Sacrath
2005-09-26, 04:25 PM
So I was looking around the monster manual for golems for a lower level party when I realized one shocking similarity between all golems I looked at. They all require the spell Geas/Quest as a requirement, which makes sense, considering how specific instructions must be to control a golem. Therefore, to keep a similar binding/instruction effect, I needed to find a spell that was similar but lower level, somehow, lesser. So, Lesser Geas it is then. Armed with this spell, I set out to make a new set of low level golems making construct construction available to everyone.
The Lesser Flesh Golem
Some time ago, there was an evil Wizard academy 'Academia Necropia' where all sorts of undead creation and sick transmutations were developed on humanoid subjects. However, there was a small amount of research done on Golem Creation, due to the availably of humanoid corpses (or at least pieces of them). One particular student, Nazrech the Unclean (a name more derived from his lack of hygiene than foul acts), took the course because he thought it would be easy in a school focused mainly on Necromancy. However, his lazy nature was not a very good match for the intensive, long and exacting rituals needed for the crafting of golems. While his classmates were selecting the perfect bodies and researching the exact rituals and designs required for their creations, Nazrech was lounging around and generally wasting time. When the time of reckoning was only 3 days away, Nazrech found himself with nothing to show for his months of “study”. Using some notes that he stole from a room mate, Nazrech hastily dug up some corpses of various creatures from the local mass-grave. A few goblins, humans and dwarves later and the lazy mage had constructed a ramshackle, and short, compilation. He animated and bound the construct with an abbreviated ritual and an underpowered set of spells. Normally, Limited Wish is used to maintain and harden the flesh used to make the golem. However, Nazrech was unable to cast this spell, and lacked the time to commission a scroll from the academy, so he replaced it with a casting of Gentle Repose, hoping to keep the golem’s body together for long enough to pass the test. However, instead of stopping the rotting of the golem’s body the spell trapped it in a perpetual state of decay. Fearing the lack of Damage Reduction would make his creation to weak, Nazrech decided to buff up his creation with a couple of castings of Shocking Grasp. His remains were found days later, in the ruins of his home, with his dwarfed stinking creation looming over them.
The first thing you notice about this creature is it's smell, it gives off an unbelievably horrid stench of over rotted meat and drying bones that waters your eyes and catches your breath in throat. The monstrosity stands about as tall as a man, and lumbers on unsteady legs. It is composed of various corpses stitched together haphazardly. A bit of goblin here, a bit of dwarf there, the rest is rotted beyond recognition, all loosely stitched together. It hisses with a watery cry and charges in your direction.
Flesh Golem, Lesser
Medium Construct
Hit Dice: 4d10+10 (30 hp)
Initiative: -1
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares)
Armor Class: 18 (-1 Dex, +9 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+6
Attack: Slam +6 melee (2d6+3)
Full Attack: Slam +6 melee (2d6+3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Berserk, Stench
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., immunity to magic, low-light vision, construct traits
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +0, Will +1
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 9, Con -, Int -, Wis 11, Cha 1
Skills: -
Feats: -
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 5-8 (small)
Level Adjustment: —
A Lesser Flesh golem stands about 5 foot 3 inches, and weighs about 210 pounds.
COMBAT
A Lesser Flesh Golem is a strong but slow combatant, it’s shoddy construction and poor enchantments making it little better at following instructions than a common zombie, and much more dangerous to its creator. Though the original rituals and formulae were created by a lazy caster, many frugal or lower level Wizards believe that the risks are worth the overall savings. A Lesser Flesh Golem follows simple instructions by its creator, and will defend itself if instructed to.
Berserk (Ex): When a flesh golem enters combat, there is a cumulative 2% chance each round that its elemental spirit breaks free and the golem goes berserk. The uncontrolled golem goes on a rampage, attacking the nearest living creature or smashing some object smaller than itself if no creature is within reach, then moving on to spread more destruction. The golem’s creator, if within 60 feet, can try to regain control by speaking firmly and persuasively to the golem, which requires a DC 19 Charisma check. It takes 1 minute of inactivity by the golem to reset its berserk chance to 0%.
Immunity to Magic (Ex): A lesser flesh golem is immune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance. In addition, certain spells and effects function differently against the creature, as noted below.
A magical attack that deals cold or fire damage slows a flesh golem (as the slow spell) for 2d6 rounds, with no saving throw.
A magical attack that deals electricity damage breaks any slow effect on the golem and heals 1 point of damage the attack would otherwise deal. If the amount of healing would cause the golem to exceed its full normal hit points, it gains any excess as temporary hit points. For every temporary hit point gained in this manner, the Lesser Flesh Golem’s berserk chance goes up by 1%.
Stench (Ex): A Lesser Flesh Golem’s biological parts are trapped in a constant state of decay. The rotting flesh gives of an unnaturally horrid stench. Any creature (including the creator) within 30 feet of the Lesser Flesh Golem must make a DC 14 Fortitude check or become Sickened for 2d4+1 rounds. Any creature immune to poison is immune to a Lesser Flesh Golem’s stench.
Construction: The body of a Lesser Flesh Golem is a hasty collection of decayed (but not skeletal) body parts from various humanoid corpses. The ritual is similar to the one for creating a normal Flesh Golem, but abbreviated, simplified and underpowered. The corpses of at least 6 different humanoid creatures must be assembled and stitched together, requiring a DC 10 heal or Craft (Leatherworking) check. Also, special ungents and and bindings (worth 500 gp) are required.
