# Effigy Guide and Examples



## HoboGod (Nov 11, 2011)

Effigies are a very powerful, incredibly versitile, and insanely fun. The best character classes to build an effigy army are Artificers and Wizards. Artificers can build effigies at caster level +2 and gain craft points to suppliment experience cost, but wizards have more support spells. The only requirement for creating effigies is the Craft Construct feat, but a few levels of the Effigy Master PrC noticably improves them. The feats nessecary to this build are Legendary Artisan, Extraordinary Artisan, Craft Wonderous Item, Craft Magical Weapons and Armor, and Craft Construct. For this reason, I reccomend playing Human.

But ultimately, what are the best effigies to pick? These are some things to look for:

*Large Size or Smaller:* Having a collosol monstrous spider lay waste to your enemies might sound cool, but when exploring an abandoned mineshaft made by medium sized dwarves, you can see how it's not so practical. The size of the creature you want to make into an effigy is large. Your DM can easily say that size Huge and larger creatures can't fit into the current dungeon your party enters, but will be hard pressed to say a horse-sized creature can't fit.
*Massive Damage:* Amassing an army of effigies allows you to solo most adventures, but dishing out lots of damage and heavy hits is what allows you to keep up with the other members of your party.
*Fast Speed:* Strength is important, but battles aren't won on strength alone. The more creatures you have on the battlefield, the more likely you are to be bottlenecked by conjested units. Long, drawn out battles are disadvantagous to you, so having fast creatues that can move around conjested units are more useful than stronger ones that can't.
*Flight:* This goes hand-in-hand with being fast. You want to fly because you need move around conjested units. Additionally, you are going to face challenges that may require you to go to the air, be it archers across a chasm or other flying creatures.
*Battlefield Control:* Being an unstoppable powerhouse isn't enough sometimes. Sometimes you need to control the battle itself. Taking some or all of your opponents out of the battle is often a more effective strategy than merely attacking them. Having effigies with trip, improved grab, or stun abilities make you better prepared.
*Damage Multiple Opponents* Versitility outshines specialization. While impressive to have an effigy that does a large amount of damage to one opponent, having an effigy with multiple attacks, trample, or another ability which attacks multiple opponents is devistating when your DM throws a mob at you.
*Overcomes Damage Reduction* This is a hard thing to do sometimes. If your effigy can use weapons, have some Cold Iron swords and silver arrows laying around. If your effigy can hit hard, hope to hit harder than the monster's DR. You are going to be facing damage reduction quite often the stronger you get, you have to fight your way around it.
*Round one usefulness* Ideally, your typical encounter lasts 1-2 rounds. If you aren't particularly useful on your first round, you're not useful more than half the time. Abilities like Pounce and Powerful Charge are things to look out for when choosing an effigy.
*Ability to use weapons and magic items* No doubt, an effigy wearing adventuring gear and weilding magic weapons is stronger than an effigy that does not. Anything the fighter wants to wear tends to work just as well with an effigy.
*Bonus uses:* Last, but not least, pay close attention to (Ex) abilities. Some monsters may surpise you with what they can do naturally.

With all that in mind, here are some of my favorite effigies! Feel free to add your own.

Dire Wolf, 6 HD. This creature has a strong bite attack with an automatic trip attempt. This creature does wonders in battlefield control.

Dire Wolf Effigy; CR 4; Large Construct; HD 6d10+30; hp 63; Init +1; Spd 50ft.; AC 15 (-1 Size, +1 dex, +5 Natural Armor), touch 10, flat-footed 14; BAB +4; Grapple +17; Face/Reach: 10ft./5ft.; Attack: +13 melee (1d8+13, Claw); Full Attack: Bite; AL N; SV Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +2; Str 29, Dex 13, Con -, Int -, Wis 11, Cha 1; SQ: Construct Traits; SA: Trip; Skills: -; Feats: Weapon Focus (Bite)
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Abeil Soldier, 6 HD. These are flying humanoid shaped creatures which fight with ranseurs and composite longbows. They have quite high strength for their HD and body shape, which is very important for having an effigy with only BAB +4.

