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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.

CthulhuM
2007-07-06, 08:15 PM
Imbuing Descriptions

Alacritous Golem
Greater, 5th, Vital Essence
A golem created with this vital essence imbuing gains an additional natural attack of the same type as its existing primary natural attacks at its full base attack bonus. In addition, any movement speeds it has increase by 10 feet.

Animate Weapon
Greater, 5th
You bring a manufactured weapon within close range to life and command it to attack a chosen target. The weapon flies into the air and moves unerringly toward the target. You must have both the target and the weapon in sight when you activate this imbuing, though afterward it continues so long as either you or the weapon have line of sight. You may animate a weapon up to one size smaller than the size of the largest golem you can create. If the chosen weapon is held by an opponent, that opponent is allowed a reflex save to retain his hold on the weapon – if he succeeds, the imbuing fails. This imbuing lasts for 1 round/level. When it ends, animated weapons simply fall to the ground.

An animated weapon behaves as follows:

Animated weapons are treated as constructs, similar to normal animated objects, with "hit die" (irrespective of hp) equal to you caster level.
Animated weapons have a fly speed of 60 feet (perfect)
Animated weapons have hardness and hp as a normal weapon of its type and size (see table on page 166 of PHB).
Animated weapons have size bonuses/penalties to AC according to their size (2 sizes below intended wielder's size for light, 1 for one-handed, 0 for two-handed)
Animated weapons receive a natural armor bonus to AC equal to your wisdom modifier, and a deflection bonus equal to their enhancement bonus (if any).
Animated weapons attack with a base attack equal to your caster level (allowing iterative attacks on a full attack) and strength equal to your wisdom. They deal damage and crit normally as a weapon of their size and type, and gain the full benefit of any magical enhancements on them that were active when they became animated.
Animated weapons’ saving throws are equal to 2 + half your caster level.


You may only have one animated weapon active at any given time. Animated a new weapon while one is already animated causes the imbuing on the first weapon to end immediately.

Buffeting Winds
Least, 2nd
You fill the air in front of you with positive energy, and imbue it with a desire to surge forward, causing a strong blast of wind to emanate from your hands. This imbuing functions identically to the gust of wind (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/gustOfWind.htm) spell, except that it functions in a 60 foot cone rather than a 60 foot line.

Clawed Golem
Least, 2nd; Vital Essence
You shape your golem’s club-like arms into deadly claws. Your golem’s slam attacks are replaced with claw attacks and your golem gains the Improved Natural Attack(claw) feat. Additionally, if the golem hits with two or more of its claw attacks, it rends its opponent, dealing an amount of additional damage equal to its base claw damage plus 1 1/2 times its Str modifier.

Clinging Earth
Least, 2nd
You command dust and earth around you to cling to your enemy, impeding his movements. Your target takes a penalty to dexterity equal to 1d6+1 per two caster levels (maximum 1d6+5) and his movement speed is halved. A successful reflex save halves the dex penalty and negates the slowing effect.

Alternatively, you may target this ability on a weapon, causing dirt and mud to cover it. An affected weapon deals half its normal damage. An attended or magical weapon gets a reflex save to negate the affect, and someone wielding an affected weapon can attempt another reflex save to clean it off as a full round action that provokes attacks of opportunity. Even natural weapons may be affected by this imbuing, though they are considered attended by their owners and receive saves as normal.

This imbuing lasts 1 round/level.

Command Earth
Living, 7th
You infuse massive amounts of stone with positive energy, and order it to reform into almost any shape you desire with a great deal of precision. This imbuing functions identically to the wall of stone (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/wallOfStone.htm) spell, except that it can only be used in an earthy or stony area, and has two different modes of usage. The first summons forth a given amount of stone (as described in the wall of stone spell) and the second removes an equal amount of stone, allowing you to instantly remove castle or dungeon walls, collapse bridges, or trip opponents (all in area succeed on a reflex save or fall prone). You may choose only one mode of usage each time you activate this imbuing.

Devouring Winds
Living, 9th
You create a rising spiral of enlivened air, which grows in strength and quickly develops into a full-blown tornado. This spell functions as the greater whirlwind spell (SpC pp. 239), except that you may only have one active at any given time.

Earthen Armor
Least, 1st
You imbue a patch of earth with life and an overwhelming desire to protect you from harm, causing it to sweep over you and cover your body in an ever-shifting coat of living armor that reacts to incoming blows, reshaping and hardening itself to meet them. This imbuing lasts 24 hours and grants you an armor bonus equal to 4 + one third your caster level, rounded down. This imbuing may only be used in an area containing loose earth or clay (though afterwards it continues to function regardless of surroundings).

Enliven Spell
Greater, 6th
You fill the weave of magic itself with positive energy, granting it a short lived life and will of its own. Spells effected in this way buck and writhe, distorting and reforming into unpredictable forms, with unpredictable effects.

This imbuing functions as greater dispel magic (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/dispelMagicGreater.htm), except that only the targeted dispel and counterspell options may be used. Additionally, any spell that is successfully countered or dispelled by this imbuing is replaced by a Rod of Wonder (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/rods.htm#wonder) effect. The "wielder" is the somaturge and the target or point origin of non-targeted effects is the dispelled creature (for targeted dispel) or countered spellcaster (for counterspell). Unlike in an actual Rod of Wonder effect, a result of 98-100 on the d100 now causes the spell in question to immediately manifest near the target as a Living Spell (MM3 pp. 91), which attacks everyone around it indiscriminately. Also, any save DCs against the resulting effects are equal to the save DC of the dispelled spell, even if the spell did not allow a save.

