Earliest possible intelligent item creation

[lolcat]

Greetings playground!

I've been playing around with the thought of creating a dungeon-delving character that creates him/herself one of those tiny anthropomorphized technical gizmos that are sentient/sapient. So far so good, until i came across this annoying restriction: "To create an intelligent item, a character must have a caster level of 15th or higher."

So i was wondering, outside of the context of combat where we're dealing with singular rounds of effects, but in a way that lasts long enough for item creation to be feasible (lets say at the least 3 days), how can i achieve such a caster level increase/what is the earliest point i can feasibly pull this off?

Thanks in advance for your input!

https://images.cults3d.com/ng9Q2yI8kUYMBcn-GHhTyADJcbQ=/516x516/https://files.cults3d.com/uploaders/20649015/illustration-file/db1d1831-6c88-4e29-aa07-06d0653589a8/Cults-B12.png

[Satinavian]

Can't you just use an artificer and their homunculus which comes online at level 4 ?

[Saintheart]

Pulled off a very, very old Wizards forum that happened to be on the Wayback Machine (https://web.archive.org/web/20101209090313/http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19872350/Raising_Caster_Level), list of methods for increasing caster level:

Items:
Agony +2 - 200 BoVD nonstacking, 1-use
Ambrosia +2 - 200 BoED [good], nonstacking, 1-use
Ankh of Ascension +4 - 9,000 MIC divine, costs spell slots, 3/day
Arcanist's Gloves +2 - 500 MIC 1st level spell, 2/day
Band of Spell Enhancement +2 - 10,080 RavenL 1/day
Barbs of Hextor +1 - 350 CC [evil] or Evil domain, worship Hextor
Bolt of Heironeous +1 - 350 CC [good] or Good domain, worship Heironeous
Boots of Big Stepping +2 - 6,000 MIC [teleportation]
Couatl Feather +2 - 10 BoED 35% chance, 1-use
Domain Draught varies - 3,300 MIC grants a domain for 1 day
Devastation of Nerull +1 - 350 CC Death domain or Necro, worship Nerull
Feather of the Far Realms +1 - 95 CC Travel domain only, 1-use
Game of Fate +1 - 550 CC 45% chance, 1-use
Hero's Tears +2 - 675 CC [good], 1-use
Humanoid Heart +2 - - BoVD 10% chance, 1-use
Ioun Stone (Orange Prism) +1 - 30,000 DMG
Kiss of Discord +2 - 310 CC [chaos], 1-use 350
Mirror of Olidammara +1 - 350 CC Luck domain or [chaos], worship Olidammara
Nugget of Garl Glittergold +1 - 350 CC Trickery domain or Illus, worship Garl
Obad-Hai's Green Man +2 - 350 CC Animal or Plant domains, worship Obad-Hai
Prayer Bead (Karma) +4 - 20,000 DMG must cast a divine spell first
Ring of Arcane Might +1 - 20,000 MIC arcane
Ring of Mystic Fire +1 competence 7,500 MIC [fire]
Ring of Mystic Healing +1 competence 3,500 MIC cure spells
Robe of Arcane Might +1 competence 21,000 MIC 1 school
Rod of Elemental Might +2 - 9,600 CM 1 element, wu jen only
Ruby Skull of Wee Jas +1 - 350 CC Death domain or Necro, worship Wee Jas
Shawl of Bewitching +1 - 3,500 CV Ench[charm]
Shieldstone Cavern (loc) +1 - 1,000 CM abjuration, 1 year
Silver Badge of Larethian +1 - 350 CC Protection domain or Abjur, worship Correlan
Skiurid Nugget +2 - 1,000 MM4 Necro, 50% chance, 1-use
Talisman of Boccob +1 - 350 CC Knowledge domain or Divination, worship Boccob
Talisman of the Twelve Moons +0-+3 - 4,500 RoE +1 outside at night, +2 in Wild Shape; shifter only
Talon of Ehlonna +2 - 370 CC Animal domain or spell that targets animals
Terran Brandy +2 alchemical 500 BoVD 1-use
Tome of the Stilled Tongue +1 - 7,000 MIC lose hp, relic
Tome of the Wyrm +1/more insight 15,000 DM when affecting enemy dragon
Vanguard of Kord +1 - 350 CC Luck domain or Trans, worship Kord
Vecna's Hand and Eye +1 - 350 CC Knowledge or Magic domain, worship Vecna
Vial of the Last Gasp +1 - 2,200 CV 1-use
War Cross of St. Cuthbert +1 - 350 CC [mind-affecting], worship Cuthbert
Yondalla's Cornucopia +1 - 350 CC Law domain, [good], create food/water

