How dumb are constructs?

[Stalker0]

Here's the situation. One of my players has a spell that creates a pit beneath a target. The pit is filled with acid. If the creature fails its reflex save it falls in.

Now he did this with a construct. The construct failed its save and fell in. Its now taking acid damage every round. The pit is climable, but its also deep enough the construct is fully submerged.

Would the construct be able to climb out, would it even "think" to do so? It has no climb ranks of course, but it does have incredible strength.

 

[shilsen]

What kind of construct was it? And if it was mindless, what was its purpose or what orders did it have?

 

[awayfarer]

Hmmmm, I'd imagine that a construct would have some (very) small measure of self preservation. Honestly though I have nothing to base that on. Maybe it's been made to know that destruction is not acceptable unless it's in pursuit of it's objective.

Failing that, the PC's are still alive right? If it's goal is incomplete than I'd imagine it would continue to pursue said goal.

 

[atomn]

Hmmmm, I'd imagine that a construct would have some (very) small measure of self preservation. Honestly though I have nothing to base that on. Maybe it's been made to know that destruction is not acceptable unless it's in pursuit of it's objective.

Failing that, the PC's are still alive right? If it's goal is incomplete than I'd imagine it would continue to pursue said goal.

I agree. If I was GMing they'd definitely be wary enough to want to get out of the pit.

 

[Kae'Yoss]

I don't think it cares about the acid. It does care about not being able to do its former tasks any more, so it will climb out in order to be able to continue doing its job (turning the characters into a fine red mist).

 

[Nightfall]

I agree with Shil, more details are needed to see what might occur here.

If it's just a regular ole Iron golem or something like that...probably not... but then again there's always a chance of "self-preservation" kicking in.

 

[pallandrome]

The only reason the golem would not climb out is if the PCs were dead. If golems are smart enough to walk across a room to smoosh you, they are smart enough to climb out of a hole to smoosh you.

 

[lukelightning]

Constructs are so dumb they think "Chicken of the Sea" is chicken.
Constructs are so dumb they have to put lipstick on their heads to make up their minds...

 

[Raven Crowking]

Was the construct a Warforged Ninja?

 

[Sejs]

I assume we're talking about a golem here? Mindless, yes?

I agree with what Kae'yoss said - the construct would climb out of the pit in order to persue its standing orders. If it had absolutely no standing orders, it would just sit there in the acid until told to do something by someone with authority. Then again a construct with no standing orders isn't a threat, and thus would garner no exp anyway.