Explosive Golem
Greater, 6th, Vital Essence
A golem created with this vital essence imbuing can explode violently either when commanded to (as a standard action) or when it dies. The golem only explodes upon death if you set it to do so. Setting an explosive golem to explode or not explode is a free action and may be done as often as the casting somaturge desires, but only on his turn.

When a golem explodes, it deals d6 damage per hit die to all creatures within a distance from it determined by its size: small – 5 feet, large – 10 feet, huge – 15 feet, gargantuan – 20 feet. A successful reflex save versus this imbuing halves the damage.

If the golem has a special ability from an exotic construction imbuing that deals non-physical damage (either energy or untyped) then an explosive version of that golem deals that type of damage when it explodes. If the golem has abilities that deal different types of damage, then the explosion damage is split evenly among those different types. If the golem has no such abilities, the explosive damage is fire.

If the golem is detonated by command rather than on its death, the current golem matrix takes one third of the golem's hit points in damage. If this damage would be enough to destroy the golem, the matrix is destroyed. Otherwise, the damage simply carries over to the next golem created as usual.

Extended Golem
Least, 2nd; Vital Essence
You imbue a bit more of yourself in your golem than is normal, allowing you to maintain and control it at much greater distances. The distance at which you can command and hold together the golem is multiplied by ten. Note that you must still be able to see your golem in order to issue new commands to it (though the Golem’s eyes ability functions perfectly well for this purpose).

Flame Golem
Lesser, 4th, Exotic Construction
Energy Absorption: [Fire]
You bring fire to life, and form it into a golem to do your bidding. A flame golem may be constructed from an existing flame up to two sizes smaller than the golem is to be.

Flame golems act as normal except as follows:

Flame golems have damage reduction X/magic, where X is the highest damage reduction the casting somaturge could attain by building his golem from the materials listed under the Golem Creation ability
A flame golem has the fire subtype, granting it immunity to fire damage and vulnerability to cold.
Targets struck by the attack of a flame golem or striking the golem with a natural weapon take fire damage determined by the golem’s size: small – 1d4, medium – 1d6, large – 1d8, Huge – 2d6, Gargantuan – 3d6. This fire damage is also dealt once per round on the fire golem’s turn to any creatures grappling it.
Anyone who takes fire damage from a flame golem must succeed on a reflex save verses this imbuing or catch fire. The fire deals 1d6 damage per round and lasts for 1d4 rounds. Creatures may take a move action to put out the fire.
Flame golems are immune to harmful fire-based effects such as spells with the fire descriptor.


Golem Trap
Lesser, 3rd; Vital Essence
You fill an object or area with positive energy, as if creating a golem from it, but you leave the golem dormant, ready to be triggered to final waking when a trigger condition you set is fulfilled.

A golem trap requires a one round action to prepare, as any golem, and while active counts as your golem. Unlike normal golems, however, golem traps do not fade if the casting somaturge falls unconscious or moves out of range (though they may still be dismissed as a standard action).

You may set the conditions of the golem trap, with simple triggers such as a creature entering a given area (up to a 10 foot radius sphere) or a door being opened. You may additionally key the trap to physical characteristics such as height or weight, or specific creature types, subtypes or species. Invisible creatures trigger a golem trap normally, though ethereal or incorporeal creatures do not. A golem trap may be detected with a DC 30 + golem or imbuing level (whichever is higher) search check and removed with a disable device check of the same DC (with the chance of triggering it on a failure, as with any trap). The casting somaturge knows immediately when the trap is triggered or removed.

Once the trap is triggered, the readied golem (with any exotic construction feats or other abilities applied to it as normal) appears immediately, and, barring extraordinary circumstances, receives a surprise round. The golem may be given one simple command when the trap is created, most often to attack the triggering creature (creatures other than the triggering creature cannot be specified in this command) that it begins following as soon as it is triggered. If the casting somaturge wishes to issue further commands, he must be within line of sight and normal golem range and issue them normally (or use the Golem’s Eyes imbuing to command the golem from a distance). Once triggered, a golem trap only lasts for one round per caster level before collapsing into the materials it is made from.

If a golem trap is triggered but the material that was to be used to construct the golem is not available, the trap dissipates harmlessly.

Golem’s Eyes
Least, 2nd
You project your mind into your golem, allowing you to perceive the world through its senses while your body remains in place. All of the somaturge’s senses – any forms of sight, hearing, scent and touch, including blindsight, blindsense, tremorsense and any other extraordinary sense – are active (but not enhanced) when this ability is in use, but are centered on the golem’s position rather than his own. While this ability is active, the somaturge can take no actions other than to direct his golem (as normal, a swift action) or end the imbuing. The imbuing continues until the somaturge dismisses it as a standard action or falls unconscious. Your golem is always considered to be in line of sight so long as this imbuing remains active.

Grappling Golem
Lesser, 4th; Vital Essence
You create your golem with unusually flexible limbs that can reshape themselves and flow around opponents in an instant. The golem gains the benefits of the improved grab ability on its melee attacks and the extraordinary ability to constrict, dealing the same damage as the golem's slams.

