As alway - constructive comments are welcome.
Thanks
Golem, Silt
A cloud of silt moves against the natural winds – obscuring everything about it and choking the life out of any creature caught in its path. Faintly, but growing steadly as the silt approaches, you can hear the rhythmic beating of a heart.
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Silt Golem CR 6
Always N Diminutive construct
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Listen +0, Spot +0
Languages understands creator’s orders
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AC 24 touch 21, flat-footed 17
(+4 size, +7 Dex, +3 natural)
Miss Chance 50% (concealment)
hp 37 (6 HD); DR 15/dwarf steel
Immune construct immunities, magic
Fort +2, Ref +9, Will +2
Weakness sonic (see immunity to magic)
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Speed flight 40 ft.(perfect) (8 squares)
Melee --
Space 1 ft.; Reach --
Base Atk +6; Grp +10
Atk Options aura of gret death, enveloping attack
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Abilities Str –, Dex 25, Con –, Int 1, Wis 11, Cha 1
SQ construct traits
Feats Hover(B)
Skills Hide +19
Advancement 7-8 HD (Diminutive), 9-10 HD (Tiny)
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Magic Immunity (Ex) A silt golem is immune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance, except sonic-based spells. A magical effect that deals sonic damage deals 2 additional points of damage per die and causes the silt golem to burst apart for 1 round. The golem reconsolidates on its turn as a move action in a random location 1 plus 1d3 squares (10 to 20 feet) away from the location it discorporated at originally. While the silt golem is discorporated, it cannot be harmed nor can it be targeted by any spell effect.
Area wind effects such as gust of wind dissipates some of the constructs haze of silts that swirls about it’s small, heart-shaped body. Such affects reduce the silt golem’s concealment, lowering the miss chance to 20% for one round per caster level.
Aura of Grey Death (Ex) Any creature caught within a 15 foot radius area around the golem suffer the effects of being caught within the Grey Death (suffering a -4 penalty to initiative, attack and damage rolls, as well as Spot checks, and movement costs double).
Enveloping Attack (Ex) Once per round, a silt golem can envelop a creature (treat as a swarm attack). Anyone caught so attacked is considered to be drowning (see Dungeon Masters Guide pg.304) and also takes 2d6 points of damage per round from the debris and abrasive silt scouring their body.
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A silt golem is little more than a moving cloud of silt – the physical form of the golem is only a heart-shaped mass that resides within the center of the bellowing silt.
Due to their limited physical presence, silt golems do not make the best bodyguards. Instead their strengths lie in their speed and ability to enshroud oppoents in the choking haze of silt that surrounds them. This coupled with their resistance to damage and magical immunity makes them a formidable foe.
Strategies and Tactics
A silt golem that is placed at a location to guard something will usually lie in wait, mostly buried in a pile of silt (taking 20 on its Hide check). Once engaged with an opponent, it will focus its enveloping attack upon them until it is dead or until directed to attack another foe.
These unnatural creatures are resistant or immune to most attacks and magic, though sonic energy and weapons crafted from dwarf-steel seem to be most effective when dealing with a silt golem.
Sample Encounters
Silt golems must be placed and positioned in a location. Once placed, they do not leave the area unless instructed by their creator.
Tread Softly (EL 10): Upon approaching what looks to be a silt-choked ruin recently uncovered by a wind storm, three silt golems rise up from the deep silt around you.
Ecology
Beings constructs, silt golems have no need to eat, sleep, or breathe. They can exist whenever their creator places them. They have no natural prey or predator, but attack whatever and whenever their instructions direct.
Environment: Silt golems are one of the easiest and least expensive construct to make. They can be found anywhere, though due to their unique make-up, they are usually found in areas arounf the Sea of Silt.
Typical Physical Characteristics: A typical silt golem usually nothing more than a double-fist sized heart made from compacted silt and other materials, floating within the center of a moving cloud of silt.
Alignment: A silt golem is mindless as any other golem, existing only to carry orders. It is always neutral.
Typical Treasure
Silt golems never have treasure, but they might be used to guard treasure or other items of value.
Silt Golem Construction
A silt golem one of the least complicated golems to construct because it consists mostly of a moving cloud if silt. The most important aspect of the constructs creation is the forming of its “heart” body. To form the heart, one must first have a heart mold (see below). Once the mold is aquired, the caster mixes finey ground iron shavings and other reagants costing 1,500 Cp with 2 pounds of silt and the life-blood of one sentient humanoid creature. The resulting mixture is then baked within the special heart mold.. A single skill check DC 15 Craft (pottery) it made to determine if the body of the golem was formed correctly.
