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Thursday, 28 November 2024

Ye Olde Style Living Statues, Gargoyles & Golems





































So over various editions of D&D my fave was the Bronze Golem. Possibly the Sinbad film minotaur golem inspired me and the Argonauts film version of Talus. Reading up on the Bronze people in Greek myth as a race is kind of fascinating.

This is a compilation of the basic Automatons, golems, living statues etc
Actually, pathfinder has some good ones

Rust monsters dod 6d6 with a touch vs magic metal beings and they can save to resist

MM1 says you need to have Lv = HD of the golem to damage it which is weird and I've never noticed. I like the BX system a * means a + required to hit

These are all neutral and don't detect as hostile or living if not self aware.

Some with lower morale may flee to get help or repair themselves or mount a counterattack, but most fight to destruction.

Basic Defences
All of these constructs have full saving throws and these resistances
They do not require air and are immune to poison and disease
Repair and craft skills can perform first aid, golems healing like a living creature
Immune to magic that affects the mind but once awakened fully have all the mental problems of a living being and a fully formed soul. 

Living Statues
Created by ancient magicians as guardians. They have a semblance of life when they awake, mostly they stand rigid awaiting certain conditions and rules to activate them. Some may perform other labours. Once created they are cooperative and less prone to becoming feral. They may roam wild on some planes and elemental worlds and seem more independent. They are remnants of prototypes for life bade by gods. The secrets of creating them is rare and valuable. Most kingdoms only have a d3 types mostly. The lack personality and are limited to basic instructions like labour or guarding.

1 Bronze (M) AC+7 HD 6 Attack By weapon 3d4 Morale 11 Mov 6
-exhale fire as a burning hands spell every three rounds instead of the standard attack
-used as guardians and labour and able to use tools

2 Clockwork 
(M) AC+6 HD 4 Attack Light Musket d6 Mov 9
-mechanical possibly clockwork infantry soldier, some have better d8 guns

3 Crystal
 (M) AC+6 HD 3 Attack Punch or Shard d6 x2 Morale 11 Mov 9 
-punch or throw crystal shards range 6
-weapons strikes make loud musical ringing sounds
-used as attractive guardians by elves and magicians

4 Glass* 
(M) AC +4 HD 3 Attack Punch or shard d6 Morale 8 Mov 12
-immune to non-magical weapons, punch or range 6 shard 
-transparent ones can become invisible
-red immune to fire and fire range 9 2d8 burning ray once per four rounds
-cyan immune to cold and fire freezing ray range 4 30-degree cone   
-magenta can cast phantasmal force each round as an action
-violet can cast a violet ray range 9 causes confusion for a d4 rounds 
-made by alchemists as spies and assassins, smarter than most statues

5 Ice AC+4 HD 4 Attack Punch or Icicle d6 Morale 11 Mov 9 
-grow an
 (M)  icicle in hand per round to club, stab or throw 6 range
-Immune to cold, non magical ice or blizzards
-if destroyed explode for d4 damage to all in 3 area who fail save
-guard frozen places

6 Iron (M) AC+8 HD 4 Attack Punch d8 x2 Morale 11 Mov 3 
-absorb metal non magic weapons that fail to save
-clumsy clanking guardians but also labourers 

7 Ivory*
 (M) AC+15 HD Attack Horn 2d6 (x2 with charge) Morale 12 Mov 18
-require magic weapons to hit
-if destroyed without fire type damage remains worth 2d6x100gp
-humanoid or a quadruped horned or tusked beast, intricate 
-make excellent guardians, some can fire a light crossbow bolt as an attack

8 Jade* 
(M) AC+6 HD 3 Attack Punch d6 x2 Morale 11 Mov 6
-immune to non-magic weapons and + damage from magic weapons
-immune to spells and magic
-guardians of sacred places or magical goods

9 Magma 
(M) AC+5 HD 5 Attack Punch d6+d6 fire x2 Morale 11 Mov 6
-fire lava bolts range 6 2d4 save for half instead of attack but cant also move
-when killed form a 3m wide burning mass 2d4 damage to cross (save halves) lasts ten min
-start grey or black and heat up in a round, guard underground places 
-guard elemental and underground volcanic places

10 Marble* 
(M) AC+7 HD 6 Attack By weapon d10 Morale 12 Mov 12
-immune to non-magic weapons, non magic weapons shatter
-may use any weapons or sheilds or missile they are built with
-highly lithe and athletic capable, skilled in any weapon or athletic skill, tactical fighters
-decorative statues in temples, public places 