Hardened Air
Lesser, 4th
You gather moisture in the air into a thick fog, and then further empower it to resist the progress of anything attempting to move through it. This imbuing functions identically to the solid fog (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/solidFog.htm) spell, except that you may only have one instance of it per 4 caster levels active at any given time. Further usage of this imbuing immediately dispels the oldest instance to make way for the new one.

Hardened Golem
Least, 2nd, Exotic Construction
You focus intensely on the deepest internal structure of your golem, allowing you to form it from harder, more stubborn materials than you are normally able to. A golem created using this exotic construction imbuing may be of a material up to 1 level harder than your golem creation class feature currently allows (so bone at 1st level, wood at 4th, stone at 8th, iron at 12th and adamantine at 16th).

An adamantine golem made using this imbuing has its DR increased by 5.

Hounding Winds
Lesser, 4th
This imbuing enlivens the air around an opponent, allowing you to direct it against them in a variety of ways. Each time you use this imbuing, you may perform one combat maneuver (grapple (pins and damage), bull rush, trip or disarm) against an opponent anywhere within line of sight and Medium range (100 ft + 10 ft. per caster level). Resolve these attempts as normal, except that you do not provoke attacks of opportunity (and disarmed weapons are always knocked to the floor). You may use your imbuing caster level in place of your base attack bonus, and your wisdom modifier in place of your strength or dexterity modifier, and opponents may not make retributive attempts against you if you fail yours. Bull rushes, trips and disarm attempts all last one round before the imbuing must be used again.

Grapples may last up to a number of rounds equal to your caster level before the imbuing must be used again, though concentration must be maintained or the imbuing ends immediately. While using this ability to grapple, you still threaten nearby squares, do not lose your dexterity bonus to AC and can move freely (though a standard action must be used to maintain concentration). The "unarmed strike" damage dealt in grapples performed with this imbuing is 1d6 + Wis.

Incite Weapon
Lesser, 3rd
You fill a weapon with hatred for its wielder, causing it to subtly shift against him, disrupting his attacks and even possibly injuring him. While this imbuing is active, any attack rolls made with the imbued weapon must be rolled twice, and the lower of those two rolls taken. On a roll of 1, the weapon strikes and deals damage to the wielder instead of his target If one roll is a 1, and the other 5 or less, the weapon scores a critical on the wielder. This imbuing lasts for 1 round per caster level.

When you activate this imbuing, the wielder of an attended weapon may make a will save to negate the effect. Unattended weapons (even magical weapons) do not get saves, though this imbuing will have no effect on them unless someone picks the weapon up shortly after the imbuing is used on it.

Light Golem
Living, 8th; Exotic Construction
Energy Absorption: [Light]
You weave together a net of positive energy to catch and trap the light of the sun. A pinpoint of light grows to a small orb, then a large one, thickening and brightening and finally reshaping itself into a blinding humanoid figure – a golem made of pure sunlight. You may use this imbuing only in an area lit by direct sunlight.

Light golems act as normal golems except as follows:

Light golems have damage reduction X/magic, where X is the highest damage reduction the casting somaturge could attain by building his golem from the materials listed under the Golem Creation ability.
Light golems provide light if brought into dark areas. A 60 foot radius around the light golem is considered brightly lit, and a 60 foot radius beyond that is filled with shadowy illumination. This illumination counts as sunlight for the purpose of any effects that are triggered by it.
Light golems have a gaze attack with a range of 15 feet. Anyone who is struck by the gaze attack must succeed on a fortitude save against this imbuing or be blinded for 1d4 hours.
Targets struck by the attack of a light golem, striking the golem with a natural weapon or an unarmed strike have their entire body flooded with burning light, causing them to take damage determined by the golem’s size (small – 1d6, medium – 1d8, large – 2d6, huge – 3d6, gargantuan – 4d6) and be stunned for 1 round. A successful fortitude save halves the damage and negates the stunning. This effect also afflicts creatures grappling the light golem once per round on the golem’s turn. Undead, constructs and objects are immune to the stunning but not the damage, and light-vulnerable creatures such as vampires take double damage and automatically fail the save.
As a full round action, a light golem may emit a burst of searing light in a 30 foot radius around it. This burst deals 1d8 damage per 2 hit die of the golem to all creatures and objects caught within it (reflex save half). Creatures damaged by the blast must make an additional fort save or be stunned for 1d4 rounds. Undead, constructs and objects are immune to the stunning but not the damage, and light-vulnerable creatures such as vampires take double damage and automatically fail the saves.
Light golems are immune to harmful light-based effects (such as spells with the light descriptor.


Lightning Golem
Lesser, 4th, Exotic Construction
Energy Absorption: [Electricity]
You bring free electrical energy to life, forming it into a golem both quick and deadly, but more tenuous than most. You may collect static energy from the skies above you so long as they are cloudy - outright lightning storms are not necessary.