Spells:
Abyssal Rift +2 - Wiz 9/Entropy 9 FC1 conj[evil]
Adept Spirit +1 insight Clr 2/Wiz 3 MoI
Channel the Mishtai +1 insight Wiz 2 MoI 1/6 chance, -1hp/HD
Channel the Mishtai, Greater +1 insight Wiz 6 MoI -1 hp/HD
Consumptive Field *1.5 - Clr 4 SC
Consumptive Field, Greater *1.5 - Clr 4 SC
Create Magic Tattoo +1 - Wiz 2 SC
Death Knell +1 - Clr 2 PH
Frostfell +1 - Wiz 9 FB [cold] only
Harmonic Chorus +2 morale Brd 2 SC need concentration
Hymn of Praise +2 - Brd 3 SC Good divine casters
Infernal Threnody +2 - Brd 3 SC Evil divine casters
Mystic Surge +1 - Wiz 4 PH2 one spell
Spell Enhancer +2 - Wiz 4 SC one spell
Suffer the Flesh +1-+5 - Wiz 2 MoE 2 con damage/bonus, 1 round, 250 gp

Feats:
Abyss-Bound Soul +1 - FC1 illusion, enchantment, or necromancy only
Aerenal Half-Life +1 - PGE necro only, Arenal elf only
Arcane Thesis +2 - PH2 1 arcane spell
Bloodline of Fire +2 - PGF [fire], regional
Cali****e Elementalist +1 - RoF listed spells
Ceremonial Empowerment +1 sacred FoE cleric only, god's holy days only
Dark Speech +1 - FC1 take 1d4 cha damage
Demon Mastery +1 - FC1 when using Summon spells for demons
Divine Spell Power Varies - CD divine; based on turning check
Domain Focus +1 - CD 1 domain only
Draconic Power +1 - CA 1 energy type
Drift Magic +1 - SS [earth] and dessication damage
Earth Spell Varies - RoS based on slot, not [fire], [air], [water]
Elder Giant Magic +0-+3 - SX based on casting time
Elemental Spellcasting +1 - Planar 1 element type
Enchanting Song +1 - RoS ench only, [music] feat
Fey Power +1 - CM enchantment
Fiendish Power +1 - CM [evil]
Frozen Magic +0-+2 - FB dep on environment
Initiate of Selune +5 - PGF Augury and Divination (the spell) only
Inspire Spellpower +1 - RoS Allies only, [music] feat
Jester's Magic +1 - CoS:W Listed spells only
Lunar Magic +1 - CoS:W In full moon (-1 in new moon)
Master Spellthief stack - CS Spellthief and other arcane caster levels stack for CL
Metamagic Vigor +1 - CM use same metamagic for 2 rounds
Mighty Dragonmark +2 - DMk Dragonmark powers only
Misleading Song +1 - RoS illus only, [music] feat
Mutable Body +1 - RoE trans on self only
Open Least Chakra, Hands +1 insight MoI Staff or Metamagic Rod
Practiced Spellcaster +4 - CA Up to HD only
Primitive Caster +0-+3 - FB depends on components
Reckless Wand Wielder +2 - CA Wands only
Reserves of Strength +1-+3 - DLCS stun/damage, breaks caps!
Ship's Mage +1 - SW on 1 ship only
Spell Thematics +1 - PGF One spell per CL
Storm Magic +1 - FB in storm only
Wand Mastery +2 - Eb Wands only
Words of Creation +1 sacred BoED [good], verbal

