The Builder

[Climowitz]

Hello everyone, i will be able to start a 3.5 Campaign next week and i would like to play a builder, constructor. A person who can build any building and even craft many items. How would you make one, which class and or race, etc. would you use. Only 3.5 material, no 3.0, any book allowed.

[schreier]

I would want a class with lots of skills. Rogue and factotum could be options. Long term, could go bard and get a lyre of building?

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/wondrousItems.htm#lyreofBuilding

Could also go artificer as another option. That actually might even fit better

[Uncle Pine]

Artificer sounds like it'd fit the bill (http://minmaxforum.com/index.php?topic=2829.0). You'll also want to take a look at Stronghold Builder's Guide if you want to build magical flying towers.

[Climowitz]

Lyre of Building was one of the very nice items i was aiming for. Does it need to be bard exclusively? Another possible approach for me was Cleric with creation domain, and domain focus to double its power, so i would get a +8 to all crafts, that way i could be great at crafting anything. Artificer is really nice, but the problem i might face is low possibilities to do something different, specially survive.

[schreier]

Artificer has pretty good survivability. It can wear armor, use weapons, and has infusions.

Lyre is not exclusively bard, but not many other classes will have 18 perform string :)

Cleric would work, as would a wizard (using fabricate).

If you want to build everything thought, artificer is probably the right direction.

Here's some guidance:
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?330837-Artificer-Handbook

[Uncle Pine]

Lyre is not exclusively bard, but not many other classes will have 18 perform string :)

Guidance of the Avatar (http://archive.wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/sb/sb20010504a) gives you a +20 competence bonus on a single skill check and Performance can be used even if untrained. Thus, anyone who can activate a 2nd level Cleric wand can use a lyre of building just fine.

[schreier]

So as long as you have a friend, you can do it :)

Probably can't stop playing to use the wand. I am also not sure that the DM would let a 1 minute duration wand work for an hour long session (you make a check every hour for playing). I would think, if I were DM, that I would rule against a 1-minute buff working for a roll that represents an hour of play

"Each hour after the first, a character playing the lyre must make a DC 18 Perform (string instruments) check" -- obviously, from a certain perspective, the check is in a single round. But at the same time, it represents a full hour of playing.

[Climowitz]

What would you say if i go Artificer with a Leadership's Cohort who is a Creation Domain Cleric, like a Taskmaster to my Architect. The builder's Guild.

Also i think i should go with a Hordeficer. Can the homunculi and the constructs be workers ?

[schreier]

Sounds awesome, and yes

I know some will make a portable hole for the homonculi to work in, then you can pick up the hole and walk around, leaving them to continue working.

Then when you stop, just reopen it when you need to do your parts.

Even better than a portable hole is a enveloping pit (much cheaper)
http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?274941-Enveloping-Pit-Base

[Kelb_Panthera]

Unless you want your crafted buildings and items to be mundane objects, gotta go artificer. If you don't have it already, get a hold of a copy of the Stronghold Builder's Guidebook. Wondrous architecture will go a long way for this sort of character.

[Falontani]

Gnome Artificer 9/Maester 5/Unbound Scroll 5

If your DM is a stickler saying that artificer doesn't count as an "arcane" caster then throw in 1 wizard or bard level with practiced spellcaster, if artificer DOES count then you can take a single level of Prestigious Bard (from unearthed arcana) to add most Bard Only spells to your infusion list.

Grants you 17/20 spellcasting (infusions)
Grants you several x/day abilities that aren't too important
grants you a large slew of crafting feats with 4 crafting bonus feats of your choice
Allows you to create magic items faster (2k xp/day instead of 1k/xp makes it more than twice as fast when adding other feats)
A good number of skill points
a 25% reduction in scroll costs (before feats)
the ability to create fake scrolls that you can use without expending money to craft them
etc and so forth.

[Telonius]

Book of Exalted Deeds generally counts as fully 3.5. The Words of Creation feat in there is typically a Bard thing, but it can help any character with Craft skills or who uses a lot of Conjuration (Creation) spells.

[Particle_Man]

If Races of Eberron is allowed, you could be a Warforged. Maybe change the backstory a bit so that you could be a self-made man. :smallbiggrin:

[unseenmage]

Unless you want your crafted buildings and items to be mundane objects, gotta go artificer. If you don't have it already, get a hold of a copy of the Stronghold Builder's Guidebook. Wondrous architecture will go a long way for this sort of character.

As the Stronghold Builder's Guide is 3.0 and you explicitly asked for no 3.0 in the OP please be aware that Lair Wards from the 3.5 Draconomicon are practically functionally identical to the SBG's Wondrous Architecture.

[Kelb_Panthera]

As the Stronghold Builder's Guide is 3.0 and you explicitly asked for no 3.0 in the OP please be aware that Lair Wards from the 3.5 Draconomicon are practically functionally identical to the SBG's Wondrous Architecture.

My bad. Missed that bit. Silly restriction though. The DMG says right on page 4 that you can continue to use 3.0 material with only minor adjustment. Never did get why anyone would want to throw all that stuff away.

[unseenmage]

My bad. Missed that bit. Silly restriction though. The DMG says right on page 4 that you can continue to use 3.0 material with only minor adjustment. Never did get why anyone would want to throw all that stuff away.

Dont feel too bad, you were the second person to miss it with the same suggestion even. :smallsmile:

And yeah, I appreciate the 3.0 goodness too. Guess some folks either want to reduce book bloat in their games or don't feel like fixing Create Crawling Claw (Monsters of Faerun) vs Crawling Claws (Lost Empires of Faerun) type wierdnesses.