11 Meat 
(M)  AC+3 HD 3 Attack Ram d6 or grapple Morale 12 Mov 6
-running into enemy flailing aimlessly is main attack then will grapple and crush each round
-some instead have punch d4 x2 attacks instead, all will grapple 
-taxidermy clumsy monstrosities built by madmen or vat grown in vats

12 Porcelain 
(M) AC+4 HD 2 Attack d6 Morale 9 Mov 15
-use touch or may use weapons including bows, will skirmish and retreat and use missiles
-uncannily silent and alert (some have faces that seem blank or can adopt other faces)
-if killed shatter all in 3 range 2d4 save for half, other living statues or golems are unharmed
-beautiful delicate figurines some like articulated dolls with graceful ease, tattooed all over
-often guard the rich or defend their tombs and appear as grave goods or used as assassins

13 Rock 
(L)  AC+6 HD 5 Attack Punch 2d6 x2 Morale 11 Mov 3
-immune to non-magic stone weapons
-crude lumbering carved statues often in caves or outdoors or even look like monoliths

14 Silver (S) AC+6 HD 12 Att Bite 2d6 Morale 11 Mov 12
-immune to non-magical weapons, half damaged from metal weapons
-often in the form of a small humanoid or quadrupedal animal guardian

15 Slime 
(M) AC+1 HD 3 Att Acid Slap 2d4 Morale 9 Mov 6
-dissolve non-magical weapons that hit them
-unarmed enemy attacks like fist or bite take 2d4 acid damage
-jiggly gelatious living viscous material, squeeze through bars and doors
-can throw a handful of acid 3 range d4 if it can't reach a foe
-made from dead slime and ooze creatures gelatinous flesh by chaos wizards

16 Snow 
(S-M) AC+4 HD 4 Attack Punch or snowball d4 Morale 11 Mov 9 
-Immune to cold, non magical ice or blizzards
-half damage from non magical weapons
-double damage from fire or heat
-outdoor frozen wilderness creations, created by winter spirits

17 Steel 
(M) AC+8 HD 5 Att Fist d8 x2 Morale 11 Mov 6
-absorb non-magic metal weapons used to hit it and heals a d4 (arrowhead heals only 1)
-fighting statues used by ancient millitary

18 Stone 
(M) AC+7 HD 8 Att Punch by weapon d12 Morale 12 Mov 6
-can heal self if in contact with stone floors or walls a d4 a round with an action
-common guardian statues in palaces or temples

19 Terracotta 
(M) AC+6 HD 5 Att Weapon d12 Morale 12 Move 9
-immune to fire and non-magic edged weapons only inflict 1pt damage
-carry with a weapon and a bow
-some have a Terracotta Horse AC+6 HD 5 Att Bite d4 Kick d6 x2 Morale 12 Move 15
-often tomb or palace guardians but in same lands they have armies of them

20 Wood 
(S-M)  AC +4 HD 3 Att Punch d6 Morale 9 Mov 12
-immune to non-magic wood weapons, half damage other non-magic weapons
-wooden lumbering idols or may be concealed in wooden structures

Gargoyle
Stone guardians to protect temples or fortifications. Sit inert for years until conditions activate it. They mostly think about the buildings they protect. Some over ages develop personalities, relations with each other and conflicts over the best perches. Some were even turned to flesh with magic and breed nut we are mostly referring to the construct type here. Not all have wings. Basic ones mostly don't speak, but the older ones might. Living ones have their own language. A stone carving is animated by an earth spirit in their creation. They are quite smart and use their abilities to ambush or escape if needed. If you turn a gargoyle into a living being it is vulnerable to magic like living creature and can speak and may change alignment over time

Tiny
*  (T)  AC+3 HD d4 Unarmed d4 Morale 6 Mov 12 Fly 30 +1 to hit
Small*  (S)  AC+4 HD 2 Unarmed d6 Morale 7 Mov 9 Fly 24 +1 to hit
Medium* (M)  AC+5 HD 4 Att Claw d3 x2 Bite d6 Horn d4 Morale 8 Mov 6 Fly 15 +1 to hit
Large** (L)  AC+7 HD8 Att Claw d4 x2 Bite d8 Horn d6 Morale 9 Mov 6 Fly 12 +2 to hit
Gigantic*** (H)  AC +9 HD16 Att Claw 2d4 x2 Bite 2d8 Horn 2d6 Morale 19 Mov 3 Fly 9 +3 to hit