Lightning golems act as normal except as follows:

Lightning golems have damage reduction X/magic, where X is the highest damage reduction the casting somaturge could attain by building his golem from the materials listed under the Golem Creation ability
Lightning golems have +4 dexterity per size category above small compared to unmodified golems.
Lightning golems move 20 feet faster than an unmodified golem.
Flickers of electrical energy constantly strike outward from a lightning golem. Each round, anyone who comes within 10 feet of a lightning golem takes 1d4/2 golem hit die electrical damage (reflex save versus this imbuing for half).
Lightning golems are inherently unstable, and each round at the beginning of its turn there is a 10% +10%/round since its creation chance a lightning golem will collapse in a burst of harmless static. This does not damage your current golem matrix, but does mean you must construct a new golem.
Lightning golems are immune to harmful electricity-based effects, such as spells with the electricity descriptor.


Lofting Winds
Greater, 5th
You charge the air around your body, hardening it and empowering it to lift you from the ground. You gain a fly speed equal to 30 feet plus 5 feet per caster level, with perfect maneuverability. This ability lasts for 24 hours.

Manipulate Earth
Lesser, 3rd
You bring small amounts of stone to life, and urge it to reshape itself as you desire. This imbuing functions identically to the stone shape (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/stoneShape.htm) spell.

Melded Golem
Living, 8th; Vital Essence
A golem created with this ability is perfectly melded to you, body, mind and soul. The golem forms around your body and equipment, forming an amalgamated creature with you. Both of you are invisible if the golem is invisible, and incorporeal if the golem is incorporeal. Any special attacks possessed by the golem do not affect you, even though you are within its area and touching it. All of your senses function normally from the perspective of the golem. The golem now moves for the somaturge, using the best movement speeds possessed by either of you. You may give the golem orders as often as you like as a free action, and are allowed a full round action regardless of what the golem does. So long as the golem remains alive, you are not considered to be within line of effect for abilities used by anyone other than yourself, or others within the golem (e.g. a familiar hiding in your backpack).

After a melded golem is destroyed, you may not create another melded golem for 2d4 rounds.

Messenger Wind
Least, 2nd
This imbuing functions exactly as the whispering wind (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/whisperingWind.htm) spell. You may have a number of messenger winds active at one time equal to your wisdom modifier.

One with the Winds
Living, 9th
You saturate the air around your body with positive energy to such an extent that it becomes almost an extension of your body, flowing with incredible power around you and granting you several benefits and abilities:

You gain a deflection bonus to AC equal to one third your caster level
The air around you acts almost as a second golem. The air is treated as a golem built at your highest golem level with the Wind Golem exotic construction imbuing applied to it (and the greater golem ability, if you want), with the exceptions that it cannot move on its own, does not actually occupy space (though space should be kept track of for the purposes of reach), does not have hit points, does not benefit from proxy feats, cannot grapple or be grappled, and may be directed as a free purely mental action. The golem may take attacks of opportunity, but only against enemies who enter its space. It is considered to have the Combat Reflexes feat. The golem remains active as long as the imbuing is up, and you are alive and conscious.
You are able to feel any change in the air around you, granting you blindsight out to a range of 15 feet. This blindsight does not apply to creatures beneath the ground.
You are immune to the effects of wind, natural or otherwise.
Once per round on your turn, you may activate any other imbuing of Least or Lesser grade that involves the manipulation of air (not including exotic construction or vital essence imbuings) as a free action.


This imbuing lasts for 24 hours. You may only know one imbuing beginning with "One with" and in order to learn this imbuing you must know the Wind Golem imbuing and one other imbuing involving the manipulation of air.

One with the Earth
Living, 9th
Positive energy flows into the earth beneath your feet, linking it to you and allowing you to control its movements with barely a thought. While this imbuing is active, you gain a number of benefits and abilities:

Once per round as an immediate action you may cause a wall of stone 5 feet wide, 10 feet tall and 6 inches thick (hardness 8, 90 hp) to rise from the floor or wall anywhere within 20 feet of you. This wall of stone can be used to block spells and other supernatural abilities such as breath weapons after they have been used but before they strike you, and if used to block an opponent’s attacks it automatically deflects one attack, and may provide cover after that. The wall recedes into the surface it rose from after 1 round.
The terrain around you bucks and weaves when your opponents attempt to move over it, while clearing the way for your allies. Any square within 20 feet of you is considered difficult terrain for your opponents, requiring 10 feet of movement to enter, preventing enemies from running or charging, and increasing balance and tumble DCs by 5. On the other hand, these squares are considered unimpeded terrain for your allies, even if they normally would not be (due to natural conditions or a lower-level magical effect).
You gain tremorsense out to a range of 60 feet (90 feet if the Part the Earth imbuing is active).
You are immune to the negative effects of spells and abilities that involve the manipulation of the ground below you.
Once per round on your turn, you may activate any other imbuing of Least or Lesser grade that involves the manipulation of earth or stone (not including exotic construction or vital essence imbuings) as a free action.


This imbuing lasts for 24 hours, but only functions in areas containing walls or floors made of earth or stone. You may only know one imbuing beginning with "One with" and in order to learn this imbuing you must know at least 2 other imbuings involving the manipulation of earth or stone.

Opaque Air
Least, 2nd
You gather moisture in the air into a thick fog, greatly obscuring the vision of anyone in it or looking through it. This imbuing functions identically to the fog cloud (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/fogCloud.htm) spell, except that you may only have one instance of it per 4 caster levels active at any given time. Further usage of this imbuing immediately dispels the oldest instance to make way for the new one.

