CthulhuM
2007-07-06, 08:14 PM
A perhaps excessively detailed base class inspired by the always excellent China Mieville’s Iron Council (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Council), and designed along the same general lines as the warlock and dragonfire adept:
The Somaturge
The somaturge is a student of the potential within all matter, its dormant capability to become more than an empty shell – to breathe, and come to life. By imbuing nonliving matter with positive energy, a somaturge can animate and command the physical world around him. The somaturge can accomplish many different feats using this basic principle, but perhaps the best known, and the centerpiece of his power, is the ability to create and maintain golems from spare matter, and wield them to great effect in combat.
I’d list the usual fluff, but I figure the class is fairly open to interpretation. I envisioned somaturges as being rather coarse and earthy, but with a few tweaks to the class skills they could just as easily be cloistered and scholarly. Fit the class into your various campaign worlds as you will.
LevelBABFort SaveRef SaveWill SaveSpecialImbuings KnownMax Golem Level
1st
+0
+2
+0
+2Imbuings (least), Golem, Golem creation(Mud), Golem matrix 1
1
1st
2nd
+1
+3
+0
+3Detect Matter
2
1st
3rd
+1
+3
+1
+3
2
2nd
4th
+2
+4
+1
+4Golem creation(Corpse), Golem Enhancement +1
3
2nd
5th
+2
+4
+1
+4Damage reduction 1/adamantine, Golem matrix 2
3
3rd
6th
+3
+5
+2
+5Construct mastery, Imbuings(least or lesser)
4
3rd
7th
+3
+5
+2
+5Damage reduction 2/adamantine
4
4th
8th
+4
+6
+2
+6Golem creation(Wood), Golem Enhancement +2
5
4th
9th
+4
+6
+3
+6Constitution Bonus
5
5th
10th
+5
+7
+3
+7Vital surge, Golem matrix 3
6
5th
11th
+5
+7
+3
+7Imbuings(least, lesser or greater), Damage reduction 3/adamantine
7
6th
12th
+6/+1
+8
+4
+8Golem creation(Stone), Golem Enhancement +3
7
6th
13th
+6/+1
+8
+4
+8
8
7th
14th
+7/+2
+9
+4
+9Greater golem
8
7th
15th
+7/+2
+9
+5
+9Damage reduction 4/adamantine, Golem matrix 4
9
8th
16th
+8/+3
+10
+5
+10Imbuings(least, lesser, greater or living), Golem creation(Iron), Golem Enhancement +4
10
8th
17th
+8/+3
+10
+5
+10
10
9th
18th
+9/+4
+11
+6
+11Constitution Bonus
11
9th
19th
+9/+4
+11
+6
+11Damage reduction 5/adamantine
11
9th
20th
+10/+5
+12
+6
+12Golem creation(Adamantine), Golem Enhancement +5, Golem matrix 5
12
9th
Game Rule Information
Abilities: A high wisdom score is important for determining saves against the somaturge’s imbuings. Other than that, high constitution and dexterity scores are helpful for keeping the somaturge alive while his creations do their work.
Hit Die: d6
Class Skills: Climb(Str), Concentration(Con), Craft(Int), Jump(Str), Knowledge(arcana) (Int), Knowledge(Architecture and Engineering) (Int), Knowledge(geography) (Int), Knowledge(nature) (Int), Lifecraft(Wis), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str)
Skill points at first level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill points at each additional level: 4 + Int modifier
Class Features
All the following are class features of the somaturge.
Weapon and armor proficiency: Somaturges are proficient with all simple weapons and with light armor, but not with shields. A somaturge’s imbuings are not affected by arcane spell failure chance, but the somaturge must use small, sympathetic movements to direct the actions of his golems. If he is wearing more than light armor, he suffers arcane spell failure chance each time he tries to command his golem. If he fails, the golem does nothing.
Imbuings: A somaturge does not prepare or cast spells of any sort. Instead, he has a repertoire of possible applications for his life-bestowing powers that he can use at will. Imbuings are treated as spell-like abilities, and therefore take a standard action to use (unless stated otherwise in the imbuing’s description) and are subject to the normal chances for distraction and interruption shared by all spell-like abilities. However, because all of a somaturge’s imbuings affect nonliving matter rather than directly affecting a targeted creature, they are not subject to spell resistance. A somaturge’s caster level for his imbuings is equal to his somaturge level.
The DC for an imbuing (if it allows a save) is equal to 10 + equivalent spell level + the somaturge’s wisdom modifier. The equivalent spell level of each imbuing is listed in the imbuing’s description.
