ToohrVyk
2006-07-21, 04:40 AM
I've completed the Hook Golem monster I mentioned on this forum a week ago. Here goes:
Hook Golems are small heaps of picks, hooks, chain links and many small sharp scraps of metal. They are excellent assassins, and are generally used for these purposes by thieves' guilds and evil wizards.
{table]
Size/Type: Small Construct
Hit Dice: 11d10+10 (70 hp)
Initiative: +7
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares).
Armor Class: 28 (+10 natural, +1 size, +7 Dex), touch 18, flat-footed 21
Base Attack/Grapple: +8/+16
Attack: Hooked Chain +16 melee (1d4-1)
Full Attack: 5 Hooked Chain +16 melee (1d4-1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Sneak Attack +2d6, Evasion, Crippling Strike, Darkness
Special Qualities: Construct traits, Blindsight 120ft, Magic immunity
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +10, Will +3
Abilities: Str 9, Dex 25, Con Ø, Int Ø, Wis 11, Cha 1
Skills: Open Locks +15, Disable Device +15,
Move Silently +10, Hide +20, Climb +15
Feats: Weapon Finesse (B), Combat Reflexes (B)
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 8
Treasure: None
Alignment: Neutral
Advancement: —
Level Adjustment: —
[/table]
Combat abilities
Sneak Attack: a successful attack against a flanked creature, or a creature which is denied its Dexterity bonus to AC, inflicts an additional 2d6 damage. This ability works in the same way as the rogue ability of the same name.
Evasion (Ex): when a Reflex Save would allow the Golem to halve the dealt damage, he instead receives no damage at all.
Crippling Strike (Ex): on a successful sneak attack, the Hook Golem also inflicts 2 points of Strength damage to his opponent, as the hooks from the chains rip through the skin and muscles.
Darkness (Sp): twice per day, a Hook Golem can cast Darkness on itself at CL 6th (thus, the Darkness lasts one hour). When activated, all opponents in a 20-ft range unable to see through the magical darkness are denied their dexterity bonus to AC, and thus are vulnerable to Sneak Attacks from the Golem, even on attacks of opportunity.
Programming
A Hook Golem cannot be given orders: these must be provided during the creation ritual and are then fixed for the duration of the golem's lifetime. The programming of a Hook Golem includes two distinct parts: the movement, and the target.
The movement can be as simple as a description of the location where the golem must go, or as complex as scheduling a full trip complete with hiding places, guard locations, secret doors and carefully timed actions. The Hook Golem may be instructed to unlock doors that block its path or disarm traps and jam mechanisms. While a Hook Golem can of its own accord unlock a door that blocks its path, it will ignore any traps and mechanisms unless specifically ordered to disarm them. Once the golem reaches its final destination, the target programming activates.
The Hook Golem then attacks any entities that match its target description. This description can be as detailed as necessary (the golem can identify its target's face, silhouette, race, equipment, clothing, weight, movement and voice), but can also be very general (anyone, any male, anyone who runs) and can include objects (a crystal ball, a secret document). Hook Golems can, at the creator's option, be taught how to read to identify a target document, but will not actively search for it and will only attack targets in plain sight (however, its movement programming may include opening the safe where the document is present and spilling the papers on the floor).
Tactics
The Hook Golem has a precise built-in attack method. It will acquire a target and then attack it to the death, only switching targets when the first one is dead or has outrun it. It will hide in ambush to attack by surprise, and cast darkness on a toothpick or other wooden part of itself that is not immune to magic as soon as its opponents are not flat-footed anymore. It is built to render the target helpless through crippling strike, and then Coup de Grace it.
Attacks of Opportunity are taken against any other target present (even if it is not the current target) as well as any entity determined to be hostile. Any hostile being that is not one of its targets (such as a guard that discovers the golem during its infiltration phase) is automatically considered to be a target, although the golem's programmed targets will always have an overriding priority.
The only exception to these rules is if the Hook Golem has been given a single target. If that is the case, it will not cease its attacks when its target is dead, but will rather continue to hack the corpse to pieces until it is destroyed.
Construction
A Hook Golem starts as a heap of scrap metal: shards of broken blades, sharp razors, fishing hooks, needles, nails, screws, shuriken, arrowheads, chain links. Two thirds of the golem's final mass must be composed of fishing hooks. A golem's body also includes masterwork Thieves' Tools and an Inkpen. The full body is worth at least 5,000gp.
CL 13th; Craft Construct; animate objects, cat's grace, darkness. Caster must be of at least 13th level. Price: depending on contract. Cost: 15,000gp, 500 XP.
An optional casting of comprehend languages is necessary for the golem to be able to read documents, signs or labels as part of its programming. An additional casting of Clairaudience/Clairvoyance is required for each voice, face or place to be recognized as part of the golem's programming.