Part the Earth
Greater, 5th
You awaken the earth around you, impelling it to offer you passage, while relaying awareness of the slightest shift back to you. You gain an earth glide speed equal to 15 feet plus 5 feet/2 caster levels, as well as 30 foot tremorsense. Your earth glide allows you to move freely through earth, clay, stone or other similar materials in any direction. You may move through worked stone, but not through brickwork or masonry. You leave no hole or other sign of your passing. This imbuing lasts for 24 hours.

Raging Earth
Greater, 5th
You launch a concentrated bolt of positive energy through the earth beneath your opponents’ feet, moving it to violent upheaval. This imbuing functions identically to the earthbolt spell (Complete Arcane pp. 104).

Repair Golem
Lesser, 4th
You channel additional positive energy into your damaged golem, restoring its functionality and form. This ability has a range of close (25 feet + 5 feet/2 levels) and heals your golem of 2d8 + caster level damage each time it is used.

Repel Earth
Living, 8th
You fill objects made of metal or stone with what can only be described as terror, causing them to flee from you, and carry anything they happen to be attached to with them. This imbuing functions identically to the repel metal or stone (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/repelMetalOrStone.htm) spell.

Self-Destructive Urge
Least, 2nd
You fill an object with an overwhelming desire to tear itself apart. This imbuing functions identically to the shatter (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/shatter.htm) spell, except that the object sends fragments flying in all directions if it is destroyed, dealing 1d4 + 1d4/2 caster levels above 1st (max 5d4 at 9th level) slashing/piercing damage to any creature holding the object (reflex save half).

Self-Nourishment
Least, 1st
You learn to store up reserves of positive energy the way most people store energy from eating and drinking, and subsist entirely off of this reserve of power. For one hour after using this imbuing, you do not need to eat, drink or breathe. However, you may only use this imbuing when in a place that contains positive energy (virtually any place that does not possess the minor or major negative dominant planar traits).

Shadow Golem
Living, 8th; Exotic Construction
Energy Absorption: [Darkness] or [Shadow]
You animate the shadows within an area, drawing together a hundred tiny tendrils of darkness into a wavering pitch-black humanoid figure that seems to radiate an inky haze. You must create the golem in an area of shadowy or no illumination (by human standards) at least as large as the golem’s space. If you create the golem in this way, all shadows are ripped away from the chosen space, leaving it brightly lit regardless of presence or lack of illumination until the golem is destroyed. Any creatures within the chosen space when the golem is created must succeed on a will save or themselves become temporarily stripped of all shadow and unable to gain the benefits of concealment due to dark or shadowy illumination as long as the golem persists.

Shadow golems act as normal golems except as follows:

Shadow golems have damage reduction X/magic, where X is the highest damage reduction the casting somaturge could attain by building his golem from the materials listed under the Golem Creation ability.
Shadow golems can see clearly out to any distance in either mundane or magical darkness.
Shadow golems shed magical darkness everywhere they go. All spaces within 15 feet of the golem become one degree darker. Dimly illuminated spaces (as determined by a given observer’s senses) become non-illuminated spaces, and all brightly illuminated spaces become dimly lit.
The roiling darkness that makes up a shadow golem is uniquely disturbing to look upon, as half-seen shapes and images bubble up out of nothing, flicker, and are gone just as fast as they appeared. Shadow golems thus have a gaze attack with a range of 15 feet. Any creature struck by the gaze must make a will save or be frightened for 2d4 rounds. This is a mind-affecting fear affect.
The attacks of shadow golems snake and ooze around defenses raised against them. All of a shadow golem’s natural attacks ignore armor and shield bonuses to AC.
Every touch of a shadow golem’s body leaves behind a thin residue of darkness that seeps into its victim’s body, chilling and weakening them. Creatures struck by the attack of a shadow golem or striking the golem with a natural weapon take cold damage determined by the golem’s size (small – 1d4, medium – 1d6, large – 1d8, huge – 2d6, gargantuan – 3d6) as well as 2 strength damage. A successful fortitude save halves the cold and strength damage. This effect also afflicts creatures grappling a shadow golem once per round on the golem’s turn. Undead and constructs are immune to the ability damage but not the cold damage.
As a full round action, a shadow golem may project a 60 foot cone of shadow. All creatures in the cone’s area take 5d6 cold damage and 2 strength damage, and are frightened for 2d4 rounds (as a mind-affecting fear affect). A successful will save negates the fear and a successful fortitude save halves the cold and strength damage.
Shadow golems are immune to harmful shadow-based effects such as spells with the shadow descriptor.



Sound Golem
Greater, 6th; Exotic Construction
Energy Absorption: [Sonic]
When you create a sound golem, you let out a shout, which, instead of dying down as it leaves your throat, grows in volume and begins to shift and oscillate, eventually coalescing into a golem of pure sonic energy.