CL 9th; Craft Construct, animate object, commune control tides, resurrection, caster must be at least 9th leve; Price 30,000* Cp; Cost 16,500* Cp + 1,200 XP.
*Does not include cost for the heart mold.
Silt Golem Lore
Characters with ranks in Knowledge (arcana) can learn more about silt golems. When a character makes a successful skill check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs.
Knowledge (Arcana)
DC Result
16 A silt golem is a kind of construct that is usually found around the Sea of Silt
21 A silt golem is a living storm of silt, able to choke the life from a creature just by being near it.
26 Silt golems are immune to most types of magic damage and are used generally as guardians. They are somewhat sonic attacks and weapons forged from rare dwarf-steel are very effective against them.
Heart Mold
This is a special mold that is formed from bronze and inlaid with mystical symbols. When used, some of the blood needed for the silt golem creation process is poured into these deep etchings and are magically transferred on to the heart within the mold while the mold is being fired within a kilin.
The mold is very heavy and is usually formed into a cube measuring one foot on each side.
Faint conjuration; CL 5th; Craft Wondrous Item, summon monster III (silt elemental); Price 12,000 Cp; Wt. 20 pounds
1) I like this, it is new and interesting, and useful.
2) I question the lack of a slam attack. I see that an enveloping attack is used, but a slam option could be interesting, Or a grapple ability would be cool.
3) Why dwarven steel? what is it, and why would it affect them?
that's what I got now, more to come if i see something else
Very nice Kal. Don't see a single thing I'd change.
Thanks.
three things.
1) I like this, it is new and interesting, and useful.
2) I question the lack of a slam attack. I see that an enveloping attack is used, but a slam option could be interesting, Or a grapple ability would be cool.
3) Why dwarven steel? what is it, and why would it affect them?
that's what I got now, more to come if i see something else
1) Thanks
2) This golem does not have the statue physical form - it is basically a heart-shaped lump floating in a swirling cloud of silt. But, if you think about it - the enveloping attack does damage every round - on top of causing the one they are attacking to drownd in silt.
3) Most golems do have DR #/adamanite but that is not the reason I selected it for this one. In this case I chose to go this route because of the creation process - the silt, blood, and iron components are all baked together within the heart mold - I would think that this would make the golem very hard - if not DR then I would have went with hardness - the net effect is the same.
The only aspect of this golem I am thinking of changing is the whole heart mold thing - I could make the mold non-magical and then have another version that was magical that would function like a manual of golem creation.
Thoughts?
Thanks.
1) Thanks
2) This golem does not have the statue physical form - it is basically a heart-shaped lump floating in a swirling cloud of silt. But, if you think about it - the enveloping attack does damage every round - on top of causing the one they are attacking to drownd in silt.
3) Most golems do have DR #/adamanite but that is not the reason I selected it for this one. In this case I chose to go this route because of the creation process - the silt, blood, and iron components are all baked together within the heart mold - I would think that this would make the golem very hard - if not DR then I would have went with hardness - the net effect is the same.
The only aspect of this golem I am thinking of changing is the whole heart mold thing - I could make the mold non-magical and then have another version that was magical that would function like a manual of golem creation.
Thoughts?
Very nice creation indeed. As for a magical variation that acts as a manual of golem creation, not sure that under the normal uses of such a manual the heart itself would work. However you could have "deactivated" hearts that can be activated with the correct command word, but unless the person activating it also has the correct "command code" to control the golem it will simply turn on the activator. Just a thought.
Very nice creation indeed. As for a magical variation that acts as a manual of golem creation, not sure that under the normal uses of such a manual the heart itself would work. However you could have "deactivated" hearts that can be activated with the correct command word, but unless the person activating it also has the correct "command code" to control the golem it will simply turn on the activator. Just a thought.
But - in a setting like Athas, where magical books and tomes are usually things of another Age - an item like a magical heart mold that made a golem would be much more logical. Plus you have the added benefit that someone who does not have access tot he normal spells would be able to have one - kind of like the stone of controlling eather elementals - but this would be like a one or so use item.
I am glad you all like this golem, I will have more goodness soon