Teleportation vs. Bound Constructs

[Milagroso]

Hiya,

A mage possess a device that a construct is bound to, i.e. it cannot remove itself from the boundaries of its radius, which we will say, for conversational purposes, is 100 ft. The mage, with the device, teleports out in a hurry, and had no time to grab her construct first.

So, what happens to the construct?

Normally, the construct would make all attempts to stay within its boundary (this is not a trapped elemental wishing to break free, but that is not relevant). However, if the boundary is removed from the construct what will it do?

I and the players involved surmised the following scenarios.

1. The mage's teleportation would fail; no teleportation would occur.

2. The spell would fire, but it would only take the mage to the limit of the device's range.

3. The spell would fire, and the magic of the device would force the construct to teleport with the mage. One player hypothesized this would work at the expense of one or more (perhaps all) of the mage's remaining spell slots, figuring it was a quirk of magic, and thus draining the mage was a side-effect.

4. The construct and the device would be instantly destroyed.

5. The construct would simply shut down as if the power cord had been disconnected, and power back up again when the device and the construct are reunited.

6. The construct flips out and runs through obstacles and barriers at breakneck speeds to keep itself within the range of the device.

The construct is unable to remove itself from the device's range. Otherwise, it encounters an invisible barrier. If the construct cannot remove itself from the range, how is it possible that the range can be removed from the construct? Maybe I am thinking too much into this, but if I could get some feedback on the prior six scenarios, or another idea, I would be grateful.

 

[Jack Simth]

Go back to the flavortext, and the reason the construct is bound to the device.

Is the device a favored object for some unknown reason? If so, option 6 is appropriet.
Does the construct get it's power form the device? If so, Option 4 or 5 would be appropriet.
Does the device draw the construct to it? Then 1 or 3 would be appropriet.
Does the construct draw the device to it? Then 1 or 2 would be appropriet.
Does the device control the construct? Then unlisted option 7 (construct gains free will) is appropriet.

It's a flavor (or plot) issue.

 

[Milagroso]

Go back to the flavortext, and the reason the construct is bound to the device.

Is the device a favored object for some unknown reason? If so, option 6 is appropriet.
Does the construct get it's power form the device? If so, Option 4 or 5 would be appropriet.
Does the device draw the construct to it? Then 1 or 3 would be appropriet.
Does the construct draw the device to it? Then 1 or 2 would be appropriet.
Does the device control the construct? Then unlisted option 7 (construct gains free will) is appropriet.

It's a flavor (or plot) issue

What exactly is a favored object? Do you mean like an object that has some sentimental value to the construct or the creator? Well, to put any further mystery aside, the device in question is a key that is used to wind the construct up. They key also acts as a leash. Anyone holding the key can control the construct. I decided to go with option 6 in order to get the game moving, but I really want to be better prepared to handle the situation if any of the players try to pull something like that again.

The construct does not get its power from the device.
The construct does is not "drawn" to it per se, but it must stay within 100ft of it.
The device is not "drawn" to it, but it can be used to locate the construct if it is lost.
The device does in fact control the construct. However, since the construct can only be wound with that key, then it must return to it or shut down. The gaining of free will would only be temporary. However, this does not displace the validity of the option. Perhpas the construct should have gone into mindless rage until the key was brought back into range.

 

[Nail]

It's your house-rule magic item. Pick whatever option you think appropriate. (IOW, there are no rules questions in your OP.)

 

[Jack Simth]

What exactly is a favored object? Do you mean like an object that has some sentimental value to the construct or the creator?

That would be one form. Another form would be something akin to the material originals of a ghost's possessions - if they are taken from their resting place, the ghost loses the spectral copy and is very, very angry. Another would be an object that the construct was commanded to gaurd at some point in a way it could not refuse - e.g., a godly command, inherent issue in construction, et cetera. Anything that would make something want to get back to it at all costs qualifies as a favored object for this case.

Well, to put any further mystery aside, the device in question is a key that is used to wind the construct up. They key also acts as a leash. Anyone holding the key can control the construct. I decided to go with option 6 in order to get the game moving, but I really want to be better prepared to handle the situation if any of the players try to pull something like that again.

The construct does not get its power from the device.

