Mass-Producing an Army of Constructs

[Palanan]

I know virtually nothing about constructs, so I’m dipping my toe into very deep waters indeed.

But I’m wondering if there’s any cost-effective way to produce thousands of constructs, suitable for use as an army. I’m thinking roughly along the lines of the terra-cotta soldier (although not dead-set upon it) but at 10,000 apiece that will get expensive fast.

I assume the price is based on crafting each one individually, so my question is whether there’s any provision in the rules for a sort of golem assembly line to lower the overall cost. Again, I’m not absolutely committed to the terra-cotta soldiers, and something similar around CR 2 or 3 would work just as well. But I’d still like to know if there’s a way to bring down the cost enough for an army of thousands to be feasible.

[Palanan]

Any ideas? Anything at all?

[Azoth]

Could always be a Soul Eater and then you can craft them for free outside the cost of the physical body. Downside is that you need to worship one of The Four Horsemen to enter it.

[unseenmage]

3.x had a couple of spells that turned stuff into Constructs but PF is a bit lacking in that department.
Minor Servitor (SS)
Awaken Sand (Sa)
Create Crawling Claw (MoF)

One method that could work would be a literal assembly line of hired crafters.

The homebrew PF Eberron (https://sites.google.com/site/eberronpathfinder/) stuff could prove useful.

I also recommend using the 'Price by CR' guidelines from Building and Mofifying Constructs (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/ultimateMagic/magic/buildingAndModifyingConstructs.html).

CR * CR * 500 for a Construct's price.
Half that for their cost to create.
The body typically cost somewhere between 5% and 10% of the construct's base price.



That said a Resetting Magic Trap or ten of Simulacrum for a cheap low HD Construct should get you what you need.

[Jack_Simth]

I know virtually nothing about constructs, so I’m dipping my toe into very deep waters indeed.

But I’m wondering if there’s any cost-effective way to produce thousands of constructs, suitable for use as an army. I’m thinking roughly along the lines of the terra-cotta soldier (although not dead-set upon it) but at 10,000 apiece that will get expensive fast.

I assume the price is based on crafting each one individually, so my question is whether there’s any provision in the rules for a sort of golem assembly line to lower the overall cost. Again, I’m not absolutely committed to the terra-cotta soldiers, and something similar around CR 2 or 3 would work just as well. But I’d still like to know if there’s a way to bring down the cost enough for an army of thousands to be feasible.

Constructs, made "normally" are expensive.
Thus, you want to either avoid making them "normally" or use a trick for arbitrarily large amounts of cash.

I'll ignore the "arbitrarily large amounts of cash" option for now.

Suppose I have a spellcaster capable of casting Wall of Stone (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/w/wall-of-stone/), Stone Shape (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/s/stone-shape/), and Polymorph Any Object (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/p/polymorph-any-object/):

Said spellcaster casts Wall of Stone, and shapes it all rolled in on itself, so that it's a solid column of stone five feet tall (medium size). Specific diameter of this column will vary, see the spell description and do your own math to get the HP of the resulting column.
Said spellcaster then casts Stone Shape to separate it from the base.
Said spellcaster then casts Polymorph Any Object on the Int -, Medium sized chunk of stone, to turn it into a Stone Golem (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/constructs/golem/golem-stone/), which is an Int - chunk of stone. Same Kingdom (Mineral), Same Class (Stone), Same or Lower Int (-). +9 Duration Factor and permanent. The base Golem Entry (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/constructs/golem/) says:
Being mindless, golems do nothing without orders from their creators. They follow instructions explicitly and are incapable of complex strategy or tactics. A golem’s creator can command it if the golem is within 60 feet and can see and hear its creator. If uncommanded, a golem usually follows its last instruction to the best of its ability, though if attacked it returns the attack. The creator can give the golem a simple command to govern its actions in his absence, or can order the golem to obey the commands of another, but the golem’s creator can always resume control by commanding the golem to obey him alone.