Abeil Solder Effigy; CR 7; Large Construct; HD 6d10+30; hp 63; Init +0; Spd 40ft., Fly 90ft. (perfect); AC 11 (-1 Size, +2 Natural Armor), touch 9, flat-footed 11; BAB +4; Grapple +16; Face/Reach: 10ft./10ft.; Attack: +11 melee (1d6+8, Claw), +6 melee (1d8+4, sting), +11 melee (2d6+12, Large Ranseur), or +4 ranged (2d6+8/19–20, MW mighty composite longbow +8 Str bonus); Full Attack: 2 Claws +11 and Sting +6, Large Ranseur +11 and Sting +6, or Mw Mighty Composite Longbow +4; AL N; SV Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +2; Str 26, Dex 11, Con -, Int -, Wis 11, Cha 1; SQ: Construct Traits; SA: Improved Grab; Skills: -; Feats: Flyby Attack
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Rukanyr, 7 HD. This creature is worth noting alone as it has 10 attacks, potentially doing 9d6+Strx4 plus 3d8+Strx1.5 damage. It also has amazing natural armor and a stuning strike based on strength which makes this really makes this thing a defensive powerhouse. Also consider advancing this monster to 9HD, bringing up it's strength score and giving it Improved Natural Attack (Gore), Weapon Focus (Slam), or Improved Multiattack can do great wonders.

Rukanyr Effigy; CR 10; Large Construct; HD 7d10+30; HP 69; Init -3; Spd 40ft., climb 20ft; AC 23 (-1 size, -3 dex, +17 natural), touch 6, flat-footed 23; BAB +5; Grapple +16; Face/Reach: 10ft./10ft.; Attack: +11 melee (3d6+7, Slam), +9 melee (1d6+3, Claw), or +7 melee (1d8+3, Bite); Full Attack: Slam, 6 claws, and 3 claws; SV Fort +2, Ref -1, Will +2; Str 25, Dex 5, Con -, Int -, Wis 11, Cha 1; SQ: Construct Traits; SA: Stunning Strike; Skills: -; Feats: Multiattack, Power Attack

Rukanyr Effigy; CR 11; Large Construct; HD 9d10+30; HP 80; Init -3; Spd 40ft., climb 20ft; AC 23 (-1 size, -3 dex, +17 natural), touch 6, flat-footed 23; BAB +6; Grapple +18; Face/Reach: 10ft./10ft.; Attack: +12 melee (4d6+8, Slam), +10 melee (1d6+4, Claw), or +10 melee (1d8+4, Bite); Full Attack: Slam, 6 claws, and 3 claws; SV Fort +3, Ref +0, Will +3; Str 26, Dex 5, Con -, Int -, Wis 11, Cha 1; SQ: Construct Traits; SA: Stunning Strike; Skills: -; Feats: Multiattack, Power Attack, Improved Natural Attack (Gore)
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Rhinoceros, 8 HD. This is one of the most devestating animals in the game, it's power is very high for it's challenge rating. It's charge attack is ridiculously powerful (4d6+Strx3), doing so much damage in that one strike that any damage reduction is pretty much worthless.

Rhinoceros Effigy; CR 5; Large Construct; HD 8d10+30; HP 74; Init -1; Spd 30ft; AC 17 (-1 Size, -1 Dex, +9 natural), 8 touch, 17 flat-footed; BAB +6; Grapple +20; Face/Reach: 10ft./5ft.; Attack +15 melee (2d6+15, Gore); Full Attack +15 melee (2d6+15, Gore); SV Fort +2, Ref +1, Will +2; Str 30, Dex 8, Con -, Int -, Wis 11, Cha 1; SQ Construct Traits; SA Powerful Charge; Skills: -; Feats: Improved Natural Attack (Gore)
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Slasrath, 8 HD. This is a flying creature with perfect manuverability whose wing slash acts as a whirlwind attack when it charges. In the right situations, this can be more devistating than having pounce.

Slasrath Effigy; CR 8; Large Construct; HD 8d10+30; HP 74; Init +1; Spd 10ft., fly 50ft. (perfect); AC 19 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +8 natural), 10 touch, flat-footed 18; BAB +6; Grapple +17; Face/Reach: 10ft./10ft.; Attack +12 melee (2d4+7, Sting) or +7 melee (1d6+3, Bite); SV Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +2; Str 25, Dex 12, Con -, Int -, Wis 11, Cha 1; SQ Construct Traits; SA Wing Slash; Skills: -; Feats: Power Attack
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Lifeleech Otyugh, 9 HD. This creature is an improved grab cannon. It's a grizzly bear with the constrict ability and 4 tentacles to do it. The Darktentacles monster does the same and better with 12 tentacles instead of 4, but the Lifeleech Otyugh can move 8 times faster than the painfully slow Darktentacles and isn't restricted to using a limited number of tentacles per opponent. Also included here is Darktentacles fore those who don't mind 5ft movement.