Domains:
Artifice +1 - Eb Conj(creat)
Chaos +1 - PH [chaos]
Craft +1 - PGF Conj(creat)
Creation +1 - SC Conj(creat)
Envy +1 - SC negative levels, ability damage/drain
Evil +1 - PH [evil]
Gnome +1 - SC Illus
Good +1 - PH [good]
Healing +1 - PH Conj(heal)
Illusion +1 - SC Illus
Knowledge +1 - PH Div
Law +1 - PH [law]
Necromancy +1 - Eb Necro
Oracle +2 - SC Div
Purification +1 - SC Abj
Summoner +2 - SC Conj(call/summ)
Transformation +1 - RoE Trans
Truth +1 - RoE Div

Classes: (adjustment listed is compared to normal +1/level)
Archmage 1-5 +1/lvl - costs slots DMG
Blood Magus 1 +1 - take 1 damage CA
Dark Scholar 3 +1 - 10 m/day, some schools Slaughtergarge
Evoker (Energy Affinity) 1 +1 - 1 element UA
Gnome Paragon 2,3 +1,+1 - illusion, bard only UA
Hierophant 1-5 +1/lvl - no +casting DMG
Master of Radiance 1 +2 - [light], minutes/day LM
Master Specialist 6,9 +1 - specialist school CM
Nightcloak 1 +2 - [darkness] CD-WE
Noctumancer 1 varies - lvl of dispelled spell ToM
Paragnostic Apostle +1/lvl - various criteria CC
Red Wizard 2-10 +lvl/2 - DMG
Sanctified One 1 +int - 1 round/day CC
Spellguard of Silverymoon 5 +1 - PGF
Tainted Scholar 1 +1 - take 1 damage HoH
Ultimate Magus 1,4,7,10 +1 - arcane CM
Unbound Scroll 2 +2-4 - max 2+HD, scroll DMk
Unseen Seer 3,6,9 +1 - divination / -1 other CM
Wizard of High Sorcery 1 +1 - specialized school DLCS
Wizard of High Sorcery 1 +3 max - dep on moon phase DLCS
Wild Mage 1 +1d6-3 - possible neg CA
Wu Jen 6 +2 - 1 element CA

Reserve Feats: (number available in CM and CC for each spell type)
(competence bonus)
abjuration 3
acid 1
air 3
cold 1
darkness 1
death 1
divination 1
earth 1
electricity 1
enchantment 1
fire 1
force 3
glamer 1
healing 2
light 1
necromancy 1
polymorph 1
sonic 1
summoning 2
teleportation 1
water 2

Races:
Name bonus HD/LA type source notes
Dwarf, Dream +1 0/+0 - RoS divination
Gloaming +1 0/+2 - Und Illus(shadow)
Gnome, Chaos +1 0/+1 - RoS [chaos]
Illumian (krau) +2 0/+0 - RoD Up to HD only
Raptoran +1 0/+0 - RotW [air]

Other:
Bloodtouched Rite +1 - PgEb Necro
Greater Rite of Passage +1 - RotD-WE sorc only; affects spell progression, kobold only
Node Magic varies - Und,CoR dep on class of node
Pelor's Shadow Guard +1 - CC requires affiliation score 22+; applies to Good, Healing, Law, Strength, Sun, War domains
Spellgifted (trait) +1 - UA one school; -1 others


On top of this, the Bloodlines variant from the SRD (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/variant/races/bloodlines.htm)suggests that your caster level continues to rise even if you're taking a Bloodline level.