CL 8th; Craft Construct, animate dead, bull's strength, gentle repose, lesser geas; Price: 8,500 gp, Cost: 4,500 gp + 320 xp.
The Lesser Flesh Golem
Some time ago, there was an evil Wizard academy 'Academia Necropia' where all sorts of undead creation and sick transmutations were developed on humanoid subjects. However, there was a small amount of research done on Golem Creation, due to the availably of humanoid corpses (or at least pieces of them). One particular student, Nazrech the Unclean (a name more derived from his lack of hygiene than foul acts), took the course because he thought it would be easy in a school focused mainly on Necromancy. However, his lazy nature was not a very good match for the intensive, long and exacting rituals needed for the crafting of golems. While his classmates were selecting the perfect bodies and researching the exact rituals and designs required for their creations, Nazrech was lounging around and generally wasting time. When the time of reckoning was only 3 days away, Nazrech found himself with nothing to show for his months of “study”. Using some notes that he stole from a room mate, Nazrech hastily dug up some corpses of various creatures from the local mass-grave. A few goblins, humans and dwarves later and the lazy mage had constructed a ramshackle, and short, compilation. He animated and bound the construct with an abbreviated ritual and an underpowered set of spells. Normally, Limited Wish is used to maintain and harden the flesh used to make the golem. However, Nazrech was unable to cast this spell, and lacked the time to commission a scroll from the academy, so he replaced it with a casting of Gentle Repose, hoping to keep the golem’s body together for long enough to pass the test. However, instead of stopping the rotting of the golem’s body the spell trapped it in a perpetual state of decay. Fearing the lack of Damage Reduction would make his creation to weak, Nazrech decided to buff up his creation with a couple of castings of Shocking Grasp. His remains were found days later, in the ruins of his home, with his dwarfed stinking creation looming over them.
The first thing you notice about this creature is it's smell, it gives off an unbelievably horrid stench of over rotted meat and drying bones that waters your eyes and catches your breath in throat. The monstrosity stands about as tall as a man, and lumbers on unsteady legs. It is composed of various corpses stitched together haphazardly. A bit of goblin here, a bit of dwarf there, the rest is rotted beyond recognition, all loosely stitched together. It hisses with a watery cry and charges in your direction.
Flesh Golem, Lesser
Medium Construct
Hit Dice: 4d10+10 (30 hp)
Initiative: -1
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares)
Armor Class: 18 (-1 Dex, +9 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+6
Attack: Slam +6 melee (2d6+3)
Full Attack: Slam +6 melee (2d6+3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Berserk, Stench
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., immunity to magic, low-light vision, construct traits
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +0, Will +1
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 9, Con -, Int -, Wis 11, Cha 1
Skills: -
Feats: -
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 5-8 (small)
Level Adjustment: —
A Lesser Flesh golem stands about 5 foot 3 inches, and weighs about 210 pounds.
COMBAT
A Lesser Flesh Golem is a strong but slow combatant, it’s shoddy construction and poor enchantments making it little better at following instructions than a common zombie, and much more dangerous to its creator. Though the original rituals and formulae were created by a lazy caster, many frugal or lower level Wizards believe that the risks are worth the overall savings. A Lesser Flesh Golem follows simple instructions by its creator, and will defend itself if instructed to.
Berserk (Ex): When a flesh golem enters combat, there is a cumulative 2% chance each round that its elemental spirit breaks free and the golem goes berserk. The uncontrolled golem goes on a rampage, attacking the nearest living creature or smashing some object smaller than itself if no creature is within reach, then moving on to spread more destruction. The golem’s creator, if within 60 feet, can try to regain control by speaking firmly and persuasively to the golem, which requires a DC 19 Charisma check. It takes 1 minute of inactivity by the golem to reset its berserk chance to 0%.
Immunity to Magic (Ex): A lesser flesh golem is immune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance. In addition, certain spells and effects function differently against the creature, as noted below.
A magical attack that deals cold or fire damage slows a flesh golem (as the slow spell) for 2d6 rounds, with no saving throw.
A magical attack that deals electricity damage breaks any slow effect on the golem and heals 1 point of damage the attack would otherwise deal. If the amount of healing would cause the golem to exceed its full normal hit points, it gains any excess as temporary hit points. For every temporary hit point gained in this manner, the Lesser Flesh Golem’s berserk chance goes up by 1%.
Stench (Ex): A Lesser Flesh Golem’s biological parts are trapped in a constant state of decay. The rotting flesh gives of an unnaturally horrid stench. Any creature (including the creator) within 30 feet of the Lesser Flesh Golem must make a DC 14 Fortitude check or become Sickened for 2d4+1 rounds. Any creature immune to poison is immune to a Lesser Flesh Golem’s stench.
Construction: The body of a Lesser Flesh Golem is a hasty collection of decayed (but not skeletal) body parts from various humanoid corpses. The ritual is similar to the one for creating a normal Flesh Golem, but abbreviated, simplified and underpowered. The corpses of at least 6 different humanoid creatures must be assembled and stitched together, requiring a DC 10 heal or Craft (Leatherworking) check. Also, special ungents and and bindings (worth 500 gp) are required.
CL 8th; Craft Construct, animate dead, bull's strength, gentle repose, lesser geas; Price: 8,500 gp, Cost: 4,500 gp + 320 xp.