In all senses that it has one, the spellcaster is the golem's creator (created the materials, cast the spell that gave it animation, selected it's form, and so on). It's permanent, and has a preparation time of 3 standard actions. You can make as many every day as you have 8th level spell slots (and 3rd and 5th, but the 8th is usually going to be your bottleneck)

Per Polymorph Any Object: "You can use this spell to transform all manner of objects and creatures into new forms- you aren’t limited to transforming a living creature into another living form."

However... there's no defined inherited spell for what this does, exactly, so it's up to the whim of your DM (although the subschool says it keeps it's HP, which is that of a big chunk of stone, so will be pretty high). You'll probably end up high HP cannon fodder this way. It can also be dispelled. But you can have a lot of them, for cheap.


Suppose I have a spellcaster capable of casting Mount (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/m/mount/), Greater False Life (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/f/false-life/) (empowered preferred), Polymorph Any Object (https://www.google.com/search?client=ubuntu&channel=fs&q=Pathfinder+Polymorph+Any+Object&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8), Posession (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/p/possession/), Blood Money (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/b/blood-money/), and Simulacrum (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic/all-spells/s/simulacrum/) (Augment Summoning (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/feats/general-feats/augment-summoning-final) helps, but is not required):

Step 1: Cast Mount to get a horse (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/animals/horse/horse/).
Step 2: Cast Polymorph Any Object to turn the horse into a Lammashu (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/magical-beasts/lammasu/) (Large magical beast, capable of spellcasting), for the +6 Str and ability to maintain casting spells. Kingdom and Size, it'll last long enough.
Step 3: Cast Possession on the Ex-horse.
Step 4: Cast Greater False Life so that the summon has enough HP for the next few steps.
Step 5: Cast Blood Money to pay for...
Step 6: Cast Simulacrum.
Step 7: Dismiss Posession and the mount (in that order)

What do you get? Well, the horse has a Strength of 22 or 26 (16 base, +6 Size from Polymorph, possibly +4 Enhancement from Augment Summoning). 21 points of Strength damage on Blood Money gets you up to 10,499 gp worth of spell components (25 gets you up to 12499 gp worth of components). As simulacrum costs 500 gp per HD of the final result, that 21 points of strength damage can get you a 20 HD sim (if you have a caster level of 20 (the 25 point version can get you a 24 HD sim, if you have a caster level of 24 or better). And you didn't spend any wealth, just spell slots. The Simulacrum is Instant, and sticks around. Copy whatever you like.

With the 12 hour casting time, and a need to reset to regain spell slots, you're basically able to output these at the rate of 1 a day.


IMPORTANT NOTES:
Both of those have some "fuzzy bits" in the rules, that are assumed to go in the caster's favor in the above (Examples: Are you the caster of Simulacrum, or is the Horse? What's the stats that result when you use Polymorph Any Object to make a stone golem?). This may not work at your gaming table.
Minionomancy gets higher optimization than some tables will permit. The second is higher optimization than most tables will permit.
The game isn't really designed for having hordes of mooks. Be prepared for pain at the table tracking everything during a fight.


Edit:
Oh yes, also look up the Waxwork Creature (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/templates/sentient-waxwork-cr-0/). The formatting is weird - the actual construction costs for the "base" template are found in the Waxwork Candle (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/templates/sentient-waxwork-cr-0/waxwork-candle-cr-1/) section, but they're present. Crafting cost of 500 GP per HD of the result (plus an unspecified cost of wax, but after you have the first, wax is free). So you could have a 20 Waxwork Warrior 1's for 10,000 gp. Well, and 20 days of labor.
They've got the "A created waxwork creature obeys the commands of its creator" clause, so you're set on obedience. A Trompe L'Oeil (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/templates/trompe-l-oeil-cr-1/) is only slightly more expensive (painting costs + 500 GP/HD construction costs), but doesn't explicitly have an obedience clause. On the plus side, if they get killed, you can unroll them again in a few days.

[unseenmage]

...
The game isn't really designed for having hordes of mooks. Be prepared for pain at the table tracking everything during a fight.
...
The Troop Subtype (https://www.aonprd.com/MonsterDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Dottari%20Troop) could come in handy in this regard.

EDIT
Here's a list of templated Constructs I used when exploring how to expand the various CR ranges with templates. Hope its helpful.