[Climowitz]

I really liked the Words of Creation Feat, i believe i will make use of it.

I can use couple of things from 3.0 books as long as they are not Classes, Feats, Races or Spells.

I'm mostly sure i will go either Gnome or Dwarf, but i can't decide yet. Is there any other Race (Besides Human) that would help boost that Craft skill or get more skill points?

I will be looking to build many constructs, so if there is a Prestige class that can synergize with that, it would be great. If i go Gnome i will definitely go at least a couple of levels of Maester, however i think i can manage to convince my DM to go that prestige without being Gnome, and also boosting my infusions.

Thanks everybody, you're being really helpful.

[BowStreetRunner]

Just wanted to toss in the Artifice Domain (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/divine/domains.htm) as an alternative to the Creation Domain.

As to PrCs for making constructs, Effigy Master (CArc) is one.

[Kelb_Panthera]

I really liked the Words of Creation Feat, i believe i will make use of it.

I can use couple of things from 3.0 books as long as they are not Classes, Feats, Races or Spells.

And just like that, SBG is back. Not being able to grab the landlord feat kinda sucks but "oh well."


I'm mostly sure i will go either Gnome or Dwarf, but i can't decide yet. Is there any other Race (Besides Human) that would help boost that Craft skill or get more skill points?

As far as I know, humans are the only race with bonus skill points and the gnomes' bonus to craft (alchemy) is the most useful racial craft bonus. I'd probably stick with gnome unless you're playing in Eberron. Then -maybe- I'd consider a human member of house Cannith.


I will be looking to build many constructs, so if there is a Prestige class that can synergize with that, it would be great. If i go Gnome i will definitely go at least a couple of levels of Maester, however i think i can manage to convince my DM to go that prestige without being Gnome, and also boosting my infusions.

Effigy master is very much in the construct building realm. Gonna eat two caster levels though; one for a different spellcasting class to get simulacrum on your list and another for the first level of EM.

[unseenmage]

See if you can use the Awaken Sand spell from the 3.5 Sandstorm book. Makes a free-willed, sentient, ooze-like Construct from any dust or sand. See the Dust is Lazy link in my sign for more creative details.

The Greater Humanoid Essence spell could be very important to you too. Is from Races of Eberron IIRC. Turns a Construct into a Humanoid for the duration which then let's you Telepathic Bond with them.
When it becomes a Construct again, and regains mind-affecting immunity, the Telepathic Bond remains because if changing type made spells stop working then the Grester Humanoid Essence itself would stop as soon as it took effect.

Intelligent Magic Items can activate themselves and can easily take control of mindless minions. Put an Intelligent amulet on your mindless Effigy or Golem, have it take control, and viola a sentient minion.

In case it hasn't been mentioned or you're unaware the Dedicated Wright homunculus is your best friend.
Beware though, you can only benefit from one. No matter how many you make they all pull from your own 8 hrs of daily magic item crafting time.
Unless you give them their own magic item crafting feats, then they each get their own 8 hrs per day of magic item crafting time too.
They CAN craft mundane, non-magical items all day & night without rest though. This explicitly includes alchemical items and items made from special materials.

[SnugUndies]

Are psionics allowed? A shaper can manifest minor creation from level 1, which is a staggering three spell levels before a wizard. You also get Craft as a class skill, and can get a psicrystal with the artiste personality for a nice +3 bonus to all Craft checks. If you focus on it, you can hit the DCs to build just about anything you want with psionic minor creation even at level 1.

[Climowitz]

My dm is very skeptic about using psionics, as he believes they are very overpowered.

For what i think i will go gnome/dwarf cleric with focused domain Artifice so i can get double the domain power and access to divine spells and then artificer levels at least until i hit level 6. Then maybe some levels of maester to become better at single items. I will look into the effigy master but the level of arcane needed kinda sucks.

As for magic items, besides the lyre of building what should i try to get or make?

[Climowitz]

Hello Again everyone. I've finally decided to be a Rock Gnome Artificer, right now i have level 3, being an Artificer 2 / Artifice Domain Focus Cleric with Wanderer substitution for Turn Undead. I'm gonna have 1 Maester and 5 Legendary Leader levels, and then i will look into more, but since my first 15 levels are covered, i'm now asking for other type of help.

I NEED MAGIC and MAGIC ITEMS.
I need help with spells and or magic items that fit the Builder / Constructor bills. Anything that you think can help is helpfull.
Thanks for your help in advance everyone.

[Telonius]

Feather Token (Tree) for landscaping
Stone of Alarm. Newly-constructed homes come with home security system!
Cube of Frost Resistance - comes with central heating!
Unguent of Timelessness. Deck guaranteed for 2000 years.
Portable Hole - Extra storage space.
Rod of Splendor - for garden parties on the estate.
Lyre of Building (obvious)
Mattock of the Titans - for any Huge contractors
Instant Fortress - the latest in prefab housing.
Dust of Dryness - clear out marshy areas so they're ready for construction; or fix water damage.

[Climowitz]

Feather Token (Tree) for landscaping
Stone of Alarm. Newly-constructed homes come with home security system!
Cube of Frost Resistance - comes with central heating!
Unguent of Timelessness. Deck guaranteed for 2000 years.
Portable Hole - Extra storage space.
Rod of Splendor - for garden parties on the estate.
Lyre of Building (obvious)
Mattock of the Titans - for any Huge contractors
Instant Fortress - the latest in prefab housing.
Dust of Dryness - clear out marshy areas so they're ready for construction; or fix water damage.

Awesome choices, i will keep them in mind.