increase an ability score by +2 as a post-creation modification of a construct in PF, so that could be used to make a pretty strong construct, but you'd have to be careful about investing *too* much money in one.