Juggernaut
These huge wheeled vehicles are bigger than an elephant and have a wooden structure on the top for an operator, leader or a shrine. They are terrible weapons of war. Som develop personalities over time usually not very nice ones if used for war. Some are mostly in royal or temple processions. They follow simple instructions and in war most are directed by a commander. In a dungeon with limited space, they follow simple preset instructions fine. Some include d4 1=shrine 2=treasure vault 3=throne 4=siege weapon

Stone 
(H)  AC +10 HD 30 Att 10d10 crush Morale 12 Mov 9 6-9m wide
-save to evade can avoid crush if you have movement left
-immune to non-magic weapons, immune to fire and cold  
-some have a battering ram or a catapult 3d10 or a siege tower

Wood 
(H)  AC +4 HD 25 Att Crush 8d10 Morale 12 Mov 12 6-9m wide
-save to evade can avoid crush if you have movement left
-immune to non-magic missiles, but can be harmed by fire
-some fires volleys of arrows from the main structure possibly a siege tower

Iron 
(H)  AC +10 HD 40 Att Crush 10d10 Mov 3 6-9m wide
-save to evade can avoid crush if you have movement left
-immune to non-magic weapons, immune to lightning, fire and cold  
-cannon variant 6d6 black powder cannon and two 3d6 swivel guns on the sides fire every 3 rounds
-some can carry half a squad or soldiers into battle
-artillerist 10d6 and a machinegun 2d6 x10 burst, belch smoke
-some have one or two articulated iron pincers 3d10 or can grapple and a basket for prisoners or will use the prisoners for biofuel. A few of these have a 6d6 heat ray range 100

Golems
Golems are created from base material and brought to life with a limited version of how mortal life was made by the gods. The magical inscriptions draw a spirit into its shell and is a replica of life. The spirit's minds are blanked on creation but some golems are prone to instability. A golem guarding a tomb is understimulated and safer. A personal servant golem can be overstimulated by contradictions and self-questioning every time they kill. The ancients used many golems and used the motive power of golems for technology like indoor plumbing, toilets, stoves or industrial uses. Those ancient civilisations fell and golems are now rarely made. Priests consider druids of their religion as great but might be hostile to rival religions or wizard creations. Free-willed golems are sometimes called soul golems and their behaviour can vary as wildly as a human. Free-willed golems might craft offspring or inferior living statues but their offspring made with the normal golem process take time to develop free will. Riddles can be dangerous to use on golems.

Spells and magical effects seldom work against a golem and each has resistance to various attacks and spells. They cannot be polymorphed, teleported, disintegrated or have their matter altered except by spells mentioned in their description. Most don't breathe, some use fuel or seldom move. 

Only free-willed ones are vulnerable to mental spell effects or level draining.
They also may speak and be more intelligent and flexible to innovate

Instability Saves 
lasts for d10 hours
get an extra save to calm down if left in peace at least an hour

Save if...
incongruent or contradictory instructions or problems
1% chance after any fight for most types
5% chance after any fight for clay, doll, flesh, quicksilver, wood and wax 

d12 Golem Instability 
1 Self-doubt, philosophising and questioning obedience and existence
2 Resentment, jealousy of living beings, especially if shunned or feared
3 Violent berserk rampage against anyone attacking or fearing them until feels safe
4 Sit in deep thought paralysed with decisions and questions
5 Continue as normal but in secret is maliciously contrary. Will betray creator or purpose
6 Freeze in catatonic state, on recovery is free willed
7 Flees to find a safe place where it can be alone to think
8 Flees to find other constructs free of their creators to hide in peace
Flees to find other constructs to plot against living creators who enslave them
10 Tries to destroy itself unable to face the horror of existence
11 Becomes a free-willed being, its soul coding expands to a true human-like soul
12 Damages its magical coding becomes inert, a repair will activate it and it must save from going berserk if made to live (a wonderful puzzle trap fails)

1 Amber* 
(M)  AC +4 HD 10 Att Bite 2d10 Claw 2d6 x2 Mov 18
-move silently, track and detect invisibly, can be harmed by natural fire
-used for hunting or guarding, most are quadruped lions, bears or reptiles