The four levels of imbuings, in order of their relative power, are least, lesser, greater and living. Somaturges start off knowing one imbuing (of least level) and learn more as they progress. At 6th level and above, a somaturge may begin taking lesser imbuings when he learns a new one. At 11th level, he may choose greater imbuings, and at 16th level and up he may begin to choose living imbuings. A complete list of imbuings and detailed description of each can be found below.
At any level at which a somaturge learns a new imbuing, he may also replace a previously learned imbuing with one of equal or lesser grade.
A somaturge may end any imbuing with a listed duration prematurely as a standard action.
A number of imbuings, called Vital Essence Imbuings or Exotic Construction Imbuings, function by modifying a somaturge’s golem (see below). These do not require a separate action to use, and instead are applied when the somaturge creates his golem. A somaturge may apply up to one vital essence imbuing and one exotic construction imbuing to any golem he creates.
Golem(Su): The most obvious and perhaps most important use of a somaturge’s abilities is the creation of a golem. A somaturge’s golem is not like the prefabricated entities built by spellcasters, but is rather a collection of available nonliving material gathered ad hoc into an anthropoid servant. Creating a golem requires the availability of a sufficient amount of material the somaturge can work with. Initially, a somaturge can only create golems from loose soil, mud or a similarly soft nonliving material, but as he increases in power and experience he learns to build golems of harder materials (see Golem creation, below).
Creating a golem is a one round action that acts as a spell for the purposes of attacks of opportunity and required concentration checks. The effective spell level of a golem is whichever of the following is highest – the level of golem created, the level of any living essence or exotic construction imbuings applied to it, or the level of the non-exotic construction method used (see “Golem creation”). The golem can be created from desired materials anywhere within a range of 25 feet plus 5 feet/2 class levels and appears on the somaturge’s next turn, acting immediately on his initiative. Once a golem is created, it requires little effort to maintain, and it remains intact until the somaturge dismisses it (as a free action on his turn), falls unconscious, or moves more than 100 feet + 10 feet per somaturge level from the golem. A somaturge may only have one golem (not including actual golems made with the Craft Construct feat or purchased) at a time; he must dismiss his current golem (or otherwise allow it to be destroyed) before he can create a new one.
A golem can follow simple commands (follow, turn this crank, move that direction, attack that enemy, grab that enemy, etc.) without any further input from the somaturge. Changing a golem’s instructions (to change targets, directions or modes of combat, for example) requires that the somaturge direct the golem with slight motions of his hands or body. Directing a golem in this manner requires a swift action, and is subject to arcane spell failure chance from medium or heavier armor or from shields. A physically helpless somaturge (firmly tied up, paralyzed, etc.) may not direct his golem. A grappled somaturge must succeed on a grapple check (with a +10 bonus, since the movements required are small) in order to direct his golem. If the somaturge attempts to direct the golem and fails for any reason, it flails uselessly and effectively does nothing until properly instructed. If your golem has total concealment or total cover from you, any attempt you make to command it has a 50% chance of failure. You must also be able to see any enemies you wish to designate as the golem’s target, though you may instruct it to attack a square you believe contains on unseen foe. For the purposes of pursuing designated targets, the golem is considered to have human senses.
The basic stats for a golem are equal to those of an astral construct (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/monsters/astralConstruct.htm) of the golem’s level (see class features chart), minus the construct’s special qualities (see Expanded Psionics Handbook, pp. 187-189). A somaturge may create a golem of any level up the maximum he is able to as listed in the class table. When a golem dies, it collapses in a pile of whatever substance it is made of. If the golem was not utterly destroyed (such as by a disintegrate effect), and the materials do not dissipate immediately (as most Exotic Construction materials would) the materials may be used to create a new golem with no loss of mass.
A golem may not be created within an antimagic field or similar effect, but the somaturge may hold together a previously constructed golem that enters an antimagic field by making a caster level check (DC 15 + effective golem level) at the beginning of every hour the golem spends within a given field.
Unlike most constructs, somaturgic golems are powered not by magic or mechanisms, but by positive energy. As a result, they can be healed by positive energy effects or harmed by negative energy effects and death effects just as a living creature would be. However, they lack a true living anatomy, and as such retain all other construct immunities.
Golem matrix: A somaturge may create and dismiss his golem as often as he desires, but he must maintain a single, constant positive energy matrix within his mind while doing so. Damage to the golem is essentially damage to this energy matrix, and so is retained even if the golem is dismissed. If the golem is destroyed, the energy matrix cannot be used to create another golem.
