Clay Golem

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Clay Golem (CR 10)

Golems are inanimate humanoid-shaped constructs which have been imbued with a limited lifeforce and a rudimentary intelligence. They are totally loyal to their creators, or in some cases, the bearer of their key. Not all golems are created with control keys, but those that are have a transferable loyalty.

A golem's intelligence is just sufficient enough to take simple commands and carry them out. Golems can take minor initiative if it fits solidly within their current set of commands. For example, golems will not attack someone who is accompanying their master, even if those people are not explicitly allowed to pass by the golem. They are also capable of understanding emotional reactions in others, particularly their master, which means that if the people accompanying the golem's master are causing the master to be fearful, the golem might recognize that and act upon it differently than if the master is unstressed. Golems can operate upon multiple orders at the same time as long as the orders don't contradict each other (in that case, the golem will give the most recent command priority over the older one).

Golems are nearly always created to serve as a guardian to the arcanists or dweomersmiths who created them. Golems are mighty, physically threatening beasts, who are also highly resistant to magical attacks. While certainly not perfect guardians, they tend to scare away all but the most determined of aggressors.

Clay golems are large, man-shaped beings of soft clay. They wear no clothing and are anatomically neuter, their features shifting slowly over time. Their faces are gross deformities, usually featuring a prominent mouth. While they appear slow-moving, they can move quickly when necessary. Where most golems bear sigils and markings indicating their arcane nature, clay golems bear no such marks, as those present at their creation have been melted into the flesh of the golem. Being the most primitive of the golems, clay golems are animated using a process similar to the creation of homonculi, namely by imbuing them with various bodily fluids of their creator. This creation process typically leaves the creator exhausted and spent for as long as a week.

General

CR 10 Hit Dice 15

XP 9,600

N Large Construct

Init -1; Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Low-Light Vision 120 ft., Perception +15

Defense

AC 30, touch 19, flat-footed 25 (+6 armor, +5 dex, +5 natural, +4 deflection)

hp 175

Fort +13, Ref +10, Will +10

Aura: Tar Baby (see below)

SR: 20 (see also Immunity to Magic, below)

Special Defenses: DR 10/adamantine and bludgeoning, Spell Immunity (see below)

Immunities:

• all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, patterns, and phantasms)
• disease, poison, ability damage, ability drain, energy drain
• death effects, necromancy effects, sleep effects
• nonlethal damage
• paralysis, stunning, fatigue, exhaustion
• any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless)

Weaknesses: Cannot heal damage on its own, but can be repaired via Make Whole, Greater Make Whole, Field Repair, a workshop and the Creator feat, or the application of acid damage

Offense

Speed 20 ft.

Space / Reach: 10 ft. / 10 ft.

Single Melee Slam +18 (2d8+10/19-20x2) plus Cursed Wound

Full Melee 2x Slam +18 (2d8+10/19-20x2) plus Cursed Wound

Ranged None

Special Attacks Mudskip, Tar Baby

Action Points 0

Statistics

Str 25, Dex 10, Con -, Int -, Wis 11, Cha 1

Base Atk +10; CMB +16; CMD 26

Feats -

Skills -

Languages - (they can understand the native language of their creator, but not speak it)

Special Abilities

Tar Baby (Su)

Any creature which makes a melee attack against the clay golem becomes Immobilized (no save). If the clay golem moves away from the creature, this status immediately ends.

Immunity to Magic (Su)

A clay golem has a Spell Resistance of 20. In addition, certain spells and effects function differently against the creature, as noted below.

• A move earth spell drives the golem back 120 feet and deals 3d12 points of damage to it (no save).
• A disintegrate spell slows the golem (as the slow spell) for 1d6 rounds and deals 1d12 points of damage (no save).
• An earthquake spell cast directly at a clay golem stops it from moving on its next turn and deals 5d10 points of damage (no save).
• Any magical attack against a clay golem that deals acid damage heals 1 point of damage for every 3 points of damage it would otherwise deal. If the amount of healing would cause the golem to exceed its full normal hit points, it gains any excess as temporary hit points. A clay golem gets no saving throw against magical attacks that deal acid damage.

Mudskip (Su)

In any even-numbered round of combat, as a move action, the clay golem can slide up to 50 feet (10 squares) any direction. If it passes through any squares occupied by creatures, those creatures take 2d6+2 damage and must make a Reflex save, DC 19, or become Immobilized until the end of their next turn. This ability cannot be used to pass through a wall or other obstacle which blocks a square completely. The golem can choose any path he likes, as long as he doesn't double-back over any squares he's already passed through. Note that clay golems are size large, and occupy a 10' square area, so the chosen path must also be 10' wide at all points.

Outside of combat, a clay golem can use this power every round if pursuing an enemy.

Cursed Wound (Su)

Each time a creature is struck by a clay golem, it gains the Bruised condition (no save). Note that the bruised condition cannot stack with itself.

Treasure

sell value of approximately 5,000 gp. A slain clay golem contains several gems and bits of dweomermetals in its "flesh", which can be sold for 5,000 gp.

Combat Tactics

Clay golems are guardians, so they are usually standing stationary guard at some chokepoint, like the door to a laboratory.

Clay golems will follow their master's instructions, which are nearly always "don't let anyone into this room, and kill anyone who tries to get by you." They can also be told to follow additional commands, such as activating a nearby alarm or trap if the creator is particularly clever (this is usually a standard action).

Clay golems don't really need tactics. They're extremely durable (strong SR, and DR 10 that requires an adamantine bludgeoning weapon to bypass).

They have reach, and their slam attacks cause the bruised condition without a save.

They will use their mudskip ability during the 2nd and 4th rounds to hit as many opponents as they can, but with little regard for choosing one creature over another. They are nearly mindless and can't really single out a ranged attacker over a heavily-armored tank.