Sound golems act as normal golems except as follows:

Sound golems are invisible and incorporeal (with the incorporeal subtype) with a move speed equivalent to their normal move. Most significantly, this means they lose their natural armor bonus and gain a +1 deflection bonus to AC. Unlike other incorporeal creatures, sound golems are always easily audible.
Sound golems have no damage reduction
Sound golems have no attacks, but anything entering a sound golem’s space takes d4 sonic damage per golem hit die. A given target is only subject to this effect once per round. A successful fortitude save halves this damage.
Living creatures that take sonic damage from a sound golem must succeed on a fortitude save versus this imbuing or be deafened for 1d4 hours.
Listen checks made by creatures within the area of a sound golem automatically fail (effectively deafening them as long as they remain within the golem), and checks made within 10 feet of them are at a -10. This penalty decreases by 1 for every 10 feet of distance between the listener and the golem (so someone 60 feet away would have a -4).
Sound golems cannot exist within the area of a silence spell or similar effect, and are immediately destroyed if they enter one.
Sound golems are immune to harmful sound-based effects, such as spells with the sonic descriptor.


Spines of Earth
Lesser, 4th
You shape the earth into sharp protrusions which blend with the surrounding environment and tear into any creatures passing over them. This imbuing functions identically to the spike stones (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/spikeStones.htm) spell, except that you may only have one instance of this imbuing active at any given time. Using this imbuing again while another instance of it is active immediately dispels the older instance.

Time Golem
Living, 9th, Exotic Construction
You give life to time itself, and bend it to your whims. Unlike other golems, a time golem requires only a full round action to create. Once created, a time golem does not act, and persists for 1d4+1 rounds (in the somaturge’s time frame). A time golem has two modes of usage. The first mode freezes all those within its area in time, preventing them from taking any action until the golem dissipates. The second mode vastly speeds up time within the golem’s space (which must include the somaturge), allowing anyone within the space to act for 1d4+1 rounds while the outside world stands apparently unmoving.
No object or effect may pass through the borders of a time golem. Anyone within a time-slowing time golem is completely immune to any outside effect as long as the golem persists, as is anyone outside of a time-speeding time golem. Supernatural abilities directed at a time golem simply dissipate harmlessly, and physical attacks slide off of its surface. Spell durations and other timed effects do not count down inside a slowing golem or outside a speeding one.
Creating a time golem is an incredibly disruptive process, and after it is completed the local timestream is filled with ripples and contortions. Because of this, creating a time golem within 200 feet of where a time golem was created in the past 10 minutes requires a DC 31 caster level check. The DC of the check increases by 5 for each time golem beyond the first that was created within 200 feet and 10 minutes.

Treacherous Earth
Least, 2nd
You soften and weaken the earth, either under your enemies feet or over their heads. This imbuing functions identically to the soften earth and stone (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/softenEarthAndStone.htm) spell.

Wave Golem
Least, 1st; Exotic Construction
Energy Absorption: [Water]
This exotic construction imbuing allows you to create a golem from water, or similarly viscous liquids (note: not lava). Water golems act as normal except as follows:

Wave golems receive a swim speed of 50 ft.
Wave golems gain the water mastery extraordinary ability (-4 attack and damage if it or its target are out of water, +1 to attack and damage if neither is)
Wave golems have damage reduction X/magic, where X is the highest damage reduction the casting somaturge could attain by building his golem from the materials listed under the Golem Creation ability
Wave golems gain partial concealment when completely submerged in water.
If you somehow manage to make a wave golem out of acid (Author’s note: ridiculous, yes, but bound to come up eventually) its natural attacks deal additional acid damage determined by its size: small – 1d4, medium – 1d6, large – 1d8, Huge – 2d6, Gargantuan – 3d6. Additionally, it is immune to harmful acid-based effects.
Wave golems are immune to harmful water-based effects, such as spells with the water descriptor.


Wind Golem
Greater, 5th; Exotic Construction
Energy Absorption: [Air]
This exotic construction imbuing allows you to form a golem out of nothing more than the air around you. Wind golems act as normal golems except as follows:

Wind golems’ land movement speed is replaced with a fly speed of 100 ft. (perfect)
Wind golems have damage reduction X/magic, where X is the highest damage reduction the casting somaturge could attain by building his golem from the materials listed under the Golem Creation ability
Wind golems are invisible
Wind golems have 4 less strength than normal.
Wind golems receive +4 dexterity per size category above small compared to unmodified golems.
Wind golems are immune to harmful air-based effects, such as spells with the air descriptor.


Wind Wall
Lesser, 4th
This imbuing allows you to animate the air in a thick curtain in front of or around you. It functions as the wind wall (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/windWall.htm) spell, except that moving through it requires 5 additional feet of movement and a DC 10 strength check. Creatures that fail the strength check lose the remainder of that move or full round action (in the case of charges, run actions or attempts to disengage) and are knocked prone. Flying creatures take a -5 on the strength check, and stall if they fail the check (see movement rules (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/movement.htm)). Additionally, any melee attacks made through the wall are at a -2 penalty.

CthulhuM
2007-07-06, 08:16 PM
Reserved on the off-chance I need space for more imbuings.

CthulhuM
2007-07-06, 08:18 PM
New Rules

Energy Absorption
While all exotic construction imbuings specify a non-magical source from which a somaturge may create the golem, many also allow the somaturge to create the golem from the energy within various spells and abilities, as specified by the "Energy Absorption: [XXX]" tag, where [XXX] corresponds to one or more subschools of effects. In every case, either the normal construction requirements or the energy absorption requirement must be met in order to build the golem, never both.

