The material below is Open Game Content from a 3PP Source
Animated Object
The skeleton locked within rattles as this animated cage lurches forward on chain legs in search of new prisoners.
Animated Object CR 3 (XP 800)
N Medium construct
Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception –5
AC 14, touch 10, flat-footed 12 (+4 natural)
hp 36 (3d10+20)
Fort +1, Ref +1, Will –4
Defensive Abilities hardness 5 (or more); Immune construct traits
Speed 30 ft.
Melee slam +5 (1d6+3)
Str 14, Dex 10, Con —, Int —, Wis 1, Cha 1
Base Atk +3; CMB +5; CMD 15
SQ construction points
Environment any
Organization solitary, pair, or group (3–12)
Treasure none
Construction Points Animated objects have a number of Construction Points (CP) used to purchase abilities and defenses in addition to those presented above. A medium animated object has 2 CP; differently sized objects have CP totals as detailed on the size chart on this page. If an animated object spends more CP than its size category would allow, its CR increases by 1 (minimum of +1) for every 2 additional CP spent.
- Additional Attack (Ex, 1 CP): Gains an additional slam attack.
- Additional Movement (Ex, 1 CP): Gains a new mode of movement (burrow, climb, fly [clumsy], or swim) at a speed equal to its base speed.
- Constrict (Ex, 1 CP): Gains constrict with its slam attacks (the object must have grab before it can take this ability).
- Faster (Ex, 1 CP): One of the object's movement modes increases by +10 ft.
- Grab (Ex, 1 CP): Gains grab special attack with slam attacks.
- Metal (Ex, 2 CP): The object is made of common metal. Its hardness increases to 10, and it gains a +2 increase to its natural armor bonus. Mithral objects cost 4 CP, and gain hardness 15 plus a +4 increase to natural armor. Adamantine objects cost 6 CP, gain hardness 20, and receive a +6 increase to natural armor.
- Stone (Ex, 1 CP): The object is made of stone or crystal. Its hardness increases to 8 and it gains a +1 increase to its natural armor bonus.
- Trample (Ex, 2 CP): The object gains the trample special attack.
An animated object is not simply one monster, but a whole category. The stats presented here are for a Medium animated object (with 2 CP that have not been spent to gain additional abilities), but any object can become animated, most commonly via the spell animate objects. Permanent animated objects can be built using the Craft Construct feat. Unless an animated object uses a Construction Point to be made of another material, all animated objects are made of wood or material of equivalent hardness. Creating an animated object of a different size than Medium can be done simply by adjusting the object's size (and thus adjusting its Strength, Dexterity, natural armor bonus, and size modifier to attack and AC as detailed on page 296) and Hit Dice.
| Size | Sample Object | HD | CP | CR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tiny | Candelabra | 1d10 | 1 | 1/2 |
| Small | Chair | 2d10+10 | 1 | 2 |
| Medium | Cage | 3d10+20 | 2 | 3 |
| Large | Statue | 4d10+30 | 3 | 5 |
| Huge | Wagon | 7d10+40 | 4 | 7 |
| Gargantuan | Catapult | 10d10+60 | 5 | 9 |
| Colossal | Ship | 13d10+80 | 6 | 11 |
Sample Animated Objects
The following material is Open Game Content from a 3PP Source.
Animated objects come in many sizes and forms, often to the dismay of careless adventurers. Magically brought to pseudo-life, these items follow the will of their masters and are often created as guards or sentries in dungeons or castles. These rules offer a variety of additional options to make these adaptable constructs even more versatile.
Construction Points
Animated objects have a number of Construction Points (CP) used to purchase abilities and defenses in addition to those presented above. A Medium animated object has 2 CP; differently sized objects have CP totals as detailed on the size chart on this page. If an animated object spends more CP than its size category would allow, its CR increases by 1 (minimum of +1) for every 2 additional CP spent. Many of these abilities (like burn, construct, and pull) are universal monster rules.
Additional Attack (Ex, 1 CP): The object gains an additional slam attack.
Additional Movement (Ex, 1 CP): The object gains a new mode of movement (burrow, climb, fly [clumsy], or swim) at a speed equal to its base speed.
Additional Natural Attack (Ex, 1 CP): The object gains an additional natural attack. The object must have an appropriate appendage or part for the natural attack (e.g., an animated warthog head trophy would be able to take the gore attack, but an animated vase would not).
Burn (Ex, 1 CP): The object gains burn (1d6) with its slam attacks. This can be applied multiple times. Its effects stack.
Constrict (Ex, 1 CP): The object gains constrict with its slam attacks (the object must have grab before it can take this ability).
Faster (Ex, 1 CP): One of the object’s movement modes increases by +10 ft.
Grab (Ex, 1 CP): The object gains a grab special attack with slam attacks.
Metal (Ex, 2 CP): The object is made of some type of metal. An object of common iron has its hardness increased to 10, and gains a +2 increase to its natural armor bonus. Mithral objects cost 4 CP, and gain hardness 15 plus a +4 increase to natural armor. Adamantine objects cost 6 CP, gain hardness 20, and receive a +6 increase to natural armor.
Pull (Ex, 1 CP): The object gains a pull (5 feet) special attack with slam attacks (the object must have grab before it can take this ability).
Ranged Attack (Ex, 1 CP): The object gains a ranged attack. The object must have an appropriate firing or throwing appendage and a stock of projectiles.
Resistance (Ex, 2 CP): The object gains resistance 5 to one type of damage (acid, cold, electricity, or fire) chosen at the time of the object’s creation. This effect can be applied multiple times. Its effects do not stack; each time it is applied, it applies to a different type of damage.
Stone (Ex, 1 CP): The object is made of stone or crystal. Its hardness increases to 8 and its natural armor bonus increases by +1.
Trample (Ex, 2 CP): The object gains the trample special attack
Flaws
Animated objects can gain more CP by applying flaws, which hamper the object but provide additional CP to spend on beneficial abilities. If the CP gained in this way is not spent on beneficial abilities, its CR decreases by 1 for every 2 CP conserved.
Brittle (Ex, +1 CP): The object gains vulnerability to cold.
Cloth (Ex, +1 CP): The object is made of thick cloth. Its hardness decreases to 0.
Clunky (Ex, +1 CP): Treat the object as though it had the staggered special quality.
Flammable (Ex, +1 CP): The object gains vulnerability to fire.
Haunted (Ex, +1 CP): The object is haunted by a malevolent spirit. It takes damage from positive energy as if it were an undead creature and can be detect by detect undead.
Slower (Ex, +1 CP): One of the object’s movement modes decreases by –10 ft.
Construction
Magic-users can create permanent animated objects in one of two ways, either by using the animate objects spell in conjunction with permanency, or by making use of the Craft Construct feat.
Using the Craft Construct feat requires the creator to construct or purchase the object he wishes to animate. He must then spend an amount of gold on reagents—to determine the amount, add the animated object’s HD to its CP, and multiple the total by 1,000. The creator must be of a caster level equal to or higher than the animated object’s Hit Dice.
Animated Object
CL varies (equal to the animated object’s HD); Price varies (cost of object + [(animated object’s HD + CP) × 1,000])
Construction
Requirements Craft Construct, animate objects; Skill optional (determined by object being created; crafting the object reduces its cost); Cost varies (1/2 price)
