[PF] Help needed with quick-start golem PCs

[Another_Poet]

I'm soliciting help. I'll ask you to read the following closely, because I'm not using the standard golems from the PF SRD.

I'll be running a one shot where the PCs play golems. They are in search of who built them and why. I want to make char gen a really simple process. The steps are:


Choose a material you'e built from. (Playgrounders, I could use help deciding the strengths/weaknesses of various materials to offer.)
Choose from a short list of special abilities (I could use suggestions on SLAs, feats and special abilities to offer)


I would like the results to be balanced at roughly ECL 8. No character levels, just "quick build" golems using the above.

Suggestions?

[Another_Poet]

Okay, you playgrounders have let me down with a TOTAL lack of answers... but not to worry, I'm the creative type so I've put together my own quick start package.

Here are my char gen guidelines for my golem quest one-shot. These golems are not totally immune to magic. They've been fitted with magic gems, which both give them magic powers of their own, but also gotten rid of their immunity because they have been opened up to magical energy. Anyway, here you go.

Step 1. Don't choose a name. If you ever had a name, you no longer remember what it was.

Step 2. Your base stats. You'll all start with the same stat block, which puts you roughly equivalent to an 8th level character.


HP 75 hp
AC 19, Touch 10, Flatfooted 19
(10 + 0 Dex + 0 Armr + 0 Shld + 10 Natural + 0 Deflect + -1 Size)
Saves Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +2
DR (based on material)
SR 10
Energy Resistance (based on material)
Immunities Mind-affecting, Poison, Necromancy, Paralysis, Stun (additional based on material)
Weaknesses (based on material)
Extras Darkvision 60'
Speed 30
ATTACK
melee 2 slams +13 (2d10+5)
ranged - none
Abilities Str 20, Dex 10, Con--, Int--, Wis 10, Cha 1
BAB +8
CMB +14
CMD 24


Step 3. Choose your material. What is your golem made out of? The default choices are: Hollow Metal, Solid Metal, Cloth, Soft Clay, Wood, Stone and Glass.

I'm going to work with my players to decide the abilities they gain from their material. Most will be DR, Energy Resistance, and maybe a special ability or weakness. For example Glass has DR 5/Bludgeoning and is Weak against Sonic, but gets +10 SR. Solid Metal has its base speed reduced to 10' but gains DR 10/-. Cloth Golem is Weak against Fire but can ignore the first 30 points of falling damage because it's just a plush doll. You get the idea.

Step 4. Pre-installed Units. You come pre-fitted with two magical gems. They offer spell-like abilities.

Utility Gem: choose any three sorcerer/wizard spells of 3rd level or lower that do not deal damage. You can cast these spells 3x/day each as spell-like abilities.

Sorcery Gem: choose any one sorcerer/wizard spell of 5th level or lower. You can cast it 1x/day as a spell-like ability.

Step 5. Custom Units. You can choose which other units are installed on your golem, thus making it more unique. Here are the options. You have 50 points to spend.

Skills & Augments (5 points each)
*+5 to any one skill. You can take this up to 2 times per skill. Most common skills are acrobatics, stealth, perception, bluff, and climb.
*X-Ray vision. 60' range.
*Super Jump. You can jump 10' vertically with no check needed. You can make a check to jump even higher.
*Toughness. Gain +6 max hp.
*Spring Attack. You can attack in the middle of moving.
*Sharpshooter. You can fire into melee with no penalty. (You will need a ranged attack to make use of this though; see Combat below.)
*Thing. Your hand and eye can detach. The hand carries the eye and acts as a scout. It can climb walls like a spider and fit anywhere a cat could fit. It won't attack anything and cannot go more than 100' from you.
*Combat Reflexes. You can make two AoOs per round instead of 1.
*Stat Bump. Raise one ability score by +4 points.
*Resistance. Gain +1 to saves.

Combat (5 Points each)
*Rocket Punch. You can launch one arm up to 60' as a projectile weapon. It deals the same damage as your Slam attack. Once it is fired you cannot use it again until you retrieve the arm. Try not to lose it. You can take this twice if you want (once for each arm).
*Pomegranate. If you are destroyed, you explode. You deal your HD in damage (8d10 by default) to all in a 20' radius around you. They are entitled a reflex save for half damage. DC = 13 + 1/2 your HD (17). Damage counts as half fire and half slashing. Goodbye, golem.
*Reach. You have a 10' reach and threaten all squares you can reach.
*Weapon Up. One of your arms has a built-in enchanted melee weapon. Increases to-hit by +1 and damage output by +1d12+1 (added to one of your slam attacks). You can take this twice, once for each arm.
*Monk Unit. You can choose to make 1 extra attack per round but all your attacks suffer a -2 penalty when you do this. Only works with a full attack.
*Monk Plus. Must have Monk Unit first. You can now use your 1 extra attack per round even if you move that round (so 2 attacks instead of 1).
*Pea Shooter. You can shoot a dart of fire up to 120' once per round. Ranged Touch Attack, 1d6+4 fire damage.
*Juggernaut. Choose Grapple, Trip, Overrun, Bull Rush or Sunder. You gain +4 to CMB and CMD for the manoeuvre you choose. You can take this multiple times, up to twice per manoeuvre type.
*Skirmish. You deal +2d6 damage anytime you move 10' or more before attacking, and +3d6 damage on a charge.

Defensive (5 points each) (You can take any of these multiple times.)
*Deflection Aura. Gain +2 Deflection bonus. (This also boosts your Touch AC).
*Harder. Increase your natural armor by +4. (This does not affect your Touch AC).
*Combat Ready. Raise Initiative by +5.
*Mountain. Gain +2 CMD.
*Wille zur Macht. Increase your Spell Resistance by +5. You can take this multiple times.

Arcanoflux Unit (25 points)
You have the ability to cast some spells spontaneously. To do so, name the spell you wish to cast (any 5th level or lower wizard/sorcerer spell is acceptable). Roll a Spellcraft check (d20 + 8 + Int) to see if you succeed. DC is 20 + spell level. If you fail the spell fizzles (but does not count against your limit). You can cast up to 10 spell levels worth of spells per day (for example, one 5th level spell, two 2nd level spells and a 1st level spell).
Note: Taking Arcanoflux reduces your Spell Resistance by 5. You can build it back up by buying the Wille zur Macht unit; see above.

Magic Gems (5 points each)
*Lesser Sorcerer Gem. Choose any 1 spell of 3rd level or lower. You can cast it 3/day as a spell-like ability. You can take this multiple times.
*Spell Focus Gem. Raise the save DC on your spells by +2. You can take this multiple times.

Tomorrow, two amnesiac golems awake in a basement to wonder who made them and why... and set off on an epic adventure of sacrifice, horror and redemption!