[Monster Question] Magic Casting and Animated Objects

[Angelsboi]

Can an animated object cast spells? Is there a way to do so if they cant?

 

[Hypersmurf]

Essentially, no. Imbue with Spell Ability requires an Int of 5 or greater, and casting spells otherwise requires levels in a casting class.

-Hyp.

 

[kreynolds]

Can an animated object cast spells? Is there a way to do so if they cant?

Some constructs have spell-like abilities.

 

[Angelsboi]

SWo i would have to make an all new construct type then right?

 

[kreynolds]

SWo i would have to make an all new construct type then right?

Sort of. An animated object could be given the ability to cast spells, much like some dragons cast spells as sorcerers (with a caster level based on its age), but its ability scores are just two low. It has no Intelligence and no Charisma at all, so unless you give it one of these stats, Wizard and Sorcerer are right out. However, it does have a Wisdom of 1, and if it you raise it high enough, it could possibly qualify for Cleric, Druid, Paladin, or Ranger (but that just doesn't sound right to me - except for the ranger - that could be cool).

You would need to create a new monster, but you wouldn't have to change the rules or anything. As long as the construct has a high enough ability score, there's nothing preventing him from casting spells.

 

[Li Shenron]

I think the Animated Objects in MM are just animated to attack, for example to guard a place.

It would be a very interesting idea to add a spell-like ability to such a creature, for example a single spell that the AO casts at will or every e.g. 1d4 rounds. If you write a monster which is the same as AO but with a high enough Int/Wis/Cha score you can do whatever you want, but IMHO it would require a very high-level spallcaster to animate such a creature. OTOH, you don't need to be high-level to craft a magic item which is used to cast a low-level spell, such as a wand of magic missile.

It would be very nice to come up with a simple system to give an AO the ability to cast magic missile*, or another simple spell suitable for the task the object was animated, does anybody know if Encyclopaedia Arcane: Constructs has any ruleset for something similar?

*in a repetitive way, such as "cast it as soon as someone enters, against the closest foe", so not to require an Intelligent creature to cast it. Essentially, just as an animated trap.

 

[Dingleberry]

Look at the runic guardian in MM2.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Let's check back with the original poster. Do you want to know if the contructs created by the Animate Object spell and listed as Animated Object in the Monster Manual can cast spells, or if any construct can, like golems and guardians and retrievers and homunculi?

Animate Object just doesn't give you things that are all that exciting. But there are more interesting constructs around.

-Hyp.

 

[Angelsboi]

If you have played Final Fantasy IX, you would know what im talking about. i would have to make my own animated objects (or doll golems)

 

[Xarlen]

Well, I could see something like a Spell-stiched Object. Check out the Spell-Stitched Template in MM2. What it does is add spellcasting ability to Undead, basing off their wisdom score. I could see this happening to objects of highlevel casters.