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Golem; Iron Gargoyle

by Simone Neri

Large Construct
Hit Dice: 16d10+30 (118 hp)
Initiative: -1
Speed: 10 ft. (2 squares), fly 30 ft. (clumsy)
Armour Class: 30 (-1 size, -1 Dex, +22 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 30
Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+26
Attack: Claw +21 melee (1d8+10)
Full Attack: 2 claws +21 melee (1d8+10) and 1 horns +16 melee (2d8+5) and 1 tail +16 melee (1d10+5)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Crushing dive, fire breath, spiked body, stunning tail
Special Qualities: Blindisight 60 ft., construct traits, damage reduction 12/adamantine, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to fire, immunity to magic, low-light vision, vulnerability to cold
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +5
Abilities: Str 32, Dex 9, Con -, Int -, Wis 11, Cha 1
Skills: -
Feats: -
Environment: Any
Organisation: Solitary, pair or gang (2-4)
Challenge Rating: 12
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 16-24 HD (Large), 25-48 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: -

A large, massive iron statue with fiendish and gargoylesque features stands before you. This craggy creature is covered in iron scales, with numerous iron spikes protruding from its body. The creature's red eyes gleam malignantly and its sharp-toothed mouth seems to grin at you.

Iron gargoyles resemble large, 12-feet tall normal gargoyles made of iron. They move very slowly and noisily, creaking at every step. Iron gargoyles can fly, but do so very clumsily. In dim lighting conditions, flames visibly lick the edges of an iron gargoyle's grinning maw. Viewed with darkvision, these monsters glow brightly from the heat their hulking bodies contain.
These golems are most often constructed and encountered in pairs, but a sole iron gargoyle may guard areas of lesser importance to its creator.
An iron gargoyle cannot speak or emit any sound. It weighs about 4,500 pounds.

COMBAT:
An iron gargoyle is a fearsome opponent in combat. It usually tries to use its fire breath ability before charging its foes in melee. It isn't an agile flier, but in battle it often attacks initially from air, attempting to crush its foes by landing on them.
Crushing dive (Ex): The iron gargoyle often tries to crush its foes diving on the from above. Using the crushing dive is a full-round action; this special ability can be used only while the iron gargoyle is flying, and only against creatures of Medium size or smaller at a time. The iron gargoyle can affect as may creatures as can fit in its space. Creatures in the affected area must make a successful DC 28 Reflex saving throw or automatically take 2d10+15 points of bludgeoning damage (the save is Strength-based). If the iron gargoyle so choses, up to two damaged Medium-size creatures (or four Small-size creatures, and so on) are pinned in addition to taking damage from the crush; from there on, they're considered grappling with the iron gargoyle and they take crushing damage each round until they're freed, in addition to any result of the grapple checks.
Fire breath (Su): 30-foot cone, once every 3 round, damage 3d10 fire, Reflex DC 18 half. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Immunity to magic (Ex): An iron gargoyle 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.

Spiked body (Ex): The iron gargoyle's body is covered with spikes and slashing scales. Therefore, a creature grappling with an iron gargoyle takes 1d8 points of piercing damage per round; this damage is in addition to any other grapple effect.
Stunning tail (Ex): The iron gargoyle can deliver powerful blows with its tail slap. Each foe taking damage from the iron gargoyle's tail attack must succeed on a CD 18 Fortitude saving throw or be stunned for 1d3 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based.

CONSRUCTION:
The iron gargoyle's body must be sculpted from 4,500 pounds of pure iron, smelted with rare substances and admixtures costing no less than 10,000 gp. Assembling the body requires a DC 20 Craft (armoursmithing) check.
CL 16th; Craft Construct, fireball, fly, geas/quest, limited wish, polymorph any object, caster must be at least 16th level; Price 135,000 gp; Cost 72,500 gp + 5,000 XP.