Issue with construct creation in TTB

[011121]

Looking at the simple construct design rules on page 233 there seems to be a significant corner case that was not considered.  The cost is 1 + (10 * construct points used) + cost of optional extra bits.  Stats meanwhile are based on the height of the construct.

 

My son immediately looked at this and said "So I could make a height 12 construct with might and resilience 9 for $1 if I didn't use any construct points?" *

 

The rules as written say yes (unless you are required to use all the possible construct points but that seems unlikely since it means Rams could  never make a cheap simple construct).  My guess is into the steam has better construct rules so this may be moot but I hope those rules take into account the height of the construct in the base cost.

 

* Yes I know that construct would have abysmal speed and grace scores and no skills, but for $1 you better believe players will find game breaking uses for them.

[Omenbringer]

The rules for Constructs and there construction are supposed to be getting fleshed out in the next book I believe.

[Mister Shine]

Have a Height cap. I've been using 5 as I've never seen a 6 in Malifaux Skirmish. Unofficial but makes sense IMO

[zeeblee]

Hah!  Fantastic catch, 011121!  A height cap could help, but that doesn't fix someone just making "junker" activations for less than the cost of pocketwatch.  Hopefully Into the Steam brings up a better base cost, or a base cost that changes with Height.  For now perhaps 5SS per Height at the very least?

[Claymore65]

That's a very good point. With a height cap this won't get too ridiculous.

 

Granted, as per the Base Book a character can only maintain one construct using the "Animate Construct" spell (although a Tinkerer can do up to three), so you can't exactly just flood the field with super cheap robots, but I agree that $1 for a height 4 construct even would get ridiculous really fast.

 

Maybe they should increase the base cost to scale with the Height, or maybe just require you to spend actual construct points before building it.

 

That said, I'm pretty sure I heard that more advanced Construct Creation Rules will be present in Into the Steam, so this problem may already be fixed.

[Lucidicide]

At a certain point, you have to step in as a Fatemaster and be willing to fight your players. The rules are there to provide opportunity for the players, and the Fatemaster is there to provide limitations (usually in the form of story).

 

Can your player build a Ht X construct for 1 Scrip? Sure. Can he essentially build a skyscraper in any decent amount of time? No. And honestly, his stairway to heaven project is probably going to attract some attention, and not the good kind.

[zeeblee]

I think a stairway to heaven built on a 1SS budget will mostly be made out of blood, sweat, and tears.  Oh, and maybe a single 2x4.

 

I do like that you can make a cheap construct, and thus characters have the potential to start with one, but I might enforce a minimum skill allotment or multiply Height by the cost of a watch (3SS) to get base costs and prevent absurdity.

 

Then again, I let my group kill a Watcher so that they could build something, and then reviewing the construction rules I found out that they are now rich beyond their wildest dreams (but they'll never know...)

[sephiroa]

I think a stairway to heaven built on a 1SS budget will mostly be made out of blood, sweat, and tears.  Oh, and maybe a single 2x4.

 

I do like that you can make a cheap construct, and thus characters have the potential to start with one, but I might enforce a minimum skill allotment or multiply Height by the cost of a watch (3SS) to get base costs and prevent absurdity.

 

Then again, I let my group kill a Watcher so that they could build something, and then reviewing the construction rules I found out that they are now rich beyond their wildest dreams (but they'll never know...)

 

check the advanced pursuit steamfitter. and the construction rules are there for the players, and not for an NPC a watcher is nearly not as expensive as you might think. 1 of my players just created a construct with AV 10 on its fighting skills and has 8 wounds etc. and it was not as expensive since he had a lot of materials at hand etc.