[ShurikVch]

"Forging Friends" article (Dragon #341) includes such options for Improved Familiar as Copper Asp, Crystal Cat, Erudite Owl, Glass Dragonfly, Mercurial Spider, Razor Hawk, and Salvage Rat. Copper Asp have Int 6, and can be crafted at level 3. (Glass Dragonfly is Int 3 - but 5th-level option; Erudite Owl - 7th-level and Int 10)

Dragon #280 have Construct Familiar feat: instead the "normal" Familiar, you get Construct version - with all benefits and drawbacks of Construct type. Since feat don't says Construct Familiars are Mindless - they should be no less intelligent than their living counterparts. Available from the very 1st level (or, at least, 2nd level - not every caster have 100 gp at 1st level)

[Kurald Galain]

If Pathfinder material is allowed, then a Magus with the Bladebound archetype (or alternatively, a Blade Adept Arcanist) will get an intelligent item by level 3. This item has to be a weapon, but well, "weapon" is a pretty broad term.

[Silva Stormrage]

If you don't mind using evil spells Nybor's Psychic Imprint is also an option. Essentially it is a 6th level spell that copies the mind of a creature (If you charm a creature the intelligent item is permanently charmed) and adds it to an existing item turning it into an intelligent item. If you can get it as an SLA it can be incredibly effective as it does have a decently hefty XP cost.

[pabelfly]

Item Familiar, the feat, would give you a sapient item at level 7.

[Khedrac]

I'd go with level 1. A 1st level wizard scribing their first scroll.

If you re-read the DMG section on magic items, notably both cursed and intelligent ones, iirc, most of the time these are not things that happen on purpose - they are accidents that happen during item creation.

So yes, it is almost vanishingly unlikely that they would create an intelligent scroll, but they might...

[AnonJr]

What about a Homunculus of some sort, and then a scroll of Awaken Construct? The scroll is expensive, and the DC to pull it off will be ... interesting. But, that could get you a nice, intelligent buddy fairly early.

[Darrin]

You can start creating Clockwork Menders (MM4) around 5th/6th level. Requires Craft Construct (MM), which itself requires Craft Wondrous Item and Craft Magic Arms & Armor. Wizard can take the former at 3rd, latter at 5th, and then Craft Construct at 6th. Costs 1650 GP + 68 XP, +2000 GP per additional hit die.

Homunculus (Eberron Campaign Setting) can be created at the same level with similar requirements.

[Arcanist]

I've been playing around with the thought of creating a dungeon-delving character that creates him/herself one of those tiny anthropomorphized technical gizmos that are sentient/sapient. So far so good, until i came across this annoying restriction: "To create an intelligent item, a character must have a caster level of 15th or higher."

An Artificer 4/ Dragonmark Heir 4 with a +1 Dragonshard Focus has a caster level for their Greater Dragonmark of 15.

[ShurikVch]

Tin Golem (from the "Lesser Golems" article in Dragon #341) can be crafted at 5th level - presuming you get Craft Construct feat - for 3,400 gp and 240 XP (Fox's Cunning, Magic Mouth, and Mending spells needed), or purchased for 6800 gp. Have Int 5, can speak, have proficiency in all simple and martial weapons (and shields - except tower shields), and 6 ranks in two different Craft or Profession skills (in addition to any ranks from HD or class levels).

[Doctor Despair]

Ancestral Relic lets you get an intelligent item at level 3 (wbl permitting). No need to find a high-level caster; you aren't supplying the item creation requirements. The feat does.

[Bayar]

You can start creating Clockwork Menders (MM4) around 5th/6th level. Requires Craft Construct (MM), which itself requires Craft Wondrous Item and Craft Magic Arms & Armor. Wizard can take the former at 3rd, latter at 5th, and then Craft Construct at 6th. Costs 1650 GP + 68 XP, +2000 GP per additional hit die.

Homunculus (Eberron Campaign Setting) can be created at the same level with similar requirements.

Or you can be an Artificer and craft a Clockwork Mender at level 4 since it's treated as a homunculus by them. Same with the Clockroach in the same book.