If the somaturge wishes to recreate a destroyed golem, or create a new golem without the current one's damage, he can construct a fresh energy matrix as a purely mental full round action (constructing a new matrix automatically dismisses any currently active golem). This process is taxing however, and the somaturge can only undergo it 1 time per day, plus 1 for every 5 class levels. Resting for 8 hours fully repairs the current golem matrix (even if the golem was destroyed) and grants the somaturge a full set of matrix restorations. So, for example, a 6th level somaturge begins each day with a fresh golem matrix, and can restore their matrix to full health (even if it was destroyed) twice per day, for a total of three effective golem-lives per day.
(Note: this class was originally designed without much regard for traditional dungeon-delving gameplay, where much emphasis is placed on resource conservation, particularly hit point conservation. This mechanic was added in order to bring it more in line with typical resource conservation mechanics. If hit point conservation is not a major concern in your campaign, then feel free to ignore this rule.)
Golem creation: At 1st level, a somaturge may construct his golems from mud, earth, soft dead plant matter, or any similarly solid material. Golems made from these materials have no damage reduction.
At 4th level, a somaturge may create a golem from a mass of corpse or bone (note that only truly dead corpses may be used this way, any sort of animated corpse is immune to the effect). Multiple corpses can be incorporated into a single golem if needed. A corpse golem has damage reduction 3/adamantine. Golems made using this construction method are always considered at least 2nd level for the purposes of abilities that rely on golem level.
At 8th level, a somaturge may create a golem from dead wood, ice, or a similarly hard material. Golems made from these materials have damage reduction 5/adamantine. Note that a golem made from ice loses 5 hit points from its maximum hp per hour per temperature band above cold, unless additional ice is available to replace that which melts. Golems made using this construction method are always considered at least 4th level for the purposes of abilities that rely on golem level.
At 12th level, a somaturge may create a golem from stone, coral, silver (or other soft metal) or other similarly hard substance. Golems made from these materials have damage reduction 8/adamantine. The attacks of golems made of silver (or incorporating at least 500gp of it for medium, 2000 gp for large, 4500 gp for huge and 8000 gp for gargantuan constructs) overcome damage reduction as silver weapons. Golems made using this construction method are always considered at least 6th level for the purposes of abilities that rely on golem level.
At 16th level, a somaturge may create a golem from iron, cold iron, or other similarly hard substance. Golems made from these materials have damage reduction 10/adamantine, and deal damage as if they were one size category larger than they are. The natural attacks of a golem containing 100 gp of cold iron for medium, 400 for large, 900 for huge or 1600 for gargantuan overcome damage reduction as cold iron weapons. Golems made using this construction method are always considered at least 8th level for the purposes of abilities that rely on golem level.
At 20th level a somaturge may incorporate adamantine into his golem, constructing a skin around the golem such that, whatever type of material makes up the rest of it, the golem has damage reduction 15/adamantine and its natural attacks overcome damage reduction and hardness as adamantine weapons and deal damage as if the golem were one size category larger than it is. This requires 2,000gp of adamantine for a medium golem, 8,000gp for a large golem, 18,000gp for a huge golem, and 32,000gp for a gargantuan golem. Golems made using this construction method are always considered at least 9th level for the purposes of abilities that rely on golem level.
Detect matter(Sp): At 2nd level, a somaturge gains the ability to, at will, detect the presence of any sort of inanimate matter he can construct a golem from (so this ability grows more versatile as he gains access to new golem materials). This ability functions like detect magic, except that it locates matter rather than magic, and is not blocked by anything short of an antimagic field or other magical means of blocking divination. A somaturge who detects something with this ability can tell how much of it there is, roughly where it is and what sort of material it is. He cannot tell anything about its precise shape or any small movements it might be making.
Golem Enhancement(Sp): At 4th level, a somaturge's golem is sufficiently charged with positive energy that its attacks and defenses take on an innate magical quality. The somaturge's golems gain a +1 enhancement bonus to attack, damage and natural armor, and their natural attacks now count as magic. The value of this enhancement bonus increases by 1 at 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th and 20th level.
Damage reduction(Su): As he gains skill in the manipulation of lifeless material around him, a somaturge slowly learns to apply some of his techniques in reverse to his own body, turning living flesh into something more akin to the inflexible and inert matter he works with. He gains damage reduction 1/adamantine at 3rd level. This damage reduction improves by 1 point at 7th, 11th, 15th and 19th levels. Unlike normal x/adamantine damage reduction, this is considered a supernatural quality.
Construct mastery(Ex): From working with his created golems, a somaturge gains an insight into building and animating "real" golems that few others can compete with. At 6th level, a somaturge gains the Craft Construct feat as a bonus feat, even if he does not meet the prerequisites for it. Additionally, while the somaturge must purchase all the material components normally needed to construct a golem, as well as expending the normal XP and time required, he need not cast any of the spells a given construct is listed as requiring. Instead, he performs the final animation using only his accumulated skills as a somaturge.
