Recently the effigy creature template (Complete Arcane page 131) caught my eye. It seems like an interesting addition to the game, so I though I'd try for a ENWorld brainstorming session. Since I already have some ideas I'll include them in this post - please don't let that stop you from making suggestions on anything effigy-related.
(This is a work in progress. I may suddenly loose interest and wander off, but if anyone else finds the subject interesting enough to post to the thread I'll probably stick around and update this post once or twice.)
The template has it's own prestige class, the effigy master (CA page 30), but any character with the Craft Construct feat can make an effigy creature and any character with enough gold can buy one.
For reference, the template works as follows:
Cost:
Body: Tiny (or smaller?) 500, Small 1000, Medium 2000, Large 5000, Huge 10000, Gargantuan 25000, Colossal 50000
In addition you have to pay 2000 gp for each HD. (If you create the effigy yourelf you pay 1000 gp + 80 XP per HD in adition to the cost of the body.)
Ok, with that out of the way let's move on to the practical application.
Which spells are best used to improve an effigy?
Obviously the repair ... damage spells (Complete Arcane, Eberron CS) are a must-have. You can heal a construct without them but it's far too expensive.
Most standard buff spells can be cast on an effigy. Energy protection of various kinds are especially useful.
Artificers have some kick-ass construct-specific infusions.
Which (magic) items are best used to improve an effigy?
Mundane armor provides cheap AC compared to magic items like rings of deflection. Constructs aren't proficient with armor or shields but that doesn't matter if the ACP is +0. Ways to reduce ACP include masterwork (-1), mithral (-3) and darkwood (-2).
A wand of repair light damage saves the wizard from wasting slots on repair spells.
Which base creatures make for powerful or useful effigy creatures?
Combat: Annis hags (Large, 7HD), Cave Trolls (Large, 9 HD, MM3), War Trolls (Large, 12 HD, MM3) seem like the best combat forms.
Utility: Best mount? (Fast? Flight?) Guard? (The creature keeps racial bonuses to spot or listen.)
How do you best use an effigy creature?
Combat effigies can double as guards, door-breakers and loot-carriers.
Don't send the effigy into a random combat situation unless it's melee defenses (AC, DR) or immunities gives it a special advantage, or you've prepared it with heavy buffing. They have crappy saves and relatively few hit points.
Effigy creatures can be expensive, but if you split the cost (and risk) over the entire party you can get a relatively cheap henchman that never complains, rests or questions your orders. Effigies can also benefit greatly from a combined buffing-effort from several different classes.
(This is a work in progress. I may suddenly loose interest and wander off, but if anyone else finds the subject interesting enough to post to the thread I'll probably stick around and update this post once or twice.)
The template has it's own prestige class, the effigy master (CA page 30), but any character with the Craft Construct feat can make an effigy creature and any character with enough gold can buy one.
For reference, the template works as follows:
- The base creature must be abberation, animal, dragon, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid or vermin.
- The creature is changed into a construct. From the SRD:
Construct Type: A construct is an animated object or artificially constructed creature.
Features: A construct has the following features. [I've underlined some key points.]
10-sided Hit Dice.
Base attack bonus equal to 3/4 total Hit Dice (as cleric).
No good saving throws.
Skill points equal to (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1) per Hit Die, with quadruple skill points for the first Hit Die, if the construct has an Intelligence score. However, most constructs are mindless and gain no skill points or feats.
Traits: A construct possesses the following traits (unless otherwise noted in a creature's entry).
No Constitution score.
Low-light vision.
Darkvision out to 60 feet.
Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects).
Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease, death effects, and necromancy effects.
Cannot heal damage on their own, but often can be repaired by exposing them to a certain kind of effect (see the creature's description for details) or through the use of the Craft Construct feat. A construct with the fast healing special quality still benefits from that quality.
Not subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability damage, ability drain, fatigue, exhaustion, or energy drain.
Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless).
Not at risk of death from massive damage. Immediately destroyed when reduced to 0 hit points or less.
Since it was never alive, a construct cannot be raised or resurrected.
Because its body is a mass of unliving matter, a construct is hard to destroy. It gains bonus hit points based on size, as shown on the following table.
Fine -, Diminutive -, Tiny -, Small 10, Medium 20, Large 30, Huge 40, Gargantuan 60, Colossal 80
Proficient with its natural weapons only, unless generally humanoid in form, in which case proficient with any weapon mentioned in its entry.
Proficient with no armor.
Constructs do not eat, sleep, or breathe.
The Rules of the Game articles on constructs may also prove helpful.
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20050809a (Part 1)
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20050816a (Part 2)
- Natural armor improves by 2.
- Humanoid shaped creatures gain one or two slam attacks. (See CA - not that important.)
- Ability scores: Str +4, Dex +2, Con -, Int -, Wis 11, Cha 1
- The effigy looses all the special attacks and qualities of the base creature except for extraordinary special attacks that don't rely on Con for a save DC. (So you keep extraordinary abilities like improved grab, but loose poison).
- The effigy gains DR/adamantine based on its HD.
1-3 HD 1/adamantine
4-6 HD 3/adamantine
7-10 HD 5/adamantine
11-15 HD 7/adamantine
16-20 HD 10/adamantine
21+ HD 15/adamantine - The effigy looses all the skill ranks and feats of the base creature except for feats that improve attacks, like Improved Natural Attack, Multiattack, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus and Weapon Proficiencies.
Cost:
Body: Tiny (or smaller?) 500, Small 1000, Medium 2000, Large 5000, Huge 10000, Gargantuan 25000, Colossal 50000
In addition you have to pay 2000 gp for each HD. (If you create the effigy yourelf you pay 1000 gp + 80 XP per HD in adition to the cost of the body.)
Ok, with that out of the way let's move on to the practical application.
Which spells are best used to improve an effigy?
Obviously the repair ... damage spells (Complete Arcane, Eberron CS) are a must-have. You can heal a construct without them but it's far too expensive.
Most standard buff spells can be cast on an effigy. Energy protection of various kinds are especially useful.
Artificers have some kick-ass construct-specific infusions.
Which (magic) items are best used to improve an effigy?
Mundane armor provides cheap AC compared to magic items like rings of deflection. Constructs aren't proficient with armor or shields but that doesn't matter if the ACP is +0. Ways to reduce ACP include masterwork (-1), mithral (-3) and darkwood (-2).
A wand of repair light damage saves the wizard from wasting slots on repair spells.
Which base creatures make for powerful or useful effigy creatures?
Combat: Annis hags (Large, 7HD), Cave Trolls (Large, 9 HD, MM3), War Trolls (Large, 12 HD, MM3) seem like the best combat forms.
Utility: Best mount? (Fast? Flight?) Guard? (The creature keeps racial bonuses to spot or listen.)
How do you best use an effigy creature?
Combat effigies can double as guards, door-breakers and loot-carriers.
Don't send the effigy into a random combat situation unless it's melee defenses (AC, DR) or immunities gives it a special advantage, or you've prepared it with heavy buffing. They have crappy saves and relatively few hit points.
Effigy creatures can be expensive, but if you split the cost (and risk) over the entire party you can get a relatively cheap henchman that never complains, rests or questions your orders. Effigies can also benefit greatly from a combined buffing-effort from several different classes.
