Scrapheap [3.5 Golem]

[Jergmo]

Although I missed the competition by several months, I was inspired to create a homebrew golem after looking at inuyasha's construct monster competition.

So, without further ado, I give you the Scrapheap.

Scrapheap
Size/Type: Large Construct
Hit Dice: 4d10+30 (52 hp)
Initiative: -2
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 14 (-2 Dex, -1 size, +7 natural), touch 7, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+11
Attack: Slam +6 melee (1d8+4)
Full Attack: 2 slams +6 melee (1d8+4) and gore +1 melee (1d8+2)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities:Construct traits, damage reduction 10/bludgeoning, immunity to magic
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +0, Will +1
Abilities: Str 19, Dex 6, Con Ø, Int Ø, Wis 11, Cha 1
Skills: —
Feats: —
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 5-8 HD (Large); 9-12 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: —

The scrapheap is an amalgamation of corroded and rusty or scrap metal, packed dirt, bricks, mortar, old cloth or whatever else happened to be lying around. Those mages who are desperate enough to create what is widely considered to be the most tragic excuse for a golem often outfit them with jutting shards of metal which are used to impale foes and small boulders or balls of metal for the main striking limbs.

"So you have decided to create a scrapheap. Take heart for you are not alone. At one point or another any mage forced into a corner in his keep has made this consideration; refuse is never in short supply, particularly when your lesser hirelings or minions have left behind broken equipment. Do not be ashamed of yourself. When life gives you scraps, make a scrapheap." ~Lord San de "Ego" Elemonte, creator of the scrapheap.

Combat
Most often, scrapheaps will simply charge into the fray and attempt to smash or grab whatever is closest to them and wielding a weapon. Creators of scrapheaps are advised to order their scrapheaps to grapple smaller threatening opponents to make use of their strength and many protruding armaments.

Immunity to Magic (Ex)
A scrapheap 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 magic attack that deals fire or electricity damage slows a scrapheap (as the slow spell) for 1d4 rounds, with no saving throw.

Construction
The pieces of a scrapheap may easily be found in a refuse pile, the leftovers of a smithy, the corpses of fallen soldiers, and so on. Special bindings worth 500 gp are also required.

CL 8th; Craft Construct, bull's strength, geas/quest, limited wish, make whole, caster must be at least 8th level; Price 11,100 gp; Cost 5,550 gp +220 XP.

[LordErebus12]

its slam should deal slashing, piercing and bludgeoning damage, since its covered/made of scrap

[inuyasha]

This is pretty dang good, I don't really have anything bad to say, all i do have to say though is good job, and I hope I can start up monster competitions soon, but real life is getting in the way (blech).

[Jergmo]

its slam should deal slashing, piercing and bludgeoning damage, since its covered/made of scrap

I figured that's where the gore attack would come in, but that's a good idea. With a mere +5 AB, it couldn't hurt to give it that advantage.

[LordErebus12]

Pathfinder's bestiary 4 has a junk golem. perhaps you could check it out?

[Fizban]

As with all low power constructs: stats good, creation useless. A wizard with 5,000gp and 10 days to work, capable of casting Limited Wish and Geas would not build a 3 HD golem. You could literally summon up and mind control or pay off any number of outsiders far more powerful.

Okay, actually I just hate the spell requirements. I fully recognize that a permanent sleepless magic immune minion has advantages that most outsiders don't have. But the stupid legacy of requiring Limited Wish and Geas/Quest for every single golem and most constructs makes them completely unusable by anything other than DM fiat, because you need a 13th level caster to make them. Seriously, take a look at most of those constructs and it's just not worth the effort. The stats, price, and even the arbitrary CL8 are all fine, but the spell requirements make it useless. Make Whole isn't even an arcane spell! (not your fault I know, you're just using the usual spells from every monster entry ever). And don't get me started on Shield Guardians (a wizard's best friend that requires a cleric spell to construct). Rant over.

[Jergmo]

I think lower level spellcasters just get a hold of scrolls and use them...

[Debihuman]

While I appreciate the concept of a weaker golem, it looks like it should have 4 HD since advancement starts with 5. Otherwise, advancement should be this.

Advancement: 4-6 HD (Large); 7-9 HD (Huge)

While there are no hard and fast rules that correlate a golem's size with its HD, 3 HD suggests that the golem should be smaller than Large. However, I really like the inclusion of bull's strength in the creation costs. That choice makes it easier to swallow it having only 3 HD while having Large size.

Since none of its component parts would be in pristine condition, its +7 natural armor makes good sense too.

How does it gore? Does it have a horn on its head? Gore attacks are generally reserved for creatures with horns. Nowhere in your description do you mention a horn that it uses to gore. Since it is a feature that other golems don't have, you should have mentioned it. It was starting to look a bit bland until this feature popped up.

You shouldn't need either limited wish or geas/quest to make these. Creation needs to be limited to caster level 8. Limited wish is caster level 13 and geas/quest is caster level 11th. Make whole is a cleric spell so that's not really a good choice. I'd make it minor creation instead.

Debby

[DawnbringerSO]

I reckon it should be able to use improvised weapons without penalty.

[Debihuman]

Actually, it has no feats and cannot use any weapons. It just has natural attacks.

Debby

[Jergmo]

I have less frequent access to internet at the moment so I may not be able to change things right now. The reason I included a gore attack is to provide stats for the various protrusions of sharp metal sticking out of a scrapheap - they would charge and slam their bodies into opponents.

For reference, I was using How to Design a Monster. It lists suggested hit die, damage and the like for many creature types, and for a Construct of large size it listed 2-4 HD. For a weak golem - or a construct that isn't a golem - it seemed reasonable given the +30 bonus HP that Large constructs get.

[Debihuman]

Generally, I would suggest that using a 3.0 book for 3.5 monsters is not a good idea. Also, this flies in direct contradiction to golems in the Monster Manual which are significantly more powerful than animated objects which most Constructs are. Note that there are no guidelines for golems just Constructs which is the biggest failing of How to Design a Monster.

Normally, I would recommend that you compare your golem to standard golems, rather than to compare them to more generic Constructs such as animated constructs which fit the 2-4 HD for Large sized as the book suggests. Golems are usually more powerful than simple Animated Constructs.

However, because this golem is made from junk rather than being carefully created, the lower HD make a bit of sense and considering that this is meant to be a low-level adversary, that is all rather moot. I see you did increase the HD by 1.

My main complaint is the creation. If you want 8th level caster minimum, then you cannot include the spells geas/quest and limited wish because those spells cannot be cast by an 8th level caster.

CL 8th; Craft Construct, bull's strength, minor creation, caster must be at least 8th level; Price 11,100 gp; Cost 5,550 gp +220 XP.

You need to reword Combat as well since these do NOT wield manufactured weapons. You can even include a section on gore.

Combat

Most often, scrapheaps will simply charge into the fray and attempt to smash or grab whatever is closest to them, goring an opponents who stand in their way. Creators of scrapheaps are advised to order their scrapheaps to grapple smaller threatening opponents to make use of their strength and protruding armaments.

Gore (Ex): Scrapheaps use their protruding armaments to make a single gore attack. This attack is always a secondary attack, even when used as a primary attack.

Debby

[Jergmo]

At the time I had been comparing it to the creation of a flesh golem, which requires the same spells with CL 8. My assumption had been that an 8th level spellcaster could do it provided scrolls.