Constitution increase(Ex): After a time, a somaturge’s constant efforts to channel positive energy and imbue the nonliving with life begin to saturate his own body with positive energy, increasing his health and vitality. At 9th level and 18th level, a somaturge gains a +2 bonus to constitution.
Vital surge(Su): At 10th level, a somaturge learns to release the nascent positive energy that builds up in his body, providing a sudden surge of healing power. Once per day, as a full round action, a somaturge may activate this ability, gaining fast healing 5 for a number of rounds equal to his class level.
Greater golem(Su): At 14th level, a somaturge learns to expand his mastery over matter, gathering and controlling incredible amounts of materials to create his golems. A somaturge of this level may choose to create a golem one size category larger than it would normally be. In addition to altering space, reach, and other normal size modifiers (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/improvingMonsters.htm), this changes the creature's stats and weapon damage as specified in the tables on page 291 of the Monster Manual and, as constructs, gives them additional bonus hit points (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm) as specified in the table on page 307 of the Monster Manual.
Somaturge Imbuings
Vital Essence Imbuings
Vital Essence Imbuings represent specialized talents for certain areas of golem creation that somaturges may pick up, increasing the golem’s power or versatility in various specific ways.
Least
Extended Golem: Create a golem that can operate at a greatly increased distance from you.
Clawed Golem: Replace your golem’s blunt fists with lethal claws.
Lesser
Golem Trap: Prepare a golem in advance to be unleashed when certain conditions are met.
Grappling Golem: Create a golem with grasping limbs and a painful grip.
Greater
Alacritous Golem: Golem gains an additional natural attack.
Explosive Golem: Create a golem that can violently explode on command.
Living
Melded Golem: Create a golem that surrounds you and can be controlled with a thought.
Exotic Construction Imbuings
It does not take long for the average somaturge to figure out that there is more to golem creation than just rock and dirt. Almost anything can be forced into form and action with the careful application of a somaturge’s art, and Exotic Construction Imbuings represent this ability. Each Imbuing allows a somaturge to create a golem from an unusual substance, granting it equally unusual abilities.
Least
Hardened Golem: Create a golem from harder materials than you can normally manage.
Wave Golem: Create a swimming golem from water.
Lesser
Flame Golem: Turn an open flame or fire spell into a golem made of fire.
Lightning Golem: Call down lighting from stormy skies, or a handy spellcaster, and give it life.
Greater
Wind Golem: Create a flying, invisible golem out of thin air.
Sound Golem: Create a golem made of sound that damages anything it touches.
Living
Light Golem: Create a golem from sunlight that can blind and stun enemies.
Shadow Golem: Create a golem from shadow that can frighten and weaken enemies.
Time Golem: Create a short-lived region of living time, slowing or speeding the area within it.
Other Imbuings
Least
Buffeting Winds: Enemies may be stopped, knocked prone or blown back by a strong gust of wind.
Clinging Earth: Hinder your enemy's movements or attacks with a coating of earth.
Earthen Armor: Create armor of living earth to protect yourself.
Golem’s Eyes: Project your senses into your golem, wherever it is.
Messenger Wind: A gust of wind carries a short message of your choosing.
Opaque Air: A thick fog congeals where you command.
Self-Nourishment: Sustain yourself without food, drink or air.
Self-Destructive Urge: Cause object to destroy itself.
Treacherous Earth: Weaken and soften the earth, impeding movement over it and possibly causing other ill effects.
Lesser
Hardened Air: Create a bank of fog so thick it hampers the movement of those within it.
Hounding Winds: Solidified air performs combat maneuvers on enemies at range.
Incite Weapon: Cause a weapon to struggle against whoever is using it.
Manipulate Earth: Perform small alterations on objects of stone or earth.
Repair Golem: Cure your golem of 2d8 + 1/level damage.
Spines of Earth: Shape earth or stone into sharp spikes that slow and damage enemies.
Wind Wall: A wall of strong winds and thickened air blocks projectiles and impedes creatures.
Greater
Animate Weapon: Cause a weapon to attack of its own volition.
Enliven Spell: Dispel or counter magical effects, but with unpredictable results.
Lofting Winds: Gain fly speed with perfect maneuverability.
Part the Earth: Gain burrow speed and 30 foot tremorsense.
Raging Earth: Cause earth to explode upward in a line, damaging opponents.
Living
Command Earth: Reshape large amounts of stone with a high degree of accuracy.
Devouring Winds: Create a powerful vortex of air, which can suck up creatures and objects and send them flying.
One with the Winds: Powerful winds protect you and provide an additional pseudo-golem that can attack enemies near you.
One with the Earth: Shifting earth slows your enemies and blocks their attacks.
