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Danu
2007-04-23, 08:56 PM
STATIONARY GUARDIAN
Medium Construct
Hit Dice: 6d10+20 (53 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: None
Armor Class: 18 (+8 natural), 10 touch, 18 flat-footed
Base Attack/ Grapple: +4/ +11
Attack: Greatsword +11 melee (2d6+10/ 19-20)
Full Attack: Greatsword +11 melee (2d6+10/ 19-20)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./ 5 ft.
Special Attacks: Flay Flesh, Smite 3/day
Special Qualities: Blindsense 5 ft., construct traits, DR 6/adamantine and bludgeoning, immunity to magic, tremorsense 5 ft.
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +2
Abilities: Str 24, Dex 10, Con -, Int -, Wis 10, Cha 1
Feats: CleaveB
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: Non-standard; see below
Alignment: Neutral
Advancement: None

It’s almost like a suit of normal fullplate standing before you, a greatsword clutched in steel gauntlets set at presentation before it, gripped in everlasting metal. The almost ostentatious armor is decorated with strange runic sigils, none of which are close enough to make out. As soon as you step close, however, the armor suddenly tenses and swings the greatsword with astounding speed!

http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifA stationary guardian is an eternally vigilant protector, which stands in complete silence, never moving. Unlike the standard construct, these guardians are more for show then utility, being slightly more inexpensive to make then the more powerful golems.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifA stationary guardian is incapable of moving of its own volition, and it cannot sense anything beyond its immediate area. While it is deadly within the squares it can threaten, its especially vulnerable to ranged spellcasters or archers.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifIntelligent mages attempted to correct this error by imbuing the construct with some measure against arrows and spells, but the more patient heroes can simply stand back and chip away at the animated armor until the magic holding it together collapses, leaving a suit of masterwork fullplate behind.

ORIGIN
Originally created by a rather bored artificer mage, the first stationary guardians were simply commanded to stand in one spot and attack all that came into reach of its sword.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifWhen this rather simplistic tactic proved to be surprisingly effective against unwary adventurers, the mage began to craft more; these made specifically for this stationary position. Without the need to imbue such constructs with extensive magical instructions, the spellcaster was able to craft a reasonably powerful, yet magically simple construct.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifIts true value, however, was against the unwary or warned. Once an adventurer learned of this particular construct’s inability to give chase or to defend from ranged attacks, they were easily capable of planning rather simple stratagems for defeating the stationary guardians.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifThe name of the original crafting mage is unclear; some also credit this same ancient mage with the construction of several other frequently used golems and other guardians heard of today. Whatever the name, his legacy lives on for the foreseeable future.

COMBAT
Th stationary guardian is treated as if it has readied an action to attack any creature that comes within 5ft. of it. This accounts for what seems to some as an almost supernatural speed to their swing. Once this readied attack has been resolved, combat begins as normal. If, at any time, the stationary guardian does not sense any creature within 5ft of it, on it's next turn it will again ready an action to attack any creature that comes within 5ft. of it.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifA stationary guardian will not attack any creature that speaks a command word, specified at its time of creation.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifFlay (Ex): All damage dealt by a stationary guardian is extremely resistant to healing. Characters with wounds inflicted by a stationary guardian cannot heal the damage naturally, and any character attempting to cast a healing spell on the inflicted damage must succeed on a DC 18 caster level check, or the spell has no effect. Once a creature has been completely healed of all hit point damage he has currently incurred, he is no longer affected by this ability.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifImmunity to Magic (Ex): A stationary guardian is not affected by any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifSmite (Su): Three times a day, a stationary guardian may attempt to strike a furious blow against any foe that it threatens. It makes a normal melee attack against the chosen foe with a +4 bonus on its attack roll. If successful, it deals +6 points of damage.

TREASURE
When destroyed, a stationary guardian usually leaves a functional suit of masterwork fullplate, sized for a human, as well as the greatsword.