2 Bone* 
(L)  AC+8 HD 6 Att Weapon x2 or x4 Morale 12 Mov 6
-requires +1 magic weapons to damage, immune to fire, cold, and lightning
-four arms d4 1=2x sheilds x2 weapons, 2=4x weapons, 3=2x 2-h weapon 4=2 missile weapons will also carry 4 daggers for close fighting
-pseudo-undead appearance but no effects from holy attacks that harm undead
-made by necromancers sometimes with alternate monstrous forms or vehicles

3 Bronze** (H)  +10 HD 20 Att Punch 3d10 Morale 12 Mov 24
-require +2 magic weapons to harm, fire heals them, magic cold can harm
-if struck by weapon fiery blood cases 2d6 if fail a save
-any in 1 range take a d10 heat damage per round
-made for guardians, labourers and war

4 Brick** (L) AC+8 HD 12 Att Punch or throw brick 2d4 x2 Morale 12 Move 9
-require +2 magic weapons to harm, half damage from edged attacks, immune to fire
-can punch or throw a brick from its body, range 6 up to two times a round
-can remove bricks and mortar from body to build a wall 3x3 wall per day 
-can blend into red brick walls and heal a d4 damage a round by eating whole bricks
-built to aid construction and as a guardian of brick dungeons
-clay tablets variant made of ancient lore clay books and 
cast random spells
-concrete variant instead but lacked missile attacks
-mozaic variant hides in wall and floor art, may appear as creatures or beasts from art

5 Clay* (L)  AC+3 HD10 Att Punch 3d10 Morale 12 Mov 6
-require +1 magic weapons to harm, immune to edged weapons
-earth or stone magic can slow
-haste 3 rounds a day
-made to be guardians or labourers

6 Copper (M) AC+5 HD 6 Att Punch 2d4 or 3d6 lightning Morale 10 Mov 18
-require +1 magic weapons to harm, other metal weapons cling to its body
-electricity heals damage and excess (after fully healed) arcs back to the attacker
-can fire an 3d6 electrical arc range 20 from an antenna on their head
-can draw non-magical metal weapons to its body within range 3, save to resist but cannot use at the same time as firing an electric arc
-often skilled at repairing machines and golems, built by alchemists as servants and guards 

7 Doll* (T) AC+5 HD 4 Att unarmed d3
 Morale 7 Mov 15
-require +1 magic weapons to harm, vulnerable to fire
-many have a concealed stiletto but can punch, bite or grapple or climb a human limb
-they can see invisible and spirits which might increase their instability
-dolls are made to be companions, protectors and friends, made from wood, porcelain, and cloth. Formed in the fashion of the native culture but a variety of toy creatures can be covered. -free-willed ones can be malicious and sadistic and will use poison

8 Flesh* 
(L)  AC+4 HD8 Att Punch 2d8 x2 Morale 11 Mov 8
-require magic +1 weapons needed to hit
-fire and cold slow 2d4 rounds, electricity heals damage
-stitched from corpses or grown from protoplasm in a vat
-made to study the creation of life by anatomists, necromancers or alchemists

9 Iron*** 
(H) AC+7 HD 18 Att Weapon 4d10 Morale 12 Mov 6
-require  magic +3 weapons required to damage
-electricity slows 2d4 rounds, fire heals
-poison breath cloud 1 area every seven rounds 
-weapons of war,  some have other weapons or a cabin inside for a crewman

10 Mirror** (M) AC+5 HD 6 Att Cutting Weapon d8 Morale 10 Mov 12
-require magic +2 weapons required to damage, magic missiles bounce back at the caster
-change from an ornate mirror possibly with a face on a metallic ornate frame to a mirrored humanoid and may mimic the appearance of anyone who passed the golem while in mirror form. Can blend into walls or floors becoming flat if required
-some have a control orb a use can see through the mirror and speak through it
-some act as a scrying device to make them even more desirable and he golems may show visions in its body of enemies lives or family to disturb them
-used for espionage and smarter than most golems 

11 Mud 
(L) AC+3 HD 8 Att Grapple 2d6 Morale 12 Mov 9
-require magic +1 weapons needed to hit, immune to fire, cold slows
-can float, sink or walk on mud or water at will for surprise or with a grappled victim
-guardians of wetlands made by tribal peoples as guardian idols
-some say form from eroded remains of alchemy or broken golems or 