Repel Earth: Push metal or stone objects inexorably away from you.
The Somaturge
The somaturge is a student of the potential within all matter, its dormant capability to become more than an empty shell – to breathe, and come to life. By imbuing nonliving matter with positive energy, a somaturge can animate and command the physical world around him. The somaturge can accomplish many different feats using this basic principle, but perhaps the best known, and the centerpiece of his power, is the ability to create and maintain golems from spare matter, and wield them to great effect in combat.
I’d list the usual fluff, but I figure the class is fairly open to interpretation. I envisioned somaturges as being rather coarse and earthy, but with a few tweaks to the class skills they could just as easily be cloistered and scholarly. Fit the class into your various campaign worlds as you will.
LevelBABFort SaveRef SaveWill SaveSpecialImbuings KnownMax Golem Level
1st
+0
+2
+0
+2Imbuings (least), Golem, Golem creation(Mud), Golem matrix 1
1
1st
2nd
+1
+3
+0
+3Detect Matter
2
1st
3rd
+1
+3
+1
+3
2
2nd
4th
+2
+4
+1
+4Golem creation(Corpse), Golem Enhancement +1
3
2nd
5th
+2
+4
+1
+4Damage reduction 1/adamantine, Golem matrix 2
3
3rd
6th
+3
+5
+2
+5Construct mastery, Imbuings(least or lesser)
4
3rd
7th
+3
+5
+2
+5Damage reduction 2/adamantine
4
4th
8th
+4
+6
+2
+6Golem creation(Wood), Golem Enhancement +2
5
4th
9th
+4
+6
+3
+6Constitution Bonus
5
5th
10th
+5
+7
+3
+7Vital surge, Golem matrix 3
6
5th
11th
+5
+7
+3
+7Imbuings(least, lesser or greater), Damage reduction 3/adamantine
7
6th
12th
+6/+1
+8
+4
+8Golem creation(Stone), Golem Enhancement +3
7
6th
13th
+6/+1
+8
+4
+8
8
7th
14th
+7/+2
+9
+4
+9Greater golem
8
7th
15th
+7/+2
+9
+5
+9Damage reduction 4/adamantine, Golem matrix 4
9
8th
16th
+8/+3
+10
+5
+10Imbuings(least, lesser, greater or living), Golem creation(Iron), Golem Enhancement +4
10
8th
17th
+8/+3
+10
+5
+10
10
9th
18th
+9/+4
+11
+6
+11Constitution Bonus
11
9th
19th
+9/+4
+11
+6
+11Damage reduction 5/adamantine
11
9th
20th
+10/+5
+12
+6
+12Golem creation(Adamantine), Golem Enhancement +5, Golem matrix 5
12
9th
Game Rule Information
Abilities: A high wisdom score is important for determining saves against the somaturge’s imbuings. Other than that, high constitution and dexterity scores are helpful for keeping the somaturge alive while his creations do their work.
Hit Die: d6
Class Skills: Climb(Str), Concentration(Con), Craft(Int), Jump(Str), Knowledge(arcana) (Int), Knowledge(Architecture and Engineering) (Int), Knowledge(geography) (Int), Knowledge(nature) (Int), Lifecraft(Wis), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Spot (Wis), Survival (Wis), Swim (Str)
Skill points at first level: (4 + Int modifier) x 4
Skill points at each additional level: 4 + Int modifier
Class Features
All the following are class features of the somaturge.
Weapon and armor proficiency: Somaturges are proficient with all simple weapons and with light armor, but not with shields. A somaturge’s imbuings are not affected by arcane spell failure chance, but the somaturge must use small, sympathetic movements to direct the actions of his golems. If he is wearing more than light armor, he suffers arcane spell failure chance each time he tries to command his golem. If he fails, the golem does nothing.
Imbuings: A somaturge does not prepare or cast spells of any sort. Instead, he has a repertoire of possible applications for his life-bestowing powers that he can use at will. Imbuings are treated as spell-like abilities, and therefore take a standard action to use (unless stated otherwise in the imbuing’s description) and are subject to the normal chances for distraction and interruption shared by all spell-like abilities. However, because all of a somaturge’s imbuings affect nonliving matter rather than directly affecting a targeted creature, they are not subject to spell resistance. A somaturge’s caster level for his imbuings is equal to his somaturge level.
The DC for an imbuing (if it allows a save) is equal to 10 + equivalent spell level + the somaturge’s wisdom modifier. The equivalent spell level of each imbuing is listed in the imbuing’s description.
The four levels of imbuings, in order of their relative power, are least, lesser, greater and living. Somaturges start off knowing one imbuing (of least level) and learn more as they progress. At 6th level and above, a somaturge may begin taking lesser imbuings when he learns a new one. At 11th level, he may choose greater imbuings, and at 16th level and up he may begin to choose living imbuings. A complete list of imbuings and detailed description of each can be found below.
