Golem me baby!

[ZamielVanWeber]

I am working on a campaign segment that is very golem heavy. I am wondering what templates (other than incarnate)/add ons I can slap onto golems as well as some nifty ones I could try to use.

[Omegas]

Are you also including warforged?

[Jack_Simth]

I am working on a campaign segment that is very golem heavy. I am wondering what templates (other than incarnate)/add ons I can slap onto golems as well as some nifty ones I could try to use.
They're created as magic items... don't forget to make a few Intelligent (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/intelligentItems.htm).

[ZamielVanWeber]

Are you also including warforged?

No. I am specifically looking for golem stuff. Intelligent is cool.

[Slipperychicken]

Remember that animated objects can function similarly to golems, such as an animated statue or suit of armor.

Pathfinder has some cool rules (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/constructs/animated-object) for all kinds of custom animated objects, as well as a whole bunch of golems (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/constructs/golem).

[ZamielVanWeber]

What are some good options for getting ranged attacks on these things?

[Forrestfire]

Might I suggest giving the maker the Rudimentary Intelligence feat? It's from Dragon #327, and gives them the ability to make constructs with Int scores.

Once they have intelligence, you can give them feats (including proficiencies if you want). Ranged attacks are as easy as giving them decent thrown weapons to leverage their high strength, presumably.

[ZamielVanWeber]

What is the difference between Intelligent Item rules vs Rudimentary Intelligence rules? From the perspective of a golem creator; as in why would they choose one or the other?

[Forrestfire]

Rudimentary Intelligence costs +8,000gp and adds an intelligence score equal to half your caster level, and is still loyal ("A golem that gains intelligence in this manner is still bound to the will of its creator as normal").

Intelligent Items cost a minimum of +2,000gp, and makes them have an Ego Score. Also, it's iffy as to how golem construction works with intelligent items, as they already have their own Wis and Cha scores.

[unseenmage]

By RAW Animated Objects of cool stuff like Alchemical Items and lumps of Special Materials (adamantine, livewood, etc) are possible but by RAW they lose all the cool stuff that makes them cool.
If you're the DM I advise letting Animated Shapesand still be Shapesand and Animated Alchemist's Fire still be Alchemist's Fire.

Other cool applications include Animated Living Metal from Magic of Faerun for an Animated Object that heals hp. Animated Thinaun Steel from Complete Warrior for an Animated Object that traps the soul of the first living creature it that dies touching it.

There's a spell from Sandstorm called Awaken Sand that makes free-willed Constructs out of sand or dust. See the Dust is Lazy link in my sig for some neat ways to use that.

The spell Minor Servitor from Savage Species makes Animated Objects that are free-willed but can be Dispelled. They have to be within the normal range of the spell to be Dispelled though so they can gain "freedom" from the effect potentially.

The psionic power Quintessence makes the substance of the same name that stops time for anything completely encapsulated within it. After the power is manifested the substance is no more magical than a Walll of Stone's wall of stone so it is viable for Animation. Some coo, potential there.

Animate Objects on corpses is amusing because they look and act like undead but they cannot be turned the same way. Craft Contingent Spell from Complete Arcane for Animate Objects or Minor Servitor set so that when the living creature dies it's corpse gets back up doubles the usefulness of minions.
Technically can be used on the remains of Golems too. Very funny.

For Golem Templates there's the Sacred Guardian template from Bestiary of Krynn. Keys the Construct to a deity. But also makes them intelligent, gives them three languages, and gives them superpowers. And all cheaper than any other printed means of making Constructs Intelligent.

Create Crawling Claw, a spell from Monster Compendium: Monsters of Faerun makes a pile of left hands into Diminutive mindless Constructs with a Medium creature's Str score. By RAW the hands don't have to come from living things. They could just as easily be made via True Creation.

The Spellsong Nightingale (https://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/cw/20070115a) and the Runic Guardian from MM 2 can both have SLAs built into them. The Spellsong Nightingale can make Crawling Claws and the Runic Guardian could make Minor Servitors, Awakened Sands, or Animated Objects. Be aware too that the Spellsong Nightingale actually casts it's spells. They're not technically SLAs. I havn't found a way to use that bit yet but I'm looking.

The only Golem only template I've found was in a 3.0 Dragon magazine and it tied the Golem to a building but let it Teleport Without Error all over that building.


My ost recent project has been to use the Monstorus Lycanthrope template from Advnaced Bestiary to make Construct Were-creatures.
I've been using the Effigy template (Complete Acrane) and/or the Elder Eidolon template (Lords of Madness) to make practically any creature into a Construct then using the Monstorus Lycanthrope template to make it an immortal source of Construct lycanthropy. Very evil stuff. Not for the faint of heart. Beware the template stacking for it will cause true madness.

There's a Weapon Enhancement in Magic of Faerun that lets a magic weapon be treated as though it were a flying Animated Object. Add the Sizing weapon enhancement for an Animated Object magic weapon that can be Colossal on command. Make it a Gauntlet and let it grab enemies and drop them from great heights.

Here's hoping something in the above helps. Sorry it's such a ramble, is late here and I really should be sleeping.