Subject: Proposal for a ?Semi-Sentient? Warrior Mage constructs

Purpose: To provide Warrior Mages with something totally unique and exciting.

Proposed System:
There are three main important factors that my proposal is aimed at. A creation that is useful in the following: Combat, Security, and use as a Laborer.

As an overview, I am suggesting Warrior Mages gain the ability to create a construct that has limited functions based highly on skill and stats. The construct in the making would entail a mage gathering necessary materials and constructing various creatures. For example gargoyles, guardians, golems, and elementals in that order could be created. I strongly believe magical devices and mechanical lore should be the major factors in creating the construct its self. Magical devices will be needed to infuse the materials with patterns of magic; this will create the basic sentient nature of the construct. mechanical lore will determine what materials you are able to work with, and example being a lower mage would be able to work with stone and wood, a middle range mage could work with metals, a high mage could work with the elements themselves. I also think warrior mages should be able to compact a finished construct and sell it to someone. There should be limits on who can operate a construct and I suggest charisma and discipline be used on a verses basis to calculate who can use a construct. You need to overcome the creators dominance in the construct and therefore will need to impose your own. I think it is fair to say anyone should be able to utilize a construct and should not be limited to magic guilds only. Once a construct has been ?opened? by someone other than the creator it can only be ?closed? by a WM of equal power to the creator. If the construct cannot be closed at the end of a day (time to log) the construct will fall into its elemental components and cease to be. Only a mage of equal standing as the creator can repair the construct, although at a great feat of skill. The creator will be significantly better at any repairs needed to his construct (perhaps scholarship might be checked here to test how well the mage can follow the creators matrix design and structure).

In combat I envision the better-crafted constructs to be extremely useful. I however believe their attack skill should mimic the creator?s targeted magic rank entirely. My reasoning behind this is as follows. The coordinated swings and bashes the construct aims to land need to be ?target? by the constructs internal motor ~ a spell matrix. Therefore targeted magic fits this role perfectly. I also must stress that the owner of the construct needs to instruct the construct exactly what its target is.

In answer to earth sense being the most useless spell on the face of the Elanthia, I think I have a use for it. All traders and people in general need to protect themselves against thieves, so if the construct has a security function the construct will when it?s power is restored from a previous cast, use earth sense automatically to identify hidden persons and watch them studiously. This will not ?out? people in hiding. If a person advances so as to steal from the owner, the construct will point at the subject, cast a potent tingle, and then advance and crush the subject in combat. In this given time the owner has the option to cancel the automatic response or run using the time as an advantage. The construct will guard his owner and block the owner from harm during this period should the subject aim to kill the owner in order to stop the construct.

Lastly constructs as a basic function can carry large burdens. Constructs will be useful in moving from province to province with your vault items, perhaps loading with armor and weapons from your hunting trip, and lastly and hopefully not the case, carrying your dead buddies to town for you when the almighty fog smites them.

I feel this system is terribly diverse, and would allow for much more complex options than I have outlined. I think as a long-term goal this system would provide warrior mages with a much needed addition. It could even tie into the familiar system.

Silverfax.
PS. If you don't like the idea, I value a response. If you do like the idea, I also value a response. No guild has constructs of a creation type like this and I love the idea.

"Now I have to ask myself, how good am I? Or maybe I just have to ask myself.... am I better than you?"
Terry Pratchett ~The Truth