At any level at which a somaturge learns a new imbuing, he may also replace a previously learned imbuing with one of equal or lesser grade.
A somaturge may end any imbuing with a listed duration prematurely as a standard action.
A number of imbuings, called Vital Essence Imbuings or Exotic Construction Imbuings, function by modifying a somaturge’s golem (see below). These do not require a separate action to use, and instead are applied when the somaturge creates his golem. A somaturge may apply up to one vital essence imbuing and one exotic construction imbuing to any golem he creates.
Golem(Su): The most obvious and perhaps most important use of a somaturge’s abilities is the creation of a golem. A somaturge’s golem is not like the prefabricated entities built by spellcasters, but is rather a collection of available nonliving material gathered ad hoc into an anthropoid servant. Creating a golem requires the availability of a sufficient amount of material the somaturge can work with. Initially, a somaturge can only create golems from loose soil, mud or a similarly soft nonliving material, but as he increases in power and experience he learns to build golems of harder materials (see Golem creation, below).
Creating a golem is a one round action that acts as a spell for the purposes of attacks of opportunity and required concentration checks. The effective spell level of a golem is whichever of the following is highest – the level of golem created, the level of any living essence or exotic construction imbuings applied to it, or the level of the non-exotic construction method used (see “Golem creation”). The golem can be created from desired materials anywhere within a range of 25 feet plus 5 feet/2 class levels and appears on the somaturge’s next turn, acting immediately on his initiative. Once a golem is created, it requires little effort to maintain, and it remains intact until the somaturge dismisses it (as a free action on his turn), falls unconscious, or moves more than 100 feet + 10 feet per somaturge level from the golem. A somaturge may only have one golem (not including actual golems made with the Craft Construct feat or purchased) at a time; he must dismiss his current golem (or otherwise allow it to be destroyed) before he can create a new one.
A golem can follow simple commands (follow, turn this crank, move that direction, attack that enemy, grab that enemy, etc.) without any further input from the somaturge. Changing a golem’s instructions (to change targets, directions or modes of combat, for example) requires that the somaturge direct the golem with slight motions of his hands or body. Directing a golem in this manner requires a swift action, and is subject to arcane spell failure chance from medium or heavier armor or from shields. A physically helpless somaturge (firmly tied up, paralyzed, etc.) may not direct his golem. A grappled somaturge must succeed on a grapple check (with a +10 bonus, since the movements required are small) in order to direct his golem. If the somaturge attempts to direct the golem and fails for any reason, it flails uselessly and effectively does nothing until properly instructed. If your golem has total concealment or total cover from you, any attempt you make to command it has a 50% chance of failure. You must also be able to see any enemies you wish to designate as the golem’s target, though you may instruct it to attack a square you believe contains on unseen foe. For the purposes of pursuing designated targets, the golem is considered to have human senses.
The basic stats for a golem are equal to those of an astral construct (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/monsters/astralConstruct.htm) of the golem’s level (see class features chart), minus the construct’s special qualities (see Expanded Psionics Handbook, pp. 187-189). A somaturge may create a golem of any level up the maximum he is able to as listed in the class table. When a golem dies, it collapses in a pile of whatever substance it is made of. If the golem was not utterly destroyed (such as by a disintegrate effect), and the materials do not dissipate immediately (as most Exotic Construction materials would) the materials may be used to create a new golem with no loss of mass.
A golem may not be created within an antimagic field or similar effect, but the somaturge may hold together a previously constructed golem that enters an antimagic field by making a caster level check (DC 15 + effective golem level) at the beginning of every hour the golem spends within a given field.
Unlike most constructs, somaturgic golems are powered not by magic or mechanisms, but by positive energy. As a result, they can be healed by positive energy effects or harmed by negative energy effects and death effects just as a living creature would be. However, they lack a true living anatomy, and as such retain all other construct immunities.
Golem matrix: A somaturge may create and dismiss his golem as often as he desires, but he must maintain a single, constant positive energy matrix within his mind while doing so. Damage to the golem is essentially damage to this energy matrix, and so is retained even if the golem is dismissed. If the golem is destroyed, the energy matrix cannot be used to create another golem.
If the somaturge wishes to recreate a destroyed golem, or create a new golem without the current one's damage, he can construct a fresh energy matrix as a purely mental full round action (constructing a new matrix automatically dismisses any currently active golem). This process is taxing however, and the somaturge can only undergo it 1 time per day, plus 1 for every 5 class levels. Resting for 8 hours fully repairs the current golem matrix (even if the golem was destroyed) and grants the somaturge a full set of matrix restorations. So, for example, a 6th level somaturge begins each day with a fresh golem matrix, and can restore their matrix to full health (even if it was destroyed) twice per day, for a total of three effective golem-lives per day.