CONSTRUCTION
Creating a stationary guardian is rather simple. It requires the use of a suit of fullplate, preferably masterwork, to serve as the base for the creature’s body. It also requires the addition of a standard greatsword, although some mages take the extra cost to give their guardian masterwork or even magical greatswords.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifThe suit of armor must be fitted to a wooden dummy, which must be constructed specifically for this purpose. Crafting the dummy requires a DC 20 Craft (Carving) check.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifThe construct must be placed in the area it will guard, within a mystical circle created with the use of talcum, salt, and rare oil and spices costing at least 1000gp. You then perform a ritual, which consumes the wooden dummy and gives the stationary guardian its form.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifA stationary guardian with more than 6 Hit Dice can be created, but each additional Hit Dice adds 2,000 gp to the cost to create.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifCL 6th; Craft Construct, animate objects, inflict light wounds, caster must be at least 6th level; Price 9,000 gp; Cost 4,500 gp + 360 XP.

jindra34
2007-04-23, 08:58 PM
Umm... the lack of speed kinda makes me doubt it as a challenge... a mage could stand 10 feet away and cast until it got killed... something should be able to stand back and shoot it till it dies... needs A) a ranged attack or B) some way of moving...

Danu
2007-04-23, 09:05 PM
That's the entire point. Once you figure out the thing can't move... it's toast.

It's only when you're within range that the construct is dangerous. Also, note the spell immunity and DR/ adamantine and bludgeoning. The construct was made to combat those very advantages you just mentioned.

But, there's always spells that don't have a SR entry, and there's always an archer strong enough to over-come the DR.

jindra34
2007-04-23, 09:11 PM
a long spear is all you would need to take it down... it would work better as a trap...

Danu
2007-04-24, 12:29 AM
Yes, you could use a longspear. Or a bow, or a spiked chain, or any other melee or ranged weapon. That's entirely the point. It's a low CR creature that, if it hits, you'll definitely remember it. But it also has some obvious flaws in the design, which adventurers will, no doubt, work out for themselves.

However, a canny DM can always think of ways to place the construct to inflict the maximum damage, and mitigate the damage the construct takes. I've run these creatures in several different campaigns, in several different manners. Never once have I had the complaint, "Dang, that was pointless." It was always, "I hate those frickin' things!" (which is music to my ears).

I use tactics such as putting them in blind spots, so the adventurers won't see them until they're attacked. Hiding them amongst ordinary suits of full plate, or setting them up facing one another, lined down a hallway, protected by stone partitions.

It may seem like a pointless creature to you, but I've used them very effectively in many situations. And it was always more fun, simply _because_ of the construct's obvious weaknesses.

Ankhor
2007-04-25, 03:42 PM
I placed one of these in a dungeon, opposite the door of the main treasure room. The entire party walked right in front of it and got flayed...

Lord Iames Osari
2007-04-25, 03:56 PM
I would increase the blindsense and tremorsense to 10 feet.

Also, this part at the beginning of the combat section confuses me:

"A stationary guardian is always treated as if it is readying an action to attack anything that comes within 5 ft. of it."

Does that mean that any time someone enters its threatened area, it gets to attack you immediately, even if it did not ready an action last round? If so, shouldn't that be one of its special abilities?

Danu
2007-04-25, 08:34 PM
I placed one of these in a dungeon, opposite the door of the main treasure room. The entire party walked right in front of it and got flayed...

I love cheerful stories like this. Thank you for making my day. ^_^


I would increase the blindsense and tremorsense to 10 feet.

Why? A 5ft. range covers all the squares immediately around it. I'm not sure there's any need to extend it any farther.


Does that mean that any time someone enters its threatened area, it gets to attack you immediately, even if it did not ready an action last round? If so, shouldn't that be one of its special abilities?

Before battle begins, the construct is treated as having readied an action to attack anything that comes within 5ft. of it. Once it attacks, it's initiative is set to right before the creature it attacked, and battle continues normally. If the creature steps out of melee range, then on its next turn the construct again readies an action to attack anything that comes within 5ft.

If the construct is engaged, it can't automatically attack anything else that comes within 5ft of it, although it can make attacks of opportunity, as normal.

I'll go ahead and change the text in the actual entry, to make it clearer.

Danu
2007-05-04, 05:44 PM
Bumping for more votes.

Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll
2007-05-04, 08:21 PM
"None Shall Pass!""

deadfalcon
2007-05-06, 07:47 AM
I really like it, it's made me consider soooo many ways to get my PC's with these things

Matthew
2007-05-15, 09:25 PM
Yeah, I rather like this idea.

