Raising Constructs

[Philip]

Constructs are, by virtue of their type, immune to raise dead, curing spells etc. But if a construct is destroyed, is it still a construct, or is it now an object? If it is an object, then can you repair it with the 2nd level Cleric spell, Make Whole?

And since constructs do not have a 'soul' or 'spirit', repairing them should restore them to a functional state, right?

 

[cmanos]

Constructs are, by virtue of their type, immune to raise dead, curing spells etc. But if a construct is destroyed, is it still a construct, or is it now an object? If it is an object, then can you repair it with the 2nd level Cleric spell, Make Whole?

And since constructs do not have a 'soul' or 'spirit', repairing them should restore them to a functional state, right?

I would say Make Whole would put the entire thing back together, but would not animate it. Once it is destroyed, the magical force that has aminated it dissipates. Unless you have the proper majicks to reanimate it, making it whole would do nothing other than give you a pretty statue for your living room.

 

[Philip]

Just checking the rules, and the way I read it, you can (at least in 3.5) cure constructs.

From the SRD:

Construct Traits:
—Immunity to poison, sleep effects, paralysis, stunning, disease , death effects, and necromancy effects.
—Cannot heal damage on their own, but often can be repaired by exposing them to a certain kind of effect (see the creature’s description for details) or through the use of the Craft Construct feat. A construct with the fast healing special quality still benefits from that quality.
—Not subject to critical hits, nonlethal damage, ability damage, ability drain, fatigue, exhaustion, or energy drain.
—Immunity to any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless)

Since cure spells are conjurations and not necromancy, and they allow a Will save (and not a Fort save) there is nothing against using regular cure spells to repair constructs, is there? (besides from the Constructs with Magic Immunity such as Stone Golems of course)

 

[azmodean]

Actually constructs DO have a soul of sorts, they all have some sort of spirit bound to them which is animating them. Once the construct is "killed" (brought to 0 or fewer HP) that spirit escapes and merely repairing the golem will do nothing. The best you could hope for is to restore the body and re-use it in another golem creation ceremony. (and that's if your DM is feeling nice)

For example, a golem has an earth elemental trapped in it, can't remember the name of the other type of construct you can make, but they have shadow creatures trapped in them. Also the object that used to be a golem loses all of its magical properties, it's just a statue (a broken one at that)

Then there's the flesh colossus, which either has a ghost bound in it or is inhabited by the creator. See Slayers Great for some (admittedly silly) examples of... colossi?(plural of colossus) where they are powered by powerfull mages trapped inside the core of the construct.