Building an Artificer and her best friend

[Jarmen4u]

Hi Playground, I'm planning to play an artificer in an upcoming 3.5e game, starting at 9th level, with Pathfinder WBL(46,000gp). I'm playing with the idea of this artificer having a single beefed-up/buffed-up combat construct/bodyguard, as opposed to the more common "horde" playstyle of amassing several smaller homunculi. I was considering picking up a level of Effigy Master to have Effigy Crafting as an option, but this is a new side of optimization for me, so I'm pretty stumped.

Are there any established/recommended paths to take for this kind of build? Multi-classing/PrCs are fine, so long as it sticks to the Artificer theme. The character is based on an Eberron campaign we recently ran.

[Bayar]

I'd not bother with Effigy Master. Not only it would depend on the DM to qualify to get to, you lose one caster level for no real benefit. You can still craft effigies with the Craft Construct feat and that opens up shield guardians, runic guardians and any other constructs that might be worth crafting or not.

Shield guardians are pretty expensive at level 9 you might be able to either use an upgraded iron defender until then. A list of constructs by level to have handy is the Mechonomicon: https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?446192-Mechonomicon

For effigies, you could read this list: https://www.enworld.org/threads/effigy-guide-and-examples.313871/

[Jarmen4u]

I'd not bother with Effigy Master. Not only it would depend on the DM to qualify to get to, you lose one caster level for no real benefit. You can still craft effigies with the Craft Construct feat and that opens up shield guardians, runic guardians and any other constructs that might be worth crafting or not.

Shield guardians are pretty expensive at level 9 you might be able to either use an upgraded iron defender until then. A list of constructs by level to have handy is the Mechonomicon: https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?446192-Mechonomicon

For effigies, you could read this list: https://www.enworld.org/threads/effigy-guide-and-examples.313871/

Thanks for the info! I couldn't really find much about how to craft effigies other than explicitly from the Effigy Master class, so I didn't realize you could also just make them with Craft Construct. As for approving creatures, so far my DM has been relatively lenient, so I'm not too worried about things getting shot down. He did recently approve a Rukanyr effigy, but I'm hesitant to pick it up in case there are better options.

As a sidebar, is there any easy way to qualify for a 10HD effigy by level 9? I was really eyeballing the Three-Headed Leskylor. Or some way to make it have only 9HD via a template or something?

[unseenmage]

See if your GM will let you use the Price by CR rules found jn the Building and Modifying Constructs section of the PF PRD. It is much better than the seemingly random pricing Constructs usually suffer.

Elder Eidolons are the superior version of Effigy for whtbthats worth, if you're okay with some madness in your magic robot.

Taking a Dedicated Wright and supercharging it is how I do artificer buddy cop stuff. The Brass Golem has precedent for the built in weapon of a Construct being enchanted at creation.
Make the Dedicated Wright's hammer hand an Intelligent Magic Weapon with some spells and it massively boosts its capabilities.

Improved Familiar and Improved Homunculus stuff help too. Last time.I did the thing was a Mish mash of 3.x and PF and its been a good long while or I'd drop some more specifics. Apologies.

Like any character the equipment the Construct uses will greatly determine its ability to contribute or not.
As a minion character though this means you'll get to choose between equipping one of yiu well or both of you half as well.

In my extended sig there's a thread of feats any character can take that I use for Construct minions and the like too.

[Jarmen4u]

See if your GM will let you use the Price by CR rules found jn the Building and Modifying Constructs section of the PF PRD. It is much better than the seemingly random pricing Constructs usually suffer.

Elder Eidolons are the superior version of Effigy for whtbthats worth, if you're okay with some madness in your magic robot.

Taking a Dedicated Wright and supercharging it is how I do artificer buddy cop stuff. The Brass Golem has precedent for the built in weapon of a Construct being enchanted at creation.
Make the Dedicated Wright's hammer hand an Intelligent Magic Weapon with some spells and it massively boosts its capabilities.

Improved Familiar and Improved Homunculus stuff help too. Last time.I did the thing was a Mish mash of 3.x and PF and its been a good long while or I'd drop some more specifics. Apologies.

Like any character the equipment the Construct uses will greatly determine its ability to contribute or not.
As a minion character though this means you'll get to choose between equipping one of yiu well or both of you half as well.

In my extended sig there's a thread of feats any character can take that I use for Construct minions and the like too.

The only thing I'm a bit confused on here is that I thought the Wrights were best used for crafting when you don't have downtime, and would flee from any combat situation. Is there some way to really beef them up to be better than a normal combat construct?

[Bayar]

The only thing I'm a bit confused on here is that I thought the Wrights were best used for crafting when you don't have downtime, and would flee from any combat situation. Is there some way to really beef them up to be better than a normal combat construct?

Using Improved homunculus feat to beef it up. Also, artificer homunculi advance in size if they gain 6 HD or more, to small size. So they could be used like a halfling or something like that, though it depends. Their combat text say they shy away from combat but as it's a construct in your direct control it should work. I personally wouldn't try it since if it dies it deals damage to you and other homunculi are better equipped for combat without investiture into weapons and armor. On the other hand, I'd invest in an iron defender to get it magical attacks and maybe barding so to each it's own.

