Looking for Help - Constructing Constructs

[Crazy Hedgehog]

Hi I was wondering if some more experienced D&Ders could help explain the construction rules for constructs. I'm not a keen magic item creator, and I'm having trouble seeing how rules in the Monster Manual reconcile with the rules in the Dungeon Master's Guide. I tried to reverse-engineer the golems in the MM to see how the process worked, but that just made me more confused, especially in terms of figuring out the market price. I was just wanting to know, because I've been converting a 2E Dungeon module for play and had borrowed some constructs (living statues) from Scott Greene's Creature Conversion site, but there were no construction costs worked out. I was wanting to know so I could make them more a part of my real campaign, and to work on some construct ideas myself.

 

[Grazzt]

Back in 3e there was more of a formula for constructs (that was pretty easily discovered by reverse engineering the MM constructs). It was based on size, HD, and CR.

Doesnt work that way in 3.5. There is no set formula when ya reverse engineer the ones in the MM. And if you follow the rules for Craft Construct or creating magic items you wont derive the costs found in the MM (much like a lot of the DMG magic items it seems they were adjusted ad hoc...which is cool I guess).


Here's the "formulas" that do work:

(Price - ingredients cost) / 25 = XP cost

Ex: Flesh golem ingredients, 500 gp. (20,000 - 500) / 25 = 780 XP

(Price / 2) + ingredients cost = Cost

Ex: Flesh golem, ingredients 500 gp. (20,000 / 2) + 500 gp = 10,500 gp Cost.

 

[Crazy Hedgehog]

Hey thanks Scott, that helps a lot. I really enjoy your site by the way; I never really got a chance to get into AD&D, but I have a lot of the old Dungeon magazines. Some of the modules I'm just dying to play, but without your site I wouldn't have a clue what a lot of the monsters were. Thanks again.

 

[Grazzt]

Hey thanks Scott, that helps a lot. I really enjoy your site by the way; I never really got a chance to get into AD&D, but I have a lot of the old Dungeon magazines. Some of the modules I'm just dying to play, but without your site I wouldn't have a clue what a lot of the monsters were. Thanks again.

Heh- welcome. But, can't thank just me. Lots and lots of credit goes to Erica, Boz, Shade, and quite a few others for maintaining the site (for quite a while now as Ive been busy as hell a lot for the last year or so )


If you feel the urge, post this question in the Creature Catalog forums (further down on the main forum page)...Im pretty sure you'll get a lot more responses there regarding constructs.