Can I create Assistant Constructs?

Question

I've always been a fan of crafting in games. I especially liked the Atelier series of games. But for this question I'd like to focus on the Homs in the games.

Homs are intelligent homonculus(though they are cute maids and butlers as opposed to PF homonculus) that help the character around the shop with crafting and gathering stuff for Alchemy?

So my question is, can I create constructs that are both intelligent and can assist me in crafting things? My Wizard is 7 at the moment and has most of the crafting feat and skills. I already have a Valet Archetype Improved Familiar.

Answer 1

You can do that with a regular homonculus

The homonculus seems to be able to perform what you are looking for. As written:

A homunculus's creator determines its precise features; some are more refined looking, but most creators don't bother to improve the creature's appearance beyond the minimum necessary for functioning.

So you can make it look like a cute maid or butler if you want.

As written in the Monster Creation rules, a construct typically get 2+int skill points per level. As the homonculus has an int of 10 and not -, you get 2 skill points per hit dice (although the points for the two first HD seem to be distributed in Perception and Stealth), and you can build it with as many HD as you want by paying more materials (2000gp per HD beyond 2).

Example of builds:

Homonculus with 3 HD. cost: 3050gp. Looks like a cute butler with a fez. skills for 3rd HD: two ranks in Profession(shopkeeper), feat for 3rd HD: Talent(Profession(shopkeeper)) -> +6 total bonus for his Profession(shopkeeper) tests. Not that great but enough to take care of usual clients.

Homonculus with 5 HD. cost: 7050gp. Looks like a cute maid with a witch hat. skills: 5 ranks in Craft(Alchemy), 1 rank in whatever you want. feats: Talent(Craft(Alchemy)), Master Alchemist. -> +10 total bonus for his Craft(Alchemy) tests, which is enough to craft the basic stuff, and thanks to the Master Alchemist feat it can do that fast.

However please note that an homonculus doesn't qualify for item creation feats since it lacks a caster level for that. They can however qualify for Master Craftsman.

Answer 2

Yes, you can.

Any sentient being is allowed to Aid Another your character, subject to GM approval based on the situation. Homunculi are one type of familiar available (note their intelligence 10, wisdom 12, and charisma 7), and one of their role is to assist your character on his arcane studies:

A familiar is an animal chosen by a spellcaster to aid him in his study of magic.

A Valet Familiar is even able to double your daily progression on crafting magical items, using the Able Assistant ability (see Cooperative Crafting). A Homunculus can be obtained for that role using the Improved Familiar feat (with GM approval).

The only question remaining is how many people can use Aid Another to help on a craft check. But that is left to GM discretion, the rules does not define a limit or provide guidelines for aiding in crafting skills or magic items.

Personally, I have always allowed multiple aids if the characters have at least bothered to build some sort of lab, like the ones found on the downtime system, which allows several people working on the same craft, like a forge.

Answer 3

Any creature capable of taking Item Crafting feats can be of great assistance in the production of magical items. These feats typically require a Caster Level as a prerequisite, and Homunculi can be given any caster level desired via the Improved Homunculi option from the Alchemy Manual:

Spell-Like Ability: By incorporating 10 potions of the same spell in the homunculus’s creation, a crafter can imbue the homunculus with the power to use that spell once per day as a spell-like ability. Price: Total cost of the potions used.

Potions cost 50 gp * caster level * spell level, so by using a 0th level spell (which counts as 1/2 level) like Guidance, a Homunculus can be given an arbitrarily high caster level at the cost of 250 gp per level (or half that if you craft the potions yourself).

A Homunculus, as it has an intelligence score, also receives at least one feat. 2000 gp can be spent to grant it a second feat by giving it a third Hit Die, beyond which 4000 gp must be spent per feat.

Assuming you want to create Homunculi that assist you with the creation of Constructs you will need exceptionally powerfully homunculi possessing at least Craft Wondrous Item, Craft Magic Arms and Armor, and Craft Construct-- 7050gp in construction costs for the feats alone. Said Homunculus would also need CL 5 , which would cost 1250 gp for 8300 gp total (or 16600 gp to purchase).

Once completed such a homunculus possesses 5 HD, entitling it to an Ability Score Improvement, and can possess 2 skills at 5 ranks, which is good enough to grant it Craft and Spellcraft so as to be of use as an assistant.

It then can craft constructs on its own, provided some means of producing the needed spells (like you casting them), and can function as an exceedingly useful crafting companion.