12 Obsidian* 
(L)  AC+7 HD 6 Att Fist or dart 2d4 or weapon Morale 11 Mov 12
-require magic +1 weapons needed to hit, fire hastes them for a d4 rounds, cold slows
-any striking with unarmed attacks takes a d3 damage from spikes
-fire shard of obsidian or use sharp hands or use weapons
-shatter when destroyed, 4d6 damage over a 3 area, save halves, 2d6x100gp scraps remain
-built as guardians often by volcanic peoples

13 Prismatic*** (M) AC +20 HD 20 Att Fist 3-30 x2 or fire prismatic ray Morale 9 Mov 12
-require magic +3 weapons needed to hit, 
-fire a prismatic ray range 30 instead of melee attacks
-create a prismatic sphere around self if does not move in round, will use to block a door
-can teleport once per round within sight range or a known location
-made as the peak of golem technology and super intelligent

14 Quicksilver* (M)  AC+10 HD 12 Att Punch d8 x2 Morale 10 Mov 15
-require +1 magic weapons to hit, fire heals damage, cold slows 2d4 rounds
-change from silver humanoid to a specific person to a liquid glob to pass bars or doors
-haste at will for +1 attack, +2 AC, +3 initiative, x2 Mov, blurry and buzzing in this state
-remains are poison, will pollute the area and are worth 2d6x100gp
-made by alchemists or temples as guardians but also spies, smarter than most golems

15 Rock* 
(H) AC +12 HD 16 Att Fist 2d10 x2 Morale 12 Mov 6
-require magic +1 weapons needed to hit, non-magic weapons shatter on impact
-immune to fire, cold, lightning, rock or earth magic may slow for 2d4 rounds
-made as guardians often may appear as monoliths or architectural features

16 Silver
(M)  AC+7 HD 8 Att Punch d8 x2 Morale 10 Mov 12
-require magic +1 weapon needed to hit
-often carry tools of a craftsman or musical instrument gold, use magic items
-remains worth 2d6x100gp there are more expensive gold variants worth 2d6x1000gp
-made by alchemists for the rich, smarter than most golems

17 Stone** 
(L)  AC+5 HD 14 Att Punch 2d8 Morale 12 Mov 6 
-require +2 magic weapons to hit, rock or earth magic may slow for 2d4 rounds
-stone to flesh removes all invulnerability, mud to rock heals d6/Lv of caster
-can cast slow over 1 area in sight every second round that lasts 2d4 rounds and cumulative

18 Tin* (M) AC AC+5 HD 4 Att punch d4 or by weapon Morale 9 Mov 12
-require +1 magic weapon to hit, can repair selves with tin cans a d4 per round
-most have basic skills for a labouring tool they use or are soldiers possibly with a musket
-used as superior labour of fighters 

19 Wax* (M)  AC+3 HD 3 Att punch d3 or by weapon Morale 9 Move12
-require +2 magic weapons to hit, minimum damage from magic missile weapons
-flammable, can be harmed by natural fire, -2 save vs fire +1 damage per dice
-change appearance to copy another humanoid or a blank sexless form
-made for entertainment or espionage or duplicity

20 Wood 
(S-M)  AC+3 HD 2 Att Punch d6 Morale 10 Mov 12
-half damage from non-magic weapons and ignores non-magic missiles
-flammable, can be harmed by natural fire, -2 save vs fire +1 damage per dice
-also includes wicker, rope, rag, reed, vegetables, cloth, leather and possible others
-often used as labourers or guardians in rustic holy places or woodlands

Variants
1in4 in the shape of a 
pillar holding a roof, a column golem or a killer pillar
1in4 holding a functional weapon or tool
1in4 has gems in construction worth HD x 100 gp in remains
1in6 is a smaller or larger size class than usual
1in6 is quadruped or humanoid riding a beast
1in6 golem is sexually functional but infertile
1in8 extra horns attack
1in8 repaired all damage once per day even if destroyed
1in8 chants or plays music when starts to move
1in10 extra set of limbs and bonus attack 
1in10 has a keyhole in the chest that can be used to control the golem
1in10 golems coding is broken and no longer follows original orders
1in12 elongating limbs can double height or increase punch range
1in12 break into several half-strength and size golems when killed
1in12 golem is sentient and free-willed now
1in20 golem is sentient and has levels as a spell caster
1in20
 functional wings

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