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Archives of Nethys

Archives of Nethys

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PFS StandardClay Golem

Traditionally, clay golems are crafted in the image of a deity and used as guardians of tombs or sacred crypts. Clay golems have the power to lay curses upon their victims as punishment for intrusion, leading many to believe that these oft-ancient constructs have a touch of the divine to them. While this idea has little basis in reality, superstitious folk still tread lightly around statues that resemble clay golems even in the slightest.

The animating force within a clay golem is unusually unstable, making the golem prone to entering a berserk frenzy when damaged. Entire treasuries have been totally ruined as a result of a rampaging clay golem, so crafters do well to make sure their golems are maintained and in good working order—or otherwise place them on the other side of the door from the treasures they wish to protect.

Recall Knowledge - Construct (Arcana, Crafting): DC 29
Unspecific Lore: DC 27
Specific Lore: DC 24

Elite | Normal | Weak
Proficiency without Level

Clay GolemCreature 10

Legacy Content

Uncommon N Large Construct Golem Mindless 
Source Bestiary pg. 186
Perception +6; darkvision
Skills Athletics +14
Str +6, Dex -1, Con +6, Int -5, Wis +0, Cha -5
AC 19; Fort +13, Ref +6, Will +7
HP 175; Immunities acid, bleed, death effects, disease, doomed, drained, fatigued, healing, magic (see below), mental, necromancy, nonlethal attacks, paralyzed, poison, sickened, unconscious; Resistances physical 10 (except adamantine)
Berserk A severely damaged clay golem has a chance of going berserk. If it has 50 or fewer Hit Points at the start of its turn, the golem must succeed at a DC -5 flat check or go berserk. A berserk golem wildly attacks the nearest living creature, or the nearest object if no creatures are nearby. Golem Antimagic harmed by cold and water (5d10, 2d6 from areas or persistent damage); healed by acid (area 2d6 HP); slowed by earth Vulnerable to Disintegrate A disintegrate spell affects the golem but deals half the normal amount of damage and causes the golem to become slowed 2 for 1 round. Quicken [free-action] (divine, transmutation) Frequency Once per day. Trigger The clay golem’s turn begins. It can’t trigger this free action on the first turn of combat. Effect The clay golem becomes quickened for 1 minute.
Speed 20 feet
Melee [one-action] fist +14 [+9/+4] (magical, reach 10 feet), Damage 2d10+12 bludgeoning plus cursed woundBerserk Slam [one-action] Requirement The golem is berserk. Effect The clay golem Strikes with its fist at a –1 circumstance penalty. If it hits, it deals an additional 1d8 damage and knocks the target prone.Cursed Wound (divine, curse, necromancy) A creature hit by the clay golem’s fist must succeed at a DC 19 Fortitude save or be cursed until healed to its maximum HP. The cursed creature can’t regain HP except via magic, and anyone casting a spell to heal the creature must succeed at a DC 19 counteract check or the healing has no effect. The golem’s counteract level is equal to its creature level.

Sidebar - Treasure and Rewards Clay Golems

The remains of clay golems are worth more to archaeologists and scholars than to merchants. The magnificent treasures often guarded by these ancient wardens, however, are another matter entirely.

All Monsters in "Golem"

NameLevel
Adamantine Golem18
Alchemical Golem9
Carrion Golem4
Clay Golem10
Crystal Sentinel13
Flesh Golem8
Fossil Golem12
Glass Golem8
Guillotine Golem18
Ice Golem5
Iron Golem13
Mithral Golem16
Obsidian Golem16
Quantium Golem20
Solar Glass Golem11
Stone Golem11
Wood Golem6

Golem

Source Bestiary pg. 184
Crafted of base materials and then magically animated into a powerful guardian, the legendary golem is a living construct that mindlessly obeys its creator's commands— often continuing to do so for years or even centuries after its creator's death. There exist two known methods of animating a golem. The traditional method involves harvesting and implanting an elemental soul or essence within the newly crafted host statue, a procedure seen as vile and blasphemous to those who value the sanctity of the soul; evil or amoral golem crafters tend to prefer this method. The other, less disreputable technique involves siphoning pure positive energy into the statue to artificially imitate the creation of a soul. The result does not give the golem a true soul and is generally a more costly and time-consuming method of creation. Regardless of the method used, the resulting golem functions the same. A golem's unique animating force leaves it susceptible to certain forms of magic, but apart from these few weaknesses, it is impervious to magic and difficult to damage with weapons.

Golems work best in play as foes to vanquish rather than allies to accompany player characters on adventures. The process of creating a golem is time-consuming, expensive, and difficult, and only the most talented spellcasters or artisans can even hope to accomplish such an undertaking. While certain magical texts—so-called “golem manuals”—are said to aid golems crafters, for the most part the creation of a golem should be something left in the hands of the Game Master.

Golems have components that can be harvested as trophies or magical components; the value depends on the golem in question. Examples of components that can be harvested from golems are listed in the sidebars.

Golem Antimagic

A golem is immune to spells and magical abilities other than its own, but each type of golem is affected by a few types of magic in special ways. These exceptions are listed in shortened form in the golem's stat block, with the full rules appearing here. If an entry lists multiple types (such as “cold and water”), either type of spell can affect the golem.
  • Harmed By Any magic of this type that targets the golem causes it to take the listed amount of damage (this damage has no type) instead of the usual effect. If the golem starts its turn in an area of magic of this type or is affected by a persistent effect of the appropriate type, it takes the damage listed in the parenthetical.
  • Healed By Any magic of this type that targets the golem makes the golem lose the slowed condition and gain HP equal to half the damage the spell would have dealt. If the golem starts its turn in an area of this type of magic, it gains the HP listed in the parenthetical.
  • Slowed By Any magic of this type that targets the golem causes it to be slowed 1 for 2d6 rounds instead of the usual effect. If the golem starts its turn in an area of this type of magic, it's slowed 1 for that round.
  • Vulnerable To Each golem is vulnerable to one or more specific spells, with the effects described in its stat block.