[Iku Rex]

Cave trolls (MMIII) make excellent effigies at this level. (https://www.realmshelps.net/monsters/block/Troll,_Cave )

Edit: The MoMF Bible can be useful for creature ideas. Just keep in mind the differences between wild shape and effigies. https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?472737-Updated-Master-of-Many-Forms-Bible-official-wild-shape-rules-(recovered)

[Jarmen4u]

Cave trolls (MMIII) make excellent effigies at this level. (https://www.realmshelps.net/monsters/block/Troll,_Cave )

Edit: The MoMF Bible can be useful for creature ideas. Just keep in mind the differences between wild shape and effigies. https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?472737-Updated-Master-of-Many-Forms-Bible-official-wild-shape-rules-(recovered)

Thanks! I was looking at cave troll, actually, and it looks pretty nice, but I don't think they naturally come with armor proficiency, or if that's even a problem for constructs(?).

One idea I had was for the 10 HD Leskylor, which I think I mentioned earlier. If I took two levels of Effigy Master, despite the lost caster level, it would allow me to qualify for it at level 9. With that, I was thinking, what if I rode it, and if there are good ways to build a mounted artificer (or if that's even viable).

As a sidenote, because I'm still brand new to this class and trying to understand it fully - one of my favorite buff spells is Divine Power. I can make that into an infusion or schema (with Etch Schema feat) for myself, even though it's a divine spell right?

[unseenmage]

For Effigies and Elder Eidolons almost all of the original monster's superpowers get stripped away so all you're left with is the size, HD, and natural attacks.
Having hands doesn't even really help much as it can't get the class abilities or feats to make wielding stuff useful.

So, we're left looking for decent natural attacks on a body sized for adventuring.
Monstrous Compendium: Monsters of Faerun has some good creatures for their HD with decent natural attacks tacked on.
That Damn Crab (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/fw/20040221a) is pretty okay too, with Siege Crab being good if you want your Effigy to double as a literal tank.

[Bayar]

Etch schema requires caster level 10, but divine power can safely be made into one. It comboes with metamagic spell completion and persistent metamagic.

This guide can help with mostly non-crafting related artificer optimisation: https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?427628-Disregard-Money-Acquire-Buff-Spells-Artificers-without-the-Artifice

Edit: if you are dead set on 2 levels of Effigy Master, plan to get 3 then leave.

[Iku Rex]

... I don't think they naturally come with armor proficiency, or if that's even a problem for constructs(?).

Without armor proficiency you apply the armor's armor check penalty (ACP) to attack rolls. So, if you get rid of the ACP, lack of proficiency doesn't matter. The budget version is masterwork studded leather. If you have a bit more gold, mithral chain shirt. (Mithral full plate of nimbleness [MIC, +1] would be expensive and you're still left with -1 ACP.)

[Jarmen4u]

Without armor proficiency you apply the armor's armor check penalty (ACP) to attack rolls. So, if you get rid of the ACP, lack of proficiency doesn't matter. The budget version is masterwork studded leather. If you have a bit more gold, mithral chain shirt. (Mithral full plate of nimbleness [MIC, +1] would be expensive and you're still left with -1 ACP.)

Assuming I make a non-humanoid effigy (like the Leskylor), am I able to make the above armor for it, or would I be limited to barding?

[Telonius]

You know, this might be the rare occasion where something like Leadership would be appropriate. Normally it's potentially unbalancing, but for a concept this cool, as a DM I'd probably allow it.

Set up the bodyguard cohort as though it were a regular Warforged character, two levels below you. (You can scratch out the word "Warforged" and write in "Specialty Homunculus" if you want to; the stats will be the same). When you (and the cohort) level up, describe it like you've been tinkering and adding some modifications. Maybe use something like the Battle Butler (http://spheresofpower.wikidot.com/battle-butler) from Spheres of Power, or just a melee-focused build otherwise.

[Iku Rex]

Assuming I make a non-humanoid effigy (like the Leskylor), am I able to make the above armor for it, or would I be limited to barding? You just have to pay the additional (base) cost, depending on the creature. https://www.d20srd.org/srd/equipment/armor.htm#armorForUnusualCreatures

[samduke]

Hi Playground, I'm planning to play an artificer in an upcoming 3.5e game, starting at 9th level, with Pathfinder WBL(46,000gp). I'm playing with the idea of this artificer having a single beefed-up/buffed-up combat construct/bodyguard, as opposed to the more common "horde" playstyle of amassing several smaller homunculi. I was considering picking up a level of Effigy Master to have Effigy Crafting as an option, but this is a new side of optimization for me, so I'm pretty stumped.

Are there any established/recommended paths to take for this kind of build? Multi-classing/PrCs are fine, so long as it sticks to the Artificer theme. The character is based on an Eberron campaign we recently ran.

from this information this is a 3.5 game specifically only with the wealth from Pathfinder WBL(46,000gp)

That said for a single construct bodyguard type.. I would like to suggest the following
Psion (shaper)
Augment Construction
Advanced Construction
Extended Construction
Meta-psionics

pump all of your efforts into am Astral Construct: Creates astral construct to fight for you.
then use as many of the following as your level is capable of
Menu a
Celerity (Ex):, Power Attack (Ex):, Fly (Ex):,Dodge (Ex):
Menu b
Fast Healing (Ex):,Mobility (Ex):
Menu c
Natural Invisibility (Su):,Power Resistance (Ex):
Menu d
Toughest (Ex):
Ultraheavy Armor (Ex):
Extra Hard Carapace (Ex):

Suggested Gear
Gloves of Ecto Manipulation: - Grants Ecto Manipulation feat
Sling Bullets of the Construct: - Upon striking a target, the sling bullet brings forth a single astral construct that immediately begins to attack the target


However if your heart is set upon an Artificer and a single bodyguard I would stay pure artificer and use the Runic or Shield Guardian via craft construct & all of the artisan feats to reduce their costs.