(Note: this class was originally designed without much regard for traditional dungeon-delving gameplay, where much emphasis is placed on resource conservation, particularly hit point conservation. This mechanic was added in order to bring it more in line with typical resource conservation mechanics. If hit point conservation is not a major concern in your campaign, then feel free to ignore this rule.)
Golem creation: At 1st level, a somaturge may construct his golems from mud, earth, soft dead plant matter, or any similarly solid material. Golems made from these materials have no damage reduction.
At 4th level, a somaturge may create a golem from a mass of corpse or bone (note that only truly dead corpses may be used this way, any sort of animated corpse is immune to the effect). Multiple corpses can be incorporated into a single golem if needed. A corpse golem has damage reduction 3/adamantine. Golems made using this construction method are always considered at least 2nd level for the purposes of abilities that rely on golem level.
At 8th level, a somaturge may create a golem from dead wood, ice, or a similarly hard material. Golems made from these materials have damage reduction 5/adamantine. Note that a golem made from ice loses 5 hit points from its maximum hp per hour per temperature band above cold, unless additional ice is available to replace that which melts. Golems made using this construction method are always considered at least 4th level for the purposes of abilities that rely on golem level.
At 12th level, a somaturge may create a golem from stone, coral, silver (or other soft metal) or other similarly hard substance. Golems made from these materials have damage reduction 8/adamantine. The attacks of golems made of silver (or incorporating at least 500gp of it for medium, 2000 gp for large, 4500 gp for huge and 8000 gp for gargantuan constructs) overcome damage reduction as silver weapons. Golems made using this construction method are always considered at least 6th level for the purposes of abilities that rely on golem level.
At 16th level, a somaturge may create a golem from iron, cold iron, or other similarly hard substance. Golems made from these materials have damage reduction 10/adamantine, and deal damage as if they were one size category larger than they are. The natural attacks of a golem containing 100 gp of cold iron for medium, 400 for large, 900 for huge or 1600 for gargantuan overcome damage reduction as cold iron weapons. Golems made using this construction method are always considered at least 8th level for the purposes of abilities that rely on golem level.
At 20th level a somaturge may incorporate adamantine into his golem, constructing a skin around the golem such that, whatever type of material makes up the rest of it, the golem has damage reduction 15/adamantine and its natural attacks overcome damage reduction and hardness as adamantine weapons and deal damage as if the golem were one size category larger than it is. This requires 2,000gp of adamantine for a medium golem, 8,000gp for a large golem, 18,000gp for a huge golem, and 32,000gp for a gargantuan golem. Golems made using this construction method are always considered at least 9th level for the purposes of abilities that rely on golem level.
Detect matter(Sp): At 2nd level, a somaturge gains the ability to, at will, detect the presence of any sort of inanimate matter he can construct a golem from (so this ability grows more versatile as he gains access to new golem materials). This ability functions like detect magic, except that it locates matter rather than magic, and is not blocked by anything short of an antimagic field or other magical means of blocking divination. A somaturge who detects something with this ability can tell how much of it there is, roughly where it is and what sort of material it is. He cannot tell anything about its precise shape or any small movements it might be making.
Golem Enhancement(Sp): At 4th level, a somaturge's golem is sufficiently charged with positive energy that its attacks and defenses take on an innate magical quality. The somaturge's golems gain a +1 enhancement bonus to attack, damage and natural armor, and their natural attacks now count as magic. The value of this enhancement bonus increases by 1 at 4th, 8th, 12th, 16th and 20th level.
Damage reduction(Su): As he gains skill in the manipulation of lifeless material around him, a somaturge slowly learns to apply some of his techniques in reverse to his own body, turning living flesh into something more akin to the inflexible and inert matter he works with. He gains damage reduction 1/adamantine at 3rd level. This damage reduction improves by 1 point at 7th, 11th, 15th and 19th levels. Unlike normal x/adamantine damage reduction, this is considered a supernatural quality.
Construct mastery(Ex): From working with his created golems, a somaturge gains an insight into building and animating "real" golems that few others can compete with. At 6th level, a somaturge gains the Craft Construct feat as a bonus feat, even if he does not meet the prerequisites for it. Additionally, while the somaturge must purchase all the material components normally needed to construct a golem, as well as expending the normal XP and time required, he need not cast any of the spells a given construct is listed as requiring. Instead, he performs the final animation using only his accumulated skills as a somaturge.