It effectively does, just in a different way - charging at intervals (via winding) rather than continuous control - but it does drop

The construct does is not "drawn" to it per se, but it must stay within 100ft of it.
The device is not "drawn" to it, but it can be used to locate the construct if it is lost.
The device does in fact control the construct. However, since the construct can only be wound with that key, then it must return to it or shut down. The gaining of free will would only be temporary.

Unless, you know, the construct preferred death to slavery.... but again, flavor/plot issue, none of this is something the mechanics of the game cover (unless, of course, you pulled this construct from somewhere specific, in which case it MIGHT be covered).

However, this does not displace the validity of the option. Perhpas the construct should have gone into mindless rage until the key was brought back into range.

And yet another option. Again, depends on what flavor you are after. It could also, lacking orders, simply stand there and do nothing until it wound down. It might repeat it's last order until it wound down. It might bash it's own head in. It might wander randomly until it either wound down or came back inside the range of the key. It might wander at a full run. Pick an option based on the flavor you are looking for, and stick with it. Or list several roll for it each time.

 

[Milagroso]

Since there s no precedant for the issue, I guess then I am safe in implementing my own rule, as long as its logical. Thanks for your help. I plan to devise the most logical scenarios and roll a die to determine the effect if this occurs again. Fortunatly, magic has the scapegoat of being a fantastic tool and can be prone to random variables.

Thanks again.

 

[ARandomGod]

From what you've described... I'm assuming the construct does not have a way to locate the device (althought the device can locate the construct, the two aren't mutually inclusive).

However it does *know* where the boundary is. So it might have such a way. It's concievable that the location ability does not extend beyond the 100ft.

One question that must be asked is why, exactly *must* it stay within 100ft? If it's a simple compulsion, it cannot go beyond, then there's nothing to say that beyond can't be brought to it (as in the case of the teleportation).

If there's a physical barrier, then that barrier simply dissapears. Or, perhaps, remains there ... so that now, without a similiar occurance, it now cannot come CLOSER than 100ft.

I see no reason why it would flip out. It's a construct (as described), and doesn't have much in the way of emotion. Now, you've indicated that it needs to return to the device for power. I'd say that from the information you gave it would either continue to follow its last instructions until it powered down, or it would stop following the instructions and wander randomly in search of it's lost power (if it could detect that the device was no longer in 100ft). Now, from the text I read, there's no way for it to tell that it's NOT withing 100 ft, so it seems most likely that it will assume that it still is, having not come up against it's barrier, and will just keep on keeping on, right up until the point it's instructions would tell it to return for a power up. At which point it would go in search of it's power device. It likely would stay relatively close by, because as far as it knows the power device MUST be within 100 feet....

 

[azhrei_fje]

One question that must be asked is why, exactly *must* it stay within 100ft? If it's a simple compulsion, it cannot go beyond, then there's nothing to say that beyond can't be brought to it (as in the case of the teleportation).

Now there's an interesting thought... When the key teleports away, the barrier stays where it was and a new barrier does not appear at the new location of the key! This prevents the owner of the key from just teleporting all over the place -- they have to travel using mundane means! Maybe it's even like the floating disk, where it has an upper limit on speed and if you travel faster than that, the disk winks out of existence? Another interesting spell is spiritual weapon: what if the spellcaster teleports away? Does the SW follow the spellcaster? The spell description implies that it does...

The OP said he was going to make up a list of reasonable actions and roll against that list. I wouldn't bother; just use the table of random behavior for the confusion spell and change the "flee" action to "wander aimlessly" and merge the "attack caster" action into "attack nearest creature" action. It seems to fit pretty nicely.

 

[Milagroso]

ARandomGod makes a good point.

In retrospect I cannot use the random action table for Confusion because they seem to indicate an action from the construct, whereas the action may not be performed by the construct but rather the holder of the key.

To be honest, I never thought far enough ahead as to whether the construct should be able to locate his own key. I didn't even realize that this was going to become an issue. I would imagine that it either would, but wouldn't care. Or wouldn't, for the same reason.

 

[Ferret]

If the construct no longer has the Key, then the programing to stay within the 100 metre might become irrelevant, and it defaults to the next 'rule'. Or it might flip out (I like that idea). But it probably won't destroy anything as it is easier to go round (great walls notwithstanding), and golems can't run.