I am thinking about automatas created for especific tasks like mining of working the fields.
right now i am thinking of 3% of the cost of the automata per month because of the secret ratio of investment in acks. but i will like to se other opinions.
Ah, I was wondering about this myself.
I was thinking of maybe houseruling that a single crafting or labour proficiency should count as a special ability for an automaton, but with the caveat that an automaton can only do a single repetitive task (e.g.: "Can only make mail links", "can only plow rows") and so needs to work alongside fleshier workers with the same proficiency in order to be usefully productive. Of course, while this houserule allows you to set up small factories where humans work alongside machines for the purpose of cheap mass manufacturing, it does prohibit fantastic mechanised wonderlands where all menial tasks are performed by machines... So it's not a great houserule if you want that.
[quote="GMJoe"]
Ah, I was wondering about this myself.
I was thinking of maybe houseruling that a single crafting or labour proficiency should count as a special ability for an automaton, but with the caveat that an automaton can only do a single repetitive task (e.g.: "Can only make mail links", "can only plow rows") and so needs to work alongside fleshier workers with the same proficiency in order to be usefully productive. Of course, while this houserule allows you to set up small factories where humans work alongside machines for the purpose of cheap mass manufacturing, it does prohibit fantastic mechanised wonderlands where all menial tasks are performed by machines... So it's not a great houserule if you want that.
[/quote]
I have often imagined a dungeon, the citadel of a high level dwarven machinist and some number of henchman, otherwise overrun with automatons. After an initial investment of gold, the machinists would make, assuming *special = 1 proficiency, tons of workshop bots that churn out the gp value of raw materials that the machinists need to constantly be working on building new automatons.
I remember some rules (Lairs and Encounters, probably) relating monster’s capacity for work relative to human laborers.
I’d be inclined to say that their work is equal to the same value as their effectiveness (if they are as effective as 10 human laborers, then they make 10 sp a day.)
(It is likely that this is not cost-efficient, and I would be quite happy with that result, because that would make it something only to be done by eccentric rich characters.)
1) i think that an automatas great advantage over a worker will be the fact that it can work 24/7, no sleep, no tiredness, no hunger, no boredoom, so at leats it should have a x3 production rate over a human worker.
2) by the labor proficiencie a 1/2 hd person will win betwen 3 to 12 gp per month, so a 1/2 hd automata should win betwen 9 to 26 gp. and will pay itself (1000gp of contruction) in 38 months of work.
3) but the other advantage of the automata should be specialization. the human body is a multitool, but the automatas should be super especific. maybe able to compete with a journeyman (20gp per month). In that case the same 1/2 hd automata should generate 60 gp and pay itself in only 16 months.
The cost of 1000gp is based on 1/2 HD with no especial abilities, i consider that as it cant attack, its probably created with 0 armor and dosent have any use for his inmunities.
PD: if any one can recall how much does a creature with more than 1/2 hd (basic human) can produce it will be really usefull.
I wouldn't allow you to subtract a special ability for the automata not having immunities because it isn't like those are being purposefully installed; they're natural consequences of it being a machine. Inventors aren't saying "I"m gonna shell out the extra money for my robot to be immune to poison" it just happens to be because it doesn't have a circulatory system or organic cells or any of the things you'd need for poison to work.
I'd also count specialization as a special ability.
thats a good point, that will leave 2 special abilities (proficiencie+basic inmunities) -1 for no attacks. and maybe -1 if its a machine used by someone.
making tractors is easy than making automated paesants.