Zherog
2007-05-16, 02:30 PM
Comments and such; note that I haven't read feedback from others, not because I'm lazy but rather to avoid having my opinions of your monster influenced by those comments.


Armor Class: 18 (+8 natural), 10 touch, 16 flat-footed.

Remove the period from the end of the line.

It should be 18 flat-footed AC, not 16.

You might want to call this an armor bonus, rather than a natural armor bonus, just because of the source. It wouldn't change the AC at all (full plate is still +8, which I suspect is where you got the value from).


Attack: Greatword +11 melee (2d6+10/ 19-20)
Full Attack: Greatsword +11 melee (2d6+10/ 19-20)

You have 'greatsword' misspelled on the Attack line.

Wow. That's pretty dangerous. I know it's the only thing it can do, but... just wow.

Have you played these out at all, to see just how much damage it can do and all that? I'm just curious, because it really seems to me like a group that fails its Knowledge (arcana) check to recognize these for what they are is going to have at least one death. Well, let's play with it real quick. We'll look at a 3rd level fighter wearing full plate; he has a 12 Dex and a 15 Con. So his AC is 19, and he has (on average) 27 hit points.

So our walking tin can swings his greatsword. He hits our fighter on an 8 or better - a 65% chance to hit. When he does hit, our fighter will take - on average - 17 points of damage. Overall, the average damage (not including crits) is 11.05. So our fighter is going to drop unconscious in round 3.

I'll get into this more later, because it's already longer than I wanted it to be.


Special Qualities: Blindsense 5 ft., construct traits, DR 6/adamantine and bludgeoning, immunity to magic, tremorsense 5 ft.

So I've been saying that SQs should have all sensory stuff up front (in alpha order), and all "trait" stuff at the end, with everything else crammed in between. That may or may not be correct; see the "main" MitP thread for a comment I made about it.


Saves: Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +3

These should be 2/2/2. Constructs have all bad saves, which at 6 HD gives totals of 2/2/2. Your golem has no Con, which is a +0 mod; and your Dex and Wis mods are also +0.


Feats: CleaveB

Nit pick: This should be a superscript, not a subscript.


Treasure: None

But it does have treasure; you've noted it yourself below. I'd change this to "special" and leave your description there.


Advancement: None

In your "Constructing" section, you note it is possible to make stronger versions; so this line should have something other than none.


It’s almost like a suit of normal fullplate standing before you, a greatsword clutched in steel gauntlets set at presentation before it, gripped in everlasting metal. The almost ostentatious armor is decorated with strange runic sigils, none of which are close enough to make out. As soon as you step close, however, the armor suddenly tenses and swings the greatsword with astounding speed!

This is really good flavor text, except for the last sentence. You're assuming an action on the part of the PCs (stepping close). That's generally bad form. Just drop the last line and your golden - very good flavor. This text is intended to give a quick description of what it looks like, and you do that very nicely.


Th stationary guardian is treated as if it has readied an action to attack any creature that comes within 5ft. of it.>>snippage for space<<

Nit pick first. You're missing the letter 'e' in the word 'the' at the beginning of the paragraph.

As for the flavor itself... I personally don't have a problem with it; however, be prepared to catch some flak from rules lawyers, who will point out that you cannot ready an action outside of combat.

In addition, you might get some who would complain that the PCs could get a surprise round. I'm more inclined to go along with this issue than the first. Some players build their PCs in such a way as to almost always get the drop on the bad guys; and when they don't get the drop because of the way the dice fell, that's OK. But to have that taken away just because is, in my opinion, a little on the heavy handed side.

I'm not really saying you need to change this; I'm just pointing out things to think about, and things that are likely to cause critics to gnash their teeth. Frankly, though, sometimes it's entertaining to make the critics gnash their teeth. :smallbiggrin:


http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifFlay (Ex): All damage dealt by a stationary guardian is extremely resistant to healing. Characters with wounds inflicted by a stationary guardian cannot heal the damage naturally, and any character attempting to cast a healing spell on the inflicted damage must succeed on a DC 18 caster level check, or the spell has no effect. Once a creature has been completely healed of all hit point damage he has currently incurred, he is no longer affected by this ability.

What ability is the DC based upon? All DCs from creature abilities are based upon the formula of 10 + 1/2 Hit Dice + some ability mod. I think Strength is probably a good choice for this ability, which actually moves the DC up to 20.



http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifSmite (Su): Three times a day, a stationary guardian may attempt to strike a furious blow against any foe that it threatens. It makes a normal melee attack against the chosen foe with a +4 bonus on its attack roll. If successful, it deals +6 points of damage.