Lifeleech Otyugh Effigy; CR 9; Large Construct; HD 9d10+30; HP 80; Init +2; Spd 40ft., climb 20ft.; AC 18 (-1 size, +2 dex, +7 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 18; BAB +6; Grapple +20; Face/Reach: 10ft./10ft. (tentacle up to 15ft.); Attack +16 melee (1d8+10, tentacle) or +10 melee (1d6+5, bite); Full Attack 4 tentacles and a bite; SV Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +3; Str 31, Dex 14, Con -, Int -, Wis 11, Cha 1; SQ Construct Traits; SA Constrict 1d8+10, Improved Grab; Skills: -; Feats: Weapon Focus (tentacle)

Darktentacles Effigy; CR 8; HD 9d10+30; HP 80; Init +1; Spd 5ft., swim 20ft.; AC 19 (-1 Size, +1 Dex, +9 natrual), touch 10, flat-footed 18; BAB +6; Grapple +16; Face/Reach: 10ft./15ft.; Attack +11 melee (1d4+6, Slam); Full Attack 12 Slams; SV Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +3; Str 23, Dex 13, Con -, Int -, Wis 11, Cha 1; SQ Construct Traits; SA Constrict 2d6+9, Improved Grab; Skills: -; Feats: Multidexterity
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Three-Headed Leskylor, 10 HD. This is nearly the perfect monster for an effigy. It flies, it's fast, it pounces, it grabs, it has four attacks (six when pouncing), and you can use it as a mount. And on top of it all, it has improved multiattack which means all of those attacks have the same chance to hit.

Three-Headed Leskylor Effigy; CR 11; Large Construct; HD 10d10+30; HP 85; Init -1; Spd 40ft, fly 80ft (average); AC 22 (-1 size, -1 dex, +14 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 22; BAB +7; Grapple +19; Face/Reach: 10ft./10ft.; Attack +14 melee (1d8+8, claw) or +14 melee (2d6+4, bite); Full Attack 2 claws and 3 bites; SV Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +3; Str 26, Dex 9, Con -, Int -, Wis 11, Cha 1; SQ Construct Traits; SA improved grab, pounce, rake +10 (1d8+4); Skills: -; Feats: Flyby Attack, Multiattack, Improved Multiattack
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Red Dragon, 10-16 HD. These dragons are the best of the best and can be incredibly versitile. There is no premade guideline for them, so you can customize them as you like. You'll lose all their great supernatural abilities in the effigy template, but you wont have to lose a single feat. A dragon shares the same set of advantages and disadvantages of a three-headed leskylor with the exeption of the leskylor's improved grab and pounce. However, with the correct feat set, a dragon is able to dish out more devestating damage on full attacks.

Very Young Red Dragon Effigy; CR 6; Large Construct; HD 10d10+30; HP 85; Init -1; Spd 40ft., fly 150ft (poor); AC 18 (-1 size, -1 dex, +10 natural); BAB +7; Grapple +18; Face/Reach: 10ft./5ft. (10ft. with bite); Attack +13 melee (2d6+7, bite), +13 melee (1d8+3, claw), +13 melee (1d6+3, wing), or +13 melee (2d6+10, tail); Full Attack: bite, tail, 2 wings, and 2 claws; SV Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +3; Str 25, Dex 8, Con -, Int -, Wis 11, Cha 1; SQ Construct Traits; SA -; Skills -; Feats: Multiattack, Improved Multiattack, Improved Natural Attack (Tail), Power Attack

