Tree-dwelling Puppet Monsters

[npc revolution]

I'm a new GM and I have a party of 4 level 3's and a combat-useless NPC heading into the forest lair of a master construct enchanter. I need something constructy and monkeypuppetlike to hide in the trees and watch the party, before eventually attacking in numbers.

I couldn't find anything exactly like what I want in construct sections of dandwiki and the pathfinder site, so I'm gonna roll up my sleeves and make em up myself. The trouble is, I don't know how powerful each one should be.

That's where you all come in! I want them to be weak enough that 8 or so of them can crawl down the trees and ambush the party.

Party makeup:
Dwarf Fighter, Human Monk, Half-elf Bard, Half-elf Sorcerer and a Human Aristocrat.

[Coranho]

Source: http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/constructs

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/constructs/animated-object/animated-object-small

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/constructs/animated-object/animated-object-medium

Pick your animated object, change it's stats by a point or two (or add a feat or something) if you feel it's CR is a bit too high or low for your party; it's a construct, a construct is an animated collection of objects, and it doesn't say what the appearance has to be.

Call it a monkey that lives in the trees and served as puppets to a deceased eccentric inventor or something and call it a day?

You could also rework this to be a monkey: http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/constructs/clockwork-open-design/beetle-clockwork-mb

Essentially you can play "size and CR equivalence" and select something that more-or-less appropriately matches the form of your goal, and give it a make-over... I would write up an entire monkey construct for your party from scratch, but I have to start getting ready for work. (Although if you still want it tomorrow, I'll see if I have the energy to manage something).

[Debihuman]

I'm a new GM and I have a party of 4 level 3's and a combat-useless NPC heading into the forest lair of a master construct enchanter. I need something constructy and monkeypuppetlike to hide in the trees and watch the party, before eventually attacking in numbers.

I couldn't find anything exactly like what I want in construct sections of dandwiki and the pathfinder site, so I'm gonna roll up my sleeves and make em up myself. The trouble is, I don't know how powerful each one should be.

That's where you all come in! I want them to be weak enough that 8 or so of them can crawl down the trees and ambush the party.

Party makeup:
Dwarf Fighter, Human Monk, Half-elf Bard, Half-elf Sorcerer and a Human Aristocrat.

Why are constructs spying on the party? Is there something that they need to know? You are probably looking at 4 Small Animated Constructs and a group of 4 Tiny ones. What is the purpose of them spying on the party?

Any encounter (at least any good encounter) should have a purpose. Constructs are often mindless so spying doesn't make sense unless they have a creator to report to. Mindless constructs don't have skills and feats so they would not be good climbers unless they had a Climb speed. I'd suggest 4 Small Animated Constructs or 8 Tiny ones if you have your heart set on using Constructs.

You'd probably be better off using a monkey swarm. Pathfinder is very close to 3e so you don't have to convert unless you want to. http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/animals/primates/primate-monkey-swarm.

Debby