I don't like the inclusion of this ability in this creature. The use of the ability requires conscious thought - you have to decide when to use and when to save it. But these walking tin cans don't have the ability to think - only to follow orders ("attack everything in reach that does not speak the command word."). The golem isn't capable of making a decision, so it's abilities shouldn't require it to make one.

If you're intent on keeping it, alter the text so that it's first three attacks in any given day are smites.


CONSTRUCTION
Creating a stationary guardian is rather simple. It requires the use of a suit of fullplate, preferably masterwork, to serve as the base for the creature’s body. It also requires the addition of a standard greatsword, although some mages take the extra cost to give their guardian masterwork or even magical greatswords.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifThe suit of armor must be fitted to a wooden dummy, which must be constructed specifically for this purpose. Crafting the dummy requires a DC 20 Craft (Carving) check.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifThe construct must be placed in the area it will guard, within a mystical circle created with the use of talcum, salt, and rare oil and spices costing at least 1000gp. You then perform a ritual, which consumes the wooden dummy and gives the stationary guardian its form.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifA stationary guardian with more than 6 Hit Dice can be created, but each additional Hit Dice adds 2,000 gp to the cost to create.
http://www.geocities.com/trebane2/pez/indent.gifCL 6th; Craft Construct, animate objects, inflict light wounds, caster must be at least 6th level; Price 9,000 gp; Cost 4,500 gp + 360 XP.

A few comments on your creation stuff.

I think you should find a spell to include (from a flavor standpoint) to account for the smite ability.

I think another spell you could add, purely for flavor purposes, would be bull's Strength.

***

So wrapping up the stuff I started up above. I think, overall, these are too tough for the CR. I understand you dropped the CR to account for the fact that the golem can't move; and that's reasonable and fair. However, it still has 6 HD, and that does a few things to make them tough.

First, the number of Hit Dice influences the DC of the Knowledge (arcana) check to identify the golem. The DC would be 16 (10 + HD); a third level wizard with an 18 Int and max ranks is going to have a modifier of +10. So that wizard is likely to make the check - but sucky die rolls happen.

So let's say our wizard botched his check. The rogue is exploring around the dungeon (or wherever) and sees this suit of armor. He moves closer to inspect it - and quickly becomes a bug on a windshield. The cleric rushes to heal his friend, only to find he can't because he can't make the caster level check; the fighter charges, because two of his buddies (as far as he knows) are in danger. The fighter gets to take a whack, because the golem's "readied" action has already gone off. But the fighter can't afford an adamantine weapon, so he does very little damage.

Next round, the golem whallops the fighter for a ton o' damage; the cleric again tries to heal the rogue while staying out of the way; and the fighter makes another pathetic attempt to injure the golem.

I also think your DR is unreasonably high, resulting in little to no damage on the golem - and it has plenty of hit points, again because of the high number of Hit Dice.

In my opinion, you should drop it down to 4 HD, and possibly consider dropping the Strength a few points as well. It might function OK at 5 HD, but I wouldn't go any higher than that.

It really would need some playtesting with different groups to see how it plays out. My hunch, though, is 4 HD is going to be a reasonable challenge given it's abilities and weaknesses. I think if you come up with several groups of 3rd level PCs, you might be surprised just how poorly they fair against these.

Now, all that said... I think it's well written and interesting. It's just a little too tough.

aaron_the_cow
2007-05-16, 05:05 PM
rase the CR.
think about it...
the party cleric trys to heal the fallen member, but uses 3 cure lights insted.
thats alot of spells for a 3rd lvl cleric

deadfalcon
2007-05-18, 12:41 PM
After trying this out on a 4th level party (admitidly I put it in a an alcove in a 10ft wide passageway and they where nearing the end of ther adventure) and ending up with 1 dead and another dying and the cleric runnign out of spells to dave the dying i would defiantely say raseing it up to ATLEAST a CR4.

DragonTounge
2007-06-14, 06:59 PM
Awesome monster with an obvious weakness. But a 3rd-level party's first encounter would be ugly. I'd say boosting its challenge rating up to 4 or maybe even 5.