Young Red Dragon Effigy; CR 8; Large Construct; HD 13d10+30; HP 102; Init -1; Spd 40ft., fly 150ft (poor); AC 22 (-1 size, -1 dex, +14 natural); BAB +9; Grapple +22; Face/Reach: 10ft./5ft. (10ft. with bite); Attack +17 melee (3d6+9, bite), +17 melee (1d8+4, claw), +17 melee (1d6+4, wing), or +17 melee (2d6+13, tail); Full Attack: bite, tail, 2 wings, and 2 claws; SV Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +4; Str 29, Dex 8, Con -, Int -, Wis 11, Cha 1; SQ Construct Traits; SA -; Skills -; Feats: Multiattack, Improved Multiattack, Improved Natural Attack (Bite), Improved Natural Attack (Tail), Power Attack

Juvinile Red Dragon Effigy; CR 11; Large Construct; HD 16d10+30; HP 118; Init -1; Spd 40ft., fly 150ft (poor); AC 25 (-1 size, -1 dex, +17 natural); BAB +12; Grapple +27; Face/Reach: 10ft./5ft. (10ft. with bite); Attack +22 melee (3d6+9, bite), +22 melee (2d6+4, claw), +22 melee (1d6+4, wing), or +22 melee (2d6+13, tail); Full Attack: bite, tail, 2 wings, and 2 claws; SV Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +5; Str 33, Dex 8, Con -, Int -, Wis 11, Cha 1; SQ Construct Traits; SA -; Skills -; Feats: Multiattack, Improved Multiattack, Improved Natural Attack (Bite), Improved Natural Attack (Tail), Improved Natural Attack (Claw), Power Attack
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War Troll, 12 HD. This is a humanoid shapped monster with a very high strength. They can use greatswords and composite longbows, two of the best martial weapons.

War Troll Effigy; CR 13; Large Construct; HD 12d10+30; HP 96; Init +2; Spd 30ft. in breastplate, base spd 40ft.; AC 30 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +16 natural, +5 breastplate), touch 11, flat-footed 28; BAB +9; Grapple +21; Face/Reach: 10ft./10ft.; Attack +22 melee (2d8+18, MW large greatsword), +20 melee (1d8+12, claw), +18 melee (1d6+5, bite), or +11 Ranged (2d6+12/x3, MW composite longbow +12 str bonus); Full Attack +22/+17 MW large greatsword and bite, 2 claws and bite, or +11/+6 MW composite longbow; SV Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +4; Str 35, Dex 14, Con -, Int -, Wis 11, Cha 1; SQ Construct Traits; SA -; Skills: -; Feats: Multiattack, Weapon Focus (Greatsword)
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Hellwasp Swarm, 12 HD. An effigy swarm loses all special qualities, which in this case means it loses all swarm traits. Technically, this means a Hellwasp Swarm Effigy is incapable of dealing damage. Why would anyone want a Hellwasp Swarm Effigy, then? Answer: nanobots. Hellwasps can inhabit any dead creature, regardless of HD and effectively trasform it into a zombie. What "effectively" means is upto your DM. It probably either means that you apply the zombie template or that you gain mindless control over the creature. Either way, it's a pretty sweet deal. A necromancer has no use for most 16 HD monsters they kill at level 12, but these nanobots have no problem animating it. The pitfall is that it takes a minute to animate a corpse in this manner and the corpse is destroyed pretty quickly if the hellwasp swarm doesn't leave the host. Even a beefy Fire Giant's corpse will be unusable after 3-11 hours of use.

Hellwasp Swarm Effigy; CR 9; Diminutive Construct; HD 12d10; HP 66; Init +5; BAB +9; Grapple -6; Spd 5ft., fly 40ft.; AC 21 (+4 size, +5 Dex, +2 natural) touch 19, flat-footed 16; Face/Reach: 10ft./0ft.; Attack -; Full Attack -; SV Fort +4, Ref +9, Will +4; Str 5, Dex 20, Con -; Int -; Wis 11; Cha 1; SQ Construct Traits; SA Inhabit; Skills -; Feats -


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## Tookigh (Jan 18, 2012)

This is a cool post. I'm playing an epic level effigy master and are looking for ideas up to 30+ HD


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## RUMBLETiGER (Jan 19, 2012)

Rust Monster Effigy. 

I think I'm going to use your inspirational idea to expand a chapter in my Rust Monster Mount Guide!

Edit: Nevermind.  Effigies lose Ex abilities based upon Con, and the Rust ability is.


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## Fixablefever (Dec 28, 2019)

Can I suggest a mimic effigy, they keep all their abilities and at the very least you've got a walking Ikea

Scratch that. There goes my idea of opening a furniture shop


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