Constitution increase(Ex): After a time, a somaturge’s constant efforts to channel positive energy and imbue the nonliving with life begin to saturate his own body with positive energy, increasing his health and vitality. At 9th level and 18th level, a somaturge gains a +2 bonus to constitution.
Vital surge(Su): At 10th level, a somaturge learns to release the nascent positive energy that builds up in his body, providing a sudden surge of healing power. Once per day, as a full round action, a somaturge may activate this ability, gaining fast healing 5 for a number of rounds equal to his class level.
Greater golem(Su): At 14th level, a somaturge learns to expand his mastery over matter, gathering and controlling incredible amounts of materials to create his golems. A somaturge of this level may choose to create a golem one size category larger than it would normally be. In addition to altering space, reach, and other normal size modifiers (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/improvingMonsters.htm), this changes the creature's stats and weapon damage as specified in the tables on page 291 of the Monster Manual and, as constructs, gives them additional bonus hit points (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm) as specified in the table on page 307 of the Monster Manual.
Somaturge Imbuings
Vital Essence Imbuings
Vital Essence Imbuings represent specialized talents for certain areas of golem creation that somaturges may pick up, increasing the golem’s power or versatility in various specific ways.
Least
Extended Golem: Create a golem that can operate at a greatly increased distance from you.
Clawed Golem: Replace your golem’s blunt fists with lethal claws.
Lesser
Golem Trap: Prepare a golem in advance to be unleashed when certain conditions are met.
Grappling Golem: Create a golem with grasping limbs and a painful grip.
Greater
Alacritous Golem: Golem gains an additional natural attack.
Explosive Golem: Create a golem that can violently explode on command.
Living
Melded Golem: Create a golem that surrounds you and can be controlled with a thought.
Exotic Construction Imbuings
It does not take long for the average somaturge to figure out that there is more to golem creation than just rock and dirt. Almost anything can be forced into form and action with the careful application of a somaturge’s art, and Exotic Construction Imbuings represent this ability. Each Imbuing allows a somaturge to create a golem from an unusual substance, granting it equally unusual abilities.
Least
Hardened Golem: Create a golem from harder materials than you can normally manage.
Wave Golem: Create a swimming golem from water.
Lesser
Flame Golem: Turn an open flame or fire spell into a golem made of fire.
Lightning Golem: Call down lighting from stormy skies, or a handy spellcaster, and give it life.
Greater
Wind Golem: Create a flying, invisible golem out of thin air.
Sound Golem: Create a golem made of sound that damages anything it touches.
Living
Light Golem: Create a golem from sunlight that can blind and stun enemies.
Shadow Golem: Create a golem from shadow that can frighten and weaken enemies.
Time Golem: Create a short-lived region of living time, slowing or speeding the area within it.
Other Imbuings
Least
Buffeting Winds: Enemies may be stopped, knocked prone or blown back by a strong gust of wind.
Clinging Earth: Hinder your enemy's movements or attacks with a coating of earth.
Earthen Armor: Create armor of living earth to protect yourself.
Golem’s Eyes: Project your senses into your golem, wherever it is.
Messenger Wind: A gust of wind carries a short message of your choosing.
Opaque Air: A thick fog congeals where you command.
Self-Nourishment: Sustain yourself without food, drink or air.
Self-Destructive Urge: Cause object to destroy itself.
Treacherous Earth: Weaken and soften the earth, impeding movement over it and possibly causing other ill effects.
Lesser
Hardened Air: Create a bank of fog so thick it hampers the movement of those within it.
Hounding Winds: Solidified air performs combat maneuvers on enemies at range.
Incite Weapon: Cause a weapon to struggle against whoever is using it.
Manipulate Earth: Perform small alterations on objects of stone or earth.
Repair Golem: Cure your golem of 2d8 + 1/level damage.
Spines of Earth: Shape earth or stone into sharp spikes that slow and damage enemies.
Wind Wall: A wall of strong winds and thickened air blocks projectiles and impedes creatures.
Greater
Animate Weapon: Cause a weapon to attack of its own volition.
Enliven Spell: Dispel or counter magical effects, but with unpredictable results.
Lofting Winds: Gain fly speed with perfect maneuverability.
Part the Earth: Gain burrow speed and 30 foot tremorsense.
Raging Earth: Cause earth to explode upward in a line, damaging opponents.
Living
Command Earth: Reshape large amounts of stone with a high degree of accuracy.
Devouring Winds: Create a powerful vortex of air, which can suck up creatures and objects and send them flying.
One with the Winds: Powerful winds protect you and provide an additional pseudo-golem that can attack enemies near you.
One with the Earth: Shifting earth slows your enemies and blocks their attacks.
Repel Earth: Push metal or stone objects inexorably away from you.