CR1 small Young (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/bestiary/monsterAdvancement.html#young-creature) Clockwork Servant
CR1 medium Degenerate (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/bestiary/monsterAdvancement.html#degenerate-creature) Clockwork Servant
CR2 medium Clockwork Servant (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/bestiary3/clockwork.html#clockwork-servant)
CR3 large Giant (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/bestiary/monsterAdvancement.html#giant-creature) Clockwork Servant

CR1 diminutive Young Soulbound Doll
CR1 tiny Degenerate Soulbound Doll
CR2 tiny Soulbound Doll (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/bestiary2/soulboundDoll.html#soulbound-doll)
CR3 small Giant Soulbound Doll

CR3 small Young Junk Golem
CR3 medium Degenerate Junk Golem
CR4 medium Junk Golem (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/bestiary4/golem.html#golem-junk)
CR5 large Giant Junk Golem
CR5 small Young Shield Guardian (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/bestiary/golem.html#shield-guardians) Junk Golem
CR5 medium Degenerate Shield Guardian Junk Golem
CR6 medium Shield Guardian Junk Golem
CR7 large Giant Shield Guardian Junk Golem

CR3 small Young Mask Golem
CR4 medium Mask Golem (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/constructs/golem/golem-mask)
CR5 large Giant Mask Golem
CR5 small Young Shield Guardian Mask Golem
CR6 medium Shield Guardian Mask Golem
CR7 large Giant Shield Guardian Mask Golem

CR5 small Young Clockwork Soldier
CR6 medium Clockwork Soldier (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/bestiary3/clockworkSoldier.html#clockwork-soldiercr-6)
CR7 large Giant Clockwork Soldier

CR6 medium Young Flesh Golem
CR7 large Flesh Golem (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/monsters/golem.html#golem-flesh)
CR8 huge Giant Flesh Golem
CR6 medium Young Shield Guardian Flesh Golem
CR8 large Shield Guardian Flesh Golem
CR9 huge Giant Shield Guardian Flesh Golem

CR6 small Young Soulbound Mannequin
CR7 medium Soulbound Mannequin (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/bestiary4/soulboundMannequin.html#)
CR8 large Giant Soulbound Mannequin

CR6 tiny Young Tupilaq
CR7 small Tupilaq (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/bestiary3/tupilaq.html#tupilaq)
CR8 medium Giant Tupilaq

CR7 medium Young Bone Golem
CR8 large Bone Golem (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/bestiary3/golem.html)
CR9 huge Bone Golem
CR9 medium Young Shield Guardian Bone Golem
CR10 large Shield Guardian Bone Golem
CR11 huge Giant Shield Guardian Bone Golem

CR7 medium Young Gargoyle Guardian
CR8 large Gargoyle Guardian (http://www.archivesofnethys.com/MonsterDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Gargoyle%20Guardian)
CR9 huge Giant Gargoyle Guardian
CR7 medium Young Gargoyle Sentry
CR8 large Gargoyle Sentry (http://www.archivesofnethys.com/MonsterDisplay.aspx?ItemName=Gargoyle%20Guardian)
CR9 huge Giant Gargoyle Sentry

CR8 medium Young Alchemical Golem
CR9 large Alchemical Golem (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/bestiary2/golem.html#golem,-alchemical)
CR10 huge Giant Alchemical Golem
CR10 medium Young Shield Guardian Alchemical Golem
CR11 large Shield Guardian Alchemical Golem
CR12 huge Giant Shield Guardian Alchemical Golem

CR8 small Young Clockwork Mage
CR9 medium Clockwork Mage (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/bestiary4/clockwork.html#clockwork-mage)
CR10 large Giant Clockwork Mage

CR9 medium Young Clay Golem
CR10 large Clay Golem (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/bestiary/golem.html#golem-clay)
CR11 huge Giant Clay Golem
CR11 medium Young Shield Guardian Clay Golem
CR12 large Shield Guardian Clay Golem
CR13 huge Giant Shield Guardian Clay Golem

CR9 medium Young Magnetite Golem
CR10 large Magnetite Golem
CR11 huge Giant Magnetite Golem
CR11 medium Young Shield Guardian Magnetite Golem
CR12 large Shield Guardian Magnetite Golem
CR13 huge Giant Shield Guardian Magnetite Golem

