Contruct/Golem: Elemental Driver or Item Familiar Driver.

[a-d]

Was intending to make a construct that would follow at long distance behind the party with backup equipment.

Didn't like the idea of enslaving an Elemental to do so and intended to research a spell that would let me contact and bargain with one who had human level intelligence (At least 10.) so that they would drive it instead of merely being it's motor.

Also found out about Item Familiars. Not certain if I'll ever create one, but if one was found or created I'd make it a body so it could move around on it's own.
If the first method which allowed an Elemental to "drive" a construct work, would it be a problem to allow further research to do the same for the Item Familiar?

Could this be repeated with the Craft WarForged Feat?

Could any of this work?

If it could, at what level would it be acceptable for a character to have an Elder Elemental as a party member?
SRD:Earth Elemental - D&D Wiki

When or If the combination Construct/Warforged Item Familiar decided to go off on it's own, what level would it be?
Reason for asking is because if you place all it's upgrades in Increased Sapience, then your level which affected it's mental scores when (implanted/it decides to leave) it would have:
http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/UA:Item_Familiars

(Sapience: If a character with an item familiar is at least 7th level, the item gains rudimentary sapience. It gains Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. Two of these scores (player’s or DM’s choice) are 10 and one is 12.)
Level 7 it would have Int: 12, Wis: 10, Cha: 10
(Improved Sapience: An item familiar empowered with this special ability gains +4 to any single ability score and +2 to its other two scores.)
Level 10 it would have Int: 16, Wis: 12, Cha: 12
Level 20 it would have Int: 24, Wis: 16, Cha: 16
(One additional special ability per three character levels above 20th)
Level 50 it would have Int: 64, Wis: 26, Cha: 26

But no skills, Feats, or abilities.
Simple answer is that it can't become any kind of adventurer, but that doesn't really work.
Worrying answer is that it can become a level 1 of any class it qualifies for, but that would mean a level one with beginners Con, Str, and Dex but average or incredible Int, Wis, Cha at first level.

Any ideas?

 

[emoplato]

Well as you implied an item familiar's advancement is based upon the character who uses it. So, unless you actively make it autonomous it won't be. You can make a body for it, but it won't have any class levels or additional hit die. You can sort of think of it as a commoner+. Its health would be its increasing health from the table, but feats and other abilities are based upon number of hit die so it wouldn't get any.

 

[jefgorbach]

The basic problem as I see it is the familiarization process bonds the selected object to its Master without changing its Type as it normally does (ie: animal to magical beast) so the result remains an OBJECT incapable of directly Experiencing existence. Thus although it might have a variety of abilities, feats, and/or skills installed by others, the level/value of such features are fixed upon installation without Potential to self-improve over time without further outside influence and thus incapable of Advancement per RAW regardless of how capable/intelligent the item might be.

Classes represent a collection of commonly known abilities, feats, and skills held by a given individual. Accordingly you could thus construct an object equalivant to a “#th level Class”; however it could/would not advance unless further augmented by someone besides itself even if freed/released. IE a 1st level fighting construct would ALWAYS be such unless someone latter boosted its fighting skills/etc to some different level.

Warforged are an exception, because presumably an Awaken variant applied during their forging transforms their mechanical existence into true Life.

 

[RUMBLETiGER]

A Donkey with a cart will accomplish this in a much similar fashion, without the complications.

Or a henchman that you pay a few silver pieces to regularly.

Or a Follower from Leadership Feat (IF your considering investing in the Craft Warforged Feat, Leadership will provide you so much more).

Or a trained monkey with a bad of holding.

Or, just carry a bag of holding.

..I guess what I'm saying is, if you want to have somebody hold the gear, you could find a simpler method.
...IF you want a construct or elemental, Dude, use it for more than just holding your stuff!!! Item familiar's are usually built into a weapon so as to participate in the action. Constructs, Golems, Elementals, they can participate in the action!

Secondly, I hear your distinction between binding/enslaving an elemental essence into a construct to make it go, vs. arranging some agreement that it voluntarily drives your construct instead. What are you willing to compensate this elemental in terms of payment? Since an elemental would much rather stay in the comfort of it's native plane, working for you will still be a drag, even if it's voluntary, so you need to make it worth the creature's while. I'm imagining two Medium-sized elementals piloting an Apparatus of Kwalish (DMG p.247). Or two small sized elementals with the personalities of Wheelie and Brains as they tear apart the Decepticons ship in Transformers 3.

I'm assuming you're a Player, because if you were the DM the answer would be "Make up whatever you want and handwave it". What class/level is the character that would be considering doing these things, so I have a better idea of your capabilities and could provide more constructive feedback?