Hook Golems are small heaps of picks, hooks, chain links and many small sharp scraps of metal. They are excellent assassins, and are generally used for these purposes by thieves' guilds and evil wizards.
{table]
Size/Type: Small Construct
Hit Dice: 11d10+10 (70 hp)
Initiative: +7
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares).
Armor Class: 28 (+10 natural, +1 size, +7 Dex), touch 18, flat-footed 21
Base Attack/Grapple: +8/+16
Attack: Hooked Chain +16 melee (1d4-1)
Full Attack: 5 Hooked Chain +16 melee (1d4-1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Sneak Attack +2d6, Evasion, Crippling Strike, Darkness
Special Qualities: Construct traits, Blindsight 120ft, Magic immunity
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +10, Will +3
Abilities: Str 9, Dex 25, Con Ø, Int Ø, Wis 11, Cha 1
Skills: Open Locks +15, Disable Device +15,
Move Silently +10, Hide +20, Climb +15
Feats: Weapon Finesse (B), Combat Reflexes (B)
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 8
Treasure: None
Alignment: Neutral
Advancement: —
Level Adjustment: —
[/table]
Combat abilities
Sneak Attack: a successful attack against a flanked creature, or a creature which is denied its Dexterity bonus to AC, inflicts an additional 2d6 damage. This ability works in the same way as the rogue ability of the same name.
Evasion (Ex): when a Reflex Save would allow the Golem to halve the dealt damage, he instead receives no damage at all.
Crippling Strike (Ex): on a successful sneak attack, the Hook Golem also inflicts 2 points of Strength damage to his opponent, as the hooks from the chains rip through the skin and muscles.
Darkness (Sp): twice per day, a Hook Golem can cast Darkness on itself at CL 6th (thus, the Darkness lasts one hour). When activated, all opponents in a 20-ft range unable to see through the magical darkness are denied their dexterity bonus to AC, and thus are vulnerable to Sneak Attacks from the Golem, even on attacks of opportunity.
Programming
A Hook Golem cannot be given orders: these must be provided during the creation ritual and are then fixed for the duration of the golem's lifetime. The programming of a Hook Golem includes two distinct parts: the movement, and the target.
The movement can be as simple as a description of the location where the golem must go, or as complex as scheduling a full trip complete with hiding places, guard locations, secret doors and carefully timed actions. The Hook Golem may be instructed to unlock doors that block its path or disarm traps and jam mechanisms. While a Hook Golem can of its own accord unlock a door that blocks its path, it will ignore any traps and mechanisms unless specifically ordered to disarm them. Once the golem reaches its final destination, the target programming activates.
The Hook Golem then attacks any entities that match its target description. This description can be as detailed as necessary (the golem can identify its target's face, silhouette, race, equipment, clothing, weight, movement and voice), but can also be very general (anyone, any male, anyone who runs) and can include objects (a crystal ball, a secret document). Hook Golems can, at the creator's option, be taught how to read to identify a target document, but will not actively search for it and will only attack targets in plain sight (however, its movement programming may include opening the safe where the document is present and spilling the papers on the floor).
Tactics
The Hook Golem has a precise built-in attack method. It will acquire a target and then attack it to the death, only switching targets when the first one is dead or has outrun it. It will hide in ambush to attack by surprise, and cast darkness on a toothpick or other wooden part of itself that is not immune to magic as soon as its opponents are not flat-footed anymore. It is built to render the target helpless through crippling strike, and then Coup de Grace it.
Attacks of Opportunity are taken against any other target present (even if it is not the current target) as well as any entity determined to be hostile. Any hostile being that is not one of its targets (such as a guard that discovers the golem during its infiltration phase) is automatically considered to be a target, although the golem's programmed targets will always have an overriding priority.
The only exception to these rules is if the Hook Golem has been given a single target. If that is the case, it will not cease its attacks when its target is dead, but will rather continue to hack the corpse to pieces until it is destroyed.
Construction
A Hook Golem starts as a heap of scrap metal: shards of broken blades, sharp razors, fishing hooks, needles, nails, screws, shuriken, arrowheads, chain links. Two thirds of the golem's final mass must be composed of fishing hooks. A golem's body also includes masterwork Thieves' Tools and an Inkpen. The full body is worth at least 5,000gp.
CL 13th; Craft Construct; animate objects, cat's grace, darkness. Caster must be of at least 13th level. Price: depending on contract. Cost: 15,000gp, 500 XP.
An optional casting of comprehend languages is necessary for the golem to be able to read documents, signs or labels as part of its programming. An additional casting of Clairaudience/Clairvoyance is required for each voice, face or place to be recognized as part of the golem's programming.