Any spells or spell-like abilities that meet these prerequisites may be absorbed, and the DM should also allow appropriate supernatural effects to be used as well. Note, however, that a somaturge may never absorb a spell of higher level than the highest level of golem he can create, or an equivalently powerful ability. For example, a wyrmling gold dragon’s breath weapon (2d10 damage) might qualify as only a 1st level fire spell, and thus be within the range of any somaturge with the flame golem imbuing. By contrast, an ancient gold dragon’s breath weapon (20d10) would be equivalent to a 9th level spell, and older dragons' breath would be beyond even the most powerful (non-epic) somaturge's ability to control.

Absorbing energy to create a golem may have different effects and requirements depending on the form of the energy. For ongoing effects, a one round action is required as usual to create the golem, at the end of which the golem appears within 5 feet of the absorbed effect’s position or area and the effect is dispelled (or, for permanent effects, suppressed so long as the golem exists). Alternatively, the somaturge may use energy absorption like a counterspell (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicOverview/castingSpells.htm), with several key differences. First, readying an energy absorption counter requires a full round action, rather than a standard. Second, spell-like and supernatural effects can also be "countered" in this way. And third, no spellcraft checks are required - if the targeted creature uses any spell, spell-like or supernatural ability which is a valid target for absorption, that ability is automatically negated, and the somaturge places their golem within 5 feet of the originating creature or the countered effect's target, area or a space through which the effect would have passed (for effects such as rays). As usual, a somaturge must dismiss his current golem before attempting to create a new one via energy absorption.

New Skill

Lifecraft (Wis; Trained Only)
This skill is a special one available only to somaturges or those who study their craft intensively. The feat is always cross-class for any non-somaturge class, regardless of any feats, class features or racial abilities that might cause it to be otherwise. No feat may cause a character to be considered trained in this skill without him putting any ranks into it.

Lifecraft represents a character’s ability to sense the intricate flows of positive energy within all living, once-living and pseudo-living things, and to identify and work with them.
Check: The usage and DCs for the various uses of this skill are described below.



UsageDC

Identify an imbuing being used (you must see the imbuing’s effects or caster).
15 + effective spell level

Identify the level and abilities of a somaturge’s golem
15 + golem's effective spell level

Identify an ongoing imbuing or detect the presence (within 30 feet) of an ongoing but unseen imbuing
25 + effective spell level

Identify the abilities and any weaknesses of a construct
10 + construct’s hit die

Perform any task the Heal skill can be used for
5 + task’s normal heal DC


New Feats

Golem Proxy Feats
In addition to the feats listed below, somaturges may choose from a new category of feats known as Golem Proxy feats. A Golem Proxy feat allows a somaturge to enhance his golem in any one of a wide variety of ways by providing the benefit of a combat-related feat to a somaturge’s golem rather than himself. The proxy versions of feats with prerequisites must still have those prerequisites met, with some changes. Prerequisite feats required are replaced with their corresponding proxy feat (so Cleave(Proxy) requires Power Attack(Proxy) rather than Power Attack). Physical form or stat prerequisites must be met by the somaturge’s golem. The somaturge may take proxy feats for which his golems (or some of them, at least) do not meet the physical prerequisites, but any golem he creates that does not meet the prerequisites for a given proxy feat does not gain the benefits of that feat. Any mental stat or skill rank prerequisites for proxy feats must be met by the somaturge.

Proxy feats exist for all fighter bonus feats, and possibly others at DM discretion.

Special: All somaturges are considered to have the Improved Unarmed Strike(Proxy) feat for the purposes of qualifying for other proxy feats.

Augment Golem
Your golems are tougher and stronger than the norm.
Prerequisite: Ability to create 3rd level golems, at least two golem proxy feats.
Benefit: Golems you create have +4 strength, and additional hit points equal to twice their hit dice.

Boost Golem
You know how to create golems with more advanced anatomies and abilities than the norm.
Prerequisite: Ability to create 5th level golems, Augment Golem
Benefit: Golems you create may have either one additional vital essence imbuing applied to them, or one astral construct enhancement of your choice. 1st-3rd level golems may gain an enhancement chosen from the A list, 4th-6th from the B list and 7th-9th from the C list. 9th level golems do not gain two C list abilities.

Extra Golem Matrix
You gain two additional golem matrix restorations per day.
Prerequisite: Golem matrix class feature
Benefit: The number of times per day you can construct a new golem matrix and restore a destroyed or damaged golem increased by 2.
Special: You may take this feat multiple times. Each time the number of golem matrix restorations available to you per day increases by 2.

Extra Imbuing
You learn an additional imbuing.
Prerequisite: Ability to use lesser imbuings.
Benefit: You learn an additional imbuing from the list available to you, choosing an imbuing of power grade up to one level lower than the highest grade available to you.
Special: You may take this feat multiple times. Each time you learn a new imbuing of power grade up to one level below the highest grade available to you at the time you take the feat.

Positive Energy Absorption
Your imbuings heal you.
Prerequisite: Ability to use lesser imbuings.
Benefit: You learn to reach out and claim for yourself a bit of the positive energy that flows through you whenever you channel it. Whenever you use an imbuing or create a golem, you heal 2 points of damage. Alternatively, you may spend a standard action at will to heal yourself 4 points of damage.

