A Ruby Golem

[AlanBruce]

Greetings! I was browsing through google, looking for the monster in the title. sadly, I was able to come up with a 2nd edition version, which translates poorly.

I would like a decent challenge from a ruby golem for 7 PCs. Party make up:

prestige paladin/church inq./cleric (not in that order)

totemist/barbarian

necromancer

conjurer

dragon shaman (cold BW)

beguiler

druid

All are level 8, so chances are they'll mop down the golem fairly easily, but there will be additional mooks to keep them busy.

What i was hoping for was if someone knew of a book printed for 3.X where I could take a ruby golem. The material in this case is important, since it is plot driven, but I suppose I could use a regular MM golem and say it's made of ruby.

If anyone has any ideas, please let me know.

Thank you very much in advance.

[gurgleflep]

I believe the Ruby (and other gemstones) Golem can be found in the book Monster's of Faerun.

Edit: just checked, they are. Their stats can be found on page 53.

[NevinPL]

There's also the Psion-Killer, a.k.a Crystal Golem from XPH, but it doesn't do well against non-psionic characters.

[TuggyNE]

There's also the Psion-Killer, a.k.a Crystal Golem from XPH, but it doesn't do well against non-psionic characters.

Hmm? What's wrong with it? Dispelling magic/psionics 1/round and standard golem magic/psionics immunity is pretty nice.

[Phelix-Mu]

There's also the Psion-Killer, a.k.a Crystal Golem from XPH, but it doesn't do well against non-psionic characters.

Indeed, as TuggyNE mentioned, the normally assumed Magic-Psionics Transparency means that this golem could be equally called Mage-Killer, ignoring for a minute that infinite SR =/= immunity to magic (sadly). The dispelling means that these things can be pretty effective in groups of, say, two or three, especially with a moderate terrain advantage (like a bottleneck or intersection of hallways...I like to put golems in areas with deceptively thin stone walls, and have the golems go all Kool-Aid Man on the party, charging out through walls.

Note that any golem is much better with the Rudimentary Intelligence option that was in a Dragon Magazine somewhere. For a few thousand gp, the golem gains an Intelligence score= 1/2 its creator's CL (which stands to be a fairly decent number with CL optimization on the table). Now it can be taught specific tactics for specific threats, remember the layout of the whole dungeon, and intelligently use skills to help discriminate b/t various enemies and threats.

[NevinPL]

Hmm? What's wrong with it? Dispelling magic/psionics 1/round and standard golem magic/psionics immunity is pretty nice.
My bad, I forgot that "Psionic is different", isn't the default option.
But it's still missing some offensive-ish capabilities of standard golems, (wounding thingy, breath weapon, etc.).

[TuggyNE]

My bad, I forgot that "Psionic is different", isn't the default option.
But it's still missing some offensive-ish capabilities of standard golems, (wounding thingy, breath weapon, etc.).

Sure, but "dispels stuff every round for free" is it's offensive-ish capability. That's its basic schtick. Works pretty well really against buffed-up T1s and T2s.

In fact, I think the psion-killer is likely slightly better against casters than manifesters, since there's a level 1 uncapped d6/level power that can damage it just fine, while the only level 1 spells I know of that can damage it are capped, and I think they progress at a slower rate too.

[Malroth]

Twinned, repeating, maximized, empowered Sonic orb says hello the mail will go through

[TuggyNE]

Twinned, repeating, maximized, empowered Sonic orb says hello the mail will go through

Yes yes, I know about the mailman. I was careful to specify level 1 spells, remember? Of course, since it's CR 12, that's probably not the best comparison. OTOH, a full comparison is really rather out of scope for the thread; it was just an idle thought.

[NevinPL]

Sure, but "dispels stuff every round for free" is it's offensive-ish capability.
Then this is another instance, when my definition, and GitP definition are different.

[TuggyNE]

Then this is another instance, when my definition, and GitP definition are different.

… OK? You don't think losing all your buffs and having some of your items disabled is a bad thing?

Honestly, it seems almost worse than poison breath, especially given how limited the range is, and how practical poison immunity is at that level. And the flesh golem doesn't have anything at all!

[ZamielVanWeber]

Then this is another instance, when my definition, and GitP definition are different.

At 8th level your characters will have magic items. This thing is going to sit there and constantly try to suppress all their magic items until there are none left (this is assuming no buffs). Combined with its high AC and difficult to pen (at level 8 anyways) DR, some lucky rolls on the dispel could make him unkillable except to non-SR spells.