CR10 medium Young Stone Golem
CR11 large Stone Golem (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/bestiary/golem.html#golem-stone)
CR12 huge Giant Stone Golem
CR12 medium Young Shield Guardian Stone Golem
CR13 large Shield Guardian Stone Golem
CR14 huge Giant Shield Guardian Stone Golem

CR11 medium Young Clockwork Golem
CR12 large Clockwork Golem (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/bestiary2/golem.html#golem,-clockwork)
CR13 huge Giant Clockwork Golem
CR13 medium Young Shield Guardian Clockwork Golem
CR14 large Shield Guardian Clockwork Golem
CR15 huge Giant Shield Guardian Clockwork Golem

CR11 small Young Soulbound Shell
CR12 medium Soulbound Shell (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/bestiary4/soulboundShell.html#soulbound-shell)
CR13 large Giant Soulbound Shell

CR12 medium Young Iron Golem
CR13 large Iron Golem (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/bestiary/golem.html#golem-iron)
CR14 huge Giant Iron Golem
CR14 medium Young Shield Guardian Iron Golem
CR15 large Shield Guardian Iron Golem
CR16 huge Giant Shield Guardian Iron Golem

CR15 large Young Clockwork Dragon
CR16 huge Clockwork Dragon (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/bestiary4/clockwork.html#clockwork-dragon)
CR17 gargantuan Giant Clockwork Dragon
CR16 large Young Flaming Tar Breath or Infiltrator Clockwork Dragon
CR17 huge Flaming Tar Breath or Infiltrator Clockwork Dragon
CR18 gargantuan Flaming Tar Breath or Infiltrator Clockwork Dragon
CR17 large Young Destroyer, Flaming Tar Breath, Infiltrator, and Mithral Clockwork Dragon
CR18 huge Destroyer, Flaming Tar Breath, Infiltrator, and Mithral Clockwork Dragon
CR19 gargantuan Giant Destroyer, Flaming Tar Breath, Infiltrator, and Mithral Clockwork Dragon

CR18 large Young Adamantine Golem
CR19 huge Adamantine Golem (http://paizo.com/pathfinderRPG/prd/bestiary2/golem.html#golem,-adamantine)
CR20 gargantuan Giant Adamantine Golem
CR20 large Young Shield Guardian Adamantine Golem
CR21 huge Shield Guardian Adamantine Golem
CR22 gargantuan Giant Shield Guardian Adamantine Golem

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by unseenmage
The Troop Subtype could come in handy in this regard.

This definitely looks worthwhile.


Originally Posted by unseenmage
Here's a list of templated Constructs I used when exploring how to expand the various CR ranges with templates. Hope its helpful.

And this looks extremely helpful indeed. Do you happen to have builds for any of these templated versions?

[unseenmage]

...



And this looks extremely helpful indeed. Do you happen to have builds for any of these templated versions?

Sadly no.
Templating every possible Construct has been permanently backburnered ever since I had the idea.
And if I templated this many I wouldn't stop, or at least wouldn't post them, till I'd done them all.


EDIT
Check out the Latten Mechanism. Is the herald of a god but if the Price by CR guidelines fly with your GM then you could theoretically make one and It has a superpower that let's it make semitemporary clockwork soldiers every day.

Best I can tell those Clockwork Soldiers leave their remains when they cease functioning which could be sold for the price of a Clockwotk Soldiers body, possibly with the broken condition just like any non-functioning mundane item, or repaired using the Memory of Function spell on a magic trap or other repeatable source.

[Palanan]

Originally Posted by unseenmage
Templating every possible Construct has been permanently backburnered ever since I had the idea.

It's good to know when to say when. :smalltongue:

[unseenmage]

It's good to know when to say when. :smalltongue:

But if I had a right proper thorough and detailed list things would be so much simpler so very often.

Or nightmarishly disorganized. Either way I dream of once again having that kind of free time.
(Am a father of three, soon to be four, adorable daughters with extra difficult life stuff confetti-ed about right now.)