Rapid Construction
You can create your golem more quickly than normal.
Prerequisite: Ability to create 5th level golems
Benefit: Creating your golem is a standard action rather than a one round action. Readying an action to create a golem via energy absorption is a standard action instead of a full round action.






And that, I believe, is everything. Feedback is always appreciated, and I could always use a few more imbuings if anyone has any ideas.

Also, does anyone know why the forums might be dropping center tags in tables?

BRC
2007-07-06, 08:33 PM
Nice, I like

Vadin
2007-07-06, 08:36 PM
*mutter*"transomrmers..."*susurrus*"..."*whisper*meets the eyes...*mumble*

Not through all the way reading it yet, but a preliminary glance says I approve of the super-familiar.

Callix
2007-07-06, 08:56 PM
Fun and kinda nice, but a few nitpicks:
1. 1st level BAB should be +0
2. What level spells are the various golem constructions? I'd reccommend the highest available spell to a wizard of the level at which the golem is gained (Mud 1st, Corpse 2nd, Wood 4th, Stone 6th, Iron 8th, Adamantine 9th)

/nitpick

The problem with true pet classes is what does the master do while the pet fights?

CthulhuM
2007-07-07, 12:00 AM
Ah, good catch on the BAB. The golem levels on the basic constructions won't come up much (the only ability that currently relies on the level of the golem is identifying it via the lifecraft skill), but it's true that they should be there for consistency's sake.

As for what the somaturge can do while his pet is at work - well, hence all the imbuings. They're about as important to the somaturge as invocations are to a warlock - perhaps moreso, since the warlock often spends most of his turns using eldritch blast. While the golem is out whacking away at one target, the somaturge can keep others entangled or grappled or otherwise unable to interfere, or harry spellcasters with counterspells.

That said, I could use more variety in available combat imbuings. I'll continue to add to them as ideas come to me.

Callix
2007-07-07, 03:58 AM
Concentration checks rely on spell level. Since you've put in that Concentration checks are required, we need the information to work out the DC. And it is true that spamming Shatter at the enemy fighter's weapon or armor (if eligible) is an effective combat technique. And a Melded Iron Golem and Repair Golem is a pretty hard combo to break.

Zeta Kai
2007-07-07, 04:28 PM
Now see, THIS is what I like to see when someone posts a new class... or a new anything for that matter. This stuff is great. It could use a second set of eyes for minor editing tweaks, but this is, by & large, brilliant. Great job; every homebrewer should put forth this level of effort.

*begin rant*
I, for one, am sick & tired of things like, "well, herez my noo class. its basikly just the sorserer, but like, they cast twice the spels, they half gud forts saves, adn they get avrage BAB to" That's not homebrewing. That's not even communicating. If I see one more half-assed "new" monster/class/PrC post, I think that I just may puke.
*end rant*

CthulhuM
2007-07-07, 10:17 PM
Concentration checks rely on spell level. Since you've put in that Concentration checks are required, we need the information to work out the DC.

Another good point. This is what I get for waiting three weeks between writing a section and posting it.

And thank you, Zeta - I like to think my occasional bouts of work ethic make up for my usual intense laziness, but that's probably a damn lie.

Vadin
2007-07-15, 10:16 AM
Is there any way that a somaturge can get more than one golem at a time? Like a feat, perhaps, that gives him an extra golem a few levels (maybe two or three) lower than his maximum possible? That way a higher level somaturge could get the benefits of some of the more oddball golems (like time) and still have a combat golem on the loose.

CthulhuM
2007-07-15, 01:43 PM
Honestly, I think anything that gave the somaturge an extra golem would be broken, particularly when used in conjunction with the time or sound golems. Considering it requires only a swift action each round to use and is very difficult to avoid or get rid of, the sound golem is a very powerful offensive weapon. As for the time golem... well, time stop is right up there with the best (or worst, depending on how you look at it) of the wizard spells, and this is time stop for your entire party (or a no-save way to divide your opponents' forces). For effects like these, it's only fair that the somaturge has to make some sacrifices, in particular by sacrificing his meat shield.

That said, I did add the Rapid Construction feat, to make switching golems or recovering after using a time/sound golem a little easier.

psychoticbarber
2007-07-15, 02:19 PM
This is pretty awesome work. I might find a place to put one of these in my current campaigns, just to see how it plays itself out.

Vadin
2007-07-15, 02:57 PM
That said, I did add the Rapid Construction feat, to make switching golems or recovering after using a time/sound golem a little easier.

Nice feat, and the readying an action option could really help.

Lord Tataraus
2007-07-15, 03:11 PM
Wow, nice. I was thinking of making this type of class for a Bas-Lag campaign. As a side note, I assume this is based off of Iron Council, especially with the sound and time golems.

CthulhuM
2007-07-16, 01:10 AM
Wow, nice. I was thinking of making this type of class for a Bas-Lag campaign. As a side note, I assume this is based off of Iron Council, especially with the sound and time golems.

That it is. A Bas-Lag campaign would be pretty interesting, I think, but it seems like it would require a hell of a lot of homebrewing to represent all the various unusual meldings of steampunk technology and magic.

The upside, though, would be that pretty much any DnD monster you choose would feel at home in Bas-Lag - most of Mieville's creature concepts sound like something you wouldn't be surprised to find in a Monster Manual, and I was subconsciously statting up slake moths and weavers in my head halfway through Perdido Street Station...