3.5 Construct Costs

[The Magister]

I'm running a rather construct-heavy campaign right now, and I've decided to create some unique ones, but I have no idea how to calculate the cost (except for 'extras' like spells with XP or expensive components, etc.). I can't really find anything that details the process, but I seem to have a talent for looking in the wrong places. I don't use PF, but I've tried looking through some of its rules, anyway, and still turned up nothing. Are there any established rules for this out there or am I just gonna have to wing it and slap 'em with price tags that just seem reasonable?

[BowStreetRunner]

The creation process is often mentioned in the monster manual entry for the specific type of construct. Of most use to you might be the description of the creation process for a Golem (MM p 134) which references using the procedures for creating magic items (DMG p 282) as a starting point.

[The Magister]

That was where I started, and it doesn't help. It says "Creating a golem is essentially similar to creating any sort of magic item." Well, look at how different the process for making potions versus wondrous items is. I'm assuming it's something like WIs, but the lack of clarity is really frustrating.

[Fizban]

There is no given formula for pricing a custom construct monster. While it seems likely someone behind the scenes had some sort of formula (and I'm pretty sure some people tried their own guesses at it), especially since prices suddenly dropped and became a bit more uniform in the switch to 3.5, no formulas are given (aside from Effigies and Elder Eidolons, since those are templates and their price is given as a formula based on size and HD). If you want to price a custom construct, you'll need to either make it up yourself or use a 3rd party pricing system. And those 3rd party pricing systems won't be any more foolproof than pricing a magic item by formula-only either- Pathfinder's is based on pathfinder expectations, older 3rd party sourcebooks are usually 3.0 and will of course be biased to their expectations, and so on.

While it's no formula, I remember checking over several golems and other constructs and found that the prices were roughly 1/3-1/2 (usually closer to 1/2) of the WBL of a character of equal level to the CR. Those with fancy abilities and/or golem immunities are naturally on the higher end, while some very plain options could go as low as 1/3.

[The Magister]

Hmmm.... Well, I might be able to work something out based on the WBL thing, if it's consistent enough for my liking. Or maybe I could try another table and see if it pans out. I vaguely recall partially 'reverse-engineering' the price of a stone golem in 3.0 a few years ago until I FUBAR'd the math and never tried again. Maybe I'll give that another shot, too....

[unseenmage]

Pathfinder's Building and Modifying Constructs (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/ultimateMagic/magic/buildingAndModifyingConstructs.html)section has a decent enough set of guidelines for Construct pricing.

It's what we use at our table for ALL Constructs and even to price the remains of busted up Construct corpses.

[The Magister]

Well, now we're getting somewhere! Remember when I said I have a talent for looking in the wrong places? I only used the d2d0PFSRD site when it came to using its rules, but I find most of them to be needlessly convoluted and hate poring through them so I didn't get much past the Craft Construct page. I think this is precisely what I need. Thank you very much.

[unseenmage]

You are very welcome. Enjoy.