Clay Golem
Level 10Attacks
Abilities
A severely damaged clay golem has a chance of going berserk. If it has 50 or fewer Hit Points at the start of its turn, the golem must succeed at a DC 5 flat check or go berserk. A berserk golem wildly attacks the nearest living creature, or the nearest object if no creatures are nearby.
Harmed by cold and water (5d10 untyped, 2d6 untyped from areas or persistent damage); healed by acid (area 2d6 healing HP); slowed by earth
Frequency Once per day
Trigger The clay golem's turn begins. It can't trigger this free action on the first turn of combat.
Effect The clay golem becomes Quickened for 1 minute.
A Disintegrate spell affects the golem but deals half the normal amount of damage and causes the golem to become Slowed 2 for 1 round.
Requirements The golem is berserk.
Effect The clay golem Strikes with its fist at a -1 circumstance penalty. If it hits, it deals an additional 1d8 damage and knocks the target Prone.
A creature hit by the clay golem's fist must succeed at a DC 29 fortitude save or be cursed until healed to its maximum HP. The cursed creature can't regain HP except via magic, and anyone casting a spell to heal the creature must succeed at a DC 29 counteract check or the healing has no effect. The golem's counteract rank is equal to its creature level.
Traditionally, clay golems are crafted in the image of a deity and used as guardians of tombs or sacred crypts. Clay golems have the power to lay curses upon their victims as punishment for intrusion, leading many to believe that these oft-ancient constructs have a touch of the divine to them. While this idea has little basis in reality, superstitious folk still tread lightly around statues that resemble clay golems even in the slightest.
The animating force within a clay golem is unusually unstable, making the golem prone to entering a berserk frenzy when damaged. Entire treasuries have been totally ruined as a result of a rampaging clay golem, so crafters do well to make sure their golems are maintained and in good working order-or otherwise place them on the other side of the door from the treasures they wish to protect.
Crafted of base materials and then magically animated into a powerful guardian, the legendary golem is a living construct that mindlessly obeys its creator's commands-often continuing to do so for years or even centuries after its creator's death. There exist two known methods of animating a golem. The traditional method involves harvesting and implanting an elemental soul or essence within the newly crafted host statue, a procedure seen as vile and blasphemous to those who value the sanctity of the soul; evil or amoral golem crafters tend to prefer this method. The other, less disreputable technique involves siphoning pure vitality energy into the statue to artificially imitate the creation of a soul. The result does not give the golem a true soul and is generally a more costly and time-consuming method of creation. Regardless of the method used, the resulting golem functions the same. A golem's unique animating force leaves it susceptible to certain forms of magic, but apart from these few weaknesses, it is impervious to magic and difficult to damage with weapons.
Golems work best in play as foes to vanquish rather than allies to accompany player characters on adventures. The process of creating a golem is time-consuming, expensive, and difficult, and only the most talented spellcasters or artisans can even hope to accomplish such an undertaking. While certain magical texts-so-called "golem manuals"-are said to aid golems crafters, for the most part the creation of a golem should be something left in the hands of the Game Master.
Golems have components that can be harvested as trophies or magical components; the value depends on the golem in question. Examples of components that can be harvested from golems are listed in the sidebars.