Golems

A golem is a magically created monster. Of the four basic types, three are created with earthen materials, while the flesh golem is created from human body parts. The creation process requires powerful spells, rare components, and eldritch forces.

The golems listed below are typically humanoid in shape with size listed separately.

A golem has hit dice equal to its hit points divided by 4.5 rounded up; thus, for example, a stone golem has 14 hit dice (60 hp/4.5).

Magical creatures may strike a golem with effect if the creature’s hit dice equal or exceed that of the golem.

Clay Golem: A clay golem is created through the following procedure: a lawful good cleric of at least 17th level (or a lower level cleric of same alignment using a magical tome written for such a process) creates a man-shaped figure out of clay and then undertakes an uninterrupted ritual involving material components worth no less than 20,000 gp, vestments and ritual items worth another 30,000 gp and the spells resurrection, animate object, commune, prayer and bless.

Damage inflicted by a clay golem can only be healed by a cleric of 17th level or greater. It attacks as a 12 hit dice monster. Once per day, a clay golem can act as if hasted for three combat rounds after having been in melee for one round.

A clay golem is under the direct command of its creator. It stands a 1% cumulative chance of possession by a spirit of chaotic evil alignment for each round the golem is in combat. The creator can never regain control if the golem is possessed. Once possessed, the golem will kill any nearby living thing starting with the closest creature and will haste itself if it has not already done so.

Flesh Golem: A flesh golem follows simple commands by its creator, and can be ordered to stop all activity until a specific event takes place. For each melee round spent in combat, the flesh golem stands a 1% cumulative chance of going berserk and attacking all targets in sight. The golem’s creator can attempt to re-assert control at a chance of 10% per round.

A flesh golem is extremely strong and can break down doors and other wooden structures. It cannot be damaged with normal weapons; magical weapons damage normally.

Most spells have no effect on the monsters; cold and fire based spells will slow the golem to 50% speed for 2d6 combat rounds, while electrical attacks restore previous damage dealt to the golem at a rate of 1 hit point per die of damage inflicted by the spell (example: an 8 hit dice lightning bolt will restore 8 hit points of damage).

A flesh golem is created with a magical tome written for such a process or by a magic user (of at least 14th level) using the following spells: wish, polymorph any object, geas, strength, and protection from normal missiles. One thousand gp per hit point of the golem is spent on material components, and the entire creation process takes one month.

Iron Golem: An iron golem is created through use of a magical tome or by an 18th level or higher magic user using the following spells: cloud kill, wish, geas, and polymorph any object. Creation time is three months and material cost is 1,000 gp per hit point of the golem. The magic user can control his or her creation through simple commands. The golem can also be ordered to suspend movement until a particular condition is met (e.g. a door is opened, someone enters the room, etc.).

An iron golem is three times as strong as a flesh golem. In addition to its normal damage, once every 7 combat rounds an iron golem may breathe poison gas directly before it in a cloud of 10 cubic ft.

Only magical weapons of +3 or greater in nature can deal damage to an iron golem. Only electrical magical attacks can affect it; such spells will slow the golem to one-half speed for 3 combat rounds. Fire attacks repair damage to the golem at a rate of one hit point per die of spell damage (i.e.: a six hit die fireball will repair 6 hp of damage).

Stone Golem: A stone golem is created through use of a magical text or by a 16th or higher level magic user using the following spells: geas, slow, wish and polymorph any object. Creation time is two months and cost is 1,000 gp per hit point of the golem.

The magic user can control his or her creation through simple commands. The golem can also be ordered to suspend movement until a particular condition is met. A stone golem can cast a slow spell every other melee round on all opponents within 10 ft of its front.

Only magical weapons of +2 or greater bonus can harm a stone golem. Such a golem is also invulnerable to most magic, the only exceptions being rock to mud which halves the golem’s attack and movement speed for 2d6 rounds, stone to flesh which makes it susceptible to normal weapons for one round, and mud to rock which acts as a heal spell on the monster.

Treasure: None (for all golems).